To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) in The Reader's Lounge

Aug 29, 2012 Jasprit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2014, ya, contemporary, out-2014, favourites

Post-reading thoughts:
Love Love Loved! I'm so glad that there's going to be a book two, as I can't get enough of these characters!

Review:

Jenny Han has never let me down with her books, she has the knack of lifting my mood when I’m feeling low and have me grinning away like a fool. With the slump I had been going through, I really should have picked up my copy of All the Boys I’ve Loved Before as soon as it arrived, but I decided to trudge through my pile instead. But when having the week from h ...more

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Apr 14, 2015 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My first Jenny Han book and I loved it!!!

I just finished this and all I can say is why didn't I read this before?! And this if my first, yes I said first, Jenny Han book. She just has a way with words doesn't she, and she brings that bright smile and gooey feeling to the very last page. My heart was going this way, that way between Josh and Peter and it was just...just a gorgeous read. I loved it!

Lara Jean Song, the middle sister to Margo and Kitty Song, also known as the Song girls, likes to My first Jenny Han book and I loved it!!!

I just finished this and all I can say is why didn't I read this before?! And this if my first, yes I said first, Jenny Han book. She just has a way with words doesn't she, and she brings that bright smile and gooey feeling to the very last page. My heart was going this way, that way between Josh and Peter and it was just...just a gorgeous read. I loved it!

Lara Jean Song, the middle sister to Margo and Kitty Song, also known as the Song girls, likes to write goodbye letters to all the boys she has ever loved. When Margo left to move and study in Scotland, it is now Lara Jean's responsibility to be the big sister to Kitty and fill Margo place in the family. Out of nowhere, Peter Kavinsky, vain, annoying, cheerful ladies man comes up to Lara Jean to say he's received a letter from her...Lara Jean is mortified, how did her letters get sent in the first place? Her next door neighbour, Josh is one of those boys she's loved even before her sister, but she never said anything, so to soften the blow of receiving his letter, Lara Jean starts a fake relationship with Peter K...but maybe it turns out not so fake in feelings...

This novel often reminded me of Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson, with it's letters and notes. It adds a certain texture to the book and the story that I just love. It's more authentic and more revealing of the character behind her words. I write letters to my friends overseas bit I've never written a love letter properly, although I really want too. But I find writing a letter your words are more raw and real. It much more heartfelt and emotional. It's just as true as saying them in person but they can be kept forever. As we spread each of the otters that Lara Jean wrote you could see how she grew from each of her loves and how they were only goodbye letters nothing more. She didn't consider the reality of what love could be like. Lara Jean was immune to love and the what ifs of whether one of those boys actually asked her out.

“My letters are for when I don't want to be in love anymore. They're for good-bye. Because after I write in my letter, I'm not longer consumed by my all-consuming love...My letters set me free. Or at least they're supposed to.”

Lara Jean was quite young for her age. She appeared to be immature at times and even her younger sister Kitty was more grown up than her. For me she did have some Mummy/Daddy issues that I didn't quite connect with, I'm not a fan of the use of phrasing for parents in novels. Lara Jean doesn't stray far from the box she is living in. I'm not saying that's a bad thing living in comfort and routine but when those letters are sent out, her first reaction is fear...but maybe it's a good thing, to let other people know she's around like Peter K. Peter K and Lara Jean pretty much hate each other, they used to be friends back in the day, then Peter went out with Genevieve, who certainly likes to stir up trouble. When they broke, Lara Jean and Peter started the fake romance to get Josh of her back. Whilst that's all being well, when he starts to do endearing things towards her, something more than fake feelings is happening here. With Peter, Lara Jeans she'll broke more, whilst it could be conflicting at times, she was brave enough to overcome it. What I find that I quite like with most contemporary stories is that the author creates some sort of flaw in her character and explores that thought the story, Lara Jean grows as a character, her personality and as a person.

“Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore.”

To All The Boys I Loved Before had a great selection secondary characters that make up for the book to give it center stage. I loved seeing and revealing of all the letters throughout the book, one boy was even gay but turned out to be a good friend. One boy in particular I wanted to know more about which was John, I thought there would've been something there. Jenny Han is a fabulous writer and I'm glad that I don't have to wait very long at all for P.S I Still Love You, I haven't read the synopsis but I am rooting for someone that's for sure.

Rating -5

This review can also be found on my blog ...more

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Mar 24, 2014 Pili rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: alyssa-recommends

This is one of those books that sounded cute but that I'm sure I would have skipped if I hadn't seen some super positive reviews from some of my fellow bloggers and even more if my dear Alyssa from The Eater of Books hadn't added it to her "Alyssa Pushes" book list!

To All The Boys I've Loved Before is such a cute and adorable read! It managed to make me smile, giggle and sob quite a bit! I have read reviews where they said the voice of Lara Jean was too juvenile, but I absolutely loved her narra This is one of those books that sounded cute but that I'm sure I would have skipped if I hadn't seen some super positive reviews from some of my fellow bloggers and even more if my dear Alyssa from The Eater of Books hadn't added it to her "Alyssa Pushes" book list!

To All The Boys I've Loved Before is such a cute and adorable read! It managed to make me smile, giggle and sob quite a bit! I have read reviews where they said the voice of Lara Jean was too juvenile, but I absolutely loved her narration. I fell in love with her and her family almost from page one!

I feel like I could read about Lara Jean, her dad, Margot and Kitty for many more books, because I love how close knit that family is, how real all their quirks and little every day challenges seemed. Margot seemed a bit of a more distant character at first, since we see her through Lara Jean, and she thinks her sister is perfect and that she can never be as good as Margot is. Kitty is such a fierce and adorable character! I simply adored her and loved how she seemed more self-assured than Lara Jean, but sometimes the youngest in the family know how to make themselves noticed better than the middle ones.

This is a book about growing up and finding your own shoes to fill instead of trying to be like someone else, and also how to be brave and step out of your comfort zone and be ready to live your life and not just dream about what you'd like to do.

Things really start happening when Lara Jean's letters are sent, and she is confronted by Peter and Josh, two of the recipients. Since Josh has just been dumped by Margot and seems to be a bit confused himself, Lara Jean agrees with Peter to be fake boyfriend and girlfriend. That trope works so well with them, because you see before the characters themselves where things are heading, and trust me, you are cheering for things to go that way!

The romance, the family, Lara Jean's growth, Kitty... everything is adorable and very heartfelt. I really loved the little bits of Korean culture that we get here and there, it make the world feel more real and diversity is good! I connected quite well with all the feelings in this book, and even while I was reading at work, I ended up sobbing quietly a pair of times. Giggling out loud too.

You can't really say the book ends in a cliffhanger, but it has an incomplete ending that leaves you really looking forward to the next book and complaining about the April 2015 release date!

An adorable book that I can recommend for both contemporary lovers and those that aren't the biggest fans like myself. 4.5 stars to this one! ...more

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