Rating 4

I really enjoyed this story. "Any Place But Here" started out strong and I knew right away I would like June's character. She was unsure of herself when she wasn't with her best friend Jess. That's because Jess is the leader and the decision maker while June pretty much goes along with anything. June just loves spending time with Jess so when she is forced to move life as she knows it is over. Until June starts living life in a new way, her way and she finds she isn't as miserable as she thought she would be. She starts creating her own path in life by finding new friends, new passions, and a level of self respect. June spends majority of the book being confused with her relationship with Jess along with her new life. But in no way did I find this annoying or to be too much. This was nice because I think a lot of people can relate to June and what she was going through. I am happy that her new friends created a safe place for her to explore her thoughts and feelings without being judged. It is obvious that Jess is not a very good person and her and June have a very toxic relationship. I really enjoyed the supporting characters I thought Kitty, Claire, and Sam were all equally fantastic. How all four of them became friends seemed real and all of their interactions seemed genuine. I liked the scenes with just Sam and June and I am happy that June made all of the right decisions when it came to her actions with him. Overall, this story was enjoyable and I recommend it for anyone who wants a book about self discovery.

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Any Place But Here really drew me in and was a quick read for me. The suggestion that it is a read-alike for Morgan Matson or Sarah Dessen is not undeserved, and it will be the hook that draws in several of my readers. I did feel that the end was a bit rushed and a little too tidy, but I also know my students are craving stories with happy endings right now. Overall, I lean toward 3.5 stars for this title.

I enjoyed escaping into June's world while reading Any Place But Here. It was a journey into a quiet contemporary story, one in which the main character finds herself coming into her own. June has developed her personality so entirely around her best friend, Jess. Which has left their lives entwined to the point where being sent away gives June the chance to find out who she is as herself. The stakes are not exceptionally high, but a journey into one's self is never inconsequential.
 
I adored the way that Sarah used the process of development in traditional black and white photography almost as a metaphor for the growth of June's character. June, like the development of film in a dark room, goes through a process of metamorphosis. And like the processing of film, June's growth is a process of exploration. June's development is one that takes time, and as she grows, she grows with her flaws--she is not a perfect character, and that makes her all the more likeable, and all the more real.
 
I really enjoyed June's developing friendship with Claire and Kitty and the undertones of a potential love interest in the form of Sam. The ending of the story was entirely wrapped up in conjunction with the end of the school year, with the looming possibilities of summer, with a reunion come fall to look forward to.
 
I feel like this is a book that I will come back to again in the future when I want an escape into a quiet contemporary that is oh so beautifully written.