Monday, August 11, 2014

Mark This Book Monday: Lola And The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins!!!

Hello guys! A new week starts today and although Monday might not be everyone's favourite day, in my case it's not that bad, since I have it off!

I'm starting this week's Mark This Book Monday with the next book in the Isla Is Coming readalong hosted by Andi from Andi’s ABCs, Jamie from The Perpetual Page Turner , Judith from Paper Riot, Lindsey from A Bookish Sinister Kid and Meg from Cuddlebuggery!




Lola and the Boy Next DoorLola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Continuing with the #IslaIsComing readalong, I started Lola at 1 am Wednesday night (since it was already Thursday) and finished it at 4 am, when I had to wake up at 6'30 am for work! And it was totally worth it!

Lola is a teenager that is not scared of being different, she has her own style and she wears whatever she felt like every day, one day she'd be a strawberry and the next she'd be wearing 50's vintage style. She is happy now with her rock star boyfriend and she's planning the most amazing Marie Antoniette dress for the winter formal. Things change when the Bell twins move back next door.

I was a bit worried about Max and Lola's relationship, because even if the age difference wouldn't have been an issue at any other point, when you're under eighteen, it can be quite an issue. I liked Lola's determination to get what she wanted, but she seemed a bit blind to the issues that others could see in that relationship. It was understandable that her dads were not happy but were still trying for her sake, but it should have been quite a warning the dislike between her best friend Lindsay and Max.

When I first read Lola's reaction to the return of the Bell twins I was quite worried about what the other sibling might have done to Lola, and wondered if it had been some sort of bullying... but I was relieved when I discovered what had happened two years back. Misunderstandings & heartbreak would be ok, but starting a relationship with a bully... I wouldn't have been comfortable at all with that!

Cricket was simply an adorable love interest, he's quite the complete opposite of Max, and he's not a broody bad boy at all, and it was quite refreshing seeing someone so supportive of their family and so upfront with his feelings with Lola.

Lola might have not been very fair to either Cricket or Max, but she wasn't fair to herself either and it was quite a journey for her to acknowledge her feelings and then decide to act on them. And it was good for her that she had Anna and Etienne as friends to help her see things on a different perspective.

I loved seeing Anna and Etienne as secondary characters and see how their relationship kept on progressing and just kept on rooting for them as I did on their own book!

And another thing that I loved is how unusual Lola's family was, and how it was presented, it might not be usual, it might have been a reason for some bullying for Lola at school, but they were her family and she loved them as they were, or ended up learning to love all of them, not only her dads, but also her biological mother.

A story full of self discovery and acceptance, not of one self but of others and discovering that not all the things we feel we want are the right ones for us. Very much deserving of 5 stars too!



View all my reviews

16 comments:

  1. I love nothing more than seeing past favourite characters as secondary characters in another installment. It is like the authoring is giving all her readers a small smile and a wave!

    It seems like this one is just as good as the first one. I am gonna get on to Lola asap so I can get Isla on kindle at the moment! It is so cheap at the moment just before the release. I cant wait! I may also get a box set version when I get some more pennies since the cover change is so damn cute!

    Great review lovely, glad you enjoyed it! :D

    Alex @ The Shelf Diaries

    Ps sorry I have not been around for a while! I have been busy with work! xo

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    1. I haven't been around much myself, Alex! I've spent a few days coming and going from the cottage!

      I have Isla preordered (so cheap on Kindle, right!?!?) and I cannot wait for it to download!

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  2. I really loved seeing Anna and Etienne as secondary characters too Pili! I would not be at all sad if they perhaps got their own novella at some point. I want more time with them:) I'm glad you enjoyed Lola and Cricket too, this is just such a great series. I'm so ready for Isla!

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    1. I agree, Jenny! I cannot wait to see Anna & Etienne as well as Lola and Cricket in Isla!! =D

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  3. This one was just so fun. I have to say it wasn't my favourite because of some of the things you mentioned. I didn't much like Lola's hardheaded devotion to Max despite all the warning signs and I read this a long time ago but I remember (maybe I'm wrong) a kind of awkward pull and push between Lola and Cricket. It was different for sure and I love that about Perkins books, she manages to change it up. Great review.

    -Mari

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    1. Yeah, I wasn't very happy about all the push and pull with Cricket, but Lola was so confused... I just cannot blame her!
      Thank you, Mari!

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  4. Cricket :D OMG what a name. Different sounds good though! I dislike it when male protagonists written by the same author (even if they are in different books) seems similar. Five stars is a lot! I'm glad you're enjoying the series so much, Pili!

    Excellent review!!

    Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!

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    1. Yeah, I was wondering about what parent would name their kid Cricket!
      But yeah, he's so different from Etienne!
      Thank you, Alyssa!

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  5. I never really continued after reading Anna and probably won't for reasons but I am SO glad to see you enjoyed this, Pili!!! :) I am a little worried about the love triangle like situation but we all know who she ends up with so there is that!

    Lovely review, Pili!!

    Rashika @ The Social Potato

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    1. Surprisingly this sort of love triangle really didn't bother me, so there's that, Rashika! ;)

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  6. Uhm... "Lola might have not been very fair to either Cricket or Max," SERIOUSLY? HAH. Hah. Hah. Not a book for me at all. Things like that pisses me off :( Sniffs. Sigh. Glad I did not want to read this book anyway, hih :p But anyway. Amazing review Pili. <3 Despite me not reading this, I am glad you loved it so much. Loving a book is just the best :) Thank you for sharing. <3

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    1. Thank you sweetie! I agree that this one would not be your kind of book, but as you said, the feeling of loving a book is awesome!

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  7. Yay! So glad you loved this! It's just so quirky and wonderful--I love Cricket, I love Lola's dads, I love Lola's personal growth, OMG I love her bff . . . I think Lola and the Boy Next Door might be my favorite YA contemporary romance, so of course I'm excited about Isla ;) Great review, Pili!

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    1. Yeah, I loved this one too and loved how different it is from usual tropes in contemporary books!
      Cannot wait for Isla!!

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  8. Yay! so glad you loved this one! Cricket is one of my favorite boys ever!
    I hope you love Isla that much!

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    1. I'm hoping so too, Lis! I cannot wait for midnight tonight!!

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¡Muchas gracias por vuestros comentarios, leerlos me alegra el día!/ Thanks a lot for all your comments, reading them brightens my day!!