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The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord Review

Good Morning Everyone :)


I hope you're all having an okay week so far.


It's been a little disheartening seeing the craziness that's come in with the new developments of the corona virus, and I'm keeping the safety of everyone in my prayers. I pray for everyone affected, and for the mass hysteria to calm down as it's starting to seem dangerous in itself.


Today I'm here to share with you all another review from my list of my 2020 most anticipated releases, and I'm excited to get to share with you all what I ended up thinking about this particular title.

The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord:



Source: Library

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Publication Date: January 7th, 2020

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Series: The Start of Me and You


Synopsis:


Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing "the rest of her life," Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be--how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord's award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life's most important questions.


(synopsis from goodreads)





My Review:

The Map from Here to There was a book I wasn't sure how I was going to end up feeling about. The Start of Me and You is one of my all time favorite books, and I adored Paige and Max from the depths of my heart. So on one hand when I heard this book was in the works, I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to dive into it. However, anytime you get a second book about your favorite characters you know it's not going to be all sunshine and fluffiness, and that you were going to end up getting a first hand look at problems beginning to emerge between your OTP. So it was with great hesitation that I picked this one up, but I ended up leaving fairly satisfied with how Emery Lord chose to tell Paige and Max's sequel.

Without a doubt, this book feels very realistic, and I thought the author did a fantastic job of representing what it's like for two teenagers in a relationship who are about to make college decisions that may end up having them in different areas of the country the following year. The hesitation, the stress about not making the right choice, and the determination to not have your high school boyfriend or girlfriend be the deciding factor in which school you end up choosing. I also love the way that the author writes about anxiety in Paige's character, and I can wholeheartedly relate to the way Paige talks about lying awake at night worrying about every little issue she's currently facing.

While I wasn't sure how I was going to end up feeling about this one, I did really end up enjoying it. I enjoyed the transition from Max and Paige being in the honeymoon phase of a new relationship to the realizations that come once they start getting truly serious about each other. I enjoyed the way they grow as characters, and the way that their relationships with their friends continue to be a big part of their relationship. Emery Lord's writing is truly beautiful, and after being vastly disappointed with When We Collided, I'm happy to say that this one feels much like her first two books which are my all time favorites by her.

If you enjoyed the first book, then definitely go ahead and give this one a try. While I do think you could read it without reading the first book, I'm not sure the story would have the same level of meaning to you, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend reading the first book before this one. While I personally could have done without the couple of uses of explicit language, and the inclusion of teens drinking and partying, I did enjoy this for the most part, and am glad the author chose to write it.

I'd also love to see her write Morgan's story in the future, as she was always my favorite of Paige's friends, and I'd love to hear more from her character someday.

Final Rating: 4/5

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)

This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photos do not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners. 

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