We are officially one week away from Isla and the Happily Ever After (!!!!!!!!!) and that means it’s time to read Lola and the Boy Next Door!
If you’re new to the readalong, here’s the deal: Judith, Jamie, Lindsey, Andi and I have put together a read/reread of the series in preparation for Isla’s release (and also because these books are cute as all hell and totally worth a read for whatever reason). It’s all pretty laid back, we don’t have specific daily goals or anything though we are trying to finish each book in a week. We’ve got a bunch of fun posts lined up (see the schedule below) and be sure to join in on twitter with #IslaIsComing for a bunch of awesome giveaways and general fangirling over the books.
For those of you that are reading Lola for the first time, here’s what you’re in for:
Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Books
Add it on Goodreads.Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. 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.
One of my absolute favorite things about Lola is her style. She’s an aspiring fashion designer and dresses accordingly. I’m not going to spoil anything but let me just say I wish I’d had the guts to dress like her when I was in high school.
Though I do occasionally deck myself out, I’m generally more of a skinny jeans and a funky tshirt kind of girl. The one exception to this rule is my shoes. I have what you might call a thing about shoes. I collect them almost as fast as I collect books and I love picking up unusual pairs even if I have no idea if I’ll ever actually wear them. In honor of Lola I did a small photoshoot and hereby present my most worthy shoes.
(Apologies for the overwhelming warmth of the photos, a photographer I am not)
I have a pretty epic sneakers/flats collection but these are some of my favorites (I’m a sucker for hot pink and polka dots). If you were at BEA and pay attention to shoes, you may recognize my trusty Chuck high-tops.
When I need to look respectable, I like to break out my embroidered and bedazzled pumps.
I don’t actually wear these too often because the combination super-heel and 1″ platform make me feel like I’m a million feet tall and a medium-strength wind will knock me over.
My pink Doc Martens are one of my favorite pairs of boots. They’re laser-etched with vines and butterflies and were only sold in the UK (I paid an embarrassing amount of money on ebay making them mine but regret nothing because look at them).
WOOKIE BOOTS! These are basically the most snuggly, comfortable boots I’ve ever had. They’re kind of like wearing stuffed animals on your feet (emphasized by the smiley face my fiance stuck on them). I can’t actually wear them outside anymore because the soles are falling off but I treasure them anyway.
I think these are the most Lola of all my Lola shoes. Not only are they genuine, glitter-encrusted ruby slippers, but I got them in San Fransisco while road-tripping across the country. We were only in the city for one day and I wandered into a costume shop where I found these glorious things. When I brought them up to the counter and announced my intention to purchase them, the guy looked at me like I was not all there and patiently explained this was a rental shop (as was clearly stated all over the outside of the store). 25 incredibly undignified minutes later (I was on my knees begging, offering the poor man all of my money, my future children, my kidney, you name it) (I wish I were exaggerating but this is 100% accurate), he finally relented and agreed to sell them to me because they were getting kind of beat up and he was probably going to have to retire them in a few rentals anyway. While I in no way advocate for throwing fits to get your way, I’m not sorry because HELLO I OWN RUBY SLIPPERS.
Remember how I said we’ve got a bunch of posts lined up? Well here are the blogs to keep an eye on:
Anna and the French Kiss
7/31 – Paper Riot (Anna Readalong Kick-Off)
8/01 – Novel Sounds
8/04 – The Book Addict’s Guide
8/05 – Alexa Loves Books
8/06 – A Bookish Sinister Kid
Lola and the Boy Next Door
8/07 – Cuddlebuggery (Lola Readalong Kick-Off) + GReads!
8/08 – Novel Thoughts
8/09 – Book Revels
8/12 – Rather Be Reading
8/13 – Finding Bliss in Books
Isla and the Happily Ever After
8/14 – The Perpetual Page-Turner (Isla Readalong Kick-Off)
8/15 – AndiABCs
8/18 – Writer of Wrongs
8/19 – Anna Reads
8/20 – Good Books and Good Wine
Sounds like a grand old time, right? Join us! Like I said, it’s all very low-key but if you want to make it official, sign up with the linky below and feel free to post, tweet or just stalk, the more, the merrier after all. Feel free to snag the banner and/or badge, but if you do it’d be nice if you gave me credit as I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into their creation (that was kind of a lie but you know what I mean).
If you’re signing up, tell us (in the comments, on twitter or wherever) is this your first time reading Lola and the Boy Next Door? If yes, what do you expect from the book? If no, what’s your favorite part? (Be nice, don’t spoil)
Jamie
OMG LOLA WOULD LOVE THOSE RUBY SHOES! And those slippers!!! Love, love, love that you showcased your most Lola-esque shoes!!
Meg Morley
Why thank you 😀 It was surprisingly hard to narrow it down to those pairs (seriously, I have too many shoes). The ruby slippers are probably one of my top ten favorite non-book things I own because OMGGGGGGG RUBY SLIPPERS.
Gillian
Those pink Doc Martens are LIFE, MEGASUS. THEY ARE LIFE. I love this whole post and your Lola-esque shoes and Lola would be so very proud. ESPECIALLY OF THAT RUBY SLIPPER STORY. OMK BEST STORY. YOU GET YOUR RUBY SLIPPERS, GIRLFRIEND. DON’T LET NOBODY STAND BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR RUBY SLIPPERS.
Meg Morley
Hahahahaha, I flat out told the guy ‘Look, I’m sorry to be a pain but I am not leaving until you sell me these shoes or have me forcibly removed so just save us all the hassle and tell me how much money I have to give you.’ I like to think it’s the most obnoxious I’ve ever been in my life but that’s probably inaccurate.
(OMG I LOVE MY DOCS SO MUCH. I’ve had them for many, many years. They were actually my first pair of unconventional shoes and started me down the path of obsession)
Meg Morley
Dammit, I just googled to see if you could still buy them anywhere and found the most amazing pair of vaguely pirate-ish, ribbon-laced Docs and I think I have to buy them and curse my self control.
Danielle
Everything about this post is amazing. I want your shoes. All of them. Especially the Doc Martens. And the ruby slippers. And the wookie boots, especially if the smiley face was attached.
I have a shoe problem.
Meg Morley
Hahahahaha. We should form a support group. I just realized that I own at least 6 pairs of lace up boots (three calf height/combat boots, two knee-high, heeled, one knee-high, flat)(and these are only my lace up boots) (as I was typing this I remembered another knee-high, wedge-heeled pair) I realized this because I was contemplating buying another pair of Dr Martens. So, yeah, shoe problem. I totally get that.
Danielle
I really want a pair of Doc Martens and a pair of Chucks. I have like 40 pairs of heels, but not enough comfy shoes. Support group indeed.
Amber
I’m so excited! I thought Lola wasn’t going to begin until tomorrow, but it starts today! Yay!
I read Anna for the first time Saturday-Monday (early morning). I liked it a lot.
Meg Morley
Eh, today, tomorrow, the important thing is WE’RE READING LOLA YAAAAAAAY!
More yay for reading Anna for the first time and liking it! This series is my go to ‘I need good feelings’ series. Even though I’ve read Anna and Lola multiple times, they still make me squee just as hard as the first time I’ve read them.
Amber @ YA Indulgences
Oh, well either way I haven’t read much anyway. 😉 I really need to work on that…
Anna was such a feel good book, I loved it for the first half, then kind of just liked it during the second half. However, there was a ton of squeeing in both parts of the book. 🙂
Pili
I started Lola and finished it already… I just couldn’t stop reading!!
Fantastic book and I love that Lola has such an unique style!
Meg Morley
These are definitely ‘oh hell, I can’t stop’ books for me too. Every time I read them I always end up staying up all night and not even caring in the morning. So worth it.
Holly U
I love shoes! I don’t like shopping that much, unless I’m shoe shopping. And I have way too many that I don’t even wear, yet I keep buying more. Oh my gosh, I love those Doc Martens! Also RUBY SLIPPERS. Those are glorious. I want them.
Love this post!
Lola in Real Life: My Adventures in San Francisco | Book Revels
[…] Ready for some more Anna/Lola/Isla posts? Here’s the schedule for the blog tour (copied from Cuddlebuggery): […]
Amber @ YA Indulgences
Ah, late posting again for this read-along. 🙁 I haven’t read too much of Lola yet, I fear it may go Anna’s direction, but I’m not sure. Either way, I’m excited to read it.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I love your brown boots you mostly don’t wear.
Also, that ruby slipper story is so Meg that I cannot even without hugging you at this moment.
Eve
How about some combat boots swapping?