Book Review - Don't Breathe A Word

Don't Breathe a Word - Holly Cupala
Release Date: January 2, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 299

Buy the Book: Amazon

Joy delamere is suffocating.

From asthma, from her parents, and from her boyfriend, Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. She can take his cruel words, his tender words . . . until the night they go too far.

To escape, Joy sacrifices her suburban life to find the one who offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. He introduces her to a world of fierce loyalty, to its rules of survival, and to love--a world she won't easily let go.

Set against the backdrop of the streets of Seattle, Holly Cupala's power-ful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the secrets we keep, and the ways to redemption. But above all, it is an unflinching story about the extraordinary lengths one girl will go to discover her own strength.

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

To be honest, I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up and if I had known I'm not sure if I would have picked it up, simply due to the fact that I don't read a lot of dark YA. But sometimes you stumble onto a treasure and don't know what you have found until you open it. That was the case for me with this book.

The story surrounds Joy. From the outside you would think that she is perfect. She has a great family, a loving and dedicated boyfriend, Asher, but from the inside Joy is dying. She's slowly being smothered by her families overprotectiveness, Asher's unpredictably and her growing desperation. Not knowing who to turn to, she turns to the only person who has seen through her charade and offered to help, Creed, the homeless boy with music that is capable of stealing her deepest and darkest secrets. But, Joy can't just get up and leave, and expect everyone to forget about her. How long will her hard won solace last before he comes back for her? Asher.

Don't Breathe a Word was one of those book that sends chills down your spine but you still read on, not just because you want to know what happens next but because of Holly Cupala's incredible writing. She is capable of hooking you from page one and sending you on a serious emotional roller coaster. She had me biting my nails in fear and anticipation, laughing and smiling with the character and crying when something bad happened to them. By the end of the book I was emotionally drained but basking in its magnificence.

 My first reaction after finishing the book was my love for the characters. Cupala managed to create the most realistic bunch of characters. None of them were perfect, and I didn't agree with a lot of their decisions but I understood them. By the end of the book I was in love with some and the others I just wanted to wrap my fingers around their neck and squeeze, hard! 

Joy was a great protagonist, she was scared and confused, but brave and wonderful when the opportunity presented itself. She had me rooting for her and dying to find out what had happened to her to cause her to leave. As for Creed, I loved him just as much, he was such a wonderful person. But this isn't because he was a one diminutional male hero who was just awesome and thats it. Creed had his own story, we saw him grow as a character as his and Joy's relationship grew. 

One of the most endearing qualities of this book was the actual idea. I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't read many books about a similar topic. Homeless people is a truth all around the world, even in first world countries like Canada and the U.S. But I haven't seen many books about them. I'm grateful of Holly Cupala for getting up to the task and writing a book about a sad reality that some people face and managing to derive such a thought provoking story out of it. 

Holly Cupala's, Don't Breathe a Word is a master piece. One that should be shared so more readers can enjoy it. It's an original story of the reality that some people face and horrors that drive them to desperate measures, running away being one of them.

Book Review: Dark Triumph

Dark Triumph - Robin LaFevers

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 385

Buy the Book: Amazon

Sybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy.

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

In Grave Mercy, we met Sybella, Ismae's mysterious and a little unhinged friend and fellow Handmaiden of Death. In Dark Triumph we get to see Sybella's story as she fights with both her inner demons and others she thought she would never have to face again.

The Convenants orders sent Sybella to the place of her nightmares and only the promise of redemption is keeping her there. Living under d"Albert's roof once more, Sybella is dancing with Death as she tries to get close enough to see his mark. It's conspicuous absence the only thing keeping her from delivering the killing blow, until a new order is received. Sybella is to help a prisoner, non other than the mighty Beast of Waroch, escape from the dungeon. 

As a die hard fan of Grave Mercy, I simply could not wait to read this one and for good reason. Dark Triumph not only did Grave Mercy the justice it deserved but took the story and made it more personal, dark and dangerous. While Grave Mercy included these themes it was more about the political intrigue while Dark Triumph went deep into the characters hearts and pasts.

Sybella was a wonderful protagonist she was strong and courageous. I was hooked onto the book trying to find out what it was that shaped her into the person she had become. At the same time I saw the events of the book shape her once more into a new woman. Robin LaFevers is very talented in this way as she is in all the other aspects of her writing. 

Beast was fantastic as always, I'm so glad that we got more of him in this book! I love how for once the male interest isn't handsome and swoon worthy, instead Beast is blatantly ugly and he acknowledges it.  A fact that made him even more endearing to me and Sybella, if I do say so myself. His brave and caring nature was a perfect match for Sybella.

The plot and writing were gripping and interesting. I was sucked into the story instantly and the action sequences only helped keep me even more engrossed. Also, I loved how Ismae continued to be present in the plot as an important side character, if no longer the main character.

Overall, it was a fantastic read. I'm really loving the female assassins and the historical fiction / fantasy books. So if your are into those kind of books make sure to check this series out! Can't wait for the next instalment in this series.

Book Review - Something Like Normal

Something Like Normal - Trish Dollar
Release Date: June 19, 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Age Group: Young Adult / New Adult

Pages: 224

Buy the Book: Amazon

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

Something Like Normal is about Travis, a Marine returning home for a month after a tragic incident in Afghanistan that left him scarred. Within moments of stepping foot in his small hometown, he realizes his mistake. His dad hates him, his brother stole his girlfriend and his mother's overflowing love is bound to suffocate him. Everything is too much for Travis, and then he meets Harper, the girl he screwed over in Middle School. She has grown into a wonderful young lady and Travis can't get enough of her. But will their past get in the way of their future, more specifically Travis's recent experiences?

I'm so glad to have picked up this book as I don't read enough books with male protagonists. Travis's voice was great, I connected with him and understood the things he did. I loved how the PTSD was incorporated into the story, and the flash back to Afghanistan and Charlie were interesting to read about. 

I really like reading books about Marine's and their life, how they deal, and how their family's deal. Something Like Normal gave us a peak into that. I especially liked seeing Travis's growth from when he was a normal kid trying to get by high school to who he became when he joined the Military. 

Sadly, there were somethings that I had a problem with in this book, most of which are due to its short length. I found all the side-characters like Travis's dad, brother, and friends, all very one dimensional and flat. They didn't grow or change and we didn't see good enough proof to explain why they are the way they are. His dad and brother were straight up idiots, I hated them. His mother was the stereotypical soccer mom with no depth. At one point she actually flat out stated that Travis is her favourite son... I don't know, lets just say she isn't getting the most realistic literary mother award.

As for Harper and Travis's relationship, I think it was probably what made the book for me. That and Travis's marine friends! I liked how Travis acted around Harper, like she was good for him. Still, I felt Harper forgave him too quickly and their relationship jumped from 1 to 5 within 20 pages. 

Overall, it was a fun read, very interesting. Definitely more of a light read with some dark elements. It's a good introductory book to the New Adult genre with minimal sexual content compared to some of the other books. Still I would say for readers 16 and up!

Book Review - Altered

Altered - Jennifer Rush
Release Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 323

Buy the Book: Amazon

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

What an action packed and gripping read! My reading Altered was a pure accident. I was scrolling down my goodreads feed when it peaked my interest and I clicked on it to see what it was about. And boy am I glad I did. Within moments my Kobo was the out and I knew what I was doing for the rest of the night, never mind homework!

Altered is about Anna who lives in a farm house with her scientist father. Sounds normal enough, except her father happens to work for a mysterious company called The Branch, and is participating in an experiment called OP Alpha. Cue four hot, genetically altered, superhuman, lab experiment boys with no recollection of their past. And to make things even more interesting they live in her basement! Through a series of explosive events, Anna is forced to go on the run with the boys as they try to remember their past, which becomes increasingly difficult with The Branch sending out muscle to stop them at every turn. At the same time Anna and Sam, the 'leader' of the boys, are inevitably falling for each other. But their journey takes them to discover life altering secrets, not just about the boys but Anna too.

At its very root this book is an action-thriller and I felt that all the components that made up a good action-thriller, at least in my opinion was met with some minor hitches here and there. I felt the plot was very well planned out. Everything fell into place at the proper time. I was excited and even more intrigued with every twist. The writing was clear, vivid and interesting. Altered was a definite plot/writing win for me.

As for the characters, sigh! Let's just say that Anna is one lucky girl. There is Sam the mysterious hero/prodigy and protective leader; Nick the brooding bad boy with a past; Cas the group clown and finally Trev the best friend with an eidetic memory for quotes. The four boys together kind of made the package for me, they were funny, charming and they had a real bond among each other that I enjoyed seeing and reading about.

Anna was a great protagonist, she was curious and head strong as she fought for herself when the boys tried to keep her 'safe' and out of the action. My only problems with the book that I can think of was sadly with Anna's character. I found her to be a bit clingy and childish at times. But thankfully she kind of came into her own as the story progressed and I enjoyed reading about the independent young woman that she was becoming. I can't wait to see how her character and the story progresses as the series continues.

Overall, I found Altered to be an amazing read. It was just what I needed, something different and even refreshing as we come off the dystopia/vampire/werewolf/angel craze. On that note, Altered really reminded me of The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong. Probably due to the common topic of human experimentation. So,  I recommend this book to fans of Kelly Armstrong's series and all lovers of action-thriller and an all around fun read.

Book Review - Destroy Me

Destroy Me - Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

Age Group: Young Adult

Buy the Book: Amazon

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me,Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

Destroy Me picks up right where Shatter Me left off but this time we are seeing through Warner's perspective. And guys... It was awesome! In this novella we get a deep look into Warner's mind and life. We get a more in depth view of what he believes in and things that he went through in order to become who he is now.

For the first time in his life Warner is rendered incapable of taking care of himself and it is a side effect of him letting down his guard and falling in love. Throughout the story he is struggling with himself, his feelings and his past. He feels as though he has been betrayed by Juliette and now his wounded condition has left him helpless against his enemies. While he is struggling in the inside his compound is slowly coming apart. Or at least he believes it must be, after all why wouldn't his soldiers and rivals use his time of weakness to rebel.

I liked Warner from book one. I knew I shouldn't but I just couldn't help myself. Yes, he is quite evil but he isn't the one dimensional cliché antagonist that we see in most stories and that is why I like him so much. Actually, I wouldn't call it 'like' I think a better word would be intrigued, I am intrigued by him because he is a character who has a potential to be more than just the antagonist. In fact, I feel like he can be the hero! Now that would be an interesting turn of events!

Anyway, In Destroy Me we get to revisit the destroyed land of Shatter Me once more and see the results of the events that take place in Shatter Me through the eyes of one very controversial character. I cannot wait to see what happens next in this series. Four stars, but only because I found it slow at times. Overall a great little read and much recommended. As for those who haven't picked up this series, the time is now!

Book Review - Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry
Release Date: July 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 392

Buy the Book: Amazon

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Synopsis and cover taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:

I have heard nothing but rave reviews about this one and I am proud to say I understand where all those people come from. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry is one thought provoking and enigmatic book. I for one absolutely loved it!

Reading the synopsis for the first time it reminded me of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles one of my all time favourite books. But upon reading the book itself  it proved to be much more than a book like Perfect Chemistry. It was its own book and I loved it for that.

Pushing the Limits follows two troubled teens from different sides of the social spectrum who through a series of events are put together. Echo Emerson is the ex-miss popular of the school and Noah Hutchins is loner/junkie of the school. When the two collide it would be an understatement to say that 'sparks fly'. They aggravate each other yet they also understand each other more then anyone else ever could. 

I seriously loved all the characters in this book. I felt they were all well rounded, realistic and lovable. You also get a good taste of each of the main characters as the book is formatted in chapters that alternate between Echo and Noah's points of view. 

Echo's world was turned upside down after an incident with her mother that left her marked for life and struggling to put back the pieces of her shattered life. She struggled throughout the book with her insecurities and her lack of memory from that night. But she didn't sit back and whine about it throughout the book, instead there were moments when she showed her strong nature and personality. Those moments slowly increased and by the end of the book her growth along with the others was really rewarding. 

Noah was another of those male characters who have the bad boys bravado but are actually good in the inside. He is a caring guy who is trying to deal with the lemons that life keeps dishing at him. His relationship with his brothers broke my heart. Sometimes I had to stop and really take in the conversations. I loved how much he cared about his family and showed that through constantly persevering to do what was best for them and to make his parents proud.

Something else that I absolutely adored about this book was how great a role the side characters played. The families were present instead of being introduced and then disappearing for the rest of the book. Which in the end helped with the realism of the book and really boosted how much I enjoyed the book.

Overall, Pushing the Limits was a refreshing read. It dealt with some dark and serious matters but in a very mature and realistic way. The love story was a great touch and the characters were among my favourite. All in all, a fantastic book deserving of all the hype. 

Book Review: Shatter Me

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 338
Buy the Book: Amazon

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. 
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 
In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel. 

Summary taken from Goodreads.   

My Review:
Oh man! Here goes another gushy review. I just can't help myself, Shatter Me is nothing if not totally gush worthy. Anyways lets get on with the review.

The book revolves around Juliette Ferrars who has been locked up by The Reestablishment, a militaristic government of the future, because of her ability to kill a grown man with the simple touch of her hands. For 264 days Juliette has been alone in her cell, deprived of another humans touch. Until, one day she gets a cell mate. And not just any cell mate, its a boy, he is about her age, named Adam and she could have sworn that she'd known him before. 

The story picks up from there and soon enough you are sent on a crazy whirlwind of adventures. You meet new character of whom, some you just absolutely love and others that you despise. I personally loved Warner, who was the antagonist of the story. He was just truly evil and epic. He is one of those character that one loves to hate and is a thrill to read about.

Juliette, wow! She is strong, intelligent, beautiful and independent. I absolutely loved her! She was anything but the damsel in distress. In fact she was the exact opposite. Juliette could give a lot of those male hero's a run for their money and I love that about her.

As for Adam. I LOVE Adam. He is one of the sweetest, most caring and amazing male protagonist in YA. Absolutely incredible. He just proves that the good boys don't always finish last. Overall, Shatter Me was a complete character hit. I loved the characters in this book. They were all very well developed and round characters that I just gobbled up!

Something else that really stood out in this book besides the fantastic plot and characters, was Tahereh Mafi's writing. Oh my goodness, it was beautiful, poetic and just magnificent. I have to admit there was one or two phrases in the book that I found a bit cheesy but the rest was AMAZING. Hands down Tahereh you are awesome!

To conclude, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is another one of those epic dystopians that you just can't help but add to your ever growing pile of book you would like to marry! So definitely pick this one up and give it a go. Especially if you are a dystopian fan!

Book Review: Legacy

Legacy - Cayla Kluver (Legacy #1)
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 496

Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodsreads

I noticed his eyes. They were blue, sharp and intense. Despite the youthful glows of his suntanned face, his eyes were cold and unfriendly, suggesting he had great experience in the world and was now expecting the worst.In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.
When the palace guard captures and intruder—a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy—Alera is alarmed…and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.
In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom.

My Review: 
It has been seventeen years since the abrupt end of the bloody war between the Kingdoms of Hytanica and Cokyri. But the war did not end in an agreement of peace. Instead, in the dark of night forty-nine newborn baby boys were stolen from Hytanican homes and forty-eight were found dead. But the last boy was never found, he was simply gone. Taken by the Cokyrians across the river. For year there was no sign of either the boy or the Cokyrians and the inevitable continuation of the war that was left unfinished, until now.


Seventeen year old, Princess Alera of Hytanica was born at the end of the war and has lived a life of peace. But her father the King has become weary of the strain that being a king brings on one. So Alera is charged with the duty of finding herself a worthy man who is capable of becoming the next king.  As the firstborn princess, the man that Alera marries is to become the next king due to their extremely male oriented society. But despite Alera's efforts her father seems to be dead set on Lord Steldor, the son of the Captain of the Guard and the heartthrob of the kingdom. Well, everyone's heartthrob except for Alera's.


Through a series of events and the appearance of a young Cokyrian warrior called Narian. Alera's world is turned upside down. Now, it is not only her Kingdom at stake but her heart as well.


Being a total cover freak, it was the cover of this book that initially caught my attention but soon in enough I was totally infatuated with this book. The concept sounded amazing to me, I love stories about princesses and and kingdoms and all that awesomeness! But what truly hooked me to this book was the prologue. Oh man, it's just amazingly written. As I read, I felt chills going down my spine. So of course I had to read this book and am I glad I did or what! It was amazing! 


Cayla Kluver did such a wonderful job with everything in this book. The character are all great. They are interesting and the plot is gripping, and best of all is the world Kluver created in this book. I was amazed at the history between Hytanica and Cokyri, it was really interesting to read about!


I found Alera to be a great character she was strong, intelligent and a good leader. She fought against the gender roles that her society placed on women and tried to get involved in really ruling her country instead of sitting aside and have the men do it for her. So, I really enjoyed reading about her.


As for the romantic male intrigues, I was torn between the perfectly egotistical Lord Steldor and the mysterious Narian. I can't wait to see more of both of these character in the next books!


Overall, Legacy was an amazing introduction to a new trilogy! I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed Cayla Kluver's writing and I recommend this book to all lovers of romantic fantasy novels! 


More on the sequel, Allegiance:

Allegiance - Cayla Kluver (Legacy #2)

Release Date: February 28, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Goodreads

Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive. 
An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return... 
Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge. 
Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn....

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Publisher: Dutton
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 338
Buy the Book: Amazon

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.

Summary taken from Goodreads.  

My Review: 
Holy freaking wow! What can I possibly say about this book. It was absolutely magnificent! There is not one thing in this book that I didn't like. This is the magic of Stephanie Perkins at work. She pulls you in and makes you fall completely in love, not just with the book but with the story, the characters and everything else in between.

I read Anna and the French Kiss early this year after hearing countless reviews about just how amazing the book was and I wasn't disappointed. I fell madly in love with Anna and St. Clair within mere minutes of picking up the book. I couldn't put it down and spent my whole day sitting in bed and finishing that book.

That was probably the fastest I had ever read a book. Ever since then I've been waiting for Lola to come out. And when I heard that Anna and St.Clair were also in the book, I couldn't wait anymore! So I was as you could imagine, ecstatic to finally get it last week and I just inhaled it. Literally!

Lola and the Boy Next Door is an absolutely phenomenal novel. It is a story of first love, friendship, family, growing up and making mistakes. It is sweet and heart-wrenching as well as realistic like only Stephanie Perkins books can be.

For the second time this year, Stephanie Perkins has rendered to hold me speechless with the simple realism of her characters. I felt like they were real people living real lives. I wanted to be friends with some and marry the others (i.e. St.Clair & Cricket)!

I found Lola to be a very fun and colourful character. I thought her belief in 'everyday should be a costume party' awesome and I totally agree! Like all of Perkins characters, Lola was so realistic that you can't help but feel for her and relate to her. It is truly amazing! As for Cricket, he was magnificent! I loved everything about him. From his really tall height, to his habit of writing on his hands. He was just an amazing character and one of the sweetest guys in YA!

But that is not all! As I mentioned before Anna and St.Clair are in this book. Although they weren't as present as I wish they were. Like I want Anna and the French Kiss Part Two. But in the scenes that they were in, they were just magical! I loved seeing them together and getting to see how their relationship was going. It was like a cherry on top of the cake!

Overall, Lola and the Boy Next door is a fantastic novel that everyone must read. My only request would be for readers to read Anna and the French Kiss first. Other wise this is one of those books that anyone can enjoy. No matter your age and interests! I greatly recommend it!!!