[Review] Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise
by Simone Elkeles


Papeback, 303 pages
Published: April 1st 2007
Publisher: Flux

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

-Goodreads

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Nobles

My Thoughts:

Maggie fears the return of the one person that she hates the most, the person who’s responsible for her accident. Caleb Becker is happy to go home in Paradise after being in juvenile for over a year for a hit and run drunk driving that caused Maggie her limp. Both of them are out cast now in their school, will they find themselves in the midst of their difference? 

It’s a done deal! Simone Elkeles is now one of my favorite authors! Leaving Paradise for me is a master piece of a story, a story that will stay to you after you finish it. A story that is so great that you may wish that it will last forever. The story of Caleb and Maggie is a story that left me breathless while reading it, a one of a kind book that you should not dare to miss. It captured my heart the moment I read it and while finishing it it has left me breathless! A Wonderfully written story with characters that is so compelling you won’t stop reading it. It made me feel different kinds of emotion while reading it. I cannot express more how I like this book; it’s a story about redemption, hope and love. Definitely worth reading. 

Maggie and Caleb are such strong characters and that what I really like best. They fought all the stares of people looking down on them because of what happened. They have family problems, friend’s issues and a lot more to deal with but they overcome it all. All the characters are beautifully created; Mrs. Reynolds specifically is one of them. She is one woman that reminds me of my grandmother. I admire her because of her wisdom and with all the wise words that she told Maggie. She brought Maggie and Caleb together, she gave Caleb a chance in spite of what he’s had done to Maggie. 

Simone Elkeles has created a book that is hard to forget, a story that will stay with me forever. This story has a special mark in my heart now. This is one book that made me cry and cry the moment it finished and it rarely happens. Read it and I swear you won’t be disappointed.

Ratings:


Review by:


I just want to say Happy Release Day to Simone Elkeles <3today is the release of Chain Reaction the third installment of the Perfect Chemistry Series!

I swear I want to read this now!while waiting for your/my copy lets just watch the trailer of Chain Reaction :)

You can visit Simone's YouTube Channel for more behind the scenes which is a total SQUEE!I love love love the Fuentes Brothers!
Also did a review for Perfect Chemistry in case you want to read what we have to say it's here

Who's your favorite brother? 

Me, totally love in love with Carlos <3

"What happens when I break one of your fuckin' rules?" No offense to Carlos fans but I was flipping with Carlos like really! lol I can't wait to read/meet Luis Fuentes! who's excited? 

Would love to hear from you :)

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FOR THE WIN!

The winner of the Pre Order Giveaway is...
Disney Princess
she said

"You should preorder Clockwork Prince because whether you're Team Will or Team Jem, it's sure to be an amazing book."

I got over 300+ entries

here's the tally

Bloodlines - 2

Chain Reaction - 32

Clockwork Prince - 133

Lola - 81

The Iron Knight - 51

Half Blood - 1

Second Grave on the Left - 1

The Darkest Surrender - 1

I love reading all your responses here are some of my favorites :)

Because ANNA was amazing, and this one looks just as good! Also, just because Etienne St. Clair is AWESOME and apparently he's in it! :D - @carinalaura

I would like you to pre-order "The Iron Knight" by Julie Kagawa because her books draw you in the was they are written and make you want to read more. It would be amazing to recieve this book before it hits stores because I can barely contain myself I'm filled with so much excitement. Julie Kagawa is my favorite author and her writing is absolutely beautiful the way it flows and I believe this book would be a wonderful read. Thank you, @G32Ash

Actually Perfect Chemistry was my first book i fell in love with and finished and i started to like everything simone elkeles wrote and i am totally a fan of the alternate speaker. its so amazing because you can feel what the girl main character feels and guy character. AND this is the 3rd book in the perfect chemistry novels and the last brother AHHH - @khyla_rahchelle

I just preordered Lola and Clockwork Prince :D

Chain Reaction is going to be release tomorrow! Didn't preorder ill just wait

for it to be released here!

and The Iron Knight is on Net Galley! how great could that be?

Thank you very much to those who have entered! I promise to have more! maybe around 800 followers? :)

meanwhile you can enter the Joyous Reads epic giveaway!

You could win 1 choice of book per month the whole year! enter here for more chances!

also please check out our Random Act of Kindness wishlist

*Winner has been emailed, she has 48 hours to response with her mailing info or else ill pick another winner*

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Random Act of Kindness: August

Rules:

• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.

• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

Yes we are joining R.A.K (Random Acts of Kindness). It's our first time joining this challenge and we are excited to give and receive books from other bloggers. This challenge is hosted by Book ♥ Soulmates. This is open to everyone who has a good heart.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Our wishlist

As you there is two Melina Marchetta book on the list, this is mainly because I've been raving to read a Marchetta book. I always here a lot of good things from her books, it would be lovely if anyone could give us one of her books :)
also adding Shade and Shift because of the success of #TeamKilt from the YA Crush Tourney, it seems like i'm missing out from this one so if anyone is kind enough to send us it would be awesome :)
UPDATE: For August, it is the 6th month of Random Acts of Kindness and Book Soulmates are hosting a giveaway for all participants! You can win a $20 gift card for Amazon, by posting about the giveaway on your blog!

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[Blog Tour] Paradise 21 by Aubrie Dionne

The baddies in Paradise 21 ~Guest Post~

Every story has its villains, and Paradise 21 has two.

They were to most fun to write! At times, I felt as though they took over the story because each one had the greatest character arc. Both of them are tragically flawed, and through their mistakes they learn and grow. But do they get what they want in the end? For that answer, you’ll have to read Paradise 21.

Baddie #1

Astor Barliss: The Lieutenant and Aries’ fiancé aboard The New Dawn.

His flaw: trying to control everything.

What he loses to realize he has to change: Aries, the woman he’d worked so hard to get as his lifemate.

Baddie #2

Tiff: the space pirate that joined Striker’s crew, then left him to die on Sahara 354.

Her flaw: selfishness, not knowing what or who she really wants.

What she has to lose to realize she has to change: Striker’s love.

My question to you is: name a baddie in movies or literature and their tragic flaw. Do they overcome it, or does the flaw get the better of them?

Book Trailer

About Paradise 21 goodreads, Paradise 21 at Entangled Publishing

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

About Aubrie Dionne: Website ,Blog

Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications, A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications. Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school.

~GIVEAWAY~
For a chance to win a Signed postcard and winners choice of eBook from Aubrie's previous workall you have to do is leave your email on the comment + extra extra entry if you spread the word.

Here are the tour schedules for you to follow!

Monday August, 8th – Cinnamon, A Journey of Books / Guest Post, Where Aubrie got the idea for Paradise 21

Tuesday,  August, 9th – Tishia, Paranormal Opinion / Guest Post, Paradise 21: Space Pirates with a Chip on Their Shoulder
Wednesday, August, 10th – Jules, The Great, The Good and The Bad / Guest Post, Sci fi terminology in Paradise 21

Thursday, August, 11th- Bree, The Magic Attic / Character Interview, Striker

Friday, August, 12th – We Fancy Books / Guest Post, The baddies in Paradise 21

Monday August, 15th – Kristin, My Bookish Ways / Author Interview

Tuesday, August, 16th - Cindy, Oodles of Books / Guest Post, Luggage in Space

Wednesday, August, 17th- Rie, Mission To Read / Guest Post, Creating your own world: Positives and Negatives

Thursday, August, 18th – Grace, Books Like Breathing / Character Interview, Aries

Friday, August, 19th – Ambur, Burning.x.Impossibly.x.Bright / Guest Post, Character Building: Challenges and Rewards

Monday August, 22th – Nikki, Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind / Guest Post, The challenges and advantages to writing Sci Fi romance

Tuesday, August, 23th – Christie, The Fiction Enthusiast / Guest Post, Paradise 21: the twenty first planet capable of sustaining life

Wednesday, August, 24th – Pushy, Bewitched Bookworms / Author Interview

Thursday, August, 25th – Farrah, The Book Faery Reviews / Guest Post, What Makes Space Opera So Awesome?

Friday, August, 26th- Mandy, The Well-Read Wife / Guest Post, Pirate names: learn the crew of the Morphic Marauder

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Waiting on Wednesday #5 by TheJay2xA

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Shattered Sous

by Mary Lindsey

Expected publication: December 8th 2011

Description from Goodreads:

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

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A BLOG HAS BEEN BORN!

On my consistent push and my persistent blogging advice one of my Twitter BFF @TopeeB a.k.a Joy has debuted her blog!

Check her out at Joyous Reads cause she's totally rocking the blogging world by having an AWESOMESAUCE giveaway!

YOU CAN ALSO ENTER HERE FOR MORE CHANCES!

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[Review] Bleeder by L.K. Rigel

Bleeder

by L.K. Rigel

File Size, 1078 KB

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

The King of Garrick wants to kill her.
The King of Allel wants to love her.
And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul! 

It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs.

It was supposed to be a pampered and uneventful life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention.

In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all -- the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny.

-Goodreads

Amazon Book Depository | Barnes & Nobles

My Thoughts?

Bleeder is beautiful. It’s my first time reading this kind of novel. Well I mean first time reading the kind of story. And I did not regret it.

It has two prequels, the Space Junque and Spiderwork. They were short and very fast-paced but it prepared me for Bleeder. I would not have understood the story if it wasn’t for the two prequels.

I think the story is great. Seriously, when I think about it in general, I couldn’t help but smile and kind of pity and wonder about the status of the Bleeders. Well if you didn’t get it, the Bleeders are the chosen maidens that the goddess Asherah blessed with fertility, thus “Bleeder” because they bleed. You see this book is of another time on earth, more specifically the future when humanity had succeeded in destroying the planet that gave/gives us life. The people in this book have been trying to continue to breed but the women lost their fertility because of the contaminated environment. It kind of affected their health. Now the great goddess Asherah has chosen women to be fertile [to bleed] but they had to like make contracts with the aristocrats, those who can pay them, to breed the aristocrats’ future generation. In shorter words, they’re kind of prostitutes.  But I mean prostitutes who are trying to continue the human species right?

But somehow, I really could not get myself to be like them. I know they’re humans and stuff but these people, I might as well consider them from another planet. I pretty much understand that people adapt to their environment and it would make them the way they are. But I could not imagine breeding babies and not care for them.

Anyway, as much as I love the story, the writing seemed fast. I mean there are different authors out there, so of course there are plenty of ways of writing. I’m not even complaining. I just want to say it. Okay that’s it. It’s a little fast but nothing that could get me confused or lost.

Maybe you could read it too. And then you’ll like it. I don’t know but I feel like you would. And read the prequels first, I mean it wouldn’t take much of your time since they’re both short but it would give you like something to be looking forward to to Bleeder.

Ratings:


Review by:

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[Blog Tour] Illicit Magic Tour by Camilla Chafer

Book Excerpt

As I took my place next to her, the window behind me shattered. Glass exploded in every direction as a missile drove its way through and sailed through the space I’d just occupied, missing Robert by mere inches. The missile lodged itself in a fizzing mess in the wall. Like an idiot I waited for the explosion but it didn’t come. Instead, something viscous, thicker than air but not as heavy as smoke, slithered from the bomb and all hell broke loose as those who had been caught by the glass cried out in pain and shock. Some of the gathering had fallen to the floor bleeding and the uninjured had leapt forward to form a barrier around them as the essence undulated towards them. I could hear a low murmur of chanting rising above the moans.

Marc and Étoile lurched into action, grabbing me and, with their arms entwined across my back, propelled me out of the way and into the lobby. We nearly collided with two suited men, our drivers from earlier, as they ran into the room. Voices rang after us, cries of astonishment and anger.

I head a man’s voice say angrily, “We can’t retaliate with our magic until the shields are removed,” but his words were met with angry disproval then the steady of hum of voices in chorus, each chanting in words I didn’t recognise.

I cowered in Étoile’s arms as she hugged me tight, one hand stroking my back in a curiously comforting way as I felt the panic dissipate. “They’re spell casting,” she whispered, her voice tickling my cheek, as she explained, “some are reinforcing our protection. Some are trying to find the culprit. Mostly, they are keeping the magic from that bomb at bay.”

Marc stood in front of us, his face etched with fury, his fists balled as smoke curled out of the room but he didn’t make a move forward.

“What the hell was that?” I whispered, not sure if I should raise my voice.

“That, dear Stella, was very nearly your head,” said Étoile, in an equally horrified voice. It was the first time I’d heard her shaken.

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Smashwords

Author bio

Hi, I'm Camilla and I'm the author of Illicit Magic and Unruly Magic, the first two books in the Stella Mayweather Paranormal Series. The series starts with a lonely young woman, Stella, who has been caught up in a terrifying witch hunt and is whisked thousands of miles away to what she thinks is safety to learn her craft. The series is a blend of magic, mystery and romance with a splash of humour - and while the girls really do go all out to save themselves, there's always a hunky guy or two on hand to help them out.

I live in London, UK but I try to travel as often as I can - lately I've been to Paris, all over Denmark, Luxembourg, and several US states. In my day job I'm a journalist and editor so I write for magazines, newspapers and websites throughout the world (my favourite assignment was spending a week riding rollercoasters - if you listen carefully you can probably still hear me screaming).

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Waiting on Wednesday #4 by TheJay2xA

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Sweet Venom 

by Tera Lynn Childs

Expected publication: September 6th 2011

Description from Goodreads:

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster. 

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though. 

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters. 

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

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Teaser Tuesday #5 by Era Penera

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Cascade (River of Time, #2) by Lisa Tawn Bergren

My Teaser:

I hardly had a choice, with him hovering over me. I lowered myself, suspiciously staring up at him. Crazily there were three of him now. All three Lord Grecos moved to the bottom of the cot and unfolded the heavy blanket, pulling it up and over me. They really weren't looking at me with anything more than the eyes of a friend. Maybe they're gay...                 

It was my throbbing head and ribs that woke me first, as dawn lit the outside, changing the color of the tent plum to lavender. Kind of a girly color for a knight, I thought. Maybe he really is gay.              

I turned around the corner of the screen and gasped. Once again, he'd crept in without me knowing. Lord Greco stared at me, his eyes falling from my wet curls to the damp shirt... for the first time letting me know he thought I was something more than a sack of potatoes to deliver. Not gay.          

I know this is too much of a teaser but anyway... I still posted it. Mind you, Lord Greco is not the main protagonist of this story, no. But he is a mysterious villain and I am crushing on him because he's gorgeous and stuffs like that. And anyway, the point of this teaser is for me to say that my beloved Lord Greco is NOT gay! I will not accept it, Ms. Bergren, if you make him that way. I'm just saying anyway, that my knight in shinning armor slash mysterious villain slash a total hottie Lord Rodolfo Greco is a man!

Okay I think I'm done blabbing.

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Winners~

Here are the winners for

Overprotected Blog Tour:

Vivien

You won a Tote, T-shirt and Overprotected Book!

Amanda

Won a Choice of Lauren's Books!

Replay Blog Tour:

Denise Z

Won a copy of Reply by Keira Lea

A Warrior's Witch Blog Tour:

DANIELA

Won a copy of Stacey Kennedy's Back list

Delicate Freakn Flower Blog Tour

nanniclover

Won a copy of Delicate Freakn Flower by Eve Langlias

*Winners have been emailed and has 48hrs to reply or ill pick another winner*

Congrats to all the winners! We still have a few giveaway running! Enter while you still have the chance!

Win a kindle copy of Across Eternity

Win $100 Amazon GC or Gift Card of Choice

Pre-Order Giveaway!

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