book review: lola and the boy next door by stephanie perkins!

I loved Anna the French Kiss. For me, lately, it has been the epitome of YA contemporaryish romances. There’s Paris, there’s love, a hot (dare I say British?) boy—okay, okay you get the point. I never wanted that story to end because there just seemed to be so much more to tell between St. Clair and Anna (it was too cute to deny its adorableness!) So in the bookstore, as luck would have it, I saw Lola and the Boy Next Door and grabbed it up IMMEDIATELY. YES.
Can I be honest and say I wasn’t expecting to like this? (Honest fact: I grabbed it because the fact it was a Perkins novel. That’s it.) I wasn’t at all appealed by the storyline. I knew I’d hate myself for this, but I knew I’d be bound to compare the ohmygosh amazingness of Anna and St. Clair’s story to Lola and Cricket (plus, with ‘Anna’ being set in Paris, I was kind of more veered on that one.) Like, most people came up to me to actually point out the predictableness of the storyline within its title. (“Really, Brianna? Lola and the Boy Next Door? LOLA. AND THE BOY. NEXT DOOR. Seriously.”) But it’s Stephanie Perkins! And who am I to deny the temptation of having more romances and fictional hot boys to go gaga over? Mmf, not at all…

************

ABOUT THIS BOOK: In ‘Lola’ we’re welcomed into a new setting, all new characters (and old), and even more boy drama. Seventeen year old Lola Nolan is completely content with her life in Los Angeles. Well, almost that is. She has a hot rocker boyfriend, an amazing best friend, actually loving parents, and a chic (or rather eccentric?) collection of clothes. Um, so why is this almost perfect? Ugh. The Bell Twins, Calliope and Cricket, are back and moving in next door (again!)—just when Lola finally thought she could escape them for good. But Cricket’s somehow trying—actually wanting—to get back into Lola’s life again which not only sets a lot of boy drama, but Lola must finally learn to reconcile her feelings for the boy next door.
Like Anna, Lola is trying to come to terms with growing up and learning how to handle situations, and LOVE. Here’s the amazing thing about Stephanie Perkins novels: the characters. All her books (or at least, the ones I read so far) have an amazing sense of theatricalness to them to make them honestly endearing. (Which, is also why I’m wondering why no one opted for Anna and the French Kiss’s film rights?! Seriously!! It totally should be a movie.) Writing wise, it’s good but it’s simply the characters that really hold everything together. The dialogue, their descriptions, the—everything. I. Love. And I’m really trying hard not to gush!

MY REVIEW: More often than not, yes, I found myself comparing Lola and the Boy Next Door to Anna and the French Kiss. I didn’t really like Lola’s character much because of my own struggle to identify with her. Her fashion style is crazy (too much to describe honestly) and the avante-gardeness of her just made me feel . . . turned off for some reason? That didn’t really discourage me from reading, but there’s something about her style that irks me. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m just content with a cardigan, t-shirt and jeans but—she’s overall good. Sometimes, she comes across as a tad self-centered and teenagery, her decisions are really ill-thought, and at some point in the novel I was actually beginning to think all her problems were self-centered around Cricket but it isn’t just that. When you inspect the pieces of the story as a whole, you realize there’s way more to the story than that—therefore, making Stephanie Perkins novels the not-so-typical teenage romance.
Suffice to say, Lola can be either an amazingohmygosh character or that character you love to hate, you know? I had moments where I was super uber annoyed with her, a feeling I never even had for Anna. My ‘bone to pick’ with Lola is probably one of the things that discouraged me from giving it five stars. But there’s enough drama to keep interest, and YES, Perkins give us even more hot, dreamy boys to swoon over. Which I LOVED.
Cricket, Lola’s ex-crush, is given his fair share of development. I honestly don’t understand why Lola could hold so much resentment for him, because he seemed so genuine. Surely he’s not Etienne, he doesn’t exactly have British boy charm and humor but he’s Cricket. Innovative and certainly still charming, I think Cricket will find it’s way into the hearts of romance-lovers. It definitely has for me!
So is Lola and the French Kiss worth reading? It’s smartly written for a YA contemporary romance book. Needless to say, it’s not the best romance out there (and comparatively to Anna and the French Kiss: MEH!) but it’s great enough to keep readers interested, and you’ll definitely be on the edge of your seat wondering if Lola will ever get to wrap up her feelings and if The Thing between Cricket and Lola ever really gets reconciled. It’s savvy, it’s funny, and I definitely recommend if you were a fan of Anna and the French Kiss, or if you generally love YA romances! Another winner from Stephanie Perkins.

About the Author Well, hello! I'm Stephanie Perkins, and I write novels for teens (and for adults who aren't afraid to admit that teen books are awesome). I was born in South Carolina, raised in Arizona, attended universities in San Francisco and Atlanta, and now I live in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. My best friend is my husband Jarrod. Our house is almost a hundred years old, and every room is painted a different color of the rainbow. We share it with a cat named Mr. Tumnus. I've always worked with books—first as a bookseller, then as a librarian, and now as a novelist. On weekdays, you'll find me at my desk, typing away, downing cups of coffee and tea. On the weekend, you'll find me at the movies, waiting for the actors to kiss. I believe all novels and films should have more kissing. You can find Stephanie on her website here.

A fan-made trailer on “Anna and the French Kiss”

I also cannot wait for the last(?) book in the Anna and the French Kiss series! It’s sad to see the series finally coming to close. The last book, Isla and the Happily Ever After, following Isla (she made a little guest appearance in Anna and the French Kiss!) and Josh (Etienne’s best friend in the first book!) Are you excited for Isla and the Happily Ever After coming May 2014? Share your thoughts below!

Wanna add ‘Lola’ to your bookshelf? Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Nobles

Book Review! Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Say what you want, but I have a hard time believing that you can't be a fangirl. There's a little squeaming, screaming, obsessing fangirl living inside of all of us - so mmmaybe I'd be most freaked out knowing you weren't a fangirl. And in my rage of fangirlish bookishness, I *finally* got my hands on Rainbow Rowell's latest novel, Fangirl. 

About Fangirl

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: September 10th, 2013
Pages: 433
Genre: Young Adult/New Adult (Contemporary/Family Life/Romance)

Goodreads / Barnes and Nobles / Amazon

SUMMARY: Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

*****
My rating? ★★★★★ 

One word: LOVE.

It is safe to say that I am in love with Rainbow Rowell's writing. Crazy, I know. But I am truly in love with this book (which, would be perfectly suffice to say if I had not been fangirling and fangirling over this book to begin with-- but still. Not in a creepy way, I swear . . . Moving on--) I'm in love with Simon Snow, Levi, just the whole universe Rowell created in her world of words--everything. I love. It's just one of those books where I honestly, swear, wished, hoped that the story couldn't end. Rowell's Fangirl took my fangirl notch and set it in overdrive, and I don't think I ever can talk about this book without fangirling to begin with. Seriously. It definitely broke my boring book streak!

Cath loves Simon Snow (love being a *complete* understatement .  . .) She's starting her freshman year at college, and she can't quite seem to shake the past of the fandom of behind. She's got a hit fanfiction on the Simon Snowiverse, and now caught up in her studies, Cath can't quite shake off the past of the fandom behind her. Now on her own, Cath must come to terms to what she wants for herself, for her dad, for her future and most importantly: writing her own story.

Cath's been working on her fanfiction Carry On, Simon for a super long time. She prefers being alone, writing, eating protein bars, being a part of the whole Simon Snow fandom. It isn't so much because Cath is a loner, crazy (though sometimes, she convinces herself she is), but Cath is really socially awkward. That, being one of the many things I love about Cath's character. And it's really rare when I actually come to like the protagonist, but something about Cath was genuinely likable yet she still has her many flaws like any other teenage girl; she's weird, she's quirky, she's savvy--she knows how to write a damn good fanfiction, too. She's really relatable to book readers; I could relate to her easily. If anything, I never found a character I could relate to as much as Cath Avery.

Not only Cath, but the whole rainbow of colorful characters really brings some life to Fangirl in a way I hadn't been expecting. There's Levi--a farmboy with his never-ending smiles, his acre-long Widow's peak... *swoons* Let's not forget Cath's twin sister Wren (who totally breaks the barrier that all twins think alike, talk alike; Cath n' Wren ((see the pun on their name?)) totally don't), Cath's roommate Reagan, even Cath & Wren's dad-- point being, all characters are given their fair share of characterization, unique dialogue. They all connected together well, the quirky cast of different personalities blended so nicely sometimes even I felt myself smiling all wide like Levi.

I was sort of expecting a great chunk of the novel to be fangirling (self note: don't take the title so literal) but it didn't. In fact, the farther you go on in the book, you realize that it is a little fangirling, fanfiction, fandoms-- yet there's so, so much more to it. It's first loves, there's family, there's--ah, okay if I get too ahead of myself, I think I'll fangirl myself out with spoilers!

However, while there are moments when Fangirl can fall flat on its nose, there's always another string of action and excitement and romance that can just pull you back again, like a fish on a hook. I couldn't put Fangirl down, and I don't think there was ever a point where I wanted to. And considering it's genre, the amount of pages might seem a little daunting. 433 pages on contemporary fiction? Pluh-eese. But totally worth all the pages, because one way or another, Rainbow Rowell squeezes another story in there to keep the story reeling. There isn't so much a plot, but it felt more like real life; there's always something to keep you on your toes, and plots can't die by tying up the loose ends within a story. Or well . . . as real as fiction can be.

Fangirl is one of the first Rainbow Rowell books I've read, and I'm happy this is the one I started with. It has just enough romance, just enough drama, just enough characterization, charming dialogue, and sentiment to keep it going. After desperately awaiting to get Fangirl, I can easily say it was worth the wait--and from all the buzz I've seen on the blogesphere, worth the hype too. And nooo, you do not have to be a fangirl to give a Rainbow Rowell book a try. Fans of Harry Potter, fantasy novels, romance, fandoms, or contemporary books will definitely come to love Fangirl and Rowell's written charm. Definitely recommend!  ♥

*****

Also, did I mention Fangirl's quotes are totally quotable? And awesome? Well, they are. Loved this page in the book . . .

*****

Here's a preview of my Fangirl fanfiction . . . (click to enlarge)

What do you think? Will you be picking up Fangirl? Loved to hear your thoughts on the book!

Book Review! All I Need by Susane Colasanti

About this book

The last night of summer is only the beginning. Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

I tried really hard to come to love this book, you have absolutely no idea. I've heard amazing things when it comes to Susane Colasanti books, so my hopes for reading All I Need were high. I don't have a problem with fluffy romance because I'm a big big fan of contemporary romance, I just wished this wasn't my first Susane Colasanti book I read because the experience I had reading this book was dreadful. Seriously, utterly, dreadful. Definitely not impressed with this book at all, and not too often do I say this. Oh my gosh...

So it isn't so much that the book was badly written, it was okay. Just okay. Some of the sentences were a little choppy and subpar to me, but overall, the writing was good. It was the matter of how the plot line (if you could even call it that) was executed so poorly to the point where it actually had me CRINGING.

There's a "show don't tell" rule when it comes to writing, and this book not only broke that rule, All I Need literally shattered it. Everything in this book was 'telling' and when you think about it, there was nothing much to show. Throughout the book, I felt like I didn't really get to know the characters--not even the narrators, Skye and Seth. There were potentially interesting characters, but the lack of characterization a lot of the characters were given just put a whole MEH factor to the book and made it way, way more boring than it needed to be. For one, Skye and her friends talked like high school cliches plucked right out of an After School special, and no one's personality just seemed to stand out. It was like the author was moreso explaining their personalities rather than having it shine through the writing and dialogue, which totally made my like for the book dwindle down even more.

Seth and Skye meet up on the beach in that instant, they decide they're soul mates. No, you heard me. Soul mates, and after one day?! I have read paranormal romances where the characters fall in love quickly, but All I Need is one of the first instances where I can actually say it takes the whole concept of insta-love to an extreme. OMG. They lose track of each other when they part ways back to school, and even if it seemed flipping impossible for them to find each other again--they do. It was predictable and this infuriated me because there were absolutely no surprises...

What we're given in All I Need isn't a plot. I wouldn't dare call it a plot because it doesn't necessarily even have an exposition. It's the fact that both narrators, Skye especially, spend practically the entire novel whining about how much they want each other. Skye: SETH SETH SETH. I want Seth. I know it sounds terrible for mocking Skye, but her wanting for Seth to be around her side constantly is not only annoying, creepy, but I think the sort of relationship Skye and Seth have is unhealthy. Obsessing much? Overly clingy and overbearing, and I didn't really find it too cute.

The characters just didn't feel... three dimensional. Maybe I would've liked them so much more and go "aww" for them, but I felt absolutely no connection to the characters. Nothing too technical. I felt nothing for the characters, and I think my apathy I had for them bothered me lots. What I'm wondering is: Okay. You're sixteen or whatever. Why are you so desperate to find your soul mate?! Maybe it's just me, but that's just weird--and not to mention an ill-pictured portrayal of teenage love or well, romance in general really.

Ultimately, it was disappointing. Some might come to enjoy All I Need's romantic fluffy sweetness and love, but it just didn't work out for me. It could make the perfect summer book with the airy feeling All I Need gives. But-- something about the style wasn't very pleasing, and completely missed the mark. And then I realized: nothing in this book really happened. It was a total fest of anti-climaticness, boring 2D characters-- disappointing overall. If you're really into the romance scene if you're into fluffy romances and instalove in the purest form, then maybe All I Need is your kind of book. But totally does not get a recommendation from me.

Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

Book Review! Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium (Delirium Series #1)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: February 2012

Pages: 441

In Delirium, we’re thrust into this world where love is forbidden. In this society, it’s not only forbidden but it’s seen as a disease, called amor deliria nervosa (otherwise known as delirium). And because of this, a surgical procedure was created in order to cure it. Lena couldn’t have been more happier to receive the procedure, and always looked forward to what her life might be like past it, convinced that love was a horrible disease too. That is, until she meets Alex and does unthinkable: she falls in love.

I wasn’t sure whether to gag or be delighted-- because for some reason the whole Lena falling in love part, was just something I was expecting. I think it wasn’t so much that I was surprised by it, but I was surprised by the events which followed after. It had it’s moments, especially in its end: thrilling, exciting, and some super interesting characters (...and some hot guys *cough cough cough*)

Delirium had me on the edge of whether to read or not because-- well, for crying out loud, it’s a DYSTOPIAN. Maybe it’s me, but I felt like with the Hunger Games’s popularity there’s been a surge of them published in YA literature. I can’t help but compare the newly published books to Hunger Games because, as equally wonderful and exciting as the trilogy was, I couldn’t imagine there ever being a dystopian book that seemed to satisfy me as much as that one did. Other examples are probably, say, Divergent, The Giver... and I could probably go on, endlessly listing titles with dystopian/post-apocalyptic-themes. Each other definitely brings their different, savvy spin on the world and storytelling. Some don’t even make any sense, or are just waaaay too far-fetched for explanation but still maims my interest. I thought the reviews on Delirium were just too high to be true, but I was super excited to try.

I’ll be honest: it literally took me two times re-reading this book to actually go through the ENTIRE thing. I didn’t think it was bad, and I already had the preconceived notion that it wasn’t, because it’s Lauren Oliver writing it after all (and if you’ve read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, you know she can write a damn good book.) And Delirium is written beautifully. The dialogue between characters was just too genuine and I could literally imagine myself, and the characters, because they were that amazingly characterized. Oliver just set the bar as an author even higher, and I can say I love this book. Just-- WOW.

The story does know how to drag out, which is something I can easily say what I dislike about it. The book could’ve moved along way faster than it did, and for a whopping 480 pages-- I wanted more story to it. Essentially, there are things happening but it feels longer than it needs to be with Lena’s constant indecisiveness. She could spend the longest time making a decision really, and probably that’s my biggest pet peeve with Lena. Come on... just make up your mind already!

Probably if it hadn’t been for the spectacular ending, nothing in particular would’ve stood out. It really did fail to keep my interest because of it’s slow pace, even as beautiful as Lauren Oliver’s words are. Sorry to say, but it did not grab me like most grabs me like dystopians, because of the lack of creativity in its setting. If there wasn’t the whole ‘love is disease’ thought processing, then Delirium could’ve and would’ve easily been a contemporary YA read rather than dystopian. I could be mistaken (and correct me if I’m wrong), but isn’t Delirium taking place in the future? Where’s the technology advancements? Hell, where’s the flying cars? (Joking, of course.) But really, that’s not important-- but it is something I ached for in this book, and hoped for there something really distinctive about this ‘new world’ Lena lives in.

Okay I admit, I was a bit confused by the backstory of the dystopian as a whole. Like I said, there are dystopians that simply just seem really far-fetched and Delirium is just is one of those books. Then there are well-written ones, just like this one, too. But what really keeps me on my toes in this book, is the fact that love is considered a disease. I would think with the unlikelihood of this ever happening, there would at least be somewhat-ish of a background given to why a society like this was created...? The gears aren’t quite turning when it comes to this, and I’m hoping at least for the sequel (Pandemonium) there’s further explanation.

And considering how much press Delirium received, I was expecting a strong female lead--as most dystopians these days seem to be following that trend--but Lena was ultimately a bland character. Her memories of her mother are heartfelt, but Lena just has such a... stodgy narrator and person as a whole to the extent where I’m dulled by her. She could’ve been more to her, especially considering she is the protagonist, and the “Why me? I’m so plain” attitude she seems to carry throughout the novel can be on the annoying side. But hey,  she isn’t perfect given her flaws, which is something I do like about her and I’m sure others will too.

But shh, don’t let me discourage you! Because Delirium is an amazing book, it really is. And trust me, you do not have to be a teen to love this book because I can imagine this appealing to adults, just as well as teens. I enjoyed it and it was a decent book. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was my favorite book, because there were just things that bothered me a little too much about the book for me to simply ignore it. If you’re a reader who loves their books to grab at them from the start, then maybe I would rethink adding Delirium to your read list because it is slow-paced and you just have to wait to the end for it to really get heated.

Book Review! The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown

Publication date: January 2012 

Pages: 301
How many stars do I give? 3.5/5

Hadley Sullivan is having the worst day ever. She has to go to her father’s wedding and her to-be step mother, Charlotte, whom she’s never even met—in London! In JFK airports crowded waiting area, by Hadley meets the perfect guy. Oliver. He’s British, and he’s sitting in her row. When they lose each other in the chaos of the airport arriving in London, will fate bring them together once more?

Oh gosh. You’re probably thinking: Bri. You’re getting yourself into ANOTHER romance book?! But why? First: romance books are my flower and I’m their bee. So I couldn’t resist picking up The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and also because I have a thing for romances with (hot) British guys. Weird, right? I picked it up on whim at a book fair, the story seemed captivating, and just seemed like a really fun, light read. Since between the time finishing ‘Probability’ and Anna and the French Kiss wasn’t that big of a gap, I couldn’t help but gape at the small similarities and compare the two…

For one: main character is a girl who is forced to be shipped off to the other half of the world when they don’t want to.

Two: the romantic interest is a British guy. An apparently hot British guy.

Three: both protagonists in both books have daddy problems. 

But still! While those three things are similar, don’t let it discourage. My point being—The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight will be a definite appeal to fans of Anna and the French Kiss or romantic contemporaries in general.

Something about this book being told in third person perspective made ‘Love at First Sight’ feel almost like a fairytale yet so… real. No, honestly. I was vaguely reminded of the movie What a Girl Wants as I read too, but this book felt far more genuine and earnest as I read. It’s one of those books where I can’t exactly say what made me love it so much, but I definitely know I wholeheartedly, hands-down enjoyed it. Loved it, even. The theme was fate and love and happiness was clearly present in the book, and even if the entire book was set over a frame of 24-hours, they were given an amazing amount of characterization considering.

At first, when I began reading, I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t particularly care much for Hadley, and really, I didn’t feel much of a reason to. It doesn’t have a big, theatrical beginning but it starts with a small bang nonetheless. I wasn’t exactly compelled to continue reading, because I was almost certain that its beginning was going to drag out to some less-than-spectacular uneventful ending (which, unfortunately, has been the pattern for most of the books I’ve been reading recently…) But it wasn’t. In fact, when you reach the end, you realize it is just the beginning for these two lovelies. They just—clicked with dialogue for me which was a huge winning factor to liking it.

The dialogue was unbelievably fell into place in a way where even I hadn’t even expected. I did have moments where I did feel Oliver was slightly clichéd (is it me, or is it when American authors write books portraying attractive young British guys they all seem to have super similar, charming personalities? Just me?) but still managed to contrast nicely in the midst of other characters’ originality. The likelihood of the ending being predictable is really, really HIGH so while it closed amazingly, I was slightly dissatisfied by how it came to be rushed. I think it was the impulsiveness of Hadley’s character in its end which annoyed me most, and it was pretty hard to let things like that simply slide. The passiveness of Hadley was super hurried, too. I think I began to realize author Jennifer Smith was trying to tie up all the loose ends within the story, but the relationship between Hadley and her dad was all too swift for comfort. If I was Hadley, I don’t think I’d be nearly as submissive to the following situations—but then again, that’s just me.

The vacancy in the ending left such an openness to the possibilities to this couple, and I just wished there could’ve been an even grander story to tell. The plot is weak, but something about the characters in the building drama surrounding them easily fills up this absent plot. And overall? The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was really good. As I said, fans of Anna and the French Kiss would especially come to love it’s London setting and romance, or well, any romance fan might come to love this really—especially Oliver. In spite of the void of a plot, and maybe a few little things that irked me about the characters, this book is completely good and definitely worth the try if you’re into romance!

Where to find this book on...

Book Review! The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton Books

Publication Date: January 2012

Pages: 313

Hazel Lancaster is a sixteen year old girl, clinically depressed and a survivor of terminal cancer. So, to help her cope with her depression, her doctor makes her attend to a Cancer Support Group and there, she meets the both equally fascinating and dare-I-say, gorgeous Augustus Waters. While they’re two totally different people at heart, they’re bounded together with their exceptional intelligence and wondering about what lies in the hereafter and easily develop a friendship.

Hazel is obsessed over the cliffhanger ending of Van Houten’s An Imperial Affliction (come on, like you never obsessed over the ending over a book before) and in hope of finally getting the an explained ending to Van Houten’s novel and then some, goes to Amsterdam to find the author... and love along the way.

I’ve been a fan of John Green for a super long time. After hearing soooo many positively upbeat things about his past works, I kind of was half-expecting for Green to follow his old routine of quirky girls being chased after, etcetera and etcetera. But no-- Green’s ‘Faults’ was something unexpectedly different. And seriously, the critics aren’t joking that this book will make you laugh, it will make you cry.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my moments when I was in the middle of reading this book and I bursted out into a fit of giggles (only to evade the glares of annoyed librarians) and then there are the times when I bawled like a baby. And to tell the truth, at first I was really wary about picking up The Fault in Our Stars because of what I had known about some of the subject matter: cancer. So to add onto what I convinced myself would be expected from ‘Faults’, I thought there was going to be a lot of talk of death and dying; a sob-fest of heartbreak. Don’t let the mentioning of cancer deter you from reading this book, like it did for me at first. I’ve wore down my copy of ‘Faults’ so much since buying it in 2012, because I just enjoyed the story. That. Friggin. Much. Because ‘Faults’ isn’t about death or cancer or any of those sad things. In fact, it’s about living.

I will tell you, it’s just ‘one of those books’; you’ll probably have a ton of questions to ask by the time you finish and just wish there was more story, too. I was now Hazel and I wanted to know what happened to her story this time. The Fault in Our Stars soon became my personal little An Imperial Affliction. And I LOVED IT... and both hated it too for making me cry. And honestly, no book has ever done that to me before. Ever. For serious, I am the most stone-faced person when I read so at that moment when I felt the tears coming and I was this emotional wreck by the time I finished, I knew that Green’s ‘Faults’ was something special.

How both Augustus and Hazel met was quick and brief, and it really didn’t take that long in the book for them to jump into a friendship and the abruptness of it all, well, as much as I hate to admit this almost reminds me of paranormal romance instalove (just minus the super ultra hurried romance). It was incredibly rushed. Though despite this, between Augustus’s metaphorical cigarettes and witty one-liners, I think I was smitten and both captivated by how Augustus and Hazel’s relationship really seemed to blossom throughout the novel. Their questioning between what makes a life worth living and what happens after death I believe is what really makes their relationship tick, and really sets them apart from other couples in YA lit.

With this being a book for young readers, I did think the vocabulary was a tad heavy especially from this being written in the perspective of a sixteen year old girl (and this is coming from the sixteen year old reader...) I was actually becoming convinced that John Green was using big words for the sake of them simply being there, even if they didn’t quite perfectly fit with the context. So in the matters of the perspective, I hate to say this, but I give it low marks. I’m sure I’m going to have a lot of angry Green fans come down my throat (AAAAAH, okay, I’m kidding!) but I just couldn’t find myself getting really into Hazel’s character like I did with the others in this book. 

The conflict in this novel is vacant, because really, there wasn’t a huge conflict to begin with. There wasn’t that climactic moment you’re edging off your seat for, because I felt at moments that TFioS is more of a character-driven plotline than anything else. So don’t expect a World War Z or Ender’s Game plot. But what makes up the conflict, is this beautiful, beautiful love story. There’s Amsterdam, there’s poetry, humor, there’s Van Houten, there’s just... so much wonder and brilliance in TFioS that is just rarely found in modern-day books and exceptional in YA literature that it just stands out all it’s own.

If I had more thumbs up to give this novel I totally would, but sadly I only have two.  If you like adventure, if you like romance, if you like hot boys and metaphors then hell, I absolutely recommend it because ‘Faults’ may just be your cup of tea. I think if you like other things outside those lines then you can (and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you will) really enjoy it and come to love the characters, too.

What do you think of Shailene Woodley playing Hazel in the The Fault in Our Stars movie (2014)?

Book Review!: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went (If I Stay #2)

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Publication date: April 2011

Pages: 264 

*NOTE: All my reviews are spoiler free but because this is a review on the sequel, it might provide some spoilers to the first book!!

Where She Went takes place after If I Stay, three years after the accident. Adam’s band, Shooting Star, is racking up the charts with their hit singles and albums—safe to say, Adam shot to super stardom, and having a celebrity girlfriend definitely helps in that department. Mia is a rising star at Julliard and is in New York. One fateful night brings them together again, brought together by their love for music. Set over a 24-hour period, Adam and Mia revisit their past and the unescapable future which awaits them, exploring the city, and open their hearts to each other.

After finishing If I Stay, I knew I needed to find out more on Mia’s story. I came to love If I Stay, so much to my avail I spotted a copy of Where She Went at the library and began reading immediately. There was no way Mia’s story could end, not with how If I Stay wrapped up with such a good cliffhanger. No way. The suspense was KILLING me, and what was a total surprise to me was that Where She Went was told in Adam’s perspective. Eeyup, her former flame, Adam Wilde.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. 

This is one of the few instances where I can actually say I like the sequel even more than the first, and I enjoyed it through and through. Gosh, there are so many reasons why I loved this one more, and what problems I did have with Where She Went were comparatively minor than what I had with If I Stay—so I give this a big thumbs up!

What bothered me about If I Stay was the lack of characterization Adam Wilde was given compared to other characters. To me, while Adam and Mia seemed like a lovely couple, their relationship never seemed to click to me because I just felt like I didn’t really know Adam and I kind of dismissed their relationship as high school fluff. Reading this, I realize that Adam and Mia really do love each other, and it’s undeniable that Adam cares for Mia and in this book, the strong connection between the two is clearly present.

Gayle Forman gives Adam such a distinctive voice compared to Mia’s, so it’s pretty easy to distinguish the character’s POVs. Something about Adam telling the story just managed to keep my attention even more than Mia’s because Adam’s voice was unique and amusing and complex it was difficult not to like him and show compassion towards what he was going through.

Characters are like onions, Donkey, they have layers—and Adam definitely has many. From If I Stay, you do get a sort of rockstar, mannish vibe from him but Where She Went goes deeper than I imagined. Adam is one of my favorite characters, and I was really, really pleased with how well his narration worked.

The setting, too, was nicely portrayed. I love New York and I’m not too far off from it, so I think the way Gayle Forman pictured and showed NY was really nicely done—not perfection, but it has a really good gist on the New York atmosphere, giving a nice adventure-y feel to the book, too.

It’s not too slow-moving, not nearly as much as I found If I Stay to be, but there are a couple moments where I wish the pace could move a little faster or I found myself wondering how some memories mentioned connect to the present chapter. But the plotline really picks up from the beginning, and we have that really big WHAM! moment in a matter of the first couple chapters to swoop readers in. The middle was a little sluggish; the beginning is strong as well as the ending, so that was enough to satisfy.

Overall, Where She Went is an amazing follow-up to If I Stay and I liked it even more than the first! If you’ve read the first book, then I recommend you give Where She Went a try because the story of Mia and Adam simply too wonderful to just ignore. It has its slow moments, but it’s strong with emotion, profound characters, and a really authentic character voice. A definite, definite read for If I Stay fans! 

Find Where She Went on

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: December 2010 

Pages: 372

                 

Instead of spending her senior year in Atlanta, seventeen year old Anna Olphilant is being shipped off to the School of America—in PARIS. Anna isn’t exactly happy to leave behind her crush, her fabulous best friend, new job, and family to spend her next school year on the other side of the world. In order to make it (or break it), Anna has to learn a new language, make new friends, and at least try to be at ease with being so far away from the comfort of home. There, she meets the handsome (and dare I say, British?) Etienne St. Clair and it doesn’t take much for the two become best friends. Too bad he’s taken, and keeping her crush in mind—Anna might end up taken too. In a year or romantic go-wrongs and fallouts, will Anna get the French fling she’s wishing for?

I fell in love with Anna’s story from the start. Paris?! French guys? Yes, please.

It’s the city of lights and romance, and I was a sucker to the romantic plot and gorgeous setting. Before reading, I honestly never once picked up a Stephanie Perkins novel. I was wary; the plotline was borderline cliché, and I was quick to judge it. There’s only so many things you can surprise a reader with books like these. Needless to say, from when I first began, I was hooked. Just when you think everything’s everything was said about romance, Perkins proves wrong with such a fun, lively story of love and Paris it was hard not to resist the charms of characters—not to mention, one damn très chaud romantic interest.

Again, some might argue that the plotline sounds too cliché for comfort. What shocked me about Anna and the French Kiss is not only by its chestnut plot, but how smartly written it is considering its genre. Anna might be reminiscent of the most formulaic of teenage voices, but she’s actually pretty savvy, really clever, and has a super entertaining tone that really gives this book some life. She’s not a tease and definitely doesn’t throw herself at anyone; she doesn’t overstep her boundaries and actually knows them. I was half-expecting for Anna to lose her edge somewhere along the lines of the book, but Anna was always Anna and didn’t do anything craaazily out of character which I also loved about her, too.

Bottom line: I really loved Anna’s character. Not too often am I absolutely thrilled about the POV, but Anna’s comicalness and shrewd attitude is just too much not come to love. Yes, she gives those moments where you’re wondering what the hell she was thinking (?!) but she still somehow manages to be likable.

St. Clair, too. It was a little startling seeing how much development his character was given, because honestly, when it comes to him being a romantic interest I didn’t think much of him. But he has his flaws and it’s kind of mind-blowing how many mannerisms Stephanie Perkins gave him, that and the fact that he is charming, British, amusing, British, quirky, and did I mention British? Okay, he being British isn’t the only reason why I found him to be so great, but as the relationship between grow into a solid friendship, you’ll realize how amazingly well St. Clair and Anna just seem to click.

The plot was really full of drama and excitement and a ton of romantic hits and misses. There were quite a few ‘meh’ moments as the author tries to string us along to the juicy drama, but overall, French Kiss had so much happening it was bound to keep me interested. And, well, it did. Plot wise, I wouldn’t say it’s fantastic because it does have it really predictable moments.

If you’re a girl and watched your fair share of romantic comedies and romance novels and teen drama movies like myself, then maybe Anna and the French Kiss might not be as surprising as expected. But it’s fun, and enchants with its Paris setting and its très bien characters, making it a definite recommendation from moi. I can imagine being a charm to fans of Louise Rennison’s Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging or if you’re just looking for a cool romance read!

Find out more on Anna's story @

also can be found at most book retailers!!