***The Starry-Eyed Revue***: Dutton

Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Series: n/a
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: April 14th, 2011
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

I dare say, this may be my favorite Rainbow Rowell books thus far. I read Fan Girl a couple years ago, and I liked it, but the Carry On story within the story didn't do much for me. So I didn't love it, and clearly I will not be buying Carry On that just came out a bit ago. Then I bought Landline, the audio version. I really liked that too, but the whole paranormal magic phone crap annoyed me. The story and the message was great, but the other garbage killed it for me.

Attachments had no weird shit!!! It was a normal contemporary novel and I loved it. Lincoln is so lovable. I mean, I just adored him. Every little nerdy bit. I love nerdy guys, its true. While my husband isn't quite as nerdy as Lincoln, I could see some similar qualities in him, which helped me fall for his character even more.

Lincoln works for a news paper company. He's the go to internet security guy. So he gets to read everyone's flagged email. My favorite part of this book were the emails between Beth and Jennifer. Omg, they are laugh out loud funny at times. I can just imagine poor Lincolns face reading them. They were also serious too, there were a few that nearly choked me up. But I suppose that's how Lincoln felt too. He continues to read these emails. Even though he probably shouldn't, but he's grown attached to these women's lives. Especially Beth.

That's where this story becomes even cuter. Because he basically falls for this girl without ever seeing her. But it's not all mushy sweetness either. It's complicated, because how do you ask a girl out whom you've been reading her private emails for months. That's just fucking weird and stalkerish.

Oh but it all comes together and it's wonderful. Big fan of this one. It left my heart all warm and snuggly. <3

About the author:

Rainbow Rowell writes books. Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS and LANDLINE). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK and FANGIRL). But she always writes about people who talk a lot. And people who feel like they're screwing up. And people who fall in love.

When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguing about things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things.

She lives in Nebraska with her husband and two sons.

Find Rainbow Rowell:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Labels: adult contemporary, attachments, Dutton, rainbow rowell, reviews

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna and the French Kiss, book #3
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: August 14, 2014
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

It felt like we all waited ages for this book. The release date got pushed a couple times I thought. You would think I'd have read it right away.... but nope.. I didn't read it until almost a full year from release. I do that lot. I crave a book, buy it when it comes out, and then it sits forever. I still have Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey on my kindle. For shame! I loved the Fifth Wave and needed that book like immediately. Pathetic I tell ya.

I considered doing Audio with Isla, but changed my mind because some the the reviews on Audible didn't speak too highly of the narrator, so I went with the kindle version.

I liked it. I would almost say I loved it, but not as much as I had hoped I would. I adored Isla's character back when I read Anna and the French Kiss. We didn't see much of her back then, but I was intrigued and very excited when I saw she would be writing a book involving her.

It didn't hold the magic Anna held though. You see, Anna and the French Kiss was the first YA Contemporary I ever read. So it's like my first love. Nothing else compares. My favorite part about Isla was the cameo's all the previous characters made towards the end.

Now I'm not saying Isla and the Happily Ever After is a bad book. It's really quite good, but it's my least favorite so far of Perkins. While there were some really sweet swoony things, I didn't find Isla's relationship with Josh very realistic. Or even healthy at times. She was kind of obsessed with him to the point of creepy. I was cheering for her though. I had a huge crush for my last two years in highschool, and we finally hooked up once after graduation. It was awesome and disappointing all at the same time. lol. But mostly awesome because I always wondered. But anyway, I kinda knew how she was feeling when he finally saw her. ya know?

Overall, it was cute. Even if Isla was annoying sometimes. I will still read anything Perkins writes, because she popped my literary contemp cherry. :)

About the author:

Hi, there! I'm Steph, and I wrote ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR, and ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. I also edited (and contributed a short story to) a romantic holiday anthology called MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME. My next YA novel will be horror—a teen slasher published by Dutton.

Find Stephanie:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Goodreads