Anna and the French Kiss

I just finished Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins last night after my friend Erika recommended it to me.  Well technically I finished it this morning, in the wee hours to be more precise.  I've been a bit sick and for some reason despite the fact that I am completely exhausted, I'm not sleeping very well.  So when I went to bed last night I thought I'd read for a while until I get sleepy.  You know how that usually works- just read a book while you're all snuggled  and cozy in bed and before too long you can hardly keep your eyes open.  Well in this case it did not work.  I started this book at about 11:30 pm and read and read and read.  And at about 2:45 am I looked at the clock, realized that I only had about a chapter left and still wasn't tired, so I just finished it.  Clearly I enjoyed the book since I read it straight through.  It was pretty fun.

It's the story of Anna, who is sent off to Paris by her author father for her Senior year of high school.  And how she goes from hating being there and missing her home, family, friends and crush back in the States to making new friends, falling in love with Paris and all it has to offer, and developing a new crush along the way.  Again a typical chick-lit-young-adult book.  But you know I like those.  In fact I liked it so much that I have already requested Perkins' next book Lola and the Boy Next Door.  Which apparently has Anna and her boyfriend in it as well as side characters - very excellent.  Can't wait to get it.

Heart of the Matter

So I've read all (I think) of Emily Giffin's books, so I picked up Heart of the Matter the other day at the library while I was waiting for my requests to come in.  And I guess it had been a while since I read Giffin's other books, because I remember liking them.  I had vague memories of disliking a lot of her main characters - but I thought I always enjoyed the books themselves.  That being said I'm pretty sure I read all her other books when I was young(er) and single.  And now I am older and married and more judgmental I guess - cause let me tell you I was not impressed.  In fact about half way through the second chapter I told Mark the entire plot and the ending, and I was right.  That is not good if I can predict your entire story, including specific details at the very beginning.  I'm just saying.

I guess in the years since I read her other books, I forgot that they are all about cheating and affairs, etc.  So it will come as no surprise that this one it too.  And I am just frustrated with the idea that people have that all men will cheat.  The notion that if they haven't yet, they will, it is inevitable really ticks me off.  It is not true.  I won't believe it.  I do believe there are cheater - both male and female, but I do not believe it is an inevitability.  It is a choice - a bad one - made by one person that inflicts harm upon many.  And that's my soapbox for you.  Anyway I didn't actually hate this book, I did finish it after all.  Although I did put it down at least three times declaring I was done with it, only to pick it up again.  And I must admit that the main reason I always picked it up again was because I wanted to know if I was right.  And as I mentioned previously - I was.