My sincerest apologies for the delay. 

It Started With Goodbye sounds like a pretty heavy title, but this has got to be one of the easiest reads of the year. Thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ebook in return for an honest review.

Poor Tatum's summer is over before it's begun. Days before her father leaves for a few months, she finds herself convicted of a crime she didn't even commit. Now stuck in her house with her too-perfect stepsister and awful stepmother, Tatum's only chance at some fun is enjoying her community service.

You know when you read a book, and it's not necessarily good, but it's not bad? This is that. Right until the last couple of chapters, It Started With Goodbye felt pretty meh.

I can't fault it in terms of content. Debut author Christina June manages to cover every base. Lying, betrayal, secrets, romance, family feuds, friendship — it's all touched on.

In an interesting Cinderella retelling, Tate ends up in a wrong place, wrong time scenario. Her father and stepmother disregard her side of the story and once her best friend starts ghosting her, Tate feels like she has nobody on her side. While you'd want to feel bad for her, I found it hard.

Maybe this is a personal issue – Tate is outgoing, I'm not. She wants to leave the house (to see friends or whatever), but I tend to stay inside all summer every summer. By being grounded, she's pretty much started living my life.

A fortunate coincidence for Tate is that a couple of students from her school are taking part in community service, so she's not entirely alone. Thing is, hers is mandatory while they've chosen to take part for their college applications.

It Started with Goodbye is very much a go-with-the-flow novel. Nothing huge happens for the most part. Once you've gotten past the getting arrested part, you plod along. It's simple, it's easy. It's not a rollercoaster – but that's okay.

As a more conservative YA novel, this provides the level of cuteness you'd want from a young adult romance. Two innocent teens with their inexperience shining through. They're only young and haven't got romance figured out yet. In the kindest, least-condescending way possible, I want to say that it's a nice read romance-wise.

Just don't expect to be addicted to It Started with Goodbye. You'll keep reading because it's not that bad and the characters are alright. You won't want to be friends with them, but acquaintances might work.

In the last few chapters, I did realise how everything was about to click into place. Usually I'd groan at predictability, but this caused an oh-my-God-I-can't-stop-reading feeling to kick in. It's just too bad the author couldn't capture that excitement the whole way through.

It Started with Goodbye is a little cheesy, but ultimately you'll squeal as everything pulls together. Genuinely, my heart was about to burst within the final few chapters — a strange change in pace from the rest of the book. It was enjoyable, nonetheless.

June has a great way of telling stories. Many times, I felt as if I was there in the moment. If you're looking for a light read, I wouldn't pass this by.

Terrific debut novel!!! This was such a fun & refreshing read. A modern day Cinderella story!
Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea gets into trouble for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tatum is arrested for shoplifting and has to pay a hefty fine. Tatum’s dad grounds her indefinitely as punishment. Tatum’s best friend Ashlyn (whose boyfriend had done the shoplifting) is shipped off to a private school. Tatum’s father has to travel for work so she is left alone at home with her stepsister Tilly, and her super strict stepmother, Belén. 
Tatum must deal with community service & her father’s house arrest, without getting under Belen’s or Tilly’s skin.  An unexpected ally arrives in Belén’s mother, Blanche. As Tatum completes her community service and opens a secret freelance graphic design business, she realizes that there is more to each member of her family than she realized.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher & author for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have to admit, I was really curious to start reading Girl Out of Water. I follow Laura Silverman on Twitter, and all her tweets about the book made me really interested to check it out. I'm glad I did. This book would be perfect to add to your Summer TBR list!

There were a lot of interesting characters in the story, including the main character, Anise, who wanted nothing more than to spend her summer hanging out with her friends and riding the waves. When all her plans changes, she takes them in stride, even when she totally doesn't want to, because.. family. They're everything, right? Anise has a pretty awesome family; her dad, aunt and cousins were all really great. She has some pretty great friends as well, both at home, and the new ones she meets along the way. And, of course, Lincoln is totally awesome as well. 

The storyline for this contemporary novel was fun and very entertaining. (I am a sucker for contemporary novels, so this book was right up my alley. *wink*) While the book had a few serious moments in it, it was mainly a really light-hearted read. I loved the summer setting, and though it's not the summer Anise expected to have at the beach, Nebraska still sounds pretty cool. All the descriptions of Anise's home in California totally made me want to BE at the beach. It sounds like an awesome place to live. Laura did a great job with the descriptions.

Overall; Girl Out of Water was an interesting summer themed read, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to check it out! Definitely add this to your TBR if you're in the mood for a fun summer read.

Happy Reading!

This was a great story! It's a sweet modern YA Cinderella retelling with a light amd clean romance. I highly recommend this one!

I loved Tatum. She was spunky, fun, and real. Christina June created a very interesting character that didn’t overreact, handled herself well though everything despite getting the short straw in some situations and felt very human.

But, if it wasn’t for Tatum I don’t know if I would have finished the book. It was all very straight forward. I guessed the love interest right away and when they finally did connect it was all a little short lived. It was a very cute book, very light and fun but it lacked some surprise.

I rated this a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Realistic take on a Cinderella-story with a really nice family-oriented happy ending. I like that the romance was fairly subtle, and the story focused a bit more on the main character's relationship with her 'evil' stepmother and stepsister, as well as her estranged best friend. All in all, very enjoyable!

This one is a cute, modern retelling of Cinderella. I enjoyed it for the most part and it was a really fast read but it just wasn’t very deep and everything wrapped up very nicely and quickly. I wanted to feel so much more from the MC and all I really got was her frustrations from living with her strict step-mother over the summer. If it hadn’t been for Blanche, her step-mother’s mother, I’m not sure the MC really would have changed at all over the summer. She told us that she’d changed by the end of summer but with everything happening so quickly in the end, we don’t really get to see it. And I would have liked for the chance to see some real development from her over the course of the book and know more about her struggles because a lot of it just seemed to touch the surface and therefore made her seem a bit spoiled instead of truly mistreated. So I was a little disappointed. But if what you’re looking for is a cute, updated, and quick fairy tale retelling, this one definitely fits the bill.

Opening line:
""Tatum, they have your license plate on camera.""

Sixteen-year-old Tatum is seemingly in the wrong place at the wrong time. She's accused of a crime that she didn't do. Her father and step-mother are upset and ground her to the house for the summer; her step-sister is cold to her; the friend she thought she was protecting won't talk to her; she has to do community service. Tatum feels like she is on a deserted island but she soon finds friends and family unexpectedly. 

This was a cute book about finding yourself and being true to who you area and want to become. I really liked the aspect of repairing relationships and trying to do what's right. 

Thanks to netgalley for the read.

It Started with Goodbye. Goodbye to Tatum's father on an overseas business trip. Goodbye to her BFF after an argument. Goodbye to the handsome stranger at her sister's art show. Goodbye to her keys. And goodbye to her freedom. 

It all started when Tatum's BFF got mixed up with a shady boydpfriend. It ended with the boyfriend being incarcerated, the BFF shipped off to a stuffy private boarding school, and Tatum with a permanent mark on her record and 100 hours of community service. What a summer this is going to be. 

It Started with Goodbye is a contemporary teen romance and comping of age story, with a bit of Cinderella added to the mix. Tatum is a normal teen who unknowingly gets stuck in a bad situation. She has to face the consequences, and she does not do so gracefully. She feels like the entire world is against her and, instead of accepting the overbearing rules her step-mother lays down, she gripes, complains, and disobeys. It would be frustrating to be blamed for something you didn't do, but still, acting rationally would have helped Tatum's cause. So she learns, one painstaking mistake and conversation after the next.

It is definitely a Cinderella retelling also. You can see it in the family situation (though her step-family isn't that awful), the handsome stranger, and the hip grandma coming to visit. And I'll try not to give too much away by adding that the emails exchanged as part of the romance were absolutely hilarious. Definitely not a "true love at first sight," these characters get to know each other before falling in love. 

It Started with Goodbye is a cute Cinderella retelling and coming of age story. I recommend it to fans of such tales. 

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

*I received a finished copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Not a lot of people know this about me, but I am a sucker for Cinderella retellings - whether they be movies or books. Some that I've read or seen have been really good, and others have been pretty cringe-worthy. This one, thankfully, fell under the "really good" category. 

I'll be honest, this book took me a little while to get into, and the first little bit of this book had me worried that I would dislike it, or give it three stars or less, but I stuck it out, and I am so glad I did because this book did not disappoint. 

One major thing that made me love this book was that there wasn't a huge focus on the love story. A lot of times in YA books, our main character is so focused on getting the love interest to fall for them, and it gets a bit boring to read that over and over and over again. This book dove into deeper, more meaningful topics; and one of the main conflicts was between Tatum, and her best friend, Ashlyn. I loved the organic nature of their fight, and how they worked through things. It wasn't a quick fix and then everything fell into place, they had to work for where they ended up.

Another thing was the integration of the wicked step-mother and step-sister(s) and the fairy godmother. In this retelling, there is only one step-sister, and if I'm honest, I think I preferred it that way. I loved how things ended between those two and Tatum, and I think that it was very realistic as well. Also, can I just say how much I love the fairy godmother in this story?! She is a blessing from the Lord above, and I think that she is one of my top fairy godmother characters ever. 

Another thing, this book is such a quick, fun read - but it also packs quite the punch. There are so many underlying themes of family, friends, and forgiveness (alliteration yay!), and I think the way in which the various topics were handled was very realistic. 

Although I said this wasn't a love story, I have to admit that I really did like the love interest - he was pretty cute. And I love in the end when the title of the story made perfect sense. Honestly, there is nothing more satisfying than that. 

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars, and I loved how real this book was. I strongly suggest checking it out if you haven't already. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this great read!

***I received a free e-galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

It Started With Goodbye is a spirited, quirky YA re-telling of Cinderella that adds some fun variety to the classic fairytale we all know about glass slippers. Or in Tatum's case, her beloved metal keychain.

Though Tatum's story is grounded in a fairytale, June's contemporary twists refresh and modernize it. The role of Tatum's sassy Abuela as the novel's version of a fairy godmother, as well as the story's focus on Tatum's relationship development with both her step-mother and step-sister are essential changes for the book's YA tone.

In addition to this, Tatum's character development throughout the story is really admirable. The story follows her journey of self-discovery, which neatly adapts the tale of Cinderella to reflect the needs of a YA audience (who are journeying towards self-discovery themselves). Through a summer of unexpected turns, Tatum develops into a compassionate and independent young woman. 

Much of this transformation is due to the emphasis that Christina June places on Tatum's growing relationships with family and friends. Where the original Cinderella story relies heavily on Prince Charming for a happily ever after, Tatum finds this satisfaction in her newfound trust with step-sister Tilly, transparency with step-mother Belén, and honesty with best friend Ashlyn (after they suffer some serious obstacles due to Ashlyn's loser boyfriend). 

In the world of Cinderella revivals and adaptions, this was a much-needed change in the story arc--because girl power is everything. 

However, in order to be true to its roots, there definitely is some romance involved with Tatum's own Prince Charming (but the whole story isn't centered around him--yay!) and he doesn't really place a vital role in Tatum's story. 

I love that June made this novel about Tatum, because it's her story. Not her story in relation to a boy. 

Yet, in some places, this story did fall flat.

I appreciate an adaptation of familiar storylines occasionally, but the predictability of them limits my intrigue as a reader. I wish that June had taken some more liberties with her modernization of Cinderella, because I did find myself loosing interest because I knew exactly what was going to happen. 

The biggest miss for me is that this book just seemed too simple. There have been many renditions of the Cinderella story elsewhere, and this one just was not memorable for me. I really do like June's voice and writing style, but I hope she tackles some more challenging stories in the future. 

Christina June's debut novel solidifies her as a strong-voiced, positive addition to the YA author scene. It Started with Goodbye transforms the familiar fairytale of Cinderella into a fun story of self-empowerment and independence--a valiant contribution for her first novel. 

As much as I love June's voice and style, this story just didn't interest me as much as I was hoping it would. 

It Started with Goodbye - 2.5/5 stars.

Tatum is engaging and I liked how the Cinderella framework pieced together parts of the story.

It was an unexpected story. I enjoyed the build up to the conflict and the process of overcoming the conflict. It was an interesting scenario that the main character found themselves within. I like the variety of relationships the main character had and each felt very real, each relation had a nice depth to it. Compliments to the author for creating such real and relatable characters in It Started With Goodbye.

Honestly, I'm surprised I enjoyed it this much. The blurb was interesting and I was excited to read what happened to Tatum. This story really got my summer started. It was the perfect amount of innocent love and ya emotions that got my feeling stirring as well. The problems experienced were familiar and it made the character relatable. Definitely a read I would recommend..

Bibbidi Bobbiti Boo! I bring to you a Cinderella-like novel!

Sure there are differences, but it can’t exactly be the same as the classic tale or where would the specks of originality be! The father is present unlike the original tale, but his appearance is so rare and his control as a parent wavered. It was the stepmother who clutched onto the power yet she wasn’t the woman she made herself out to be. Their was a stepsister who’s accomplishments were always praised. However, I wouldn’t consider her evil because she rarely spoke in the story. She was a silent loner type. A similarity I found was Tatum having her godmother. Well, fairy godmother perhaps! She was as sweet as honey and her personality could make the darkness in a room dissipate. These details helped me decide on what to type for my first pro.

Pros:

The authenticity the author, Christina June, brought to the table. Instead of focusing innumerable pages on the romance between Tatum and her prince charming, readers such as I got to observe her complex relationship with her family.
Tatum. Her humor: Witty to the max. It made for interesting and humorous inner monologues! Her confidence to start a business reminded me of the strength I needed to publish my first post on here! She was someone anyone can relate to. Her fears were dilemmas not over exaggerated, but brought calmly to attention.
The pace was perfectly right. Nothing was stretched out too thin and nothing was clumped together into a chapter.
Other characters: Though Belén also known as “the stepmonster” had her flaws after having knowledge of her backstory, I got to hand it to her because she could’ve been MUCH worse. Tilly, “evil stepsister”, had parent pressure driven to her bones and it explained why she couldn’t fit in as easily as Tatum could. I loved her character and was ecstatic when I read about her overcoming an obstacle that she desperately needed to face after so much time.
Cons:

Tatum’s love interest who’s referred to as “S.K.”  For most of the book, they exchanged a ton of emails. Another bonus for the author! I’ve never read a loving bond growing via electronic mail, but when S.K. sent a message he sounded feminine sometimes…
It was a tad difficult to get a fairytale mindset because I’m customary to reading books that should feel a little realistic so when I read the exchanged emails between Tatum and her prince, I was like, “Two people can’t get this close in a minute! For all you know he can be an imposter into younger girls!” Would it be hard for anyone else?
There was a moment where I didn’t comprehend what transpired, but it was a minor mistake.
Even miracles take a little time. ~original fairy godmother

Favorite Quote from Book: “All my bunco innings were burning a hole in my pocket. I thought Cinderella could use a new gown for the ball.“

Light-hearted yet still had heavier moments. A great book for creatives who feel misunderstood.

It Started With Goodbye is a sweet young adult romance that also address the complexities of teenage friendships and the relationships involved in blended families. I enjoyed Tatum's snarky commentary and seeing her attempt to repair and better her relationships with those around her. 

Also posted on iTunes, Kobo, and B&N

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *

It Started with Goodbye is the story of Tatum, who has some rough luck at the beginning of the book that results in a lost friendship from her best friend Ashlynn and a summer on lock down, while her dad is away. Her stepmother Belen is very strict and recruits her mother Blanche to be babysitter for the summer. Tatum has very strict rules. She tries to find a way to find herself while still living in the boundaries. 

I really enjoyed Tatum's story. She did a wonderful job handling her lockdown. I think she made some choices that she needed to make in order to keep her idenity, but also keep in her step mother's good graces. I think this book has some elements of Cinderella and I really enjoyed that. The book had a little romance, but mostly was just a book about friendship and I really enjoyed that. I think it is totally possible to write a book without romance being the main focus. 

I would totally recommend It Started with Goodbye. I think this is a great book and I really enjoyed reading Tatum's story.

I found this author on Instagram and pre-ordered the book because it sounded so good! June has a voice developed far beyond a debut author's and a message that's relevant both for the young adult audience and a 30+ mom like me. Can't wait to read more from this author!

Netgalley actually granted one of my request wishes! Which was a fun summery themed contemporary YA novel. There was nothing startlingly original about the plot. Tatum is an average snarky teenager with a larger than life spoiled rich girl best friend, a dad who works far too much and is often out the country on business, a stepmother who’s way too strict and a step sister who is a goody two shoes.

At the start of the novel Tatum and her best friend whose name I have already forgotten get big trouble when the BFF and her sleazeball boyfriend are caught doing some major shoplifting. Of which Tatum was unaware, she was in the car waiting for them when the police showed up and was lumped in as the getaway driver. 

While her BFF gets off with practically no punishment other than transferred to a snotty boarding school miles away, Tatum gets stuck with community service, a fine, grounded all summer, a mass of chores and lecturing from her parents. Her dad has to go out of the country on business so she’s been left with her stepmother to met out the punishment.  The sister is a brilliant dancer and goes to some snooty art school, Tatum has a secret graphic design business she’s trying to get off the ground. After a show at her sister’s school, she leaves some of her business cards out, and starts getting some responses.

For the most part Tatum was actually quite a likeable character, she was easy to relate to and understand as she moaned about her situation, it’s no fun being grounded during the summer! Doesn’t help when her stepmother announces that her mother, Tatum’s grandma is coming to stay for the summer as well. Thankfully, Grandma turns out to be really cool, and actually listens to what Tatum has to say, doesn’t automatically dismiss her as a grumpy teen. 

She ends up trading emails with a music student interested in her graphic design service, and they get to know each other throughout email. It’s delightfully cute and entertaining, the guy is a cellist and he introduces her to new artists and music she’s never heard, including some of his own pieces. There’s some wonderful descriptions and emotions brought out as Tatum listens to the pieces. It was quite surprising and incredibly moving in parts.

She’s made some friends with some of the kids on her community service team that she knows from school, and a guy in a band. She’s gets some escape from her monotony of community service then chores from a baby sitting job she’s supposed to be doing, which gives her a breath of freedom. Turns out that the step sister isn’t actually as bad as she’s made out to be, and later on in the novel through conversations with the grandmother she learns some things about her stepmom that explain why she’s the way she is. 

Some nice scenes of the family coming together towards the end as discussions are held, after many many arguments, tears and tantrums throughout the summer. 

A decent read, with a cute romance, family drama and likeable characters. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Blink for granting my wish to view the title.