Book Review: Leaving Paradise

Title: Leaving Paradise.
Author: Simone Elkeles.
Format: Paperback.
Pages: 303.
Series: Yes, #1.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: Flux.
Published Date: April 8, 2007.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"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."

First & Last Line:
"I've been waiting a year for this moment."
"Let's get our moms...I think they need some pie, too."

Cover:

The cover gives the beautiful story inside no credit at all.

My Thoughts:

Leaving Paradise follows both the story of Maggie who was hit by a car a year ago, and now spends a lot of time in physical therapy, and Caleb who is just being released from juvie for hitting Maggie while drunk driving. Each chapter switches back and forth between the two different perspectives.

Maggie has spent the last few months in a wheel chair, in physical therapy and now recovering from the accident. Caleb is being released from prison, to finally go back home, and trying to get things back to the way they used to be. But that is hard when, no matter where you go, you always bump into the girl that was the reason behind changing everything, and worse, you're starting to have feelings for her.

After many failed attempts of avoiding each other, Maggie can't seem to get Caleb off her mind, especially when they start to work together (but separately). Who knew that these two would be attracted to each other, after everything that happened between them, not too long ago, changing both of their lives permanently.

Leaving Paradise, was my Perfect Chemistry back up. I love Simone Elkeles's other series, and decided to give this one a shot, and just as the other I love it! I'm almost finished with the second book, Return To Paradise, my review should be up really soon!

Waiting On Wednesday

Title: The Grass Is Always Greener.
Author: Jen Calonita.
Summary:

"Who says you can't choose your family? Their shared sweet sixteen party is just around the corner, and half sisters Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are ready to cut loose, even if they are the daughters of a prominent public figure. So when Izzie's estranged aunt, Zoe, breezes into town unannounced, it just might be the change that the Monroe family needs -- or not, depending on who you ask... Happy with her cute surfer boyfriend and a group of great girlfriends, Izzie has no interest in getting to know yet another long-lost family member. But Mira, who's on a mission to try new things and meet new people -- a handsome brooding painter in particular -- is drawn to Izzie's artsy aunt, who seems to the be the polar opposite of the uptight Monroe family. As the girls try to negotiate the unexpected paths their lives have taken, Zoe's laid-back attitude eventually charms them both. But when Zoe offers Izzie the chance to leave Emerald Cove and start fresh in California, Izzie and Mira are faced with bigger changes than they expected. Is a move to the West Coast what Izzie had in mind for her sweet sixteen? The heartwarming conclusion to Jen Calonita's Belles trilogy."

Release Date: 4/16/13.

It's Monday What Am I Reading?

Title: Chime.
Author: Franny Billingsley.
Summary:

"Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know."

My Thoughts So Far:

I'm not too far into the story yet, but as of right now, I still a little confused with whats going on. Right now I know that the main character has lost both her step mother, to illness, and her sister, to witches? Also the main character isn't very happy, and that she blames herself for it.

What's Coming This Week?

Paperback:

Stolen Nights, by Rebecca Maizel. 

Fracture, by Megan Miranda. 

Wings of the Wicked, by Courtney Allison Moulton. 

Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains), by Laurie Boyle Crompton. 

Life Eternal, by Yvonne Woon. 

Hooked, by Liz Fichera. 

Drowning Instinct, by Ilsa J. Bick. 

Ultraviolet, by R. J. Anderson. 

Stolen Away, by Alyxandra Harvey. 

Nobody But Us, by Kristin Halbrook.

Hardback: 

Prodigy, by Marie Lu. 

Shadows in the Silence, by Courtney Allison Moulton. 

The Prey, by Andrew Fukuda. 

Asunder, by Jodi Meadows. 

The Madman's Daughter, by Megan Shepherd. 

What the Spell?, by Brittany Geragotelis.

Book Review: Tiger's Curse

Title: Tiger's Curse.
Author: Colleen Houck.
Format: Hardback.
Pages: 403.
Series: Yes, #1.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: Sterling.
Published Date: January 11, 2011.
Links:
Goodreads
Barnes and Noble
Summary:

"Passion. Fate. Loyalty. Would you risk it all to change your destiny? The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever. Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more."

First & Last Line:
"I was standing on a precipice."
"Just then, a deafening, heartrending roar shook the trees."

Cover:

The picture of the cover that you see above, or anywhere online, gives this piece of art absolutely no credit! I had no clue what this cover really looked like until I held a physical copy in my own hands. The entire cover, the front and back, is cover in small and extremely shiny details! I love it!

My Thoughts:

Kelsey Hayes is a normal girl, from normal Oregon (we're Northwest Twins!), who has lost her parents, and now lives with two amazing foster parents, who have two children. Looking for a job to make a little extra money, Kelsey decides to take up the offer of becoming a helping hand at a circus that is in town, where she'll be taking care of not only dogs but also a tiger.

She's normal....that is until, Kelsey is asked to go to India to help and take care of her beloved tiger, who isn't actually a tiger, but instead a 300 hundred year old Indian prince! The only way to get rid of his curse, is if Kelsey decides to help and join him on the journey.

Still feeling weird that her tiger isn't actually a tiger, Kelsey makes the decision to stay and continue helping Ren. From staying in five star hotel rooms, dressing in pretty Indian dresses, spending time with her prince, to hiking through the jungles of India, Kelsey starts to return the feelings that Ren has for her.

The only way to break the curse is to find and put together all the pieces to the puzzle. But will the two be able to do it? Will Kelsey be able to deal with being away from home? Will Kelsey's heart or mind win the struggle she is fighting inside? Will she stay and save Ren, or will she go home to save her heart from breaking?

Not only is the cover outside beautiful but so is the story on the inside. I loved the normal-ness of Kelsey, and the way she keeps a straight head, even though the world around her is spinning. There was only two parts that I thought were kind of weird about the story; one, Kelsey went to a foreign country across an entire ocean, just because a stranger, that she meet the day before who purchased the tiger, asked her to come along to take care of Ren, and two that throughout her entire trip she called her foster parents only one time, right when she arrived.

Besides that I really like how sweet Ren was, the way Kelsey and Ren were when they were together, and Mr. Kadam is the sweetest little old man I've ever...(meet?) read about. The actual book is extremely heavy and dense, but don't let that scare you, because the story inside is capturing, and filled with romance, adventure and knowledge. I've learned so much reading Tiger's Curse.

WWW Wednesday!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

Yaaaay! The week is halfway over! I have two tests in front of me still before this semester finally ends, but thank goodness I finally finished my science fair project today! And even with all this work, I'm actually getting a lot of reading done!

What am I currently reading?

Return To Paradise, by Simone Elkeles! I'm really lovin' all of Simone Elkeles' books, and am quickly devouring them! Reviews of both Leaving Paradise and Return to Paradise should be up within the next week or so.

What did I just finish reading?

The two most recent books I finished are Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles, and Vortex by Julie Cross! Again reviews will be up shortly.

What do I plan on reading next?

The next book I plan on reading is Pushing The Limit by Katie McGarry.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Title: If I Should Die.
Author: Amy Plum.
Summary:

"I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself. Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together has been shattered. He was betrayed by Violette, someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now Violette is determined to rule over France's immortals, and she's willing to wage a war to get what she wants. It shouldn't be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he's not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him. After what we've already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?"

Release Date: 5/7/13.

Weekly Review!

Welcome to Turning Pages! 

"Weekly Reviews" is something new I'm trying out, so it might not always be the same from one week to the next, simply because I'm still figuring things out, and changing things if I don't like the way they are. But "Weekly Reviews" is just a meme showing all of the previous week's posts, including other memes, books reviews, "Blogger of the Week's" and so on, so they can once more get a shot at love! 

 If you like them meme, or have some suggestions for this meme, please comment below, I would love to hear your feedback!

Last Week's Review

Monday (January 14, 2013):

It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

Wednesday (January 16, 2013):

WWW Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday

Sunday (January 20, 2013):

Book Haul

Its Monday, What Am I Reading?

Title: Return to Paradise.
Author: Simone Elkeles.
Summary:

"Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything. Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself. But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them."

Book Haul!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

And Happy MLK Day!!

Wandering around in my favorite used bookstore, with a cup of my favorite coffee, not really looking for anything specific, I stumbled upon this amazing deal!!

Three NEW books, for only $12! I couldn't believe my eyes, I could barely keep the coffee I was sipping in my mouth, and couldn't turn down this amazing deal!

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner.

"When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside."

The Scorch Trials, by James Dashner.

"The Scorch Trials picks up where The Maze Runner left off. The Gladers have escaped the Maze, but now they face an even more treacherous challenge on the open roads of a devastated planet. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. Can Thomas survive in such a violent world?"

The Death Cure, by James Dashner.

"The Trials are over. WICKED is planning to restore the survivors' memories and complete the final cure for the Flare. But Thomas has already remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can't be trusted... The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine. Will anyone survive the Death Cure?"

Thank you so much for stopping by! Please leave a comment with your most recent book haul!

WWW Wednesday

Welcome to Turning Pages!

What am I currently reading?

With some many review due dates coming up fast, I'm actually listening to Vortex by Julie Cross, and reading Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck at the same time. Both are really good! And I can't wait to see how each story ends.

What did I just finish reading?

I finished Chain Reaction last week, and just published my review yesterday. Chain Reaction Review!

What do I plan on reading next?

The next two books I want to read are Chime by Franny Billingsley, and Crossed by Ally Condie!

Waiting On Wednesday

Title: Tidal.
Author: Amanda Hocking
Summary:

"With Penn and Lexi determined to kill Gemma and replace her with another siren, Gemma's life is in grave danger...unless she can break the curse before it's too late. With the help of Harper and Daniel, she'll delve deep into her enemies' mythical past--and their darkest secrets. It's her only hope of saving everything she holds dear: her family, her life, and her relationship with Alex--the only guy she's ever loved."

Release Date: June 4, 2013.

Its Monday, What Am I Listening To?

Title: Vortex.
Author: Julie Cross.
Summary:

"Julie Cross's Vortex is the thrilling second installment of the Tempest series, in which the world hangs in the balance as a lovelorn Jackson must choose who to save Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again."

My Thoughts So Far:

There's a total of ten discs, which are about twelve and a half hours long. I'm currently halfway through the sixth disc, and I'm really enjoying it! It's not often that I read books from a boy's perspective, but it's really interesting to see how they think, and how their feelings are towards a girl. In Vortex, Jackson attempts to hold back his feelings for Holly, but the entire time he's with her, and most of the time that he isn't he can't stop thinking about her. I'm excited to see how the story ends, and how Jackson will get his relationship working with Holly!

Weekly Review!

Welcome to Turning Pages! 

"Weekly Reviews" is something new I'm trying out, so it might not always be the same from one week to the next, simply because I'm still figuring things out, and changing things if I don't like the way they are. But "Weekly Reviews" is just a meme showing all of the previous week's posts, including other memes, books reviews, "Blogger of the Week's" and so on, so they can once more get a shot at love! 

 If you like them meme, or have some suggestions for this meme, please comment below, I would love to hear your feedback!

Last Week's Review!

Monday (January 7, 2013):
It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

Wednesday (January 9, 2013):


Waiting On Wednesday
WWW Wednesday

Saturday (January 12, 2013):
What's Coming This Week?

Sunday (January 13, 2013):


Book Haul

Book Review: Chain Reaction

Title: Chain Reaction.
Author: Simone Elkeles.
Format: Hardback.
Pages: 310.
Series: Yes, #3.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: Walker.
Published Date: August 16 2011.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"Like his brothers, Luis Fuentes is a risk taker; whether he's scaling the Rocky Mountains or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis is always looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by certain rules -, don't trust a boy who says "I love you", boys lie to get their own way and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex's wedding and suddenly she's tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to give him a chance is Luis's biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by the head of the gang that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. Will Luis's feelings for Nikki be enough to stop him from entering a dark and violent world that could prove to be the ultimate risk?"

First & Last Line:
"Being the youngest of three boys definitely has its advantages"
"'Slim to none,' Luis answers as he puts his arm around me. 'He is a Fuentes, after all.'"

Cover:

Steamy and Sexy are the two words that come to mind when I look at this cover! I actually really like all covers in this series, but I don't think people will catch me reading this books with their jackets on in school. But good job, whoever designed these! (;

My Thoughts:

The Fuentes boys are known to be bad boys, both Alex and Carlos were, and nothing changes when it comes to their youngest brother, Luis. While Alex is now married, has a toddler, and another on his way, Carlos has joined the military and is currently on deployment. Each still with the girl they fell in love in their own books.

Chain Reaction starts with Luis and his mom visiting American to attend Alex's wedding; this is where he first meets Nikki, a beautiful Hispanic girl, who Luis can't seem to get his mind off. Leaving that night off at the beach skinny dipping, Nikki snags Luis's clothes and hides them behind a rock, right before heading home.

Two years later, when Luis and his mom decide to finally move back to American, to be closer to their family, Luis runs into Nikki again at school this time. Feeling uncomfortable about the way things happened and ended the wedding night, Nikki avoids Luis a good portion of the beginning of Chain Reaction.

The chapters switch between Luis and Nikki, so the reader does get to know a lot of about her as well as Luis. Nikki has been through quite a bit, from being in love, to having her heart broken, finding out she was pregnant, to rapidly losing the baby....and now dealing with a boy she "hates" but can't get enough of.

I loved the first two books in this series, and nothing changed with this last one! Just like in the two previous books, Chain Reaction goes through a few rough spots, and bumps on the road, but ends happy! I loved the Fuentes boys, so these books are on my to be re-read list!

What's Coming This Week?

Welcome to Turning Pages, and to "What's Coming This Week"! These are just a few books coming out this week. Don't be afraid to click any of the titles below, the link will take you to that books Goodreads page.

Paperback:

Everlasting, by Alyson Noël.

Uses for Boys, by Erica Lorraine Scheidt.

Hardback:

Gates of Paradise, by Melissa de la Cruz.

Shades of Earth, by Beth Revis.

Vortex, by Julie Cross.

Book Haul!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

This week I have three awesome books, one of which I already gobbled up, and two that I can't wait to finally get started!

Chain Reaction, by Simone Elkeles.

"Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that hasn’t stopped him from other thrill-seeking behavior—like scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut. Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says "I love you," and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex’s wedding, and suddenly she’s tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to take a chance on a south sider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world?"

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski.

"If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) is a mystery to them. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time."

Order of Darkness, by Philippa Gregory.

"Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of this first in a four-book teen series from the #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl. The year is 1453 and all signs point to it being the end of the world. Accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, handsome seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of times across Europe. Commanded by sealed orders, Luca is sent to map the fears of Christendom and travel to the very frontier of good and evil. Seventeen-year-old Isolde, a Lady Abbess, is trapped in a nunnery to prevent her from claiming her rich inheritance. As the nuns in her care are driven mad by strange visions, walking in their sleep, and showing bleeding wounds, Luca is sent to investigate and driven to accuse her. Forced to face the greatest fears of the dark ages—witchcraft, werewolves, madness—Luca and Isolde embark on a search for truth, their own destinies, and even love as they take the unknown ways to the real historical figure who defends the boundaries of Christendom and holds the secrets of the Order of Darkness."

Thank you for stopping by! Make sure to leave a comment to any of your recent book hauls!