No Place Like Here by Christina June (Review & #Giveaway)

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 - Leave a Comment

I became of fan of this author when I read her debut, It Started With Goodbye, which I loved!
This third release is another twist on a classic fairy tale. Find my review and a giveaway below...

No Place Like Here

By Christina June
Young Adult Contemporary, Fairy Tale

Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 288 Pages
May 21st 2019 by Blink

Summary

From Christina June, author of It Started with Goodbye and Everywhere You Want to Be, comes No Place Like Here, a modern twist on Hansel and Gretel.

Ashlyn Zanotti has big plans for the summer. She's just spent a year at boarding school and can't wait to get home. But when Ashlyn's father is arrested for tax evasion and her mother enters a rehab facility for "exhaustion," a.k.a. depression, her life is turned upside down.

The cherry on top? Ashlyn's father sends her to work with a cousin she doesn't even know at a rustic team-building retreat center in the middle of nowhere. A self-proclaimed "indoor girl," not even Ash's habit of leaving breadcrumb quotes--inspirational sayings she scribbles everywhere--can help her cope.

With a dangerously careless camp manager doling out grunt work, an overbearing father trying to control her even from prison, and more than a little boy drama to struggle with, the summer is full of challenges. And Ashlyn must make the toughest decision of her life: keep quiet and follow her dad's marching orders, or find the courage to finally stand up to her father to have any hope of finding her way back home.

Fans looking for stories with elements of drama, romance, friendship, and an unflinching look into navigating and improving even the most difficult parent-teen relationships need look no further.

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My Review

NO PLACE LIKE HERE is about a girl trying to find herself after her life implodes when her dad goes to prison for tax evasion. It's a coming-of-age story full of interesting characters and a plot of self-discovery. Themes of family, friendship, self-worth, depression, and emotional abuse woven through the story make for a read with depth and plenty of heart.

It took me a little bit to love Ashlyn, but she eventually grew on me. I think some of that was because she's so different from me and she had a fairly cushy life in so many ways, but is so devastated by what happened while also being completely submissive. However, as the story moved on and more comes out about her family, I could see why she was like she was. Thank goodness she wasn't stuck-up, rude or bratty. She was used to being rich, but it didn't really go to her head. She also had this openness and vulnerability to her that I think fit this age and the circumstances really well. I liked seeing her open up to her cousin and some new friends at the retreat, which helped her to start to figure out what she wanted. I thought the author did really well with Ashlyn's voice as well as with her dreams and worries - perfect for the age and for what she was going through. The camp was a fun setting and added some nice twists to the story. I also liked that there was romance, but it wasn't the focal point of the story. The budding romance at the end felt genuine because the author didn't try to tie up everything all perfectly, which I appreciated. Having said that, the ending was really sweet and perfect for this story.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed reading this! It was interesting seeing how the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale was twisted into this contemporary story. The author made it her own and created a story easy to relate to, handling some difficult subjects, and creating a likable protagonist and some fun side characters. Recommended to contemporaneity YA fans, especially those who like their stories light on the romance.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Prism Book Tours, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

Other Books by the Author

(Linked to my review and Amazon.)

About the Author

Christina June writes young adult contemporary fiction when she’s not writing college recommendation letters during her day job as a school counselor. She loves the little moments in life that help someone discover who they’re meant to become – whether it’s her students or her characters. Christina is a voracious reader, loves to travel, and hopes to one day be bicoastal – the east coast of the US and the east coast of Scotland. She lives in Virginia with her husband and daughter. She is the author of IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE, EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO BE, and NO PLACE LIKE HERE.

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