Publication
Original publication date
Collections
Genres
Awards
Description
Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue! Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters�??sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she's kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can't always be spelled out...Kasie West brings irresistible wit, warmth, and sparkle to this swoon-worthy story of love showing up when you least expect it.… (more)
User reviews
Lily and Cade were both very likeable characters, especially Lily, who was a budding musician with a quirky, awkward personality, and Cade turned out to be far deeper than he first appeared. I enjoyed the letters they shared and I liked that Lily had a strong friendship with Isabel. However, I think my favourite aspect of this book was Lily's big, crazy and oh so loveable family. I understood Lily's frustration at not having five minutes to herself, but she knew she was loved and she adored her family. The competitions between mum and dad had me smiling, especially over the Thanksgiving pies. A highly enjoyable read.
In one of the most swoon-worthy plots, Lily (who writes bits of lyrics and dreams of being a songwriter, but has yet to
What follows is a friendship based entirely through correspondence, and finally Lily is coming closer to completing a song.
I enjoyed the humor and the many parts of this book that were so darn cute. I found myself caring for Lily and aching for her to open up more to her best friend Isabel. I found myself wanting to defend her against mean girl Sasha. I found myself unable to put this book down.
Though it was easy to guess who the pen pal was, that really isn't what the book is about. P.S. I like you is about making connections. It is about love and family and friendship, and having the courage to allow oneself to hope, and to try. Kasie West tells a story that is funny, heartfelt, and honest.
I am impressed.
(Review also appears on Goodreads and Amazon)
Lily the magnet is a terrible nickname. It's not even an alliteration. But thanks to that jerk Cade Jennings Lily has had to deal with it since middle school. So now in high school and in boring chemistry class Lily depends on her trusty notebook where she writes
Sometimes I've noticed authors go overboard in the sappy romances for YA. They make it uber obvious who the final love interest is going to be where the MC has this sudden jolt of "omg I really liked him all along didn't I?" which isn't bad but it is when there's no build up or growth within the character. Thankfully Ms West found a lovely way to keep a touch of mystery for a decent amount of time giving our Lily the chance to change her perceptions and learn to be a better person. And even after the sudden shakeup I liked how West explored the "what happens now?" that some authors either ignore or give terrible tribulations for the couples to overcome.
I love cutesy romances that include awesome friendships, family bonds and personal growth. This was a fabulous read.
Lily is not your typical teen portrayed in a book. She’s actually pretty normal. She likes bands that most people have never heard of and has music as the center of her life. She plays guitar and wants to write lyrics; she’s been writing lyrics, but she
Lily also has a great family even if they are chaotic, crazy, and messy! She babysits her brothers frequently, shares a room with her sister, and votes in competitions her parents devise between themselves. She also has a nemesis--Cade, who used to date her best friend, Isabel. In the midst of this busy, crazy life, Lily begins writing someone in her classes. Someone wrote on her desk in chemistry; she writes back because they seem to like the same music. It ends up being the highlight of her day--these banters with a mysterious boy in another class. It’s these exchanges that help her write lyrics that she may submit for the contest.
This novel is cute and fluffy. There isn’t depth or a real lesson to be learned; it’s just a pleasant distraction. If you want a clean romance where the main character has a great family and she’s pretty typical, pick this up.
So cute. So heartwarming. So happy.
I don't read a lot of books like these because they're boring and all the same. And yeah, two pages in and I knew exactly what was going to happen. BUT it was still so enjoyable that it didn't matter. Lily is ACTUALLY a
Plus, I really like the songs in here. They're really pretty.
This book just made me really happy. It's a happy read.
West wrote a contemporary plot that never seemed to slow or disappoint the reader which has always been a problem for contemporary authors. They are either unable to provide a satisfying ending or the book loses the attention of the reader halfway through. West is able to both keep the reader's attention and provide an ending that leaves the reader smiling. The combination of hilarious characters with a fast-paced plot made the read quick and fun, but there were times where the author seemed to lose certain aspects of the book. For example, I felt like Lily and Isabel's relationship was a little undermined in order to make more room for Lily's relationship with whoever her mysterious desk writer was, even though the friendship aspect had started off as a major factor in the book. Yet, the book still kept a contemporary feel the entire way through that made it very enjoyable.
Overall, I would definitely recommend P.S. I LIKE YOU to everyone who has read any of West's previous books or is looking for a contemporary to read this summer. The book is an easy, fun read that will make you laugh and smile the entire way through.
This book was like an addiction; I initially thought it wasn't strong and then I couldn't think anymore—just read, read, read.
Lily can't write on her lyrics notebook anymore during Chemistry, so she can't
Man... this was my third Kasie West, and she's done it again. I find it interesting how each of her novels got me hooked for different reasons. We still get some common elements, the family theme makes a comeback, as well as that of broadening your horizons. I don't even know where to start commenting.
Okay, I'll explain my initial statement: the beginning didn't do it for me. For a long portion of the story I was iffy—where is the magic? I could still see West's way of taking a cliché and making colorful juice off of it but it wasn't appealing enough. I think it's because the first third doesn't feature much of a romance—Lily even thinks her new friend is a girl. We do see her trying to get along with boys and West made sure to insert the book's most comic moments right here. That, however, wasn't enough to make me stick to the read. As much as she tried to differentiate, the plot still felt "the same".
I can't say when the book did it but at some point it cast a spell on me and when I noticed the sun was coming up from my window. I dreamed of the story, too. I simply had. to. read.
Character-wise, I'd say Lily is my favorite protagonist by West (I mean out of all of the three books I've read lol). She does have flaws, and yes she did annoy me with how she just couldn't get over popular boy/her best friend's ex Cade—West could have given her better excuses. Still, I'll miss Lily.
And friendship! I loved this theme. The Fill-In Boyfriend twisted female friendship so much and the main character in On The Fence didn't even have actual female friends before the story started. Here, Lily does have one and has had for a long while. And there is no catch! No betrayal, no faking, they are real and healthy friends like the ones I had during high school. I do know many girls aren't as lucky but when it comes to YA if you have a BFF it means something huge will get in the way and will make you choose between her and a boy. P.S. I Like You does get close but West does it perfectly.
I also want to underline this: I love the dialogues! There, it's done. They aren't too quirky that makes them sound far-fetched for normal conversation but I always laughed. Lily writes songs so you get to read some cute poetry, as a bonus.
Now, what I loved the most were the romantic scenes. All the feels! I even got goose bumps from one —in a good way. Was this author as good at them before? It has been a while since a book last gave me the butterflies in the stomach.
Anyone who likes chaotic family love is also in for a treat, a little like On the Fence but more mixed—they are two little boys and two older girls this time.
And don't fear. I felt in The Fill-In Boyfriend West lost it a little she approached the ending but here she knew to keep it going and keep you stuck until the last page.
So... this isn't the book for you if slow beginnings aren't your thing. Also, I don't think this is a memorable story, either. But you shouldn't let it stop you in case you love those sweet romance scenes. Argh, I need more books like this.
I enjoyed the romance, and the cute notes that were exchanged. I liked how the characters developed and how Lily realized that she wasn't always in the right and that she needed to re-evaluate how she was judging certain people and how she treated them.
This didn't blow me
Would recommend to anyone looking for a light, easy, cutesy romance novel.
~Paragraphs and Petticoats~
A very sweet, funny contemporary high school romance with awesome characters :)
Two teenagers who both felt like something was missing in their lives and expressed themselves through the words of their favorite bands.
Discovering who the letters were from was
This book is an enjoyable read that will make you smile the entire way through :D My only complaint is that I didn’t want it to end.
I wanted more!
Kasie West writes quick addicting little reads. This isn't anything too special, but it was still a fun little coming of age romance. It was a quick read.
Also, my friend Peggy needs to know that the cover does not match the book at all. :) I know that's important to her.
The synopsis reads like a typical YA romcom, which isn’t usually my cup of tea, but I figured it's on my shelf, so I may as well give it a try. The dust jacket on this book is interesting, but I prefer the cover underneath, which is simple but beautiful. I also rather like the cover page, and the font used for the chapter headings. Attractive or unusual features always add to my enjoyment of a book. I must admit I enjoyed West’s engaging and easy to read writing style. The romance is slow to build, and maybe ‘Blue’s’ identity would have been predictable to fans of the genre, but my notes read something like this:
p.8 So, I’m thinking the love interest is going to be either Lucas or Gabriel.
p.34 Or maybe it’s Cade? You know, that whole enemies to lovers schtick?
p.85 I’m finding myself hoping this is Cade.
p.102 I definitely don’t think it’s David. I hope it isn’t David.
p.134 I don’t want it to be Lucas. I want it to be Cade!
p.137 Ha, ha! I knew it was
I love the choice of Chemistry class as the backdrop for a romance story, and the concept of letter writing in a world dominated by technology adds a nostalgic charm to the narrative. Some of the letters Lily and ‘Blue’ exchanged made me chuckle.
I saw a few reviews praising Lily for her relatability, but I didn’t like her. I felt she was a bit bitchy, and self-centred. Also, dating someone when you are aware, deep down, that you like someone else? Not cool. Her character just didn't resonate with me in the same way it did for others. On another note, some of the minor characters were stereotypical and could have used a bit more depth, and the book could have benefited from greater diversity in its cast.
One aspect I thoroughly enjoyed was Lily's relationship with her brothers. Their interactions lent a sense of warmth and authenticity to the story. I would have loved for that aspect to have been explored more than it was. The dynamic between Lily and Cade was also interesting. Was he really being mean, or was Lily just projecting?
I like how letters continue to play a role past the discovery of identities. The revelation of
Overall, P.S. I Like You is a light, heartwarming read. I don't usually read these types of books, so I was surprised how invested I was in the story, and how much I enjoyed it. I was immensely satisfied by the end of the book.