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It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

Publisher: Blink
Release Date: May 9, 2017

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she's stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF's gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client).

When Tatum discovers she's not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela/fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.

A modern play on the Cinderella story arc, IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE shows us that sometimes going after what you want means breaking the rules.


Right now, the ebook is $1.99 on Amazon and you can get it here. Even if it weren't $1.99, it would be worth it, but now is the time to get it. 

I got this on NetGalley and I really enjoyed it. This book was a really great mix of lightness and fun while dealing with some heavier topics. One of the main themes of this book is complicated family dynamics. Tatum and her stepmother have never gotten along, but especially not after she got arrested. Tatum has always felt like Belen, her stepmother, prefers her stepsister Tilly and that she will never measure up. Her methods of discipline can also seem harsh and like an overreaction. 

Over the summer, Tatum's stepgrandmother Blanche moved in to keep and eye on her while Belen was at work. Luckily, Tatum and Blanche get along really well. I also absolutely loved Blanche. You're going to want her to sit with you and talk through life with you and give you advice. She's a great character and made me wish I could have her in real life.

This book was so much fun to read. Tatum's mystery man is such a fun plot point and definitely makes great use of dramatic irony. While reading, I was 90% sure of his identity before Tatum was, although there was one element which did surprise me, but I won't say anything else about it so that I don't spoil it. 

Throughout the novel, Tatum and Belen's relationship evolves quite a lot. They start to be able to see the other's point of view on certain things, which I thought was really nice. One issue I found with it was that too much of the onus for mending their relationship was placed on Tatum. Belen didn't seem to make much of an effort to explain her reasons for things to Tatum and yet Tatum was expected to see all of Belen's good intentions. They both could have done better but I don't believe in the quality of the relationship depending on the child. 

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