A Zoella Book Club 2017 novel - The Start of Me and You

I enjoyed this book so much. Mostly, there were two things I wanted to praise about this book. They might be a little spoilery.

1. I LOVED that the four girlfriends in this book were true friends that got along and stuck together. They had minor disagreements now and then, but there was no major betrayal. I've read too many books lately where one of the friends turns into a jerk either because of a boy or because they needed to be popular. I hate that. Hurray for true and loyal friendships!

2. I LOVED that Ryan was a good guy through the whole book. I loved that Paige realized she loved Max not because Ryan was a jerk, but because Max was better for her (oh...and I loved Max). Once again, I've read too many books lately where the girl finds out her major crush is a womanizing jerk and then goes running into the arms of her incredible, sexy best guy friend. I liked Ryan a lot and was so happy I didn't have to end up hating him. I liked that he and Paige became good friends and there was no awkwardness there.

That's it. The story was cute, I enjoyed the writing, it was clean, it made me feel good to read it.

After Paige's boyfriend drowns, nothing is ever the same. Now, a year later, she's ready to take control of her life. She compiles a list of tasks that she must complete in order to start over:

1. Parties/Social events
2. New group
3. Date
4. Travel
5. Swin

But things never go according to plan.

This book is just magical. It made me feel warm and fuzzy and giddy. Since I tend to judge Contemporary novels based on how they make me feel, this baby wins all of the awards. The novel is both adorable and quirky, which is the perfect combination. I must admit that the plot is predictable but what's so wrong with that? Sometimes cuteness is more important. In the book, one of the characters says:

"In books, sometimes the foreshadowing is so obvious that you know what's going to happen. But knowing what happens isn't the same as knowing know it happens. Getting there is the best part."

I couldn't agree more. The journey is worth the price of admission. The novel might lack the element of surprise but it has a lot of heart. It makes you feel all of those adorable things that come with falling in love. I love when novels make me feel something and this one is just right on point throughout.

Let's talk characters for a second, shall we? I really enjoyed reading Paige's perspective. Her development is there, but it takes her a little while to see the light. Even though I liked Paige, I kind of really loved Max. He's such an amazing character. He's so nerdy/cool/nice that you can't help but hate Paige's crush because HE ISN'T MAX. I want Max to have his own book. Is that possible? Should I start a petition or something?

Sometimes you want a book that makes you feel like you're falling in love. The Start of Me and You is that book. I was on the fence about Emery Lord and now...well, I might as well come out and say it: I LOVE HER.

The Start of Me and You sounds fantastic, right? Best friends, nerdy boy, and a wounded girl. All those things usually add up to a great read, but unfortunately I didn’t love it like I wanted to.

Paige was a fun main character. She had a very close nit group of friends and that was probably my favorite part of the story. Emery Lord writes beautiful friendships. Both of Lord’s books have left me hoping for a spin off book about one of the side characters. I’ll keep my fingers crossed on that.

I really enjoyed the romance. I loved that they started out as such good friends. I do wish that it wouldn’t have taken quite so long for the romance to take off, but it did make for a good ending.

There were two things that kept me from completely loving the book. One, the dead boyfriend story line fell a little flat for me. Sure, it was a sad situation but it felt forced. Two, Paige was pretty snobby. She made several comments about nerds that just rubbed me the wrong way.

The Start of Me and You was a good read. While I didn’t love it, I’ll continue to read Emery Lord’s books. They’re nice summer-y read.

This was a great light-hearted story about deals with losing people close to you and how the people that have your back get you through it all.

This story was mostly about friendship, Paige and her group of friends had each other’s back through; death, break ups and family let downs no questions asked. Then they added Ryan and Max to their little group and just like the girls, they were there for each other through thick and thin. Everyone needs a friend once and while and that is what this book show, I think plenty of young readers will read this and see their group of friends with in it. I also like that all the drama was very appropriate and things that can happen while in high school.

Every character in this book had a bit of charm and there wasn’t a single person I didn’t like. I did love the banter between Max and Paige and how they were able to open up with each other. They were both nerds at heart and that is what connected them from the moment they became friends.

I would defiantly recommend this to young readers that are from seventh grade up. Most YA readers might not like it as much due to the sweetness to the story!

Sometimes you hear and hear about how good a book is that your expectations are way too high. Which means I enjoyed The Start of Me and You a lot just not as much as I was hoping I would. I think the fact that we never got any connection to the first boyfriend and didn't experience the bang of a death like that left me failing to empathize with her overplayed grief over him. I didn't understand the struggle and her constant mention irked me. I felt the pace was also a bit slow for my taste.

Then there were other parts that were brilliant like the friendship portrayal or some of the dialogue. The writing flows flawlessly and the characters felt very realistic, but my heart just wasn't in it enough to enjoy it more.

Overall, people who like fast-paced more emotionally-deep novels should probably look elsewhere, but if it's young dynamics and friendship well written, this is one for you.

I wanted to read this book because my school lost three students this year, and I thought this book may make a somewhat therapeutic addition to my classroom library. I enjoy young adult fiction, and this book is no exception. I think the author did a good job on Paige, especially how she dealt with the death of her boyfriend. However, I think Max had to be my favorite character, he seemed to be the most "real" of the cast. I think the author did an excellent job with the theme of death/grief. Many YA authors write teen grief the same as adult grief, and it is a totally different animal. As for the romance aspect of the book, it was predictable, but still quite enjoyable.

After including this book in my class library, I had two students who read it during exams at the end of the school year, and both of them gave this book 4 stars as well. I think it is a well written book that handles a difficult situation quite well.

I'm one of Emery's writing critique partners, but I first read pages for this book years ago. I didn't know her yet. Those first pages were what made me want to work with her.

Some things you can count on from any Emery Lord book:
* Humor and heart
* Realistic, complicated, and rewarding female relationships, from mothers to grandmothers to peers
* A smart, approachable story
* Romance, though this specific book is just as much about love between friends and family

Though this book deals with some weighty issues (identity construction, grief, divorce, Alzheimers, friends growing apart), I never felt heavy while reading it. The voice is optimistic and the tone is ultimately hopeful.

Though this book is thoroughly young adult, the takeaways are timeless. Reinvention, trying new things, looking at opportunities differently. Readers of various ages can identify with multiple components of this story. It could be a good fit for younger teens, too.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher vin exchange for an honest review. This was a sweet, contemporary YA romance with characters who were average people trying to figure things out. This book isn't edgy or full of dark, ugly things -- and I found that to be such a relief! Sometimes you just want to read a book that doesn't take you to the edge of nightmares but still has depth and emotion. This book fits the bill. The pacing is set to develop relationships believably, and the plot is a nice, gentle ride. I enjoyed this book, and I think my high school students will as well. It reminded me in some respects of The Odyssey of Falling, which I adored, so if you enjoyed that book, you will like this one as well. Language and situations are appropriate for grades 7 and up. I will add it to my classroom library wish list and recommend it to the school librarian, who is always looking for a happy and clean contemporary YA romance.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off I love Emery Lord's books! Open Road Summer was everything a debut book should be. I thought it would be a hard follow up with her next novel, boy was I wrong. The Start of Me and You is just as amazing, if not more.

The Start of Me and You tells the story of Paige Hancock. Paige was dating a boy for a month when he died suddenly. After shutting out everyone around her Paige is finally ready to open up her heart, and cue Ryan Chase. Ryan Chase is the boy next door that everyone loves. He was Paige's first crush. Paige believes that she will get close to Ryan Chase if she makes friends with his cousin Max. Max is considered the school geek. Paige joins a Quiz Bowl team in order to get close to Max. This novel is the perfect beach read. I can't wait for more Emery Lord novels.

This review was originally posted at http://littlebookaffair.weebly.com/

First things first, can we talk about how beautiful the cover of this book is?! Seriously, it's gorgeous.
Now, on to the review. I went in to this book not knowing what to expect. I've never read anything by Emery Lord before, in fact I never even heard of her, so I went in to this book with no expectations, high or low. I did, however, think this was going to be set during the summer, but it turns out it's set during Paige's junior year of high school. I feel like Lord has a strong Sarah Dessen vibe. Her writing is very easy to read and digest. The words just flow together. The Start of Me and You was a cute, but sometimes sad, story of a sixteen year old girl who had to endure the traumatic loss of her first boyfriend. She's trying to start living her life again without feeling guilty for being happy, so she develops a plan to feel better. The plan consists of 1) date a boy; 2) attend parties; 3) join a club; 4) travel; and 5) swim. I liked all of the characters, I thought that they were believable enough. Originally, I was going to give The Start of Me and You 3 stars but the friendship and the romance in this book pushed it up to 4. This book was cute and simple. Was it the best writing in the world? No. But it was decent. I thought it was the perfect book to start my spring/summer off with, but it's also the perfect book for the end of summer.

4.5 Stars!

I totally enjoyed reading the young adult novel The Start of Me and You! The book itself was a poignant exploration of being a teenager and all that it entails. The secondary characters were extremely well-developed and just as essential as the main characters, and I absolutely fell in love with the 'adorkable' Max Watson. As Emery Lord herself stated in one of the accompanying videos, Max and Paige's story is "an ode to the beta male". There is much to explore and discover in The Start of Me and You. While I wondered at first why the author chose to use 'me and you' instead of 'you and me' in the title, I totally understand after finishing the book. If you enjoy coming of age stories involving introspection and self-discovery with thoroughly beautiful characterization, this YA novel just might be for you!

Emery Lord is fast becoming one of my favorite, go-to YA writers. She always writes with beauty, passion, humor and tenderness, and this book is no exception. Paige is an extremely sympathetic character, and - as usual - the theme of friendship permeates the entire story: "Together, we made four walls, holding each other up even as the world around us shifted." Paige's journey is painful and joyous and, most of all, real. I loved every page of it.

After the death of her boyfriend Aaron over a year ago, everyone still looks at Paige with pity in their eyes. Only four people really don't treat her with kid gloves- her 3 best girl friends and her declining Grandma, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Now entering her junior year, Paige wants her life to begin again and she gives herself a list of goals, including becoming more social, dating again (hopefully nice guy hottie Ryan Chase), and maybe even conquering her fear of water, as Aaron's drowning still gives her nightmares. To get closer to Ryan, Paige becomes friends with his BFF/cousin, the nerdy quiz bowl champ Max, but before she realizes it, Max has taken an important place in her new world. I LOVED this!!!! Great writing, not your stereotypical cast of teen characters- this stirred up every emotion possible. I'm now planning to read everything else by Emery Lord.

Definitely not the BEST book out there, but the best for the mood I was in. It was really cute and pretty heartfelt as well. Something I liked was that there was a friendship between girls in this one! Something that bothers me in books is that sometimes the female mc refers to every other girl as a "whore" and that always upsets me. I mainly read this because she joined a quizbowl team (proud quizbowl team member right here) but I liked how this book also focused on family and friendship and self-growth instead of love. I can see this as a new favorite of many!

When Paige Hancock's boyfriend dies in an accident, her life comes to a standstill. The Start of Me and You chronicles Paige's struggles to come to terms with her loss and her return to normalcy. This well written novel shows how the support of family and friends is so important, as well as the possibility of being able to find some closure after a tragic accident. Well written with great characterization and plot, The Start of Me and You takes a tragic beginning and turns it into something that is uplifting and hopeful.

So much to love in this book! Lady friendships, sister bonds, lots of family focus, a cute boy on the side. I loved how the focus of this book was about grief and moving forward and taking time for yourself, with lots of friendship as the main love story. Definitely a favorite! I think Emery Lord is one of my YA contemporary idols now.

This is more about dealing with tragedy and friendship than it is about romance. Oh yes, there's some love stuff in this YA novel, but that's not the central point. It is serious reading for teenagers and girls will of course relate to it more than guys will. Whatever, it's sure worthwhile reading for teens.

This was a great book. Both my daughter (13) and my wife read the book and thought that the author did a great job. I'm buying the other book by the author today because they liked it so much. Solid characters, good ideas, really fun to read. Always nice to get introduced to a great author.

This is an AWESOME BOOK!!! Emery Lord is a fantastic writer and anyone who enjoys a well-written story should read this book. I put it on my high school classroom library shelf and it was immediately checked out. When it came back, it came with a waiting list.

You need this book in your life. The characters, the way Emery Lord strings together words and sentences into full-out flails and swoons, the authenticity of real kinship, butterfly-flutters of first love, and utter heartbreak--it's all perfection.

This was a fun young adult novel about finding the real you and not being afraid to fall in love. Dealing with the past and not being afraid to open up and let people see the real you are things we can all learn more about.

Another amazing YA by Emery Lord! I love her focus on strong female friendships, and how they can help you get through the hardest of times. Strong characters, sweet romance, and great writing. I loved this book!

I absolutely LOVE Emery Lord's books. I am always so sad when they are over. I always wish I could read them slower, but I just can't put them down. The Start of Me and You did not disappoint. I was so excited and nervous to hear she had a new book out after Open Road Summer. The Start of Me and You is just as great. Now I simply wait patiently for her next book to be released and in the meantime will re-read these other 2 books in anticipation!!!!

This book was fantastic! A lot of times, after any trauma, small or big, people move on too quickly and try to pretend it never happened, or that we can recover right away. This book taught me that although our natural urge is to progress and move on, there can be lingering side effects from experiencing trauma of any kind. That maybe as much as you don't want to, your body is telling you that you need a break, and to work things through. I've been Paige, I've thought that all I needed to move on from my trauma was to focus on something else full steam ahead. But focusing on that one point caused me to lose focus of the bigger picture and of other people around me. It kept me blinded.

** spoiler alert ** I loved this book! And didn't expect to love it like I did. But Max was surprisingly adorable and sweet and just the right amount of nerdy. I loved how he called Paige Janie and said hey girl and quiz bowl. But I also liked Paige and her story. I loved how close she was with her grandmother, telling her everything, as well as her friends and how closer they all were. I also really enjoyed that her relationship with Aaron before he died wasn't a long term thing. I think it helped the story that they were only together for a couple months. It wasn't what defined her—despite her thinking that. There were just so many little moments I loved that I can't name them all. Overall, this was a huge win, and I can't wait for the sequel to come out!

Every now and then (all too rarely, in my opinion), you read a book that ends up feeling like a warm hug at the end of a long day. The Start of Me and You was this kind of book for me. I loved it. The novel begins with Paige dealing with the death of her boyfriend and the social label that leaves on her, so she makes lists to cope and break out of the labels. Even though it is dealing with a heavy subject, this book is not dark; it’s light and hopeful. It’s full of positive friendships and relationships that would be great for teenagers to emulate, and it’s got a wonderfully charming romance. Yes, I loved this book.