ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Etienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken-and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's been waiting for?

I picked up this book from Barnes and Noble yesterday because I got a gift card for Christmas =] I've seen this book all over the booktube community and have heard a good many things about it, and I was in the mood for a lovey dovey cutesie thing so I thought, why the hell not!?

So I don't necessarily believe it deserves all the hype it's gotten....but it isn't horrible or bad or offensive to my tastes in any way. I think it's really hard for writers who take on these kinds of themes and storylines to really get it right since everyones experiences and opinions form against the material, and that's definitely the issue in my case.

I think that it is definitely cutsie and it's a fun read, and it keeps you entertained, but I didn't find myself in love with the characters all that much or overall the storyline. Don't get me wrong I liked it! I read the whole thing in one night no problems!! But at the end of the day...I still felt a weird disconnect...or that weird sense of wow this is just too good to be true and this wouldn't really happen ever...But maybe that's the point, if you know what I mean? Personally I approve more of the most realistic scenarios possible because then I can understand and connect better! But that may just be me.

I did love a certain interaction between Anna and her best friend Bridgette in Atlanta. It was the most realistic encounter within the book that made me think, "damn! That's about right! Go you!"

I also really loved how much awkwardness there is to the story, which adds to its charm. All the time Anna is commenting on how awkward things are, and tries to ignore them or work around them, but it was nice to see her having so much trouble with awkward moments as do most young girls and boys.

But if there's one thing I really didn't approve on in this book it was Anna and her personality. She is so wishy-washy....and sometimes it was exhausting keeping up with her and her train of thought because as the reader, I'm sitting there thinking of all the things she is doing wrong and how much of a hypocrite she is being and yet no one around her is telling her that, and she can't see herself and how she is literally at the root of everything.

I know this review is rather mellow...not much to say in either direction, but I don't deny it being a good read. If you are in the mood, and have that urge for something cute then this is a good pick, i would recommend it. At least over Beautiful Disaster....ANY DAY.

I rate this a 3.5/5. The romantic shiz makes up for all the bad stuff really...since I was craving it lol. Good reading to you!