Today, I'm going to do be doing a book review on the third book in Stephanie Perkins romance series, Isla and the Happily Ever After. I hope you enjoy this book review. Anyway, shall we get started with the review?Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: Young adult, contemporary romance
Pages: 339 pages (hardcover)
Publishing Details: August 14th 2014, Dutton
Favourite Quote: "The best part." He pulls me back into his arms. "The happily ever after."
Blurb: Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5
I picked up Stephanie Perkins most recent book for £6.99, and read it within days of buying, because I just couldn't seem to put it down.
Stephanie Perkins is definitely one of my favourite young adult romance authors, and her books are the ones I go to for a feel-good, uplifting read with a happy ending. (I started this after reading We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, and it was definitely a good choice.) And this book certainly didn't let me down.
However, this isn't my favourite of her books, and is last behind Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door. And, that was all down to the characters within the story.
I was expecting a quirky, likable character like Stephanie Perkins usually gives us but instead I got Isla Martin, who I started to hate half way through the book, She assumed things before she even knew what was going on, she was unfair on Kurt and Hattie when they'd done next-to-nothing wrong. She was whiny, irrational, and didn't explain her feelings properly. Generally unlikable.
In the end I came to find her somewhat okay again, but I could still feel the lingering distaste towards her. And, truthfully, I don't even know enough about her to care.
Another thing that ruined the story for me was how fast paced it was. Don't get me wrong, I loved the beginning, Isla sat in the cafe, and the romance practically starting from the word go, but something just doesn't ring right about it. I mean, would she really be up to going outside after being drugged up, and having her wisdom teeth pulled out. Something tells me she wouldn't.
Back to the pace of the story though. I found the actual romance unrealistic. The truth of love; you don't fall deeply in love in a month.
But, the book was redeemed slightly by the adorable ending. Josh and Isla, sat where it all began in Kismet...a beautiful way to end a story, if not a little cheesy. (I mean, naming the cafe after fate? Really Stephanie?)
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light, relatively happy romance with an uplifting ending. Although it does have weak characters, I still enjoyed the general idea of the story, and had butterflies during some chapters. Overall, not the best book, but not the worst.
I hope you enjoyed this little book review. Be sure to follow us on Google+ if you enjoy what we post, and keep checking back to this blog for more amazingly nerdy content. Hopefully, an IT Crowd Series 1 review will be up tonight, and a Pointless Book flip through will be up tomorrow. I also plan on posting a Doctor Who episode review, and Doctor Who inspired baking recipe on Saturday (and no Whovian wants to miss that.) Also, comment below on any other ideas or suggestions on what we should post, or tweet us with them on our new twitter account: http://www.twitter.com/nerdsxunleashed/ (there is no shame when it comes to stalking.)
Allons y Nerdlings, and remember...
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