The Best Reader:
Simone Elkeles

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (September 1st, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 302 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Leaving Paradise #2
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
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.

Review:

We all know that Simone Elkeles is a brilliant author. Her stories are always raw, honest, and emotional. I picked up Leaving Paradise (book 1) after reading the first two books in her Perfect Chemistry series and while I didn't fall in love with this story as much as those, it was still amazing.

I was excited to see where Caleb and Maggie end up after finishing Leaving Paradise but it took me a while to get to read this book. I was still able to dive right in and pick up where book 1 left off without being confused or forgetting many of the details. Return to Paradise takes place 8 months after Caleb left Paradise. He has tried to escape the town, his parents, and the pain of seeing Maggie. But, as we know, you can't hide from your problems. Caleb is soon in trouble again and his own real option is to go on a summer trip with some other teens.

Maggie has somehow gained even more strength since Caleb left. She was hurt, but found ways to heal. She even joined a summer trip to help share her story of the accident, but she never expected to see Caleb there.

When Caleb and Maggie see each other again I could literally feel their anxiety. As much as they may have thought they had moved on, it was obvious that the feelings were still there. I admired Maggie's determination and resistance of Caleb. He attempted to push her buttons but she remained composed and refused to let him rule her emotions. The trip opens up the thing they each tried to keep locked up — the accident and what happened after Caleb got out of the juvenile detention center. But, with some help from the other teens on the trip, they do eventually learn a lot about themselves.

Endings can make or break and entire book for me. I despise if an ending (especially of an entire series) is rushed. I was extremely satisfied with this ending. I obviously won't say what happened, and there are several surprises, but it was gratifying.

Don't think that this is just a clear-cut story. Simone placed a lot of surprises and twists along the way. And, we meet some new characters that bring a lot of life to the story.

Recommended: Contemporary readers looking for something with a deeper plot. Read Leaving Paradise first. Also, if you haven't checked out Simone's other series, Perfect Chemistry, go do that.NOW!

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How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simon Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (November 8th, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 257 pages
Series: How to Ruin #3
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the third book of this bestselling series, Amy Barak-Nelson misses her boyfriend Avi, who is in the Israeli army. Her grandmother convinces Amy to sign up for two weeks in a military training base. Not her idea of fun, but what's worse? Her team leader turns out to be Avi.

Review:

Nathan, Jessica, and Miranda are joining her and they get into quite a few hilarious situations. Amy isn't sure what to expect when she gets to the Israeli training base but she seemed to have no idea it would be so hard. The teens are treated like real soldiers and are forced to"rough it" just like everyone else.

The big surprise is that Avi is one of Amy's team leaders. They realize quickly that alone-time may not be possible on the base. And, while Amy may have thought Avi would be easy on her, she was wrong. He pushes her to do her best, while being absolutely adorable whenever she needs help. What is cuter than a tough team leader rushing to the aid of his girlfriend in front of all his friends? Nothing, I tell ya! So cute!

But, Avi made me angry in this book. Actually, very angry. I felt so invested in this story and Amy and Avi's romance that I really started mumbling things like"OMG how could he do that? That is so wrong! He'd better stop that!" LOL. Yes, I might be crazy, but I guess that's a good sign because I really connected with the story and cared about what they were going through.

There are a lot of physical and mental obstacles Amy and Avi must face in this story. Simone Elkeles really knows how to weave together a brilliant romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and serious moments throughout a story. I read this book in just a few hours and never even put it down. I am so sad to see it all end. *sigh* I'm glad we get the chance to get to know Amy's friends in this story and it all seemed to come together to show us the full picture of Amy's and Avi's experiences.

Recommended: EVERYONE. Pick up this series immediately. It's funny, romantic, and so well written. Start with How to Ruin My Summer Vacation so you don't miss a moment of Avi (and Amy, of course).

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How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux (June 8th, 2007)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 281 pages
Series: How to Ruin #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this sequel to How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, EVERYTHING in sixteen-year-old Amy Nelson Barak's life is going wrong! Her mom got married and moved to the suburbs, and now they are going to have a baby. Amy moves in with her dad in Chicago and signs him up for an online dating service. His first four dates are that night..
What else? Her dog Mutt impregnated her grumpy neighbor's prized poodle, so Amy will actually have to get a part-time job to pay for half the veterinary bill. And there's this totally annoying boy, Nathan Rubin, who just moved into her apartment building. Luckily, Amy has a cute boyfriend named Avi. Only he's more like a non-boyfriend considering Avi is in the Israeli army for the next three years.
What's a girl to do when everyone is conspiring to ruin her life?

Review:

Amy is now back in Chicago after her summer in Israel. She has little contact with Avi because he is now serving in the Israeli army and she isn't sure what to make of their dating status. She refers to him as her"non-boyfriend". On top of that, Amy's mom is now married and expecting a baby. Amy doesn't really feel she belongs in the house with her mother and stepfather. Instead, she moves in with her father so they can build a better relationship.

I really enjoy Amy's no-nonsense attitude but she did make a few silly decisions in this book. Signing her dad up for the dating service was one of them. He had no interest in dating and it only proved to get her into a lot of trouble. It did seem that while this was a heavy focus in the book, it was just thrown in without real meaning. I wanted to know more about Amy's school life, friends, and experiences.

There is a new guy in this book, Nathan, and he was a fun character. Amy isn't fond of him from the beginning and then he starts giving off some very mixed signals. She is confused as to what he wants from her and what she wants with him. After a huge surprise, things get even more complicated for her.

I liked that this book lets us get a better idea of Amy's new life. How she deals with her father, who is very strict, and how she deals with Avi being away. I feel that by the end of the book Amy really understands herself much better than she did before. Her and her friends were a fascinating group to get to know! This book has nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first one. Now, I have to get my hands on How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation! It sounds amazing! That review will be up soon… (update: soon as in, tomorrow).

Recommended: Contemporary fans who love Simone's writing. Be sure to read book 1, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation first.

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How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Llewellyn (October 8th, 2006)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 234 pages
Series: How to Ruin #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Moshav? What’s a moshav? Is it “shopping mall” in Hebrew? I mean, from what Jessica was telling me, Israeli stores have the latest fashions from Europe. That black dress Jessica has is really awesome. I know I’d be selling out if I go with the Sperm Donor to a mall, but I keep thinking about all the great stuff I could bring back home.
Unfortunately for 16-year-old Amy Nelson, “moshav” is not Hebrew for “shopping mall.” Not even close. Think goats, not Gucci.
Going to Israel with her estranged Israeli father is the last thing Amy wants to do this summer. She’s got a serious grudge against her dad, a.k.a. “Sperm Donor,” for showing up so rarely in her life. Now he’s dragging her to a war zone to meet a family she’s never known, where she’ll probably be drafted into the army. At the very least, she’ll be stuck in a house with no AC and only one bathroom for seven people all summer—no best friend, no boyfriend, no shopping, no cell phone…
Goodbye pride—hello Israel.

Review:

I do admit, the summary doesn't even come close to really telling what this story is about. I have never read a book set in Israel so I was a little worried it would be a bit of a shock, but Simone captured the setting brilliantly. Amy is somewhat forced to spend the summer with her father"AKA Sperm Donor" and meet his Israeli family. She does not look forward to this in the least. Then once she arrives in Israel she really gets a huge culture shock. She has no idea what anyone is saying or what to think of the family she never knew existed.

Then she meets Avi and a few of his friends. Plus, a cousin who does not want to welcome her to their home with open arms. I gotta say, Simone is creative with names. Cousin O'Snot, and her friends (Doo-Doo included). Hilarious!

Amy is a fun character. She's not nice or one to walk away from a fight. This made her great IMO because a lot of YA characters fall flat but Amy did not, at all! She could be cruel but at least she had a strong personality.

Her relationship with Avi is very love/hate. Avi knows how to push her buttons and he seems to enjoy it. But Amy really learns how to survive by watching him and his friends. They are hard workers and very loyal to each other. She really gets a good idea of how people can live with very little and still have a good time. This experience also gives her a chance to get to know her sick grandmother. It was nice to see Amy's true self come forward whenever she spoke with her grandmother.

After reading How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, I immediately read the next book, How to Ruin My Teenage Life and purchased book 3, How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation. It was that good! I have learned never to doubt the powers of Simone Elkeles and her epic writing skills.

Recommended: Contemporary fans looking for something hilarious!

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By: Simone Elkeles

I’ve always been a complete wimp with a capital W, and I still am. My mom took me to a “stranger-danger” movie when I was seven and I freaked out. I used to hide behind trees if I saw a car drive by when I walked to my friend Dayna’s house.

I’m still afraid of rollercoasters, because they’re scary. When I was a kid I refused to go into the “scary house” and put my hand in the “eyeball jar” in order to get my Halloween candy. And in 5^th grade I threw up and had to go home early from Tracy’s sleepover party when everyone watched the horror movie Beyond the Door (seriously, the girl in the movie was possessed and her head turned completely around 360 degrees… can you blame me for puking?).

I called 911 last year when I heard noises in my basement, but then realized I forgot that my assistant was working in my house that day. To make a long story short, my life is full of scary stories… or maybe I just have an overactive imagination and freak myself out unnecessarily because I am, after all, a storyteller.

For research this weekend, I’m going to put on a bulletproof vest and ride with the undercover detectives from the Chicago Police Department’s Gang Homicide/Sex crime division. Wish me luck that I don’t barf on the detectives if I see some scary stuff! ~Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (December 23rd, 2008) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 368 pages Series: Perfect Chemistry, book #1 A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.
In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a signed copy of Perfect Chemistry.

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US ONLY and ends November 13th.
• Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

- Thanks so much Simone for participating and for the donation!

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* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.

*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

Some if you may have already seen the behind the scenes footage from the Chain Reaction book trailer but I wanted to post it anyway because who doesn't want to see those Fuentes boys in action??

Part 1

Part 2

Previous books in the series.

Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (August 16th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 336 pages
Series: Perfect Chemistry #3
Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

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. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider 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 and permanently living on the edge?

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Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (August 16th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 336 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Perfect Chemistry #3
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

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. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider 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 and permanently living on the edge?

Review: What can I really say about this series when I'm sure you have all heard how epically awesome it is? If you haven't picked up Perfect Chemistry, do it! This series is one of my all-time favorites and I'm amazed at how Simone Elkeles tells a story. Chain Reaction is packed with passion, danger, and characters you will quickly grow to love.

Chain Reaction introduces us to the youngest of the Fuentes boys, Luis. Aww, Luis is just such a heartwarming character. One of the best things about this series is that we never have to say goodbye to the previous characters. Their stories carry onto the next books flawlessly even though the focus is on a different character. So if you are a fan of Alex and Carlos, don't worry, they are in here as well.

Luis was always the good Fuentes boy. He's smart, determined, and hopeful when it comes to his future. To Luis, nothing is more important than his family and we can easily see the love he has for his mother and brothers. The chapters alternate from Luis's point of view to Nikki's. This is something I really enjoyed throughout the series because sometimes books add too many POV's and it all gets confusing. Simone keeps readers' attention right where it should be.

Nikki has been hurt badly in the past by a boy from the wrong side of town. She has closed herself off from boys in an attempt to keep from getting hurt again. If there is one thing she knows, it's to never date a gang member. But Luis comes in with his unique personality and changes her way of thinking about guys in general. Maybe things are more complicated than they seem when it comes to the gangs. On one hand Luis seems like a typical teenage boy, and on the other he comes off as much more mature and level-headed. For Nikki, it is the first time someone gets through the walls she has built around herself and it scares her.

Of course, like Simone's previous books in this series, the gang is never far away and it seemed that even though Luis wants nothing to do with them, they are after him. The way Simone is able to represent the life of a gang member never fails to amaze me. You can feel the danger and the fear of the characters. The conflict and drama seems so real that it's impossible to not have your heart racing as you read.

As Luis and Nikki try to build their relationship, it seems that danger is always lurking nearby and Luis can't let Nikki get hurt. He is all too familiar with what the gang can do when they don't get their way.

Chain Reaction couldn't have presented a better conclusion for this heartpounding, fiercely romantic series. Simone Elkeles delivers a forbidden romance story in a way I have never witnessed before. Full of intriguing characters, action-packed drama, and alluring romance, the Perfect Chemistry series should not be passed up! You will have no choice but to fall in love with the Fuentes boys.

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Book Trailer