Book Review: Past Perfect

Title: Past Perfect

Author: Leila Sales
Published: October 2011

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

My Thoughts:
Don't judge this book from it's cover! (Not that it is anything wrong with the cover) I did, and this book was not what I expected! What did I expect? Well something funny and a little crazy I guess. What did I get? Something much better than that!

Chelsea had been hoping that she could escape her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village, the recreation park where she practically grew up, for a job in a place with air condition. But - against her hopes, she is forced to work there yet another summer. At least her best friend gets a job there as well...

The colonial village might look calm during the days, but at nights when the tourists and grown-ups are long gone, a war is going on between the teenagers working at the Colonial Village - and those working at the Civil War Reenactment-land across the street.

When Chelsea is kidnapped by some Civil War Reenactors the event is the beginning of an ugly war between the two villages where every dirty trick is allowed. But the kidnapping is also the beginning of a forbidden love story between Chelsea and the Civil War reenactor who kidnapped her...
This book had me laughing out loud, smile until my face burst and most of all - left me with a wish of working in a recreation park. All workers seemed to have a blast! Imagine dressing up in gowns which where high-fashion hundreds of years ago, to speak in an old-fashioned way and to say goodbye to all modern technology; cell phones, ovens, zippers - you name it! Sounds interesting and strangely fun, doesn't it?

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: December 2010

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

My Thoughts: This book has been on many bloggers top list of 2010, and that's a well deserved position. Anna and the French Kiss is a great contemporary novel, set in the romantic and historical settings of Paris, France. The book deals with the anxiety of starting a new life and meeting new people, in Anna's case moving to Paris to attend an international school. At first she's sad, insecure and she wants to go back home to her friend, family and the possible boyfriend she left behind. But with time she is getting more comfortable on her own, and she grows attached to the city. One small step at the time, she more secure, independent and suddenly she feels at home in Paris. A big reason for Anna's development and newfound independency is St. Claire, the loveable British-American guy in her school, as well as her other new friends.

Anna's story is soo realistic, and the settings well described. In the YA world where girls falls head over heels in love with a boy in a matter of a week (or a day), Anna and St. Claire's relationship offers a refreshing taste of reality. Their relationship is not based on good looks only, but on similar interests, trust, an equal understanding and a great friendship. There are conflicts and set-backs, insecurity, doubts, magical moments and every-day events – just like in real relationships.

Another thing I liked about this book was that it contained so much ”regular stuff” that other books leave out if it isn't crucial to the plot line - like eating breakfast, going to the movies, doing homework, and just talking – about anything and everything.

Though I thought the book was very good, in my mind it missed that little extra to make it truly fantastic. So I give Anna and the French Kiss a rating of 4.25 of 5