Description (from 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.
My thoughts:
Once in a while you find a book that puts you in awe - the story works, the characters are interesting and likable and the story is well-written. That happened earlier this year with Stephanie Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss. I never expected that it would happen again so soon with a book by the same author. But yes, it happened, and I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door. Stephanie Perkins has made me fall in love with two awesome guys - first Etienne, now Cricket.
Lola seems like the coolest girl in the world and I would kill to have a friend like her - she wears wild outfits, she has two dads and she works in a cinema. She is not afraid to be herself- and it seems that she is addicted to pretty good TV shows as well. She is going out with Max, who is a musician and older than she is. Everything changes when Cricket, a neighbor she has a a crush on, moves back. Before Cricket left, there was something between them, but now that Lola is with Max she cannot believe that she still has some type of feelings for Cricket.
Cricket seems like such an adorable guy! His great-great grandfather or something like that was the guy who invented the telephone... or at least that is something a lot of people believe in even though Cricket has a bit different kind of opinion about this. Cricket himself is also into inventions, but he has always lived in his twin sister's shadow so he does not really trust in his talents. But when he is with Lola he can be himself - Lola recognizes his talent and encourages him to bring it out.
I was so happy when I noticed that Anna and Etienne also have a small role in this book - they are now in San Francisco and Anna (and eventually also Etienne) work in the same cinema with Lola. The book is not about them and their relationship, but it was nice to read a bit more about them since they became such dear characters to me while reading Anna and the French Kiss.
Stephanie Perkins truly is a talented young adult writer - she is able to engage her readers by creating likable characters you can identify with. Her characters are unique and special, but they have their flaws, which makes them more realistic. I have truly enjoyed these two novels I have read by Stephanie Perkins and I cannot wait to read more from her.
And btw, these books would make perfect films! Who would you cast as Cricket? Who as Etienne?
