I have seen many good reviews about this book, I couldn't help myself but jump on the book bandwagon and read it, too. Here is the synopsis of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins given by Goodreads:
Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?
Reference:
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Review:
(safe for those who haven't read this book yet)
Ohh my word, I need to start off by saying I'm in love with Etienne St. Clair! Who cares if he'a fictional right? And if you've read this book, how could you not? American born, raised in ENGLAND, now studying in Paris. It really had me at the British accent... Alright this book is really cute and girly so unless you don't like romantic books, you should read this. I don't usually lean toward romantic books myself, at least not without some fantasy/sci-fi/ mystery twisted with it, but I heard a lot of good things about this one and I knew I had to give it a try. :)This is a story about how a seventeen-year-old girl named Anna is forced to move from her home in Atlanta and spend her senior year in a boarding school in Paris--and just as her crush in Atlanta and her had a make-out session and probably become something more. Too bad the move cuts into that relationship, which leaves Anna unsure about them. Even with Paris being the city of love, lights, and film (something she wishes to pursue in her future!) it isn't what she wants, but fortunately she makes friends quick and even finds herself a new crush. Anna tries to decide whether she thinks that her feelings for this new crush, Etienne St. Clair, can overcome her feelings for a maybe boyfriend back home in Atlanta. This is a cute tale about all the things that she discovers about both of them during their senior year.
Ms. Perkins writing actually reminds me a bit of me own. Well, sort of. It's a colloquial first person POV and I probably liked it more since I wasn't a fan of the style from my previous read. Ms. Perkins had me hooked from page one and I could see the story playing out in front of me like a movie (I love when books do that, I mean who doesn't?). Some of the dialogue may have been cheesy, but I don't think it was as bad as other cliché girly teen books.
The characters were well written, Ms. Perkins really made each main and supporting character well rounded and each have a separate distinguishable voice. This is one of those rare books that I can't select one character that was my favorite. I really liked them all: Anna, St. Clair, Mer, Rashmi, and Josh. Surprisingly I liked Anna, since you know me and protagonists. :0) Maybe I gave her some slack since she's in a new country where she doesn't speak the language. Maybe because I felt bad that her parents basically kicked her out for her senior year. Whatever the reason, I think Anna was an okay protagonist.
At first it was difficult for me to keep up with the French integration/transition/thing that Anna herself is going through. The French words aren't translated so since I'm lazy, I had to guess what they meant. Also I had trouble keeping up with the time. One chapter it's one day, the next chapter its three weeks later. I know for the issue of an entire senior year in a 380 page book, it can't be a day per chapter, but for me it took a while to get used to. Once it did, it wasn't a noticeable problem at all.
The ending worked when I finished it, but now that it's sunk in my head, I think the ending was too wrapped up. Well then dang Nicole-- what would make you happy?? Well my friend, I'm difficult to please. Okay, the ending isn't as bad as I make it sound, it actually is a good way how Ms. Perkins ended it, but maybe I expected something a little more.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars. Oh my goodness I loved this book, however, it isn't 5 star material. I couldn't put it down (literally read until 4:10am now...) and I'd recommend to any and all hopeless romantics like mua out there. ;) Oh yes, I'd read it again in a heartbeat.
Author's Quote:
“Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?”
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss
If You'd Like to Check Out My Goodreads:
Next To Read:
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
River Song's Spoilers:
(unsafe for those who haven't read this book yet, so don't read this section)
Alright, about for good part of the first half I knew Toph was going to turn out to be a jerk. How he told Anna--and the rest of the world for that matter-- that he was dating Bridge was such a sleezy way to do it, but I don't think Bridge should have kept anything back. Especially if she was a best friend. I understood why Anna wouldn't speak to her. I as heck wouldn't! But then near the end when she does that to Ellie with St. Clair, (even though she hardly knew Ellie-- even if it's bad regardless), I can see why she gave Bridge another chance. So I'm happy they made up.
The first time we met Ellie, I was surprised by the first reaction. That just teaches you something about another culture people in America don't encounter often, that not all girls are the jealous venomous type who pry over their boyfriends. I think it was a nice contrast to what I expected. This is obviously before St. Clair cheats on her a bunch of times. I mean, I would be flattered if I were Anna, but later on in this book when things get serious, I would be suspicious to be with him. I mean, how wouldn't she know that when they got together he wouldn't just do that with the next girl that makes him "feel that way?" You know me, I look way into stories and their characters. >_<
Even though I don't know a lick of French, I really love how she intertwined it in the story. It was a development of Anna in France learning to adjust and become part of another culture unfamiliar to her, as well as for the reader to develop a connection with Anna (especially in the beginning since Anna doesn't know French and is nervous about mispronouncing it, and so is probably the reader).
Alright, the entire book I was waiting for Anna and St. Clair to kiss, and when they did, and St. Clair left her, I thought the same thing Anna did. Did he just leave her for Mer?? I mean, I know he's known her longer but if he cared so much about Anna, I'd be shocked and hurt he left too. But when he explained it to Anna near the end, why he did it for her since he understood that Anna went through the same thing and didn't want to hurt anyone else, I half forgave him. ;)
Anna was a little dumb throughout the book. Always second guessing herself that St. Clair may like her. I mean, he wouldn't do cute stuff with just any jo shmo friend. Yeah he may have led Mer on, but I don't think he did the Point Zero Star, love poem book, movie nights, sleep together, get cute gifts for her, maybe not even Ellie. But the whole stringing Anna along was bad, even before he found out about his mom. Then when his mom got sick, that was really low for him to drag her along. I'd sure as hell think I was being used. That was probably the worst quality about him. The man didn't know how to be loyal.
But this is a story focused on true love, and it made me get all giggly meeting St. Clair and having all the encounters with him. Oh wait, did I just make it sound like I stepped into their world and became Anna? Oh, wait, I guess I did. Definitely one for the favorites shelf Ms. Perkins, well played.
The first time we met Ellie, I was surprised by the first reaction. That just teaches you something about another culture people in America don't encounter often, that not all girls are the jealous venomous type who pry over their boyfriends. I think it was a nice contrast to what I expected. This is obviously before St. Clair cheats on her a bunch of times. I mean, I would be flattered if I were Anna, but later on in this book when things get serious, I would be suspicious to be with him. I mean, how wouldn't she know that when they got together he wouldn't just do that with the next girl that makes him "feel that way?" You know me, I look way into stories and their characters. >_<
Even though I don't know a lick of French, I really love how she intertwined it in the story. It was a development of Anna in France learning to adjust and become part of another culture unfamiliar to her, as well as for the reader to develop a connection with Anna (especially in the beginning since Anna doesn't know French and is nervous about mispronouncing it, and so is probably the reader).
Alright, the entire book I was waiting for Anna and St. Clair to kiss, and when they did, and St. Clair left her, I thought the same thing Anna did. Did he just leave her for Mer?? I mean, I know he's known her longer but if he cared so much about Anna, I'd be shocked and hurt he left too. But when he explained it to Anna near the end, why he did it for her since he understood that Anna went through the same thing and didn't want to hurt anyone else, I half forgave him. ;)
Anna was a little dumb throughout the book. Always second guessing herself that St. Clair may like her. I mean, he wouldn't do cute stuff with just any jo shmo friend. Yeah he may have led Mer on, but I don't think he did the Point Zero Star, love poem book, movie nights, sleep together, get cute gifts for her, maybe not even Ellie. But the whole stringing Anna along was bad, even before he found out about his mom. Then when his mom got sick, that was really low for him to drag her along. I'd sure as hell think I was being used. That was probably the worst quality about him. The man didn't know how to be loyal.
But this is a story focused on true love, and it made me get all giggly meeting St. Clair and having all the encounters with him. Oh wait, did I just make it sound like I stepped into their world and became Anna? Oh, wait, I guess I did. Definitely one for the favorites shelf Ms. Perkins, well played.
Until Next Time,
Nicole Ciel
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