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kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars, actually.
Abby begins the book sleeping in a van with her mother, step-father, and little sister having just arrived in Rochester, MN from Omaha.
The entire reason she has to move is best left for you to discover on your own, but let's say it involves school and social media and all her friends rejecting her.
Abby and her family are trying to survive with very little money just as Abby and sister are starting schools. Abby quickly falls in with an accepting crowd of friends, and is shown her schedule by a cute boy.
A cute boy who happens to be extremely popular, quarterback of the football team, interested in Abby, but saddled with an ex girlfriend who seems hellbent on making Abby's life miserable.
Abby has to hide her sleeping arrangements, sponge-bathing in Walmart, and Salvation Army dinners from her new friends, just as she auditions for the school's Fall Concert solo and gets asked to Homecoming.
I live in Rochester, so it was very cool to see how the love interest with Mayo doctor parents living in Pill Hill, hear the library described accurately, follow Abby through a thinly disguised Mayo high school, as well as watch her take advantage of some of Rochester's programs such as sunday noon meal, salvation army dinners, Interfaith Hospitality Network/Family Promise, and the Dorothy Day house.
Abby and her mom, who she blames for their move, had a contentious relationship that was painful to watch. As a mother of a 17 year old, though, it rang true, despite me wanting reasons for the way the mom acted just as fiercely as Abby did. It was hard to paint a picture of the mom due to those Omaha behaviors.
And Abby is just a bit of a Mary Sue other than the way she treats her mom. She's beautiful, everybody (but the bully) loves her, she has an amazing singing voice, she never resents having to take care of her sister, etc. etc. At times I wanted her to be less mature about waking up, picking up her sister, or dealing with schoolwork. There were also a couple kind of manufactured-feeling plot things, such as the Fall Concert Solo role being one person who gets lots of duets and solos (almost all high school productions I've known choose the songs and then dole out the solos to multiple people). Love interest also felt weirdly mature and caring, and I wished he'd been a bit more oblivious and unintentionally difficult due to his money and social class.
I also am a little uneasy with the degree of outright hatred and clear bullying that the ex girlfriend showed. My teen daughters have often called out TV shows with outright bullies and said that high school is not like that now, but that bullies use more gaslighting and subtle ways of excluding or ignoring people. The result of this outright bullying is that Abby comes off more as a victim and less agency than I wanted her to have. It also made the ex girlfriend less believable as a character.
This book has so much good stuff going for it, the support of Abby's friends, the realities of homelessness, the highlighting of how music can create safe places of self confidence for high school students, and I wanted the reality of high school life with its more subtle hurts and slights to be portrayed as Abby's challenge that she has to overcome. When the ex girlfriend's bullying finally comes to a head, it is epic and dramatic because of the way it calls out to her Omaha issues, but it felt a bit too forced as a plotline.
Still, there's a lot to like here. I think young adults in midsized towns such as Rochester, where homelessness and poverty are often kept out of the downtown Mayo Clinic area, should be exposed to the challenges some students face trying to seem normal.
Abby begins the book sleeping in a van with her mother, step-father, and little sister having just arrived in Rochester, MN from Omaha.
The entire reason she has to move is best left for you to discover on your own, but let's say it involves school and social media and all her friends rejecting her.
Abby and her family are trying to survive with very little money just as Abby and sister are starting schools. Abby quickly falls in with an accepting crowd of friends, and is shown her schedule by a cute boy.
A cute boy who happens to be extremely popular, quarterback of the football team, interested in Abby, but saddled with an ex girlfriend who seems hellbent on making Abby's life miserable.
Abby has to hide her sleeping arrangements, sponge-bathing in Walmart, and Salvation Army dinners from her new friends, just as she auditions for the school's Fall Concert solo and gets asked to Homecoming.
I live in Rochester, so it was very cool to see how the love interest with Mayo doctor parents living in Pill Hill, hear the library described accurately, follow Abby through a thinly disguised Mayo high school, as well as watch her take advantage of some of Rochester's programs such as sunday noon meal, salvation army dinners, Interfaith Hospitality Network/Family Promise, and the Dorothy Day house.
Abby and her mom, who she blames for their move, had a contentious relationship that was painful to watch. As a mother of a 17 year old, though, it rang true, despite me wanting reasons for the way the mom acted just as fiercely as Abby did. It was hard to paint a picture of the mom due to those Omaha behaviors.
And Abby is just a bit of a Mary Sue other than the way she treats her mom. She's beautiful, everybody (but the bully) loves her, she has an amazing singing voice, she never resents having to take care of her sister, etc. etc. At times I wanted her to be less mature about waking up, picking up her sister, or dealing with schoolwork. There were also a couple kind of manufactured-feeling plot things, such as the Fall Concert Solo role being one person who gets lots of duets and solos (almost all high school productions I've known choose the songs and then dole out the solos to multiple people). Love interest also felt weirdly mature and caring, and I wished he'd been a bit more oblivious and unintentionally difficult due to his money and social class.
I also am a little uneasy with the degree of outright hatred and clear bullying that the ex girlfriend showed. My teen daughters have often called out TV shows with outright bullies and said that high school is not like that now, but that bullies use more gaslighting and subtle ways of excluding or ignoring people. The result of this outright bullying is that Abby comes off more as a victim and less agency than I wanted her to have. It also made the ex girlfriend less believable as a character.
This book has so much good stuff going for it, the support of Abby's friends, the realities of homelessness, the highlighting of how music can create safe places of self confidence for high school students, and I wanted the reality of high school life with its more subtle hurts and slights to be portrayed as Abby's challenge that she has to overcome. When the ex girlfriend's bullying finally comes to a head, it is epic and dramatic because of the way it calls out to her Omaha issues, but it felt a bit too forced as a plotline.
Still, there's a lot to like here. I think young adults in midsized towns such as Rochester, where homelessness and poverty are often kept out of the downtown Mayo Clinic area, should be exposed to the challenges some students face trying to seem normal.
shhh_tamis_reading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
melissa_h's review against another edition
3.0
I am keeping in mind it is YA. Overall I liked the idea of the book, having them be homeless, what it is like. The problem was that it all seemed too formulaic and cliche. It all tied up with ribbons and a bow at the end. I guess I am not sure what I expected with it being YA, but I wanted more depth to what was happening.
fernliketheplant's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so good, and it really made me think about what homeless kids are going through on a day-to-day basis. I'd never really thought about how the intense desire to hide the situation from others might affect life!
taylorfrecker's review against another edition
5.0
Abby is starting at a new school in her senior year and has a secret she hopes no one will find out. She is homeless. She hates the lies she tells people to cover up her secret but knows she would hate it more if they found out. Along with the hardships Abby experiences with homelessness, she also has to navigate the troubles of an average high school student who has to deal with boys, school, mean girls, and of course, finding who she is.
I loved reading this book. Armstrong gives readers the opportunity to see into a world we otherwise wouldn’t. We see the family encounter problems that many people may not realize homeless people have to face all the time. They take sponge baths in the Wal-Mart bathrooms. They have to figure out what to do when one of them gets sick and they are living in a cold van. The only food they can get comes from homeless shelters and soup kitchens. As I was reading, my heart ached for the family. This book gives an up-close look at the opportunities that are available to homeless people and the things that aren’t available to them that we don’t think about.
The story featured many characters who exhibited strong morals. The family does not abuse the resources that are given to them and there is an understanding in the family that once they are back on their feet, they will do what they can to give back to the community and others in need. The story gives a great example of a couple working together through hard times, working through their marital issues, and honoring their marital commitments in a healthy way. The relationship between Abby and her mother needs a lot of healing at the beginning of the story and we see Abby learn and grow as she works through her anger. Abby is down to earth. She knows that money is not the key to happiness and just because most of the people at her school have money doesn’t mean their lives are perfect.
This is a great book for young and new adults to read because of the insight it can give to the struggles of others. It is a reminder that not everyone comes from the same background as we do. Each person is dealing with their own issues and we can relate to others better if we remember that. Armstrong draws on the lessons from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and weaves them into the story beautifully.
I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others. It was a touching story with good lessons and strong characters. Go check it out for yourself!
I loved reading this book. Armstrong gives readers the opportunity to see into a world we otherwise wouldn’t. We see the family encounter problems that many people may not realize homeless people have to face all the time. They take sponge baths in the Wal-Mart bathrooms. They have to figure out what to do when one of them gets sick and they are living in a cold van. The only food they can get comes from homeless shelters and soup kitchens. As I was reading, my heart ached for the family. This book gives an up-close look at the opportunities that are available to homeless people and the things that aren’t available to them that we don’t think about.
The story featured many characters who exhibited strong morals. The family does not abuse the resources that are given to them and there is an understanding in the family that once they are back on their feet, they will do what they can to give back to the community and others in need. The story gives a great example of a couple working together through hard times, working through their marital issues, and honoring their marital commitments in a healthy way. The relationship between Abby and her mother needs a lot of healing at the beginning of the story and we see Abby learn and grow as she works through her anger. Abby is down to earth. She knows that money is not the key to happiness and just because most of the people at her school have money doesn’t mean their lives are perfect.
This is a great book for young and new adults to read because of the insight it can give to the struggles of others. It is a reminder that not everyone comes from the same background as we do. Each person is dealing with their own issues and we can relate to others better if we remember that. Armstrong draws on the lessons from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and weaves them into the story beautifully.
I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others. It was a touching story with good lessons and strong characters. Go check it out for yourself!
melodierhae's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely book with a lot of heartfelt moments and a lot of harsh realities about homelessness.
rotellareads's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 STARS!
This book was so moving and captivating! The story of Abby’s struggle as a homeless teen in a new town breaks your heart but her strength and perseverance stitch it back together!
C.H. Armstrong writes an absolutely tragic tale of how one bad decision can have a ripple effect and change the lives of everyone around you. The Lunde family found themselves sleeping in the back of their van in a Walmart parking lot as a means to survive. Seeking out every soup kitchen, pantry or temporary shelter available in town and making the best of a very bad situation.
The author’s ability to pull you into the story as if you were there, experiencing it for yourself was incredible. I loved the teen perspective this book provided on social justice issues as well as economic ones. How difficult it was for Abby to hide, fib and disengage, just to fit in and go unnoticed.
But she didn’t go unnoticed. She caught the attention of the most popular guy in school and gained a group of friends who were the opposite of the ones that turned their back on her in Omaha. She built an unwavering own support system within the walls of her new high school, with peers, teachers and administrators. She thrived and broke out of her shell, despite the difficult home life she was forced to return to each and every afternoon.
The romantic aspect of this story was sweet and endearing. I loved the chemistry between Abby and Zach. His willingness to accept her, despite the truths she’d kept from him, really showed his true character and love for her.
I adored this read for both the characters and the storyline.
This book was so moving and captivating! The story of Abby’s struggle as a homeless teen in a new town breaks your heart but her strength and perseverance stitch it back together!
C.H. Armstrong writes an absolutely tragic tale of how one bad decision can have a ripple effect and change the lives of everyone around you. The Lunde family found themselves sleeping in the back of their van in a Walmart parking lot as a means to survive. Seeking out every soup kitchen, pantry or temporary shelter available in town and making the best of a very bad situation.
The author’s ability to pull you into the story as if you were there, experiencing it for yourself was incredible. I loved the teen perspective this book provided on social justice issues as well as economic ones. How difficult it was for Abby to hide, fib and disengage, just to fit in and go unnoticed.
But she didn’t go unnoticed. She caught the attention of the most popular guy in school and gained a group of friends who were the opposite of the ones that turned their back on her in Omaha. She built an unwavering own support system within the walls of her new high school, with peers, teachers and administrators. She thrived and broke out of her shell, despite the difficult home life she was forced to return to each and every afternoon.
The romantic aspect of this story was sweet and endearing. I loved the chemistry between Abby and Zach. His willingness to accept her, despite the truths she’d kept from him, really showed his true character and love for her.
I adored this read for both the characters and the storyline.
justinestu's review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be such an eye opening book. Abby Lunde is a senior in high school who recently had her life completely altered. Following a series of unfortunate events, her family ends up homeless. Her mother, stepdad, and younger sister move from Omaha to Minnesota in search of a new start. I caught myself tearing up a few times just because of how realistic this story is. Abby his her homelessness so even her boyfriend and best friends didn't know. It just shows that you don't always know what someone is going through.
muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
Homelessness. Good story, with a lot of positivity, perfect boyfriend, symbolic mean girl.
kba76's review against another edition
3.0
This is a curious mix of agendas, and while there are some lovely parts to it I couldn’t really believe in the set-up and was, ultimately, annoyed by so many aspects.
Abby is seventeen and her family has been forced to move because her mother had an affair with a fellow teacher. Her mother is prescribed antidepressants, has a drink and ends up hospitalised with seizures. This results in crippling bills, then her stepfather is made redundant and the family is evicted. While all this is going on Abby is ostracised by her friends, kicked off the cheerleading squad and bullied on social media.
These details are drip-fed through the book - a good thing, because if I’d been told all this at the start I don’t think I’d have carried on reading.
We first meet Abby and her family as they prepare to sleep in the family van. It’s only a temporary measure, but things don’t quite go to plan.
Abby and her sister are enrolled at school (some of the finer points are glossed over here) and nobody seems to know the extent of the family’s suffering. Nobody questions some of their behaviours and nobody challenges the obvious elephant in the room.
Alongside this horror Abby has to negotiate a new school. She ends up instantly popular with a wonderful group of friends and the star football player is determined to make her his girlfriend.
Reading this back I’m surprised I’m rating this as highly. The only things saving this are the characters of Abby and Josh, who have a lovely warmth. There’s some important messages about the need for empathy, though I’m sure they could have been conveyed in a much more subtle manner.
On this occasion I really have to say this was a nice idea, but it was as subtle as using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Thanks, though, to NetGalley for meaning I didn’t have to buy this.
Abby is seventeen and her family has been forced to move because her mother had an affair with a fellow teacher. Her mother is prescribed antidepressants, has a drink and ends up hospitalised with seizures. This results in crippling bills, then her stepfather is made redundant and the family is evicted. While all this is going on Abby is ostracised by her friends, kicked off the cheerleading squad and bullied on social media.
These details are drip-fed through the book - a good thing, because if I’d been told all this at the start I don’t think I’d have carried on reading.
We first meet Abby and her family as they prepare to sleep in the family van. It’s only a temporary measure, but things don’t quite go to plan.
Abby and her sister are enrolled at school (some of the finer points are glossed over here) and nobody seems to know the extent of the family’s suffering. Nobody questions some of their behaviours and nobody challenges the obvious elephant in the room.
Alongside this horror Abby has to negotiate a new school. She ends up instantly popular with a wonderful group of friends and the star football player is determined to make her his girlfriend.
Reading this back I’m surprised I’m rating this as highly. The only things saving this are the characters of Abby and Josh, who have a lovely warmth. There’s some important messages about the need for empathy, though I’m sure they could have been conveyed in a much more subtle manner.
On this occasion I really have to say this was a nice idea, but it was as subtle as using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Thanks, though, to NetGalley for meaning I didn’t have to buy this.