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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I didn't love this. I think the author relied too much on my being invested in the characters from earlier books, but I skipped the middle book and thus never really got to see Isla or Josh until just this book...but I struggled to identify with either one of them. I loved Anna and St. Clair much more--brash, impulsive, both of them, whereas Isla and Josh are the smartie and the artie and I just couldn't get into their love story.
4.5 stars
My favourite [a:Stephanie Perkins|3095893|Stephanie Perkins|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1407443106p2/3095893.jpg] book till date. Unlike the first two books in this trilogy, I did not feel that this book was unnecessarily prolonged. Isla and Josh were by far my favourite couple of this trilogy - individually and together (though Isla really annoyed me at times). There was something very relatable about their relationship. It's not a must read book, but if you've read the other books in the trilogy, you won't want to miss this.
My favourite [a:Stephanie Perkins|3095893|Stephanie Perkins|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1407443106p2/3095893.jpg] book till date. Unlike the first two books in this trilogy, I did not feel that this book was unnecessarily prolonged.
Spoiler
I loved how Isla and Josh didn't wait until the end of the book to get together, so we could see them dating as well.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with this book. It was so different than either of the first two. For me, it was my favorite type of romance to read. But what shocked me was the deep themes this book had that the first two never hit me with. Isla is my favorite protagonist because she felt the most relatable and realistic. Wow I loved this. I didn’t think I would like it more than Anna and the French Kiss. But I did. I totally did.
*re-read 8-28-20*
This is my third time reading this book and it still makes my heart ache and swoon just as much. This book will always have a place in my heart. I love believing that love like this exists. Her insecurities hit me so deep but honestly that’s why I love this book. The romance is so beautiful and compelling and each of the characters are equally so.
*re-read 4/30/22*
It’s so freaking good. This book hits different. Like so good. Honestly will never not fully love this book.
*re-read 8-28-20*
This is my third time reading this book and it still makes my heart ache and swoon just as much. This book will always have a place in my heart. I love believing that love like this exists. Her insecurities hit me so deep but honestly that’s why I love this book. The romance is so beautiful and compelling and each of the characters are equally so.
*re-read 4/30/22*
It’s so freaking good. This book hits different. Like so good. Honestly will never not fully love this book.
Stephanie Perkins, stop messing with my heart. The swooning is getting out of hand, here. I'll need to invest in a fainting chaise lounge chair pretty soon.
Let's get down to business. Isla is the middle child of three girls. Gen is the oldest and boldest in the most responsible of ways. Hattie is the youngest and while she's brash and a bit caustic, she's also massively independent and a force of nature. When you get past the combative exterior you see that she means well. Isla, however, is our quiet, studious, peacemaker of the bunch. While away at boarding school in France she falls for the beautiful and artistic Josh. A crush to end all crushes cuz the girl was sprung for three damn years.
Fast forward to the summer before her senior year, throw in some pharma grade pain killers for dental work, a small cafe, and said cute artist boy and Isla's life is flipped. That's what flirting while on pain killers will do to ya.
She gets with her boo (yay!) and all seems cool until her insecurities rear their ugly head, get the best of her beautiful red one, and lead her to make so really crappy decisions (boo!).
I wanted to strangle Isla through most of the second half of the book. As smart and sweet and level headed as she is, the girl makes some pretty boneheaded choices. But when you're used to not being seen to being full on visible, especially by the object of your lust and pining, it can be jarring and mildly scary. A lot of it stemmed from her not feeling like she was good enough or worthy, which totally broke my heart because no one should EVER feel that way.
Josh, bless him, while being in the public eye (dad is a Senator) was totally adorable and literary boyfriend material. He gets a gold star for being sweet and vulnerable and letting Isla see "the ugly parts" of him.
Also of note, I'm impressed with how Perkins handled the teen sex thing. It's a reality of life. Teens have sex. And Perkins is right that in France it's a lot less of a big deal than in the US. My favorite part? They always used a condom. THANK YOU!
Perkins, girl, I adore you. You gave me Anna and Lola and now Isla. And you also gave me St. Clair, Cricket (best boy name!), and now Josh. Thanks for that.
Let's get down to business. Isla is the middle child of three girls. Gen is the oldest and boldest in the most responsible of ways. Hattie is the youngest and while she's brash and a bit caustic, she's also massively independent and a force of nature. When you get past the combative exterior you see that she means well. Isla, however, is our quiet, studious, peacemaker of the bunch. While away at boarding school in France she falls for the beautiful and artistic Josh. A crush to end all crushes cuz the girl was sprung for three damn years.
Fast forward to the summer before her senior year, throw in some pharma grade pain killers for dental work, a small cafe, and said cute artist boy and Isla's life is flipped. That's what flirting while on pain killers will do to ya.
She gets with her boo (yay!) and all seems cool until her insecurities rear their ugly head, get the best of her beautiful red one, and lead her to make so really crappy decisions (boo!).
I wanted to strangle Isla through most of the second half of the book. As smart and sweet and level headed as she is, the girl makes some pretty boneheaded choices. But when you're used to not being seen to being full on visible, especially by the object of your lust and pining, it can be jarring and mildly scary. A lot of it stemmed from her not feeling like she was good enough or worthy, which totally broke my heart because no one should EVER feel that way.
Josh, bless him, while being in the public eye (dad is a Senator) was totally adorable and literary boyfriend material. He gets a gold star for being sweet and vulnerable and letting Isla see "the ugly parts" of him.
Also of note, I'm impressed with how Perkins handled the teen sex thing. It's a reality of life. Teens have sex. And Perkins is right that in France it's a lot less of a big deal than in the US. My favorite part? They always used a condom. THANK YOU!
Perkins, girl, I adore you. You gave me Anna and Lola and now Isla. And you also gave me St. Clair, Cricket (best boy name!), and now Josh. Thanks for that.
*Contains some spoilers!!*
O my o my I just love this book so much! Josh is so cute and Isla you are so stupid for letting him go but everything is going to be fine! o my o my the fact that Anna and Etienne and Cricket and Lola are in this one too is so amazing and Anna and Etienne are getting married??? O my Stephanie Perkins you did it again, made me fall in love with her characters and her story :)
O my o my I just love this book so much! Josh is so cute and Isla you are so stupid for letting him go but everything is going to be fine! o my o my the fact that Anna and Etienne and Cricket and Lola are in this one too is so amazing and Anna and Etienne are getting married??? O my Stephanie Perkins you did it again, made me fall in love with her characters and her story :)
Isla has basically spent her entire life in France and New York. That's what she knows and that's how she wants to keep it, perfect and simple. For that reason, she has attended SOAP (School of America in Paris) for the past 3 years. Which was the probably the best decision for her because she met the "love" of her life, Josh. But when she and Josh become much closer during their senior year she starts to realize that there may be an actual love between them that is real and deep. But, as their relationship develops and they begin their adventures together, Isla begins to realize that everything may not be as simple and planned out as she wishes to believe.
I haven't connected to a character in so long! At first I thought Isla was unnecessarily obsessed with this boy (but I also once had a crush on a boy for a year... or three), but the more I was brought into their relationship the more I LOVED them sooo much. I loved Josh and he was so much more emotional and intense than I remember him being in "Anna and the French Kiss". It was so refreshing to see the two love interests instantly be drawn to each other instead of waiting 200 pages while watching them bicker and slyly flirt. No, they jumped into it and it was FANTASTIC! I especially loved (not to sound cruel) when she finally came to terms for why she was always putting herself down and it made love her even more because I related to her more than I had before... which was already a humongous amount. And her sisters were so awesome and adorable! I would have loved more scenes with them, but I will take what I can get. The last (I think) book in the "Anna and the French Kiss" series was as fantastic as the others and held up to its legacy.
** The cameos were also to die before!
I haven't connected to a character in so long! At first I thought Isla was unnecessarily obsessed with this boy (but I also once had a crush on a boy for a year... or three), but the more I was brought into their relationship the more I LOVED them sooo much. I loved Josh and he was so much more emotional and intense than I remember him being in "Anna and the French Kiss". It was so refreshing to see the two love interests instantly be drawn to each other instead of waiting 200 pages while watching them bicker and slyly flirt. No, they jumped into it and it was FANTASTIC! I especially loved (not to sound cruel) when she finally came to terms for why she was always putting herself down and it made love her even more because I related to her more than I had before... which was already a humongous amount. And her sisters were so awesome and adorable! I would have loved more scenes with them, but I will take what I can get. The last (I think) book in the "Anna and the French Kiss" series was as fantastic as the others and held up to its legacy.
** The cameos were also to die before!
Spoiler
When St. Claire proposed to Anna I literally died of happiness.... if only they were real people.
This was pretty good-a little bit over the top, but I enjoyed it. Honestly, i didn't really like the main character (Isla). I thought she was super annoying and way too clingy, and i ended up kinda wanting for her to not get what she wanted.
THIS WAS SO ADORABLE OMG.
Though I must admit there were some things I feel kind of uneasy about.
Let me just start by saying that I totally love Stephanie's love stories, and that Anna and the French Kiss is actually my favorite book of all time, but this one just lacked some things:
1. The build up. I do understand that apparently both Josh and Isla had crushes on eachother before they actually become a couple and there aren't really many obstacles that stop them from being together, but I honestly did need a little more of it.
2. The side characters weren't such a big part of the story. I mean yeah, Kurt features a lot and we kind of get a gist of his character, but I do feel like it would have been nice to explore him and other side characters like Isla's sisters a little more. An example would be Meredith, Rashmi and Josh back in Anna. They weren't the main characters, but I still got to know them on another level, same with Calliope Bell and Lola's ex in her story.
3. THE JEALOUSY AND THE PROBLEM. I read Ariel Bisset's review for this book and I totally agree with her when she says that the jealousy in this book plays a big role, however, it is not seen as something bad and, also, it remains unresolved. And because of this, many arguments between Isla and Josh take place. These arguments are seen as "plot problems", however, an argument isn't really a problem. A real problem relevant to the story would be Josh's expulsion from SOAP, but when he and Isla get into arguments and disagree on stuff... I don't think so. Plus, they don't really talk about them at all!
Some stuff I did enjoy, however are:
1. Barcelona. THIS IS THE STEPHANIE PERKINS CONTENT I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR!! Everything was so perfect in every way; the setting, the conversations, their actions... just, wow...
2. It feels more real. Nowadays, relationships are like that; they happen very fast and passionate, so I think it was nice that Stephanie brought a more real, current aspect to this story.
3. THE REUNION OMG. DO I REALLY NEED TO EXPLAIN THE REUNION? COME ON! AND ANNA AND ÉTIENNE? YES OH MY GOD YES THANK YOU!!!
All in all, this was a cute book that I couldn't seem to stop reading, however flawed I hay have found it to be. The beggining was super cute and got me hooked all the way through, plus, I'm a sucker for artists, so what did you expect me to do besides love this anyways?
Though I must admit there were some things I feel kind of uneasy about.
Let me just start by saying that I totally love Stephanie's love stories, and that Anna and the French Kiss is actually my favorite book of all time, but this one just lacked some things:
1. The build up. I do understand that apparently both Josh and Isla had crushes on eachother before they actually become a couple and there aren't really many obstacles that stop them from being together, but I honestly did need a little more of it.
2. The side characters weren't such a big part of the story. I mean yeah, Kurt features a lot and we kind of get a gist of his character, but I do feel like it would have been nice to explore him and other side characters like Isla's sisters a little more. An example would be Meredith, Rashmi and Josh back in Anna. They weren't the main characters, but I still got to know them on another level, same with Calliope Bell and Lola's ex in her story.
3. THE JEALOUSY AND THE PROBLEM. I read Ariel Bisset's review for this book and I totally agree with her when she says that the jealousy in this book plays a big role, however, it is not seen as something bad and, also, it remains unresolved. And because of this, many arguments between Isla and Josh take place. These arguments are seen as "plot problems", however, an argument isn't really a problem. A real problem relevant to the story would be Josh's expulsion from SOAP, but when he and Isla get into arguments and disagree on stuff... I don't think so. Plus, they don't really talk about them at all!
Some stuff I did enjoy, however are:
1. Barcelona. THIS IS THE STEPHANIE PERKINS CONTENT I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR!! Everything was so perfect in every way; the setting, the conversations, their actions... just, wow...
2. It feels more real. Nowadays, relationships are like that; they happen very fast and passionate, so I think it was nice that Stephanie brought a more real, current aspect to this story.
3. THE REUNION OMG. DO I REALLY NEED TO EXPLAIN THE REUNION? COME ON! AND ANNA AND ÉTIENNE? YES OH MY GOD YES THANK YOU!!!
All in all, this was a cute book that I couldn't seem to stop reading, however flawed I hay have found it to be. The beggining was super cute and got me hooked all the way through, plus, I'm a sucker for artists, so what did you expect me to do besides love this anyways?