To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Author: Jenny Han // Published: April 15, 2014

★★★★★

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.

 

Goodreads

To all the boys I’ve loved before: Read along + Movie party

Buddy read with my Shaahida!

 

“You’d rather make up a fantasy version of somebody in your head than be with a real person.”

 

So contemporary novels have never really been my thing. I’ve always preferred fantasy over all the book genres in the universe and beyond. But this book really did intrigue me but I never got around to reading it. The movie came out on the 17th of August this year, and my cousin and I just HAD to see it. I watched the movie and fell in love with it! I wanted to read it the moment I finished it but I promised myself I could only rewatch it if I read the book first. That’s what I did!

 

“I want to say yes, but I don’t want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else’s first choice”

 

I buddy read the book with my bestie, Shaahida (Hey there! ❤️) and I finished it today. Now, I loved the movie so you can imagine how much I loved the book more. It was such a light and fluffy book. I dont usually read books like this (I’ve only read like 2 or 3?) but I just connected with it so fast! The writing was really simple and it just felt like an everyday kind of conversation. When it comes to the characters I’m afraid I need to make a list.

 

• I loved Lara Jean’s character. How awkward she is just reminded me of myself most of the time. Actually, probably all the time. She prefers to be with her family, check. She doesn’t like going to party’s, double check. And let me just mention her agreeing to go on a ski trip so she can read? that’s a triple check!

 

“Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That’s part of the risk.”

 

• Margot and I share the role of older sibling. Her making sure everything is okay is something I still do. Lara Jean and Kitty look up to her so much, and you can imagine how hard it is for them to suddenly be without her.

 

“There is a specific kind of fight you can only have with your sister. It’s the kind where you say things you can’t take back. You say them because you can’t help but say them, because you’re so angry it’s coming up your throat and out your eyes; you’re so angry you can’t see straight. All you see is blood.”

 

• Kitty was just iconic. She was just constantly quirky and always had the best moments.  The relationship between the three Song Sisters was the best. I loved how close they are to each other and how much they care about family.

 

 

“If love is like a possession, maybe my letter are like my exorcisms”

 

• The Peter Kavinsky in the movie was wonderful. I was so excited to see what he was like in the book. He seemed like a jerk at first but I just loved him the more into the story we went. He did little things that really hinted to the fact that he loved Lara Jean. I was waiting for so many things to happen by the end of the book. Definitely things to be fixed. Alas, I need to read the next book to find out.

 

“That’s when I see him. Peter Kavinsky, walking down the hallway. Like magic. Beautiful, dark-haired Peter. He deserves background music, he looks so good.”

(I cracked up reading this one and I’m pretty sure my bestie did too!)

 

• Josh Sanderson and I have a bit of a problem. He was really sweet and everything but he got so damn annoying sometimes. I wanted to hop into the book just so I could give him a piece of my mind. But truthfully, I always ended up forgiving him. Just like Lara Jean.

 

• Okay, John Ambrose McClaren just seemed so fancy. We didn’t seem him much. At all really except for that one time. I have a feeling this isn’t the end for him. You dont usually mention an important character and then never bring them again, do you?

 

• Lucas Krapf was such a sweetheart. I wish we’d seen more of him but I guess I’ll have to read the next book? (Please tell me he’s around?)

 

Overall, the letters really made my pulse jump. Everytime Lara Jean turns a corner there’s someone wanting to talk about the letter they got. Might have been only two characters that showed up to talk to her but they sure brought enough drama with them.

I needed something light to read this month and I found the perfect pick. Jenny Han wrote such a funny and romantic story, and I’m honestly so looking forward to reading her other books.

 

About The Author

Website

 

Jenny Han is the New York Times bestselling author of Shug, The Summer I Turned Pretty series, co-author of the Burn for Burn series, and most recently, the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy. She is a former children’s bookseller and children’s librarian. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

 

 

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What did you think about To all the boys I’ve loved before? And have you seen the movie?