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 Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Major Pros - Writing, Setting, Character Development and Interaction, Plot Development Major Cons - Minor issues with some supporting characters Continuing on with the series? Absolutely! How I Read It - Purchased Today's review is going to mainly consist of me talking about my love for this book. I struggled trying to find cons to put in the quick info above. So, before I start, let me say that Anna and the French Kiss is absolutely wonderful, creative, and sweet. I didn't put this book down. I mean that literally- I read it in one sitting, except for the last few chapters which I saved for later so I wouldn't have to say goodbye. I fell in love with this book. It completely pulled me in and I was sitting there with Anna, her group, and of course Etienne St. Clair. For me, this was one of those books that swept me away. I needed a light, happy read and this book was absolutely perfect, but it didn't read as overly cutesy with no substance. These characters were developed, and they didn't have perfect lives, which added depth to the story. Let's talk about the setting, Paris. The writing that portrayed Paris was inspiring- it didn't focus on cliche things, and it brought lifelike detail to the city. I truly loved how Paris was portrayed, and I think it was well done and expressive. The characters were also fantastic in this novel, although some of the side characters were a little stereotypical mean high schoolers without much dimension, the vast majority of the characters in this book were unique, layered, and developed. I loved how we not only knew Anna, but we got to know her friends and the people around her. There was wonderful characterization throughout, and the romance was never obnoxious. I personally don't read many contemporaries because I'm not the biggest fan of overly romantic stories, but Anna and the French Kiss was beautifully written and done. I recommend this book. That's an understatement, to be honest. I think there's something in here for everyone to enjoy, and this is a marvelous story with truly memorable characters. Reading it, I could tell that this is a novel I'll treasure and reread any time I need another heartwarming, beautiful story. From the paper world, V |
Showing posts with label july 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label july 2014. Show all posts
Friday, September 12, 2014
The Five Star Spotlight - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Friday, August 29, 2014
Reading Review - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.
Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
One extraordinary love.
Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.
Rating - No Rating Given
Major Pros - Writing
Major Cons - Not much side character development
How I Read It - Gifted
Today I'm reviewing a book that I've heard a lot of amazing things about, and that I'm very happy to have read. Eleanor & Park is a contemporary that it seems everyone has read and loved. I mentioned hype in my book blogger confessions, and I'll probably have a discussion post on it this fall, and if you know my thoughts on that you can guess why I was nervous about Eleanor & Park. Everyone talked about how this was one of the best contemporaries, etc. and honestly I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure about my thoughts on the novel until I realized how beautiful a particular occurrence was, how realistic it was written, among other things.
Eleanor & Park isn't a perfect novel- I wasn't a fan of some of the character development, and I thought the side characters were missing some development to them. However, the writing and the story is memorable. There's some great qualities to this novel, and I think it's a beautifully written story. My heart broke for the characters at points throughout the novel.
There's not a lot to say about this novel that hasn't already been said, but Eleanor & Park is a unique, memorable book that I would recommend reading.
From the paper world,
V
Thursday, July 31, 2014
The Inside & Out Book Tag - Tag
I was searching through the blogsphere for any tags that looked like they would be interesting and fun to have on the blog. I stumbled across the Inside & Out tag on Books, Biscuits, and Tea. This tag is actually from a vlogger, MathomBooks, and it looks like it will be really fun! So, without further ado...
INSIDE OUT
I - Inside book flap/back of the book summaries. Too much information or not enough? Discuss.
For me, this information is a perfect amount to make a decision on a book as to whether I want to add it to my Goodreads or, if I'm at the shop, potentially purchase the novel. However, if I'm sitting in a shop looking at different books, I'll normally have a few options I'll pick from by reading the first few chapters. Lately I've been reading a few books without knowing much about them at all,which has been quite fun. It leaves a lot of surprise within the novel, and so I've been trying that as well lately.
N - New book: what form do you want it to be in? Be honest: audio book, e-book, paperback, hardcover?
I definitely prefer physical copies of books. Audiobooks have never appealed to me, although I've heard a lot about them, I would find it hard to pay attention to the book. I've gone through e-book phases, but I really do prefer non electronic copies of books, although I don't mind an electronic copy to read every now and then. Between paperback and hardcover, I typically say hardcover but if it's a really nice quality paperback then I'll definitely enjoy reading that as well.
S - Scribble while you read? Take notes, mark up the book, make comments, or keep your book totally clean? Why?
When reading my books, I avoid making notes in them. I'll think about how I want to review the book, and periodically think what sort of rating and pros and cons the book has thus far and what sort of an impression it's left on me so far. Taking notes in the book or even in a separate book distracts me from the actual novel.
I - In your best voice, read us your favorite first sentence from a book.
To be completely honest, I don't have a favorite first sentence! I know people have been doing the first sentence challenge a lot lately, but first sentences never make or break a book for me, so I can't say I have favorites.
D - Does it matter to you if the author's male or female when you're buying the book? What if you're unsure of the author's gender?
It makes no difference to me.
E - Ever read ahead? Or have you ever read the last page way before you got there?
Sometimes if I'm at the end of a chapter and things are really intense, I'll inadvertently look ahead but I stop myself to avoid spoiling myself. I know some people who will read the last page of a book, but for me it's about the stuff that happens throughout the entire book that makes it so wonderful, so I'm never tempted to read ahead.
O - Organized bookshelves or outrageous bookshelves?
Completely disorganized in some, but my TBR shelves are pretty organized actually, as are my favorites shelves.
U - Under oath, have you ever bought a book based on the cover alone?
Yes. I've probably read the synopsis after but if it was a pretty cover I went through a phase where I wouldn't be too picky about the summary to purchase it.
T - Take it outside to read, or stay in?
I've had some lovely outside days when I'll sit in the sun and read with my book, but generally I'm inside somewhere with a nice chair.
There is a tag! I haven't done many tags on the blog in awhile so it's fun to have another one for you all. I hope you've enjoyed and feel free to post your answers in the comments or, if you do this (I tag you all!) leave your post in the comments so I can go check it out!
From the paper world,
V
INSIDE OUT
I - Inside book flap/back of the book summaries. Too much information or not enough? Discuss.
For me, this information is a perfect amount to make a decision on a book as to whether I want to add it to my Goodreads or, if I'm at the shop, potentially purchase the novel. However, if I'm sitting in a shop looking at different books, I'll normally have a few options I'll pick from by reading the first few chapters. Lately I've been reading a few books without knowing much about them at all,which has been quite fun. It leaves a lot of surprise within the novel, and so I've been trying that as well lately.
N - New book: what form do you want it to be in? Be honest: audio book, e-book, paperback, hardcover?
I definitely prefer physical copies of books. Audiobooks have never appealed to me, although I've heard a lot about them, I would find it hard to pay attention to the book. I've gone through e-book phases, but I really do prefer non electronic copies of books, although I don't mind an electronic copy to read every now and then. Between paperback and hardcover, I typically say hardcover but if it's a really nice quality paperback then I'll definitely enjoy reading that as well.
S - Scribble while you read? Take notes, mark up the book, make comments, or keep your book totally clean? Why?
When reading my books, I avoid making notes in them. I'll think about how I want to review the book, and periodically think what sort of rating and pros and cons the book has thus far and what sort of an impression it's left on me so far. Taking notes in the book or even in a separate book distracts me from the actual novel.
I - In your best voice, read us your favorite first sentence from a book.
To be completely honest, I don't have a favorite first sentence! I know people have been doing the first sentence challenge a lot lately, but first sentences never make or break a book for me, so I can't say I have favorites.
D - Does it matter to you if the author's male or female when you're buying the book? What if you're unsure of the author's gender?
It makes no difference to me.
E - Ever read ahead? Or have you ever read the last page way before you got there?
Sometimes if I'm at the end of a chapter and things are really intense, I'll inadvertently look ahead but I stop myself to avoid spoiling myself. I know some people who will read the last page of a book, but for me it's about the stuff that happens throughout the entire book that makes it so wonderful, so I'm never tempted to read ahead.
O - Organized bookshelves or outrageous bookshelves?
Completely disorganized in some, but my TBR shelves are pretty organized actually, as are my favorites shelves.
U - Under oath, have you ever bought a book based on the cover alone?
Yes. I've probably read the synopsis after but if it was a pretty cover I went through a phase where I wouldn't be too picky about the summary to purchase it.
T - Take it outside to read, or stay in?
I've had some lovely outside days when I'll sit in the sun and read with my book, but generally I'm inside somewhere with a nice chair.
There is a tag! I haven't done many tags on the blog in awhile so it's fun to have another one for you all. I hope you've enjoyed and feel free to post your answers in the comments or, if you do this (I tag you all!) leave your post in the comments so I can go check it out!
From the paper world,
V
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Authors I Own the Most Books From - Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at The Broke and the Bookish, and each week is a different theme that we list our top ten picks for. This week, we're talking about authors we have a lot of books from. I'm really excited to search my shelves and bring you this list of some awesome authors who I have books for! I'm not including duplicate copies that I've somehow picked up along the way, so here are the authors I own the most books of, which books I've read by them that I own, which I haven't, and a few of my thoughts. Also, I'm not including anthologies in which an author has featured because that could make this list a lot more complicated! This is just complete books and novellas.
Cassandra Clare - 11
I've loved the Mortal Instruments for a long time, so this is a series that I'll remember fondly. However, I don't know how much more of the Shadowhunter world I'll be reading, since my preferred genres and reading have changed over the years. One thing is for sure- these two series were the start of many a conversation with friends, and are books I'll remember.
Read -
Favorite Cassandra Clare Books - City of Glass, City of Lost Souls, Clockwork Prince
Unread -
J.K. Rowling - 9
I think Harry Potter and its author will probably be featured on many lists, and I still make Hogwarts references to this day (I'm a Slytherin! Tell me your house below!)
Read -
Favorite J.K. Rowling Books - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
C.S. Lewis - 8
I grew up loving The Chronicles of Narnia, and read some of C.S. Lewis's other works as well. He's definitely an author that inspired my love of reading with his books, and I love his writing.
Read -
(For post length's sake I included the link to a box set of all seven, but they are The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; The Horse and His Boy; The Magician's Nephew; The Last Battle)
Favorite C.S. Lewis Books - The Horse and His Boy; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Jennifer L. Armentrout - 9
I know Jennifer L. Armentrout is a really popular author, but for me I read a lot of her books awhile ago and haven't picked up any recently. I love her Covenant series even though I've yet to read the last book, but I'm not the biggest fan of the Lux series. However, she is a really popular author and she writes an assortment of books, so I think many people will find books they love from her- for me that's the Covenant series.
Read -
Favorite Jennifer L. Armentout Books - Pure, Apollyon
Rick Riordan - 7
I just read Percy Jackson and the Olympians this past November, and really enjoyed it. Hopefully I'll end up reading the Heroes of Olympus this year!
Read -
Favorite Rick Riordan Books - The Sea of Monsters, The Battle of the Labyrinth
Unread -
Shannon Hale - 7
Shannon Hale is probably the most versatile author on this list. Included are books that are YA, MG, children's, and adult written by her. And honestly I loved all of them, and that's what makes her one of my favorite authors to look at her new books. A lot of these are books I read years ago that were extended into series or continued on and I never read past, so maybe sometime I'll catch up on these series. I definitely want to pick up more of her books, so if you have recommendations, let me know in the comments!
Read -
Favorite Shannon Hale Books - The Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days
Julie Kagawa - 6
Julie Kagawa is an author that writes all manner of YA fiction, from the Iron Fey (one of my favorite series a few years ago) to the Blood of Eden series that I've just started, to Talon which comes out this year. While I plan to read more of hear writing, thus far I've read 5 books and a novella.
Read -
Favorite Julie Kagawa Books - The Iron King, The Iron Knight
Richelle Mead - 7
I'm not the biggest Vampire Academy fan but because I have that and the first of the spin off novels, I included them here.
Read -
Favorite Richelle Mead Books - Vampire Academy, Last Sacrifice
Unread -
Jenny Han - 6
Jenny Han is an author that I first read years ago, when her Summer I Turned Pretty series was just coming out. I'm going to be completely honest- I don't like that series. It really irritated me, and I didn't pick up any Jenny Han books again for awhile. However, when To All the Boys I've Loved Before came out, I got that and the first two books of the Burn for Burn series she's written with Siobhan Vivian, and I was pleasantly surprised. I love the other books, and I can't wait for Ashes to Ashes and the sequel P.S. I Still Love You.
Read -
Dianna Wynne Jones - 5
Dianna Wynne Jones is a British author that truly made me appreciate British authors. Her works are so unique, with this wonderful dry wit and humor.
Read -
So, there is my very long post about the authors I own a lot of books from. I've always loved the idea of this sort of post and always wanted to do one like it. If you've read all of this, thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoyed! Let me know your top ten in the comments!
Jenny Han is an author that I first read years ago, when her Summer I Turned Pretty series was just coming out. I'm going to be completely honest- I don't like that series. It really irritated me, and I didn't pick up any Jenny Han books again for awhile. However, when To All the Boys I've Loved Before came out, I got that and the first two books of the Burn for Burn series she's written with Siobhan Vivian, and I was pleasantly surprised. I love the other books, and I can't wait for Ashes to Ashes and the sequel P.S. I Still Love You.
Read -
Favorite Jenny Han Books - Fire with Fire, To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Dianna Wynne Jones is a British author that truly made me appreciate British authors. Her works are so unique, with this wonderful dry wit and humor.
Read -
Favorite Dianna Wynne Jones Book - Howl's Moving Castle
Unread -
So, there is my very long post about the authors I own a lot of books from. I've always loved the idea of this sort of post and always wanted to do one like it. If you've read all of this, thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoyed! Let me know your top ten in the comments!
From the paper world,
V
V
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