#and there are a few loose ends that i feel aren't appropriately addressed

[sophiemess]

NOVEL PLOTTED LET"S FUCKING GO!!!!!!

[talesfromthemidnightride]

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

★★★★☆

Synopsis: It Starts with Us is a direct sequel, and while the two books can and should be read back to back, both books carry their own unique beat and story. While It Ends with Us details abuse in various relationships, It Starts with Us details overcoming abuse and finding yourself again. Lily Bloom must now navigate a tight act of peaceful co-parenting with Ryle and what it means to have Atlas Corrigan back in her life.

Quick Takeaway:

Some Relationships don't feel appropriate but are passed off as such.

POV changes fluidly between each other.

Relationships bounce back and forth in a realistic manner.

The grammar is clean and free of significant mistakes.

POV character tends to shape a scene based on how it emotionally impacted them, which can cause a slightly unreliable narration of events.

Each chapter ends with a minor cliffhanger, encouraging the reader further into the story.

I no longer understand Lily's struggle.

The final chapter is best left off as an epilogue or not included.

In-depth spoiler review below the cut!

Right away, I felt as if It Ends with Us never actually ended, and I was just picking up the book again. Sometimes the best sequels aren't what happens a few weeks or months or even years later, but what happens later in the day.

Each passing chapter reminds me why I enjoyed the first book so much. The relationships all feel real, and the characters speak to each other like other people would. Although, I am a bit put off by the thought of a 12-year-old "playing therapist" on an adult almost 30 years old. It doesn't feel appropriate to turn to someone so young for advice on their personal life, or for the parent to encourage such a relationship between their friend and child.

Another thing that I noticed was how some scenes can be presented. For better or worse, Colleen Hoover can acutely tune into the reader's emotions when writing a scene. This can cause some scenes to be a bit skewed. At the surface level, you see and feel the way the POV character feels in the moment, before going back and realizing it can also be slightly different.

Take for instance when Ryle learned why Lily chose Dory as the middle name for their daughter. He had every right to be upset over that, but he remained calm and never took it out on her. But, yet, Lily feels so strongly that he is gaslighting her and trying to manipulate her. It grows to a point where you could almost believe her because the narration, reasonably so, focuses heavily on her inner thoughts.

I had a hard time putting the book down as the chapters each end with a minor cliffhanger. Minor details you picked up in past chapters will suddenly make a lot of sense in a later chapter. Add in the alternating POV changing, and it has you continue reading as the story slowly unravels.

While this doesn't impact my rating for it, I do struggle to understand what drives Lily this time. A lot of it has to do with her being a mother and thinking of her child. I feel more intuned with Allysa's instincts of just doing it and dealing with the fallout later, rather than Lily's careful thinking of her daughter's future. I think this is in part of me no longer being in the same life stage as Lily -- i.e., she is a mother and I am not.

I wasn't too enthused with the ending as it absolves it of any wonder. Yes, it ties up all loose ends, but it cuts out any and all wonder a reader may have of the two. Sometimes, those are the best endings to a series. A little wonder is never a bad thing when coming to the end of a story. Not every milestone needs to be addressed or given to the reader.

If you want your own copy of It Starts With Us, please click here.

I tend to do tea and playlist pairings for books I read. I'm currently behind at the moment, but please feel free to check back later for a tea & playlist pairing for It Starts with Us!