Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss, #3) in We Stand-Alone Reading Challenge

Apr 04, 2012 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, read-in-2014, favorites, 5-stars, young-adult, chick-lit

Review Posted on Reading Lark 8/28/14: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2014/...

I love Stephanie Perkins' work. I have often commented that I want to curl up and live in the pages of her stories. There is something about losing myself in the love story of a Perkins' heroine that eases my stress, lowers my blood pressure, and sends a euphoric shiver through my heart. Her stories are truly something special. I have been anxiously awaiting this one since finishing Anna and Lola early in 2013. I can Review Posted on Reading Lark 8/28/14: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2014/...

I love Stephanie Perkins' work. I have often commented that I want to curl up and live in the pages of her stories. There is something about losing myself in the love story of a Perkins' heroine that eases my stress, lowers my blood pressure, and sends a euphoric shiver through my heart. Her stories are truly something special. I have been anxiously awaiting this one since finishing Anna and Lola early in 2013. I can say with total conviction that this one was worth the wait.

I saw a lot of my teen self reflected in Isla. She's somewhat quiet and shy; she lives on the fringes of the social circle. Isla doesn't really know how to enter the social waters so she prefers to spend her time buried in a book, studying, or hanging out with her best friend, Kurt. Her life is predictable and driven by routine. Isla is okay with this, but she longs for Josh to notice her. He's been her crush since she was a freshman and as senior year lurks on the horizon, she can't hoping things will be different. An evening at cafe in New York opens up the possibility of a friendship between Isla and Josh. She yearns for it to lead to more.

On the other hand, Josh, knows exactly where he fits in at school - a seat in detention. He tries everything to get kicked out of the prestigious boarding school in Paris, but when he forms a relationship with Isla, everything changes. Josh no longer wants to be on a different continent from the girl who has captured his affections. There romance will have you swooning, cheering, and shedding a few tears.

I love how Perkins brings the bittersweet taste of first love alive in her novels. She is truly a master! She makes female leads that you want to befriend and male leads that you can't help crushing on. That isn't to say that her characters are without flaws - they have plenty - but those flaws make them feel more tangible. I expect the characters to walk off the page and order a coffee at Starbucks. I could see Isla and Josh showing up in a book store.

In addition to the romance and realistic characters, I loved the sisterly relationship between Isla, Gen, and Hattie. The family dynamics between these two three felt authentic. I know that my younger sister and I have had our share of Isla and Hattie like moments. It was nice to see the girls work through their differences and become closer. Isla was so focused on herself that she didn't understand Hattie's motivations and needs. Female relationships are complex beasts, but I love seeing how they play out in YA literature.

Isla ranks up there with Anna for me. While I liked Lola, I didn't love her like Anna. I was so happy to see my old friends (Anna, St. Clair, Lola, and Cricket) make an appearance in this novel. It's brief, but immensely satisfying. Isla and Josh have now taken a place among these literary friends. I cannot wait until I have time to reread all the novels. I tried to read Isla and Josh's story slowly to savor each moment, but I couldn't control myself. I devoured this one.

One Last Gripe: Isla did frustrate me from time to time. I wanted her to have more faith in herself and in Josh.

Favorite Things About This Book: I love that the basis of the relationship is friendship. The love is just a bonus! I also loved the last few chapters - sigh.

First Sentence: It's midnight, it's sweltering, and I might be high on Vicodin, but that guy - that guy right over there - that's him.

Favorite Character: It's a tie between Isla and Josh. I loved them both.

Least Favorite Character: I didn't have one. The annoying characters were minor and their entire purpose was to be annoying. ...more

Like · see review

Sep 08, 2011 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: upcoming-antidotes, contemporary

4.5/5

It was really good! But, honestly, none of the books in this companion series were going to be any better than the first. Still, I loved the fire between these two!

Like · see review