Thursday, October 3, 2013

Where the Stars Still Shine - Trish Doller

Synopsis: 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.

I'm in love with Trish Doller's writing. She won me with her debut novel, Something Like Normal, and after reading  I'm just in awe of the power she has over words. Where the Stars Still Shine is so compact, I still can't believe all that was accomplished in such a short space. Reading this book was a little bit like having an incredibly vivid dream, waking up and not being able to tell whether it actually happened or not. There's a lot of darkness in Callie's life, but it's portrayed in such a vibrant and beautiful way that it's impossible not to fall in love and find the lines between your world and hers a little blurry.

I just love that this book doesn't shy away from the realities of life. Even though the premise for the story is extreme, it just feels so down to earth and real. Callie doesn't grow up like most teenagers, so when she's enveloped into a very social family it becomes a struggle to learn how to be a daughter, a sister, and a friend. This book explores the importance of those relationships and how sometimes having an awesome support system is what you need. We're focused on Callie, but I think it's worth recognizing the strength and loyalty of her father and all the family members who held out hope for her. They're incredible at being understanding and working to give Callie a home and a future.

The setting is also something out of a dream. It was like a mix of Greece and America - a small town that seems untethered from the rest of the world, even as the whole world appears to exist in this one place. It was magical, but also very real - which is just another part of the talent Trish has in storytelling.

There's a lot in this book that is beautifully understated, like the intense and dysfunctional connection between Callie and her mom. It seems natural that Callie struggles with not being around her mom after she's really the only person who's been constant in her life until now. But the other understated relationship is between Alex and Callie. Alex comes into her life quietly, their relationship has minimal drama (there's plenty of drama in other areas of Callie's life), but you get the sense that there's an intensity there that Callie keeps for herself.

Maybe that's what it is - that we get glimpses of Callie, but she's not used to sharing part of her life with other people so we don't get the full blast of her thoughts and feelings. Yet there are moments where they come bubbling to the surface and it's incredibly heartbreaking. Trish Doller's books are just so fantastically written, there's a lot that can be said about them and so many different ways you could look at the story and see something different. This is an author you need to read if you're a fan of contemporary YA.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Where the Stars Still Shine - Trish Doller

Synopsis: 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.

I'm in love with Trish Doller's writing. She won me with her debut novel, Something Like Normal, and after reading  I'm just in awe of the power she has over words. Where the Stars Still Shine is so compact, I still can't believe all that was accomplished in such a short space. Reading this book was a little bit like having an incredibly vivid dream, waking up and not being able to tell whether it actually happened or not. There's a lot of darkness in Callie's life, but it's portrayed in such a vibrant and beautiful way that it's impossible not to fall in love and find the lines between your world and hers a little blurry.

I just love that this book doesn't shy away from the realities of life. Even though the premise for the story is extreme, it just feels so down to earth and real. Callie doesn't grow up like most teenagers, so when she's enveloped into a very social family it becomes a struggle to learn how to be a daughter, a sister, and a friend. This book explores the importance of those relationships and how sometimes having an awesome support system is what you need. We're focused on Callie, but I think it's worth recognizing the strength and loyalty of her father and all the family members who held out hope for her. They're incredible at being understanding and working to give Callie a home and a future.

The setting is also something out of a dream. It was like a mix of Greece and America - a small town that seems untethered from the rest of the world, even as the whole world appears to exist in this one place. It was magical, but also very real - which is just another part of the talent Trish has in storytelling.

There's a lot in this book that is beautifully understated, like the intense and dysfunctional connection between Callie and her mom. It seems natural that Callie struggles with not being around her mom after she's really the only person who's been constant in her life until now. But the other understated relationship is between Alex and Callie. Alex comes into her life quietly, their relationship has minimal drama (there's plenty of drama in other areas of Callie's life), but you get the sense that there's an intensity there that Callie keeps for herself.

Maybe that's what it is - that we get glimpses of Callie, but she's not used to sharing part of her life with other people so we don't get the full blast of her thoughts and feelings. Yet there are moments where they come bubbling to the surface and it's incredibly heartbreaking. Trish Doller's books are just so fantastically written, there's a lot that can be said about them and so many different ways you could look at the story and see something different. This is an author you need to read if you're a fan of contemporary YA.