The Laughing Listener
March 2019
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Laura Knight Keating
Length: 9 hours & 5 minutes

Story Rating: 3 Stars
Performance Rating: 3 Stars
Overall Rating: 3 Stars

*Blows out a long breath*



Okaaaaay… mixed feelings about this book, mixed feelings. On one hand, this was the most realistic book in the whole trilogy. These are real problems that teens face when they reach the end of high school and I thought Han did an amazing job portraying that. On the other hand, it just felt like something was missing?? There was just something about the ending that left me really unsatisfied and I can’t exactly pinpoint what it was...

You’d think Lara Jean and PK would have learned their lesson the last book about communication, but NO. It was so damn frustrating to read. I get where they’re coming from, but omg. TALKING IS A GOOD THING GUYS. Most of the book was just me wanting to reach through the pages and slap them both. And I guess I’m sort of happy with how the story turned out, but it felt kind of rushed??? It was like Jenny Han spent too much time drawing out the drama and then realized she needed to end it.

And ya’ll, I need to RANT for a sec.



What the hell was up with Peter’s dad situation?!? I’m so annoyed with that part of the story. When Lara Jean saw his dad at the lacrosse game and then made a big deal to Peter about inviting his dad to graduation, I thought it was going to be a big thing. My brain started preparing for a huge emotional dad subplot, but then NOTHING FREAKING HAPPENED. THERE IS NO RESOLUTION TO THAT PART OF THE STORY AT ALL. I guess if we’re going for realistic, it’s spot on. It’s not like family conflict like that ever gets tied off in a neat little bow in real life. But god, give us SOMETHING. His dad doesn’t show up to graduation, which really upsets Peter and it just gets brushed off as some family emergency. THAT’S IT. WE NEVER SEE THE GUY AGAIN. WHAT THE HELL??

Why is that part of the story at all if it’s not going to play a bigger role? You could completely delete it out and it would effect nothing. UGH.

FINAL WORD

Meh. I liked and disliked this book at the same time, which IS apparently possible. Part of me just wants to tell you to stop after book two, because honestly that would have been a better ending for me.

#1 ↦ [b:To All the Boys I've Loved Before|15749186|To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)|Jenny Han|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1372086100s/15749186.jpg|21442106] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#2 ↦ [b:P.S. I Still Love You|20698530|P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)|Jenny Han|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422881430s/20698530.jpg|40018073] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#3 ↦ Always and Forever Lara Jean ↦ ✦✦✦✧✧