Leaving Paradise- Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise
Author: Simone Elkeles
Source: Bought new
Series: Yes
Rating: 4.5/5















Goodreads Summary

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.

These books are like super sweet cookies, I absolutely love them but I try not to have too many. Simone Elkeles is an author I know that her books will always be good. I am so terrified to read the next books in her series because I am terrified I will not love it as much. I of course was not dissapointed with this book. I purchased this on a whim. It was on sale for $2 so I thought why not.

Caleb is just getting out of juvenile jail where he spent a year of his life after he got behind the wheel of a car and hit Maggie Armstrong. He is learning to re-adjust to his life on the outside. His family does not know how to treat him. I found that Caleb was a little bit of a jerk in the beginning. He falls back into the groove of his old life and seems to fall in the same crowd as before. Maggie feels like an outsider since the accident. She is doing everything in her power to leave Paradise as soon as possible. Maggie was a frustrating character. I felt bad for the things she had to go through but at times I felt like she pulled the poor me card a lot. I completely understand she feels like nothing will ever be the same but I wanted her to realize how much she was missing out on my hiding in the shadows.

I loved the plot. Bad boy getting out of jail and starting at the high school of the girl he hit? Drama galore and of course a good story. I always know how these books are going to end but I am still always so eager to read it because I know I will be sucked in instantly. I loved the twists this book had, so much more of that night was revealed. Information starting to fall into place making everything make more sense.

This book was an amazing deal at $2 and for someone looking for a contemporary I highly recommend this book. It was a one sitting book, and I think I will finally get over my fear and read the next book in this series because I have to know what happens next with Caleb and Maggie and of course between Caleb's sister and Maggie. So much stuff needs to be said still. I gave this a 4.5/5.