Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

299 reviews

embla_v's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Homophobia and Alcohol

thesetofu's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

seh_c109's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

2.75

the first book is better and more engaging, but in fairness the only reason this book was written was because people wanted to see lilly and atlas happy. it’s a very fluffy book and i did quite like it

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse

allysm0llbean's review against another edition

emotional funny fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Vomit, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail

debbiet2023's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child abuse

jjyork'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

ali1004's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

medini_l's review against another edition

hopeful fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

hannahelizabeth765's review against another edition

hopeful medium-paced

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

3.5

It’s a decent book, but could’ve been so much better in my opinion.

In the author’s note, Colleen writes that she wrote it for the fans who just wanted to see Atlas and Lily happy together, if I had known this beforehand, I might not have read it. I loved It Ends With Us so I was intrigued as to what she would do with a sequel, but disappointed when there wasn’t much tension or build-up, romantic or plot-wise. 

About halfway through I lost any real connection to the book because it just felt like a money-grab. Lily seems magically ‘over’ everything with Ryle in terms of dealing with the abuse (she still has moments of anxiety and stress due to it, but it feels superficial) and knows everything about a being an abuse victim. Don’t get me wrong, there are great messages to abuse victims in there, but they feel placed and forced instead of flowing.

Another thing: because Atlas is so perfect, it feels almost like there’s nothing to him because he doesn’t go through any character development, the only development we are simply told about occurring during his time away from Lily. There’s no stakes because he is so perfect.

In summary, it’s a fluff book about Atlas and Lily with some troubles but nothing that they don’t handle quickly or at least make seem so small because of their love for each other and because Atlas knows her so well so he knows how to cheer her up so easily instead of there being a bit of tension between them at any point. Overall, it’s a decent book and did make me cry at some points and would be a good read for someone who just wanted closure from the first book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

fernandalaram's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gaslighting