On Tour with Prism Book Tours
No Place Like Here
By Christina June
Young Adult Contemporary
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 288 Pages
May 21st 2019 by Blink
From Christina June, author of It Started with Goodbye and Everywhere You Want to Be, comes No Place Like Here, a modern twist on Hansel and Gretel.
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.
Fans looking for stories with elements of drama, romance, friendship, and an unflinching look into navigating and improving even the most difficult parent-teen relationships need look no further.
EXCERPT
I shouldn’t have been surprised. A year ago, I’d had a
little run-in with the law myself, but no real harm was done. Unfortunately, my
father’s solution to me making one mistake was sending me away to boarding
school, where they would be better able to “teach me to make the right
choices.” All our conversations over the last eleven months were related to my
grades. The two times I’d been home in the past year—Christmas and Thanksgiving
breaks—had been a preview to what death must be like since our house was as
silent as a tomb, and nearly as empty.
But this? This was something else entirely. Both my
parents were abandoning me. My mind emptied itself of the annoyance and filled
instead with fear. What was going to happen to them? To me? I imagined everything
from having to beg Tatum’s family to let me live in their spare room to living
on the street to going into foster care.
Lost in my spinning thoughts, I didn’t realize my father was still talking, taking advantage of my
silence to advance his plans for my life. “Instead of spending the
summer at school, you will go live with Uncle Ed and Aunt Greta. I want to make
sure you’re supported during this transition.”
My mouth dropped open. I was glad we weren’t video
chatting. Better that he didn’t see my red cheeks and the steam coming out of
my ears. “In Pennsylvania? The middle of nowhere? That’s so unfair. Why can’t I
just stay here? There will be plenty of girls here to support me.” It was a
page right out of his book as a seasoned business executive: use the other
party’s words to make your own argument.
My father blew out a breath that crackled in my ear. “This
is so typical of you. Do not talk to me about what is unfair, Ashlyn. We all
need to make sacrifices right now. This is not a negotiation.”
My chest seized again. “Fine.” The only person who seemed
to be making any sacrifices in this arrangement was me, but that was,
unfortunately, normal.
He went on. “I’ve arranged for you to have a summer job.
You and your cousin, Hannah, will be working at a wilderness retreat center.
The kind of place companies bring employees to do team building. Hannah worked
there last year. She loves it. Because Greta and Ed know the owner, Greta was
able to pull some strings and get you in as well. You’ll be doing something
productive with your time. It’ll be a nice leadership role to put on your
résumé when you apply to college in the fall.”
“That’s very nice of them,” I said quietly so I didn’t start
shouting. If I were to shout at him, I’d probably say, “You’re ditching me at
the edge of the forest?” very loudly. Not that I ever shouted at my dad, but if
there was ever a time to start, this was it.
Other Books by the Author
About the Author
Christina June writes young adult contemporary fiction when she’s not writing college recommendation letters during her day job as a school counselor. She loves the little moments in life that help someone discover who they’re meant to become – whether it’s her students or her characters. Christina is a voracious reader, loves to travel, and hopes to one day be bicoastal – the east coast of the US and the east coast of Scotland. She lives in Virginia with her husband and daughter. She is the author of IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE, EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO BE, and NO PLACE LIKE HERE.
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Tour Giveaway
1 winner will receive a print copy of NO PLACE LIKE HERE, a poster, and a book plate
US only
Ends June 5, 2019
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