Why I Still Read YA Part 1

When I was 17, my little brother told me I was too old to wear American Eagle since girls his age were starting to wear it. It was an odd feeling, this idea that I was becoming too old for something (although being 17, I most definitely was not too old for American Eagle).

Which brings me to a confession. I am 27 years old and I still love the occasional young adult novel. I decided that I like them for two reasons and I will explore the first in my review of P.S. I Still Love You.

Photo Credit: Tessa Fredrickson (the best ever)

P.S. I Still Love You is the sequel of To All The Boys I Loved Before. In the first book, the main character Lara Jean has letters that she wrote to all the "loves of her life" mailed confessing her feelings to them. At the end of the book, she is hurt by the boy she chose and faced with the decision of what to do.

Happily, P.S. I Still Love You starts with Lara Jean and Peter reuniting! I'll be honest, I wanted her with Peter all through the first book. Through the story, Lara Jean learns that being in love isn't as easy as holding hands and passing notes. She learns the hard way about having to trust Peter as he is his ex-girlfriend's support system through family troubles and finds herself drifting when a crush from the past resurfaces. She is faced with the ultimate teenage love decision; does she stick it out with Peter or explore new territory?

I realize that this book sounds like a nice little package of teenage drama, so why read it for entertainment? Didn't we all get enough of that ages 14-18? While it is packed with drama and one very mean girl, it is also packed with the excitement of a first love and a simpler time when the biggest concerns were what to wear or do on a Friday night. My high school experience wasn't the worst four years of my life, but I certainly wouldn't consider it my glory days either. It is fun to read how Lara Jean navigates the waters of her boy woes and think back to my own.

Sometimes I like to read young adult novels for the power they have in making you feel young and carefree again, when bills and work and bosses didn't rule your life. Sometimes it is nice to remember going to Krispy Kreme to see the guy that your group had a crush on or planning a murder mystery valentine party that ended up at In-N-Out. High school had some great times and occasionally it takes a good young adult novel to remind me.

Stayed tuned for Part 2 of Why I Still Read YA.