Mini-Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2) by Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.









Review

Ah, yes the next companion to Anna and the French Kiss. I went into this book with mixed expectations as sometimes the second book isn't as good as the first book, and this one has different characters, etc... I was half right. While, this book doesn't have the same feel as Anna and St. Clair's relationship did, it still has the same quirky vibe.

This book is the story of Lola, a 17 year old girl with a wild fashion sense, who has been in love with her next door neighbor, Cricket Bell, for as long as she can remember. He goes out of her life when his family moves away, but when he moves back into his old home it's a whole lot of awkward for both of them due to misunderstandings of their feelings for one another.

 I did like the characters, with their flaws and all. Lola was exactly the type of fashionable, crazy, and adorable person you would want to be your friend. I would admit she tends to run the line between maturity and childishness, but of course she's a teenager trying to make sense of her life in the only way she knows how: through costume. This book gets a lot of criticism for its "happy ending" story line, but that's the point. It's a book, about a cute love story between two teenagers. It's not supposed to hold the meaning of life between its pages. It's just an adorable story about young love.

I found Cricket to be an endearing protagonist. He complements Lola perfectly. She has her fashion sense and he has his pants (as weird as that sounds, it makes much more sense in the context of the book). Cricket also has a severe sense of honesty and honor, which we see when he's questioned about his ancestry to the famous (or should we say infamous) Alexander Graham Bell. He is definitely another lovable book boyfriend from Stephanie Perkins' writing pen. Putting him right up there under Etienne St. Clair.

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend this if you are the type of person who loves quirky YA, with a dash of romance, and happy endings.

Overall Rating: ★★★ 3 stars

Renée  

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event held by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick:

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss #3)
Expected Publication Date: May 15th, 2014
(Placeholder Date)
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.









My Thoughts

You guys know from my Still on my Mind post that I love this series. The YA romance Stephanie Perkins writes is just so playful. Her characters come alive between the pages. I really enjoyed reading Anna and Lola's stories. And I can't wait to see what characters Stephanie Perkins has drawn up in this book.
I also recommend you read Anna and the French Kiss if you haven't already. You will seriously fall in love with that book.

Renée 

The Friday 56 (5): Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice
Rules:

*Grab a book, any book

*Turn to page 56, or 56% in your eReader

*Find any sentence (or a few, just don't spoil it!) that grabs you

*Post it

*Comment with your (url) post.

This week's book is Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

"Golfing," Anna helpfully supplies, without looking up from her notebook.

"Paying the mortgage," he says.

"Shopping for minivans."

"With side air bags."

"And extra cup holders!"

I ignore their laughter.  

Renée