Anna and the French Kiss: A Short Review

I've had this book on my to-be-read shelf for ages. My question to myself: WHY?? Why did you wait soooo long to read this book?? Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a super cute YA contemporary.

The main character Anna is sent to Paris to a boarding school. (Horrid, right? Psh.) Of course there is a cute boy, Etienne St. Clair, complete with English accent and a French name. What's not to love there? The only thing is he's in a long term relationship and Anna came to France with a long term crush on another guy. Much cuteness and borderline sexiness with a side of sadness ensues. 

The point: this book was fab! It has possibly shaken me out of reading slump. I read this book in about a day. And I'm super psyched I already have the companion novel, Lola and the Boy Next Door in my possession.

Photo from 2012

Authors: Beth Revis, Stephanie Perkins,

and Carrie Ryan

(Back Row: Hubby & Me)

Maureen Johnson and Stephanie Perkins

On Sunday, March 3, the mister and I attend attended a book signing at the Little Shop of Stories  featuring authors Maureen Johnson and Stephanie Perkins. First, I must say these ladies are hilarious and play very well off one another. I laughed my tail slap off. You would have thought we were at the comedy club not a bookstore! If these ladies are ever in a city near you, GO to that event! I really don't think you could be disappointed!

Also. Hubs and I bought (3) more books. Two of Maureen's and one of Stephanie's. (I am a book addict. Send help!) We left the bookstore to venture to Ikea in which we bought a new bookcase to house all these new books I've amassed. It was not fun to ride 1 hour and 44 minutes in a compact car and the LARGEST bookshelf Ikea sells. But we made it home and mostly intact. I'm sure there will be more to come in the bookshelf mini drama as we have yet to attempt to assemble said bookshelf.

Anyhow back to the main event...here are some photographs and some of my translated short hand notes.

Waiting....

First glance at the greats, Stephanie & Maureen!

Maureen on getting published:

"It's great, not like you think it would be. At some point someone will reject you, it's part of the process. You get an agent who pitches to an editor. Both are hard. A lot of people will say no. There is no failure in writing. If you think you are an awful writer, then you are doing it right. When you first start you are really bad and that's okay. Just keep trying!"

Stephanie added:

"Revise it, like a billion times. Show it to people. Revise it like a billion more times...

The first page is the most important...they have to like the first page to read the second page."

Maureen, Alli, & Clayton

Clayton, Alli, & Stephanie