Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This topic is open for discussion of Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins


Book Synopsis:
Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

Reserved

I am so excited to read this!

Me, too!

IT'S TIME

Teresa, is there a certain way you want to break this book up? Like a certain amount of chapters every day? Or do you just want to read it and then just talk about how we feel about it?

(I'm sorry, this is just my first buddy read so I'm not exactly sure how to do it)

Hi, Beth! I won't be starting this today. I just got off a long, frustrating shift at work and I just want to curl up in bed with some Netflix and my cat. I'm going to resist eating chocolate in bed, lol. I will start it tomorrow. I did get this from the library yesterday, tho!

I think it's going to be a pretty fast read so maybe we should read at our own pace and come talk about what's going on, how we feel about the book as we read/when we have a chance, etc. If you have questions about the book, go ahead and ask and I'll answer, and I'll do the same! We'll keep spoilery things in the spoiler tags. Sound good?

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Hi, Beth! I won't be starting this today. I just got off a long, frustrating shift at work and I just want to curl up in bed with some Netflix and my cat. I'm going to resist eating chocolate in be..."

Sounds good to me! Where do you work? I just got off work at 11:30 too

Everything is chapter 6 and below!!

(view spoiler)[I love Kurt already. Stephanie Perkins makes sure that we know he's a real person with feelings and he's not ONLY his autism. A lot of authors can't do that and I really like that about her.

ALSO FREAKING OUT BECAUSE JOSH JUST ASKED HER OUT. eeeek

I'm really nervous because what is Josh doesn't like Kurt? I want them to be friends.

But unfortunately I'm not feeling all the butterflies and lovely feelings I had with Anna and Etienne and Isla isn't clicking with me as much as I clicked with Lola. We'll see if that changes. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 11

(view spoiler)[FANGIRLING. THEIR FIRST DATE WAS SO CUTE OMG !! okay I think I can breathe now. I can definitely see why people love Isla and Josh together.

I am really scared that Kurt is going to be slowly pushed out of the book like Meredith was in Anna. I always tend to like her secondary characters and then she just gets rid of them when the romance starts and I hate that part (hide spoiler)]

I work at Kohl's. I am a department supervisor so I have to put out a lot of freight but I also cover the fitting rooms for Misses, Jrs and Mens, and it's pretty high volume so I'm always busy. Where do you work?

I haven't started the book yet! I think I will tonight when i get into bed and then I'll read your thoughts. You are flying through, it seems! Resisting those spoiler links...must resist, lol.

I work at an assisted living facility! I work 3-11:30 pm three or four days a week. It's a fun job but can be stressful and difficult to get through the days sometimes, but I like it a lot!

Everything is from chapter 21 and below (view spoiler)[holy. shit. I kinda figured that he would get kicked out because ~foreshadowing~ but I was still really upset about it. I know the book is set in Paris/New York (and Spain???) but I do wish Etienne and Anna would make an appearance somewhere.

Their trip to Spain, though... wow.

I just can't stop reading this book. Stephanie Perkins has that affect on me I guess. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 28 (view spoiler)[Nope. No. Ugly crying. GET BACK TOGETHER. I have been crying for 15 minutes because I need them to be together (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 30 (view spoiler)[ HE'S THERE. HE'S THERE FOR HER. HE SURPRISED HER AND HE'S THERE. I love them and I need them together. (hide spoiler)]

Teresa, who is your favourite character so far? Who is your favourite secondary character?

Okay, I started today and I've read 25 chapters! Let me read all of your spoilers and respond to those...

Beth (Ducky) wrote: "Everything is chapter 6 and below!!



Okay.... let me respond in spoilers! Almost forgot those, haha.
(view spoiler)[

Okay, I like Kurt and I love that there are just little hints of his autism at this point, that the author isn't making it a THING. I knew as soon as Isla mentioned his hands flapping inside his hoodie pockets that he had autism. My son has autism, though a very mild form and he doesn't do the hand flapping but I know about it from research, friends, etc. I like how matter-of-fact Kurt is. He reminds me of my son a lot, just a few years older/more mature.

I have a feeling Josh and Kurt will be friends, or at least friendly. Josh may have some issues with authority but he isn't a bad guy.

I am not connecting with Isla at all. In fact, I find her insecurities pretty irritating. And I used to be a very insecure person, especially as a teenager! I don't know if it's an age gap thing for me or what, but I just don't feel sympathetic toward her anxieties. We'll see how I feel as this progresses. (hide spoiler)]

Beth (Ducky) wrote: "Up to chapter 11



My thoughts below!

(view spoiler)[
I really liked their talk about their different religions and their current religious beliefs. It was something a little different than what I've read in most YA books.

Ah, so Kurt actually has Asperger's, which is not what my son has. Not that it matters, but I found that an interesting revelation. I kind of like that the author mentioned about the DSM changing the diagnosis from Asperger's to high-functioning autism. I liked Isla explaining what Kurt is like to Josh. She could have described my son a few times -- he is not rude but he sounds it when he is just being honest and literal. No filter, and I like that. I think the world needs to accommodate the autistics, rather than just expecting them to all change to fit society's ideals. Ha, I'm off-topic but that's how books seem to go when I read them with a buddy -- I start reflecting on how they might compare to my life in some way.

I was kind of annoyed that while Isla explained Kurt to Josh, she kept gushing over the fact that she was with Joooooshhhh! OMG SQUEE! She is just irritating me, lol. I really wanted to like this little romance but her obsession with Josh is driving me nuts. I feel bad because I am sure I was probably the same way once, in my younger days, haha.
(hide spoiler)]

I've finished this book so these are my final thoughts on the whole things

(view spoiler)[
I really did like the book. I would definitely read it again. I liked Josh and Isla's relationship. I think they both matured and characters and people throughout the book.

Kurt was so well written and I wish we could have a book about him going on these underground adventures and seeing the world from his eyes.

I am so glad that they brought back Anna, Etienne, Cricket, Lola, and even Calliope! So many questions that were unanswered were answered in this book.

OKAY BUT ETIENNE PROPOSING TO ANNA. Ugh so perfect.

I just really liked this book. I wasn't sure if I could connect with Isla and maybe her insecurities were annoying to me at times but I did see a lot of myself in her. (hide spoiler)]

What's your sons name? How old is he? A family friend has a son with autism and he's a handful but I wouldn't trade him for the world. He's very blunt, but sometimes we all need someone in our life that is just real 100% of the time.

(view spoiler)[Maybe I don't find Isla's obsession weird because I'm still in the lovely dovey stage of my relationship a year and a half later. I can't stop talking about it most of the time, but I realize it's annoying.

It upsets me that she does grow apart from Kurt because of Josh though. Obviously it's not Josh's fault. I just feel really bad. (hide spoiler)]

From chapters 12 through 21

(view spoiler)[
The trip to Spain was interesting but also again, irritating to me, lol. Still not feeling connected to Isla so I'm hardly even rooting for them. I just sort of don't care at this point but I will continue reading because I want to see how things end up and I like Stephanie Perkins' writing but this book just feels a bit off the mark for me. Too gushy, too rich-kids-whining for me. Oh boo hoo, poor babies can't hook up so they hop a train to Spain! If we all had such problems, ha ha.

I really don't like how Isla is treating Kurt lately, but I know I've been guilty of neglecting friends when I was obsessed with a boy. I don't like that she yelled at him about the door. And all she was concerned with was what Nate would think, not apologizing to her best friend immediately. (hide spoiler)]

More thoughts on the book:

(view spoiler)[I think this book can really teach someone a lesson of how badly things can go when you focus ALL of your time on a significant other. You can lose friends, family members may not trust you, and you could get in a lot of trouble if you do something stupid (like sneak off to Spain.)

Also I think it can teach you that just waiting for things to happen instead of trying to make them happen yourself may actually work better.

ALSO how friendship is just as important as a relationship. Without Kurt, Isla probably would never had approached Josh and she would have been a complete wreck after chapter 30-ish?

I feel like this book is as much a life lesson as it is a romance. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 22 through 28

(view spoiler)[

I don't like that Isla is revolving her future around Josh and their relationship. They haven't been together long. But I guess we're supposed to feel that it's oh-so-romantic. I'm just not that romantic anymore, I guess.

I do like that Josh's parents wanted to meet Isla and invited her to the holiday party at the Met.

In the museum 'secret room' - oh geez, more horny teenagers, LOL! These two...

Aaaaand Isla's jealousy rears its ugly head once more, as she mopes about all the society girls flirting with Josh. Oh good grief! This can't be the start of anything good, haha.

Oh boy... the scene in the limo, when Isla cannot stop her insecurities from taking over. I cringed! I face-palmed. I told her to stop talking. LOL. I think that's the most sympathetic I have felt toward her! I know what that is like, letting those feelings take over so you spout something that you know you should never say. "Stop talking", she even told herself! Trapped in a moving vehicle, unable to keep quiet. Poor thing!

And she goes on...and on...with critiques over his graphic novel! Oh my. It is almost too unbearable to read. I want to crawl out the window and I'm not even in that car, haha.

Ohhhh snap! Josh just asked if she isn't just saying those things because the book isn't all about her! I think he might be onto something but of course she won't admit it. Ahhh, jealousy...such an ugly creature.

And she dumped him. Poor Josh. Flabbergasted!

Even after she dumps on him over his book, even after she dumps him as a way of preventing him from doing it first, he still wants to work things out. I'm sure they will work out in the end. She seems surprised and upset that he stopped calling after she didn't bother to answer his messages or accept his gift in person... ahhh, love! LOL. (hide spoiler)]

Beth (Ducky) wrote: "Up to chapter 30"

(view spoiler)[
You're too funny! Of course they will get back together, never fear, haha. This is a YA romance, after all!

I'm glad Isla ran into Sanjita and had that talk with her about everything. I'm glad she is going to give her younger sister a break. I like that she showed her sister the hideout on the roof. And I'm glad Josh called her, and glad Isla put her sadness in check over the fact that it took him a week to call.

I love how Stephanie Perkins writes about Isla's emotional response to seeing Josh for the first time after their split.

Anna and St. Clair appear! I completely forgot that Calliope Bell was Cricket's sister! I was thinking that name sounded very familiar when Isla mentioned seeing her picture on billboards or buses or whatever. And hey, nice way to tie in the Lola characters -- the Olympics! Great timing on that. I thought it was amusing that the author mentioned St. Clair's height yet again!

Oh, a proposal! That was sweet. (hide spoiler)]

Beth (Ducky) wrote: "Teresa, who is your favourite character so far? Who is your favourite secondary character?"

I don't think I really have a favorite character. I guess Kurt would be a favorite secondary. Most of the others don't quite feel fleshed out or they just aren't around enough for me to get attached.

Between Josh and Isla, I guess I prefer Josh, though this is told from Isla's point-of-view and we are inside her head more than his. He seems sweet and really into her.

Chapters 31 to the End.

(view spoiler)[

Okay... Isla and Josh have parted for the night and Isla thinks this is the last time they will be together. Maybe I was wrong about the end of this one! We'll see... I'm reading as I write this.

Now I'm reading about the new manuscript that he wrote. Okay, maybe theY WILL get back together before this thing ends.

On the one hand, I don't like that he changed his book to be SO centered around Isla. I feel like her whining has made him change things. On the other hand, maybe he is madly in love with her and has had time to reflect on that.

Ha! I had a feeling he was going to be outside! I thought the same thing he said -- she forgot to call! haha.

Glad to see that Isla is starting to trust him and to care about herself more.

Hah, I love the scene with Kurt when he discovers that they are back together. He's sweet.

The ending was sweet and there is still a bit of a romantic inside me and I was happy for them, but I never really felt that connection with them that I had for Anna/St. Claire and Lola/Cricket. So, I'm glad they are together but at the same time, I wouldn't have cared if they'd stayed broken up. I wanted to love this book but it was just okay for me. (hide spoiler)]

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Beth (Ducky) wrote: "Teresa, who is your favourite character so far? Who is your favourite secondary character?"

I don't think I really have a favorite character. I guess Kurt would be a favorite ..."

I absolutely adore Kurt. I think the difference between this book and the rest of them is that there weren't many secondary characters. We had already met all the characters that showed up except for Josh's parents, Isla's family, and Nate. Nate didn't show up a ton and we don't learn enough about the parents to make an opinion about them.

Stephanie Perkins is definitely a great writer when it comes to relationships and making secondary characters feel like main characters, though.

My response to your final thoughts, etc!

(view spoiler)[

Loved Kurt going on those underground adventures and would love to read about that, though I'm not really sure how it would work as a stand-alone novel. Maybe she should write a novella about Kurt! Looking back on the book overall, I think he probably was my favorite, he just didn't have enough "screen time", although I guess it wasn't his story to be told. I felt like you did about Meredith, though -- they just sort of disappeared for awhile.

I know, I could see some of my younger self in Isla, too, but I guess those parts that I didn't like about her were the parts I didn't like about myself, therefore she drove me a little bonkers. Haha. But yeah, she did mature and become more trusting so that was good. Yay for growth! I like that about this series - the characters all matured and grew.

My son's name is Tristan and he will be 14 in February. Shhh, don't remind me! He is the sweetest non-teenager-y 13-year-old boy I've ever met.

Haha, I love that you are all gushy and feel that way about your relationship still! I think my mood toward Isla stems from the stuff I mentioned above, plus I'm just hormonal right now. Probably not the best time to read this book but hey, I'm glad I did and I'm glad we had a buddy discussion about it. I reflect on things that you've liked about the book and it sheds a different light on things for me. I love that about doing buddy reads! I always find something different to feel about a situation I maybe wasn't crazy about before. (hide spoiler)]

What you said about how the book can be a life lesson re: romance/friends, etc, I completely agree! That is actually one of the thoughts I had as I was reading but it slipped my mind when I came here to write.

Honestly, I think maybe I'm not the right target for this book and that's okay. If I were in high school and my 20s, I would have loved it. It's weird because I have felt a strong connection to other books that might have been similar - angsty teen romance with insecurities, but something about this one didn't quite reach me. I would still read another Stephanie Perkins. Her writing is skilled and her books are very quick to read. I can picture everything she writes about the sights her characters see, so clearly.

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "My response to your final thoughts, etc!



Loved Kurt going on those underground adventures and would love to read about that, though I'm not really sure how it would work as a stand-alone novel. ..."

(view spoiler)[
I think I feel differently about Isla because I still have some of those insecurities that she has. I KNOW that my boyfriend loves me but sometimes I talk myself into thinking he doesn't. I see myself in her and it's things that I'm working on so I think I cheered for her because if she can get past the insecurities then maybe so can I!

I didn't really mind the insta-love because they did have crushes on each other for a while before dating, unlike Anna and Etienne (their insta-love made me gag tbh). I liked my boyfriend for months before we started dating so I think we went pretty fast because we didn't start dating at "so I kinda like you a little bit but I'm still shy around you." Does that make sense? (hide spoiler)]

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "What you said about how the book can be a life lesson re: romance/friends, etc, I completely agree! That is actually one of the thoughts I had as I was reading but it slipped my mind when I came he..."

I fit the demographic pretty well. I'm 21 so I relate to it a lot easier. The worrying about college is still fresh in my mind and a lot of the things that happened to them are things that I can easily relate to, yknow other than being super rich and (view spoiler)[living in a place where I can just go to Barcelona over the weekend. (hide spoiler)] Boy do I wish I could though

(view spoiler)[

I completely understand your insecurities! Been there, believe me! It can be such a struggle to accept that people really do like you. I could go on and on about how much I identify with Isla's insecurites (and most likely yours) but that would take a long time, haha...

I'm really glad that you loved this book so much and that it resonated with you so strongly! (hide spoiler)]

Thanks for reading with me and sharing your thoughts! I hope we can find more books to do BR's of because you made it so fun!

Aw, thanks!! I enjoyed reading it and discussing with you, too!

I need to look over the books you are reading again and see if I want to read any or more accurately, see if I have time for them.

I started a 12+2 challenge at the beginning of October so I'm on a strict list of books that I'm reading until the end of the year. But any books after December are open for discussion! I will look through your to-read shelf and see if there are any I would want to read!

What is a 12+2 challenge again? I know I've seen it around somewhere in some group but I forget the details.

I looked at the books you posted in the buddy reads requests thread but I can't fit any of them in to my reading schedule at this time. We'll just have to keep one another updated on what we plan to read!

it's where you pick 14 books that you're definitely going to read. it's usually a year long event and you can read one a month and the two "alternates" whenever you want. But I started mine in October and am only reading those books until the end of the year or until the list is done