Review : Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : Where the Stars Still Shine
Author : Trish Doller
Publication Date : September 24th 2013
Publisher : Bloomsbury
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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.

Personal Thoughts

Trish Doller's debut novel completely floored me last year. With Where the Stars Still Shine she managed to craft yet another poignant and intense book that will undoubtedly leave readers emotionally drained.

Callie was abducted by her mother when she was young and ever since her mom and her have been on the run. When Callie's mom is finally arrested, she's sent to live with her dad and his Greek family in small town in Florida. When Callie returned home after years of being on the run, she struggled with her emotions. Her life had never been normal and the renewed normalcy to her life was confusing her. She tried hard to please the people around her, but on the inside, a war was waging. On one side she had guilt looming over her head over her mother's arrest and on the other side she was being showered with so much love that she didn't know how to handle this love. Callie wasn't the easiest character to like because she constantly pushed away the people who were trying to help her adjust. She had built this tough wall around her and refused to let anyone break down those walls and reach out for her. However, I sympathized with her and understood her situation. I can't imagine what she was going through but the author did a beautiful job at making her feelings and thoughts come across as honest and realistic. Surrounding Callie was beautiful cast of secondary characters who touched me with their big hearts. Callie's family members play a huge role in Where the Stars Still Shine and they patiently help her grow throughout the story. Her dad, grandmother and her cousin, especially, were fleshed out characters who I grew to love in the book. Callie's mother though, was quite a piece of work. She was selfish, manipulative and a sorry excuse of a mother.

Where the Stars Still Shine was ,at the core, a book about a girl growing up and learning to love. When you read a book like this you expect strong emotions to bombard you. I'm pleased to say that Trish Doller nailed it with her vivid descriptions of Callie's range of feelings she experienced throughout the book. Trish Doller makes you sympathize for her characters and grow a strong bond with them. Her talent undoubtedly lies in writing genuine characters that are easy to like. The setting of the book was also a favorite of mine. Callie's family lived in a small town in Florida known for sponge diving. I was fascinated by the description of the process because I'd never heard of it before. What I really loved in this book though was the family aspect. So many YA books tend to skim over this part of our lives that is pretty important, in my opinion, so to see a big, boiseterous and completely loveable family being depicted in this book thrilled me. Callie's family was a complete joy! I loved how supportive and caring they were of Callie and they took went through a hard time when Callie returned, but they never let her feel like she was unloved. The only element I wasn't completely satisfied with was the romance, not because it lacked chemistry or wasn't romantic enough, but because I felt like I didn't know the love interest enough. Regardless, that did not tamper with my enjoyment of this novel at all. Trish Doller has, without any doubt, risen to my favorite YA contemporary authors. I'll be buying everything that she writes in the future without even reading the blurb.

Heart-wrenching, unforgettable and beautiful, Where the Stars Still Shine took me on an emotional ride and is definitely not a book to be missed out on.

Rating
Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the e-ARC of Where the Stars Still Shine.