Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Release Date: September 29^th, 2011

Series: Anna and the French Kiss #2

Publisher: Dutton

Number of Pages: 338

Source: Bought

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.

I must say that I read a few reviews before actually reading this book. I had absolutely loved Anna and the French Kiss, and I was slightly scared that I would be disappointed by the sequel, my expectation being so high. Well, I can honestly say that I AM COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH CRICKET!!!! Okay, now, if you don’t want to hear about my love for this book, you better skip that part, because I’m about to gush about it.

Okay, first big Brownie point for Stephanie Perkins… SHE BROUGHT BACK ANNA AND ÉTIENNE ST.CLAIR!!!! I actually squealed from excitement when I read their names. I absolutely adore St.Clair and he was my favorite male character this year, well at least until I met Cricket, who is my number two on why this book is amazing!

Cricket is simply the most amazing male character I have ever read about. Seriously. How can I not fall for him? Stephanie Perkins, how do you come up with guy like them! You make real guys looks so average, next to your amazing characters!

Still, there’s more than just the male lead to love about this book. I love Lola’s fathers. I love how she presented them. She made them feel real. I also adore the fact that she didn’t make them too stereotypical. I do hate it when authors do that (we hear about these stereotypes all the time, that’s not what I want to read about.

Of course, I can’t forget about Lola. Even if I wasn’t always happy with her decision, especially when it was about Max (I really didn’t like him...) I love how costumy she is. I love how sure of herself she is. I felt like she really made me fall even more for Cricket, even if she was trying not to fall more for him herself.

If you’ve never read any books by Stephanie Perkins, you really should go get one now. I absolutely love her. Her books make me smile uncontrollably. I can’t really read it on the bus or metro, as I have this stupid grin on my face. I must look completely crazy. Still, I wouldn’t recommend reading it if you only have a few minutes to read before going to bed, you may lose many precious hours of sleep. I know I do. I couldn’t put down this book once I started, nor could I put down Anna when I started it.

Seriously. Read it. It is Amazing.