This is a spoiler free review.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Written by Jenny Han
Written by Jenny Han
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance
Publisher: Penerbit Spring
Release Date: March 20, 2015
Pages: 355
Source: Bought
Source: Bought
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository
Recommended Age: 13 and up!
Summary:
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Review:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the cutest contemporary that I have ever read. I loved the characters and the storyline. Plus, there were so many details that were adorable.
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Review:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the cutest contemporary that I have ever read. I loved the characters and the storyline. Plus, there were so many details that were adorable.
COVER
I think the cover is adorable. I love how Lara Jean is on the cover and she is writing which is the whole premise of the book. I also love the font of the title and how it seems to be written with expo marker.
I think the cover is adorable. I love how Lara Jean is on the cover and she is writing which is the whole premise of the book. I also love the font of the title and how it seems to be written with expo marker.
WORLD-BUILDING
There isn't really any world-building though we do learn a bit about her town and her past throughout the entire book.
There isn't really any world-building though we do learn a bit about her town and her past throughout the entire book.
Then there are the characters.
LARA JEAN COVEY
Lara Jean is a half-Korean, sixteen year old girl who is invisible, meaning that she isn't noticed at school and lives on the sidelines and for the most part is content with it. She lives with her single father and two sisters (one older and one younger) but her life changes when her older sister moves to Europe for college and Lara Jean is the oldest Song girl, giving her a lot more responsibility. Then, as if to make it even harder for Lara Jean, her secret letters that she keeps in her mother's hatbox are sent to five boys who Lara Jean used to like. Lara Jean is horrified, especially when they start confronting her. Lara Jean is a shy girl who enjoys staying home to bake and spend time with her sisters which is partly due to the fact that she hates driving. Lara Jean loves her family and schedules most of her life around them which is sweet. She's also scared of relationships which is totally relatable. She is easily one of my favorite fictional characters and one who is easy for me to relate to.
PETER KAVINSKY
Peter Kavinsky. Where do I even begin? He is one of my favorite male characters as well as favorite book boyfriends. Peter is a jock who is one of the most popular kids at school and is one of Lara Jean's previous crushes who gets one of the letters. He and Lara Jean start a fake relationship which is so adorable. Peter is a very kind person who looks out for Lara Jean despite their relationship being fake. I love how supportive he is and how he willingly does things that Lara Jean wants to in exchange for her doing some of the things he likes. Peter was such a good boyfriend (well, fake boyfriend) and a great character.
KITTY COVEY
Kitty is Lara Jean's younger sister and a hilarious character. I loved how honest and feisty she was. Kitty is not afraid to say whatever she thinks and often forgets about the consequences of her actions. She quickly accepts Peter and always wants to hang out with him. I really liked her relationship with her sister as well as her relationship with Peter Kavinsky.
MARGOT COVEY
Margot is Lara Jean's older sister who isn't in the book that much because she went off to Europe for college. Margot is very smart and was in charge of a lot in the household before she left so those responsibilities are taken over by Lara Jean. Margot is a little self centered and makes many problems about herself or blames problems on her sisters which I didn't like but overall, she's a complex character.
Lara Jean is a half-Korean, sixteen year old girl who is invisible, meaning that she isn't noticed at school and lives on the sidelines and for the most part is content with it. She lives with her single father and two sisters (one older and one younger) but her life changes when her older sister moves to Europe for college and Lara Jean is the oldest Song girl, giving her a lot more responsibility. Then, as if to make it even harder for Lara Jean, her secret letters that she keeps in her mother's hatbox are sent to five boys who Lara Jean used to like. Lara Jean is horrified, especially when they start confronting her. Lara Jean is a shy girl who enjoys staying home to bake and spend time with her sisters which is partly due to the fact that she hates driving. Lara Jean loves her family and schedules most of her life around them which is sweet. She's also scared of relationships which is totally relatable. She is easily one of my favorite fictional characters and one who is easy for me to relate to.
PETER KAVINSKY
Peter Kavinsky. Where do I even begin? He is one of my favorite male characters as well as favorite book boyfriends. Peter is a jock who is one of the most popular kids at school and is one of Lara Jean's previous crushes who gets one of the letters. He and Lara Jean start a fake relationship which is so adorable. Peter is a very kind person who looks out for Lara Jean despite their relationship being fake. I love how supportive he is and how he willingly does things that Lara Jean wants to in exchange for her doing some of the things he likes. Peter was such a good boyfriend (well, fake boyfriend) and a great character.
KITTY COVEY
Kitty is Lara Jean's younger sister and a hilarious character. I loved how honest and feisty she was. Kitty is not afraid to say whatever she thinks and often forgets about the consequences of her actions. She quickly accepts Peter and always wants to hang out with him. I really liked her relationship with her sister as well as her relationship with Peter Kavinsky.
MARGOT COVEY
Margot is Lara Jean's older sister who isn't in the book that much because she went off to Europe for college. Margot is very smart and was in charge of a lot in the household before she left so those responsibilities are taken over by Lara Jean. Margot is a little self centered and makes many problems about herself or blames problems on her sisters which I didn't like but overall, she's a complex character.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
Family is a main theme in this novel as Lara Jean spends a lot of time with her sisters and her father. Lara Jean would rather be with her family then anyone else and I liked that about her. I loved how close she was with her family and how much she cared about them.
Family is a main theme in this novel as Lara Jean spends a lot of time with her sisters and her father. Lara Jean would rather be with her family then anyone else and I liked that about her. I loved how close she was with her family and how much she cared about them.
PLOT
Lara Jean is a sixteen-year-old-girl who writes a love letter to every boy she's ever 'loved'. She keeps them in a hatbox that her mother gave her and no one knows they exist. Well, that's what she thinks, until the letters get sent out and the boys start confronting her. Basically, she starts living her nightmare, until one of the boys, Peter Kavinsky, suggests that they fake date in order to keep the other boys at bay and make his ex-girlfriend jealous.
The plot is adorable, light and fluffy. Lara Jean's journey is so cute and I loved reading about it.
Lara Jean is a sixteen-year-old-girl who writes a love letter to every boy she's ever 'loved'. She keeps them in a hatbox that her mother gave her and no one knows they exist. Well, that's what she thinks, until the letters get sent out and the boys start confronting her. Basically, she starts living her nightmare, until one of the boys, Peter Kavinsky, suggests that they fake date in order to keep the other boys at bay and make his ex-girlfriend jealous.
The plot is adorable, light and fluffy. Lara Jean's journey is so cute and I loved reading about it.
ROMANCE
The romance was quite possibly my favorite part of this book (besides Lara Jean's baking obsession and Peter K himself). As I mentioned before, it starts out as a fake relationship because Lara Jean's letters get out and Peter wants to get his girlfriend back. They create a contract of things they have to do such as Lara Jean will get driven by Peter to school, and personally I loved that about their relationship. Obviously, feelings start to emerge and their fake dating doesn't remain fake. It is so cute and Peter Kavinsky is basically the best boyfriend (where you find one of those in the real world, I don't know). He knows what Lara Jean likes and doesn't like and tries to always have her back which proves tough later on.
WRITING
Many people complain about the writing in these books but I love the writing. It's simple and easy to read. Lara Jean does sometimes act like a whiny teenager but in my opinion this makes it more realistic. I liked how Jenny Han crafted her characters and shaped them through their experiences.
The romance was quite possibly my favorite part of this book (besides Lara Jean's baking obsession and Peter K himself). As I mentioned before, it starts out as a fake relationship because Lara Jean's letters get out and Peter wants to get his girlfriend back. They create a contract of things they have to do such as Lara Jean will get driven by Peter to school, and personally I loved that about their relationship. Obviously, feelings start to emerge and their fake dating doesn't remain fake. It is so cute and Peter Kavinsky is basically the best boyfriend (where you find one of those in the real world, I don't know). He knows what Lara Jean likes and doesn't like and tries to always have her back which proves tough later on.
WRITING
Many people complain about the writing in these books but I love the writing. It's simple and easy to read. Lara Jean does sometimes act like a whiny teenager but in my opinion this makes it more realistic. I liked how Jenny Han crafted her characters and shaped them through their experiences.
FINAL THOUGHTS
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is one of my new favorite books. I loved the plot, the characters and the romance. I thought all the characters were complex and exciting. Also, the plot was original. I highly recommend this book if you haven't already read it.
This book has also become a Netflix movie which I haven't watched yet but I'm excited to.
Quotes from the Book:
“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.”
“Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore.”
“If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcisms”
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is one of my new favorite books. I loved the plot, the characters and the romance. I thought all the characters were complex and exciting. Also, the plot was original. I highly recommend this book if you haven't already read it.
This book has also become a Netflix movie which I haven't watched yet but I'm excited to.
Quotes from the Book:
“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.”
“Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore.”
“If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcisms”
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns
