REVIEW: It Started with Goodbye by Christina June

Summary


It starts when Tatum’s best friend asks for a ride. Before Tatum really knows what’s happening, she’s being arrested because her best friend’s boyfriend decided committing grand larceny was a terrific idea. While Tatum was only there to keep an eye on her friend because she didn’t trust the boyfriend, she now has a record, a fine and community service. And she’s completely lost the trust of her dad and step-mother.

At home, Tatum’s punishment is a loss of most of her freedom. Her step-mother checks her mileage before and after she drives to work. She also denies Tatum any chance to socialize outside of her community service hours. Her step-mom even called her own mother to stay with them for the summer to help watch Tatum while she works and manages her daughter’s dance career. And Tatum’s father leaves the country for work right after everything falls apart, leaving her at the mercy of her critical, demanding, helicopter “step-monster.”

Tatum has a lot of time this summer for contemplation. And she has a lot to consider – her relationship with the people in her house, her friendship with the “best friend” who got her into this mess, and questions of who she even wants to be. One saving factor for her summer is the graphic design business she starts. Not only is the work a nice, creative distraction that will help her pay off her fine, but it also puts her in touch with a talented, flirty musician in need of a website. His emails definitely make her summer more enjoyable!

Review


This was so sweet! I loved it. The family and friendship pieces of this Cinderella-esque tale are terrific. The dynamics between Tatum and her step-mother and step-sister are fascinating. There’s a lot to overcome here, but also some things that maybe Tatum isn’t seeing or reading correctly. There are issues with Tatum’s dad, too, frankly, but those are more in the background since he’s gone for most of the book. Tatum’s step-grandmother, though, is a breath of fresh air in a tension-filled home where control, authority and propriety are the name of the game.

But the romance is what delighted me. It’s warm and sweet and builds perfectly. I loved every moment of it! I would have read five more chapters of just the happy couple together – along with the two other potential couples from the story. They were adorable.

I have really enjoyed the books published by Blink YA in the past. I read this author’s book No Place Like Here earlier this year and loved it. But it wasn’t until I finished this that I realized No Place stars Tatum’s best friend from this book and is the third book in a collection. Now I’m going to have to read that book again to put it in its proper context. And I have to track down the second book, Everywhere You Want to Be, that stars Tatum’s step-sister. I need to get the full story on these young women!

So far, this is my favorite of the two Christina June books I have read. But I recommend both of them for readers who love contemporary YA with some romance. Obviously the books stand alone, which is good for clueless readers like me. But I am eager to read them in order to get the full picture of the teens and their lives as things develop for all three of them.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: No Place Like Here by Christina June

Summary


Ashlynn has finished her junior year at boarding school – punishment for some trouble she got in the year before. But she’s followed the rules, and her grades have been top notch. Now she’s ready to go home for the summer and to convince her father to let her stay home for her senior year.

But in typical fashion, Ashlynn’s father has his own plan in place. He’s being arrested for tax evasion. He’s going to prison, and Ashlynn’s mom is going into treatment for depression. Ashlynn has to stay with her aunt and uncle and work at a retreat center for the summer. And in the fall, her dad tells her, she will be going back to boarding school. He leaves no room for discussion. And Ashlynn accepts her fate as she always does.

So Ashlynn heads to Sweetwater Overlook Retreat Center with a cousin she barely knows. She only hears from her parents through letters, approved phone calls from the prison or the treatment center, and occasional trips to see her father in person.  She’s working for a careless, disorganized boss who is only too happy to dump tasks on Ashlynn who never speaks up for herself. But maybe a summer at Sweetwater is just what Ashlynn needs for this season in her life.

Review


This was terrific! The author does an amazing job with the descriptions of Ashlynn’s life under her father’s thumb – his ultra critical voice in her ear, his high expectations, and his crippling demands. But the summer away – free in a way she hasn’t experienced even with a year of boarding school – really lets Ashlynn examine her life and her choices in a new way. This thread was my favorite part of the book!

The retreat center pieces and the relationships Ashlynn experiences there are a great context for all of the personal work Ashlynn is doing. I expected the conflict with her boss would be bigger and uglier, but this isn’t that sort of story. This is a look at Ashlynn’s personal journey. The rest is setting and context and support. And it really works well!

I loved the quotes Ashlynn uses for her own comfort, growth and encouragement. It’s a fun angle to the story. It’s a nice contrast for Ashlynn’s quest to find – and use – her own words and her own voice. Fantastic!! Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥