Just Finished: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date:  May 2015

Book 2 and final book for the To all the Boys I Loved Before duology.

Synopsis: 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?

Comments:  I know that synopsis sounds awful.  Love-triangle?  BLAAAAAARGH.  All over the place.  But you know what.  I greatly enjoyed this duology.  It’s those kinds of books I like to read and chuckle to myself.   It has moments where it makes me squirm from either embarrassment or anticipation. It’s like watching a train wreck.  Oh… Lara Jean is gonna go hang out with one of the boys?  Really?  Wooo… this could be interesting if they run into that other boy.  Cause it’s so obvious.  OBVIOUSLY.  Even though it’s not a “date”, even though things are complicated, even though they are just hanging out… but we know that ceiling is about to turn brown!  Because we know – of course – they are gonna happen upon each other and … OMG!  Look at the derailing cabooses!   Look!  Look!  That face!  Look at that other guy’s face!  Look!  OMG!  Look at HER face! Can’t.  Look.  Away.

When I tell people about this book… I tell them:  “It’s like a Korean drama, in young adult book format.  And you know, Korean dramas are addicting as heck.  It’s like once you sit down and start watching an episode – you are just gonna be sitting for a long long time and before you know it – it’s 7am and OMG you have to leave for work in like 10 minutes.  Because you couldn’t stop because of you were anticipating that human train wreck to come along and run it’s full course.”

I know it’s a love triangle of sorts.  But really it wasn’t really love triangle.  It was love and getting comfortable.  It was love and trying to figure out your feelings because of peer pressure, gossips, and rumors – even though Lara Jean is trying her hardest to not let those negative comments and interpretations of others to let her feel down.  It’s hard to because, you know, not a single person is immune to hurtful words and rumors.  As much as we tell ourselves and each other to not let other people’s words bother us.  They do.  People can pretend words don’t but they do.

So ya I enjoyed this book.  But you should totally read the first book for the fullest effect.  And also for plot sense reasoning.

Read-a-likes:

I don’t know if these are read-a-likes in the sense of the playful but yet also serious tone Han takes this story.  But the themes and topics of these books are similar.

Why the Recommendation:  The awkwardness.  Oh.  THE.  Awkwardness.  Of liking someone and wanting for them to notice you so bad.  And they do.  They see you.  They are aware you exist.  But it’s not in the way you would like.  GAAAAAWD.  Why can’t you see I like you?  Yes, I like hanging out with you, but can’t you see I want to hold your hand?  Gently press your lips against mine.  GAAH.  Why?  Why must you smile at me like that?  Like I mean so much but I know you don’t mean it that way.  Or do you?  Anything by Stephanie Perkins is a good read-a-like to Jenny Han.

Why the Recommendation:  Both books have characters trying to navigate the world of high school hierarchy.  Two people from different groups seemingly find themselves together but for all the wrong reasons.  Then, the unthinkable and unexpected (at least from their point of view… it’s soooo obvious to us… always is obvious to the third party member, to the outsider)… happens: love.