Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
(Anna and the French Kiss #1)
Book Summary: 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. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Liana's Summary: Anna wasn't expecting to go to Paris for her senior year. She just wanted to be home at Atlanta, in America, where her family, best friend, and crush were. At home. But when she meets the gorgeous Étienne St. Clair, her path makes a turn. Everything changes. But.. he has a girlfriend (which seems to be their relationship-block). But as their relationship continues to develop, things take another turn, for the good, for the bad-- all for Anna and Etienne to decide on.

Rate(1-10): 9.5


I'm just totally speechless right now. This book was just absolutely amazing. A M A Z I N G. Charming, romantic, amusing-- what else could a reader ask for?

I'll just have to slam my palm down on the mahogany table (sorry, Effie) because this book sure as hell deserves all the praise it has gotten.

The story revolves around Anna, and how her parents sent her to Paris for her senior year of high school. She hates it at first, of course-- she's away from home! But if you ask me, she adapts pretty quickly. Anna is an interesting character, not to mention, just absolutely hilarious and authentic. Usually (oh-ho, this is so not usually) I'd complain about Anna being such a cliche little b- and etc etc, all the stuff I usually complain about, but now that I've really thought it through, Anna is a really complex and, I repeat, authentic character. And now I realize, that not once, through this book have I felt annoyed at her. I just felt sympathy, understanding, and grief for her. She has strengths and weaknesses and she'd fought through her weaknesses strongly. She has an edge that I greatly admire.

St. Clair is her love interest. Or, shall I call him Monsieur Etienne St. Clair. Etienne. He's fictional-character attractive. But also realistic, just like Anna. He's not Mr. "I'm-cocky-and-hot-so-I'm-your-love-interest." He's-- (I'm just gonna quit it with the long phrases) he has is own battle to fight throughout the story and his strength is admirable too, because despite how he seemed like he had the perfect life, his life was just really messed up. And now that I realize it, their relationship was just helping each other get through things. This is not the ordinary, everyday, "I-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend" (screw what I said about dropping the long phrases, I need to use them) situation, but it's something entirely different. And it's completely awesome. Despite being fictional-character attractive, he's not perfect. He's shorter than Anna, he's afraid of his father and afraid of heights. But it makes him perfect anyway I don't even care if that doesn't make sense

Anna and Etienne's relationship was hesitant. That's the best word I can come up with to describe it. It was just, "Oh-god-does-she/he-like-me-or-not-I-don't-even-know-what-I-think" but mainly it was just Anna, wondering if Etienne liked her or not, and if she liked Etienne or not, since it was her voice that we were listening to the whole time. I find that Etienne was always defending her, and it was really sweet of him to do so all those times. Because Anna can't really defend herself when it comes to rude people.

Anna's character development was just wonderful. The theme of this story definitely radiates "home" and Anna's changing connotations of "home" throughout the story. It's kind of funny, and sad, and kind of not-- but you won't really get it until you read the darn book. (So yes, go read it.)

As I flew through this book I couldn't help but smile and laugh and just feel that much more interested in France. Now I really want to go. (Glad I'm studying French for a reason.) Stephanie Perkins definitely writes magic! I'm definitely proud of myself, I have to say, for understanding all the little phrases thrown here and there.

Anna and the French Kiss was such an enjoyable read-- best contemporary novel I've read in a while, (definitely a recommendation btw)and I'm so looking forward to reading the next book. I feel like I have more to say but I don't know what so I guess that's it. Tada!

**Thanks to Dalena and Alexis for fangirling crazily over this book, encouraging me to read it! VERY SPECIAL thanks to Alexis for sending it to me as a gift. Man, shipping costs a lot!**

Quotes!

"He was tall-ish and funny-ish and had decent-ish hair."


ISH AND ISH AND ISH I ALREADY LOVE THIS 


"It's artist hair. Musician hair. I-pretend-I-don't-care-but-I-really-do hair."


Let me just savor Stephanie Perkin's writing
LET ME SAVOR THE HAIR


"Seriously, I don't know any American girl who can resist an English accent."


You can say that again! *snorts*


"Beautiful Hallway Boy.."


BEAUTIFUL. HALLWAY. BOY.


"You have perfect hair."


LET THE FLIRTING BEGIN


"Shite."


HE SAYS. SHIT. WITH AN E. HOLY.. SHITE


"Did you just have a foodgasm?"


FOODGASM I CAN'T


"..St. Clair told her to 'bugger off' and threw tiny wads of paper into her hair for the rest of class."


Aw, how sweet..


"Are St. Clair and Ellie breaking up?"


You know you want it to be true Anna


"He threw up on me."


OH MY GOD


"Emile Zola was a man," he corrects. "And you're an arse. Why don't you mind your own bloody business and leave her alone!"


There he goes defending her again


"Well, for one thing, he looks like a Ken doll! And you're beautiful."


OH MY GOD


"..St. Clair stretches and accidentally smacks my boobs. Which not only hurts but also mortifies us both equally."


OH LORD THIS LEAVES ME MORTIFIED TOO


"..thinks Toph is an insensitive douchebag motherhumping assclown,.."


I don't know why I laughed so hard


"Isla."


OOOH THE MAIN CHARACTER OF BOOK THREE?!


"Please. The boy gets a boner every time you walk in the room."


I can't even..


"Why can't I say no to cute boys?"


At least he's cute! -shrugs-


"We are kissing like crazy."


FINALLY. IT'S ABOUT TIME.


"Josh and Rashmi have broken up."


WELL GET READY ISLA FOR JOSH I CAN SO ANTICIPATE THIS
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That's it! What do you think of this review?