Where the Stars Still Shine in Sophomore Reading Challenge

Aug 13, 2012 Sarah (YA Love) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: september-release, young-adult-lit, glgb-books-to-recommend, realistic-fiction, favorites, contemporary-ya, sophomore-reading-challenge, 2013-release, read-in-2013

Review originally posted at YA Love

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love and discovering who’s really important in your life will resonate with readers who want their stories authentic and utterly true. Where the Stars Still Shine left me breathless and at a loss for words in the best possible way. Honestly, I don’t feel like I can accurately express how much I love this book. It’s beautiful.

I tear up when I read books, but it’s rare for me to actually cry whe Review originally posted at YA Love

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love and discovering who’s really important in your life will resonate with readers who want their stories authentic and utterly true. Where the Stars Still Shine left me breathless and at a loss for words in the best possible way. Honestly, I don’t feel like I can accurately express how much I love this book. It’s beautiful.

I tear up when I read books, but it’s rare for me to actually cry when I read a book. I cried while reading Callie’s story. I had to email friends who have read this book to make sure certain things were/were not going to happen because I couldn’t read it fast enough. I was INVESTED in these characters. I still am. As I’m writing this review it’s been a month since I’ve read Where the Stars Still Shine and I’m STILL invested in these characters. I feel like they’re part of my life. I care about them and want the best for them. That kind of story is the best kind of story. Trish Doller has written an excellent story.

Something that really made me happy while reading Where the Stars Still Shine is that Callie is such a strong and independent character. She has to be because of how she’s grown up. But even though she’s strong, she’s also vulnerable. Callie has a tough time asking for help and recognizing familial support. And her family? They are amazing. Her father, Greg, is what I wish more fathers in general and in YA are. Callie also has an incredible grandmother and cousin. These supporting characters not only add a real depth to the story and excellent familial element, but they also showcase how strong yet vulnerable Callie is. She’s not use to relying on anyone but herself, but now that she has this new family she learns a new and better definition of the word family. Her mother isn’t really a mother, but it’s all she knows of family.

If I’m going to bring up Callie’s independence and strength, I need to bring up sexuality. Callie hasn’t had the best experiences with sex in her life; in fact, at least one experience was detrimental. Her relationship with Alex is positive and is written really well. I like that she takes ownership of her thoughts and desires about sex. Not that many books write sex in this way, so I’m happy to read one that does.

Speaking of Alex, I want to know more about his back story. I would love it if Trish Doller wrote a book from his point of view. I know that’s wishful thinking, but there it is. I want more from Alex.

I will admit that I wished for a slightly different ending, but it works for the characters and the story. It’s an honest ending. Trish Doller writes magic, and I HIGHLY recommend that you read Where the Stars Still Shine. I read it in one sitting and can’t wait to share it with my students. ...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Alexa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, signed, own, young-adult, arc, netgalley, 2013-reads

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Next time I read a Trish Doller novel, I'm going to make sure I have tissues nearby. I mean, I expected to cry while reading her debut Something Like Normal. I just didn't realize how much I would with Where the Stars Still Shine. I really don't know how the author does it, but she can make a scene powerful and emotional using only a few words. It's pretty amazing.

I felt an immediate connection to Callie and her story. I wasn't at all bothered b
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Next time I read a Trish Doller novel, I'm going to make sure I have tissues nearby. I mean, I expected to cry while reading her debut Something Like Normal. I just didn't realize how much I would with Where the Stars Still Shine. I really don't know how the author does it, but she can make a scene powerful and emotional using only a few words. It's pretty amazing.

I felt an immediate connection to Callie and her story. I wasn't at all bothered by the fact that she chose to keep quiet about some of the things she had gone through because that's just what she's use to doing and how she's coped the majority of her life. And after everything she's had to endure, I was so inspired by her inner strength and ability to keep moving forward even though she was vulnerable and scared and sometimes thought it would be so much easier to just run away. I think what kept her grounded, though, was the normalcy she craved for years and years that she finally had. A life with family and friends that care about her and love her, and a future that doesn't seem quite as impossible now.

Which brings me to what I loved the most about this novel: the relationships Callie had with the people around her. Her interactions with her family, new friends, and even Alex, the guy she was seeing, were well done and seemed realistic given her situation. Her relationship with Alex was one of my favorites. While they grew up differently and had their own problems to deal with, they were drawn to each other and connected in a way no one truly seemed to understand. But it felt right for them, and I loved what they shared. All these people helped Callie grow and open up in some way, and knowing that they are in her life gives me hope that things will only continue to get better for her.

The writing, the setting (which I felt I could visualize clearly even though I've never been to Tarpon Springs), and of course, the characters and their relationships with each other were all aspects I loved about Where the Stars Still Shine. Trish Doller knows how to write beautiful and uplifting stories. Stories full of love and friendships that leave me with a tearful smile and a sense of hope. I'm already anticipating the release of her next novel, and if you have yet to read her novels, I highly recommend them both. ...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Andi (Andi's ABCs) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favorites, would-recommend, netgalley, signed

Loved, loved, loved this book! It was everything I was hoping for and more. It had fun, it had serious issues, it had a great romance, it had a cute boy. It was so clearly a Trish Doller book that I was swooning from page one.

Where the Stars Still Shine, is the story of Callie, a girl that was taken by her mother when she was just a small child. She has been on the run, going from place to place, for as long as she can remember. Callie hasn’t gone to school in years, hasn’t had a stable home lif Loved, loved, loved this book! It was everything I was hoping for and more. It had fun, it had serious issues, it had a great romance, it had a cute boy. It was so clearly a Trish Doller book that I was swooning from page one.

Where the Stars Still Shine, is the story of Callie, a girl that was taken by her mother when she was just a small child. She has been on the run, going from place to place, for as long as she can remember. Callie hasn’t gone to school in years, hasn’t had a stable home life and has been eating out of vending machines while carrying around a secret of her own. But when life finally catches up with Callie and her mom, Callie suddenly finds herself back in Florida with her dad who she thought didn’t want her and with a family that is thrilled to have her back. Now Callie must find her place among these familiar strangers and make peace with her past and her future. And with a hot sponging boy sparking her interest it’s possible she may just be able to do that.

One of the things I love most about Doller’s writing is her ability to jump right into the heavy stuff. Some writer’s will toe the line with the issues or the emotional aspects, but Doller doesn’t seem to do that. She told us what life on the run was like for Callie and how damaged she was by some of the stuff that happened to her. Things weren’t sunshine and roses after she was taken like you see in a Lifetime movie. There was real depth and hurt and psychological damage there. And the way that Callie chose to deal with the things that had happened to her showed all the more how damaged she was. Instead of telling someone or talking about it Callie used sex as her means of coping and I 100% understood her reaction and why she did what she did.

The other thing Ms. Doller does amazingly is creating a cute boy. She has the ability to bring an amazingly swoonworthy boy to life with just a few words. She did it with Travis in Something Like Normal and has done it again with Alex in Where the Stars Still Shine. Alex was everything that Callie needed and she was everything he needed. Both hiding for life and their past, they leaned on each other and learned to trust and love and have faith in people and the world in general. It really was truly remarkable to see the two of them interact. Don’t get me wrong, the baggage was there, but something about the two of them together could make you forget and just enjoy the love fest. Was their story perfect? Not by any means. But it was really a great relationship that unfolded and that made it perfect for me.

Like any book there were things I wasn’t crazy about 100%, but that didn’t really matter to me. That was just the small stuff. In the long run it didn’t mean anything. Where the Stars Still Shine was an amazing book and it was real and that is all that is important. Doller did what Doller does best and created a story that will stay with you long after you are done and I thank her for that and think you will too. ...more

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Jul 19, 2013 Jess at Such a Novel Idea rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-review, contemporary, 2013-reads, own-arc, favorites

For this review and more, visit Such a Novel Idea.

Why You Should Buy It

Trish Doller will make you laugh through streams of tears. Her grasp on the tough issue of kidnapping, losing your identity, and finding yourself again is beyond anyone I've seen in a long time. She knows how to offer hope in the midst of tragedy, and how to poignantly put us in the mind of her characters. This is a rare gem and one I was honored to be able to review.

My Thoughts

*I received this e-book in exchange for an hones ...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Hannah rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-finished-copy, 2015

I read most of Where the Stars Still Shine on the subway - which I would not recommend, because it's kind of a miracle I never missed my stop, considering immersed I was in this story. Trish Doller is amazing at writing incredibly absorbing novels with complex, unique character, and Where the Stars Still Shine is no exception.

The whole set-up of Where the Stars Still Shine is original and intriguing: it takes what some might consider to be a happy ending - a girl "rescued" after being kidnapped I read most of Where the Stars Still Shine on the subway - which I would not recommend, because it's kind of a miracle I never missed my stop, considering immersed I was in this story. Trish Doller is amazing at writing incredibly absorbing novels with complex, unique character, and Where the Stars Still Shine is no exception.

The whole set-up of Where the Stars Still Shine is original and intriguing: it takes what some might consider to be a happy ending - a girl "rescued" after being kidnapped and kept away from her family for most of her life - and questions what happens after. What it must be like to return to a "normal" life after living on the run for so long and meeting your family whom you don't remember is such a fascinating idea.

The set-up makes for a main character who is incredibly fascinating to read about. I loved Callie; she is so different from any other YA character (or any character) I've read about. She doesn't know how to let people in or how to let someone care for her - doesn't know how to be a daughter to someone who cares, how to be a friend, or how to have a romantic relationship that isn't based on someone using her. I felt for Callie and grew to love her so much over the course of this novel. Callie must have been such a hard character to write, and even though of course I can't really judge, her struggles seemed very realistic. Even when her choices are frustrating, it totally works, and just adds to the depth of her character.

I absolutely loved the romance in Where the Stars Still Shine. Alex is older, an usual love interest for YA, which works perfectly for this story. He has his own issues, which are also intriguing, even if they're not explored in as much depth as Callie's. Callie and Alex have amazing chemistry, and an inspiringly respectful way of treating each other. But even though the swoon factor is strong, romance is definitely not the only important relationship in this novel. I also loved Callie's relationship with her cousin/self-assigned best friend Kat, her dad Greg, an the rest of her family. I loved how all of these relationships combined showed Callie that she is worthy of love and capable of having meaningful relationships. And then, of course, there's Callie's relationship with her mother, which isn't as easy to love, but just as well-done. Callie's ambivalent feelings towards her mother and her inner struggle are portrayed with honesty and raw emotion, and I especially loved how Callie's feelings develop over the course of the novel.

I thought for a while about whether I should talk about this or if it's too spoilery, but since Trish talks about this in promotional posts, I'm assuming it's okay to talk about the issue of sexual abuse in this novel. How this issue is treated is actually one of the most impressive things about this book, in my opinion. Callie's past experiences with sexual abuse and how it affects her life today is portrayed in heartbreaking honesty. I loved how Trish Doller discusses the impact of Callie's past experiences on her relationships today, since survivors of sexual assault or abuse (re-)gaining a healthy relationship to sex is something that isn't talked about much. It's interwoven in Callie's relationship with Alex in subtle and important ways. I also love how this plays into Callie's relationship with her mother. Even if it weren't such a great story all-around, this book would be worth reading just for its respectful and raw emotional portrayal of this issue.

The only issue I have with Where the Stars Still Shine is that the ending seems a little rushed and melodramatic, everything with Callie's mom and Alex coming crashing down at the same time. Specifically, I'm talking about a very Hollywood-y hospital scene that, in my opinion, is too melodramatic to discuss the story in the depth it deserves. The ending-ending - what comes after this scene - is good again, it's just in this climax that the novel loses some of its plausibility, for me.

With this book, Trish Doller has manifested her position as one of my favorite contemporary YA authors. With a unique story, lyrical writing, and characters I won't soon forget, Where the Stars Still Shine was a book whose world I didn't want to leave. I can't wait for even more Trish Doller books.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo... ...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday) added it

Where the Stars Still Shine does have elements similar to other YA I've read, books like If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Schmidt and Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen that deal with parental abduction and/or life with an unfit parent, and then a character's attempt to adjust to a more "normal" life. And yet, while Callie's story does have some parallels to Carey's or Anna's or Ruby's, each girl's journey plays out differently.

The story opens as Callie, who's been livi Where the Stars Still Shine does have elements similar to other YA I've read, books like If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Schmidt and Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen that deal with parental abduction and/or life with an unfit parent, and then a character's attempt to adjust to a more "normal" life. And yet, while Callie's story does have some parallels to Carey's or Anna's or Ruby's, each girl's journey plays out differently.

The story opens as Callie, who's been living an itinerant life with her mother for over ten years, is discovered by the police and sent back to Tarpon Springs, Florida to live with her father. Everything about her new life -- rules and a house and a large family and a stable routine -- is completely foreign to her, and she's not sure she's on board with any of it. I loved that about this book. As in her debut book, Something Like Normal, Trish Doller has written a main character who feels completely real. Some fictional characters have a growth arc that seems to curve as perfectly as a rainbow. But real people mess up -- they backslide, they make choices that others can't understand, and they forget to learn from their mistakes. Callie was easy to relate to, and yet I never forgot that she'd never had any kind of a lasting relationship except with her mother, and that she'd lived through some really tough times.

Callie meets Alex as she's restlessly wandering on the esplanade one evening and they're instantly drawn to each other. This was insta-attraction, not insta-love -- neither of these two are interested in a relationship. Alex has family issues of his own and can't wait to leave Tarpon Springs and explore the world. But the two of them start meeting up in secret. While Where the Stars Still Shine is a YA book with YA themes, it does edge into NA territory, both due to the age of the characters (Callie is seventeen and Alex is twenty-one) and their sexual relationship, which is an important part of the story.

The characters and the setting in this book were standouts for me. Callie's father's family is part of a Greek-American community in Tarpon Springs. We meet Callie's yiayoula (grandmother) and her cousin Kat and learn about the local sponge industry. I also really loved the way Callie's mom was portrayed. She's deeply flawed, but also a woman who clearly loves her daughter even though she's failed her on multiple levels. Callie and her family have a lot of stuff to work out, and I loved that ending of the book was hopeful but didn't try to wrap everything up in a shiny bow.
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