I am a “one sitting reader”, I normally will finish a book within a day of starting it, not this one. I would read for a while and need to think about about Abby and her life. Roam should be required reading! Eye opening and thought provoking!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read for a fair review and thank you CH Armstrong!

What an incredible book thank you for the opportunity to read this and pass it on to my son. It is said That the majority of people are only one pay check away from homelessness. When you think of homelessness you do tend to think of people bring on their own not whole families particularly in the uk where we have a (slightly) better support system to provide social housing. This is a fantastic YA novel and would make a great teen book club choice for boys and girls.

Seventeen-year-old Abby and her family have been left homeless because of a mistake made by her mother. They are forced to move to a new town, live in their car until a temporary shelter comes available, and to eat their infrequent meals at the local church. It also means changing schools for Abby and her sister but, even though she'll know nobody, at least they won't know about what her mother did. Maybe things won't be so bad after all.

I have mixed feelings about Roam by C.H. Armstrong. On the plus side. I appreciate how she treated homelessness. It is an issue that rarely gets positive treatment despite the fact that it is becoming all too common for too many people through no fault of their own. On the other side, though, the story is a bit too unrealistic for the topic - within a couple of days of arriving at her new school, Abby makes some very close (and rich) friends who are willing to accept her immediately while never asking her about her background; starts dating the extremely rich and handsome star quarterback, and is picked by the teacher to be the solo singer for the choir. Not to say I didn't enjoy but it just seemed a bit one dimensional given the issues involved. Still, I am not the target audience of the story and I suspect, after reading other reviews, that it will work much better with young readers.

3.5

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This ended up being a DNF for me. Not only could I not connect to the characters, the writing was also incredibly choppy.

I first fell in love with C.H. Armstrong’s writing with her novel The Edge of Nowhere and so was very excited to read her young adult contemporary novel Roam. While the characters and setting are very reminiscent of a lot of other young adult contemporaries, C.H. Armstrong turns them on their head and add a new layer to them, one which I have not seen anywhere else in this genre.

Roam is a book about homelessness. It follows a teenager Abby Lunde as she must deal with the stress of a new town and new school with the added complexity that her family has been forced from their home and are now living in the back of a van. It follows Abby as she navigates her feelings towards her family (particularly her mother who she blames for the situation) her fear of her new school and friends finding out, as well as her own internalized opinions of the homeless and how that impacts her own reactions and feelings.

All of this is woven beautifully throughout the story and Abby’s growth feels perfectly natural. Indeed, each of the characters in this book felt like they came alive as I read and I really enjoyed that each one was flawed in their own way but ended up rising above those flaws and coming together at the end. The family dynamics were also a delight to read, particularly Abby’s interactions with her sister (who, in my opinion, was the breakout star of the book).

I appreciate C.H. Armstrong’s decision to write a book about homelessness, and that it was done in a way that is accessible to a lot of people, particularly young adults who may find themselves in a similar situation, and in a way that was respectful. It challenges preconceptions about the homeless and was an entertaining story as well. Roam is definitely a book which should be kept in libraries everywhere.

4 - 4.25 stars
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was a really wonderful story that showcases the hardships of homelessness, the importance of never giving up, and the positives that having certain people in our lives while going through any hardships. The author, C.H. Armstrong, took a look at homelessness through the eyes of a 17 year old girl named Abby Lunde. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she, her mom (Claire), stepdad (Nick), and 6 year old sister (Amber) move from Omaha, Nebraska to Rochester, Minnesota in hopes of starting a new life. Things are fraught between mother and daughter because of events that have scarred Abby (and possibly given her PTSD). The distant relationship is explained through flashbacks and help explain many major plot points in the book. It amazes me how Ms. Armstrong used a classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee to show how forgiveness while hard can be exactly what a person needs fo a better life. Starting a new school is hard, especially when you make an enemy on your first day, but when you find the right people it makes things easier on Abby to forget the hardships that living in a van during the winter in Minnesota can entail. Abby finds a secret talent she never knew she had, love, and some wonderful mentors while at school, but she refuses to let anyone know she doesn't have a home as she's certain it will lead to her being severely bullied. Eventually, the secret of her being homeless comes out leading to characters being tested on how strong the relationships among schoolmates and family are. There were so many moments that I enjoyed about this story but the characters have to be the major ones. They were just delightful and I didn't dislike anyone except the enemy of the main character.

As much as I enjoyed this story there were downsides to this novel. Most Young Adult stories follow certain formulas and this one definitely follows them. Overall, I don't mind the formulas if they're well-written and explained. What are the odds that the quarterback of the football team who is the hottest, most popular, and thoughtful boy in school is the first person you meet and he falls instantly for you? Pretty slim but I admit I loved this character with Abby, so I can say the coincidence of him being an office aid when you arrive at the school is fine. Heck even finding the most understanding people in the entire school through a class and lunch are understandable as kids tend to find a pack and stick with them on their first day of school.

One example of a coincidence that could have been written better/earlier in the book deals with Nick. During one of Abby's flashbacks is when Abby spies her mom crying while her stepdad comforts her. (view spoiler) This secret is never mentioned by anyone in the book and explains why the family moved out of state. I had thought it was because they wanted the State of Nebraska to have a hard time finding them to pay off their debt for about 3/4ths of the book. If this had been a reveal about the character that nobody knew or stated earlier in the story then it would have explained a lot about Abby and Nick's relationship. Abby loves and respects her stepdad's opinion and choices, but most of the time we are lead to believe it's due to her being terrified she'll be left all alone with her mom. Finding out why he's so familiar with the Rochester area would explain why she doesn't question him in what he suggests where the family go and do to survive. It would have added a deeper aspect to their relationship, and explain another reason why she's so mad at her mom.

I highly recommend this Young Adult book to anyone who enjoys pretty realistic looks on difficult subjects. Roam by C.H. Armstrong isn't a perfect book but it's one I think many people will enjoy. I'll definitely be on the lookout for other books written by this author as she comes out with more.

It's never easy being the "new girl" in town, now add to the mix that it's your Senior year, oh, and the fact that your family is living in a van in the Walmart parking lot. When Abby Lunde shows up on her first day of school all she wants is to be invisible to everyone around her, but when Zach, the big-man-on-campus, takes an interest in her, hiding in the shadows becomes nearly impossible. Can Abbey trust these new friends? How can she forgive her mom for putting their family in this situation? How much longer can Abby hide the truth from the people who are closest to her?

Roam is more than a coming of age story. Abby's voice paints a vivid picture of what it's like for many teens who don't know where they'll sleep each night, yet keep trying to fight through each day as if life were normal.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.*

I really wanted to love this book. I love YA in general and the bold, brave way in which young authors are tackling difficult subjects with authenticity and fearlessness. I was intrigued by the cover blurb, and had high hopes for how the story of a homeless teenager with secrets would be handled for a YA audience. Sadly, I really felt like this one missed the mark.

Roam is the story of Abby Lunde, a 17-year old student, who for reasons outside of her control and that the reader doesn't get to learn until about halfway through the book, is living in a van in a Rochester, MN Wal-Mart parking lot with her mother, her stepfather and her 6-year-old sister, Amber. Having recently fled Omaha in shame due to a scandal of some sort (again, you have to hang on for a long time to get the story), the family is starting over in Rochester and Abby is transferring to begin her senior year in October at a new high school in a new town.

The premise is solid. I appreciate how C.H. Armstrong deftly introduces the circumstances that lead to the Lundes living in the van, while not making it too cliche or too dramatic. The family dynamic is believable and the characters are flawed in lovely, honest ways.

The writing struck me as juvenile. The entire storyline at the high school could have been characters from an ABC after-school special circa 1985 (just sub in cell phones and a gay supporting character for a skateboard and a minority back then). The dynamic between Abby and her new friends is just too sweet and perfect, and the school villain character is over-the-top in the way of Sweet Valley High villains.

I'm not anti-happy endings. In fact, I adore them when warranted. But this story wrapped up all too sweetly with a perfect bow. I would have liked to see just one of the many balls that Abby had up in the air not land perfectly.

All that said, I didn't dislike the book and I admittedly stayed up late wanting to find out what would come of the Lundes. I guess I just wish this one went deeper.

Roam was absolutely amazing. It was the kind of book that will humble you really quick and make you incredibly grateful for everything you have. This book is great for teens to give an eye opening view of what it's like to experience hard times and being homeless as a high schooler. I love that Abby has strong supporters around her and a family who continually pushed to provide more and better for her.

This is a great novel about a tough subject - homelessness, specifically how to deal with your whole family being homeless when you are still going to high school. That is the main story, but through the connections the characters make, the reader also learns about other, different versions of and reasons for homelessness, which was quite enlightening. However, that also lead to the whole book being a "lump in the throat"-moment as one realizes just how easily loosing one's home can happen. The book also explored the thoughtlessness of other the other characters, who take their abundance and wealth for granted and never even suspect the protagonist to be in the situation she is in. Aside from that topic, which was treated well, in depth and with great impact, the novel is basically a standard teenage romance. While it did not always have the most natural dialogue, I found the emotions of the characters to be very realistic. They were usually very levelheaded rather than falling prey to one misunderstanding after another, as is common in these kinds of books. Overall, it is a great recommendable read not only for young adults.

Thinking back, I can't really recall any books that deal with this specific sort of homelessness. I've read or at least seen books about teenagers who run away, whose parents have died, about people who have decided to couch surf in order to move to a new place or are on the run from the law, and an assortment of other things.
Never have I seen a family deal with this struggle. Abby's is a senior in high school, her sister is in 1st grade, her mom is a teacher & her stepdad a mechanic. Even faced with homelessness, school is made a priority for the girls. This is a great thing for Abby, who gets the chance to start over somewhere new after her life fell apart at her own school.

There's a small mystery about what has caused Abby's family to be in this situation, and you get your answers but realize that isn't really important. This family deserves more than sleeping in their van.
Armstrong creates loveable characters right from the start. Abby is flawed, sure, she's anxious & often lets that get in the way of her relationships, she can have a short temper, and she tries to push people away. Then there's her little sister Amber, who refers to Abby as Sister (which I found a little stranger, but it is explained in the book) who complains she's hungry and cold but super social even to strangers, likes going to school (where she has a string of "boyfriends") and suffers quietly with shoes that are too small. Abby's parents are both emotionally vulnerable at points, but they're also undeniably good parents, they want Abby to achieve great things, they're truly proud of her, they're thankful for all the ways she helps them as they search desperately for jobs to get them out of the van.
This book also features a great cast of side character, they're not explored deeply, but this isn't their story. They support Abby's story as much as they support her as a person, that is to say, everyone Abby meets helps her in their own way. This was very moving & hopeful, it's the way I wish the world always was, and not just a select few.
Emotions run high for each and every character, but this wasn't a difficult read, everything felt like it was balanced very well. A heap of hope followed by the feeling of dread, unbeatable happiness paired with sadness & confusion.  It'll make you just want to wrap these character in a hug & give them everything they could possibly want.
There are quite a few flashback type passages & I found the transition to & from these to be a bit awkward, as well as the dialogue being a bit formal too. Also, I felt as though some things just worked out a little bit too perfectly, I was rooting for the characters & I saw their struggles but it did feel just a little manufactured. My biggest problem however, was that there was a gay character in this book, but his arc was kind of brushed aside and overlooked. Ultimately, this is what led me to give 4 stars instead of 5, though I don't feel that any of these hugely took away from the message this book sends.

I will say that I found this to be on the younger side of YA despite Abby's age. I felt that Abby, & by extension Abby's classmates to have an innocence that didn't quite ring true to life. It was quite refreshing though to read a book where the older teens weren't reduced to sexual & drug based arcs. This would have worked just as well if Abby was in 9th or 10th grade, but then we would have missed out on seeing Abby think of life after high school. So, all in all, I'm glad that the ages were kept as they were.
With that in mind, I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is interested in these real-life issues, it's handled very well & taken seriously.

Do you plan on reading Roam? Have you read a great book about homelessness? I'd love to hear from you!

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.

2.5/5 stars

Roam is the story of Abby, a senior in high school, whose family has just moved to Rochester, Minnesota because of their recent homelessness. Abby's family endures many of the hardships many homeless families experience: living in a van, sneaking into Walmart for spongebaths, relying on free breakfast and lunch at school, walking everywhere, desperately trying to find jobs, and more. But there are some high points to Abby's new life. At her new school, she makes friends-- friends who are more compassionate, caring, and /friendly/ than her old friends in Omaha. Plus, she starts dating Zach, an uber-rich, uber-popular, star quarterback who also plays guitar and is super supportive. But homeless is wearing on Abby and her family. Will they ever get out of this rough spot? Will Abby be able to keep her new socio-economic status a secret from everyone at school? Will they ever be able to stop roaming and plant roots in a new home?

Roam is fast-paced, which makes it a good recommendation for reluctant readers. The chapters are short and the action never lets up. Even though Abby spends some time stuck in her own head with her anger, her hopelessness, her anxiety, the pace never slows down. Additionally, the empathy for homeless teens is overwhelming. This is not a topic that is often discussed in YA books, which makes it stand out. However, it hovers too close to didactic for my tastes. The neat bow at the end seals the deal that I won't be purchasing it for my YA collection. Rarely are such complicated issues as the poverty cycle ever neatly tied up with a bow. (See also: the treatment of depression in the filmic adaptation of Silver Linings Playbook.)

Additionally, Abby bemoans more than once about how awful it is to not have friends, especially friends whom you thought were besties but then drop you like a hot potato when times get tough. And, as someone who quite literally didn't have friends from 6th-10th grade, the way Armstrong/Abby treats it is not realistic. I understand that not everyone will respond to not having friends the same way, but Armstrong makes it seem as though Abby is one in a million teens who doesn't have a friend, when it's actually not un-common. The friendless just don't cross paths (for whatever reason). I will now get off my soapbox before I get carried away. (TL;DR: Abby's situation of being "friendless" isn't unique, and Armstrong needed to have approached that to be make Abby's story contain more verisimilitude.)

Considering that this is a fictional read, it felt so realistic.

C.H. Armstrong has written a wonderful book that is raw, compelling and heartbreakingly.

To be honest, this book is beautifully written.

Highly recommend this book .

Roam is a compelling, gritty, heart-wrenching book about a seventeen year old girl who is living on the streets with her family. The characters in this book are portrayed honestly and compassionately. This is a YA book that teenagers and adults alike will be able to relate to.

Armstrong delivers a powerful novel, encapsulating the very real and unfortunate emotions - and circumstances - of people in todays society. Constructing a heart-wrenching piece of work, this novel effortlessly builds before seamlessly, and astoundingly concluding.

Thank you Central Avenue Publishing and a Netgalley for this ARC.

I give his book 4.5 stars

This YA novel was fabulous, it pulled me in quickly and I couldn’t put it down. I evoked lots of emotion at times and really made me so grateful that I have never had to worry about a roof over my head and other securities often taken for granted.

This novel raises many relevant issues including poverty, homelessnes, bullying, exclusion, trying to fit in. It really illustrated how a series of bad decisions can impact so devastatingly on many lives. The only thing that stopped this being a 5 star book in my mind was that, while reading, I often questioned if this was a realistic enough account of the issue of homelessness. I often felt that so many opportunities seemingly came at the right moment throughout the book, especially to the 17 year old main character. I truly hope in real life this would have occurred, however the cynical part of me questioned how often this would be the reality for others in this situation.

I highly recommend this great book. I have been thinking about it ever since I regretfully finished the last page.

The characters were written very realistically for high school and in a very raw emotional way. I enjoyed the homelessness and how easy it was to read.

Roam discussed the issue of homelessness in a very real way. In every page, you can feel the heaviness and struggle Abby and her family faced in being homeless. For me, the story was really driven by the main character, Abby. Whether you’ll enjoy the story or not will depend on whether or not you like her. Althought it’s really nothing to worry about as Abby is an easily lovable character.

In the first half of the book, we get to meet an angrier Abby. It was totally understandable as the family is going through a horrible time. I think the author did well in writing Abby; I guess that if any teenager was to go through what she went through, they’ll react pretty similarly. She was really angry at her mum and blamed her on their situation. The story then follow Abby in navigating her life in the new school, with new friends and love interest who had no idea about her living arrangement.

For me, Roam is a book about acceptance, forgiveness, and empathy. As the book progressed, it focused on Abby finally accepting that it was her new situation and that she had to work with her family to find a solution to their problems. Along the way, Abby also had to forgive her mother who she blamed quite harshly in the book.

Despite all the struggle she was going through, Abby still got to experience high school. I think it was one reason why I like the book. There’s still balance between the real issues and the fluff. Between the hardships and the friendships Abby found in the midst of all of it.

Roam was definitely a quick read for me. I have to admit that the book is too Young Adult for me but I think YA lovers will still enjoy the book.

I read Roam on a complete whim. It was a book that I was honestly worried to read. A homeless teen who wants to hide it from their peers? It sounds like fanfiction in every way. But there I was, lounging in the sun, burning to an absolute pile of ash when I thought ‘lets just do it’. So I opened up the file on my kindle, and here we are.

I’ll admit, this review is long overdue, and I'm not good at time management. But I was, okay. It was a pleasant book to read. I wasn’t extremely overwhelmed but there were a few things that kept me really hooked. I found that the writing style of ‘Roam’ was very relaxed, and that made it very easy to read.

The flashbacks in the story gave me a lot of insight into the characters and made the story more complicated and interesting. And I would be lying if Is aid I didn’t enjoy the book, I was just slightly underwhelmed. The love story seemed extremely thought out, and it showed through the writing, as I felt that it seemed very predictable and easy.

I did really enjoy this novel, and if contemporary is what you want, then this is certainly one to read. You feel with the characters and let the book play on you for a bit. Stopping every now and then builds up your suspense and enjoyment, well, it did for me. The family ties are so strong and I’m sure that this is something people will enjoy.

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