I’ll Give You The Sun

By Jandy Nelson

4.5/5

This book. Wow. I finished this book about 20 minutes ago and I am still speechless. I can’t stop thinking about it and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop for a very long time.

I was a bit unsure of this book when I first began reading and for a good 100 pages I wasn’t sure if I was going to like which is the reason I gave it 4.5/5. There’s lots of imagery and flowery language and if you’ve read some of my other reviews you will know this isn’t really my thing. However, when the story got going I could not put this book down. This story is breath-taking and relatable and so incredibly wonderful. Jude and Noah are so gorgeous and though I hated them both at different times, I still love them both wholeheartedly. I really liked how Noah’s chapters are from his younger perspective and Jude’s from their present age because it really enables you to see how they have grown and developed. Their relationship is so heart-breaking but is what makes the book so special. Noah and Jude will forever be in my heart.

The romance in this book is incredible. Noah and Brian made me laugh and cry and I felt every emotion they went through. Jude and Oscar are so perfect and their relationship is so special. I adore all of the characters in this book and it was wonderful to see how they all intertwine.

I could go on about this book forever but I don’t want to spoil its magic. You really must go and pick up this book – it’s one of a kind and a story that will stay with me for a very long time.

On The Other Side

By Carrie Hope Fletcher

2.5/5

I really struggled to get my thoughts together after I’d finished this book. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, I thought the story was utterly bizarre in places but I also did have a good cry at certain parts and usually when a book makes me cry, it instantly becomes one of my favourites. This wasn’t the case with On The Other Side.

If you have read any of my reviews before, you will know that I am not a fan of a third person narrative; I don’t think you can truly connect with the characters. This was the case with On The Other Side; I feel like we learnt very little about the protagonist Evie or any of the other characters. This book was nothing like I was expecting and not in a good way.

I did cry at certain parts of this book but honestly that could have been down to me just feeling emotional on the day I read it. The key thing I really didn’t like about this book was the bits of ‘magic.’ I think if this book was just a story about an old lady who had died who was going back to the real world through dreams to get closure with her family I would have enjoyed it a lot more. But there was scenes of ‘magic’ in this book that I really didn’t understand their relevance. For example, the bird who let Evie and Vincent write on his wings who wanted their love to last forever, I thought was totally bizarre but I persevered with the book and found myself enjoying it a little more. This was until near the end of the book when Evie takes out her heart and plants it in the ground because she doesn’t want to give her heart away to anyone other than Vincent and her heart grows into a tree and oh my goodness, this was the final straw for me and I only carried on reading the book just so I could say I finished it.

I will definitely not be reading this book again and I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. However I do understand that some people will love this book and I can see how they would but unfortunately, it just really wasn’t for me.

Isla and the Happily Ever After

By Stephanie Perkins

5/5

We first met Isla in Anna and the French Kiss when Anna realised that Isla had feelings for Josh. Flash forward a few months and Isla is home for the summer in New York when she bumps into Josh at a coffee shop. Isla has been in love with Josh since they were both Freshmen but they do not see each other again until school starts. They both attend School of America, Paris, where Etienne and St Clair attended, and Josh is St Clair’s best friend from Anna and the French Kiss.

I loved this book. I adored Josh’s character in Anna and the French Kiss and it was so lovely to see him again in the book and get to know him a bit better. As much I adore St Clair, I think Josh may be my favourite boy from the series. He’s so unsure of himself but you can see that he has a heart of gold and would do anything for his friends. I think him and Isla are perfectly suited and I really liked how they challenged each other and made each other question themselves and their choices. Of course, the characters from the previous two book appeared and it was lovely to see them all interact and come together. Also, a certain scene near the end of the novel made me smile so hard that my cheeks hurt. This book also took us somewhere a bit different, Barcelona, and I loved seeing a city so well loved by many, through Isla and Josh's eyes. I have loved travelling the world with these three books.

What I really liked about these books was that the characters weren’t perfect. Although every girl at school has a crush on St Clair in the first book, he isn’t your typical contemporary love interest who is perfect in every way. St Clair is described as having crooked teeth and is only 5’4, Josh is described as having a few less than perfect physical features, and Cricket is lanky and awkward. I think this is what makes the books more personal and enjoyable; you know the characters aren’t perfect but you love them anyway.

I would recommend this book and the rest of the trilogy to anyone; absolutely stunning!

Anna and the French Kiss

By Stephanie Perkins

5/5

I have seen this book floating around Bookstagram for quite some time now and as I came to the end of my Summer TBR pile, I thought it was time to give this and its companion two novels a go. And I am so glad that I did. The story follows Anna who has been sent to School of America, Paris, by her father and it is where she befriends a close knit group of friends, and mostly importantly, the darling Etienne St Clair.

I am completely obsessed with this book and I devoured it in about 3 hours because I just could not put it down. From start to finish I was hooked and this book now has a very special place in my heart and is without a doubt one of my favourite books. This book is the perfect contemporary with its Parisian setting, incredibly cliché love story and gorgeous love interest. The characters are fantastic and I loved every single one; Josh and St Clair’s friendship was hilarious, Anna and St Clair’s friendship was endearing and as their friendship blossomed into more, I found myself getting butterflies and smiling as I read because it was just so beautiful. The writing was simple and honest and really brought Anna and St Clair’s relationship to life.  The cover of this book is also stunning and was originally what drew me to the book in the first place.

I honestly have no complaints about this book. I thought it was absolutely breath-taking and despite only finishing it a few days ago, I cannot wait to read it again!