Roam by C.H. Armstrong

Roam by C.H. Armstrong

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"...I realize the worst parts weren't the cold, the hunger, or even the anxiety. It was the lack of being grounded-the untethered feeling of wandering without direction-that bothered me the most."

I don't know where to begin. This was a 5 star read. It had a few cliches (a smidge of insta-love and super dramatic and cliche drama of high school) but the overall message and meaning is so important. I would love to hear that this book has become mandatory reading in middle and high schools. Important inside perspectives on homelessness, bullying/cyberbullying, and so many characters learning to forgive are very important.

Having experienced homelessness so similar to Abby and her family before with living in a van for what was thankfully a shorter period of time than what Abby and her family went through, made this book hit me very close to home. To think of this book being read and more people understanding homelessness, volunteering, donating, and giving to charities is so special and fills me with hope. This book is a call to action with no preachiness, but if you leave from reading this book and don't feel a call to action, I don't know what to tell you.

"So yeah-my shoes are nothing special, and there are days when I hate them and wish for something warmer, and definitely more stylish. But they're my shoes, and I think I'll keep them."

The character's were awesome even if cliche.
Cliches: instalove, Zach being nearly perfect, Trish being the cliche evil popular girl,
SPOILER!!! the entire school banding together to go against Trish for her bullying/cyberbullying END SPOILER!!.
The great parts about the characters: Zach is the definition of a great (although nearly too perfect) guy. Abby's friends Tera, Wendy and Josh are the perfect friends to have.
There are discussion guide questions in the back of the book so this would be perfect for a bookclub or (yes I'm saying it again!) homework assignment for schools.

My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher and the author through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.



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