And the second entry for this week's Mark This Book Monday is my review for Anna & The French Kiss! I'm taking part of the Isla Is Coming readalong and I'm so very happy I decided to join in and finally give these books a chance!
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have seen this book around for quite a while and I've seen such great reviews, but it is a contemporary and it is a romance and I haven't really been in the best of places to reading books that deal with relationships, but when I saw that there was going to be a readalong for the whole series to celebrate that the third book was finally going to be published, I thought it was the perfect time to read it!
I was very glad to find myself enjoying the book immensely since the very first pages. The setting in Paris, and Anna somewhat clueless and adorable self were quick to ensnare my attention and my allegiance.
Anna is a character that I couldn't help but love, despite how silly she seemed to me sometimes, how small-town minded she sometimes seemed about her American-ism and how she thought she wouldn't fit in Paris, and her flaws give how short sighted and oblivious she sometimes was about the rest of the world's feelings. I just couldn't help but keep rooting for her and enjoy her discovering the wonders of Paris, its architecture and its glorious food!!
I loved seeing Anna breaking out her shell and making friends, braving Paris on her own and not letting her fears get in the way of her passion, movies! I loved how she didn't back down when others sniggered about her idea of becoming a movie critic! I also loved how she stood up for her friends when she needed to, even if she was a bit oblivious about their feelings at times.
I was a bit concerned about the romance itself, but I couldn't help but root for Anna and Etienne St Clair and I found myself really loving their friendship, their banter and not minding their drama all that much. I adored Etienne's English accent and language popping up all the time, since I'm quite a declared Anglophile myself! Thankfully none of the relationship troubles dragged me too much to think of my own personal woes and that's a testament of how much the story pulled me into itself!
I loved that the book was not only about the relationship of Anna and Etienne but also about friendships and how complicated they can be and how simply we can fix things if we simply really try. How important friendships are and how they can help us grow and become the person we really wanted to be, even when we're not sure at first.
I simply couldn't stop reading, the writing was wonderful, the setting so vividly painted that I felt I was back again in Paris (and really made me want to go back again SOON!!) and the characters felt like my friends by the end of the book! I cannot wait to meet them again soon!
If you are wondering about this book and the fact that it is a contemporary might make you wary of it... don't, just give it a try, I can assure you it will be worth your while! Very well deserved 4.5 to 5 stars to this one!
View all my reviews
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie PerkinsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have seen this book around for quite a while and I've seen such great reviews, but it is a contemporary and it is a romance and I haven't really been in the best of places to reading books that deal with relationships, but when I saw that there was going to be a readalong for the whole series to celebrate that the third book was finally going to be published, I thought it was the perfect time to read it!
I was very glad to find myself enjoying the book immensely since the very first pages. The setting in Paris, and Anna somewhat clueless and adorable self were quick to ensnare my attention and my allegiance.
Anna is a character that I couldn't help but love, despite how silly she seemed to me sometimes, how small-town minded she sometimes seemed about her American-ism and how she thought she wouldn't fit in Paris, and her flaws give how short sighted and oblivious she sometimes was about the rest of the world's feelings. I just couldn't help but keep rooting for her and enjoy her discovering the wonders of Paris, its architecture and its glorious food!!
I loved seeing Anna breaking out her shell and making friends, braving Paris on her own and not letting her fears get in the way of her passion, movies! I loved how she didn't back down when others sniggered about her idea of becoming a movie critic! I also loved how she stood up for her friends when she needed to, even if she was a bit oblivious about their feelings at times.
I was a bit concerned about the romance itself, but I couldn't help but root for Anna and Etienne St Clair and I found myself really loving their friendship, their banter and not minding their drama all that much. I adored Etienne's English accent and language popping up all the time, since I'm quite a declared Anglophile myself! Thankfully none of the relationship troubles dragged me too much to think of my own personal woes and that's a testament of how much the story pulled me into itself!
I loved that the book was not only about the relationship of Anna and Etienne but also about friendships and how complicated they can be and how simply we can fix things if we simply really try. How important friendships are and how they can help us grow and become the person we really wanted to be, even when we're not sure at first.
I simply couldn't stop reading, the writing was wonderful, the setting so vividly painted that I felt I was back again in Paris (and really made me want to go back again SOON!!) and the characters felt like my friends by the end of the book! I cannot wait to meet them again soon!
If you are wondering about this book and the fact that it is a contemporary might make you wary of it... don't, just give it a try, I can assure you it will be worth your while! Very well deserved 4.5 to 5 stars to this one!
View all my reviews
YAY PILI!!!!!!! I put off reading this one for so long back when it first came out because everyone LOVED it and it made me nervous that I would be the one person who didn't really care for it. WRONG! By the time I finally got to it, I wanted to kick myself for waiting so long! I'm so glad you loved it as well, Anna and Etienne just make me happy. And yes, loved that it wasn't just he romance, but the friendship between them and also the friendships with those around them. SO GOOD!
ReplyDeleteThe black sheep fear!! I know what you mean... I have been postponing it mostly cause of how hard it's been for me to read romance as of late, but it managed to make me smile loads, so YAY for that!
DeleteThanks Jenny!
I've had Anna and Lola for over a year, but I haven't read them yet, I thought about participating in this read-along, but I'm so behind on ARCs, I just couldn't do it.
ReplyDeleteContemporary romance isn't usually my thing, either, so I'm glad that you liked it so much! And I'm VERY glad to hear that the book focuses on friendship, not just romance.
YAY! You can comment now! =D
DeleteAnd yeah, I was very happy to see there was a big focus on all the friendships!
I am so glad you loved this one Pili! Anna and the French Kiss is my favorite book by Stephanie Perkins. Despite being just the tiniest bothered at the start of Anna and Etienne's relationship, I simply cannot stop myself from swooning and loving them together. Like you, their banter got to me and before long, I am head-over-heels in love with Etienne myself. Haha! I have to agree with Paris being so gorgeously set-up that it inspired me to really travel there someday. I usually don't read Contemporaries but this one I've read like 3x already. Lovely review, Pili!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I'm not a big fan of contemporaries myself but this one is one of those exceptions that MUST be made and read! I do hope you'll get to travel to Paris soon, Sarah, it's a gorgeous city!!
DeleteI'm SO glad you enjoyed this one! This book is amazing! So cute and romantic!
ReplyDeleteI hope you love the others as well!
Great review, Pili!
Lis @ The reader lines
Thanks Lis! I do hope I'll love the others as much too! Thursday I'm starting Lola!
DeleteI remember putting this off, because at the time, I wasn't much of a contemporary reader either. LOVED it when I finally read it though. Think it has got to be one of my favourites. I adored Lola and the Boy Next Door just as much. Perkins really does know how to write great contemporary romances! Isla couldn't get here any sooner. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree! I cannot wait to read Lola even more now that I know you loved it too!
DeleteThis is the second glowing review for this book that I have read today. I think you guys are trying to tell me something... I don't read a lot of contemporary, but I am going to take your word for it, and give it a try anyway. Fab review!
ReplyDeleteI don't read much contemporary either but this one... yeah *pokes Carmel* Read it!!
DeleteAGREED WITH EVERYTHING. I've met more than a few people who I'vehad to convince to read Anna. It's a fluff, it's contemporary, and YES IT FOCUSES ON ROMANCE. But no one can say this book isn't amazing and adorable and just romance written RIGHT! GAH
ReplyDeleteBut not only it is great written romance, there's so much more!!
DeleteHot diggity! Five stars, woooo. I actually do quite enjoy the contemporary novels focused ONLY on the romance... it's when authors litter the book with horribly written "tough-issue" plots and pathetic heroines that I get irritated. I'll definitely add this series to the to-be-binged list! :D
ReplyDeleteExcellent review, Pili!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
There are so emotional situations here and there, but nothing that seemed thrown there for the added variety of it! And yeah, you ought to add the whole series to the binge-read list!! =D
DeleteI'm so glad you loved this one, Pili! I swore up and down that I'd hate it, but it was SO good! I fell head over heels for this book, but you know why it worked? You hit the nail on the head…it OWNS the fact that it's a romantic contemporary novel! Lovely review :)
ReplyDeleteI so agree, Melissa! I was kinda ready to not like it, but it totally won me over!! =D
DeleteI really liked the friendships in this book too. Have you read Lola and the Boy next door? I loved it even more than this one, and I can't wait for Isla ;) Great review, Pili!
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet! Will be starting it on Thursday to keep up with the readalong, and I'm super happy to hear you loved it even more, Jessica!
DeleteAs soon as I saw this review I got a stupid grin on my face. I'M SO GLAD YOU LOVED IT <333333
ReplyDeleteLola has a slightly different feel than Anna, but it's still adorable :) Definitely can't wait to see your review!
Yeaaaah!! I cannot wait to read Lola tomorrow! =D
DeleteMEH. I am sad that you loved this book, lol :D Been YEARS since I read it. But I did not like it. Back then, I gave it three stars. But thinking about it now? Hah. I do not have good memories :( Which makes me so sad, because I did want to love it too. Sigh. I don't think I will ever read the next two books, though. Well. Maybe if I one day win all three :D then I will read them, lol. BUT ANYWAY: amazing review Pili. <3 I am glad you loved this; despite me not agreeing, hih :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, I'm sorry to hear you didn't like it at all, sweetie.
DeleteHeeeey, you're finally reading these! yay. :) So cute, right? Anna took me by surprise, and you're gonna love Isla, too! Sadly, I still haven't gotten around to reading Lola yet, but I see from GoodReads that you loved that, too. :)
ReplyDeleteWendy @ The Midnight Garden
They're really adorable!! Lola was also fantastic, I loved her style and her dads! Cannot wait for my preorder of Isla to arrive!
DeleteI loved Anna, but have had trouble picking up Lola to read. Do you think I'll have to read Lola to read Isla?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's really necessary since they are companion novels, but I'm pretty sure Lola and her gang will have appearances during Isla as Anna and Etienne did here...
Delete