review: Paradise books by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise--Luxe--April 2007--312 pgs
Return to Paradise--Luxe--September 1, 2010--312 pgs

I have stacks of books at home from ALA and finally this past weekend I was able to indulge. I picked up Simone Elkeles' book Leaving Paradise.

It's told in the alternating pov of Caleb--who has just been released after a year in prison for a hit-and-run, and Maggie--the girl he hit. Caleb is intent on staying in Paradise and putting to right everything that went wrong when he went to jail. Maggie is intent on avoiding people in general, but especially Caleb, and escaping home as soon as possible. Neither of them get what they bargained for when they both start working for an older lady.

Fun book. And then suddenly ITS OVER. And its a CLIFF HANGER kind of ending. And I'm like, "what?" Luckily I could just go to my bookshelf and pick up the next in the series, Return to Paradise. I promised myself that I was just going to read the beginning since it was already past midnight. I lied. I finished the whole thing. And so can you! On September 1.

I enjoyed both books. I want to read her others now, especially Rules of Attraction and Perfect Chemistry but they're battling for space on my To Read List with all my other ALA finds. But hopefully soon!