Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Penguin (Dutton)
ISBN13: 9780525423287

5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
 Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

  

Oh, Lola. I don't even know where to begin with you.

Enchanting? Not quite. Captivating? Almost...
Bliss.
Now, that's better.

Reasons to Read "Lola":

1. A perfect escape:No, this isn't a literary classic by Jane Austen. But sometimes you just need a break from heavier, darker, angsty novels. Do I love those ones too? Absolutely. But once in a while I just want a book that makes me smile and giggle to myself and miss my boyfriend even more. 
2. This is what love is about:I don't know if you know this yet, but Stephanie Perkins writes incredible YA romances. Seriously, they're perfect. How many authors can express this sense of sweet nostalgia for those ideal crushes? But Stephanie nails it every single time. 
3. Cricket Bell:I shouldn't even need to explain this one, but I will for those of you who haven't had the opportunity to be introduced to him yet. Tall, kinda nerdy, hot, and an absolute sweetheart. He isn't your typical love interest from YA. He gets embarrassed, he says awkward things, and sometimes he just doesn't make his move (for whatever reason).

Lola isn't Anna. They're similar books, but their voices and personalities are drastically different. Just like Etienne and Cricket are two different boys, both desirable in their own ways. And I actually really liked that, because I'll confess that I was a bit worried that Lola would just be another Anna with a few changed details. But I'm so grateful that it wasn't, yet it didn't lose any of Anna's charm.

So do yourself a favour, and pick up Lola today and just fall in love a little bit. ;)

Which is convenient for you, because I have this nifty little button below where you can purchase Lola from The Book Depository for only $11.19 AND free shipping worldwide. Pretty cool, right? Plus if you do that, you'll be contributing to Esther's Ever After giveaway prize fund via the Book Depository affiliate program!

Waiting on Wednesday {9}

see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. Thank you so much for letting others use it!

Jill @ Breaking the Spine hosts this weekly meme where we can share a book that we are so excited for and are anxiously awaiting their upcoming release!

This week my WoW pick is...

Above by Leah Bobet

Why yes, that DOES appear to be the Toronto skyline on the cover (or at least the CN Tower). Leah Bobet also lives in Toronto - fun fact! And I heard a rumour that the book is actually set in Toronto. Do you need any other reason to read this book? It's almost local for me :)

The description is absolutely intriguing. I want to know exactly what's going on with this book! This is Leah Bobet's debut and it looks like I'm really going to love this one. It almost seems quirky in its own way, you know? I mean, the girl on the cover has insect wings. Actually, it almost reminds me of an X-Men world with mutants pushed underground. I have no idea, I'm just guessing.

But I also really loooove this cover! (not just because it looks like Toronto) but it definitely gives off a vibe of what to (hopefully) expect from the book. I'm going to guess that it's Ariel on the cover, and there's something dark yet still optimistic about it.

The sad news is I have to wait far too long to read this one... It isn't supposed to be released until April 1, 2012. Scholastic, you can hurry up with this one now! ;)

Variant

Variant by Robison Wells
Release Date: October 4, 2011
HarperCollins (HarperTeen)
ISBN13: 9780062026088

3.5/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.
I'll be honest and admit that I wasn't totally sold on Variant when I started reading it. I wasn't sure it would be my kind of book, based off the description and I'm usually a pretty good judge of what books I'll like. But Variant is one of the few that caught me off guard, and I ended up liking it so much more than I thought I would. This is one fans of YA should go pick up, because it seems to me that Variant has a lot of things that the most popular YA books are lacking these days.

A really cool, tough male protaganist: this is great because once in a while, it's really nice to get into the head of a teenage guy. Most of the books have female main characters, or I find the male ones difficult to relate to. But I REALLY like Benson- realistic and still so likeable.

A thriller: Some people might call this dystopian, but I really think it's more of a thriller. I loved how creepy some parts of it were; Robison Wells definitely doesn't shy away from some dark undertones in Variant. Good, because sometimes I want to be creeped out a little bit.

Realistic romance: Variant isn't a romantic book, but there is a little bit of romance. The nice thing about it is it didn't feel forced, and it didn't take over the entire storyline. Benson stays focused on more important matters, without getting sidetracked by some silly love triangle. And that was SO NICE for once.

Variant has been compared to Lord of the Flies (even within the book itself) and I can definitely see the similarities. Except I enjoyed Variant a lot more than Lord of the Flies, but it also seems like there's a bit of The Island of Dr. Moreau in there too with some of the vibes and plot lines brought up.

Also, I really think this is a book that's going to appeal to teen guys; so if you know a male reader who's looking for a book to check out, then I highly recommend this one for him! There's a lot of mystery and action to keep things interesting, and I'm excited for the next one to come out later!

e-galley received from publisher via netGalley in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.

Eve

Eve by Anna Carey
Release Date: October 4, 2011
HarperCollins (HarperTeen)

2.5/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

I'm afraid that my expectations for Eve may have been too high- it's just that the description sounded so promising! But it just did not end up being as good as I had hoped. It kind of sounded like a Delirium-Wither hybrid, and maybe that was part of the problem: I loved those two books so MUCH and Eve just wasn't up there with them.

My biggest problem was that I felt like I was launched into the story so quickly and it felt jarring to me. Everything happened so quickly in the first few chapters, and I could not understand Eve as a character. At all. I was far more intrigued by the secondary characters (Arden and Caleb especially) but Even drove me crazy. None of her actions seemed logical or even seemed to match her personality; for example, within the first few chapters she's established as the wonderful little valedictorian who follows all of the rules and doesn't question things. So why is it so easy for her to question the School all of a sudden? What is it that draws her out of her room in the middle of the night to sneak away, nearly risk everything she has, all to go exploring? And this continues for the rest of the book.

And her big discovery of the truth of what happens to the female students felt like it came out too early. A bit more set up would have been better, perhaps so it would have felt more shocking instead of a climax that came too early.

But I also didn't hate the book, there were things I liked. Caleb was a bit flat as a romantic interest, and I wasn't swooning over him but I do want to know more about him. I actually really liked Arden by the end of the book- I'd probably like this series more if it was focused on her instead of Eve. And there were parts that broke my heart a little bit. It was interesting enough for me to keep my eye on it and see where it goes in the next book.

e-galley received from publisher via netGalley in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.

NetGalley Month ~ October 2011

I can't believe I didn't learn more about exactly what NetGalley month is until now- which is perfect timing even if I am a few days late signing up!

If you're like me, netGalley is amazing but also a bit of a problem.. it's just so easy to click on all those little book titles and then forget about them once they're on your e-reader while new print books arrive and sit on your shelves. Glaring at you to make you feel guilty about not having read them yet.

So this is a wonderful solution, at such an opportune time. NetGalley Month is a read-a-thon which takes place for the entire month of October, where you read as many NetGalley books as you want/can. It's hosted by Red House Books, who will also be sharing NetGalley tips througout the month.

I've already Variant by Robison Wells (on October 1st) but I still have quite a few I'd like to get done this month:

• Blood Rights by Kirsten Painter
• Crave by Melissa Darnell
• Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber
• Touch by Jus Accordo

Those 4 are ones I absolutely must get done this month. Depending on how school and other reading goes, there are a few more that would be nice to get done as well:

• The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
• The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan
• Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison
• Ashfall by Mike Mullin
• Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

Are any of my lovely readers participating as well? :) What do you have on your reading list this month?

Kindred Reads {7}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. There's a mix of popular books, and fairly unknown authors and indie books as well. This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!

These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the stories. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book.

If you like... Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Then you might want to read...

Matched by Ally Condie

I want to make it clear that I was really hesitant to compare any books to Delirium, simply because of how much I love it and how I really don't think there's anything quite like it. But I can say that about any books I truly, deeply love (including the Hunger Games) and sometimes that just doesn't feel like a fair comparison.

But I do think that some books out there share similar charactersitics, and I found Matched and Delirium to be two books like that. At a very basic level, and on the surface as well, they're similar books although their exexcution is very different. These are stories of literally forbidden love; a dysoptian world where the government controls everything right down to their conception of love. It isn't fair, and it's up to the characters to decide how much their willing to fight for it.

Eve by Anna Carey

As soon as my review goes up, you'll see that I didn't love Eve. But I didn't hate it either. To me, it really felt like a Delirium story that just fell... flat. There wasn't quite as much passion, but it's the same idea of overprotected girl meets rebellious boy, but it just really isn't done as well. But if you're as much of a fan as I am of these kinds of stories, then it's worth a read even just to satisfy your hunger for more of it (and while you're anxiously awaiting Pandemonium... ahem).

In My Mailbox {10}

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours, publishers, libraries, borrowed books from friends, and the list goes

on! It's just a way of showing off the books you received in the past week and making sure they're featured on the blog.

This week I received:

• ARC of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (from HarperCollins Canada)
• Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (purchased from Amazon)
• Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar (from Hachette Book Group Canada)
• Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (a super late RAK gift from Harpreet!)
• The Christian Zombie Killer's Handbook by Jeff Kindley (from Booksneeze)
• Signed & personalized Along the Ride by Sarah Dessen (from the pre-event Sarah Dessen signing in Toronto on the 22nd!)

Some lovely e-books on my Kindle for me:

• e-galley of Darker Still: Magic Most Foul #1 by Leanna Renee Hieber  (from Sourcebooks Fire via netGalley)
• e-galley of Touch by Jus Accordo (from Entangled Publishing, LLC via netGalley)
• Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe (from author for review)
• Happy Birthday to Me Again by Brian Rowe (from author for review)

I am so excited about all of these books! I really can't wait to get into all of them (well, I've already read Along for the Ride as it's my second copy), and Lola is finished already- loved it! Did you get anything really exciting in your mailbox this week? Please share your IMM posts so I can go check them out! :)

A special thank you to Penguin Canada, HarperCollins Canada, HBG Canada, Sourcebooks, Entangled, Brian Rowe, and Harpreet for these books!