“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” —Oscar Wilde
Rating: 8/10“Sometimes I like you so much I can’t stand it. It fills up inside me, all the way to the brim, and I feel like I could overflow. I like you so much I don’t know what to do with it. My heart beats so fast when I know I’m going to see you again. And then, when you look at me the way you do, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.” "If they don't talk now, the scar will only harden over time, it will calcify, and then they'll be like strangers who never loved each other, which is the saddest thought of all." "His hair is sticking up in the back, and on that basis alone I think I could fall in love with him if I let myself." "That's a tiny inconsequential risk compared to what could be gained." "Perhaps I am in love with love! That doesn't seem like such a bad way to be." | I know I haven't reviewed the first book on this site, so sorry if you haven't read To All the Boys I've Loved Before. But if you haven't, you should! Unless you don't like reading sequels because the end of TATBILB definitely leaves you hanging. But let's get on with it. Jenny Han left us hanging after TATBILB with the start to a second letter Lara Jean was writing Peter. I remember thinking at the end of it, being disapointed because I wanted LJ to end up with Josh, but then reading PSISLY I liked Peter but at the end I liked her with John. I guess I just can't make up my mind, but the one thing I do know is I want, nay need, a third book because I need to see more of LJ and John together. It finally needs to be their time. Overall, I liked the book. Although for the most part it seemed a bit slow to get going. The book blurb talks about her falling for two guys, but we don't get reintroduced to John until about two-thirds through the story. I felt there was too much lead-up and not enough with the struggle between the two guys. I also felt the Genevieve/Peter/LJ triangle was kind of drawn out with the video and everything. It seems like it could have been condensed a bit. However, the video portion brought a couple of important lessons to the table with slut shaming and the double standard between males and females. I thought Han did a good show showing this standard and the effects it can have on girls in that situation. I never got fully on board with Peter and how we was treating her. Yes, I understand Gen was going through a hard time with her family, but Peter wasn't the only person in the entire world she could have gone to. Plus she was being manipulative and he fell for her tricks and when he found out about them, he didn't back track one bit. When LJ went back to him in the end, even if he was completely sincere about loving her, I'm just not totally into that. Please let there be another sequel with it finally being LJ and John's time! Please! LJ even says multiple times it would be so easy to fall in love with John, and I just kept thinking, "So why don't you!" But either way, I do think that part of the storyline was believable. It's so high school, and seemed like a realistic part of a normal teenage girl's life. As for the other aspects, I enjoyed the retirement home as it made LJ stand out from other teenage girls her age. I didn't see Stormy's great-grandson being John coming although I assumed it would end up being someone LJ knew. I liked Stormy as a whole. She was a funny addition to LJ's life and have her that reprieve from the other stresses. I also liked the sisterly bond between the Song girls. Being an only child myself, it's interesting to read about what it's like to have people like that in your life that you're so close to you since I couldn't experience it myself. Overall it was a fresh read that I enjoyed spending my time with. It could have moved at a bit faster pace, but was solidly fluid as a whole. Here's to hoping for a third in the series! |