YA Summer Reading Review: Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Everyone keeps asking me for fun summer reading recommendations so I have decided to compile a list and give a a series of reviews for each of them. Sound good? Good.

When I think of summer reading I think of laying out by the pool with my nose stuck in a paperback. Sure i could suggest heavy dystopians or dark fantasy books but I like my summer reading a little less heavy. I mean, a little substance here and there is crucial to making the book worthwhile but there needs to be a really good balance.

The first book I am going to suggest is RETURN TO PARADISE by Simone Elkeles.


This book was completely engrossing and had the perfect blend of summer romance and solid teen message. Told from alternating perspective's of bad boy Caleb who's shady past casts a big shadow over his life, and former victim turned survivor Maggie who's hardship has made her stronger. When we meet Caleb he is struggling with the secrets of his past he has tried to hide from, a life and girl he left behind because he felt unworthy and the consequences of his actions.


Maggie was the victim of a hit and run accident that not only left her crippled but hit her close to home. Very close. The driver convicted of hitting her happens to be her next door neighbor and twin brother to her best friend. As if that wasn't bad enough. She felt drawn to him and started seeing him after the accident that is until Caleb just up and ran away. Eight months passed by and not a word from him. Maggie has almost gotten over him and decides to go on a summer tour with other teens who's lives have been impacted by drugs and alcohol, their goal being to help bring awareness to other youths and low and behold who should also happen to be on the trip...the boy that left her behind.

Sounds kinda heavy, huh? Well it all lightens up when hormones and emotions run rampant and not only does the story blossom into a great "coming of age/overcoming problems" message book, it has one of my favorite summertime romances that are blush inducing. Caleb is pretty darn swoon worthy and him and Maggie together are SO PERFECT!

I HATE blogger, I'm giving away ARC's and I'm going to Splash Town.:)

I have been in a reading frenzy for the past month. Between Book's picked up at the Teen Author Day at Romantic Times and my fairy godmother sending me books from BEA...well you get the point. Shall I show you? Yes. I think I will.

OMG!!!! Right? Yes, that is Bloodlines, Enthralled, Crossed and FOREVER! How bout them apples?

And I have read a bunch and guess what...THEY ARE AWESOME!!!

The problem with reading so many great books is when you have to stop to review them. *Sigh* Well, I had about 7 books read and I knew I needed to take the time to review them but, it's summer, and it's hot, and I just wanna read more......yeah, you get the point. Well, I finally sat down and knocked out a couple reviews for Paperback Dolls and then discovered today that BLOGGER HATES ME. It deleted 2 of my reviews that I worked hard on. *boo hoo hoo*. I know I know I know...I should have saved them in word but I didn't and I a little upset about it.

WHY BLOGGER WHY???

Anyway, I am done with messing around with reviews and posts for the day. I did manage to get my post for Favorite Boys of Teen Fiction for Paperback Dolls next week and GUESS WHAT...I am giving away a couple of my signed ARC's (One from BEA;). And now, I am taking my white, pale body to SPLASH TOWN! I am really excited. It's the first water park I have been to since I moved here. Hopefully I don't blind anyone with my whiteness--Hey, I'm an Irish redhead living amongst a bunch of tan Latinas...I have good reason to worry;)

Have a great weekend! 

Peace & Love

New Graphic Novel for teens coming soon

FROM THE MIND OF OSCAR-WINNING FILM PRODUCER

ARON WARNER

Sea Lion Books Unites Warner, Eisner-Nominated Illustrator Brett Weldele and Writer Philip Gellat to Bring A Unique Group of Beyond-Intelligent Teen Fugitives to the Comic Book World This July.

— LATEST NEWS & EVENTS —

Atlanta, GA – June 01, 2011 – They’re not super powered, they’re just super smart. The teen protagonists who lead us through the world of Pariah, a twelve-book graphic novel series from the mind of Oscar-winning film producer Aron Warner and published by Sea Lion Books, are the next generation of heroes in the comic book world. Eisner-nominated illustrator Brett Weldele (The Surrogates) will bring the stories to life in ink, and Philip Gelatt will pen the scripts set in Warner’s world for the twelve books. As buzz builds about this unlikely collaboration and the unique story of Pariah, the series will premiere at San Diego Comic Con on July 20 – 24th.

"I came up with Pariah after reading an article about in vitro genetic manipulation,” Warner says. “We take medications every day without fully understanding how they work. It’s kind of terrifying if you think about it. In Pariah, kids grow up with incredible intelligence as a side effect of modern ‘cures.’ The problem is that they’re so smart, they question everything – even things we hold as sacred. All of our laws, morals, and even physical constraints will be torn apart and re-built. These kids are adrift in every way, equipped with mental tools we can’t even imagine. On top of all of that, they’re persecuted, feared and hated. As if being a teenager didn’t suck enough…”

The Vitros, as the characters are called, are a group of several hundred kids from all over the world who possess beyond-human intelligence produced via genetic manipulation. As teenagers in the process of trying to uncover their identities, they live relatively normal lives, though not without a fair amount of suspicion thrown at them from the fringes of society. When the Vitros are framed for a deadly explosion at a laboratory that releases a virus on the population, the government systematically begins to round up these pariahs, sending our heroes on the run from the authorities and their lives.

Says Sea Lion's Publisher, Derek Ruiz, "Aron has captured the essence of being a Pariah as seen through the eyes of a group of scientifically created teens. They are a Petri dish of innocent souls infinitely more intelligent than anyone else on Earth. Yet their creation and existence has left them shunned and condemned.”

What happens when the society that created them also tries to destroy them? The Pariahs fight back this July. For updates and additional information join Pariah on Facebook or follow @PariahComicBook on Twitter.

ABOUT ARON WARNER:
Aron Warner is the Academy Award®-winning producer of the animated blockbuster “Shrek” series. Mr. Warner joined PDI/Dreamworks in 1997 working as the producer on the animated film, Antz. He is currently in partnership with director Andrew Adamson in Strange Weather where they and partner Jeff Fierson are developing a slate of live action and animated feature films and television shows. He, producing alongside James Cameron, just wrapped the Untitled Cirque Du Soleil 3-D project, which was written and directed by Adamson. Pariah is his first graphic novel series.

ABOUT SEA LION BOOKS:
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Sea Lion Books LLC is a newly established publishing house which specializes in all formats—hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market and in urban fantasy and young adult genres. Sea Lion Books LLC recent roster of authors include: International Bestselling author, Paulo Coelho, New York Times Bestselling autho rs, Richelle Mead, Richard A. Knaak, F. Paul Wilson and Becca Fitzpatrick plus more to be announced in the upcoming months. Contact David Dabel at David@sealionbooks.com .You can visit Sea Lion Books on the Internet at http://www.sealionbooks.com . Follow Sea Lion Books online. Twitter, Face Book, Youtube.