Reviews

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

itsabbiejade's review against another edition

emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

5 stars for Atlas, 2 stars for Lily. 
Absolutely no real plot in this book, didn’t really feel like there was much of a love story either, as we all know they end up together. Really liked the sort-of sub plot with Josh - although that didn’t get enough attention for me. Hated that Dear Ellen came back, and Atlas’s vows at the end were just unrealistic and not as cute as I’d expect, imo. Did like how Hoover took the piss out of herself a bit with the “we’ve reached shore” from IEWU, although every time she bought up Finding Nemo in this book it still made me cringe to my core. Cute, but no magic for me. 

alix_dha's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

lilymaexx's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Really good book, love how well the first book flows into this one. Loved the hopeful themes in this book after quite a tough read of the first book surrounding domestic violence. Fell in love with the characters, book is so well written you can't help it. Really looking forward to the film coming out this year. Definitely recommend reading this series, I think about both books very regularly 😅

cmarshall28's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

lisa0503's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

smelsenti's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

saraherobinson's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Easy read but not a lot of depth. Preferred the first book (It Ends With Us)

michellechien930's review against another edition

3.0

Probably the most hyped up book of the year, and I was pretty excited to see it early on the shelves before official release date, but then it took me a couple weeks (paired with reading other books) to finish it and I was like, huh, maybe this wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be. "It Starts With Us" focuses largely on the aftermath of Lily's divorce, and her tentative, small steps to normalcy and trying to figure out how to date her first love without being absolutely gas lighted and tormented by her ex-husband. Which is important and I guess a problem that they have to figure out, but I really thought that "It Starts With Us" was marketed as an Atlas POV, where there would be his point of view in meeting Lily, and her saving his life, his life in Boston, etc. Whereas Colleen Hoover really just reuses the diary entries from "It Ends With Us" and has Atlas read and comment on them. Which is, you know, less than exciting. I thought that there was a big romance, but then realized that Lily and Atlas really did just have childhood trauma in common, not much else. It kind of ruined the first book for me.

bellaapeterss's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

LOVE Atlas. Was rooting so hard for them!! A great ending to a difficult story. 

taylorking1's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

ATLAS DESERVED HIS OWN BOOK