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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
gothmoose's review against another edition
4.0
Set in the same world as This Raging Light (and a bit of a sequel of sorts, though I'd say it's more of a companion novel), this is Eden's story.
Once again, Estelle Laure weaves together a story that is realistic and beautiful and asks the questions and handles the issues in a believable manner.
If you loved This Raging Light then you won't want to miss But Then I Came Back
I was provided an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Once again, Estelle Laure weaves together a story that is realistic and beautiful and asks the questions and handles the issues in a believable manner.
If you loved This Raging Light then you won't want to miss But Then I Came Back
I was provided an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
yasminwithane's review against another edition
Look at me being a grown up and DNF-ing a book for the first time in my life.
fannyhenriikka's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
vmwexler's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to HMH for sending me an ARC of this book! It was a touching contemporary YA romance with compelling characters and complex themes. The author dealt with death and loss in a sensitive way and I found the main character Eden to be interesting and sympathetic. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and the slight fantasy element made the realistic plot come to life in a complex and challenging way. Definitely recommend!
abbyreads8's review against another edition
5.0
But Then I Came Back is the sequel to Estelle Laure’s absolutely stellar debut novel This Raging Light. It takes on a new tone, though, shifting its narration to Eden, the best friend of the previous book’s narrator.
Eden is a prima ballerina with big dreams of dancing professionally in New York City. All of that changes when she has an accident and almost drowns in a creek, causing her to fall into a long coma with slim chances of ever waking up again. When she defies the odds and opens her eyes, everyone seems to think that she’s a miracle. But Eden feels as though she’s the exact opposite. Through her recovery, she finds solace in her fascination with another coma patient on the floor and Joe, the boy who stands outside that patient’s room every day, watching.
Although this book is linked to This Raging Light, it would be fairly easy to pick up But Then I Came Back without reading the former. You might be a bit confused about a few minor details, but there wouldn’t be too much confusion.
Simply stated, I really enjoyed this book and being able to follow Eden’s story more extensively, beyond that of her side character gig in the first book. Eden’s character is deeply complex, and Laure did a phenomenal job of realistically tackling the challenges and effects of a near-death experience. The growth that Eden show was messy and real, something that I found very endearing throughout the novel.
4.5 STARS
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Eden is a prima ballerina with big dreams of dancing professionally in New York City. All of that changes when she has an accident and almost drowns in a creek, causing her to fall into a long coma with slim chances of ever waking up again. When she defies the odds and opens her eyes, everyone seems to think that she’s a miracle. But Eden feels as though she’s the exact opposite. Through her recovery, she finds solace in her fascination with another coma patient on the floor and Joe, the boy who stands outside that patient’s room every day, watching.
Although this book is linked to This Raging Light, it would be fairly easy to pick up But Then I Came Back without reading the former. You might be a bit confused about a few minor details, but there wouldn’t be too much confusion.
Simply stated, I really enjoyed this book and being able to follow Eden’s story more extensively, beyond that of her side character gig in the first book. Eden’s character is deeply complex, and Laure did a phenomenal job of realistically tackling the challenges and effects of a near-death experience. The growth that Eden show was messy and real, something that I found very endearing throughout the novel.
4.5 STARS
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
bts4ever's review against another edition
2.0
Strange book. I interpreted the summery wrong and made the books view completely different. I felt like nothing major happened in the entire book, no climax or big moment. Just a girl living her life.
buffalojenn's review against another edition
5.0
Laure's second book is a gorgeous exploration of the near-death experience. This companion novel to her beautiful THIS RAGING LIGHT stands alone, and follows dancer extraordinaire Eden, as she comes out of a coma. The questions she asks about life and death and the space in between are thought-provoking and profound. Laure's gorgeous, vivid, romantic writing is in full display here, as we experience the rush of emotion that Eden feels at returning to her life changed by the near-death experience and finding love in unexpected places. Highly recommend for fans of contemporary and magical realism.
irishrose483's review against another edition
4.0
3.8 interesting story but I thought there would be more exploration of the connection between the girls feel like they teased more but didn’t quite deliver
kaylinwriter14's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
Overview:
Well this was impressive! The story resolves around Eden, as she awakens from a coma and has to readjust to life. She’s only been unconscious a month, but she finds her world has already changed quite a bit.
The initial blurb paints this simply as a hospital-set romance, so I was pleasantly surprised by how different the story is. I actually shelved this as magical realism, even though it isn’t listed as such. To me, this book had a very fantastical quality and looked far more at the otherworldly qualities of Eden’s half-awake state in her coma, than the romance upon her waking.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity.
Pros:
Yay for focusing on family and friends and not just romance! These relationships were important and handled with care.
There’s a strong focus on the after effects of trauma, addressed in inventive and nuanced ways. This is something frequently touched upon in Lit Fic or Autobiography’s, but not often in YA contemporaries.
One of the sharpest and most believable narrative voices I’ve ever read. Eden sounds and thinks like a teenager, without coming across exceedingly melodramatic or whiny. Something about the writing was incredibly addicting, and I found myself wanting to devour the whole thing in one sitting.
There’s some really beautiful moments in here that address everything from the finality of death, to lost chances to friendships and back again.
Cons
I felt the ending was a little rushed, all things considered.
It’s not completely insta-love, but it sure ain’t slow-burn.
The story would have been more impactful if we were given the chance to view Eden and her relationships before the accident. I appreciate how the story didn't require a large amount of build-up before getting started, but it was hard to decipher how much she'd changed when I was still getting to know her.
In Conclusion
I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this gem of a book! The writing style is incredibly sharp and engrossing, and the story itself makes nuanced observations of trauma and relationships.
Overview:
"Time served on planet earth is yours to use as you see fit. It keeps spinning, and just because someone's life ends or pauses doesn't mean we have to do the same."
Well this was impressive! The story resolves around Eden, as she awakens from a coma and has to readjust to life. She’s only been unconscious a month, but she finds her world has already changed quite a bit.
The initial blurb paints this simply as a hospital-set romance, so I was pleasantly surprised by how different the story is. I actually shelved this as magical realism, even though it isn’t listed as such. To me, this book had a very fantastical quality and looked far more at the otherworldly qualities of Eden’s half-awake state in her coma, than the romance upon her waking.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity.
Pros:
Yay for focusing on family and friends and not just romance! These relationships were important and handled with care.
There’s a strong focus on the after effects of trauma, addressed in inventive and nuanced ways. This is something frequently touched upon in Lit Fic or Autobiography’s, but not often in YA contemporaries.
One of the sharpest and most believable narrative voices I’ve ever read. Eden sounds and thinks like a teenager, without coming across exceedingly melodramatic or whiny. Something about the writing was incredibly addicting, and I found myself wanting to devour the whole thing in one sitting.
There’s some really beautiful moments in here that address everything from the finality of death, to lost chances to friendships and back again.
Cons
I felt the ending was a little rushed, all things considered.
It’s not completely insta-love, but it sure ain’t slow-burn.
The story would have been more impactful if we were given the chance to view Eden and her relationships before the accident. I appreciate how the story didn't require a large amount of build-up before getting started, but it was hard to decipher how much she'd changed when I was still getting to know her.
In Conclusion
I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this gem of a book! The writing style is incredibly sharp and engrossing, and the story itself makes nuanced observations of trauma and relationships.
sammymus's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5