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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door
by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton, and imprint of Penguin
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 338 pages
Source: Received ARC at ALA in exchange for an honest review


Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
 

- Summary taken from goodreads

My thoughts:



First off all, let me just say that LOLA is quite different from Anna and the French Kiss, but this book is still full of charm. Lola is a very unique character, I’ve never read about one like her. She is a girl who talks to the moon, helps her dad bake pies out of his home bakery, and has a fierce love of bright and sparkly costumes. I loved that Lola was so sure of herself as a person and such a loyal friend. She did, however, seem a bit immature at times. 

She went through a great deal of angst and internal struggle while trying to sort out which guy she wanted to be with (Cricket FTW). Lola was deeply devoted to her rocker boyfriend, yet she just couldn't stay away from Cricket. At times I wanted to wave my arms in the air and say "OH COME ON, you KNOW you love that boy!". She learned a great deal about herself throughout the book, and I had great love for her as a character by the end of the book.

Speaking of the boys, I can't write a review of LOLA without talking about Cricket Bell. Oh my gosh, that boy is swoonworthy. He is just such a nice guy...and a GENIUS of an inventor. He is fiercely loyal of his family, has a unique sense of style just like Lola, and is helpful to everyone he meets. When it comes to attitude, I'd say he's the complete opposite of St. Clair in ANNA. Where St. Clair is loud and outgoing, Cricket is shy and introverted. He is the ultimate boy next door, and I men this in the best possible way.

I also want to mention that this book is set in SAN FRANCISCO. How awesome is that? Like with ANNA, Stephanie Perkins did a great job of describing the city. There was an epic amount of atmosphere in LOLA, from the unique types of stores to the quirky architecture. 

While I did not relate to LOLA as much as I did to ANNA, this was still an incredible read. Lola (and Cricket) made my heart smile by the end of the book, and I just know that you will feel the same! 

Random things I loved about LOLA:
- Lola's 2 dads: They're so sweet and protective of their daughter (even though they're uber strict) <3
- St. Clair and Anna make plenty of cameos. They were so cute!!!
- Lola's costume designs
- Cricket's twin Calliope - She comes off as bitchy in the book at times, but she has a good heart

My Rating:


Wide Awake! - This book is going on my "Favorites" shelf

I'll be holding a giveaway for my ARC of Lola and the Boy Next Door later this week, so be sure to check back!

2 comments:

  1. Great review! I can't wait to read LOLA!! It sounds soooo good :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't wait to read this one!! Sounds absolutely amazing!!!

    ReplyDelete

 
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