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Tag Archives: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Always and Forever, Lara Jean Book Review

03 Wednesday Jul 2019

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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Always and Forever Lara Jean, book review, books, decisions, future, Jenny Han, love, relationships, teen, teens, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Moving from romantic comedy to realistic teenage angst, Jenny Han wraps up the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy with another sweet chapter of Lara Jean’s life in Always and Forever, Lara Jean. This story finds the titular character and her crushworthy boyfriend Peter awaiting the arrival of their college acceptance letters. As they navigate their future together with their school goals, Han hits a more realistic level than the previous books. It carries a more serious tone, but it still has its share of laughter. Once again, Lara Jean makes a positive role model.

Countdown to Valentine’s Day: Bookish Shipping

12 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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bookish, books, couples, love, Nicholas Sparks, romance, Sarah Dessen, Shakespeare, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Twilight, Valentine's Day

As the Twilight phenomenon blew up across the globe, the prevalence of shipping, fans seriously rooting for a fictional couple, increased. People discussing Twilight wanted to know if the other joined Team Edward or Team Jacob. I started my Twilight reread and started contemplating what bookish couples had me pulling for them.

 

Bella and Edward in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: Say what you want, but this story obviously appeals to a lot of people, including my own dad. The beautiful vampire falls in love with a human, and all the danger of forbidden love breaks loose. Their interest in each other gets intense before they even have a relationship. Teenage angst and immortality meet to give a love story for the ages. Plus, invitations to high school dances abound.

Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado about Nothing by Shakespeare: My favorite Shakespeare line comes from this play. It begins with Benedick’s greeting to Beatrice: “My lady disdain, are you yet living?” Their witty banter lives on in romantic comedies throughout the ages, including my favorite When Harry Met Sally. Benedick and Beatrice make suffering love so comedically fun and sweet.

Laura Jean and Peter in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han: Laura Jean makes such a relatable role model worthy heroine. Her love story with Peter captures all the awkwardness of learning how to talk and relate to boys. Not to mention, the story starts with love letters. Han beautifully blends traditional aspects of romance with modern culture.

Ruby and Nate in Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen: In her usual fashion, Dessen writes another realistic teen story. Ruby and Nate end up as neighbor friends, finding they understand each other’s family situations. They learn how to trust a friend and how to face parents who don’t fulfill their roles. This falls a little outside the Valentine theme, but it has depth and hope.

Jamie and Landon in A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks: It wouldn’t be Valentine’s season without some Nicholas Sparks in the mix. Jamie and Landon get the intensity of the eternal teenage love. Plus, they show the transformation of a perceived bad boy once someone gives him positive feedback and a chance to improve. Love really opens doorways for growth, and Jamie’s adherence to her faith allows that.

 

What book couples would you add to this list? Share your favorites in the comments.

Countdown to Valentine’s Day: Young Love Stories

04 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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Always and Forever, Always and Forever Laura Jean, books, Eleanor & Park, Galentine's Day, Jenny Han, Kasie West, Lara Jean, love, meet cute, Peter Kavinsky, Rainbow Rowell, relationshhips, teens, The Fill-In Boyfriend, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Valentine's Day, YA, young adult

What says young love better than a young adult novel? The angst we associate with teenage years seems to continue to adulthood, so I enjoy the familiarity and nostalgia of high school. In honor of young love, I’ve compiled a short list of young adult stories I’ve read recently that fit a Valentine’s Day theme.

 

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: This book ranks high on my all time favorite list, and I recently reread it for a book club. Eleanor and Park each fall into the misfit category, and they stand on their own so strongly and uniquely. Reading how they fall in love as they share comic books on the bus and start to spend time together makes me feel like I’m falling in love for the first time with all the thrill, agony and uncertainty that comes with it.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han: My Galentine and I have wrapped up our reading of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, and I recommend all three. The third installment moves from the original sweetness to the mix of fun and seriousness that befalls a high school senior. Lara Jean faces choices about college her relationship with the almost too good to be true Peter, and of course she goes to prom. I always say yes to reliving prom, and I can still relate to the weight of decisions about direction in life.

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West: Prom gets another mention here. In this story, a breakup just before the dance leads Gia’s to find a temporary fill-in. The relationship becomes more real as Gia gets to know her fake date. I love Kasie West for upbeat cute stories with a little relatability. This story gets that and reminds me I don’t stand alone in wondering how much to let people in and how to let go of a desire for approval.

Top 10 Books I Read in 2018

01 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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2018, A.J. Finn, angst, Anne of Green Gables, authentic, best of, books, career, Christian fiction, Circe, classic, connection, dreams, faith, family, Fiercehearted, Greek mythology, growth, healing, high school, Holly Gerth, How to Walk Away, imagination, innocence, isolation, Jenny Han, Katherine Center, kindness, L.M. Montgomery, literature, Madeline Miller, Maggie O'Farrell, mental health, mystery, obstacles, opportunities, perspective, progress, R.J. Palacio, Rachel Hauck, relationships, resiliency, strength, The Woman in the Window, The Writing Desk, This Must Be the Place, thriller, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, wonder, YA

Happy New Year! As we begin a fresh calendar year, I want to share my top reads from 2018. That way we can start our reading lists with good titles and a reminder of the plethora of wonderful reads awaiting us.

 

  1. How to Walk Away by Katherine Center: This book follows a woman my age as she finishes her MBA program. As she anticipates starting her new job and accepting her fiancé’s proposal, her dreams literally go up in flames in a plane crash. Margaret must learn to heal physically, emotionally and mentally as she learns a new way of life and builds new dreams. Talk about a reminder of human resiliency. This book demonstrates hope and holds a wonderful sweetness.
  2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio: This read also reminds readers of human strength. It proves the power of kindness, especially in small actions. Little boy August constantly deals with obstacles in life, some seen by others and some not. He faces ridicule and misunderstanding by his peers, but he maintains strength in character. I highly recommend to readers of all ages as we all need to show more kindness.
  3. This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell: A complicated family tale, this story delves into the depths of familial relationships. Daniel Sullivan encounters tragedy and triumph as he navigates his life and looks back on his mistakes and accomplishments. Through it all, we see the core of a family and how it holds together, sometimes in unexpected ways.
  4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han: This YA gem hits the mark! It makes such a sweet, fun story, and it even introduces a character with a Korean background. Not to mention, it involves a teenage girl with admirable qualities (I find it especially refreshing to see a realistic and innocent perspective on sex). The book takes you to the thrills of high school while also exploring the angst and growth experienced during that sometimes tumultuous time. *The movie did a great job capturing all this on screen too. I’d consider Peter for a Valentine nominee this year.
  5. The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck: This has introduced me to Hauck, and I wholeheartedly look forward to reading more of her books (I have a couple in my birthday book stack). The story goes back and forth in time between two young women embarking on writing careers and struggling to find mutual understanding with their mothers. Each one faces obstacles and yearns to stay true to her values and to develop her faith. The issues are relatable, and the women likeable.
  6. Circe by Madeline Miller: Circe serves as my pleasant surprise for the year. Getting my first deeper look into Greek mythology, I find myself more interested after reading this book. The themes of isolation, abandonment, love, connection and more play out in unique ways. I have enjoyed getting pulled into such a different story and learning some of the characters’ background.
  7. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn: Finn’s debut also goes outside my typical realm as it fits into the mystery/thriller category. However, to my appreciation, this book doesn’t involve gory violence or other sick scenarios. In an homage to Hitchcock style movies, it explores the real pitfalls of isolation and mental health. It sends a positive message of the importance of connection. Now I want to watch some of the movies that inspired Finn.
  8. Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center: A release coming later this year, Center’s next book continues her sweet stories with positive outlooks. It explores building new relationships and forgiving people who have caused significant harm. Again, it reminds us of the power of human connection and a strength and hope to move forward.
  9. Fiercehearted by Holley Gerth: Gerth feels like a kindred spirit in her devotional style book with short chapters. Each anecdote carries such an authentic tone, and she has a unique perspective always open to learning. Seemingly ordinary details in life become opportunities to grow. She reminds me that God speaks to us at all times, willing to guide us at every step.
  10. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: I can now say I’ve read this classic, and I love it. Anne has such a contagious positive outlook on life. Orphaned and learning from her adoptive mom Marilla how to lead a more civilized life, Anne’s imagination both gets her into trouble and keeps her head up. She takes her lessons in stride and makes so much progress.

 

Cheers to another great year of reading!

Book Review: P.S. I Still Love You

14 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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angst, book review, books, expectations, fiction, Jenny Han, love, P.S. I Still Love You, pressure, relationships, romance, teens, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, values, young adult

My best friend and I continued our buddy read of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy with the second installment. P.S. I Still Love You didn’t hit that sweet spot quite as strongly as the introduction to Lara Jean and the recipients of her love letters, but it did still hit the spot.

This story continues Lara Jean’s first steps into romance as she faces the aftermath of her fight with Peter Kavinsky and the release of a video of them online. As she navigates confronting the issue and enduring the ridicule of her peers, Lara Jean demonstrates how her actions as well as others’ actions can have a tremendous effect on her life. Of course her sisters and dad continue as her constant support, and she makes new friendships with a couple older and wiser ladies at the nursing home where she interns. Lara Jean’s experiences make a good example of how internet shaming greatly impacts people and how teenagers and young adults face significant pressure when it comes to relationships. I appreciate how Han creates a likeable character who reminds us of the vulnerability of developing relationships and communicating boundaries. Lara Jean models a realistic approach to balance cultural pressures with her personal values and makes a good example of voicing her wants rather than following her peers’ expectations.

So far this trilogy has provided some great conversation, a likeable and admirable character and a sweet story with the awkwardness, angst and fun of being a teenager and discovering love. I highly anticipate the third book, and the first goes in my top ten books I’ve read this year.

 

In case you were wondering, the Netflix movie adaptation of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before does a great job capturing this fun story on the screen. They cast the characters well, they kept the heart of the book, and gave it an authentic feel with their attention to detail on screen.

Winsome Women Wednesday: To All the Boys

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized, Winsome Women Wednesday

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bookish, connection, friends, friendship, high school, personal growth, relationships, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Wednesday

The girls in Mean Girls wear pink on Wednesdays. Though we think we leave drama and teenage angst behind when we graduate high school, the world continues to hand us lemons. We still struggle with maintaining a firm foundation of our values, discovering our identity, pursuing our purpose, developing relationships and more. The teenage angst lives on; therefore, we can still learn from young adults as they come of age. Let’s take a look at some ladies as they’ve forged their way into adulthood.

My best friend and I recently have read and discussed Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before for our long distance book club, and it has led to some fun discussions about boys and high school and life. The story follows Lara Jean as she adjusts to life at home with her younger sister and father after her older sister heads to Scotland for college. During that time, the letters Lara Jean wrote to her previous crushes find their way from her private hat box to the boys’ mailboxes. She discovers the deliveries subsequently develops her ability actually to talk to the boys.

My high school friends and I resembled Lara Jean a lot in our lack of conversations with boys. Sure, we talked about them; we just didn’t exactly talk to them. However, we did slip anonymous cheesy love poems into boys’ lockers for fun. We enjoyed giggling while writing them and then watching the recipients’ faces as they read. We eventually progressed from there to have a couple dates and boyfriends in the groups.

Lara Jean has to face what we all have to face: learning the art of conversation and connection. She writes letters to express her feelings and her disappointments that nothing develops between her and her crushes. Once they get into the hands of the crushes, she sees that they lead to connections. From there, she learns to navigate the hopes, embarrassments, thrills and disappointments of talking to boys. As she gets to know a couple of them, she deciphers who she can trust and who might have the potential to become more than a crush.

Whether for friendships or relationships, we all have to brave the unknown and start conversations with people. As we get to know people who may have similar interests or in whom we have an interest, we can develop those relationships. Lara Jean finds a reminder of the importance of the connections around her, ranging from having new conversations with her sister to maintain their closeness after she leaves for college to admitting to her old crush she used to like him. We don’t know what depths a relationship may hold until we start conversations. Even with familiar ones, we can gain even more from maintaining the connection. So here’s to facing the unknown and the discomfort of continuing conversations to keep us connected.

Book Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

16 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by KaylasOnlyHeart in books, Uncategorized

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best friends, book review, bookish, books, boys, high school, Jenny Han, love, love letters, reading, reading life, romance, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Last night, I finished reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han as my latest buddy read with my best friend. I must say it fulfilled all my return to high school fantasies as the new school year progresses. The story followed Lara Jean as she embarked on her journey to experience love’s possibilities, spurred by her secret love letters mysteriously getting sent to her past crushes. The progression of events reflected anyone’s fears of embarrassment in front of a love interest or group of peers. It made me cringe in relating to the angst of saving face, and it made me laugh as she journeyed through the awkwardness of learning how to relate to boys.

The simple, upbeat book flowed smoothly and even had the feel of a romantic comedy movie. I vividly imagined the high school setting and its characters and their homes. I even felt Lara Jean’s angst as she wondered how to handle her crushes holding the letters revealing her private feelings about them. Jenny Han realistically portrayed the confusion of navigating high school and relationships; I appreciated how she even depicted Lara Jean’s nervousness and clear lack of readiness to trust a boy and develop a romance with him.

I absolutely enjoyed this book and the feeling it gave me of returning to the precious high school period in my life. It made me thankful for my true friendships at that time, appreciative that I had a perfect gentleman for a prom date, and grateful that I made it through with a sense of belonging. I went to sleep after finishing the book looking forward to reading the rest of the series, especially since I noticed the third installment includes Lara Jean’s senior prom. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read, especially one to discuss with your high school buddies.

 

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