Most Anticipated

It's time once again to comment a bit on the books we're most looking forward to in the next year. Here we go...

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Yeah, the more I think about the premise of this book, the more excited I get to read it. It's a back-from-the-dead fake engagement fake amnesia type of thing, and if anyone can make that work it's Karina Bliss.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: Pushing the Limits was a well loved book, and not just by me but in general. It was on the Dabwaha bracket (though it dropped off in round one), and I believe it's also a RITA nominee. So I can't be the only one looking forward to the second book like it's my birthday and Christmas and National Free Chocolate Day.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: This book needs to be in my hands like now. This is probably my favorite ongoing UF series and I am too impatient to wait.

Saga, Vol.2, by Brian K. Vaughan: Saga is weird and wonderful, bizarre sci-fi goodness. I know it's not for everyone, and certainly not for my usual fan base, but I can't wait for it.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: What I'm most hoping for with this one is a more epic scale and more progression in the overall plot. Of course, I'm also just looking forward to more Gwen and hopefully more Logan.

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: This one seems promising to me, not only because Kresley Cole has amused me more often than she's disappointed me (though she did disappoint me in style), but also because I find that I generally like her Lykaes. Historically, those have been the heroes that I found the sexiest and most appealing, so I really don't see how this one could go badly.

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand: I liked the second book--and I'll admit, that kind of surprised me. It'll be nice to revisit Paris and gourmet chocolate.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: You know, I don't really know whether I liked or disliked Josh when he was introduced in Anna...I know I like his name! But yeah, let's hope he makes a good hero.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverly Jenkins: So we continue the theme set by the first one with a fairly old-school looking romance cover. I kind of like that, I'm not going to lie. Although, I'm collecting these in ebook format, so in the grand scheme I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The first thing I though when I saw this cover art was BOOBS. She has boobs. But, yeah, I guess she does look tough as well as sexy, so that's a plus. I like that she's so close to how I picture Elena when I'm reading (though I envision less cleavage). I also don't mind the monochromatic city scene behind her, and the overall tone leans to UF over PNR.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Well, as time goes on my enthusiasm for this book's release steadily wanes as I forget more details, particularly positive details. But, I don't know, I'll still probably read it. After all, it might improve on the first one.

January

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: So, we don't know anything about this book yet, except that it's taking an excessively long time to come out, and I'm concerned all my interest will have drains out by January. I'll try to keep the excitement alive.

February

Drachomachia by Rachel Hartman: Now this one, I do think is worth waiting for. I loved Seraphina, and it's the sort of book I may buy and revisit before the sequel comes out.

Cress by Melissa Meyer: Oh my goodness, will I survive until February? I freaking love this series. Cinder was my #1 in 2012, I loved Scarlet, and Cress is just to far away.

March

The King by J.R. Ward: Ward is returning to Wrath and Beth, the couple that started it all. Beth made a big freaking deal about wanting to have a baby in Lover At Last, so that will obviously be among the conflicts. I confess, I am intrigued.

Most Anticipated

Most Anticipated is the monthly post where I talk about book news, covers, synopses--from all of the books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. 

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: When I try to describe The Selection to the uninitiated, I know it sounds awful. The premise is entirely awful. I did find it memorable though, with enough positive attributes that I'm looking forward to the sequel. Perhaps it will be an improvement.

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This Harlequin Superromance promises to be yet more proof of the wisdom gained from comic books and soap operas--no body, no death. Karina Bliss has a talent for making any trope work, so I can't wait for this one.

Dare You Too by Katie McGarry: I don't know that there's any way this could possibly be as good as the first book was. The bar is set high here, to say the least.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews:  According to Ilona Andrew's blog, there are now going to be ten books total in the Kate Daniels series (this will be the sixth). I was beyond excited about that, since this is one of my favorite ongoing series and I will definitely appreciate several more years of looking forward to these books.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I like something that comic book nerds like. I learned that recently, when I was in our local book store and the subject came up, and all of the comic nerds geeked out big time. So, yeah, I'm excited to add this too my shelf, and I bet I'm not the only one.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: More Gwen, and hopefully more Logan. What's not to look forward to?

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: After Shadow's Claim, my faith in Kresley Cole is actually somewhat restored, and I'll be curious to see what she does with this book. The cover is unfortunately more creepy than sexy, in my humble opinion, but I'll conform to the wisdom that tells me not to judge by it.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: *Sigh* Okay, this is probably the contemporary that I'm most looking forward to this year. The mid-series change in cover styles, though, kind of ticked me off. The author stated on her blog that she and the powers that be in publishing hope that the new, more minimalist covers would broaden readership. I can see that, since these covers do not scream Young Adult! the way that the other ones do. But, damn it all, I liked the old covers. I liked the cheerfulness and the happy people, and above all I like physical books to match on my shelves. It's very important. I'm a cranky penguin.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverley Jenkins: This will be the second book in Jenkins California ranch set historical series. I look forward to another joyful, passionate romantic story from her. 

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: Still not much information on this one yet, other than the fact that it will return to Elena and Raphael. Stay tuned for this one.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: I'm not waiting on pins and needles for this one, but I am waiting on it. Owlet was overly exposition-y for my taste, so I have to hope this one will be better.

 

January 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: I'm a little disappointed that we won't be seeing this book until 2014, since I'd like to see this trilogy come to a satisfactory conclusion. 

February

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: Either the original dates were wrong, or this book has been delayed (heavily delayed) since my last anticipation post. In any case, we've got at least 11 months to wait for this book now, and it's going to be a long haul.

And that's all that I have for now. We have some very busy months coming up here! I hope you'll join us!

Music Moment #3: Details in The Fabric by Jason Mraz

 

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing. 

 

This is a song for when I'm sad or frustrated. It's a song to chill out to and it reminds me to just let the little things go. Bookwise, it reminds me of Lola and the Boy Next Door, because I was going through a Jason Mraz kick when I read that book and because Lola is a seamstress. 

Music Moment #1: Like a Friend by Pulp

I've done this before
And I will do it again
C'mon and kill me baby
While you smile like a friend
Oh and I'll come running
Just to do it again

 So, this is the song that I picked to kick off this whole music month thing. This song is a guilty pleasure for me, that now has special meaning because it's the song that hubby and I chose for our bridal dance at our wedding. If that sounds like an odd choice, well, I'm prone to those. It came about like this: I told Josh to pick a song, and for God's sake find a song that doesn't scream WEDDING CLICHE! This song was played over the finale of Venture Bro., so it was imbedded in his brain, and he suggested it. I loved it. It's not a wedding song, and it's funny and bittersweet and it actually captures many aspects of our relationship perfectly. We are friends--and lovers, and enemies, and we adore and annoy each other in near equal parts. So, yeah, we danced to this song. The fact that the music video is hilariously awful is a different, but no less important dimension of entertainment.

What book does this song remind me of? Anna and the French Kiss, for two reasons. One, because I was reading that book when we were planning the music for our wedding, and so it was part of my reading playlist at the time. Two, because Anna and Etienne are also friends, although they are much cuter than we are.

Anticiapation List!

It's time once again to update the list of books I'm impatiently waiting for in 2013!

March

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: I both look forward to and dread this one. After the way book two ended, I can only hope the author does something to impress me here.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: The time is coming up soon for me to pre-order this! I'm so excited for more Mercy!

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward: The BDB books are a drug for me, and I need my fix. Besides, I'm actually starting to get excited for Quinn and Blay's story.

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: I can't explain why I look forward to this book...I just do. The Selection was a book that I liked against my better judgement, and I guess I just want more.

 

 

 

May

Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Who's ready for a back-the-dead story from the queen of Superromance? I am!

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: When I finished Pushing the Limits (the review of which is set to post soon), was desperate for more. May seems like way too far away.

 

 

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: I was excited to see that this has a cover now. I love the model they use for Kate: almost exactly how I picture her.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I almost bought the individual comics. Almost. I talked myself out of it because, in the end, I would really rather have the trade paperback--it sits on the shelf better.

Dracomachi by Rachel Hartman: Seraphina was probably the best dragon book I've ever read, so I'm really excited for it's sequel.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: After that last book, I can't wait to find out if Logan and Gwen can pull it together already.

MacRieve by Kresley Cole: Yay, a new Immortals After Dark book!

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: First we had Anna, then there was Lola, and finally we'll have Isla. I'm beyond ready for more from Stephanie Perkins.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The Guild Hunter series is quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing PNR series. I have to say, also, that I'm actually excited to revisit Elena and Raphael again.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Owlet was definitely an exposition book, and I'm hopeful that this, the second book, will give us the full and satisfying story that it promised.

Misc. Mondays: Goals for the Coming Year

In 2012 I just managed to meet my goal of 112 books read and reviewed by a narrow margin. Therefore I decided not to make my 2013 goal too much higher than that--just 113 books, one more than last year. It amounts to roughly one book every three days, which seems fair and realistic. I don't have college or a wedding to plan, so I actually think this year might be easier. Even with a mostly full time job and that pesky husband creature. And the cat, Sir Book-Chewer.

I thought I'd use this post to talk about the books I'm most looking forward to reading and discussing in 2013.  There is, to say the least, a great deal of them.

February

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: Considering the fact that Cinder was my very favorite book in 2012, I'm beyond eager for my copy of it's sequel. Delicious science-fictionish fairy tale goodness. 

Elusive Dawn by Gabriele Willis: This was actually published in November, but I agreed to review in in February. It's the sequel to The Summer before the Storm, a unique and memorable historical novel set primarily in pre-World War I Canada.

Purgatory Reign by L.M. Preston: This YA urban fantasy will be published in May (I believe), but I will be participating in the blog tour in February. 

March

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: It's hard to describe my feelings for this trilogy so far. It's a bit of a love/hate relationship, especially with the ending of Pandemonium, but I think I'm eager to read this one all the more because of those mixed feelings.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: It's been so long since I've read a Patricia Briggs book, I'm almost in danger of forgetting how much I love her. Mercy Thompson book 7 ought to cure that.

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward: Yeah, I'm still reading these things. I'm in it until the bitter end, God help me. Actually, Tohr's book wasn't too bad, and I'm kind of hopeful. I really like Blay and Quinn and, well, we'll see.

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: The Selection was a flawed book, but so freaking memorable. I can remember talking about it with friends, "The premise is kind of stupid, but you should totally read it." It stands out from some of it's dystopian comrades, and I appreciate that.

 

 

 

May

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: This will be her third contemporary romance, and after loving the first two (especially Anna) I'm beyond excited for round three.

June

Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This is actually expected to be released in May, but I'm all full on contemporary romance for that month, so I'll be reading it in June. I'm excited for this one because it's a continuation of Karina Bliss's excellent stories about soldiers and ex-soldiers finding their happy endings after their battles are over. 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: This will be the third book in her Sky Chasers series, which has been an at least passably interesting sci-fi story so far.

July

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: The sequel to Seraphina, a beautifully crafted high fantasy story, will certainly be one that I try to review the month it's released. I'm eager to see the series pick up pace.

Saga: Volume 2 by Brian K Vauhan: I gave Volume 1 4.5 stars...I was really impressed by the characters and the very unusual world(s) of the book. So, in July, Volume 2 will be my sci-fi book for the month.

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: Oh my goodness, I feel like I've already been waiting for Kate Book #6 forever. But come July, God willing, it will be among my urban fantasy offerings.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: I'm growing more and more affectionate toward  Estep's writing style, and since I was introduced to it via this YA urban fantasy series, I'm naturally eager to continue with it.  I'm sure it won't be the only   Estep book  I read this year.

October 

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Owlet was certainly not a perfect book, as YA paranormals go, but I find that I'm intrigued enough that I'll more than likely continue with the series. More than likely.








...I'm sure I'll be adding to this this as the year progresses and I try to, you know, organize my reading. What books are you most looking forward to in 2013?

RtP Top 10 Books Read in 2012!

It has been one heck of a year, ladies and gentlemen. I got finished school, moved, got married, adopted a demon posing as a cat...and I read some pretty great books too. So now, for your reading pleasure, I present the top ten books reviewed on Reading to Penguins in 2012.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, published in 2011, was reviewed in January. It's almost impossible to place genre-wise--not solidly romance or fantasy or anything else, but a little bit of all things fantastic. It tells the story of two magicians in a magical fight surrounding a circus. It's memorable for its rich imagery and setting driven story. It's a book to immerse yourself in, a book that makes you desperately crave caramel corn. If it's a bit low on the list, it's only because I felt the plot was a bit weak compared to some of the other books in our top 10.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was published in 2010, and I reviewed it back in March. It's a very simple YA romance, but I find it completely charming. I like that it's a "friend's first" love story, with a build up of chemistry that I always find appealing. The characters are fun and easy to relate to. Most importantly, the setting will have you wishing for a vacation in Paris tomorrow. I put it a bit low on the list only because, having glanced through it again, I do find that it does a lot of very cliched YA things--like the instant group of perfect friends for the new girl, and the Etienne's somewhat bitchy current girlfriend.

So, I don't read a lot of high fantasy. I don't have a lot to compare to. But Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, published in 2012 and reviewed this August, managed to leave an impression. It's a novel about dragons, and about a heroine who must accept her own deep connection to the dragons. The setting and plot are extremely creative. I liked that the author put us right inside Seraphina's head, allowing us to see her dreams and the secret visions that she keeps hidden away. It's a fun novel, but the plot is slow and the pacing stalls out at times, much to my frustration. It's still well worth your time.

The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley, published in 2012, found it's way onto my blog in July. Admittedly, this isn't my usual fair, and I don't know how many people it will appeal to. But I found it uniquely enjoyable. It's the story of a teenager who lived in isolation for years after her paranoid father kidnapped her from her grandparents. What stood out about this story, for me, was it's lack of a villain and it's ability to make the character sympathize, to some degree, with all of the characters. It's a serious book about love, insanity, finding your place, and learning to think for yourself. 

I knew at the outset that Fables was going to appear on this list somewhere, but it was honestly difficult to decide which one to put and where. In the end, I decided to put Volume 1, Legends in Exile, here. First, because it introduced me to the series and got me hooked. Two, because it actually made book of the month back when I reviewed it in October. Fables is a graphic novel series in which fairy tale characters are stuck in the real world, trying to live normalish lives. Legends in Exile is actually something of a murder mystery, but the plot is less important than the introduction of the fantastic fairy tale characters--all at once familiar and totally unexpected. If you only ever read one graphic novel, it should be Fables.

If you asked me which book I was most surprised to be including in a top 10 list, it would be Angelfall by Susan Ee. I say that because, on the surface, it sounds derivative and amateurish. Once you delve into it, though, you find that it's better than a lot of main stream, popular urban fantasy currently on the market. It's the story of Penryn, a teenage girl who wants to protect her little sister, and her broken journey alongside the angel Raffe. It's everything a post-apocalyptic story should be--horrific, disturbing, thoughtful, and vaguely hopeful. But be warned, it ends on a cliffhanger that might make you throw your reading device at a wall.

Night Sky by Jolene Perry is an absolutely fantastic contemporary romance. It was published in 2012, and I reviewed it in April for a blog tour, feeling mostly surprised and relieved to have really liked it. The characters and the romance feel very real, and the power of their impact lies in how serious and yet sweet it all is. Notably, it's told from the hero's perspective, and that male point of view put an entirely novel dimension to an otherwise simple story. Jameson is a typical guy in many ways, but a really nice guy all the same, and it's hard not to love him. It's hard not to love this love story.

Spoiler alert, folks, Duchess War by Courtney Milan was my favorite book of December. More importantly, it was the #3 book of 2012. It's a historical romance with a remarkably smart but sadly suppressed heroine, and a hero trying to right many ancient wrongs. Milan writes the most compelling characters I've seen recently, and the plot almost doesn't matter because it's so interesting to just watch these people be. The plot, however, is engaging by itself. All around, the complete package. Go read this book. Go read it now.

It's surprising to tell that I had somewhat mixed feelings toward Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and yet Days of Blood and Starlight ranks at number 2 on my list of favorite books for the year. I felt deeply invested in the world while I read this book. The stakes seemed so high, and so was my level of sympathy for Karou. The world building is just so strange and unique and fantastic. The love story is compelling--you want everything to end up happy. But above all, it's a story of war at it's worst, and trying to overcome it's effects with acts of mercy and love.

And the #1 book of 2012 is...

Yes, it's Cinder, by Marissa Meyer. It's a science fiction fairy tale retelling, and it is even more awesome than it sounds. It's the best possible version of Cinderella, with a charming and quirky heroine who at least gets to know her prince charming a bit. The world building knocked me on my ass, it was so interesting and so bizarre. If you haven't read this book yet, you need to read it in 2013. It's absolutely essential.

Misc. Monday: Reading YA as an Adult

That title should, by all rights, say "Adult", because I don't think I've ever fully grown up. I don't really plan to. I'm going to keep my Disney movies, and my dolls, and my fuzzy pink slippers, thank you. Those things aside, I am in all other ways an employed, rent paying, married twenty-something adult. Who occasionally reads teen literature.

My Journey Away From, and Back Into YA...

 

I read virtually no teen literature while actually a teen. The last arguably young adult thing I remember picking up was Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn when I was twelve or thirteen. By Christmas of my thirteenth year, though, I was pretty much exclusively reading adult paranormal romance. I remember this, because I asked for a bunch of them for Christmas and that's exactly what I got. My mother has never been one to forbid books...but that's a story for another post.

So, my teens went by with Harry Potter being the only under 18 MC in my life. There were a couple of reasons for this. The primary reason is that I'm always resistant to entertainment that reflects whatever is actually going on in my life. I wouldn't watch teen movies while I was a teen, or college movies while in college. I drove everyone crazy during my engagement because I wouldn't even watch Bridesmaids. I can't explain it, other than to say that it's not escapism for me if I'm going into the same environment.

Then, about a year and a half ago, I was browsing the internet for books. I came across Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. I was already familiar with her Shifters books, and liked those well enough, so I was thrilled to see that she had something else. But, oh whoa is me, they were young adult. It got me thinking things over, and I realized that I was now several years removed from high school, entirely past the teen stage of my life. Thus, it would now be much less uncomfortable for me to read a book with a high school setting. I knew it was going to be an easy read, it wouldn't take up that much time, and so it seemed like it would be silly not to give it a try.

I haven't actually caught up on the Soul Screamers books (someday, maybe), but what they did do was open the door for me to read a genre that I had bluntly ignored for eight or nine years. This meant that I had well over a decade of untapped authors and series to try out, and to say that I dove in head first would be an understatement. You can see on this blog that I've reviewed quite a few YAs, and I've tried out even more. I love these things.

The "Shame" of Reading YA

 

I put shame in quotations to emphasize that I personally, absolutely do not feel ashamed to read YA. However, shortly after I started talking about these books I noticed that there are plenty of people--in real life, on forums and blogs, in review comments--that are eager to shame adults who read teen books. It's usually along the lines of  "I don't know why all of these adults want to read things meant for young people, what is wrong with them, this is yet more proof that literacy is in the toilet, no wonder there are so many stupid people..." and so forth.

I can't defend all adult YA readers, because I don't know all of them. It is entirely possible that some of them are stupid or barely literate or incredibly immature. I highly doubt that this is the case. It's far more likely that most of them are like me. There is nothing wrong with my education or my reading ability. I've read over a dozen Shakepeare plays, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Charles Dickens, and so forth, many of my own volition. I've slogged through scientific journals where the jargon is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and I've been made to write critical essays about them after the fact. My brain is in full working order. On an unrelated note, sometimes I read teen books.

As I said, though, I also read romance novels, so I'm inoculated to the shame of reading stigmatized genres. Sit is a cafe full of frat boys with a book who's cover looks like this--

--and your ability to feel shame will gradually dwindle into nothingness.

Why Adults Read YA

 

Now that we've established that adults can read YA, you might ask "But why would you want to?"

The first reason is that YA is oddly nostalgic. I'm not saying that I'd like to relive my teen years, because they weren't exactly easy. But sometimes reading about a character who's dealing with the same issues that I dealt with back then is cathartic. I can say to myself, "Yep, I got through that. Phew..." Sometimes there will be a character that reminds me of an old friend, or a setting or circumstance that I remember. In other cases, the characters are dealing with such tough stuff that it makes me feel like I got off easy as a kid, and that is also a comforting thought. Sort of.

The second reason that I like reading YA is that I really enjoy good character focused stories with a lot of personal development for the main character. That is exactly what a good young adult book should be about. Most people take the biggest strides toward finding themselves between the ages of 15 and 25. Watching a character do just that, and find courage, integrity, and purpose, is absolutely fascinating.

...specifically, YA romance

Sometimes the characters also find love. This is the sticking point for most people that argue with me against the merits of teen literature. I encounter a remarkable number of people who think that a romantic relationship that begins in high school can't or should not work out. To which I say: Screw you. It's great that you think you've found the perfect formula to lasting relationships, and I hope that works for you. For me, personally, I don't think that such a formula exists, and I don't think that older people have a monopoly on love that lasts. I believe there's hope for teen couples, because I was once part of a teen couple, and we ended up married. After a very long engagement (I'm not reckless).

There are a couple of things that I like about teen romance. Primarily, I like that it's usually based on pure relationship development, where sex is a small or nonexistent factor. In adult romance, authors can get caught up in the physical aspects of the relationship and forget that there is also emotional development that needs to happen. I find that young adult authors are often better at the friendship, connectivity, and longing that are involved in the early stages of a relationship (for good examples, see Stephanie Perkins, and Jolene Perry).

And Now For A Break

 

All of this was my long winded way of saying that I do, with absolute conviction, love young adult novels. However, I may be taking a tiny "break" from them. Oh, not entirely, but I would like to cut it down to one or two a month. I get a lot of review requests from YA authors (you guys rock, and thank you for the opportunity), and as a result I feel like they've taken over my reading hours and this blog to a greater extent then I would like. In the coming months, I'm going to try to focus on the adult books gathering dust in my TBR. I miss them. I miss the gore, and I'm not going to lie, I miss the sex.

That said, to all of my adult readers, specifically those who have not read any teen literature in recent years, I really hope that you'll give it a try. There are a lot of amazing authors doing phenomenal work in that genre. These are authors that take their audience seriously, and we shouldn't be afraid to be a part of that audience.

Follow Friday 6/14/12

 

Q: Happy Father’s Day! Who is your favorite dad character in a book and why?

Just one? I have four!

Ray Quinn from Nora Robert's Chesapeake Bay series. He won his spot by adopting and raising three teenage boys from horrible backgrounds. Kudos to all adoptive parents. (Amazon/Goodreads)

Ronnie's father from Knee Deep by Jolene Perry. He found a loving and supportive way to help his teenage daughter when she was in a really tough spot. (Amazon/Goodreads)

 Both of Lola's fathers in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Especially Andy, because he can make pie. But they both earn their spot for being strict but loving, and embracing Lola's uniqueness. (Amazon/Goodreads)

On Costumes: A Review of Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Alright, we're moving right along with this contemporary romance kick. I'm going to throw in some historical soon, to mix it up. Then, maybe a werewolf or something. Onward!

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a companion novel to Stephanie Perkins' stunningly awesome Anna and the French Kiss. In it, we follow Lola, a delightfully quirky seventeen year old girl with a passion for crazy clothing. She lives with her two fathers in a nice neighborhood in San Francisco. She has a boyfriend named Max, who is twenty two years old and a rock musician. Life is going well, until the Bells move back in next door. Cricket Bell was Lola's first love, and the truth is she's not sure that she's over him. And Cricket certainly doesn't seem to be over her.

Positive Comments

I liked Lola's parents. They're strict, but in that good kind of way that shows they really care about her. I enjoyed seeing such a positive portrayal of gay men as parents. The heavy contrast between this and Lola's disaster of a birth mother was a bit heavy handed, but overall I still liked the family dynamic.

I liked Lola. An artist who wears her art. A girl with big dreams. A little immature for a seventeen year old, and not perfect by any means, but I still did not mind being in her head.

Oh, hi Tippy.

Lola's relationship with Max is the perfect picture of unhealthy relationships. Lola is completely unable to be honest with him, to be genuine with him, to stand up for herself or her friends. Max clearly feels superior to Lola in many ways and has trouble respecting her, often treating her with thinly veiled condescension and contempt. His lifestyle is incompatible with hers. Honestly, to me it seemed like the problems arose less from the age difference and more from the fact that Max simply isn't a very nice person. Although the age divide did not help.

Enter Cricket. I loved Cricket. I liked his smarts and his creativity in what he invents. I liked his style. I liked his kindness coupled with slight awkwardness. He's quirky. She's quirky. They're two quirky people falling in love.

The little details of their relationship are what hooked me. Talking through their bedroom windows. Helping Lola's father make pies. Midnight walks. Constructing a dress together. These two are too cute for words.

Speaking of too cute--Anna and Etienne! I loved that Lola gets to see them, see what a healthy and happy relationship looks like. It helps her figure out what she's missing, and I think that's awesome.

Critical Comments

Lola has some moments when she comes across as shallow. Her singular goal of creating an elaborate Marie Antoinette style gown, for example. That's great and all, but having multiple meltdowns over it? Maybe I just don't get it. But this was what lead me to feel that she's on the immature side of seventeen, rather than just a person with a flare for drama. That annoyed me a bit.

I never warmed up to Calliope, Cricket's twin, as I think I was supposed to. She struck me as self centered and, in some moments, a little hateful. I wish we'd gotten to see more of her nicer side.

Recommendation

Great as a stand alone, great as a loose tie in to Anna and the French Kiss, just great all around. It's a very light and cutesy romance, and it doesn't have as mature a tone as Anna did (a product of the narrator, no doubt), but I'd still recommend it to contemporary romance fans. 4 stars.

Buy from Amazon: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Best Book of March/April Preview

March was an absolutely amazing month for reading, folks. I'm having a tough time picking a favorite...We're going with Cinder by Marissa Meyer, which earned a 4.5 stars from me and totally lived up to all the hype.

In case your curious, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins was the close runner up. I recommend both, actually.

There were a couple of DNFs in March. I couldn't get into First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost. I find that, while I love Cat and Bones, I'm not crazy about her writing style in other contexts. That happens to me sometimes. I also barely got into Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, finding it too stupid to be worth the library fees it would have cost me to keep it. I think my enjoyment of Hush, Hush, which was based on a lot of guilty pleasure, was in fact a fluke.

So what's coming up in April? 

First of all, on April 3, you'll see my review of Night Sky by Jolene Perry go live. I agreed to read it for the book tour, and ended up really loving it. I can't seem to get enough contemporary romance lately.

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward--66% read, and I'm not going to lie, it does not suck. The last book had me worried that the series might be on a hopeless downward spiral...but this one does not suck.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake--About 50% done. This one came really highly recommended. I'm excited to see where the story goes.

The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry--7% done. I liked Night Sky so much, I just really wanted more from this author.

Princess Charming by Nicole Jordan

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Young Avengers by Allan Heinberg (A Things I Read For Love Review)

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Kind of a different mix this month, but I'm excited about it. Happy April, everyone!