The Kissing Booth 4 Books Collection Set By Beth Reekles(The Kissing Booth, Going the Distance, One Last Time, The Beach House)
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Community Reviews
Man, I made 76 notes. Damn.
That is not a good sign.
So I picked up this book probably for the same reason a bunch of people recently have picked it up -- Netflix Original movie. But unlike To All the Boys I've Loved Before which I adored as a movie and then immediately went out and binge-read all three books and loved, this one has left me cold.
The movie itself disappointed pretty savagely, so I wanted to see if the book was better. Conclusion: not better but terrible in different ways.
For example: movie Elle, very, erm, free with her sexuality. No judgment, girl. You do you. But much bra bearing and embracing of said bra bearing. Book Elle: much less scandalous of bearing (oh lord! A button is undone!) and much more embarrassment on her part rather than embracing. But still plenty of controlling from Noah and more discussion of why she shouldn't unbutton a single button.
The biggest problem for me with this book: the toxic relationship and the tacit support of rape culture.
Because that's what it is. When characters are constantly saying things like, "you can't be too nice because you'll lead guys on and then what'll they do when they find out they're being led on" and "you can't wear that because what will the guys at this party do?" or "I know what guys are like, I'm just protecting you", that is rape culture. Rape culture is that it's the woman's fault and that she should be modifying her behavior to avoid boys being awful to her (groping, insulting, raping, etc.). And then also, when stuff like that does happen (boys say lewd things to Elle, one of them does in fact grope her), she's like, "haha, no biggie". Also rape culture. For women to brush very serious things off because they've been trained that boys are allowed to behave that way and that they shouldn't complain because then they'll be seen as being "trouble-makers" or "whiny" or "bitchy" when really, they should just "relax," because "it was just a joke, God".
YUCK.
The book was literally constantly filled with stuff like that. It made me want to puke.
Then, the actual relationship between the two main characters was super toxic. There's a lot of fighting between the two of them. The boy, Noah, fights others at his school so much that Elle consistently refers to him as a "violence junkie". RED FLAG. He convinces her to lie about their relationship to her friends and family, in particular her best friend, his little brother. RED FLAG. For the longest time, he excuses bad behavior by saying, "I'm not good with this emotional crap". RED FLAG. She reads more into his actions and excuses his behavior. "He didn't actually ask me to the dance, but he basically did. I know he wants to go with me". RED FLAG. Literally no one is okay with them dating. RED FLAG. Her best friend, Lee, Noah's younger brother, literally ASSUMES his brother has HIT Elle. Assumes that he has been VIOLENT with her. RED FLAG. When they "get back together," he's like, "I got a room but I don't expect to have sex" (yeah right). RED FLAG. She's constantly, constantly saying things like, "Every ounce of good sense told me not to be with Noah but then I was like, well, the heart wants what the heart wants!" RED FLAG. Noah's also constantly invading her space, being rough with her, and ignoring her when she tells him things like "no". RED FLAG. I went to several websites that list flags for abusive relationships, and they ticked off at least seven on each list.
Also, the parents are TERRIBLE. Elle gets drunk and stays over at her best friend's house when she's 17 and DOESN'T TELL HER SINGLE PARENT. I would have been grounded FOR THE CENTURY. My parents would have called the cops. Her dad is only mildly disapproving. Not ONCE does he actually punish her or reprimand her or have any kind of serious talk with her. He voices his disapproval, and then when she's like, "What should I do??" he's like, "Figure it out on your own, sweetie". The hell? When Noah goes missing and his parents are worried, Noah calls Elle's house. SHE AND HER DAD IGNORE HIS CALLS. What the hell? You need to pick up to make sure that he's OKAY and that you can assure his parents he's okay. Not ignore him! What if he needed help? Jesus. And then, at Lee and Elle's birthday party, LEE BUYS HER CONDOMS. And has her unwrap them IN FRONT OF EVERYONE'S PARENTS AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER. LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL... If my child did that, I would flip a damn table and be like, "yo, we haven't talked about this at all and, like, maybe this should be a parent/child thing not a birthday dinner present thing and also gross".
Finally, this is minor in comparison, but I couldn't figure out where the hell this was supposed to take place. Because it was supposed to take place in San Diego, but apparently Beth Reekles couldn't find an editor. Because literally ANY AMERICAN would have been like, "hold up, no". I literally started labeling them "British isms" because I couldn't take it. I can count at least 12 in the notes I made. "Motorbike," and "nut roast" (I had to literally Google that one) and "purchased" and "my back garden". They go to a "little village" with "church bells ringing". Not in SoCal you don't. It's like she didn't even Google this herself. The setting super didn't make sense so then also many of the things they did didn't make sense. A waiter at Starbucks? No. She stood at the window, watching his plane roll out across the runway? Not in post-9/11 America, she didn't. And I checked. This book: written in 2013. Plus, we got a detailed description of every outfit and what she did with her hair. And there were lots of details that were unnecessary. Why did we need to know that two characters came as Jacob and Edward from Twilight? It literally added NOTHING to the story except that I now know Beth Reekles loves Twilight, thereby explaining the ease with which she apparently supports rape culture and toxic relationships, in addition to all the typos. AN EDITOR OF ANY TYPE SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE MAJORITY OF THESE MISTAKES. Really, it's inexcusable. It's in your face, blatant, and throws off the whole feel of the book. Plus, it's SUPER EASY TO FIX.
Damn.
I had feelings about this book.
But, it was a quick read, and now I feel justified in my dislike of the movie because the book was also awful.
Maybe I should just reread To All the Boys. I'm coming, Lara Jean!
That is not a good sign.
So I picked up this book probably for the same reason a bunch of people recently have picked it up -- Netflix Original movie. But unlike To All the Boys I've Loved Before which I adored as a movie and then immediately went out and binge-read all three books and loved, this one has left me cold.
The movie itself disappointed pretty savagely, so I wanted to see if the book was better. Conclusion: not better but terrible in different ways.
For example: movie Elle, very, erm, free with her sexuality. No judgment, girl. You do you. But much bra bearing and embracing of said bra bearing. Book Elle: much less scandalous of bearing (oh lord! A button is undone!) and much more embarrassment on her part rather than embracing. But still plenty of controlling from Noah and more discussion of why she shouldn't unbutton a single button.
The biggest problem for me with this book: the toxic relationship and the tacit support of rape culture.
Because that's what it is. When characters are constantly saying things like, "you can't be too nice because you'll lead guys on and then what'll they do when they find out they're being led on" and "you can't wear that because what will the guys at this party do?" or "I know what guys are like, I'm just protecting you", that is rape culture. Rape culture is that it's the woman's fault and that she should be modifying her behavior to avoid boys being awful to her (groping, insulting, raping, etc.). And then also, when stuff like that does happen (boys say lewd things to Elle, one of them does in fact grope her), she's like, "haha, no biggie". Also rape culture. For women to brush very serious things off because they've been trained that boys are allowed to behave that way and that they shouldn't complain because then they'll be seen as being "trouble-makers" or "whiny" or "bitchy" when really, they should just "relax," because "it was just a joke, God".
YUCK.
The book was literally constantly filled with stuff like that. It made me want to puke.
Then, the actual relationship between the two main characters was super toxic. There's a lot of fighting between the two of them. The boy, Noah, fights others at his school so much that Elle consistently refers to him as a "violence junkie". RED FLAG. He convinces her to lie about their relationship to her friends and family, in particular her best friend, his little brother. RED FLAG. For the longest time, he excuses bad behavior by saying, "I'm not good with this emotional crap". RED FLAG. She reads more into his actions and excuses his behavior. "He didn't actually ask me to the dance, but he basically did. I know he wants to go with me". RED FLAG. Literally no one is okay with them dating. RED FLAG. Her best friend, Lee, Noah's younger brother, literally ASSUMES his brother has HIT Elle. Assumes that he has been VIOLENT with her. RED FLAG. When they "get back together," he's like, "I got a room but I don't expect to have sex" (yeah right). RED FLAG. She's constantly, constantly saying things like, "Every ounce of good sense told me not to be with Noah but then I was like, well, the heart wants what the heart wants!" RED FLAG. Noah's also constantly invading her space, being rough with her, and ignoring her when she tells him things like "no". RED FLAG. I went to several websites that list flags for abusive relationships, and they ticked off at least seven on each list.
Also, the parents are TERRIBLE. Elle gets drunk and stays over at her best friend's house when she's 17 and DOESN'T TELL HER SINGLE PARENT. I would have been grounded FOR THE CENTURY. My parents would have called the cops. Her dad is only mildly disapproving. Not ONCE does he actually punish her or reprimand her or have any kind of serious talk with her. He voices his disapproval, and then when she's like, "What should I do??" he's like, "Figure it out on your own, sweetie". The hell? When Noah goes missing and his parents are worried, Noah calls Elle's house. SHE AND HER DAD IGNORE HIS CALLS. What the hell? You need to pick up to make sure that he's OKAY and that you can assure his parents he's okay. Not ignore him! What if he needed help? Jesus. And then, at Lee and Elle's birthday party, LEE BUYS HER CONDOMS. And has her unwrap them IN FRONT OF EVERYONE'S PARENTS AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER. LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL... If my child did that, I would flip a damn table and be like, "yo, we haven't talked about this at all and, like, maybe this should be a parent/child thing not a birthday dinner present thing and also gross".
Finally, this is minor in comparison, but I couldn't figure out where the hell this was supposed to take place. Because it was supposed to take place in San Diego, but apparently Beth Reekles couldn't find an editor. Because literally ANY AMERICAN would have been like, "hold up, no". I literally started labeling them "British isms" because I couldn't take it. I can count at least 12 in the notes I made. "Motorbike," and "nut roast" (I had to literally Google that one) and "purchased" and "my back garden". They go to a "little village" with "church bells ringing". Not in SoCal you don't. It's like she didn't even Google this herself. The setting super didn't make sense so then also many of the things they did didn't make sense. A waiter at Starbucks? No. She stood at the window, watching his plane roll out across the runway? Not in post-9/11 America, she didn't. And I checked. This book: written in 2013. Plus, we got a detailed description of every outfit and what she did with her hair. And there were lots of details that were unnecessary. Why did we need to know that two characters came as Jacob and Edward from Twilight? It literally added NOTHING to the story except that I now know Beth Reekles loves Twilight, thereby explaining the ease with which she apparently supports rape culture and toxic relationships, in addition to all the typos. AN EDITOR OF ANY TYPE SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE MAJORITY OF THESE MISTAKES. Really, it's inexcusable. It's in your face, blatant, and throws off the whole feel of the book. Plus, it's SUPER EASY TO FIX.
Damn.
I had feelings about this book.
But, it was a quick read, and now I feel justified in my dislike of the movie because the book was also awful.
Maybe I should just reread To All the Boys. I'm coming, Lara Jean!
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