#tatilb

(5/8/22- just an update for all the comments since this post has been kinda blowing up recently. I still have yet to read the third book, but once I do, I will make a post!)

Ok, hear me out.

There was a point, in this book, right towards the end, where everything clicked into place. I felt a rush of exhilaration as I realized that, finally, AT LAST, Belly got it. She understood.

And I swear to you, I could’ve cried with relief.

Because YES. THAT IS IT. Someone who cares SHOWS UP FOR YOU. THEY PROVE IT.

Finally, I’ve been freed of the sweet, sweet torture of watching this girl chase after the worst bad boy love interest of all time.

And it feels SO DAMN GOOD.

I’ll start talking about different aspects of the book:

Belly was WAY less obnoxious and childish in this book than she was before. I mean, she’s still kinda bitchy towards other girls, including her so-called best friend and her own mother, but Taylor kinda sucks too, and her relationship with her mother grows in this book, so I’ll give her a pass.

Speaking of Taylor, I didn’t mind her as much. Maybe that’s because she wasn’t in the book a whole lot. Every time she tried to force Belly to face the truth about Conrad, I was on her side. She might be a little shallow and annoying at times, but the girl had the right idea about Conrad, and I have to give her credit for that.

Fuck Conrad. Reading about him gives me flashbacks to all the guys I’ve liked or dated that never gave me 100%, never showed me that they were all in, or had me constantly wondering if they were going to stick around or leave me in the dust. I mean, I know this kid is dealing with a lot, but MAN does he suck. He leads Belly on, lashes out at everyone, acts like a complete child at some points…need I go on? He ruined her prom in a scene that is so utterly cringeworthy, I had to put it down and collect myself before I continued reading. He leads on a high school junior AS A COLLEGE STUDENT. He treats Belly like shit throughout the entire book. He can suck it.

Jeremiah is everything in this book. I loved getting to see from his POV, because it helped me see how much he truly cares about Belly. Jeremiah is the guy that gets overlooked but when he got with Belly in the end, I swear to god I squealed. They both deserve this. Anyone who’s experienced stable, committed relationships AND “exciting”, dramatic ones knows that Jeremiah is the clear winner here.

I actually really appreciate the way that this book explored grief. It felt very realistic, and I was actually quite sad reading about it. I love the flashbacks explaining more about Susannah’s relationship with the boys’ father, her friendship with Belly’s mom, etc. I also love the way that this book focused more on family. At some points, I was feeling the way I felt when I read TATBILB, comforted and happy to be reading a contemporary novel about more than just a love triangle.

Now, we can discuss my favorite part: the turning point.

Goodbye, Conrad. Also, fuck you.

It is so refreshing, so exciting, so AMAZING to read a YA book where young love is so accurately portrayed. When you’re young, you cling to people even if they’re toxic, even when they don’t put in the effort to being there for you, even when they show you time and time again that they won’t consistently love you. You don’t know the difference between infatuation and real love yet. I was afraid this book was going to fall into the same patterns as the first one.

But it didn’t.

Holy fuck. It didn’t.

I’m going to put this here for anyone who’s read this and doesn’t know differently: CONRAD IS NOT IT, FOLKS. Sure, he’s had a rough life and he has reasons for his behaviors and mistreatment of Belly, but THOSE ARE NOT EXCUSES FOR THEM. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Jeremiah represents real love. He represents finding someone that you have fun with, that you can be yourself around. Someone who is your teammate and who will always be there for you. Someone that feels like home.

Belly found real love and I AM IN MY FEELS ABOUT IT, PEOPLE.

I’ll go ahead and say it; Jeremiah has reached Peter Kavinsky status, solely for the fact that this book let him get the girl and beat his toxic-ass, annoying brother in the YA love triangle.

When they kissed, I felt butterflies FOR Belly. YES GIRL. GO GET YOURSELF A STABLE MAN.

I am overall SO GLAD that I continued reading this trilogy. Han’s writing improved SO MUCH from the first book to this one, and I can only imagine that the third will be even better. This series is getting closer and closer to the way that TATILB was in terms of writing and the feelings that it gives me. I’m so excited for the TV show, and I will definitely be reading the final book.

32 BASE ICONS OF EMILIJA BARANAC IN TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE

all icons are free to use with credit to @argentangelhelps !

they are edited (sharpened) in ps, however they are meant to be used under the psd of your choice! if you choose to use them as they are they should work just fine! they are 75x75 and do not come with any borders.

all screencaps used come from https://kissthemgoodbye.net, i did not make them, i just cropped them into icons.

FACECLAIM INFO : emilija baranac is white

link to in the source to the zip file which is free to download on my deviantart!