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elisasifaa
To all the boys I've loved before is probably the most pointless book I’ve read this entire year.
There is just absolutely nothing going on throughout the entire book. The characters are flat and one-dimensional. The main character doesn't mature and seems likelier to be 12 years old than 16. It is a YA romance novel, and while it usually surrounds a corny relationship, this didn't have any romance. Sure, there is this tiny love triangle (and a hint at another guy), but no relationship develops between them.
The story is based on a spoiled and immature Lara Jean, who has a crush on her older sister's boyfriend. How insanely weird is that? Also, the three frequently go out together when it should've only been the sister and her boyfriend. Anyways, Lara Jean writes her sister's boyfriend a love letter to “get over him,” but oh no! Somehow they got out! Not to worry, because she wrote FIVE love letters to FIIIIIVE guys??
Lara Jean decides to fake date her classmate, who also got a love letter from her, to make her sister's (now ex-) boyfriend jealous. This works out for him since his on-again, off-again girlfriend just broke up with him for a college guy. They make a contract (??) for this fake dating scheme of theirs, and off they go- lying to literally everyone in their lives for no good reason.
This whole book (series even) is literally about the fact that Lara Jean isn't mature enough to have an uncomfortable conversation with one guy that she has been good friends with for years.
On more personal notes, I despise the sex talk in this book. “We promised we wouldn't have sex until we are married or at least really really in love but always after 21 years old.” what the hell is wrong with having sex? The shame around sex is astonishing! They shame Gen for having sex “a lot,” Lara Jean's older sister snitches on her for “having sex” instead of talking it out with her! Make sure she is okay, not being pressured, and taking the necessary cautions.
The dad is also never home. Like ever. I get that he is a single father who works in healthcare but what kind of a father puts all the pressure on raising his kids ON THE KIDS??
There is just absolutely nothing going on throughout the entire book. The characters are flat and one-dimensional. The main character doesn't mature and seems likelier to be 12 years old than 16. It is a YA romance novel, and while it usually surrounds a corny relationship, this didn't have any romance. Sure, there is this tiny love triangle (and a hint at another guy), but no relationship develops between them.
The story is based on a spoiled and immature Lara Jean, who has a crush on her older sister's boyfriend. How insanely weird is that? Also, the three frequently go out together when it should've only been the sister and her boyfriend. Anyways, Lara Jean writes her sister's boyfriend a love letter to “get over him,” but oh no! Somehow they got out! Not to worry, because she wrote FIVE love letters to FIIIIIVE guys??
Lara Jean decides to fake date her classmate, who also got a love letter from her, to make her sister's (now ex-) boyfriend jealous. This works out for him since his on-again, off-again girlfriend just broke up with him for a college guy. They make a contract (??) for this fake dating scheme of theirs, and off they go- lying to literally everyone in their lives for no good reason.
This whole book (series even) is literally about the fact that Lara Jean isn't mature enough to have an uncomfortable conversation with one guy that she has been good friends with for years.
On more personal notes, I despise the sex talk in this book. “We promised we wouldn't have sex until we are married or at least really really in love but always after 21 years old.” what the hell is wrong with having sex? The shame around sex is astonishing! They shame Gen for having sex “a lot,” Lara Jean's older sister snitches on her for “having sex” instead of talking it out with her! Make sure she is okay, not being pressured, and taking the necessary cautions.
The dad is also never home. Like ever. I get that he is a single father who works in healthcare but what kind of a father puts all the pressure on raising his kids ON THE KIDS??
3,5 ⭐️
This book happened to be the first one in the dreaded “reading my entire physical tbr” challenge. I finished it in under just two hours and overall liked it.
However, a few thing really irked me. This seems to be a theme in Jenny Han’s books, but the main character is so immature. She is sixteen years old and still calls herself “Belly”? I get that it a family nickname and sure her dad and brother may call her by that nickname even though she is sixteen, but introducing herself as “Hi I’m belly”????
Another thing that bugged me is that her whole personality is that she’s the only girl with three boys, she’s not one of the boys, she’s not allowed to be with them and she doesn’t want them to see her as a girl.
One of her biggest character traits throughout the book is “I’m going to tell mom on you!” For gods sake, grow the hell up. You’re sixteen and still tattling on your brother for literally anyyything??
AND THE THING WITH HER FRIEND? What the hell girlie?
Overall, it was a fine book, easy to read and didn’t bother me too much. I will continue the series, but probably only because I’m trying to read my entire tbr.
This book happened to be the first one in the dreaded “reading my entire physical tbr” challenge. I finished it in under just two hours and overall liked it.
However, a few thing really irked me. This seems to be a theme in Jenny Han’s books, but the main character is so immature. She is sixteen years old and still calls herself “Belly”? I get that it a family nickname and sure her dad and brother may call her by that nickname even though she is sixteen, but introducing herself as “Hi I’m belly”????
Another thing that bugged me is that her whole personality is that she’s the only girl with three boys, she’s not one of the boys, she’s not allowed to be with them and she doesn’t want them to see her as a girl.
One of her biggest character traits throughout the book is “I’m going to tell mom on you!” For gods sake, grow the hell up. You’re sixteen and still tattling on your brother for literally anyyything??
AND THE THING WITH HER FRIEND? What the hell girlie?
Overall, it was a fine book, easy to read and didn’t bother me too much. I will continue the series, but probably only because I’m trying to read my entire tbr.
“I love you. I told myself I didn’t. Because I was afraid to lose someone again, and I doubted myself, and I wanted only the best for you. But the feeling has gotten too big to deny. My heart works in a different way, but it’s yours. You’re my one.”
“ …..and his heart, he found, was very far from being made of stone.”
“ …..and his heart, he found, was very far from being made of stone.”
This romance novel was just what I needed to get through my travels. The audiobook is well done, with two fantastic narrators.
Katrina is wonderful. She has gone through a lot, and instead of becoming a hermit, never leaving the house or having a life, she focuses on overcoming her anxiety about the world. She works with her therapist, her best friend (the main character from book 1), and her bodyguard Jas. Kat is generous, extremely nice, and gives everyone a chance, even though her anxiety spikes up by doing so.
I LOVE bodyguard books, though I've mostly read them as fanfictions
Now onto Jas. He is so closed off and won't reveal an ounce of his thoughts, feelings, or personal life to anyone. He has shut himself off and, even when asked directly, won't tell a thing. So, for example, when Kat asks him point blank what his favorite breakfast is, he doesn't just admit his favorite food, which is one of the simplest things in the world. Man, she isn't asking you what the meaning of life is?! Just answer the question.
The plot is fantastic, and the romance is excellent, although it bothered me a bit that they were both thinking, "oh no, this is unrequited," at all times, even after things started happening. The smut is alright; thankfully, there isn't a lot of it
Trigger warnings in the spoiler clause reveal a lot about Kat and Jas.
Spoiler
This one has trigger warnings, including anxiety attacks, parental abuse, mentions of kidnapping, and a veteran with PTSD.
Read with care
I am genuinely so conflicted about my rating.
Honestly, this review might be me ranting about the book and the format. :)
First things first, I absolutely loathed her writing style.
Almost quit reading the book from page 10. It isn't only that she doesn't use quotation marks, but the format also sucks. The paragraphs line up endlessly, and one of the first things we learn when learning to write a story (or any longer sections of text) is to divide the texts into short paragraphs. Sally Rooney needs to head back into high school.
Secondly, the story is so boring, dull, basic, mundane, monotone .... uninteresting and literally every single character is the same. "Oh no, life isn't fantastic all of the time," "oh no, I am almost thirty and not in a glorious job with a husband and kid," "oh no, I have too much money and can't use it all because I am so depressed."
The only reason this book gets four stars is that it made me think about the meaning of life and what thehell I am working towards on the entire 12-hour journey back home from vacation.
Honestly, this review might be me ranting about the book and the format. :)
First things first, I absolutely loathed her writing style.
Almost quit reading the book from page 10. It isn't only that she doesn't use quotation marks, but the format also sucks. The paragraphs line up endlessly, and one of the first things we learn when learning to write a story (or any longer sections of text) is to divide the texts into short paragraphs. Sally Rooney needs to head back into high school.
Secondly, the story is so
The only reason this book gets four stars is that it made me think about the meaning of life and what the
I flew through this book in just a matter of hours. It was that good.
Beach Read by Emily Henry is everything I need in a feel-good romance novel. It is witty, doesn't revolve around heavy topics (although it is mentioned in the book), and is sometimes predictable. Although I'm not usually too fond of predictable stories, I love the predictability in romance novels that everything works out and is happily ever after.
January is flawed but lovable. She has a conflicting relationship with her father, revealed after his death. Still, her problems with her father are written so that we empathize with both January, her father, and everyone else involved. January is a romance author who used to believe in happily ever after. However, after her father's death and his secrets are revealed, she can no longer write romance, doesn't believe in love, and is broke and homeless.
Augustus is fine. I don't think he has much of a personality, to be honest. He was in college with January, and they used to have a rivalry going on, as Augustus used to mock everything January had written and so forth. Suprise! he didn't hate her, but apparently, he was five years old, and the only thing he knew how to do was pull on her pigtails to get her attention. I usually can't stand this romance trope of mistreating her because he likes her; however, I think I will forgive it in this book.
Their names annoyed the hell out of me, though. Cant stand them.
Beach Read by Emily Henry is everything I need in a feel-good romance novel. It is witty, doesn't revolve around heavy topics (although it is mentioned in the book), and is sometimes predictable. Although I'm not usually too fond of predictable stories, I love the predictability in romance novels that everything works out and is happily ever after.
January is flawed but lovable. She has a conflicting relationship with her father, revealed after his death. Still, her problems with her father are written so that we empathize with both January, her father, and everyone else involved. January is a romance author who used to believe in happily ever after. However, after her father's death and his secrets are revealed, she can no longer write romance, doesn't believe in love, and is broke and homeless.
Augustus is fine. I don't think he has much of a personality, to be honest. He was in college with January, and they used to have a rivalry going on, as Augustus used to mock everything January had written and so forth.
Their names annoyed the hell out of me, though. Cant stand them.
2,5 stars……
Absolutely hated this book and the writing, but the plot was good in theory.
I absolutely hated her guts, yes, she suffered from a traumatic event and all that but girl, she was BAWLING every single mf year. Ben abused her but she doesn't recognize it and basically fantasized about her scars and just ew.
Read within one day bc I was waiting for a layover and severely bored. Almost dnf'ed it SO often. thanks bye
Absolutely hated this book and the writing, but the plot was good in theory.
I absolutely hated her guts, yes, she suffered from a traumatic event and all that but girl, she was BAWLING every single mf year. Ben abused her but she doesn't recognize it and basically fantasized about her scars and just ew.
Read within one day bc I was waiting for a layover and severely bored. Almost dnf'ed it SO often. thanks bye
This book definitely has me in the feels right now, I’m emotionally unstable after the book but in such a good way