Mundie Moms

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Book Review: Lola and The Boy Next Door



Published by: Dutton/Penguin Books
To Be Released on: September 29th, 2011
Source: ARC from publisher to review
5 stars- I Adore Stephanie's writing

In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.

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. -quoted from Stephanie's site

Stephanie won me over with her debut, Anna and the French Kiss and she did it again in her companion novel, Lola and the Boy Next Door. There's just something about Stephanie's writing that's magical. She makes true love real, believable and beautiful. She has this ability to transform her story into reality. Her characters feel like friends, her settings come to life and her stories leave me wanting more.

I love the way Stephanie makes me connect with her characters, and Lola and the Boy Next Door has an amazing cast of diverse characters that I fell in love with. Aside from Lola, and Cricket are of course my favorites Anna and St. Clair who play a larger role than I thought in Lola's story, and of course loved every minute of them! Lola also has two over protective fathers. I adored these two guys! They made me laugh, they made me sigh, and they made me respect and admire them for being so involved in their daughters life. Each character in Lola's life is written in a realistic, relatable way. They're flawed, imperfect, normal, every day people.

Lola herself is a character I laughed with, cried with and connected with the most. I like the way Stephanie created her character arc through out the course her story. Lola really grew into her own person. Her story is one about finding yourself, staying true to who you are, first love, heart break, falling in love and learning from your mistakes. There's a few things she does that made the mother side of me cringe, but the rebellious, teenage side of me totally related to. After all, growing up is all about choices and I understood why she made the choices she did. I admired her for taking responsibility for the out come of some of her actions. She's really a pretty grounded person, and I respected her for who she was. I love that she wasn't afraid to let her self shine in the way she dresses and the wigs she wears. I only wish I could pull that off the way Lola does.

The romance in this story is fabulous! Stephanie has a talent for ripping my heart, shredded it to pieces and than fixing it. She created such a fantastic relationship between Lola and Cricket and she contrasted with that of Lola's boyfriend Max. The two relationships couldn't be any more different and I really sympathized with the emotions Lola was going on through and how she felt. Cricket! What a fabulous nerdy, boy next door, charming, respectful character he is! I adored him! The chemistry between these two is so well done and so realistic. It's so well paced and drawn out beautifully through out the story.

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a story that is simple and complex. It's touching, and gut-retching. It's witty and moving. It's brilliant and beautifully written. It's amazing and exciting. It's a story that's layered with so many emotions and realistic, relatable experiences that older teens, and adults will connect with it on many different levels. This book is a complete package of awesomeness! I highly recommend picking it up. There are a few mentions of sex, and very mild language in the book.

Banned Books Week Day 5: CrANK by Ellen Hopkins


In celebration of Banned Books Week I took the time earlier this week to really look at the list of books that have been banned and compare it to the list of books I've read and see how many of those books I own. I was pleased that I've read a good number from the lists and have a good number on my shelves. There's one book that was listed at #4 on last years 2010 Banned Books List that I hadn't read yet, and I'd been meaning to, CRANK by Ellen Hopkins.

Published by: Simon Pulse
Released on: October 5th, 2004
Source: Bought

Let me start off by saying this is not a book for everyone. This is a raw, edgy, heartbreaking story that follows the life of a good girl who made some wrong choices and in the end not only did it take her down a dark, lonely path, but it also effected her family, and in the end her son. This is a POWERFUL read!

CRANK is a story about drug addiction. Not just any drugs, the hard stuff. The stuff that messes with you and ruins you. In her blunt, truthful story telling, Ellen Hopkins took me down the dark, twisted and messed up path of a girl who lost her way, lost herself, fought hard to win back and in the end lost again. The thing about CRANK, is that it could be written about any girl. She could be the girl next door, the girl who was in all your middle school and high school classes, the active girl, the shy girl.... any girl. She's faceless and familiar all at the same time. She could be any one.

Drug addiction doesn't hold back on who it's grabs a hold of. It's kids who come from strong families, it's kids from the wrong side of the track, it's kids from good christian homes, kids from non religious homes, kids who get good goods, and kids who could case less about school. I never did drugs, but after reading CRANK I can see how this book would connect with kids who have thought about doing them, who do them and who want to over come the urge to do them. I know why Ellen wrote this story, and I've personally listened to her read letters from kids who's lives were saved because Ellen wasn't afraid to write a story like this, one that depicts reality for some kids, and a possibility of reality for others.

I can see why some parents wouldn't want their kids reading this book, but to BAN this is appalling to me! Banning this book doesn't take away drug addictions in teens. It doesn't make teens want to stop having sex, both of which happen in this book. This book doesn't make me want to go out and start using CRANK. It doesn't make me want to go get high. If anything, this book is one that allows me as the reader to get an inside view of what hell is like for a good girl who made a bad choice and in the end that choice cost her. I'll be really honest, if someone close to me was in a similar situation, I'd hand them this book.

This book is a honest look inside the life of someone who lost themselves to CRANK and in the end tried to fight against the monster that over took her life. This book is blunt. There's drugs, sex and language in this book, and it's not one that's suitable for all readers.


Here's my BANNED BOOKS WEEK CHALLENGE- Pick up a BANNED BOOK that you've been wanting to read or one that's been sitting on your shelf this week. Read it and share your thoughts on it. Celebrate The Freedom to Read!

Waiting on Wednesday: Liesel & Po


To Be Released on: October 4th, 2011
Official Website: Liesel & Po

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places. -quoted from HarperCollins

I love that Lauren Oliver has written a middle grade book! This story is such a fabulous MG read, and it's one I really think that fans of both Lauren's and MG books will love. I can't wait to pick up the published copy which will be out next week! I'll be posting my review for it tomorrow on Mundie Kids.

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