Leaving Paradise

Leaving Paradise left me breathless!!

When I started reading this book, I was imediatly absorbed. Both Caleb and Maggie have a strong personality, which is that much more interesting to read about them,... the only thing that I could have wished were different is the ending!!! Thank goodness there will be a sequel, I would have clawed my own eyes out if there wasn't one, ha ha!!

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

A Night That Changed Everything

Leaving Paradise is a touching story about a girl and boy brought together by a terrible accident that changed each others lives forever. It is a book that teens and even young adults can relate to. It shows forgiveness, relationships, stereotypes and how teens are harassed by their peers. It is not like your typical fairy tale story, where there is a happy ending or where you know what's going to happen next. There's a surprising twist that pulls you in until you're on the last page. Leaving paradise is an exceptionally easy read, alternating between the two characters, telling their sides of the story. It goes into depth about how their feeling and how there reacting to coming back from the accident that happened a year ago. Throughout the book it shows their weaknesses but how they eventually over come it together. The major message was saying how even though a situation may seem hard to cope with, it will get better throughout time, especially with people to support you in your worse moments and not to let anyone make you think nothing is not worth trying for. I like the ending and how it wasn't expected throughout the book, yet it was a bit dramatic. I think it could've been ended better since that was the only unreal part that wasn't likely to happen, but it was still a great book. I also liked how the author included every day situations throughout the whole story. It showed how the author knew what teenagers go through in life and how hard it can be to cope with, but he made this a very easy book to connect with, knowing that he knew what teens go through and not everything is a picture perfect moment. The girl, Maggie was a character any girl can relate with as she goes through the same problems of divorce and relationships as a teenage girl would in reality. I think it teens who like a good story that connects with the reader would really enjoy this book for its setting and plot and the depth the author gives the characters.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

AMAZING

I seriously could not stop thinking about this book. It is a great story that made me cry and smile. I loved it and enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book because it is simply amazing :)

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

LOVE IT

"Are you following me?" she asks, but doesn't meet my gaze.
"Yeah," I say.
"Why?"
I give her the only honest and true answer I have.
"You're where I want to be."

I read this book awhile ago, but am just now deciding to come back and write a review, because this book is way too good for me not to share my unconditional love for it with everyone.

This book has alternating POV between Maggie and Caleb, Maggie use to have a lot of fiends, and was a star tennis player..but that was all before Caleb Becker her neighbor and best friends brother hit her with his car drunk one night..and left her there..now Maggie can't play tennis, and she limps where ever she goes, people stare and make fun of her, and her and her best friend don't even talk, everyday is a struggle for her and all she wishes is for it to be the end of the year so she can leave the small town of Paradise. Caleb a year later after hitting Maggie is getting out of juvie, he knows his home life will never be the same, but he hopes everyone can forgive and forget. As more and more secrets from that night are revealed Maggie and Caleb find comfort in something they never thought they would: each other.

This book will hold you from the first page, till the very last. It will leave you feeling all warm inside and in shock of how beautiful and amazing the story you just read was. After reading Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles I could never have imagined her writing a better book because it was so good...and then came Leaving Paradise. Simone out did herself here, this book was even better then Perfect Chemistry, and if you've seen my review for Perfect Chemistry you will know that I freakin loved that book.

This book had wonderful characters, perfect insight into both Maggie and Caleb's thoughts, one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read, and great character development was perfect. I could make this review probably a million pages long talking about why I loved it so much, but I'm just going to leave it at this: If you haven't read this book, get up and go read it, then come back and tell me how much you loved it. You wont regret it and that's a promise.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Leaving Paradise

This story is mesmerizing. The minute I picked it up I could not put it down. The emotion you can feel in this story is incredibly real. I have recommended this book to many people and the only complaint they had was that the book had ended in the middle of the story. All of them cannot wait until the sequel comes out. Leaving Paradise was beautifully written, and I cannot find any faults with it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of the best books I've ever read!

The headline says it all one of the hands down best books I've ever read. You're immediately engaged with the beginning of the story, you're intrigued in trying to solve the mystery of what happened the night that Maggie Armstrong was run over, and how bad boy Caleb did or didn't have something to do with it. This story pulls you in and doesn't let you out, it's so enticing. Can't wait for the sequel to see exactly where Maggie and Caleb end up. They're two of my all time favorite characters.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Love This so Much!!!

wow, this book, was really amazing!! I got hooked to it the moment I read the first couple of pages about Caleb.. I just can't believe the ending!! I got really mad! And of course I cried too! I can't wait for the sequel to come out!! Cant wait! :)

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Doesn't have a happy ending, but....

It is still a really good book! It's your classic love story, with a twist. I started reading and finished this book in one day. And looking at Simone Elkeles webpage it looks like she is coming out with a sequel soon! So maybe there will be a happy ending after all :D

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great Series

Good storyline, couldn't stop reading

Amazing

This a an amazing book. Every aspect of it makes it unforgettable. Each page makes you want to know more and more. I got hooked on this book! Return to Paradise is amazing as well. Simone is truely an amazing author <3

Do not read....Spolier Alert

I love this book but why did CB have too leave in the end? I thought it would be a happy ending. I get it was so Maggie could have a new life and all but....i just wish he didn't leave her. 'Specially after all they have been through. I would really like to know what happened to Kendra & everyone else, after he left and all. I hope Kendra grows up too become ugly and never gets married...it serves her right. I would not care if that happened too her. I wou have loved to see her face when her call ment CB deciding to leave forever. I also hope her father never won the election. And the family will become shamed because their daughter is a filthy,stuck up,slut. I also hope Maggies mom and Lou got married. Thats if it was kinda like real life though.

So good!

I felt like it was completly real. Everythingncould really happen. Not like the hunger games. It opened my eyes. I got halfway trough and was a little sad becausebit wasnending. I wanted to put.it down but i couldnt.

An okay book overall, but when compared to Elkeles¿s other books (which I can¿t help but do), it failed to grab me.

Maggie’s back home after recovering from her surgery and all she wants to do is leave. She’s tired of people looking at her as though she’s different, so she’s saving up for a year abroad where she can disappear into the crowds and be a nobody. Caleb is tired of his mom acting like nothing’s wrong, his sister acting as though someone’s died and everyone at school acting as though he might do something crazy. He just wants everything to go back to the way it was. They end up working at the same house and I’m sure you can guess what happens next.

I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed in this one, only because I went in expecting something as spectacular as Perfect Chemistry. I did enjoy the book, but it didn’t stay with me like PC did. I wasn’t crazy about Maggie’s character from the beginning. I certainly felt sorry for her and all the was going through, but I also felt like she was a bit on the whiny side. She hated her limp but whined through the physical therapy that would have helped it. I didn’t understand why she put up with the mean girls who made fun of her. She just kept her head down and took it, counting on her year abroad to make her life all better. And though I felt sorry for Caleb, coming back into a fractured family, he seemed to think he would just drop back into his life right where he left it. It was unrealistic for him to expect nothing to have changed. Plus, he was kind of a manwhore. I liked Mrs. Reynolds, the old lady that employed Caleb and Maggie. She was quirky and knew it. She was also wise and knew the two of them needed to forgive each other and move on. I wonder what would have happened to their characters if she hadn’t been there to move them along.

I liked the way every chapter was told from an alternating point of view, from both Caleb and Maggie. Elkeles did the same thing in PC and she really knows how to make it work. I never wondered what they were thinking or wished I could see something from someone else’s point of view. The dialogue was average, nothing too extravagant or unbelievable. I thought the plot was great, what a unique way to have 2 people thrown together and fall in love.

The love story itself didn’t really draw me in and make me care, but it felt very real and natural. Maggie and Caleb didn’t even want to be in the same room with each other and you could feel the tension as they slowly warmed up to each other and began to care. The tenderness Caleb finally showed to Maggie was so sweet and mostly made me forget about his manwhorish ways. The big truth that was finally revealed happened near the end and didn’t seem to really affect anyone the way I thought it would. It was almost a non event.

I really like the cover for this one, it’s very understated and yet seems to tell a story. It matches the tone of the book perfectly.

Same

It's the same thing as return to paridise, but i still like it

Amazing book

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in a couple of hours and just couldn't put it down. Great read and good story, but I wish it would of been longer. There is also a sequel to this book which I also read as well.

My fav book of the series

Loved, loved, loved this book !!

Awsome

This book is really good. I dont think that it is as good as some of Simone's other books. I do think that if you are into love stories that are filled with adventure and promise you should deff read this book.... add me as a nook friend so we can discyss some books

Anonymous

When I started reading this book I fell in love instantly. This book has drama, cliffhangers and you wont be able to put it down. It has become one of my favorites and I just could not put it down. The story of Maggie and Caleb is just so interesting and breath-taking. Its just a book about a guy named Caleb who had it all before he was accused of hiting Maggie Armstrong, the friend of Caleb's twin sister. It tells the story of how he wanted everything to go back to normal before he was convicted. But when everything just has changed so much ever sense he left he feels that he cant handle it. Im gonna stop there cause I dont want to give any other surprises away. To sum everything up "JUST READ THE BOOK". It will become one of your favorites. :) :) :)

AHHH !

i love this book with all my heart ! left me breathless, & only wanting more. I totally recommend this book, without a doubt ! you will never want to put this book down. I was actually pretty disappointed when the book was coming to an end ! I love it & im pretty sure all teens will love it, just as much as i do !

Country Gal

This author is amazing!!! I can't wait for more!!!!!!