This is a not-a-review of a book I had the honor of reading last year around this time in manuscript form and I don’t feel right giving an objective review of the book because I can’t.*


Where the Stars Still Shine is Trish Doller’s sophomore novel, and as you might remember, I thought her debut Something Like Normal was one of the strongest books I read last year. Where the Stars Still Shine is quite different, but it’s as tightly written and compelling. It’s a book that’s stuck with me since then and one I keep coming back to. I may have even liked it more than Something Like Normal.

Because I want to talk about the things in this book I think make it one to pick up, as well as give a general sense of the flavor of story for read alike and recommendation purposes, there are going to be spoilers. So proceed with that in mind.

Callie’s mother kidnapped her, and they’ve been living on the road, place to place, for a long time. Callie’s never been to a traditional school, her meals have often come from vending machines, and she’s been subjected to repeat sexual abuse at the hands of her mother’s boyfriends. But when the law finally catches up with them and Callie has the opportunity to resume a life of stability in the home of the father she doesn’t really know, she’s both relieved and, of course, nervous about what normal could possibly look like.

As I talked about earlier this year in a post about female sexuality, Callie has agency in the relationship she engages in with Greek boy Alex. And really, what made this book so strong for me wasn’t necessarily the storyline about Callie learning how to reintegrate into a new family life — though that definitely will appeal to many readers — but instead, I found myself wrapped up in the relationship she begins with Alex. He’s attractive and quite easy to like. He could be the easy love interest. But what made him so interesting to me is how not easy the relationship is because given Callie’s own life, it cannot be easy. She’s nervous and scared, despite what it is she portrays outwardly toward him. It’s real and true to who she is and what her own experiences in intimate situations have been. But as she learns to trust the world around her and trust herself, she’s able to have a satisfying relationship that is truly earned, rather than given.

From the standpoint of romantic relationships, Doller’s book would make an excellent read alike to Lauren Myracle’s The Infinite Moment of Us. And like Myracle’s book, there’s no holding back on honesty in the writing. It’s mature and straightforward.

From the standpoint of the story’s exploration of what it means to be a family and what it means to have to sew together a life when you’ve never had the promise of stability, Doller’s book makes a strong read alike to Emily Murdoch’s If You Find Me. They aren’t the same book, but they share common elements of reintegrating into a family, of an absent and abusive mother (in both the absence and the presence), and both feature pretty great adults, as well. Doller’s book skews more mature, not just from the aspect of older characters (Callie is 17) but in content as well.

Where the Stars Still Shine has a strong and vivid setting, too. It’s set in Tarpon Springs, Florida, which has a huge Greek community, among other things. Jenna at Jenna Does Books did a series about Tarpon Springs, with photos, that’s worth checking out. The book is set during the late fall and early winter, so the setting is even stronger as it’s not portrayed as a tourist town or a place that’s experiencing an influx of visitors. It’s just what it is and where it is. In many ways, it’s reminiscent of Sarah Dessen’s The Moon and More — it’s a story about what happens to those who call this place home, rather than those who call it a reprieve from home. I do think readers looking for a book to turn to after Dessen will find a lot here to enjoy.

Want a chance to win a copy of Doller’s book? I’ve got one to give away, courtesy of Bloomsbury. I’ll pick a winner in a couple of weeks.

* Disclosure: Trish sent me a copy of the manuscript to read early on because we’re friends.