Nothing this summer had gone the way I imagined. But maybe it was supposed to be that way so I could turn the page and move onto a new, clean chapter in my story. —Tatum

This contemporary retelling of Cinderella is nothing short of literary perfection. I even liked it more than the original fairy tale. It was a quick read for me, but I thought that its content was surprisingly hefty.

It Started with Goodbye features elements inspired by its predecessor. Essentially, it is about a teenage girl who finds herself unhappy in her own home, particularly because of her mean stepmother. The doting father archetype is also present, as well as the beloved fairy godmother and the infamous stepsister. Finally, let's not forget Prince Charming, although he is relatively negligible in this book. 

When I come to think of it, It Started with Goodbye is not a love story. One of the reasons why I loved it is that it focused on Tatum's relationship with her family and friends. In fact, one of the main conflicts in the story is the strained connection between Tatum and her best friend, Ashlyn. The identity of Tatum's very own Prince Charming isn't even revealed until (whisper whisper). ;) It is a truth widely accepted that YA contemporary books generally put a premium on romantic themes. Hence, in light of its sober content, I really found this book to be very refreshing. Surprisingly, the lack of romance (combined with the simplistic writing) even made the novel fast-paced. I could have read it in one day, but I restrained myself because I wanted to savor each intriguing chapter.

I also loved this book because of its well-developed and down to earth characters. I especially liked Tatum because her inner monologues made me feel a variety of emotions. It was also hilarious how she tended to overthink the valedictions of her letters. To my delight, I even managed to like Tatum's stepmother and stepsister because they were suspiciously more than what they seemed. Reading about them made me understand why retellings of fairy tale villains became so popular nowadays. This might sound strange, but the only character I disliked was Tatum's loving but naive father.

I may have given this book 5 stars, but I did encounter one minor problem: Tatum's relationship with her mysterious Prince Charming was reminiscent of a certain overhyped novel written by Nicola Yoon. Haha. I shall leave it at that. If you're curious, please go ahead and read this book!

In the end, It Started with Goodbye is a new addition to my shelf of favorite books in 2017. Even though this book is a retelling of Cinderella, the feelings it evoked in me were beautifully authentic. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short yet meaningful book.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 stars

This is an amazing debut by Christina June! This story has a lot of Cinderella-esque themes which I adore.

First of all, the main character Tatum is amazing. She is definitely someone 16-year-old me would've wanted to have as a best friend. Even though she is confident with what she wants, she is just a normal 16-year-old. She has doubts about her skills and her future, which are definitely things I was wondering about at that age too. Especially if your "Stepmonster" was always seeming to be super supportive of your incredibly talented stepsister. Watching her develop throughout the story was something that the author did perfectly and I was always rooting for her when everything seemed to fall apart.

Secondly, we just need to take a moment to appreciate her step-abuela, Blanche. She was definitely the fairy godmother of this story and she was amazing. I was constantly laughing or smiling anytime she was in a scene. She is the person you wish to have around whenever something isn't going right.

There were so many amazing characters that got introduced throughout the story and that was something I really appreciated. I love when an author takes the time to develop all the characters of a story instead of just the main one. All of the characters were relatable in one way or another and that was something very memorable about this book.

Lastly....what would a Cinderella story be without a prince charming?? The prince charming in this story was developed in a way that made me smile. I was always waiting for that moment when everything comes together and I loved the way it was worked out. Everything about that was perfect.

This is an amazing summer-type read, or if you're just wanting to enjoy a good contemporary with the whole package-humor, excitement, and some tears. I was really impressed and I want to read more by this author! Make sure you add this to your "To Be Read" list because you will definitely want to read this when it is released May 2017.

This is an excellent contemporary showing a normal teenager struggling with something she didn't do. But, i love how it showed her starting her own business and the way music was incorporated into the book as I'm a musical person.

So, I was not a huge fan of this book, and I feel kind of sad about it? I couldn't connect to the main character, like at all. My favorite characters were all side characters that, to me, were way more interesting than the main story-line. Much of this was incredibly blah. My biggest issue is how awful everything was going for the MC and there was nothing good to balance it out for the first half of the book. Even the romance, which was kind of cute, didn't really progress until the book was almost over. Don't even get me started on the stepmother! She was awful, and the way it played out, there was nothing within the text of the book that made the way it ended make sense. 

I'm giving it 2 stars because I did really like Abby, Hunter, and Seamus. Would love to read a story focused on Abby and Hunter, to be honest. 

I wouldn't rule out reading another book from this author because I didn't mind her writing style, this story, however, just wasn't for me.

I give it 3.5 stars. It was better than okay, but not anything special or something that I would re-read. I did like how the book was not solely focused on the romance. I like the issues of family and understanding that were brought up. I think contemporary readers would enjoy this book, but it is very predictable. You see things coming from a mile away and that loss of surprise it what knocked it down half a star for me.

Feelings: This story is really fresh and different! I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up on the Cinderella-twist vibe, but this book handles it really well. It wasn't TOO parallel to the original fairy tale, more like...loosely inspired by. Modern twists and unexpected turns kept it interesting!

I liked that we saw a budding romance, struggles in friendships, and a disconnected family. There were a few realms of conflict keeping everything going, but it wasn't ever that there was TOO much going on.

Issues: In terms of reality, I thought the punishment from the court and from her Dad were kind of extreme. No one was listening to her at all and she was treated like she'd done something MAJOR. I don't know...it just didn't totally come together, in my opinion.

Characters: Tatum is a very REAL character. She's flawed and she messes up, she fights against the machine, but also comes around and is humble. She works hard, struggles with her reality, and finds ways to make things work. She's so relatable and I enjoyed going on this journey with her.

I understand what it's like to have a step-parent and how difficult it can be to adjust. I appreciated how the author twisted the traditional "evil stepmother" trope and made her a human being with motivations.

This story has a great cast of friend characters. Ashlyn is the imperfect BFF. Abby is the mature friend. Hunter is the cool guy. Tilly is the wild card. And SK adds some mystery (and hunkiness). It's a diverse group where each person has their own "thing", keeping the story moving and breaking up any chance of monotony.

Final thoughts: The writing style is really simple, so I finished this story in a day. It wasn't necessarily that I just HAD to know how it turned out, I was just enjoying the writing and easy to follow plot. There's a pretty high "cheese" factor in this book, but I like that from time to time!

This is one of those books that is so beautifully, but subtlety predictable - the type that gets you turning the page whispering "god I hope I'm RIGHT" - the type that you watch back to back in December in the run up to Christmas? Well yeah, this is like a summer version of that feeling. 

Thank you to the author for not making her female protagonist annoying! I really really enjoyed getting to know Tatum, she was real and relatable and she responded to things in the way a normal teenager would... yet she takes the time to reflect and say I'm sorry even when it's so hard and she doesn't *fully* believe she's in the wrong - is there ever a time when we really do? 

Then there's the rich family, not in monetary means but in culture and dynamic. Of course, being grounded, Tatum spends a lot of time at home with her family and I really wish more YA novels had more family page time because I eat it up. Tatum's Chilean Step-momster was a MEANIE but I loved how as the book progressed - mostly with the meddling of the abuela, Blanche - even if we don't necessarily like Belén, we understand her. Tatum's dad is sort of... unimportant in this section of Tatum's life. Although it's made very clear that Tatum loves him and they're very close, he goes away for the whole summer (when the book takes place) on a work trip, but I liked it, because if he was there Tatum wouldn't have been in the horrible situation that meant she had to understand Belén and grow closer to her step-sister... what a GLORIOUS surprise that was! I am SO for sisters-growing-closer-together sister development and this handed it to me on a silver platter ahhhh it was wonderful. Finding out that they're not as "chalk and cheese" as they'd just expected themselves to be is like,, life goals.

And now this is the part where I get to fawn over the romance - my favourite part omg I'm so excited to share my (many) feelings. Tatum establishes her own design business, totally behind everyone's back, with only a girl from her class supporting her - so cool - and through it she meets this mysterious S. I don't know how she did it, but the author made S so charismatic through an exchange of emails that I couldn't wait to see if my theory about who S was, which would mean S and Tatum would meet very soon, was right. There was SO MUCH SUSPENSE towards the end of the book where she almost meets him, and then doesn't, and then he's on his way, and then.............. I believe "AaaaaASGHJKA HES SO XUTE" were my exact thoughts/words at how he wonderfully introduced himself to her (finally). I love him, we had about 20 pages with S PHYSICALLY there but I love him. 

In the end, what started with goodbye? Truly a coming of age story, Tatum finds herself in her passion and a drive that only appears when there is nobody else to rely on to motivate you. She lost her best friend and her father and her family's trust because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but like I always say EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON and if she hadn't been there, she wouldn't have set up her own business (let me just reiterate... which is AWESOME how often do you get to read a novel where the protag singlehandedly employs herself and stars charging people for her skills and time) and she wouldn't have met S and she wouldn't have bonded with her sister and to a certain extent, Belén as well. 

// Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review //

This story was sort of like a modern day Cinderella story with an artsy twist, minus the whinny stepsisters and a not so terrible stepmom and one fabulous abuela. 

Tatum aka Tate is smart, enjoys life, a respectful daughter, lover of art. A female character you want your daughters to read about. Guilty by association is what gets her in trouble and sets her back on earning her trust with her father and stepmom, who at times is a little tough on her. Tate starts to feel some sort of way when her dad allows her stepmom to make the decisions on her punishment. Typical "you're not my mother" attitude and teenager, Tate decides to push her boundaries and lie about her work plans even after getting in trouble. Of course you know there's a lesson to be learned because liars always get caught. 

I love the authors take on this story because it felt realistic. Problems that parents/stepparents may face with teenagers and each other. I can relate to this having two teenagers myself. We are not the bad guys, they just don't see that yet. There's also a little love story and it's cute and safe (no sex) to recommend to young readers. Maybe they can even relate to the story themselves. 

Highly recommend to young readers or anyone looking for a lighter read. Beautiful ending with a positive message. 

Happy Readings!

nice romantic 'coming of age' teenage book.  enjoyed it a lot

Plot

For me Happily Ever After  endings are a bit too twee. In romance, they can work. But for my personal preference, I prefer for the hero to at least come out with some wound, no matter how small.

In a way, this book had the reverse. It started out with the protagonist Tate, having been caught up in something illegal, but (and minor spoiler here) it's obvious from the outset that she didn't do it.

The thrust of the story is her summer spent doing community service and building a business.

There isn't much plot. Not a lot goes on, and it's very family centric. So it felt a little flat to me. It also has an extremely happy ending.

Characters

Despite that, I actually REALLY liked the main character, right up to the point she caved. I loved her in the first 85% of this book, her rebellion, her determination, her mindset. It was fantastic. But she basically rolls over and apologises when she didn't do anything wrong. So it was a very hard pill for me to swallow that she understood the situation from her parents perspective. I'm a parent... and I didn't. They over reacted.

Romance

This is ultimately a romance story. Have to say, I loved the romance between the two characters. The mystery lover boy wasn't much of a reveal to me, it was blatantly obvious from the start, but perhaps that is because I am an adult reading a young adult's novel. Despite it not being much of a reveal, I really did adore the romance, it was beautiful, and funny and I laughed several times in the story.

Overall  

The characters are great, June nailed them, the romance also made me smile, and at times the story made me laugh out loud. For me, the ending could have been tweaked a fraction to make it a smidge more grounded, and I would have liked a little more up and down tension in the plot. But overall an enjoyable read, nice and quick too if you fancy an easy read one evening.

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Blog review live March 14th

Loved the voice of the main character in this book. Comparison's to Sarah Dessen are right on the money. I would recommend this to girls seeking romances with strong, interesting female characters.

This engaging book is a modern take on Cinderella. Or that is how it feels to 16-year-old Tatum.

She gives her best friend a lift, along with her boyfriend, and ends up in a great deal of trouble. The boyfriend had just stolen goods worth over $3000 which carries the penalty for grand larceny. As she was the driver, and unaware of what had happened, she ended up with a criminal record and hours of community service.

Her father and stepmother are far from pleased and when her father heads off to Africa for work, it is her step-mother Belen who insists on “house arrest” for the duration of the summer holidays.

Tatum feels very hard done by but realises that none- compliance is not an option. She is able to escape the house by saying she is babysitting during the daytime whilst the parents are working. She is, in fact, feeding their pets and staying at their house during the day. The mileage on her car is checked by the wicked step mother, so there is no way she can go anywhere else.

The start of her online graphics service enables her to earn money and via email she “meets” a musical genius.

On her father's return some weeks later he sees an immediate change in her, and his step daughter as well. The girls are getting on well, his wife is not too wound up, his mother in law who has been staying seems to have had a calming influence on the household.

Tatum is much like any 16-year-old girl and she begins to mature in a small time frame.

It is a very satisfactory ending and this book is one that I can highly recommend.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to Netgalley for this opportunity.

Wonderful YA story about finding your path and your passions in life. After having her life derailed by being arrested for being an accessory to a crime, Tatum struggles to come to terms with the consequences of her actions while dealing with her difficult stepmother. Readers will enjoy watching Tatum's character grow, mature, and find her way throughout the book. As she grows and changes so does her relationship with those around her . The paths of those around her also morph and change due to Tatum's influence and they are richer because of it. Definitely recommend!

This is a cute, sweet young adult fiction book that hit all of my favorite things: music, friendship, light romance. A little predictable but I enjoyed seeing how the plot would unfold.

SUCH a fantastic debut. There is so much to love about this book: an authentic, realistic plot, conflicts you'll relate to, and a main character you'll wish you were friends with in real life. Plus, there's lots of humor and heart, and I adore a book that can make me laugh and make me think. Tatum's voice is fantastic and so spot-on. Teen me wouldn't have been able to put this one down, and adult me couldn't either!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice light read and didn't make me think too much which sometimes you need when you're reading a book, I was able to just simply enjoy it.

I felt that at times it was slightly rushed and it could have done with more detail and story building rather than skimming over what happened when in other parts of the story seemingly mundane and boring things were drawn out and over described almost.

I wanted more time with Tatum & Shay, before they had 'met' and also once they had met.  It was also quite obvious throughout the story what was going to happen, all very predictable but that wasn't a bad thing in this case I feel as I still enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down.

The relationships are very believable in this novel from the step mother & step daughter to Tatum and her best friend Ashlyn. This really added to the story as I felt involved in all the relationships.

“It Started with Goodbye” is a wonderful modern-day retelling of Cinderella. Tatum has always felt like an oddball in her family with her “wicked” (maybe just misunderstood), helicopter stepmother, Belen, and distant stepsister, Tilly (Matilda). Her father is frequently out of town for business and she is left with her extremely strict stepmother watching her every step (or misstep as the case may be). The book begins when she takes her BFF, Ashlyn, and her boyfriend who spells trouble, Chase, to a store- and then, without knowing it, becomes an accessory to theft. Her father and stepmother don’t believe her that she didn’t know what was going on, but their lawyer helps her make a deal to identify the other two (Chase and Ashlyn) in exchange for community service and a small fine. 

In addition to the legal punishments, Belen is putting Tatum under house arrest for the whole summer, and since her father is out of town, she has also brought her mother, Blanche, to stay and watch Tatum whenever she can’t be there.  Tatum is suffocating and lonely- Ashlyn won’t speak to her and she is already isolated from her stepmother and stepsister. Luckily, she makes some friends at community service, Abby and Hunter, plus she has her stepgrandmother, who looks after her like a fairy godmother. Tatum also begins a business of graphic/web design, and she is going to earn back the money to pay for her fine, as well as build a portfolio for future college applications. Ultimately, Tatum learns some bigger lessons about empathy and honesty during the book.

This is a fantastic retelling of Cinderella, and I really loved Tatum’s character- she grows a lot during the book and is a wonderful example for a teenager to try to see the world from someone else’s point-of-view. Blanche was a really fun character, and I instantly caught the fairy godmother vibe from her. There’s just a touch of romance in the story, and it was like icing on the cake- nice but not necessary. The biggest aspects of the story were Tatum’s personal growth and familial/friend relationships. 

There is also an undercurrent about the value of creativity and the arts/music, which was a lovely touch. The Cinderella aspect was really interesting, and none of her situations seemed as bad as she thought they were (of course, all stories are a matter of perspective) and it gave an interesting spin to the overall concept. This is a really clever debut of a talented author from whom I’ll be interested in seeing more!

Overall, this is a really fantastic read, and I enjoyed it! I read it pretty fast, as it was hard to put down and the perfect length for a one-sit reading. It’s a feel-good book and a perfect holiday/summer read! Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a wonderful debut! Love the diversity, friendship, and romance plus the subtle take on the Cinderella story!

This is amazing! Well written, well plotted, well done!