Scan barcode
jwkingsley's review against another edition
4.0
Really liked this story- the idea of being able to see another way your life could have been lived but realizing that your reality is the one you’d choose is an awesome concept. I love the way the story unfolds and the real-ness of the characters and how they handle grief and difficult times in their lives. A bit predictable in some aspects, but other things threw me for a loop! Would recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
theeuphoriczat's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very interesting read. Similar to Matt Haig The Midnight Library, the woman in this story has the ability to visit herself in other life where she is is not faced with the problems she is currently living with.
There are themes on death of a child and grief. It surprising a heavy read. I did enjoy it.
There are themes on death of a child and grief. It surprising a heavy read. I did enjoy it.
sophiedavenport's review against another edition
2.0
This isn't the type if book I usually read. It left me feeling frustrated with the protagonists decisions throughout. I left this book feeling exhausted, as though I'd just spent a day with a badly vehaved toddler. The story was certainly origional though and I had no idea that it would be so heartbreaking!
tosmeabook27's review against another edition
3.0
It started off well but I stopped caring by the end.
foxxie52's review
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-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
4.75
I really enjoyed this book. It was an intriguing concept that has been explored before but generally on film. To write about the different lives without confusing the reader is quite a talent.
I felt sad for Erica in the second half of the book but even worse for Daniel who couldn't just escape his grief.
It was a slow start but I am glad I stuck with it. I would read it again.
I felt sad for Erica in the second half of the book but even worse for Daniel who couldn't just escape his grief.
It was a slow start but I am glad I stuck with it. I would read it again.
kookie9200's review
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.
Erica never lets anyone in too close, a result of a weird phenomena that has her dropping into other times. When she meets Daniel at a party though, that changes. She shares her secret and they begin to build a life. When a tragedy occurs her will to fight the pull of leaving falters, and she has to decide whether to stay in the life she has, with all the pain, or fly away to her other self, and the unknown.
i felt the premise was interesting, and the writing kept me involved. I wish Erica had been more proactive about finding out why she had this ability, and how to better control it. That part of the story wasn't explored at all. I also wish there was a little more character development Other than that, a decent book that I would definitely read again.
Erica never lets anyone in too close, a result of a weird phenomena that has her dropping into other times. When she meets Daniel at a party though, that changes. She shares her secret and they begin to build a life. When a tragedy occurs her will to fight the pull of leaving falters, and she has to decide whether to stay in the life she has, with all the pain, or fly away to her other self, and the unknown.
i felt the premise was interesting, and the writing kept me involved. I wish Erica had been more proactive about finding out why she had this ability, and how to better control it. That part of the story wasn't explored at all. I also wish there was a little more character development Other than that, a decent book that I would definitely read again.
annalisereads's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
librarypatronus's review
4.0
TW:This type of book is right in my must read genre - the contemporary with parallel lives or time moving non-linearly.
I was not prepared for the tragedy referenced in the synopsis and actually went back to look at it again, confused, because my assumption was wrong and I was so sure that it had said what I thought was going to happen. This is definitely a crying book, and one that didn’t go where I expected in the end, though I was happy with the ending.
Spoiler
Infant Death, Death of a Loved OneI was not prepared for the tragedy referenced in the synopsis and actually went back to look at it again, confused, because my assumption was wrong and I was so sure that it had said what I thought was going to happen. This is definitely a crying book, and one that didn’t go where I expected in the end, though I was happy with the ending.
readwithcatriona's review
3.0
3.5 star rating
TW: grief of an infant
Erica is more special than people could ever imagine. She can let herself travel to past moments, see her parents meet for the first time. But after her boyfriend dumps her just before her 28th birthday, she does something she’s never done before - she travels to an alternate world. A world where she’s adventurous and confident. But when her relationship with Daniel takes off, she has to make a decision - stay in her life with him and face the bad, or transport to this other life.
I loved the concept of this book and the author did an amazing job of tackling difficult themes. For me what the book was lacking was a true essence of romance that I initially thought this book would entail. Daniel doesn’t really seem as big a character in the book as expected and for me the storyline jumped in time very sporadically with some chapters starting weeks and months later and others being only days later. Didn’t feel very consistent and made the book feel dragged out. But overall it was a cute read ✨
TW: grief of an infant
Erica is more special than people could ever imagine. She can let herself travel to past moments, see her parents meet for the first time. But after her boyfriend dumps her just before her 28th birthday, she does something she’s never done before - she travels to an alternate world. A world where she’s adventurous and confident. But when her relationship with Daniel takes off, she has to make a decision - stay in her life with him and face the bad, or transport to this other life.
I loved the concept of this book and the author did an amazing job of tackling difficult themes. For me what the book was lacking was a true essence of romance that I initially thought this book would entail. Daniel doesn’t really seem as big a character in the book as expected and for me the storyline jumped in time very sporadically with some chapters starting weeks and months later and others being only days later. Didn’t feel very consistent and made the book feel dragged out. But overall it was a cute read ✨
nattyc96's review
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC of “The Start of Us” by Hannah Emery.
“The Start of Us” follows Erica as she deals with a tragic loss. Erica has always known she was different. As a child, she discovers that she is able to time travel to a parallel life in which everything is different. When this loss occurs she wonders if she can fix things in her other life to have all the same relationships without the loss. This begs the question: if you got the chance to live another life, would you?
The premise of this book is very interesting. Being able to switch between different storylines of your own life sounds like an easy fix. But of course a different life means different decisions and ultimately a different you. This idea could go a lot of different ways, but this one was pretty predictable.
This book didn't grip me the way I had hoped. It was slow moving and the climax seemed pretty anti-climactic. I didn't have enough time with the pre-loss world to fall in love with it, so the loss fell flat for me. The stakes just didn't feel high enough.
I did enjoy Erica as a character though. She is sweet and cautious, if a bit predictable. I wanted to root for her and see her do great things, I just don't feel like she had enough time to develop or grow.
Sadly, I could only give this book 2 stars. There were just too many gaps and holes for me to fill in as a reader. It's pretty easy and go with the flow, so perhaps some people might love it, but it wasn't my style.
“The Start of Us” follows Erica as she deals with a tragic loss. Erica has always known she was different. As a child, she discovers that she is able to time travel to a parallel life in which everything is different. When this loss occurs she wonders if she can fix things in her other life to have all the same relationships without the loss. This begs the question: if you got the chance to live another life, would you?
The premise of this book is very interesting. Being able to switch between different storylines of your own life sounds like an easy fix. But of course a different life means different decisions and ultimately a different you. This idea could go a lot of different ways, but this one was pretty predictable.
This book didn't grip me the way I had hoped. It was slow moving and the climax seemed pretty anti-climactic. I didn't have enough time with the pre-loss world to fall in love with it, so the loss fell flat for me. The stakes just didn't feel high enough.
I did enjoy Erica as a character though. She is sweet and cautious, if a bit predictable. I wanted to root for her and see her do great things, I just don't feel like she had enough time to develop or grow.
Sadly, I could only give this book 2 stars. There were just too many gaps and holes for me to fill in as a reader. It's pretty easy and go with the flow, so perhaps some people might love it, but it wasn't my style.