Anna and the French Kiss (by Stephanie Perkins)

I've been so worried that my young adult novel inadvertently ripped off Spoiled, but it turns out it may have inadvertently ripped off Anna and the French Kiss instead! The fish-out-of-water, girl-at-a-new-school beginning has some similarities, and one of the sentences is like basically the same. But maybe that's a good sign, since French Kiss is so awesome. Maybe my book is awesome too!

(I've just decided to be wildly optimistic about my novel. Look for it in bookstores near you! Just as soon as I manage to get an agent and then a publisher.)

Anyway what my book does not have is an Etienne St. Clair, the dreamy love interest who is very dreamy. I think that sexual tension propels this book, and it works wonderfully. Also wonderful is Anna, a terrific character in her own right. Some of the secondary characters are a little underdeveloped (particularly Josh and Meredith, I thought) but still likeable. And the storyline is refreshingly contemporary and complex, while still being extremely teenage girl relatable.

People love Stephanie Perkins, and now I can see why. I will check out some of her other novels!