For our second Mark This Book Monday entry this week I have a book that my dear Alyssa from The Eater of Books highly recommended, so much that she included it in the list of Alyssa Pushes books that she sent me! I'm quite tempted now to make a lil banner for using in the reviews of all the books included in the list she sent me (I might have to brainstorm something!).
I had missed reading this one for June since that's when I had it scheduled but since I had two fairly decent night shifts at work, I managed to finish the book in those two nights! And now I can have the review up before June is over!
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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!
View all my reviews
I had missed reading this one for June since that's when I had it scheduled but since I had two fairly decent night shifts at work, I managed to finish the book in those two nights! And now I can have the review up before June is over!
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny HanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
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!
View all my reviews
I had no idea this was a series but thanks for the heads up. I've been really looking forward to this one it looks like the perfect summer read and I'm super excited for a Korean main character! Great review.
ReplyDelete-Mari
As far as I know it's gonna be a duology! And yeah, all the Korean little tidbits were awesome!
DeleteEven though I've read it so many times before, the fake boyfriend/girlfriend setup never gets old for me. It's obvious how things will play out, but I never care and root for them just the same! This sounds like a really cute read, perfect for summer, and though I don't love that there's a more open ending, I'm glad to see it got such a high rating from you:) Fabulous review Pili!
ReplyDeleteThis one is an absolutely cute and adorable read for summer, you ought to check it out Jenny! Having to wait till next year for the next book is not so nice though, so maybe wait until it'll be closer!
DeleteThank you, Jenny!
I didn't know it was part of a series, but I'm looking forward to read it!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! (this is the first good review I read about it, thank you!)
I hope you do read it, Lis! I'm not usually a big fan of contemporaries but I loved this one! If you want to read other very positive reviews for it, check Alyssa's at The Eater of Books, Becca's at Pivot Book Review and Sam's at Realm of Fiction! They all loved it too, and that's why I read it!
DeleteI adored the close knit family too! Han is so great at writing families / relationships.
ReplyDeleteFabulous review!
I feel like I need to read more of her books now!
DeleteThank you Lea!
Aw, yay for it being a cute read :D I'm glad you liked it a lot. <3 Not a book for me. Sigh. But maybe someday :D It do make me happy that you mostly loved it. <3 Great review sweetie :)
ReplyDeleteIt was a really cute read! I hope you'll get to read it hopedully soon!
DeleteThank you sweetie!
Wasn't this book great? I definitely felt like a part of the family when I read it.
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
Absolutely! Made me wish I had sisters!
Delete"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."
ReplyDeleteTHIS is the kind of read I love to get into during the summer. Books that are just about life, you know! I have heard great things about this one so far and it sounds like a well-crafted book overall. I also love that we're seeing more family units in YA books lately! WOOT!
Yeah, teens don't just exist on their own realities... families are big parts of who the teens are and how they see life! Family was such an important part of this book, with everyday kind of stuff but never read boring!
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed it Pili, my review will be going up soon as I've just read it as well. Like you I thought it was completely heartfelt and adorable, but there was something that didn't make me LOVE it, I couldn't quite put my finger on what.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we know we really like a book, even if there's a certain fuzzy something that doesn't let us love it!
DeleteStill, I'm having to hear you also enjoyed this one!
Oh, I loved this one, too, Pili, and I'm so glad you found the tale to be genuine. The incomplete ending left me hanging, but I really couldn't complain in the end. I was definitely satisfied! Lovely review :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, the ending was a bit on the unfair side, I don't like cliffhangers!!
DeleteThanks Melissa!
I was actually talking with a bunch of friends about this and my biggest fear is that it will turn into a love triangle in book 2 and that will be so bothersome. .-.
ReplyDeleteI still do want to read this one so I think I am going to wait until book 2 is out and see how it turns out! :)
Fantastic review, Pili!! :)
Rashika @ The Social Potato
Yeah, a love triangle in book two sounds quite plausible by the synopsis, but we'll have to see!
DeleteThank you Rashika!
YAYYYYYYYYYYY, SOOOOOO GLAD YOU LOVED THIS ONE!! I highly doubt the love triangle will be an actual thing... although, you never know. I think Jenny knows how much everyone loves Peter K and Lara Jean :D
ReplyDeleteFabulous review, Pili! Hope you and I love book two! Aren't you glad I recommended this one?! ;)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
We can only hope the love triangle won't be a bad one or something! We'll see!
DeleteBut yeah, I LOVED THIS ONE!! Thanks for the recommendation!! =D