Anna and the French Kiss (by Stephanie Perkins)

Goodreads Synopsys

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. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review

I give  ★★★★★

I suppose, every cheesy, typical girly-girl would dream of this book to actually happen. Guess what, folks, guess what? I hate cheesy, or at least I thought I did until I read this book. I kept a smile on my face from the very moment I started this book. Why, you ask? Because I can relate to this character beyond my imagination. I did not know  "Oui'" is spelt that way, I didn't think it is spelt w-e-e either, I just never thought of french. YES I Would skip lunch, breakfast and dinner if I didn't know how to communicate, but it is an American school in Paris, so that was in fact kinda silly considering they must know English. But Anna is such a real protagonist to me, seeing everything from her perspective just made it perfect. Perfect to me because I saw how she adapted, learned about her friends, and tried to be the right person in all situations. But she was also human, and made mistakes I could see myself making. 



Yes it is a shame that our perfect man in the story is in fact short. So what? That's alright. You'll learn to appreciate his sense of humor, pretty face and cool hairstyle. With those in the package, nothing else matters. Coming from a height-obsessed-weirdo. Not to mention that I have not been to Paris and this book made me want to crave a journey, a new place, and sometimes even a new life. To start over like Anna did. However, the only thing lacking in this story was loyalty. There's a simple rule when it comes to friends and boyfriends and that is exactly what I absolutely hoped wouldn't happen. Anna stealing her friend's boyfriend. Why. Of course, we are once again reminded that friendships between a gal and guy will always develop to something more. YAY. That's what I call the best kind of love story. 

Considering how I've always wanted to study abroad but never got the chance to (yet) and seeing what the experience would be like from Anna's perspective was satisfying since a lot of people aren't quite specific on the details on the new language and the new people. That whole idea was really thought through in this novel. I would definitely recommend it to those with some kind of fear of moving to another country, going to a new school/university/college. This book will definitely ease out your fears.

The One (Book #3 of The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass)

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

Review

★★★★✩ I give.

The One is probably my least favourite book from the trilogy. Even with all the events happening in the book, none seem to stick to my mind, perhaps because it was rushed and the reader. aka. me, didn't have time to mourn or process the events or the lost lives, especially at the end. The ending is too happy, or it seems like it is too happy because it comes along so fast. After three tragedies, they are all happy and ready to settle. What? 

SPOILER

Dude, your mom and your dad just died and all you can think about is marrying her? It's already obvious she's The One. 

And, and, what about the fact that her dad is a rebel or whatever, how does not impact or influence anything? Just knowing about it makes it as pointless as mentioning it in the first place. 

I am frustrated with the rushed events and the ending. I wanted more, and perhaps one hundred more pages would've kept me from remembering what else happened towards the ending. 

I wanted to feel happier and relieved as they were after the incidents, instead, I feel absolutely nothing. I finished the book on good terms, just not good enough for me to remember how good the past two books and the beginning of the first one were. 

On the bright side, I love his name and will always remember it.

  Maxon..