Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

Rating: 5 stars

Honestly, I never really considered buying this book whenever I was lurking about the shelves in Barnes and Nobles. It just seemed so...cliche? I don't know, but I found the name a bit odd, even though the new cover (the real pretty one that's all pink with the Eiffel Tower) is really cool, I still didn't want to buy it.

Until I was watching one of John Green's vlogs, and I saw him ranting over how wonderful the book was and I couldn't help but buy it. I mean, John Green recommended it. YOU CAN'T GET A BETTER REASON TO READ IT THAN THAT!

So I read it. And I wondered how I could have been so naïve as to have not bought it before. I was just so wonderful and fluffy and cute and Etienne was British and there was drama but the good kind and I am probably going to read all of Stephanie Perkins books in the future.

And I know you all are going 'Drama? I hate drama!' and that is a lie. Because if you have any kind of spirit in you at all, drama is what you live your life on, and to go without it would leave your life empty and boring. The good kind of drama, anyway. Some kinds of drama you just want to stay away from. So don't kid yourself, don't try to be one of those girls/boys who goes through life pretending and trying to convince other people that they hate what they in fact are the cause of. I like drama in small amounts, it keeps life interesting and me on my toes. (If you actually hate drama, cause you're a pacifist or something like that, ignore this paragraph)

And Etienne *sighs* oh Etienne. He's one of those guys where his imperfections make him perfect. He was so sweet and funny and Lord help me he was British.

But...he also had a girlfriend.

 

I did not find this amusing.

Here we have the most beautiful, sweet, funny, loyal, smart, and charming guy...and he has a girlfriend. Of course he does. *cries at the beginning of the book* *continues crying until the end of the book* *cries when the book is over* *cries* But Etienne St. Clair doesn't fail us, as fangirls readers. No, St. Clair becomes the world's most envied friend, and falls in love. (With who, I will not say) So yeah, you could say I am head over heels in love with this particular fictional character.

So, now onto Anna. Of course I liked Anna, she was impossible not to like. I mean, lots of people are ranting and raving over how Anna was fawning over Etienne too often, when really, would you be any different? She's just a typical, American teenager who knows an irresistible guy when she sees one. Is that really so bad? At least she wasn't pulling a Luce from Fallen, cause that would've killed me. In my opinion, Anna was acting like any teenager would in a situation she was in. But, of course you'll rant about it cause you're upset that not every female protagonist is going to be badass.

Don't get me wrong, I love badass female protagonists, but this book would so be the wrong place for one. Just saying. And Anna wasn't even that pathetic. People are going over the top on this, as I said before, pathetic is Luce, from Fallen.

Mer was...I don't know, I don't really have much to say on Mer. Not because she lacked character or personality, but because she did nothing truly outstanding (either good or bad) that isn't a spoiler that I feel a sudden urge to talk about.

This book was so amazing and seriously, just read it. If you like British boys and fluffy books, read it.

xxAvalon