Thank you so much to Blink Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first novel by Christina June and I was hooked right from the beginning. I know a lot of people said it was a modern Hansel and Gretel retelling, which loosely put it could be, but I thought of it more as a YA contemporary.

Ashlynn can’t wait to be back home after spending a year at boarding school away from her parents. But then she finds out her dad is going to prison for tax evasion, and she found out not from her parents but from social media. And to add the cherry on top, her mom is going to rehab for “exhaustion” aka depression. She gets shipped off to spend the summer with her relatives that she barely knows and starts a summer job at a wilderness camp that their daughter Hannah works at.

I automatically fell in love with the main character Ashlynn. I felt so bad for her at the beginning when she found out both of her parents were pretty much abandoning her and she had to go live with her Uncle and Aunt that she hasn’t seen in forever. The way her tyrant Dad treated her about made me want to cry and then the sweet way her Mom acted toward her when her Dad wasn’t around made me want to cry again. But then when she actually started becoming happy and finally made friends with Hannah my heart just soared. You can’t help but want to root for her the whole novel. Yeah, she messed up once but what happened to her was really not her fault at all and her Dad just couldn’t drop his ways and see that.

I also really loved the character of Baxter. He was so tentative with her and soft-spoken at first and then really opened up at Ashlynn. He didn’t try to be the macho douchebag like Marcus, he actually helped with Ashlynn’s family problems and was always there to help her (and rescue her!) and was an amazing friend.

This is definitely a perfect summer read about family issues and learning how to trust new people even when you can’t trust your own family.

This is a fabulous book for late teens and anyone else! It is a well executed and interesting read on the coming of age of a young girl who has lived a life being submissive to an over bearing father and a submissive mother. When her father is sent to prison for tax evasion and she is sent to her cousin’s for the summer to work at a wilderness/team building camp, she finds her voice and embraces it. I loved all the different affirming quotes that she saves.
I voluntarily read a copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

REVIEW

Ashlyn thought she had served her time, and would be able to return home after spending a year away at boarding school. But, then she learned of her father's arrest online, and in the blink of an eye, all her summer plans, and maybe her future plans, were altered. She was quickly whisked away to the woods of Pennsylvania to work at a wilderness retreat with her cousin Hannah. This indoor girl was dreading her new outdoor job, but this would prove to be her summer of self-realization and change.

Characters

I had "met" Ashlyn in June's first book, It Started with Goodbye, and was excited to get to know her better. My heart went out to her, when she found out that her family was going in three different directions that summer. Her feelings of abandonment were strong, as well they should be, but I was grateful that she was able to find some comfort in her aunt, uncle, cousin, and some of the retreat staff. Her cousin, Hannah, and Baxter were two standout characters. They were very supportive, but didn't push Ashlyn too hard, and that was exactly what she needed to help her work through her family issues.

Family Focus

Ashlyn's family was in trouble. Her mother was seeking treatment for her depression and her father was to begin serving his sentence in prison. Either one of these would be a stressful situation, and Ashlyn had to bear the weight of both. But, you know what? She used the time and space at camp to reflect on her relationship with her family. She realistically struggled with her feelings for her father. She loved him, but was also frustrated with him for the demands he constantly made of her. Through her separation and a lot of refection, she came to terms with her issues with her father, and resolved to try and fix things with her family, because in the end, she loved them. I also liked that Ashlyn was building a bridge back to her aunt, uncle, and cousin. They were such a big part of her growth and healing, and I was glad she was keeping them in her life.

Lots of Fun Stuff

I was all over this setting. The wilderness retreat was such a fun and unique setting. There were bon fires and bike rides, swimming and scavenger hunts, sunrise hikes and zip lining. It just posed a wealth of possibilities and I had a great time being there with Ashlyn.

There was also hints of an adorable romance in this story. It was not a full-on romance, and the character justified her stand on why it wasn't, but I so, so wanted it to be. In fact, I was hoping there was an epilogue waiting for me, so I could see how Ashlyn's family made out AND see if my ship happened. Alas, there was none, but I am holding out hope, that June writes another book set in this world. Maybe Hannah could get her own book. It could happen, right?

Overall

A fabulous, low-drama coming of age story. It was very heartwarming tale of family and finding your voice, and I was happy to accompany Ashlyn on her journey.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No Place Like Here is about a self-proclaimed "indoor girl" who is forced to work with a cousin she doesn't even know at a rustic team-building retreat center in the middle of nowhere. In addition to all of that, she has to deal with a careless camp manager, an overbearing father, and more than a little boy drama to struggle with. The premise of the book promises an engaging read.

The writing is charming and offers a positive message for readers. The protagonist, Ashlyn, struggles to find herself as she deals with her less than ideal situation. I enjoyed seeing her make the best of the situation and discovering herself along the way.

I loved the relationships between the characters. There were the fluffy, swoon-worthy moments but there were also the deeper, heartwarming moments. I loved this read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good summer read. I would recommend this for any teen. It's definitely YA, clean, wholesome and a positive message without the being preachy.

No Place Like Here by Christina June is the perfect summer read. Set at a retreat center, our refreshingly dynamic protagonist Ashlyn finds herself working with a cousin she barely knows, a dangerously inattentive camp manager, and a potential love interest.

June's writing is refreshing and the pacing on point. Ashlyn struggles to find herself as she wrestles with the reality that her father has been arrested for tax evasion and her mother has checked herself into a rehab center because of "exhaustion." As she comes to terms with a new normal, she realizes that finding herself will take a bit of courage and a few leaps of faith (some literal).

Light, outdoorsy, and just enough soul searching to keep you turning pages, No Place Like Here is the ideal beach companion (or work retreat partner). Whatever your adevntures this summer, make sure this title makes the packing list.

Although it took me a few chapters to get into it, I really enjoyed this book. I just didn't connect with Ashlyn immediately, but it didn't take me too long. I did love the character development in this book. Christina did such an amazing job showing the growth of her characters. I had no idea that she wrote a book 2 years ago, and the MC was Tatum, Ashlyn's best friend. Wish I would have known about it so I could have read it before this book.

In this book, we follow Ashlyn. She has just got done with her junior year at boarding school and cannot wait to get home to her best friend for the summer. But her plans are drastically changed when her father has to go to prison and her mother is goes to rehab for depression. Ashlyn is sent to spend the summer with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. For most of the summer, she will work with her cousin, who she hasn’t even seen in 9 years, in a team-building retreat center that is off the grid. She is not happy about this at all, especially since she doesn’t even like being outside.

Ashlyn has tons of adventures while working at this retreat, makes some friends (which she hasn’t had the best of luck doing at boarding school), and finds more of herself than she ever thought she would. I really liked all the characters in this book, save for just a few. One of my favorite things was Ashlyn’s character development. Christina did such a good job growing Ashlyn in so many needed ways. Also, how cool would it be to work at a retreat center as Ashlyn did? It's like summer camp for Adults!

The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars was because I had a hard time connecting with Ashlyn at times. There were just a few scenes where I didn’t always understand why she did things. But overall, I really enjoyed it. At times didn’t want to put this book down because I had to know what happened next.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

After really enjoying Every Place You Want to Be in April 2018, this was an insta-click for me. Teenage Ashlyn has a father in prison for tax troubles and a mother being treated for depression. So she is sent to her uncle and aunt's who in turn have arranged for Ashlynn to join her cousin as employees at a outdoor wellness center in Pennsylvania . This is not the summer she imagined, but it is a summer that Ashlynn won't soon forget.

Christina June writes strong female protagonists that this adult reader loves to cheer for in books. I meet great young women in the classroom and I feel that June writes teenage girls without falling into the tired cliches. Also thankfully we are not sidelined by a teen romance.

If you're looking for a book to buy your teenage daughter or yourself, I highly recommend that is a great vacation read.

Publication Date 21/05/19
Goodreada Review published 16/05/19

Thanks to Netgalley and Blink for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars!!

No Place Like Here became an instant favorite of mine! If you're looking for this year's YA summer reading, look no further! What a <b>riveting</b> and <b>compelling</b> story!!

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/xT5LMOMvd8Y5LMGkQ8/giphy.gif" width="450" height="300" alt="description"/>

When Ashlyn's parents have to go away, - her father going to prison and her mother in rehab - Ashlyn were sent to her father's relatives in Pennsylvania and for her to work in Sweetwater Overlook Retreat Center along with her cousin.
<blockquote>
<I>"Maybe absence does the heart grow fonder"</I>
</blockquote>
At first, Ashlyn resented this as she thought it would ruin her perfect summer but she found out along the way that working at the camp was exactly what she needed. She get to experienced a <I>real life camping</I> is.

She get to know her cousin more, Hannah and befriended Baxter. And then she soon realized that <b>family is everything</b>.

This is such an amazing and heartwarming story and I am so glad that I get to read this! I will be preordering this book for sure and will read it again in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Blink publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review has been posted on my blog at https://librocubicularist.home.blog/

Christina June is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors. Every book I read, I love even more than the last one. This time we follow Ashlyn who we see a big off in It Started with Goodbye. However in No Place Like Here its a modern Twist on Hansel and Gretel, I can see where that plays in. Ashlyn wasn't a character I liked much from her first book, so the lead character had to win me more. She did! She goes through a lot, well still being believable. There a little love triangle, there's not a whole lot of romance, some kisses here and there, but it was mostly about family. I LOVE that. I like how Ashlyn learns that family isn't just your parents, as here's is going through a lot! Ashlyn is tossed into this camp life, and I liked seeing her learning and struggling to get to her feet, once she does she strong, & goes for what she wants. I did enjoy her cousin, Hannah because she's so different then Ashlyn, getting to see that relationship change, was one of my favorite parts of this book. Also loved the zip-line, bike and whenever Ashlyn takes with her mom in enjoyable.
No Place Like Here is a perfect summer read, with light romance and strong family dynamic; while learning to stand on your own two feet!

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-This review is posted in Double the Books Magazine
- Will be live on my blog this May

No Place Like Here was so much more than I expected! I went into it thinking I was getting a somewhat fluffy summer camp novel (at only 272 pages I finished it in half a shift at work – yes, my job is that slow). While there were fluffy aspects, it was so much deeper and touched my heart in ways I was completely surprised by.

Ashlyn’s entire world has been turned upside down. All her plans for the summer have gone out the window. Her parents BOTH seem to have abandoned her. She’s been shipped off to stay with relatives she hasn’t seen for nearly a decade. She plans to just keep her head down and her mouth shut, just like she has for the entire life she’s spent with her overbearing, self-centered father. But then she realizes that she does still have a family that cares about her, and she starts to grow into herself. She grows SO MUCH in this short book, it was really amazing and yet still very believable.

I loved that she didn’t just grow up and shut her parents out. She grew up and at least tried to start the healing process with them. Her mom’s struggle with depression felt realistically portrayed, and I really appreciated the positive mental health rep in the book! Getting help is NOT a weakness, or a waste of time. YES!

Also, a HUGE thank you to Christina June for not making this a “romance is the answer” story. There is a little flirtation, a little kissing, a lot of attraction – but no real romance. So many stories portray romantic relationships as the cure-all for what ails us and it’s just so not true!

Now I need to go back and read the books that came before this one. Apparently some of the same characters show up, so I’m personally hoping that after No Place Like Here we get to hear more of Baxter’s story…

5/5 stars. I loved this book! I’ll be waiting for anything else Christina June puts out.

- Review will be posted on my blog on 28 May, at the link below, as part of the tour.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.

In No Place Like Here, we follow our main character, Ashlyn, as she finishes up her junior year of high school, and then goes to work a summer job at a corporate retreat center. There's some definitely turmoil in her personal life, as her dad is being sent to prison for tax evasion and her mom is going to rehab for "exhaustion". Hence, she gets shipped off to the summer job with a cousin that she hardly knows.

What I liked about this book:
I loved the relationship-building in this book between Ashlyn and her cousin. It felt really authentic and I could definitely envision a neglected familial relationship with your cousin blossoming like this in real life.

I also really loved the aspects where they talked about her job and what was going on in the office where she worked. She's at the age where she's beginning to learn how to stand on her own two feet in the real world, and I loved seeing her learn how to navigate some tricky situations that could definitely come up in the adult workplace.

I enjoyed Hannah a lot as a character. Hands down, I related to her the most and saw a lot of similarities between myself and her. I loved how she encouraged Ashlyn to speak up for herself (and I was sooo in her shoes when she couldn't understand WHY Ashlyn wouldn't just stand up for herself and ask for what she wanted). Also, I was really satisfied with the ending because it was a good conclusion but everything didn't work out TOO perfectly.

What I didn't like about this book:

It took me quite a while to connect with the main character, and I still can't really put my finger on why. It wasn't until about 40% in that I really started feeling some investment in the story.

I really, really, really didn't like how her crush comes about in the book. It felt off-kilter, unfounded, and like it just popped up overnight. I can get on board with insta-love if it's at least explained WHY the main character likes the person, but we didn't even get that.

Overall, I've decided to rate it 3 stars. It was a solid read, but it didn't wow me.

Look at that stunning cover!

No Place Like Here is a perfect summer read all about discovering yourself and moving past your past.

Ashlyn developed as a character throughout the whole novel. Before going to camp, she is afraid of speaking out. Ashlyn collected quotes but did not follow them. With the help of her cousin, Hannah, and her friend, Baxter, Ashlyn steps out of her shell to reveal a strong leader. Although I appreciated all her character growth, she felt emotionally distant.

The camp was described in such a manner that I had a little map drawn in my head with colors and sounds for everything. Honestly, I felt like I was there with Ashlyn and experiencing everything for the first time.

No Place Like Here was a bit different from what I was expecting but still a good, wholesome read for young and older readers.

Rating: 3.5 Stars
Content: 5 Stars

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I love a book set at camp or camping. Some of my best memories come from the long very hot summers spent outdoors.

So glad this family pulled it together in the end I was totally rooting for them!!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


The Book:

"Ashlyn Zanotti has big plans for the summer. She’s just spent a year at boarding school and can’t wait to get home. But when Ashlyn’s father is arrested for tax evasion and her mother enters a rehab facility for “exhaustion,” a.k.a. depression, her life is turned upside down.

The cherry on top? Ashlyn’s father sends her to work with a cousin she doesn’t even know at a rustic team-building retreat center in the middle of nowhere. A self-proclaimed “indoor girl,” not even Ash’s habit of leaving breadcrumb quotes—inspirational sayings she scribbles everywhere—can help her cope.

With a dangerously careless camp manager doling out grunt work, an overbearing father trying to control her even from prison, and more than a little boy drama to struggle with, the summer is full of challenges. And Ashlyn must make the toughest decision of her life: keep quiet and follow her dad’s marching orders, or find the courage to finally stand up to her father to have any hope of finding her way back home."

Oh my goodness you guys, Christina is back and I am so glad! This book was just what I needed. I read it in two sittings, only because I had to take a break and do some things. This one was one that kept me turning the pages and I wanted to know what Ashlyn would decide to do. I really enjoyed this one and I am so glad I had the chance to read it.

Disclaimer: I was awarded this book from NetGalley. Though I did not pay for the book, the opinions are strictly my own.

The second Christina June book I've read, and I have to say she knows what shes doing. This book is full of lessons and makes you think about how you talk to others. It follows a young girl whose family is falling apart, as she's sent away to work at a retreat for one summer. A summer that changes her life. A fantastic book, I look forward to more from Christina June.

I loved everything about this book. I t was a fantastic contemporary read that felt like it could actually happen. The main character isn't perfect and she isn't unbelievable which makes the entire story much more realistic and relatable. The importance of quotes and how they can impact or hold meaning for something was also a lovely touch to this book. I would recommend this book for middle schoolers and adults alike!

I received an ebook of No Place Like Here by Christina June from NetGalley after I requested a copy from reading the synopsis. I've also read It Started With Goodbye which is set in the same universe but doesn't have to be read in order. This could be read as standalone. It's a contemporary with some light- hearted romance.
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Same Universe
So, I did say at the beginning that you could read this as a standalone but if you read It Started With Goodbye and Everywhere You Want To Be it will provide more context with certain characters mentioned throughout the story as well as some preliminary background on Ashlyn.
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Main Character - Ashlyn
Ashlyn came off as annoying at first but she grew on me as I sympathized with her family life and how misunderstood she was. She has a complicated relationship with her parents that is ever present throughout the story. Her dad has been very emotionally abusive in the past - trying to push her to be better but in a very damaging way that really affects Ashlyn as she tries to make choices - his voice always in her head. I guess it was hard for me to relate with her in the sense as my family life has never been like that but I understand that Ashlyn is being constantly pressured instead of being able to make choices in a healthier environment.
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The Romance
Of course, Ashlyn is at a summer camp, there's gotta be a summer fling, right? This part actually made me cringe. The situations and conversation felt very forced and almost "preachy". I guess it just didn't work for me.
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Cousins for Life
Ashlyn struck up a friendship with her cousin Hannah and it was probably my favourite part. Hannah has some misconceived notions about Ashlyn since they haven't seen eachother in a long time and only knows some of the family drama going on and isn't game for Ashlyn to be working with her for the summer. However, they begin to see eachother in a new light and realize that their assumptions about one another isn't all that true and that they could be friends. Honestly, if the author had just scrapped the whole romance side of things and worked on more scenes with Ashlyn and Hannah I think I would have enjoyed it more. It resonated with me and I enjoyed reading about them becoming closer again.
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Setting
I was interested in the summer camp/retreat that Ashlyn was sent to. It was supposed to be a punishment by her father but it was really probably the best thing for her. Sure, there was some wonky things happening with the management of the place but overall it seemed like a fun place to be. There were only a couple scenes that incorporated camp like events like a staff bonfire and zip-lining. Ashlyn was also not a fan of being outdoors at the beginning with the bugs and the dirt but there is a scene at the end where she appreciates where she is. I would liked to have seen more of the space used for context but I enjoyed the setting and it sounds like a place I'd definitely visit!
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Just another teen story?
Other than the romance part falling flat for me, I liked Ashlyn's story and how she came to find herself a bit more at the camp and flourish in a more positive environment. I think the aspects between Ashlyn and her father as well as the dynamic with her mother is not to be taken lightheartedly but it was as though the issues were just being scratched on the surface. (Perhaps a sequel to see how the family is faring?) However, many teens could probably relate to feeling the kind of pressure Ashlyn felt. It was a good read and I'm glad that Christine June wrote a story on Ashlyn.
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Recommend?
It's a great teen fiction. I do recommend for those that want something a little heavier but not overbearing. It's a great coming of age novel. I would rate it as PG as there is no coarse language or explicit content.
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Recommendation to the author!
This is a hopeful wish. I think it would be really neat if Christina June wrote a story - 5 or 10 years into the future with Tatum, Tilly and Ashlyn (the main characters from each of her 3 novels) that focused on all 3 girls and where they are in life - what paths they have chosen or not chosen, who they're with, how their family life is going. I'm invested in this world, I'd definitely be down for this!! And if she chooses to write a story - maybe about Hannah in the future, I'd be down for her joining this future novel as well. One can dream right?
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Happy Reading!

A light and quick read that’s an ideal palate cleanser between some of the more harder hitting YA novels.

I freaking loved it!!! It’s so freaking fluffy!!! It’s on my favorites list and I’m gonna buy it!!



Oh, this is the book I never knew I needed! I have missed reading a good fluffy book from time to time!

When I read that this book was basically about a girl that was being sent away to a camp I was hooked, but I’m jumping ahead! Backtrack....

Ashlyn is in boarding school for some things she did in her past. She’s hoping to come home to spend her senior year at her old school and be with her best friend. Welllll.. that didn’t go as planned. Suddenly her father is going to jail for things and her mom is going into rehab for depression. Ash is being sent to relatives she hasn’t seen since she was a tot and she’s working at the Sweetwater Overlook Retreat Center with her cousin, Hannah. I mean you can imagine how Ash is feeling with her world being pulled out from under her.

BUT, at the camp, Ash finds herself and realizes she is stronger than she thinks. Ash finds a bond with her cousin and with Baxter. I love Baxter! Dear God, I hope the author writes more about him and things.

Anyhoo, there are a lot of things that go wrong at the camp with a supposed person in charge, but Ash and Hannah take it upon themselves to get it sorted. It was awesome!

There were other issues Ash had to sort out but it all worked out.

There was a thing they did at camp that involved writing things on a piece of paper and putting it in the bonfire! This reminded me of a similar thing one of my oncology nurses told me to do. Welp, I’m making my lists and going to throw it into the fire on me and dads upcoming bonfire. I totally forgot and we have had a few fires the past few months. But I digress!!

The story is also about family coming back together when it seems all is lost!! FLUFFY!!!

I’m so glad I read it! I’m excited to buy it and read it again! I’m glad I found a happy place in this book!!

I hope others like it but if you don’t, that’s okay? BE YOU!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a digital copy of this book or I would have missed it!!*

Happy Reading!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾