Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After

Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: August 14, 2014
Hardcover, 339 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favourites Anna, Etienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love - set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona - is a swoon worthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins's beloved series. 

If there's one thing to say about this series by Stephanie Perkins it's that she knows how to make us fall in love, make us go through torture when our lovers can't be together, and then makes us swoon all over again when they find a way to be together. This is a plot I can get behind and Stephanie does it perfectly. In Anna and the French Kiss, Anna falls for a guy who's already taken but they can't seem to stay apart either way. Drama ensues. In Lola and the Boy Next Door, Lola has kept her next door neighbour out of her mind since they moved, but when he returns to town, she can't stop the way he still makes her feel. Drama ensues. Now, in the final instalment in this lovely contemporary series, Perkins brings back Isla, the quiet girl who helped Anna out of an awful situation in the first book and Josh, one of Etienne's old friends.

Isla has been in love with Josh from afar for a long time. He's always had a girlfriend, so she just watched longingly, knowing there would never be a time for her. But when she spots Josh in Manhattan over the summer, where they both live outside of school in Paris, she knows this is her chance to talk to him. It helps that she just came from the dentist and it hopped up on pain meds, so sweet, shy Isla can actually talk to him this time. The small conversation between the two of them leads to so much more and before she knows it, Isla is dating Josh(!) If anyone has noticed, when a couplet gets together early in the book, it means it will not be smooth sailing along the way. Isla soon discovers things about Josh she's not sure she likes, like his past relationships, his senator dad and the side it brings out in him. It doesn't help that college is looming around the corner and they most likely won't be going to school anywhere close to each other and they start asking themselves if it's worth the effort, the hardship and the drama to be together.

This book made me laugh, swoon and bawl my eyes out. Isla is the sweetest character, the kind of girl I was in high school. She stays out of people's business and is happy spending time with her only friend. She does what most girls do when they finally get a boyfriend - she starts to spend more time with Josh and makes him the focus of her life. Her grades drop a bit and she gets into trouble, and it's so real it hurts. We have all lost ourselves in a guy so we all know the feeling of making him top priority, even if it wrecks your life. Josh was the kind of guy I would have fallen in love with in high school. The quiet artist with his deep stares and lanky frame. I think that's why this is my favourite one of the series, because they were so real and familiar to me. Their relationship is wonderful and reckless. Josh takes Isla places she has never been and shows her a side of Paris she has never seen. The heartache is real and I was rooting for these two from the first page to the last. The cameos from our favourites from the other books was perfectly timed and any fans will love the part with them.

This whole series will continue to be my favourite. Perkins writes contemporary perfectly and I have yet to find any author who has made me feel the way she's made me feel. Hopefully she's working on a new series!

"Phones are distracting. The internet is distracting. The way he looked at you? He wasn't distracted. He was consumed."

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Series I Need to Finish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we discuss topics through lists, and I love lists.

This week's topic is: Freebie Week! So I've chosen Top Ten Series I Need to Finish

Legend by Marie Lu - Champion is begging to be read.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I'm on Blood Promise, so there's still a bit of a way to go.
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - Into the Still Blue is waiting for me.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz - Only two more left to go in this series, read through them so fast, I needed a break.
Breathe by Sarah Crossan - I still haven't picked up Resist, even though I loved the first book.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney - I already own The Rivals, not sure why I haven't read it yet.
The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan - The House of Hades has waited too long.
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood - I haven't picked up Star Cursed yet, but it's pretty up there on the list to buy.

And two series I know I will finish as soon as the third and final books come out: 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - The Retribution of Mara Dyer needs to be out now!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Isla and the Happily Ever After is going to be so cute, can't wait to get my hands on it!

Top Ten Tuesday: Covers I'd Frame on my Wall

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we discuss our top tens on different bookish topics.

This week's topic is: Book covers I'd frame as art pieces

A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray

Bunheads - Sophie Flack

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

With All My Soul - Rachel Vincent (though any Soul Screamers cover would make beautiful art)

Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Laini Taylor

Cress - Marissa Meyer

Bright Before Sunrise - Tiffany Schmidt

Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

This is What Happy Looks Like - Jennifer E. Smith

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

Book covers are my favourite! I hate to say it, but sometimes I judge a book by its cover. What are your favourite covers you'd want framed? Any of these interest you?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd Like to See Turned Into Movies or TV Shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a new topic that the participants come up with a top ten list for.

This week's topic is Books I'd like to see turned into movies or TV shows

1. Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent: By far my favourite series and I think it would make a great TV show. There are too many books to make movies out of them, but there's more than enough content there to get through some seasons, and even add some new content, I won't mind.

2. The Curse Workers series by Holly Black: Another fantastic series that would make a great show. There could be so much back story created with both Cassel and Lila and we could explore some of the tricks and mischief that happened before the series began.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I fell in love with this book, these characters, and Paris! This make a fantastic movie with so many amazing visuals and swoon worthy romance. 

4. Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder: I read this book a while ago, but it's stuck with me since. This would make a great sci-fi movie for a younger audience with twists and turns and mysteries throughout it. 

5. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: The world Meyer has built in these books would look fabulous on screen. The characters are sharp and strong and visuals play an important part throughout these books. I'd die if I got to see Cinder and Scarlett light it up in a theatre!

6. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi: Dystopians have become a hit with The Hunger Games and I think this one would make a great follow up after Divergent. The atmosphere would look great on screen, especially the Aether. 

7. This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers: I need to have Summers on every list because she is such a great author. This zombie book is unlike anything I've read and it captures what teens would feel during an ordeal like this so perfectly. It would hit some people hard and it would be visually creepy and stunning.

8. Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella: By far my favourite stand alone from her and if they don't plan on making anymore Confessions of a Shopaholic movies, why not try another one of her books? They are all so funny and charming and would make the perfect rom-coms!

9. Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready: I think this could make a good series, but it would also work well as movies. A world where people under 17 can see ghosts would look awesome on screen and I think it would be nice to be able to expand some character while still focusing on Aura. Maybe even have some of the first season be pre Logan death? There's a lot to explore in this world and I'd love to see it done!

10. True Believer by Nicholas Sparks: I had to put Sparks on here because the movies made from his books are always so wonderful. There is always so much love and heartbreak that it can be overwhelming, but sometimes that's what you need. This one is one of my favourites because of the ending and I think it would transfer well onto film (just like all his other books!)

I'd love to see any one of these books beautified on screen, either large or small, and if I'm lucky enough to see just one of them, I'll be happy. Any one have any doubles? I'd love to hear what you think and what your lists look like!

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

 Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: July 13, 2013
Paperback, 372 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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. She is less than thrilled about boarding school in Paris - until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, he has it all - including a serious girlfriend. Will Anna get her French kiss?

Paris, the city of love. It's magical and anything can happen when you're far from home. Anyone would be happy to spend the semester abroad in this beautiful city, everyone expect Anna Oliphant. She's happy with her life in Atlanta, ready for her senior year of high school with her best friend and Toph, the boy who could very well become something more than a friend soon. So when her family ships her to France, she's content to stay in her room and pretend none of this ever happened. But life won't let Anna dwell on the past. Immediately, she finds herself friends with the girl next door and soon enough with Mer's friends. They force her out of her room and into the wonderfulness that is Paris. She finds herself drawn to Etienne St. Clair, the very handsome British boy who lives upstairs from her. And although she knows he's very taken and her feelings for Toph have not gone away, she can't help but want to be with him all the time. As she struggles to keep her feelings for him aside, she starts to discover the real beauty of Paris.

Paris is just as much a character in this book as Anna is. When Anna finally leaves her room, we see the cityin a beautiful light, like a new chapter in Anna's life. From Notre Dame to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, the more Anna loses herself in the city, the more she changes from who she used to be. Throughout the pages, we see her grow up. She realizes some things can never be the same with her friends and family back home, and she realizes just how important some friendships are. She learns to except that paris is part of her life now and slowly she finds herself falling in love with a city she never wanted to be in. 

Every character stands out. Some have your basic characteristics, but Perkins makes them her own. Anna, who is shy and reserved quickly becomes the girl she never thought she could be.  St. Clair is your typical YA crush, but he has his own demons to deal with and tries to make the right choices in life. Mer is a girly sporty chick, Rashmi is a cool indie chick, and Josh is a loud artsy guy. The characters made this book what it is. Each one had their own story inside this story, each with their own drama to deal with. And even though Anna and St. Clair's story was the main focus, no one was forgotten in the background. Our main characters wouldn't get to where they ended up without help from their friends. 

This story is the perfect length. As I was reading it, I thought it was going to be long, I thought there would be a lot of filler before I got to the parts I wanted to read. But there is no filler. Everything that happens needed to happen. In fact, by the end, I was hoping for more. I can't wait to see what's next for Anna and Etienne, but I'm also looking forward to meeting Perkins's new characters in Lola and the Boy Next Door, where I'm hoping Anna and Etienne will make a guest appearance. I'm still new to the YA contemporary genre, but this book certainly stood out among the rest and will forever stay in my heart. Also, can I go to paris now, please?

Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?