Twining Necklaces

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Supper Hall Book Club: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

March 26, 2016 by Britta in Supper Hall Book Club, Literature

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 makes it so amazing.

-Amazon


Have you ever walked into a place and spotted something from your childhood that automatically fills you with that warm feeling? Reading this duology is like spotting Lip Smackers lip gloss, and remembering all of the friendships, outings, bands, and things that meant the world before. 

This second novel picks up where To All the Boys I've Loved Before ended with Lara Jean opening up to the possibility of she and Peter being a real couple. Of course it's not long until a monkey wrench in thrown into the mix in a way that allows her to stop and consider whether she truly loves Peter, or if another special someone is more her fit. There were parts of me that really disliked how the synopsis of this second installment was written, as I feel it makes Lara Jean seem like a love struck, fickle, indecisive teenager who'll jump on the next bus at the slightest change of heart. Really what made me fall in love with Lara all the more in this installment is that even as she stays true to her old-fashioned romantic heart, she grows in subtle ways that does not call attention to itself. We see her considering every step, thinking things through, stumbling, opening up to different possibilities, and ultimately standing her ground. 

It was also amazing to watch Lara Jean discover her own faults and ways that she has allowed self sabotage to get in the way of things. Genevieve's presence is definitely the catalyst of Lara Jean's insecurity and uncertainty when it comes to Peter, and it felt natural for her to hold this suspicion. But I loved when Lara Jean begins to understand that sometimes we can be so focused on the person or thing that we believe is shielding us from what/who we want, that we allow them to win by bowing out of the fight as the victim. She truly impressed me with how she deals with everything once the novel crescendoes. Everything said, Lara and Peter are adorable, really. I love whenever they launch into arguments because I can just picture Lara saying something that throws Peter for a loop, and sending him over the edge! They're written in a very honest way that was hard for me not to love them. And yet still, this new person that comes along is not too shabby himself, let me tell you! Unlike other love triangles (even though I hate labelling it this way), there's actual, legitimate competition. It didn't feel gratuitous.

In P.S. I Still Love You, Jenny Han has done what I've come to adore about her writing: all of the sparkling details. Lara Jean's love for old fashioned ideals, handwritten letters, vintage living, scrapbooking, baking, moments when she spent time with her friends at the nursing home, or her sisters...these are my favorite things! Like me, Lara Jean loves tradition, and making miniature celebrations of sentimental moments like a living charm bracelet.These details set this series apart from a lot of young adult contemporary novels on the market that seem to focus more on angst or slow burning sex appeal. Of course, this book has been practically sold out in every Barnes & Noble I've been to. I get it!

One of my good work friends and I have been lavishing ourselves in the beauty of this duology. It seems to harken back to bildungsroman of ten, or twenty years ago, even eighties teen movies in some respects. It's filled with so much happiness and light. It's having the best sleepover with good friends and family. Or stopping by the stationary section at Kinokuniya! I just love every bit of it.

My only qualm with the novel is that it ended too soon. I wanted a least a chapter more...

I want the feeling back, so I think I'll dive back in to To All The Boys I've Loved Before. Maybe I'll highlight all of the details I loved in this read...with pastel colored Mildliners of course!


"Lara Jean, I think you half-fall in love with every person you meet. It's part of your charm. You're in love with love."

March 26, 2016 /Britta
literature, jenny han, p.s. i still love you, duology
Supper Hall Book Club, Literature
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