Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles


3/5 Stars

B&N:


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.

My Review:

I liked this book. I enjoyed how it went back and forth each chapter between Caleb and Maggie's point of view. I really liked the characters of Caleb and Maggie. They were believable characters living through a difficult time. I could predict part of the ending, but not the character that it involved. What I didn't like was the ending!!!! Until I returned the page and saw that there's going to be another book...