I was browsing twitter when I saw a fantastic tweet from Molli from Once Upon A Prologue about a Anna and the French Kiss read-a-long. I automatically joined because guess what? I’ve been wanting to re-read Anna and the French Kiss for three months already, but my TBR pile was preventing me from doing so.
So without further ado, on to the first challenge.
First Challenge: Post a picture of us with our copy of Anna and the French Kiss with a story on how we got our copy.
Now, onto the story.
It all started with goodreads.
I had just discovered goodreads and went crazy browsing the site, amazed that something like this could exist, adding every cool looking book onto my to-read shelf. Then I spotted “Lists With This Book” and clicked on a random list. And Anna and the French Kiss was on the list.
My first thought: LOLOLOL WHAT IS THIS WHY IS A BOOK TITLED THAT NO WAY I WOULD READ IT. (Of course, it turns out later I was wrong.) I clicked on the link, which bought me to its page and STARED at the high rating in disbelief.
Then I scrolled down and my jaw dropped at all the raving reviews.
Okay, I told myself. I will ignore the cover and borrow this from the library. I was also borrow Lola and the Boy Next Door since it’s written by the same author.
Not to mention I would read them at home. No way was I bringing a book titled that to school. My friends will never let me forget it.
I got my copy of Anna and the French Kiss from the library one week later, read it two weeks later, and ended up devouring the entire book in one day. Then I got my first book high ever, where I just floating around, not caring about anything around me, nope, not even when my dad yelled at me for banging the bowl on the counter too hard or when I stubbed my toe on the corner. Nope. Nothing could bother my book high.
All thanks to this guy named Étienne St. Clair.
After absolutely loving Anna and the French Kiss, I knew I had to get my own copy asap especially since I can’t keep my borrowed copy forever. So off to my nearest Barnes & Noble I went.
That’s when I ran into a problem.
Online lied, they didn’t have a copy of Anna and the French Kiss in stock.
And the only person on the register was a guy. In his twenties. So he’ll know what french kissing was.
Imagine how awkward it’ll be to go up to him and ask him if I could order a copy of a book titled Anna and the French Kiss for pickup at the store. And wait until he sees the cover.
But alas, I did it. At first, he sputtered, “Anna and the what?!” which I embarrassingly replied, “Anna and the French Kiss,” feeling all eyes on me, even though there was nobody behind me.
Then the guy turned his computer screen around, showing me the book, like he couldn’t believe he got it right the first time. “This book? Are you sure?”
I almost said “no, bye bye,” and ran out of there, until I remembered Étienne St. Clair. And how I needed him in my life. “Yes.”
My face was so red when I walked out of the store, but I got my book a week later. Yay! (It was also so dumb of me because why didn’t I order Lola and the Boy Next Door at the same time? I had to go through all that again two weeks later.)
And yep, that’s my story.
If only I can get my sister to read it.
I loved reading how you came across this book! :) I was critical of it at first too but then there were all these reviews and eventually I won it in a giveaway (first win ever!)… it got me back into contemporaries!
I never actually thought about having to order it at a store, as in talking to people o.O Kudos for doing that, especially if it’s a guy sitting at the desk!!
I really need to get Lola soon…
Carmen B. recently posted…Book Blitz & Giveaway: Timespell, by Diana Paz
Yeah, all the reviews won me over. If I haven’t read the reviews, I would have stayed far, far away from Anna and the French Kiss.
And read Lola asap Carmen, it’s pretty good too! :D
Kelly recently posted…Anna Read-A-Long: Challenge Post #1
OH MY HAHAHAHAHA THIS IS THE BEST. That was really funny and I get your apprehension on bringing it in school. I once brought Carnival of Souls because I was cramming it for a book tour and a very manly friend of mine sampled it and woah, it was my luck that he got to the “steamy/sexy/confession” part or something and I went all red. I was judged by a Game-of-Thrones-reading person. Haha! I admit I haven’t read Anna and the French Kiss since I don’t have a copy yet but it’s been on my to-read for so long! And I didn’t love Lola and the Boy Next Door as much as the other YA reader and so I’m kinda on the fence with Anna though they said it’s so much better than Lola. I don’t know haha! Thanks Kelly for sharing this story!
Dianne recently posted…Review + Giveaway: My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling
I remember I was once reading a book with a REALLY preppy cover and everyone was like OH KELLY, WHY ARE YOU READING THAT PREPPY BOOK? and KELLY, THAT BOOK LOOKS BADDDD, even though that book was FAR from preppy.
And oh my goodness Dianne, if I was you, I’ll probably hide from him FOREVER. Or I’ll be like hey, at least I didn’t pick the most revealing scene at the first try.
And I’m glad you enjoyed my suffering Dianne! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Anna Read-A-Long: Challenge Post #1
OMG WHAT. WHAT IS THIS. I’ve been so curious about this book – I haven’t read ANY of hers before and all I hear are how super awesome fantastic they are! I had no idea there was a read along!!
Leah @ The Pretty Good Gatsby recently posted…stacking the shelves 4/6
Maybe it’s not too late to join Leah!
If it is, you should still definitely check out Anna and the French Kiss, it is THAT good! :D
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [27]
Hahaha, you are a lot braver then me. I would just leave and come back next week and hope he wouldn’t be there. Or if I knew that was the only time I could go there for a while I would most likely suck it up, like you did and ask him. Although I would have to do a serous pep talk to myself to work up courage.
If it wasn’t for all the reviews on the book saying that it is a lot deeper then the name and cover suggests then it would have never been on my TBR pail, you know, since I haven’t read it yet.
I hate it was the internet lies about having a book in stock. It does it so often.
Kimberly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves (35)
The worse thing was that he was cute! And looked at me like he was amused I would even want a book like that LOL. :P
You should definitely read Anna and the French Kiss.
I know! They should fix the internet in stock numbers. D:< Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [27]
Love your story, Kelly! I was lucky – my local bookstore had it in stock. I think I’m the ONLY person on Earth who loves the original ANNA cover. *laughs* I actually don’t care for the re-designs, because I love that on the original covers, we get visuals – GOOD ones – of the characters. But I can absolutely see how having to talk to a guy to order this particular book would be so embarrassing. I’m really glad you got a copy though! :)
Thanks so so much for participating!
I actually like the old covers better than the redesigned ones since for the old ones, we actually SEE the characters like you said.
And no problem Molli, thanks for making the read-a-long! (:
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: The Best Man – Kristan Higgins
YOU LOOK SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL IN THIS PIC <3 I read AATFK twice and I'm still totally in love with it *-* Lola kind of disappointed me, though :/
until I remembered Étienne St. Clair. And how I needed him in my life I KNOW, We need one Étienne like yesterday,
Hannah; recently posted…OFF-Topic: ¡Me voy a París!
LOL, your comment is creeptastic. :P -slowly backs away-
Anyways, yeah, Lola wasn’t as amazing as Anna, but hopefully Isla will beat them all!
And we all need St. Clairs in our life! If only cloning works 100% successfully these days… ;D
Kelly recently posted…Series Overview: The Unraveling Duology – Elizabeth Norris
I read Anna and the French Kiss on the way home from France. It made me want to turn that plane around and go back!
You got a chance to go to France?! You’re so lucky! :D<3
One day, I'll love to go to France with my copy of Anna and the French Kiss and go to all the places Stephanie Perkins wrote about. <3
Kelly recently posted…Spooktacular Giveaway Hop