December 6, 2010

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins


+++++



Young Adult
Pages: 384
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Anna and the French KissRelease Date: December 2, 2010

Anna was 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. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

My GOD! Best book of all times! I want to read it again and again and want to own like a thousand copies of it! And this never, ever happens to me. In all my years of reading, one of the genres that has been constant for me is contemporary. Yet it's hard that a contemporary read stands out to me when it's not dark. Good dark contemporary has been my preference in realistic reads. Sarah Dessen-type reads are good yet just not rave-about good. I love them and love to read them but I don't normally obsess about them. Anna and the French Kiss makes everything I just said complete BS. This is a raving, obsessing, daydreaming, one-of-a-kind read that I wish I could live in, and the single book I would take on a deserted island. I could read it over and over and then just read it again. 


Stephanie Perkins is my hero. If I have ever idolized an author like no other, it would be her. It is absolutely unbelievable that this is her debut novel. I would and will read anything she ever writes. Her characterization is impeccable. I'm fairly sure all the characters are real. Her witty, fun and perfect writing makes all my dreams about finding the perfect book, come true. She captured teenage romance, teenage insecurities, and teenage friendship like no one else does. 


The setting is also a high point in this book. Not only is it boarding school, but it's in Paris! You wont be able to say you've never been to Paris after reading this. My mental picture of Paris is incredibly clear. I felt I was walking the streets of Paris with Anna. I felt I could smell every scent she smelled. This book is a marvelous atmospheric journey that takes the reader to their teen years and to Paris and back. I will never run out of praise for this book because as Lisa Schroeder said, "this is perfection on the page". 


You must, must, MUST read it!




11 comments:

  1. This has just moved up so far on my to read list! In fact I think it's number 1 now! Great Review!

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  2. Thank you for the great, enthusiastic review! Anna and the French Kiss looks super cute! It's on my wishlist :)

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  3. Same here! I don't always go for Contemp reads, but every single review this book's getting is giving it 5 stars and more!

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  4. Great review! It makes me regret not buying the book when I was at Barnes & Nobles this weekend! I saw it there, but I usually wait for books to come out in paperback....

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  5. ITA about her characterization. And the fact that she was able to write a romance without making me want to roll my eyes from the cliches or retch from the dripping sappiness just blows my mind.

    In the world of authors, she is a literary rock star.

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  6. Ugh..I need to read this soon, REAL soon. Thanks for the great review.

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  7. I guess I don't have a choice now! I'm excited to read it!

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  8. Oh man! 5 stars and several pluses! I'm taking it that this is a splendid book. It sounds like the writing is funny, which I totally love. Who doesn't? Oooh, I want to read this so bad! :D

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  9. ANNA ANNA ANNA ANNA ANNA! I love love loved this one. It was so wonderfl and lovely. <3

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  10. It is perfection on the page! I like that description a lot.

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