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!!!

Teaser Tuesday (10)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

He nods towards the baby wipe. "What else are you carrying in your pockets? Dust rags? Furniture polish?" 

"Watch it," she says. "Or I'll scrub your arms, Etienne." 

He grins. "As long as you do it in private."

Page 26 - Lola and the Boy Next Door 

Squeals!! Can't believe I'm actually reading it XD

In My Mailbox (10)

Welcome to this weeks IMM!
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

This week I got:
The Day Before - Lisa Schroeder (Amazon/Goodreads)

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.
The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.

Legacy - Cayla Kluver (Amazon/Goodreads) 

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.

The Name Of The Star - Maureen Johnson (Amazon/ Goodreads) 

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Lola And the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins (Amazon/Goodreads) 

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.

Finally! 

I went a bit crazy with the books this week but I'm so happy to finally have them. I've been wanting to read these books for so long! Now my biggest problem is which one should I read first?!

So, What Did You Get In You Mailbox?