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mariai's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
j_chen's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 stars
Despite all the bitching and moaning I did for most of the book, the last 75 pages TOTALLY make up for it.
edit: I hate the new cover... the blue background with Lola and Cricket on the front...I liked it better when it was just orange...
Despite all the bitching and moaning I did for most of the book, the last 75 pages TOTALLY make up for it.
edit: I hate the new cover... the blue background with Lola and Cricket on the front...I liked it better when it was just orange...
naharobed's review
4.0
Perfect if you're looking for an easy, but engaging contemporary romance story. I liked this one a little more than the first and I appreciated how the author connected the two. The romance is super sweet and cute. Again, the characters are extremely likable and overall it's the kind of quick and easy read that you finish in one sitting and doesn't take a lot of brain power, but leaves you smiling.
other_worlds_than_these's review
2.0
This was dragged on and on and nothing was really happening. I did not like Lola, any interaction with Max was annoying and a waste, Cricket seemed cute but the thing Lola had with Calliope felt unnecessary. Why does there have to be a female side character the main character doesn't get along with. And I also wished Lola didn't spend all her time thinking about max or cricket and having to chose between the two and keep secrets. She shouldn't have to feel guilt for having a guy friend. But I did like her parents. But the last couple of chapters just dragged on and on.
tates1965's review
5.0
A prefect, light read. Great story and characters. Fast paced and it was exactly what I was excepting and exactly what type of story I wanted to read. Has a lot of good feels.
rakesrogues's review against another edition
4.0
I think it’s safe to say that LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR was my most anticipated book of 2011. Stephanie Perkins is at the top of my list of authors to watch. After reading Anna and the French Kiss earlier this year, I could not wait to read more of her work. I was so happy to have snagged a copy of the hardcover at my favorite bookstore, the Strand, before the release date.
The characters are so colorful in LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. Lola is a delight to read about. Always dolled up in a different costume each day, Lola Nolan stands out from the crowd. She’s not afraid of what others think and she dresses the way she wants. And of course, there’s the Boy Next Door. Cricket Bell used to be her neighbor, and Lola felt like her world is coming apart when she hears that he is moving back next door. A budding inventor, Cricket is intelligent and kind. He has the quirky fashion sense to match Lola.
I feel like with these kinds of stories, you have a vague idea of how it’s going to end before you even pick up the book. But it doesn’t matter because the beginning, middle, and climax of the story are the most fun to read about anyway. Lola and Cricket do have a past (and emotional baggage), so the progression of the romance is a lot different from Anna and the French Kiss. There is definitely great chemistry between the two characters.
Speaking of emotional baggage, LOLA is a more serious book than Anna. Serious in a way that Lola deals a lot with heavy issues such as her biological mother and her past with Cricket. While the book was still entertaining as a whole, I just didn’t find myself laughing as much as I did when I read Anna.
The secondary characters are the icing to the cake. From Lola’s fathers (yes, fathers) to her quirky co-workers, the novel would not have been the same without them. Furthermore, I love the diversity in Lola and the Boy Next Door. Maybe I just don’t read enough stories about California, but I feel like Perkins wrote such an accurate portrayal of the culturally diverse population of California. I think it’s definitely one of the things that stood out for me when I visited the Bay Area and I’m glad that Perkins portrayed it in her novel.
Stephanie Perkins is a wonderful writer. I’ve only been to San Francisco a few times, so I had a vague idea of where Lola lived, but Perkins’s writing just makes the setting come alive. I felt like I was transported to the West Coast. I really felt like I was strolling along the streets of San Francisco with Lola and Cricket.
Shall I compare LOLA to Anna? Well, if I must… I have to say that I still prefer Anna. Why? Mostly because of Cricket and Lola. I’ve pretty much said that I did enjoy their characters a lot, but if I had to compare them to Etienne and Anna, they just don’t match up. Why? Well, Etienne is a Boy Masterpiece. He has a British accent!!!! And Anna is just a lot more like me than Lola is. I was just able to relate so much more to Anna. Lola just has this certain self confidence that both Anna and I lack. She can pretty much snag a guy if she really wants, whereas Anna is socially awkward in the romance department like I am. I could definitely see myself more in Anna’s shoes than Lola’s.
The reason why I still love Anna more than LOLA is definitely a personal reason. Based on the reviews I’ve read, I am probably in the minority who believe that Stephanie Perkins’s debut is better than her sophomore novel.
I’m pretty sure that I can ramble on forever about LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR and I think that’s reason enough for you to go buy it. Read it so we can have a never-ending debate. I’m more than sure you’ll enjoy LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR if you loved Anna and the French Kiss, boys, San Francisco, California in general, costumes, sparkly things, fashion, and kissing. Oh, and Alexander Graham Bell.
Well, I just made this sound like the girliest book ever, but if you’re a boy, please don’t let my review stop you from picking it up. Stephanie Perkins is a really great writer. Read this.
The characters are so colorful in LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. Lola is a delight to read about. Always dolled up in a different costume each day, Lola Nolan stands out from the crowd. She’s not afraid of what others think and she dresses the way she wants. And of course, there’s the Boy Next Door. Cricket Bell used to be her neighbor, and Lola felt like her world is coming apart when she hears that he is moving back next door. A budding inventor, Cricket is intelligent and kind. He has the quirky fashion sense to match Lola.
I feel like with these kinds of stories, you have a vague idea of how it’s going to end before you even pick up the book. But it doesn’t matter because the beginning, middle, and climax of the story are the most fun to read about anyway. Lola and Cricket do have a past (and emotional baggage), so the progression of the romance is a lot different from Anna and the French Kiss. There is definitely great chemistry between the two characters.
Speaking of emotional baggage, LOLA is a more serious book than Anna. Serious in a way that Lola deals a lot with heavy issues such as her biological mother and her past with Cricket. While the book was still entertaining as a whole, I just didn’t find myself laughing as much as I did when I read Anna.
The secondary characters are the icing to the cake. From Lola’s fathers (yes, fathers) to her quirky co-workers, the novel would not have been the same without them. Furthermore, I love the diversity in Lola and the Boy Next Door. Maybe I just don’t read enough stories about California, but I feel like Perkins wrote such an accurate portrayal of the culturally diverse population of California. I think it’s definitely one of the things that stood out for me when I visited the Bay Area and I’m glad that Perkins portrayed it in her novel.
Stephanie Perkins is a wonderful writer. I’ve only been to San Francisco a few times, so I had a vague idea of where Lola lived, but Perkins’s writing just makes the setting come alive. I felt like I was transported to the West Coast. I really felt like I was strolling along the streets of San Francisco with Lola and Cricket.
Shall I compare LOLA to Anna? Well, if I must… I have to say that I still prefer Anna. Why? Mostly because of Cricket and Lola. I’ve pretty much said that I did enjoy their characters a lot, but if I had to compare them to Etienne and Anna, they just don’t match up. Why? Well, Etienne is a Boy Masterpiece. He has a British accent!!!! And Anna is just a lot more like me than Lola is. I was just able to relate so much more to Anna. Lola just has this certain self confidence that both Anna and I lack. She can pretty much snag a guy if she really wants, whereas Anna is socially awkward in the romance department like I am. I could definitely see myself more in Anna’s shoes than Lola’s.
The reason why I still love Anna more than LOLA is definitely a personal reason. Based on the reviews I’ve read, I am probably in the minority who believe that Stephanie Perkins’s debut is better than her sophomore novel.
I’m pretty sure that I can ramble on forever about LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR and I think that’s reason enough for you to go buy it. Read it so we can have a never-ending debate. I’m more than sure you’ll enjoy LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR if you loved Anna and the French Kiss, boys, San Francisco, California in general, costumes, sparkly things, fashion, and kissing. Oh, and Alexander Graham Bell.
Well, I just made this sound like the girliest book ever, but if you’re a boy, please don’t let my review stop you from picking it up. Stephanie Perkins is a really great writer. Read this.
narteest's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
I remember reading Anna and the French Kiss and thinking a lot of things about it. Lola and the Boy Next Door isn't any different. Stephanie Perkins does something funny to me. She makes me love and hate her books at the same time. I love it for the humour, the light fluffiness, and the cute romance. But I hate them for all the little things I usually hate in books! Specially romance books!
What I loved
[1] Lola. On the whole, Lola is a well rounded character. She develops well throughout the whole book and it was a pleasure to read. At first, she comes out really strong, and then with the arrival of various characters, things go downhill for her, and I liked seeing her downhill trend, the descent of Lola into someone even she can't recognise. I like the struggles with herself that she goes through when it comes to love, to Max, and to Cricket. The struggles are real, and very genuine. Even if a little stupid. But then, it's a romance, and therefore, I feel, perfectly valid.
[2] Cricket. He's cute. Adorable. Great contemporary romance love interest material. I like how Perkins' created his character and definitely think he's better for Lola than Max.
[3] Lindseeyyyyy! I loved Lindsey, mainly because she reminded me of me. I mean that was almost me in highschool! And also me when with my best friend. My favourite character in the whole book.
[4] Character development. I liked that each character develops throughout the story. They go from high to low then spring back up. For some. For other characters, it's the slow unravelling of depth. You learn more and more about other characters as you go on.
[5] Diversity. This has quite a bit of diversity. Not extensively, but it's not like a full on white cast with straight lines everywhere. You have Lola's parents, technically her uncle and his partner, who he has been with since forever, and who took Lola off her mother's hands and raised her as her two dads. You have Lindsey who is Korean. SO there, there's a little bit of diversity for ya. And I guess you can count Lola, who is eccentric, diverse in her own right.
[6] Most of Perkins' writing is to die for. I mean if it was so engaging, I would have gagged and gagged more than half a dozen times. Perkins definitely knows how to bring the teenage/young adult mind to life. All the worries are there, all the mistakes, all the selfishness in Lola's thoughts. Perkins gives us writing that submerges you, and makes you want to like her work even if you kinda hate the story.
[7] I love the cameos of familiar characters! Loved it!!!
What I didn't like
[1] I really, really, really, sometimes didn't like Lola. And I mean all the stupid things that crossed her mind, which mind you are all perfectly valid, and can be reasonably explained, but still I hate that she did all those things! What Lola does in this book, reminds me of the things I really hated about Anna and the French Kiss. In Anna and the French Kiss, Anna pined for a guy who was in a relationship with someone else. In this book, it's Lola in a relationship, pining for an old love who suddenly appears. So there is that familiarity, that kind of contemporary forbiddenness which can sometimes grate on my nerves. I know when I first started Lola, I really enjoying it, and I really liked how it began (I believe I had the same feeling when I started Anna), but then, enter Cricket, and then the messiness there, and then Lola's feelings, and well, my enjoyment dwindled a little, before perking back up again. Although I understand all of Lola's actions and choices in the book, sometimes I just wanted to scream at her and tell her, the answer is staring you right in the face! (Luckily, she got there pretty soon!)
[2] The obsession with the beauty and physicalness. Then again, in reality, relationships begin with attraction physically before it progresses to personality. Sometimes it's personality first. With Perkins' stories, it's attraction as much as it is personality, and I wonder how many times I've rolled my eyes at a descriptive passage in the book where Lola is focussed on Cricket's pants or his hair, or his eyes. Yeah. It got old. But at least Perkins wasn't going on about how beautiful the male love interest was, not like how Maas did so with her main love interest in Throne of Glass. That was sooooo irritating!
Overall
And that is the end of my little discussion. I'd write more but for some reason, I'm feeling very very tired! And can't be bothered writing more!
If you're looking for a light fluffy romance read, then this is the one. If you want something that will make you smile, then you got it. While I do feel this one is probably not as 'wow' as Anna and the French Kiss, it does have something!
I remember reading Anna and the French Kiss and thinking a lot of things about it. Lola and the Boy Next Door isn't any different. Stephanie Perkins does something funny to me. She makes me love and hate her books at the same time. I love it for the humour, the light fluffiness, and the cute romance. But I hate them for all the little things I usually hate in books! Specially romance books!
What I loved
[1] Lola. On the whole, Lola is a well rounded character. She develops well throughout the whole book and it was a pleasure to read. At first, she comes out really strong, and then with the arrival of various characters, things go downhill for her, and I liked seeing her downhill trend, the descent of Lola into someone even she can't recognise. I like the struggles with herself that she goes through when it comes to love, to Max, and to Cricket. The struggles are real, and very genuine. Even if a little stupid. But then, it's a romance, and therefore, I feel, perfectly valid.
[2] Cricket. He's cute. Adorable. Great contemporary romance love interest material. I like how Perkins' created his character and definitely think he's better for Lola than Max.
[3] Lindseeyyyyy! I loved Lindsey, mainly because she reminded me of me. I mean that was almost me in highschool! And also me when with my best friend. My favourite character in the whole book.
[4] Character development. I liked that each character develops throughout the story. They go from high to low then spring back up. For some. For other characters, it's the slow unravelling of depth. You learn more and more about other characters as you go on.
[5] Diversity. This has quite a bit of diversity. Not extensively, but it's not like a full on white cast with straight lines everywhere. You have Lola's parents, technically her uncle and his partner, who he has been with since forever, and who took Lola off her mother's hands and raised her as her two dads. You have Lindsey who is Korean. SO there, there's a little bit of diversity for ya. And I guess you can count Lola, who is eccentric, diverse in her own right.
[6] Most of Perkins' writing is to die for. I mean if it was so engaging, I would have gagged and gagged more than half a dozen times. Perkins definitely knows how to bring the teenage/young adult mind to life. All the worries are there, all the mistakes, all the selfishness in Lola's thoughts. Perkins gives us writing that submerges you, and makes you want to like her work even if you kinda hate the story.
[7] I love the cameos of familiar characters! Loved it!!!
What I didn't like
[1] I really, really, really, sometimes didn't like Lola. And I mean all the stupid things that crossed her mind, which mind you are all perfectly valid, and can be reasonably explained, but still I hate that she did all those things! What Lola does in this book, reminds me of the things I really hated about Anna and the French Kiss. In Anna and the French Kiss, Anna pined for a guy who was in a relationship with someone else. In this book, it's Lola in a relationship, pining for an old love who suddenly appears. So there is that familiarity, that kind of contemporary forbiddenness which can sometimes grate on my nerves. I know when I first started Lola, I really enjoying it, and I really liked how it began (I believe I had the same feeling when I started Anna), but then, enter Cricket, and then the messiness there, and then Lola's feelings, and well, my enjoyment dwindled a little, before perking back up again. Although I understand all of Lola's actions and choices in the book, sometimes I just wanted to scream at her and tell her, the answer is staring you right in the face! (Luckily, she got there pretty soon!)
[2] The obsession with the beauty and physicalness. Then again, in reality, relationships begin with attraction physically before it progresses to personality. Sometimes it's personality first. With Perkins' stories, it's attraction as much as it is personality, and I wonder how many times I've rolled my eyes at a descriptive passage in the book where Lola is focussed on Cricket's pants or his hair, or his eyes. Yeah. It got old. But at least Perkins wasn't going on about how beautiful the male love interest was, not like how Maas did so with her main love interest in Throne of Glass. That was sooooo irritating!
Overall
And that is the end of my little discussion. I'd write more but for some reason, I'm feeling very very tired! And can't be bothered writing more!
If you're looking for a light fluffy romance read, then this is the one. If you want something that will make you smile, then you got it. While I do feel this one is probably not as 'wow' as Anna and the French Kiss, it does have something!
stephsimone's review against another edition
4.0
at first I really didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book but once Max got out of the story i enjoyed it and I liked Cricket so much (the ending is the reason it got 4 stars otherwise it didnt really do to much to me). but it was a solid nice read and I would recommend these books to people who enjoy just a chill contemporary read! I do wish the story explored more with Norah and Lola’s relationship because they never really had an ending and I would have liked to see more of that!