WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE: TRISH DOLLER

Although this wouldn't be one of my "drop everything and read this book!" kind of recommendations, I thought this was a solid read and enjoyed it. I was reading the ARC so hopefully some of the plot issues I had got worked out in the end, but either way this is still a strong character book.

What I loved most of all, and what kept me reading was how well Doller created characters that were NOT black and white. They were all complicated and that helped them ring true to me. While at the beginning you hate the mom who took her daughter away and didn't properly take care of her for 12 years, you still understand why said daughter still loves her mom and has complicated feelings for her very loving father. On top of that, no one in this book is perfect. Not dad, not step-mom, not hot guy, not new best friend, not mentally ill mother, and definitely not our main character.

BOOK BLURB:
Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the read. You can read more about it HERE.