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ARC Book Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han


toalltheboysivelovedbeforeTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #1
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads | Amazon | TBD

Summary:

Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?
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.

 
First Sentence: I like to save things.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

My Review:

As soon as I had heard of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I was terribly excited for it. The premise of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before sounded unique, creative, full of feels, and most of all, it sounded extremely promising. In fact, just the premise of the book inspired me to maybe write letters to all the guys I’ve loved before (I wonder how that will turn out). However, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before didn’t turn out to be quite what I expected…

First of all, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before did not turn out to be what I expected it to be and I bet none of you will expect it to be what it actually turned out to be too. The whole oh no – my love letters accidentally got sent out to the people I wrote it to! plot only played a small part in the book – about 7% of the book I’ll say. Honestly, I think that love letters plot played an even smaller part in the book than just 7%. I don’t know if I should tell you guys what To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is really about because it is a spoiler in my opinion, but it is also a small spoiler, so I’ll label it with a spoiler tag below.

[MILD] SPOILER: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before basically revolves around a “fake boyfriend” plot. Yeah. I know. Not what you expected huh?

The main character in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before also annoyed me. Lara Jean is sixteen and yet, she acts like she’s thirteen or even twelve years old. Not only does Lara Jean immaturely makes fun of her very younger sister over dumb things, her voice is also so innocent, saying things that a thirteen year old would say. For example, Lara Jean actually thinks “[name] looks at me like I’m a dummy” (ARC 173). That actual thought actually popped up in her head. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure sixteen year olds won’t say that; they’ll definitely use some other word to replace the word “dummy” in that sentence. In fact, the nine year old kids I watch over in my job say that, never mind sixteen year olds.

However, at some moments, Lara Jean acts a little too old for her age, thinking of some things that even I at my current age don’t think of – who thinks of wanting to know something substantial about their crush? To make things even more not believable, Lara Jean was like that before she was even sixteen; I’ll estimate her age to be around fourteen when she wrote about that in one of her letters to a guy she had loved before. I definitely didn’t act like Lara Jean when I was sixteen (and I definitely should remember the way I acted when I was her age since I’m only three years older than sixteen now).

You’re just so mysterious. I hardly know a thing about you. The things I know are so unsubstantial, so unsatisfying, like that you eat a chicken sandwich every day at lunch, and you’re on the golf team. (ARC 156)

The romance plays a major role in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, something I wasn’t sure would happen because the summary of the book gave me the sense that it’s about trying to rise above boys and all that. I’m sad to say that I wasn’t sold on the romance. I felt like I barely knew the love interest even though he was in Lara Jean’s life for the majority of the book. All I know about the love interest is that the guy is a jock, likes Lara Jean’s little sister, needs help with chemistry, and has an ex-girlfriend. I don’t know anything meaningful or even a little bit deep about him. Since I barely know anything substantial about the guy, I can’t root for him and Lara Jean, never mind the fact that I can’t see what she sees in him.

The ending of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before left me feeling a bit meh about the book because I still have some annoyingly unanswered questions that wasn’t answered. In fact, to be honest, the ending of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before left me feeling a bit conflicted about the book and a little mad. However, the lovely Cee from The Novel Hermit told me that the finished copy of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before may have a different ending than the ARC did. After some double-checking (aka tweeting Jenny Han about it), it turns out that that fact was true; the finished copy of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before will indeed have a different ending than the ARC’s ending, including maybe even an extra chapter. All I know is that I’m definitely checking out the finished copy of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, especially if it has a new and different ending. However, I highly doubt that the new ending will erase all my concerns that I have with the ARC’s ending, but there’s always hope that it will.

UPDATE: I found out from you helpful people that To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is part of a duology, so okay, I’m a bit happier about the ending since now, there will be a sequel to explain it all.

Love is scary: It changes; it can go away. That’s part of the risk. I don’t want to be scared anymore. (ARC 352)

Overall, I am disappointed with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Some of my disappointment with the book is not even the book’s fault; it’s just that I had expected the book to be totally different than from how it actually turned out. What it turned out to be also disappointed me because frankly, it doesn’t impress me much.

Do I recommend To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before? Sure, if you don’t mind reading a book with a lacking romance and a character that doesn’t act her age. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a fun contemporary, if you can ignore those two major flaws.

three

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-Kelly

Posted by Kelly on 4-11-14 · 26 Comments
Categories: 2014 book, book review Tagged: 3 star

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Speak Your Mind

  1. Bieke @ Istyria book blog says

    4-11-14 at 9:47 AM

    I’ve heard good things about this one! :) Great review! Maybe I’ll pick it up when it’s released. =)
    Bieke @ Istyria book blog recently posted…Bookish Babble: LGBT+ Month and IntoleranceMy Profile

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      4-12-14 at 12:51 PM

      Thanks Bieke!
      I hope you’ll enjoy this one if you ever pick it up! (:
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

      Reply
  2. Somia says

    4-11-14 at 9:55 AM

    I’m so excited to read this book. I agree that it sounds really unique. And I think there’s a sequel to this book titled “P.S. I Still Love You” I don’t remember where I read about it, I think it was in Jenny Han’s blog so maybe you’ll get the answers you need in that sequel.

    Reply
    • Somia says

      4-11-14 at 10:06 AM

      I found it. It’s the last sentence of this post http://dearjennyhan.blogspot.com/2014/01/touring-news-and-other-big-announcements.html

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        4-12-14 at 12:56 PM

        AHHH, thank you so much for that link Somia! The time I read and wrote this review was over a month before this post was published, which was why I didn’t know that there will be a sequel. I also don’t stalk authors that well sadly. :P
        Hopefully I will get some answers in the sequel!
        Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

        Reply
  3. Jane says

    4-11-14 at 12:34 PM

    I’m very excited for this one! I love Jenny Han’s books. I did not read the spoiler, but I hope the book doesn’t disappoint me.

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      4-12-14 at 1:17 PM

      If you love Jenny Han’s books, then you should love this one too Jane!
      -crosses fingers for no disappointments-
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

      Reply
  4. Isabel says

    4-11-14 at 3:59 PM

    That stinks. I get to meet the author next week though, so I’m definitely going to get the book!
    Isabel recently posted…Giveaway Extravaganza!My Profile

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      4-12-14 at 1:21 PM

      I’m meeting Jenny Han next week too and I’m definitely supporting her!
      Hopefully you’ll enjoy this one more than I did Isabel! (:
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

      Reply
  5. Missie says

    4-11-14 at 8:24 PM

    I am so sad the major part of the story I was excited about played such a small role!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
    Missie recently posted…Review of Half BadMy Profile

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      4-12-14 at 1:22 PM

      Yeah, I’m extremely disappointed about that part too. D:
      There were so many things you could do with that awesome idea.
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

      Reply
  6. Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain says

    4-11-14 at 10:54 PM

    Hmm this definitely doesn’t seem as good as it was before and the fact that the ARC ending is totally different than the finished copy ending is so weird because usually the two versions are really similar. however the flip flop with Lara Jean’s tone as a character may also turn me off.
    Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain recently posted…Sweet Reckoning by Wendy HigginsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      4-12-14 at 1:32 PM

      Actually, I’ve heard that ARC endings may be different from the final ending when I first found about what ARCs were.
      Yeah, I didn’t like that either, but at least the Lara Jean flip flop only happened twice –> too young to too mature to too young.
      Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [75]My Profile

      Reply
  7. Hillary R. says

    4-17-14 at 4:03 PM

    I’m actually awaiting a copy of this book, but I’m worried that I won’t like it as much as you. I’m also worried that the book will be nothing like the synopsis, since that’s what caught my attention in the first place. All I can do now is hope it’s at least okay :3

    Reply
  8. Nicole @ The Quiet Concert says

    4-21-14 at 10:04 AM

    I feel similarly to you Kelly. This book did not turn out how I expected it to and I wasn’t that impressed with how it did turn out, especially compared to a lot of other people. There were some things I liked, I mean I thought it was cute, but Lara Jean was kind of boring and I just felt underwhelmed by the story. I didn’t realize there was a sequel, I imagine I might read it at some point to see how the story ends. I am a little surprised to hear that the hardcopy has a different ending than the ARC. Maybe i’ll check it out of the library since I don’t need to own my own copy.
    Nicole @ The Quiet Concert recently posted…Prisoner of Night and Fog (Prisoner of Night and Fog #1) by Anne BlankmanMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Ayssa says

    5-06-14 at 1:44 AM

    I also have seen mixed reviews about this book. I might have to read it soon to see for myself.

    Reply
  10. dajely says

    5-06-14 at 11:47 AM

    i have my hopes for this book but since this review idk ;/ thanks for the review!!

    Reply
  11. Nikki says

    5-07-14 at 11:17 AM

    I fell in love with Jenny Han after reading the Burn for Burn books and going to Austin Teen Book Fest last year. Your review kind of disappoints me because I have high hopes for it due to my love, but I want to read it anyway.

    Reply
  12. Kyla Alyanna Fontalva says

    5-10-14 at 4:15 AM

    Thanks for this review.

    Reply
  13. Ailla says

    5-11-14 at 3:18 AM

    I’ve been hearing about “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” a lot from my friends but I’m not quite sure if I should give it a shot because of the mixed reviews I’ve seen. Anyway, after your review, I MIGHT check it out sometime :) Cool review! Keep it up :)
    Ailla recently posted…Properly Scandalous: A Review :)My Profile

    Reply
  14. Danielle Gieringer says

    5-11-14 at 11:45 AM

    Great review. I’m excited to read this book whenever I get the chance lol.

    Reply
  15. Merriam says

    5-16-14 at 4:19 PM

    I read this on an ebook. I say it left me hanging and I didn’t know what happened to the other guy’s letter.. And to be honest I’m new in book reading world. So this is like the stupidest question that I’m going to ask what is a ARC? Well i do hope the thing you said that there will be the finished story? Oh my I just can’t wait to get my hands in it.

    Reply
  16. Jayvee De Castro says

    5-20-14 at 12:29 PM

    I did think that Lara Jean is a bit of an unrealistic kind of lead, or maybe, she was just plainly immature. But it is cute and cheery and classic Jenny Han. I love the fact that Lara Jean is half-Korean. It feels as though the author got a few experiences out of her own life and brought it towards the protagonist
    Jayvee De Castro recently posted…TOP TEN TUESDAY: Top 10 Books About FriendshipMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Maia says

    5-24-14 at 9:29 AM

    I agree with your review! Although I’m wondering how the ARC version ended?
    Maia recently posted…The Geography of You and Me: A ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Sarah Kim says

    6-07-15 at 8:38 PM

    I really enjoyed your review! Although, it seems like you weren’t keen on To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was because I had a deep connection with the main character. But I can definitely see your point on some of the characters like Lara Jean.
    Sarah Kim recently posted…Addicted to TwitterMy Profile

    Reply
  19. shaylee says

    3-21-16 at 8:15 PM

    I loved this book and it was nice to see what think and also did a review on this on my blog here is my spoiler free review http://pilesandpilesofbook.blogspot.com/2016/02/to-all-books-ive-before-by-jenny-han.html#more and here is my spoiler review http://pilesandpilesofbook.blogspot.com/2016/02/to-all-boys-ive-loved-before-by-jenny.html#more. I also love your blog desine and header it looks so cute did you make it or did you get some one else to make it. peales check my book blog

    Reply

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