Reviewing Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

by Stephanie Perkins

Chances are if you've been on the internet lately, you've at least heard about this book. I'll be the first to admit that if I had just seen this book on the shelf at the bookstore, I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance. Chick lit romances aren't necessarily my favorite genre. But the story kept getting positive feedback, and my interest in the book went and got itself piqued. Even then I still wasn't entirely certain. But it just so happened they had a copy left at Borders and it was seventy percent off, so I caved and bought it.


As stolen from Amazon.com:

"Anna Oliphant has big plans for her senior year in Atlanta: hang out with her best friend, Bridgette, and flirt with her coworker at the Royal Midtown 14 multiplex. So she is none too happy when her father sends her off to boarding school in Paris. However, things begin to look up when she meets Étienne St. Clair, a gorgeous guy–with a girlfriend. As he and Anna become closer friends, things get infinitely more complicated. Will Anna get her French kiss? Or are some things just not meant to be?"

I will admit that when I first read that I thought oh zut! Cliché cliché cliché! (And I felt really smart because "cliché" and "zut" are both french words, and the novel takes place in Paris.) I thought it was going to be the classic—girl who doesn't have very much self-confidence gets thrown into a new school and ends up dating the hottest guy there even though he's been in a relationship with another, prettier girl for the past year and a half. 


And yes, the plot travelled somewhat along those lines, but what set this book apart from other young adult romances were the characters. I cannot rave enough about how amazingly awesome these characters were, especially the two leads Étienne and Anna. From their dreams, to their fears, foibles, and quirks, these characters leap off the page. They're real. They're relatable. They're incredible. They're spunky. By the end you'll be rooting for them all in one way or another, and I can happily say that you won't be disappointed in the least.


This book also has an awesome soundtrack, which can be found here. I wouldn't listen to it until you're well into the book or finished, because it does contain spoilers.


Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / 5

P.S. Keep in mind my lack of credentials when reading this.

The Most Important Thing I Learned From Trig

"The most important thing I've learned from Trig is how to not fall asleep during Trig." -Sammie

This piece of advice was brought to you by Sammie. Please keep in mind her lack of credentials.

For Strolling: a playlist for strolling

by Yours Truly

http://8tracks.com/theSammie

A Minuscule Story About Why Librarians Dislike Me

The library that I normally visit during the summer is within walking distance from my house. It's a big old building—old down to the weathered bricks and fallen shingles. And when I go there, I usually receive nasty "oh God it's her again" glances from the head librarian.

Her royal highness, the head librarian is the lady with the alligator purse. Or how I imagine her to be. She has jet black hair cropped just above her chin, skin that's only a few shades darker than paper, and wears lipstick that drips from her lips and is the exact color of the Target target.

At first I thought she hated me because my favorite time to stop by was four fifty-three on a friday afternoon. When her menacing stares persisted, I began to wonder.

I finally figured out why she disliked me when I saw her pick up a huge blue stamp from her desk and stamp it on the inside cover of one of the books I had returned. "Withdrawn," it read in fat black letters. Then there were the library fines. Who knew it was possible to be fined eight dollars for a book?

In short, I'm a book murderer. It's a violent relationship. Through missing covers, cracked spines, dog-eared pages, being strewn in the bottoms of bags, ink in the margins, taped up covers, highlighted sentences, long car rides, and countless re-readings, I simply love my books too much. Some of them are more tape than paper.

Okay, perhaps a few of those details were over-exaggerated. Only once did I get a nasty glare from the head librarian (but I'm dead serious when I say she looks like the alligator purse woman).

These are a few of my books. I bought a roll of packing tape solely for book emergencies. I'm quite an accomplished novel doctor. That Goblet of Fire may look nice-ish, but it's sixty percent tape.

"Central Themes: purpose of art, youth and beauty, influence Also: use of white symbol of influence turns to one of sin and death; Hooray, my very own book to write in!! Sorry for the folded-down pages, next person who reads this . . . :)"

Oh, and whoever had my copy of Dorian Gray before I did took the liberty of writing in the margins for me. Now I don't feel so guilty!

The moral of this story? Never swallow a horse.

The Credentials? I've Got None

I've got no credentials except that I'm able to spell credentials on the first go around. And while that may be so, I do have many opinions and ideas—and use proper grammar about sixty percent of the time. Without further ado, welcome to my crammed bookshelves.

Here's the thing. I lied to you when I said crammed bookshelves, plural. I only have one. It's tall and fat. I once counted all the books that were on it and there were about two hundred. 

My love of reading fostered when I was a wee tiny child, and I didn't have cable. After watching the same twenty episodes of Arthur over and over and over and over and—well you get it—I had to resort to something else. So I learned to read.

The first book I read by myself—and to my memory—was Green Eggs and Ham, because my name is Sam. I'm clearly all too proud of those first sixty-four pages.

In conclusion, and only because most English teachers will murder you if you don't have one, I read and write and I'm also that weirdo that dances entirely too enthusiastically at dances. Enjoy yourself.