Eleanor & Park | 
pickLovely story about teenage love. Great plot with characters to die for. Pacing was a touch slow but the story was so good I easily overlooked it. 4🌟
#Littensloveromance @StayCurious
#Read2025 @DieAReader
pickI read this years ago & absolutely loved it. This time I listened to the audiobook & loved it just as much. The story, characters and narration were all superb.
#LittensLoveRomance
pick#LittensLoveRomance A sad ending? but also one filled with hope. What do we think the three words were on the postcard? I think she finally said I love you - I think she needed time to heal and is finally ready to let him know what their connection meant to her. I wonder where her mom and siblings went. Obviously away from Ritchie and that‘s the important thing. ⬇️
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.50-53: In a nice twist, Park‘s father - who really is a decent guy - gives him permission to drive Eleanor to her uncle‘s. I only hope her uncle takes her in. Poor Eleanor doesn‘t have any other options. I felt bad that she had to make the decision to leave her siblings. But in the end, she‘s right in that they would have been doomed from the start if she tried to take them. We‘ll finish with the final few chapters tomorrow.
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.45-49: ugh so scary. Eleanor‘s step dad is a predator and he needs to be stopped. I really hope she can get away from him and make it ok on her own. Props to Tina for helping her - of all people. That was surprising but in a good way. Kids need to stick up for each other. Now comes the goodbye 💔
#LittensLoveRomance Sorry for the missed post. I fell asleep early last night due to a cold. Ch.41-44: even as Eleanor and Park grow closer physically, we know they‘re on borrowed time. I feel like with her mom cornering her and talking about boys, she knows more than she is letting on. If every kid in their neighborhood knows, I‘m sure some adults do too. Someone could have mentioned it. Which is dangerous for Eleanor. ⬇️
pickI loved the 80s setting…brought back some memories for sure. This is a sad love story, but a really good one too.
#LittensLoveRomance
#bookspinbingo - free space
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.37-40: Sigh, poor Eleanor and Park. They have so many issues. I can see why they‘re labled as star crossed lovers. 😢 Eleanor, for good reason, has really low self esteem. (That darn Tina! I feel violent tendencies towards her.) And Park needs to have a bit more empathy when it comes to what Eleanor is dealing with. At least when it comes to Tina. ⬇️
pickI had to finish this mostly because it had to be returned and because it was audio. It was a really good story, often sad, often "awwe moments." A really good pick for #LittensLoveRomamce @StayCurious I will continue with the buddy read cause I love the conversation. #ISpyBingoApril one bingo spot @TheAromaofBooks #Read2025 @DieAReader
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.33-36: I think Park‘s mom was sweet trying to share her love of make up with Eleanor. Even if she may have been a bit overzealous. And I think Park‘s dad was sweet telling Eleanor she was always welcome at their home. Was his reaction to Park‘s new look a bit upsetting? Yes, but also very typical of the time and his character. I think Park is lucky to have his parents. As we know, not everyone is so lucky.
pickI had to finish this before the end of the read along. Sorry! So, this is set in the time when I was young, which brought so much nostalgia. There are walk-mans, mixed tapes and phone calls. Eleanor‘s life is sad and filled with traumatic experiences, but Park sees her and ends up being a safe place for her. It‘s a really cute love story, but also incredibly sad. This isn‘t an escape for sure, but I really enjoyed it. I loved Eleanor and Park 💕
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.29-32: this book just keeps getting sadder. I can‘t imagine Eleanor being stuck in her room for 3 weeks of Xmas break thinking she‘s broken up with Park. How bleak. And her mom really isn‘t any help. I couldn‘t believe what she said to Eleanor on Christmas about being like a family. So wrong. I‘m glad Eleanor and Park made up but the more I read of this book, the more depressed I get. I‘m trying to see the good moments.
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.25-28: as Eleanor‘s home life grows increasingly tense, as she worries about being kicked out again, she starts to take refuge at Park‘s home and with his family, bit by bit. Park is starting to be less embarrassed by her actions and appearance as they get used to being with each other. It‘s sweet but I‘m feeling very off kilter thinking of what Ritchie is going to do next. I can‘t imagine living in that environment.
#LittensloveRomance Ch.21-24: well that was scary. Ritchie is so dangerous. And those cops were useless. I mean seriously useless. I was also sad about Park‘s mom‘s opinion of Eleanor. I was expecting better. I think Park was expecting better. He‘s learning some tough lessons as he navigates his relationship with Eleanor.
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.17-20: ah the joys of talking on the phone - that‘s a flash to the past for sure. Now if someone calls me I‘m like who died!? How do we feel about her dad? He seems like a flake. Like he‘s of no use to anyone - which sounds mean but he needs to take charge and make sure his kids are being taken care of. Ch.19 was an important chapter and Eleanor and Park each went out on a limb. ⬇️
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.13-16: holding hands with your first real crush is the best. Rowell reminds us how this feels when you‘re young. Also, Why does Park need to learn a stick shift first? Because it‘s more manly? cringe. His dad seems like a jerk. But his home life is still a thousand times better than hers.
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.9-12: Honestly, not even having a toothbrush. I‘m sad for this girl and want to see good things happen for her. I like that Park is slowly opening up and sharing his comics and his music. That would make a world of difference to someone living like Eleanor.
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.5-8: poor Eleanor! To be shoved off to her mom‘s friend and then left there for like a year. That must have made her feel awful and unwanted. It‘s not right to feel like you have to make yourself invisible. But then at school people notice her for all the wrong reasons. I can‘t wait for Park to notice who she really is and appreciate her.
📚Most definitely! However I rarely want to own/keep them. They‘re heavy and space is an issue for me🤷♀️
📖 tagged
#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView
Play? @Read4life @Sleepswithbooks @iread2much
#LittensLoveRomance Ch.1-4: wow. Kids are mean. But we knew that already. I feel for Eleanor - seems as though she has a complicated home life. I feel leery of Ritchie. He‘s going to be trouble I think. How do we feel about the setting in the 80‘s? Were kids meaner back then or the same?
🌿 Pretty much all the way through grad school; I wanted to absorb everything like a sponge 🧽
🌱 tagged was delightful
#two4tuesday @TheSpineView
#LittensLoveRomance It was a close vote but we have a winner! It‘s been on my TBR since I fell in love with Pumpkinheads. There are lots of chapters so we‘ll be reading 4 a day; from what I can tell, most are short so it should make for quick reading. We‘ll start in a week to give those who want to join a bit of time to get the book. Since it‘s older hopefully your library will come through. Let me know if you want to be tagged in my daily posts!
pickLoved this story of young love, angst, and the search for acceptance ❤️
The alternating narrators were great.
The story took an unexpected turn near the end when they found out who Eleanor's bully is.
pickI absolutely love this book. It definitely had me on an emotional ride.
#BookSpinBingo #readyourTBR #TBRtarot
pickI've not really read any YA before. This kept flashing into my peripheral so I gave it a go. Sweet teenage love, the yuckiness of school, siblings and parents. And the despicable step father, the sad mother and poor Eleanor.
I liked the way Rowell keeps it real, not letting it become sickly sweet at all. Good ending:)
pickWhen a friend found out I LOVE Fangirl (as you can see) she recommended E&P, which is such a ‘tug on your heart strings‘ story, that if you were the Grinch, your heart would be guaranteed to grow 3 sizes. It is wholesome, relatable, and so real. And that‘s why I love Rowell. She can write the sweetest of stories that we can all experience. I don‘t usually go for a dose of reality but when it‘s done right, it‘s beautiful.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
panI haven‘t read this book since middle school (when I was obsessed with it as middle schoolers are) and boy is it horrible. Like awful. Truly. It‘s waaaaay more racist than I remember???? And it fetishizes Asian people in the weirdest way???? I just want to know why a full grown adult woman wrote this book about 16 year olds yearning for each other. It‘s just bad.
pickDelicate. Fragile. First love and the soft and painful ways it can break your heart. It was a really soft, warm read. Something that evokes the warm fuzziness in your heart. Although they fell really fast, I really do like this book and the story although some parts are slightly unbelievable. Yet I would still say it's worth reading.
pick5⭐️
I‘m so hurt. It caused me so much pain, but it was also an enjoyable read. Yes, Eleanor got a little annoying, but I think that was because I understood how she felt. Park was so in love with her and that‘s part of the reason that I love dual POV books, but it‘s also what caused me so much pain in the end. 100% recommend to anyone who‘s never read it and to anyone who cried reading The Fault In Our Stars.
@Escapinwithbooks Lynne!! Congratulations you are the winner of Eleanor & Park!! I‘m working all week, but I‘ll try to mail it Friday! 📚❤️🎉🎊🎈
#LitsyLove
Took a trip to our local bookstore today and found these!! 💕📚 I accidentally bought another copy of the tagged book 🤦🏻♀️
#LitsyLove members drop a comment below to be entered in a drawing for my extra copy! Tell me what you‘re currently reading! 😊📚
pickI've read this book more than once and it is still just as good, if not better every time. One of my five-star reads for sure.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #marvellousmay @Andrew65
I really enjoyed this book and rooted for Eleanor and Park the entire time. I did not have the same scenarios that either of the characters did, but I had some things about my family that were different enough to be picked on, so I felt the connection to the story. I even listened to the songs mentioned while I was reading!
pick“I don‘t like you….. I think I live for you.”
Uhh Rainbow, we need to talk! Please write a sequel! Give the people what they want, what they need!! I adored this story! Poetic, emotional, engaging! I want to reread Fangirl now because I forgot what an exceptional writer Rainbow Rowell is. Also, is this a movie? It totally should be!
“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”
I‘m loving this sweet love story! And all the 80s references!
#soulmates #ithadtobeyou @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
This was my first Rainbow Rowell book-it was endearing 💘
“Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under. “
#ItHadToBeYou 💖 #FirstLove 👩🏼❤️💋👨🏻
#BookNerd 🤓💙📚
so-soSomewhere between a pick and a so-so for me. The story was excellent, a perfect mix between heart-breaking and romantic. Like others wrote, some of the writing was uncomfortable and unnecessary (in my opinion). Also, some parts of the book felt rushed while others dragged out. Still finished in less than a day though, couldn‘t wait to find out what happened!
so-soThis was maybe slightly better than ‘so-so‘ but not super great. It‘s a teenage love story and the love described between Park & Eleanor is just that: weirdly fast moving & at times cringely intense. And then there‘s the way Eleanor is made to describe Park—she never lets us forget he‘s half Korean. It was a bit uncomfortable.
Overall, it was ok. Some parts were good.
pickThis was a cute and fun quick read. I love anything she writes.
#DashingDecember @Andrew65 Three book goal met. :)
I can't believe it took me so long to start this! I'm ready to call in sick to work so I can finish it 😂
pickWasn‘t sure I would enjoy this book since I am not a big fan of romance type novels, but this YA story was excellent. Loved both Eleanor and Park. So well written. It‘s a pick from me.
pickI absolutely loved portions of this book. But that ending…not sure how I feel about that.
