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122nd out of 252 books
—
924 voters
Starting From Here
by
Lisa Jenn Bigelow (Goodreads Author)
Sixteen-year-old Colby Bingham's heart has been broken too many times. Her mother has been dead for almost two years, her truck driver father is always away, her almost girlfriend just dumped her for a guy, and now she's failing chemistry.
When a stray dog lands literally at her feet, bleeding and broken on a busy road, it seems like the Universe has it in for Colby. But th...more
When a stray dog lands literally at her feet, bleeding and broken on a busy road, it seems like the Universe has it in for Colby. But th...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
September 4th 2012
by Marshall Cavendish
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This was really sweet!
Colby's girlfriend Rachel just broke up with her, and to make matters worse, Rachel's already found herself a boyfriend. Colby wants to avoid Rachel now, and she does so by spending as much time with best friend Van as she can, while also avoiding ally meetings. One afternoon while out with Van, a stray dog wanders toward them, and when the dog becomes spooked, he's hit by an oncoming car. It's then Colby knows she needs to take this dog under her care, even if it means te...more
Colby's girlfriend Rachel just broke up with her, and to make matters worse, Rachel's already found herself a boyfriend. Colby wants to avoid Rachel now, and she does so by spending as much time with best friend Van as she can, while also avoiding ally meetings. One afternoon while out with Van, a stray dog wanders toward them, and when the dog becomes spooked, he's hit by an oncoming car. It's then Colby knows she needs to take this dog under her care, even if it means te...more
A good, powerful, entertaining ya novel that shows the gradual shift in our cultural expectations. The protagonist, Colby, is a 16 year old, and she's a semi-out lesbian--and Bigelow has written a book that makes the challenge of Colby's orientation one of many equal challenges in her life, which is a feat that few GLT novels I've read have managed to carry off. Colby's mom died several years ago, and her dad is a long distance trucker; money is tight, school doesn't seem to mean a lot to Colby...more
Lisa Jenn Bigelow's debut is the story of Colby Bingham, an independent senior high school student struggling to connect to her family, friends, and girlfriends. She's still reeling from the death of her mother, two years ago, and doesn't feel like she can talk to her father, a trucker who is rarely home.
She has people in her life who would love to help her. There's her best friend, Van, who is practically her brother. The teacher in charge of the school's GSA often tries to check in with her. W...more
She has people in her life who would love to help her. There's her best friend, Van, who is practically her brother. The teacher in charge of the school's GSA often tries to check in with her. W...more
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I really wanted to like this YA coming of age story. Unfortunately, the only unique thing about the book was the LGBT slant. And though Bigelow handled this aspect of the novel well, I just couldn’t sympathize with the selfish and shockingly immature narrator, Colby. Colby treated friends and family terribly throughout the novel - so much so that the resolution truly surprised me. Only one character called her out on being a raging brat, but it never seemed to sink in at all. There were tender m...more
When I picked up Starting From Here from my post office box, I had no idea it would be so good.
The story surrounds Colby Alicia Bingham, a could-be-better student and bagger at her local grocery store. She's what some would call a lone wolf, especially since her mother passed a year and a half ago and her father truck drives across the country every other week. She thinks she's found happiness with Rachel, her almost girlfriend, but then she dumps her, saying she's not serious enough. Colby's de...more
The story surrounds Colby Alicia Bingham, a could-be-better student and bagger at her local grocery store. She's what some would call a lone wolf, especially since her mother passed a year and a half ago and her father truck drives across the country every other week. She thinks she's found happiness with Rachel, her almost girlfriend, but then she dumps her, saying she's not serious enough. Colby's de...more
Short, sweet and very heartfelt YA. It's your basic coming-of-age type story - angsty teenager dealing with friends, family, school, romance - but with an LGBT angle (and not just the main character - her best friend also is gay, and her group of friends forms their school's gay/straight alliance - so lots of opportunity to explore LGBT youth issues). The story touches on a lot of other issues, too, like class/money and the death of a parent.
In short, Colby, the main character, is struggling wit...more
In short, Colby, the main character, is struggling wit...more
Colby's mom died of cancer just a couple of years ago. Her dad is a truck driver, so he spends most of his time on the road. At the beginning of this book, Colby's girlfriend breaks up with her, only to show up at school the next day hand-in-hand with a boy. Then, when Colby is picking up cans with a friend, a stray dog chases after them and is hit by a truck. The dog survives, but has to have one of its legs amputated. Colby and her dog are both trying to adjust to life as it is, but the dog is...more
Teenaged romance is tough, even in the best of times, and life has dealt Colby Bingham a difficult hand. Her mother died of cancer two years ago, her father, a long-haul trucker, is gone most of the time, and her latest crush has broken her heart. How could things get any worse? How about rescuing a stray dog that was struck by a car and needs to have a leg amputated. But that dog turns out to be a gift in disguise, bringing new people into Colby’s life and ultimately helping her find a way forw...more
Really fabulous coming-of-age story. Colby is a high school junior whose mother died of cancer, and whose father is always gone, working as a trucker. She thinks she is in love with Rachel, who has recently dumped her for a boy. In the midst of all this pain, she rescues a dog that has been hit by a car and is gravely injured, though she feels inside just as broken as her dog had been. The novel focuses on Colby's growing up, on her finally starting to let people in, and to be open and honest ab...more
Finally, a queer ya coming of age story with a happy ending. It may seem boring and cliche to have things wrapped up so nicely but in a genre that's full of heartbreak - it's refreshing. I'd give it 3.5 stars: not amazing but not a waste of time.
The protagonist is likable for most of the book and her story helps to show one can find the comfort of family in friends, pets, partners but also build on current familial relationships.
My favorite parts of the book is the father and daughter dynamic....more
The protagonist is likable for most of the book and her story helps to show one can find the comfort of family in friends, pets, partners but also build on current familial relationships.
My favorite parts of the book is the father and daughter dynamic....more
I find this book amazingly relatable and I love it! I live a little north of Kalamazoo and was really excited to hear about Colby working at a Meijer, and the snow, and litter on Harrington road; it's the same way in my hometown. I'm only on page 74 but the little connections have made me prematurely fall in love with this book. It's definitely refreshingly different to have stuff in common with a book, and I'm just eating it up! If you live in MI; suffer from the many feet of snow, shop at Meij...more
I think what I liked most about this book was the fact that it managed to avoid stereotypes completely--and even more so, it did it in a way that wasn't trying to twist or upend convention. No, these were just a bunch of normal teenagers with individual personalities, lives, and problems. Sexual orientation happened to be one of the many aspects of these teenagers' lives--along with money issues, grades, parents, and relationships with friends, adults, and romantic interests--that everyone grapp...more
Simply wonderful.
So many different ways to relate.
Cute, Romantic, a bit of humor, and friendship(s).
It was easy to pick up and impossible to put down! <33
((If you've read "Suicide Notes" by Thomas Ford, You'll most likely love this one as well!))
"There's romance, pain, humor, characters you'll quickly care about, and an ending that feels perfect. I didn't want to stop reading. Don't miss this one!" - Cheryl Rainfield, author of 'Scars'
"I could not put it down. It felt so real and full of hear...more
So many different ways to relate.
Cute, Romantic, a bit of humor, and friendship(s).
It was easy to pick up and impossible to put down! <33
((If you've read "Suicide Notes" by Thomas Ford, You'll most likely love this one as well!))
"There's romance, pain, humor, characters you'll quickly care about, and an ending that feels perfect. I didn't want to stop reading. Don't miss this one!" - Cheryl Rainfield, author of 'Scars'
"I could not put it down. It felt so real and full of hear...more
Newest LGBT YA novel to come to library. MC loses mother to cancer, girlfriend to straight boy, and is beginning to lose herself in the process. When she rescues a three-legged stray dog, she begins to find herself again with the help of her best friend, Van, and new crush, Amelia. But it isn't until MC confronts increasingly absent father about his gradual disappearance from her life that she is able to fully start again. I really liked this one -- it was realistic and hopeful. Didn't confuse o...more
Apr 22, 2013
Kat (Le Pauvre Cœur)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those in need of a happy story
Happiness happy ending of happy level at:
Corny.
After a sudden break-up with her first girlfriend, Colby Bingham is devastated to find out that the same girl she had loved for months dumped her for a boy.
Colby's still dealing with the loss of her mother from cancer two years earlier and the fact that her father is never around because of his job. When she witnesses a dog being hit by a car because of her own actions, Colby and her 'best buddy' Van rush off to the animal hospital to save him. T...more
This was a different kind of contemporary for me-most of the YA books I read are filled with characters who are economically comfortable if not insanely rich. The biggest worry might be paying for college, certainly a concern in this age of skyrocketing college expenses. But money isn't so much a concern. That is not the case in Starting From Here. Main character Colby lives in a trailer, works a boring job at a grocery store to pay for gas and insurance (having worked at a grocery store, I can...more
Starting From Here is a great LGBT novel. The novel accurately portrays what it’s like to be an LGBT high school student. I could definitely relate a lot to Colby. We went through a lot of similar situations in our high school careers. I thought it was cool that her school had an LGBT alliance. I wish that my school would have had one when I was in high school. It would have made things a lot easier. I felt a lot of pity for Colby. The only thing that seemed to be going right for her was her bes...more
I won a copy of this book in a First Reads giveaway.
Review originally posted on my blog.
I broke one of my very strict reading rules by entering the giveaway for this book. The blurb for Starting From Here starts off with:
Sixteen-year-old Colby Bingham’s heart has been broken too many times. Her mother is dead, her truck driver father is always away, and her almost girlfriend just dumped her for a guy.
Normally any mention of a) a dead mom, b) a newly straight ex-girlfriend and, to a lesser extent...more
Review originally posted on my blog.
I broke one of my very strict reading rules by entering the giveaway for this book. The blurb for Starting From Here starts off with:
Sixteen-year-old Colby Bingham’s heart has been broken too many times. Her mother is dead, her truck driver father is always away, and her almost girlfriend just dumped her for a guy.
Normally any mention of a) a dead mom, b) a newly straight ex-girlfriend and, to a lesser extent...more
Starting From Here is the story of Colby, whose mother is dead, and whose father is a long-haul trucker who comes home maybe once a week. Her girlfriend broke up with her to focus on school, and Colby's own grades are perilously low. But when she finds an abandoned dog she names Mo, things start to change in Colby's life. Amelia, a cute reporter from the school paper, wants to interview Colby about her dog...and get to know her better. Robyn, Mo's vet, takes an interest in Colby and Mo and tries...more
Teen Review
Genre: Romance/Family
Summary:
Colby find a stray dog near her house and through him she learns how to open herself up to new relationships and opportunities.
Review:
This book was very relatable and well-written. It focused on a lot of different issues and was an overall very satisfying book. The characters were very diverse and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
People might like this book if they liked:
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Reviewed by Bethany
Genre: Romance/Family
Summary:
Colby find a stray dog near her house and through him she learns how to open herself up to new relationships and opportunities.
Review:
This book was very relatable and well-written. It focused on a lot of different issues and was an overall very satisfying book. The characters were very diverse and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
People might like this book if they liked:
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Reviewed by Bethany
I won a copy of this book in a First Reads giveaway.
The were a lot of heavy topics for a YA book. Death, relationships, sexuality, and family issues. For the age that the story line was geared towards it was a decent book. I think the best part about this story for YA's is that it is a good way to discuss how homosexual and heterosexual teens go through the teen years experiencing some of the same things - skateboarding, relationships, school, family (dealing with parents).
However, I had a hard...more
The were a lot of heavy topics for a YA book. Death, relationships, sexuality, and family issues. For the age that the story line was geared towards it was a decent book. I think the best part about this story for YA's is that it is a good way to discuss how homosexual and heterosexual teens go through the teen years experiencing some of the same things - skateboarding, relationships, school, family (dealing with parents).
However, I had a hard...more
Immensely readable and engaging. Colby, our young protagonist is a genuinely believable character, one that you wanna root for despite her problems and tantrums. Van, her best gay friend is very charming--I wish I had a friend like him when I was growing up. But then again I would probably try to jump his bones and ruin our friendship. The book is thoroughly enjoyable and a worthy addition to my YA novel collection.
Sep 08, 2012
Shirley Freeman
added it
Well I can say, "I knew her when." Lisa's parents and we joined the same church in the 1980's so we've known Lisa since teenagehood...not that she was a teenage hood. But she does a good job of writing from the perspective of teenagers. This YA novel's main characters are teens who are active in the LGBT Alliance at their local high school. Besides the 'normal' teenage angst, main character Colby is suffering from the death of her mother, absenteeism from her long-distance truck driving father,...more
So refreshing to read this story about characters you care about that are genuine and reveal with such heart the true meaning of friendship and love; of human and dog-kind alike. I really loved the way the story flowed, the smart, honest dialogue and I'm glad for the ending in which we see Colby as having come through the difficulties in her life with a renewed sense of hope and possibility for the future. I think teens will really enjoy this book!
Colby's mom has recently died from cancer, her dad is always on the road driving a big rig, her girlfriend has just dumped her. A dog, that promptly gets hit by a car, comes into her life. Mo and Mo's vet Robyn, really help Colby heal and shed some of her cactus- like exterior.
I'm glad I read this sweet without being too sweet novel. (Received from Amazon Vine 10.16.12.)
I'm glad I read this sweet without being too sweet novel. (Received from Amazon Vine 10.16.12.)
'Starting From Here' is a fantastic Young Adult story. The characters are believable, relatable, and they draw you straight into their world. The writing is heartfelt and really tugged at my memories of what it was like to be in high school. Thankfully my life was fraught with less struggles than that of Colby, so it allowed me to have a lot of patience and compassion for her. Which isnt' to say I forgave her for all the idiotic choices she makes, but that is what makes her and her story so inte...more
if this book doesn't make you want to get a dog, I don't know what would. It's also a really nicely-paced, realistic fiction story about a lesbian teenager whose confusion and subsequent growth is pleasantly holistic (not just focused on sexual orientation).
Well the dog didn't die, so that was good. Otherwise the book was just fine. It covered heavy issues, but still managed to feel lightweight. And it didn't feel unique enough to stand out and make an impact. I am already getting it confused with another book I just read on the same sort of topic. Not saying that it is a bad book. It isn't. Just forgettable.
I really enjoyed this, despite the dead mother (it had been a little while, and I was due). Highly recommended to anyone looking for a quick LGBTQ YA read, although be warned that Colby does wear out her welcome as she works through her grief.
I've read several LGBTQ YA books, and this ranks as one of the better, though certainly nowhere near the best. I like that the dog takes the central focus over relationships, and I think the angsty queer teen stuff is believable (though this girl is incredibly lucky to have found a gay bff). Of course, some things are overwrought or stilted--as I have found far too many YA stories to be--but I still enjoyed the book greatly and found myself spending big blocks of time just reading this book (whi...more
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I grew up in Southwest Michigan in a house full of books. My parents—especially my mom—read to me from an early age and didn’t stop until I left for college. I loved realistic fiction, fantasy, and science fiction the best.
When I was eight, I attempted my first novel, about a tomboy princess joining forces with elves and fairies to overthrow the evil king and queen. It was seven pages long. Twenty...more
More about Lisa Jenn Bigelow...
When I was eight, I attempted my first novel, about a tomboy princess joining forces with elves and fairies to overthrow the evil king and queen. It was seven pages long. Twenty...more
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Mar 01, 2013 03:25am