2.5 stars

I really thought I was going to love this book. The concept of the letter library is amazing and I want to go to that bookstore TODAY. It's really a wonderful idea and gives this book a unique hook.

Unfortunately, I had some issues with this book that kept me from liking it as many other people did.

Things I liked:

1. The letter library. I know I already stated this, but I LOVE the letter library. I would love to go to a bookshop with something like this implemented.

2. The book club. I wish we'd had more than one scene with the book club, which seemed to have been a sort of group therapy for its members.

3. The fate of the books. Not gonna lie, I got a little choked up in the last couple pages.

4. The cover. Very nice.

Things I didn't like:

1. Characters. Henry was a whiny, weak, pathetic young man. If I had a friend, man or woman, who acted the way Henry did concerning his ex, I would have a hard time not hitting them upside the head and telling them to grow a damn spine. His consistent denial of reality and the way he crawls back to her over and over again borders on delusional. Maya Angelou once said, "When people show you who they are, believe them the first time." That is a lesson Henry never learned apparently. Maybe he needs to expand his literary horizons.
I hate the way he flip-flops between Amy and Rachel. He also literally says he will change everything about himself in order to get his ex back. If this was a female character we would be up in arms that she would change everything about herself for a guy. I don't like it any better this way.
Honestly, he reminds me of a character in a John Green book (I'm looking at you, Paper Towns). I felt like I was supposed to like his quirky 'hopeless romantic' schtick and ignore the fact that the girl he was obsessed with didn't give two shits about him, something that was demonstrated over and over again. Seriously, WHY DOES HE LIKE HER?!?! She has zero redeeming qualities. I just don't get it.
I'm not a big Rachel fan either. She doesn't tell anyone about her brother, but then gets upset when Henry doesn't appreciate what she lost...ummmm...you can't hold that against him when it was your choice to keep that information to yourself! I understand that grief affects everyone differently, so I don't hold her actions against her the way I hold Henry's against him.
I also felt like the side characters weren't well-developed. There were a couple characters mentioned who seemed to be an attempt at diversity (one character is a lesbian, as is another characters' parents)

2. Misunderstandings: there are so many misunderstandings that could be cleared up if the characters would just talk to each other...but they don't. So instead we get this angsty passive-aggressive nonsense from pretty much every character.

3. The writing: I understand that critiquing writing style is subjective. What may work for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. That being said, I was not a hue fan of this writing. I liked the idea that we would get to see letters and notes left in the books in the letter library. That was awesome, especially the random ones sprinkled in throughout the story. But I found the switching between Rachel and Henry's perspectives a little confusing. I also don't mind dual-perspective novels, even in first-person, but I didn't feel like their voices were distinct enough. There were several times where I had to remind myself whose perspective I was in. Also, the writing itself was relatively simplistic, and yet there were passages and interactions that felt a little clunky and awkward to me. I also struggled with the fact that when it would switch back to the other perspective, oftentimes it would jump back in the timeline and retread on things we'd just read, which felt a little messy and filler-y.

Other things: SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD

1. In the chapter that starts on 213, Rachel is hopeful about her relationship with Henry, not knowing that he was just kissing his ex. In her next chapter, she refers to Amy and Henry kissing and how she is sure Amy is going to go on a trip with Henry, regardless of the fact that as far as she knew, Amy hadn't come back to Henry yet...so why the change in attitude? I had to flip back and reread to make sure I didn't miss a piece of dialogue or action where she maybe saw them or was told about them getting back together...I didn't.

Slight Spoilers Over

All in all, I was disappointed with this. So many people seem to adore it, and I was sure I would too, but I just didn't.