Review: To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publication date: April 2014

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Read: October 2014

Pages: 355

Rating: 5/5

Summary:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

My review:
First things first, I've been wanting to read this book since it first came out but I hesitated. After reading the summer I turned pretty trilogy, I was really mad and I didn't know if I could read another Jenny Han book. I mean don't get me wrong, her writing is absolutely amazing but the ending of that trilogy just didn't make me happy at all. So, I pretty much ignored this book every time I go to the bookstore. Then, my friend bought it and she said it was really good so she lent it to me.

I started reading it right away and I was surprised I was actually into it from the beginning. I didn't want to stop reading but I was at school and I had to focus on what the teacher was saying you know? But after that, I got busy after school and the next day and the day after that, so I always had to read before I went to bed. Finally last night I told myself I wasn't going to sleep until I finish reading this book and so I stayed up until 2 am when I had to go to work hours later. ahaha...(what books do to us readers) AND THEN I TURNED THE PAGE AND I REALIZED IT WAS THE END! Are.you.kidding.me? I was really pissed off again. Is it just me or Jenny Han's endings just make me mad. The difference about the summer I turned pretty, I pretty much hated the love triangle and I didn't give it a high rating. This novel though, I loved it so much that I didn't realized I was near the end and when I turned the page and saw "acknowledgements" it just ruined my mood. I was freaking out for a good fifteen minutes until I convinced myself that there will be a sequel to this book. I was so relieved when I found out there will be a book 2. Problem is, I have to wait until April 2015.

OK! Let's talk about the book now shall'we?

“When someone's been gone a long time, at first you save up all the things you want to tell them. You try to keep track of everything in your head. But it's like trying to hold on to a fistful of sand: all the little bits slip out of your hands, and then you're just clutching air and grit.” 

I love love love Lara Jean. I can really relate to her. She's like my twin, my best friend. We think the same way and I just really connect with her character. I don't write love letters but I've been in the same position as her. Well kind of... I liked this guy but then my friend liked him too and the guy seemed to like her and I always feel jealous. So, I decided to just be happy for them and not ruin my friendship with both of them. It sucks to let a guy you really like go but sometimes you do it for the best. 

I also really like Josh and I really shipped him and Lara at the beginning but then I got to know Peter and I completely fell in love. He's not like as bad as others say. Sure, he can be a jackass but he's so funny and nice. There's more things I want to know about him that I didn't have a chance to know because this book ended too quickly. I can't wait for the sequel because I want answers to all of my questions! I really want to know what will happen next with him and Lara. I just hope Jenny Han won't ruin the ending of this duology or trilogy again for me because I really want this story to end well. I really liked Lara's younger sister Kitty, she adds something in this story that I really appreciate. I really like the characters in this book and like I said, I can't wait for what will come next. That's pretty much what I can say right now. I highly recommend this book, you'll enjoy it, I know I did. 

About the author

Jenny Han is an American writer of children and teen novels. She was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and went to college at the University Of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of The Summer I turned Pretty Trilogy.