26 Kisses by Anna Michels

Goodreads Summary

*NO SPOILERS*

This book is the perfect summer read! It is a light and fluffy romance read that is sure to hook you, I couldn’t put it down! This book was fun and kept a smile on my face. I loved the concept of the book and it was interesting to see where the author took the story. There was so many things she could have done with the plot and I’m glad she wrote it the way she did. I didn’t find myself thinking that I wanted to change anything while I read this book. Although the whole book wasn’t strictly upbeat and romantic the author wrote it to where you got just enough of the bad within the good. For example, pointing out certain problems teens face in society, such as ridicule from peers and the pressures of everyday life. In addition to the love our main character shares with guys, there is also a strong bond and love between friends. Even though this book is about romantic relationships the author also makes it clear that sometimes all the love you need comes from a friend. The best way to deal with a breakup probably isn’t to go around kissing 26 random guys, but it sure does make for an interesting read. The plot to this book is semi-original, although this book made me think of Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone. Both books have strong friendships and crazy adventures to break open the main character’s shell and challenges that get them out of their comfort zone. I will also say that this book wasn’t very predictable, I kept running into plot twists that left me pleasantly surprised. My connection to this book was half and half. On one side, I know what it’s like to be a teen in high school that is in a relationship which feels like you will be together forever. On the other hand, I also know what it is like to be single wanting to find someone to be with. Even though I have never gone on a kissing spree, I felt that Veda was a very relatable character in what she was going through. This book brought out lots of good emotions in me and left me feeling happy and content. I’m also giving bonus points for the cover. It is super colorful and creative with all the lip prints with the letters behind them.

*SPOILER ALERT*

When I first started this book, and read about Killian, I figured she would stop at letter K to be with him. I was surprised to find out she wanted to continue with this crazy plan, but I understand why she felt the need to finish it. I really saw how this challenge became her crutch in a difficult time and how it helped Veda overcome something under the guise of having fun. I also liked that Killian decided to help her with completing it and (eventually) understood her reasons for not quitting. Although I don’t think he approached the situation correctly in the first place, I’m glad he came back and remedied his mistakes. I also really loved the bond between Mel and Veda, I could see parts of my best friend and myself in these two characters. I'm glad Veda had someone to help her and encourage her to do something to get her mind off of Mark. Seth's character fell flat for me and I don't think he was necessary to the story, other than to contribute that little bit of drama at the end between Mel and Veda. I cringed when I read the part about Mark kissing her, because he broke up with her!! Who would do that? If he wanted her then he shouldn't have broke up with her and played with her feelings like that. I also liked how her parents were divorced but still managed to stay acquaintances. I didn’t like her father at all, the way he was described made him seem like a shady character to me. And the way he revealed to his children that he was moving across the country really made me dislike him even more. The fact that Veda has had to deal with all of this, and could still find the time to enjoy her summer and not worry about the future too much, really shows the strength in her character.