Book Recap: Lola & the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Cover Inspection:
Like the story, the cover is so cute!

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

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.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	2.5
Writing	3.0
Characters	2.5
Ending	2.5
Overall Rating	2.5 Good! (85% to 88%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:

The story is set in modern day San Francisco.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

The main character is Lola. She's seventeen and lives with her two fathers. She's quirky and carefree. She has a twenty-two year old boyfriend, whom her parents do not approve of. Then there's Cricket Graham Bell, Lola's next door neighbor. Cricket is freshman at Berkley. He's a handsome, hyper active genius!

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:

This book is about Lola's struggle to fight her re-emerging feelings for her next door neighbor.

LOVE:

I love that this book embraced homosexuality. Lola has two fathers. Both are homosexuals, and both are love Lola unconditionally. They are fiercely protective of Lola, but they're also very understanding and open-minded when it comes to Lola's fashion sense.

I also liked that Anna and St. Clair were also present in this book! Anna is Lola's co-worker, and St. Clair lives in the same dorm as Cricket. The story didn't really focus on them as they're merely secondary characters, but we get a glimpse of how they are still very much in love and hot for each other!

Most of the time, I loved Lola's character. I love her because she isn't afraid to be different. She isn't afraid to show her true self. She's confident and has her own style. Of course, I also love Cricket. There is an amazing couply chemistry between Lola and Cricket. They are so connected to each other that there is no need for passionate kisses for the reader to feel their connection. A simple look would suffice.

NO LOVE:

Although I admire Lola's individuality, I didn't like the fact that Lola lied too much - from the beginning to the end of the story. Aside from the fact that it doesn't send a positive message, Lola could have prevented most of her problems by telling the truth. (But then again, there wouldn't be a story if Lola's life were that simple.) The lies piled up so high that by the end of the book everything tumbles down hitting Lola in the head. What's worse is that, the more Lola lies, the more she hurts that sweet boy Cricket. And Cricket deserves better treatment than that!

Another thing I disliked is that this book talks about clothes and fashion way too much. I love that Lola makes her own clothes and all, but the DETAILS as to how she makes them is just too much information. I don't need to know tracing patterns, refitting, etc.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:

CRICKET! How can you not fall in love with a sweet, sweet guy like him??? He is sweet and geeky and nerdy and handsome and gentle and charming and honest and so on and so forth. It's so hard not to fall in love with a good boy. Cricket is perfect.

FAVORITE LINE:

Hmmm... although the story was entertaining, no particular line struck me.

MUSINGS:

I have to be honest, this book is the epitome of a predictable story. From page one, I knew how the book would end. But it cannot be denied that I enjoyed this book. It's very light and romantic. There's really not much to say about it. While I enjoyed reading it, I still think that Anna and the French Kiss is better for two reasons. First, Anna is set is Paris. And second, I don't remember Anna lying to everyone about everything. All in all, Lola is a cute read. It's the kind of read that makes you feel good and happy after turning the last page.

DOODLES:

no trailer found

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:

Stephanie Perkins

SIMILAR READS:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

CONTENT REVIEW:

profanity: mild

violence: mild

sexual content: mild
mature themes: moderate
age recommendation: 13+