Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: ★★★★★
Book: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins


In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, 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 move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket—a gifted inventor and engineer—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.

I have no words to describe this. Stephanie Perkins does not fail to impress. She is definitely definitely on my list of top 10 authors, and both of her books are in my list of Top 10 Books now. I can not believe I have only just read her books, boy have i been missing out.

I was in love with Anna and the French Kiss, I didn't think Stephanie Perkins would be able to do any better than Anna but what can i say. she did.

I'm in love with her writing style. I think a lot of YA contemporary romance books have one problem, the stories are great but style of writing lets us down. Stephanie Perkins gets it just right, you get enough description in there to feel what the characters feel so you can empathize with them. Plus, the characters are so likeable you want them to ...well get together.

Lola is one confused chick, she has an older rock god boyfriend and everything is perfect but then Cricket returns. Cricket is this tall, handsome, loveable, down to earth guy who would do anything for anyone. But Lola has already given Cricket a chance and he left her. Whos ready for a second chance?

I just love Lola and Cricket, as charming as St. Clair is, Cricket is definitely my favourite (by a teeny tiny bit) I don't know, there is just something about him. He's clearly got the height, the strength on the outside but inside he's so soft and warm and caring, he's well dressed...basically,  he is the perfect guy. I even liked the fact that cricket didn't have much experience, it just worked for him. 

Just like Anna and the French Kiss I loved the setting; it wasn't in the city of love this time, it was in San Francisco.  I live in England so have not a single clue about what San Francisco is like but I sure did love the description of it. If it is actually anything like what it is in the book, I would love to visit there.

Okay so I finish reading Anna and I think wtf I need more..you cant just finish therethats crazy. So I sink into Lola and the Boy Next Door hoping I would find a story as good as Anna although I truly doubted it. And then out of nowhere...Anna and St Clair are back. I knew this was a companion novel, but I was shocked, I just sat there like... Whaaaaaaaaaaat. They were proper proper characters in Lola , and I was glad becaus e after Anna I didnt want to finish Anna and St. Clairs story I wanted to know what happend after, and we get to see them from a new pperspective, we see a new side to them.So a big thumbs up to Stephanie Perkins on that one for being nice enough to give up a bit more Etienne.

I think what was so great about Lola was that it was so different to Anna but so similar at the same time. This time Lola was feeling what Etienne was feeling throughout Anna.

The Cover...ahhhh perfection. It fits so well with the book, you can see the houses at the back and then there's the all important window that Anna and Cricket are standing in front of, and although I imagined Anna a little different the picture fits exactly with Lola in the book , and Cricket was exactly as I imagined him, I love his rubber bracelets, blue one of course. The cover was cute, and perfect for the book.

So, summing it all up, everything about this book was Perfect, from the inside out, and I would recommend it to EVERYONE, if your a girl I'm pretty sure you'll love it. Even if you don't usually read romances, give this at least a try. (You can read just Lola if you want, but I would recommend reading Anna first)

(I feel like i used perfect a lot in this review, but its the only word i could think of to show you how amazing this book is)

Review: Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

My rating: ★★★★☆
Book: Epic Fail
Author: Claire LaZebnik 



In this modern take on "Pride and Prejudice," Elise Benton, who has just moved to California, is a junior at an exclusive prep school where, in spite of her initial bad impression, she finds herself attracted to the moody and handsome son of Hollywood's most famous celebrity couple. 

“I got lost in him, and it was the kind of lost that's exactly like being found.”

It says in the Synopsis that it's a modern take on Pride and Prejudice, which is obviously a classic, but as I haven't read it yet, I wont comment on that. Maybe this will be an excuse to read Pride and Prejudice now.

I have to say that I really liked this book. I don't know why in my mind I kept comparing it to Not that kind of girl by Siobhan Vivian which I read earlier this week. Even the covers used similar colours, I think both books just explored similar themes like boys, high school, relationships, and then you have the tall muscular guy who is actually a total sweetheart but you wouldn't expect him to be, and then the female protagonist who is to quick to judge and is blind to the truth...at first.

But more than Not That Kind Of Girl, I really did enjoy this book. I felt more sympathy for Elise the protagonist, she was so likeable had her values and stayed true to them through the book but while she managed that, she doesn't see the truth, over thinks too much and doesn't realise she may be wrong.

As you may know, I am really big on endings, if the ending isn't right it can kill the book for me, and i have to say I wasn't too happy about the ending, not about what happened because everything was the way it should have played out, that was fine. But, I felt like there was something missing in the ending, the way it was written didn't seem right to me. That is my own personal opinion, though I do think the rest of the book was lovely and Claire LaZebnik is a very talented writer.

It just was a great quick easy read that I loved. I didn't initially think I would like it much but I was pleasantly surprised.

I grew to like Derek and Even the rest of the characters were so likeable, Juliana and Chase, and obviously what's high school without the beautiful self-centred mean girl, Chelsea and her Sidekick Gifford.

Another thing I think I should mention is the cover. One of the things that drew me into the book was the cover, but to be honest I didn't feel like the cover had anything to do with the book, I don't quite get it. Anyone? I mean even the title, to me was irrelevant to the book itself. From what I can remember the word 'Fail' was mentioned twice in the book and 'Epic Fail' was mentioned Once and even that seemed like it was pushed in there just to link to the title.

So overall this was a great easy quick read but I would have liked to see the romance developed a bit more.  I would totally recommend to anyone who likes light YA Contemporary Romance. I think I'm going to give Claire LaZebnik another shot, any suggestions?

I am really confused about what rating to give the book, it's somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but I'm not sure how much I liked it, or how much the ending put me off. I'm going to be nice and put 4 for now.


Oh oh oh. and  I don't think I mentioned this, I fell in love with Derek, once we found out about what he's really like

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: ★★★★☆
Book: Divergent (Divergent #1)
Author: Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. 

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

I have heard nothing but great things about this book, and rightly so. The book was amazing. I loved Divergent, I feel bad for giving it 4 stars, because i really really do want to give it 5 stars, but i just don't feel like it's a 5 star book.

Tris lives in a futuristic Chicago, where the city is split into 5 Factions, each faction believes that one human characteristic was what caused the downfall I guess. I can't really say much about the world itself, what the history was because we don't really find out. Tris chooses Dauntless as her faction.

Dauntless. The Brave. They believe cowardice was was brought them down.

I didnt personally feel like the world building was perfect in this book, it wasnt totally believeable.

The book starts a day before the aptitude tests which tell you which faction you belong in. It then follows through the choosing ceremony and the whole initiation process in the new faction. I don't know about anyone else but i actually felt like this book had a teeny tiny hints of The Hunger games, Harry Potter and Delirium. What do you think?

I loved how Tris is so stubborn and brave, shes not like the normal female characters in books, she doesnt let the world see her vunrability. Although I dont think I would ever make the decisions she made, I wouldnt be brave enough to, it was great seeing this world through her. She doesnt see her bravery, she doent feel it, yet thepeople around her can see. Through the book Tris changes, maybe not in the best way possible, but she changes in a way thats important for the book, she comes to realise that you cant survive by just beeing selfless, or just being brave or whatever, you need to be a bit of both. She bocomes tougher and she becomes selfish.

Then there is the gorgeous Four, I loved the quiet mystery around Four for most of the book you know hardly anything about him, theres this unspoken strength, he wasn't like the other Dauntless. I loved him from the moment he helpted Tris off the net, you could tell there was something different about him. I love romance, so for me the romance needed a bit more, there seemed to be something missing; but then again this isnt a book primarily about romance.

I did love Tris and Fours relationship, and how their relationship built up through the book, it wasnt that love at first sight thing. But also how, Four helps Tris slightly during initiation no favouritism ofcourse, but the big thing was how Tris was the stronger one, she helped him face his fears, she has the strength; that was really empowering to see a female have such a role in a book, so hats off to Veronica Roth.

The storyline was great, I could not put the book down, I read it in one sitting.

Review: Not That Kind Of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

My rating: ★★★☆☆
Book: Not That Kind Of Girl
Author: Siobhan Vivian 


Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things.
But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you want to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out.
Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between.

This book is basically about high school, boyfriends, relationships, pressure to be someone you're not (not from just friends but yourself and family), sexuality, friendships. It's not exactly the type of book I love but for what its worth the author did a great job, and someone interested in the pressures of high school would seriously love this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.

I did read this book in one night straight, till 7am in the morning.

I have to say I didn't actually like Natalie's character much, but i did love Connor, he was true to her from the start before anything happened between them, he defended her when she wasn't there he was honest, throughout. It really does make you wonder how girls complicate things so much, how we think we're angels but everything isn't really as black and white as we want ourselves to believe.

I think I read the book for the romance more than anything, the message of the book itself was a bit all over the place I din't quite get it.

Overall, a good book, but i guess I didnt connect with it as much as I'd wished I had, but it was an enjoyable read.

Review: Anna and the french kiss - Stephanie Perkins

My rating: ★★★★★
Book: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins 


Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?


Okay How do i put this...this book was AMAZING! I loved every word of it. I could not put the book down I told myself i would read it slowly and not go overboard the way I read Not that kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivan in one night straight, i saw the sunrise that night. I read for about 2 hours one night, the second night I picked up the book I couldn't help it, i didnt want to leave that world, i coulnt bring myself to stop reading, i Read till 6am by the time i finished the book.

I knew this was going to be a great book, beacause of all the good reviews its got, but i did think it awas going to be your ususal boy meets girl contemporary romance, the ones where you could predict what happens, ans usually I can predict whats gonna happen but i actually culdnt, that was one thing I loved, I was absoltely amazed by the book.

Everything about it was just perfect.
Its a love story set in Paris, the city of love!!!

The characters where perfect, the story was perfect I don't even know what to say about this book other than that.

I loved Anna, I loved Etienne St. Clair, I hated Ellie from the start, I loved Mer and Josh, although initially I didn't like Rashmi, she did grow on me through the book.

The story line of this book is basically about falling in love with someone who isn't yours, and i guess finding your true love, the boy that was meant for you, and just you. I loved the chemistry between the characters, the way Anna was there for Etienne when he needed a friend she was a friend, she puts that above possibly having a relationship with the most perfect guy ever. Likewise, Etienne is there for her when she needs him. This book just captures everything about being in love and squeezes it into 300 or so pages.

I have to say that the ending, was so nice, it completed the whole book, just a great feel-good book. Although i like big endings, I don't think they even needed that in this book, everything ended the way it should have, the end of an amazing year and everyone's happy :)

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR!!

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

My rating: ★★★★★
Book: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)
Author: Jenny Han
This book was initially recommended to me by Joanna. It's a light, easy summer read, I was going to leave it till the summer to read it but I couldn't help myself.  This book turned the tables for me! Seriously!

Right on the top of the cover of this book, it has the following quote

"This book has what every girl wants in a summer." -- Sarah Dessen
I hate it when authors use other authors to promote their books, if that makes any sense at all. But yeah you know what i mean, it's one of my pet peeves, i can not stand it, and i still don't like the fact that it was there -_-. Putting that aside, i don't care who the quote was by but the quote itself it made me want to just eat the book up, i knew it would be about summer romances, long walks on the beach, all those little cute things that just make you all mushy inside.

When i got to the second chapter, i realised there were alternating chapters, going back to past summers at the beach house. Usually, I hate alternating chapters, i think it distracts away from the main story, but I honestly do think it worked perfectly for this book, we find out about certain things at the right time, it just brings the whole book together so perfectly, finding out about the mysterys of past summers, the first kiss, the first heartbreak, it adds to the foundation of the story in the present (Belly at age 16).

"Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along."

There isn't a proper plot to the book, but i didn't actually mind that. The book sort of just follows the course of the summer from their journey to the beach house at the beginning of the summer to the last day of summer, and it works. The book is from Bell's POV so naturally we can empathize with her, become her, live the moments she lives, we feel what she feels, the way Conrad makes her feel by just a look, the yearning to be noticed, her love for Susannah.
With Belly, you get to explore beaches, summer vacations, friendships, romances, family, love, illness, coming of age. It's not a deep book but it if for sure a fun book. I can't seem to get across how amazing this book is, it just gives you butterflies.

I Can not wait to dive into the second book, but as with Divergent and Pandemonium and about 50 other books I'm forcing myself to stop reading as much until after my exams in June. 

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Review: Hana (Delirium #1.5)

My rating: ★★★★☆
Book: Hana (Delirium #1.5)
Author: Lauren Oliver
This story goes side by side with Delirium, i am...astounded by how amazing this book is. Hats off to Lauren Oliver, her books are amazing, even her short stories are amazing.

This book fits perfectly with Delirium, at first i was slightly scared that this book was going to a be repetative of Delirium, but it wasnt. You learn so much more about the characters, how they think and how they grow.

Being written from the POV of Hana, Lenas best friend gives us the chance to see how Hana thinks and how Hana sees Lena, how the rest of the world around Lena sees her. In Delirium we got to BE Lena and see how she sees the world. After reading both books, we get a chance to see the full picture.

I have to be honest with you, i started off reading Delirium and loving Hana's character, and near enough hating Lena. Yet after reading Delirium and Hana, i have to say the tables have turned, and i dont know why i really do not like Hana, maybe its because she's jealous of Lena, which even i would be if i was Hana. Or it may just be the ending of this book. I hate spoilers so I wont give anything away. But Aaaghhhhhh!

On that note...Endings! I love big endings, not cliffhangers but just those big BANG endings that make you want to scream, who knows what I'm talking about? 

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Movie Review:The Hunger Games

Since i started reading the books, i have been eagerly waiting for the movie to come out, and finally i got to see it, i went to see te movie on March 23, the official release date, i pre-booked the tickets the day they were released like 2 weeks ago. I went through a total crazy phase where I would come home very day and check every cinema website, until the day the tickets were released.   

I have to say, i absolutely LOVED the movie, it was amazing! Honestly, they all done an amazing job of it. Ahh Peeta <3 Yes, I am Team Peeta!

I never actually realised until I watched the movie how much detail there was to put into it; as with any book-movie there was some stuff missing, it did really get to me at first, it just didn't seem right, but then again there was about 400 pages worth of detail to get into a 2 and a half hour movie.


Lets start with the beginning, the whole reaping/volunteering/goodbyes scene really did get me emotional, I'm a total wimp like that. The second part was the 'Rue Scene' when she died, that was beautiful.

I give this movie 5 Stars.

★★★★★

Top Movie Moments *SPOLIERS*- Katniss and Buttercup; "I'll still cook you."
- Katniss saying goodbye to Prim, her mum and Gale.
- The multiple flashbacks to when Peeta threw the burnt bread out for Katniss.
- Rue stealing Cato's knife.
- Rue Dying
- District 11 rebellion.

- The Tributes Parade and the fire outfits.
- Katniss nearly strangling Peeta after his interview (he tells the world that he's liked her)
- Peeta's camouflage.
- Glimmer after the Tracker Jacker attack
- Peeta telling Katniss to run and her remembering her father’s death.
- Peeta saying how he has no chance of winning the Games at all.
- The cave scene, the kiss, Peeta and Katniss falling asleep in each others arms.
- The interview after the Arena.
- Oh oh oh, not forgetting the final scene with Seneca Crane ans the nightlocks - that was just.... 

5 Things they missed

- The eyes in the mutts, being the eyes of the tributes. 

- The redhead Avox girl

- the rooftop scene, although they sort of incorporated that, i would haved to have seen that scene on the rooftop with the tree. 

- Madge, her character was totally axed and instead Greasy Sae gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin.

- The dandelion, there was no reference to the dandelion in the flashbacks. I  really liked that. 

Review: Harry Potter: The Prequel

My rating: ★★★☆☆
Book: Harry Potter: The Prequel 
Author: J.K. Rowling

This was a lot shorter than i had expected it was more of a scene than anything else. I knew it was 800 words but still a lot shorter than i expected, i wouldn't technically classify it as a book.


I have to say though, it was really funny, it made my laugh. I would have liked to see this as a part of an actual spin-off stand-alone short story. I'm still not ready to let go of harry :(


I can not wait for J.K. Rowling's new book later on this year.

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: ★★★★☆
Book: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins


Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I literally just finished the book and i can not believe that The Hunger Games is over. For good. No more of it!! (this will probably take me a while to get over)


I always knew Katniss would make that final decision, i wont give any spoilers away. Those of you that have read it, know what I'm talking about.


But the ending. Am I the only one that didn't like it? I mean no, I liked the ending in the sense of what happened but I didn't like the way it was written. After 3 amazing books I expected the sort of ending that makes your heart PANG! and you just know that's the ending and its perfect. I don't know, maybe that's just me being me.


Other than that I didn't really have much else that I didn't like. The rest of the book was exactly the sort of Suzanne Collins genius we've seen before.
I'd definitely recommend the series to anyone!


Note: This was a previous review from my goodreads.