To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Plot: Lara Jean copes with breakups (and non-breakups) by writing her heart into a love letter, addressing the envelope, and then hiding it under her bed to never be seen by anyone else. Until one day, all of her letters get mailed. She's left to deal with the fact that all those boys have seen all those letters full of things she never said. (read the full plot here)
Favorite quote: "This is our life; there's no use in asking what if. No one could ever give you the answers. I try, I really do, but it's hard for me to accept this way of thinking. I'm always wondering about the what ifs, about the road not taken."
My thoughts: This one was full of quirky characters, which I loved. I read this book in one afternoon, curled up with a blanket and some tea and getting lost in the world of a seventeen year girl who knows absolutely nothing and absolutely everything about love. It was adorable.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Plot: "Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine." (read full plot here)
Favorite quote: “When things break, it's not the actual breaking that prevents them from getting back together again. It's because a little piece gets lost - the two remaining ends couldn't fit together even if they wanted to. The whole shape has changed.”
My thoughts: This one is weird because I went into it 1) Not knowing anything at all about the plot, and 2) expecting to love it, because John Green, duh. And while I didn't love it at all, and think I actually kind of disliked it, I've found myself thinking about it and almost missing it since finishing it. But I think that's due to the fact that the characters were so well-created. I just wasn't a huge fan of the storyline.
Should you read it?: Nah, not if there are other books on your list.
The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
Plot: Mia is headed to the Hamptons to spend the summer with her cousins, but she quickly realizes she doesn't fit in with them anymore. She's getting ready to settle into a lonely summer when Simon comes along, who also doesn't fit in anywhere. They join up in their loneliness and help each other experience new things over the course of a memorable summer. (read full plot here)
Favorite quote: “If you stay on the sidelines of the here and now then your future will only ever be a pale version of a dream you never had the courage to experience.”
My thoughts: I went from pretty disinterested, to vaguely interested, to no just no. Not a fan. It had some good elements; I just wasn't a fan.
Should you read it?: No.
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty:
Plot: "Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret." -via Goodreads
Favorite quote: “None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever. Just ask Pandora.”
My thoughts: Since this book follows three story lines, at first I felt like I was reading three different books. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into it, mostly because it was very different from what I normally read. But then little things started weaving the stories together, and it got so good. It was a love story and a regret story and a mystery and it was fascinating.
Should you read it?: Yes!
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