Mundie Moms

Saturday, October 10, 2015

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han: Book Review


By: Jenny Han
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released On: May 26, 2015
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it.
Source: Purchased
P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)

Buy: IndieBoundamazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository 

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? 

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

Oh boy, second books. Remember how much I loved To All the Boys I Loved Before? I gave it a solid 5 stars. Well, for me, something was lacking in P.S. I Still Love You, and I think I can sum it up in one word -- tension. This happens in second books sometimes, even in a duology although it's much more common in a trilogy. For a duology, there has to be a reason for the continuation to exist. In this case, it's what happens to Lara Jean after she and Peter get together.

And that's where the lack of tension comes in. To All the Boys I Loved Before had that great tension ---  finding out who sent the letters, what will happen Lara Jean and Josh, what will happen with Lara Jean and Peter. There was tension galore. But in this story, we know Lara Jean is with Peter and that's where things begin to become uneven. Lara Jean is very emotional -- jealous at times and confident in others. Perhaps it's just a reflection of how a teen matures, and the fact that life is messy and there are no clear answers. The plot itself suffers from an unevenness, too. The stakes were high in the first one -- what would happen when the boys got the letters?  The sequel's stakes are much lower - will Lara Jean sleep with Peter? Will she find love with a boy whose letter was delayed? Will she and Genevieve ever come to an understanding? Honestly for more than half the book, I didn't care at all what happened to any of them.

But, when the friends (including Genevieve) start playing a game of Survivor-style tag, the stakes improved and the plot became much, much more interesting. Also, there's a nice plot twist involving one of the residents in the home where Lara Jean works. I didn't expect that twist, and when it occurred it was both satisfying and it just plain made sense.

Why the three stars and not less? Because of the characters. Jenny writes incredible characters. And because I want Kitty's story. The littlest sister is full of spunk and I think her story will be the best one, yet.

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