The cover drew me in and the story kept me captivated. Joon’s story highlights the horrors of foster care and homelessness. Joon’s unbreakable spirit and loving nature shines throughout all of the tragedies that she faces as a child of the streets.

I loved this very emotional and moving novel! Joon went through so much in her young life and met so many different people. I loved how Tony from Mean Little People was also an important part of Joon's story. Throughout this book Joon's resourcefulness and fighting spirit shine through. Despite her circumstances she genuinely cares about others and will do whatever she can to help. I look forward to reading more by this author!

I truly love Paige Dearth's books, I look forward to anything that has come out by her and will read it. This one was for me lighter than her other ones. I did like it, I enjoy how we get a little bit of a connection between the characters in her other books.
The thing that kills me is knowing that there are so many that are going through what she writes about. So many who have been through some of what she has written about. Although it is a good read I don't want to down play any of it because like I said this sort of thing happens on a daily in our world.

The cover of this book is amazing. The story line and characters flow well together. I was not expecting the ending but I would definitely recommend this book to others. I will be reading more by this author.

Paige Dearth’s novel ‘Never Be Alone’ is one of those novels that fully immerses you from the opening sentence and keeps you floored until the final word is uttered. This book has touched me like no other and consumed my life whilst reading it. I could not get the characters out of my head, they would invade my thoughts, dreams and subconscious. No book has done this to me since John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meaney.

Dearth’s has an incredible talent where she is able to delve deep into the human condition and tries the find the good in horrible situations. Starting out with a girl named Joon who goes from one nightmare to the next but keeping her soul good is a masterclass in story telling. Her characters come alive and you generally care for the good characters and want to rip the guts out of the bad and evil characters. Her style is like a street VC Andrews with all the drama without the melodrama and more realistic characters making realistic decisions in a cold and heartless world.

The book deals some hard issues such as homelessness, sexual, physical and emotional abuse, prostitution, rape, to name just a few. Dearth’s talent is that she opens your eyes to the issues and expands it to push a point across but not in an obtuse way. Her characters take you on a journey that twists and turns but never feeling false or pressing plot points into square holes. It all works within the confines of the story in a fundamental natural way.

Her characters are well drawn and deeply felt. From the lead characters to the insignificant ones, they all make a lasting impression. She is able to take these characters and give a three dimensional quality fully fleshing out them. When I close my eyes, I can see them vividly emerge from the darkness.

Never Be Alone has actually touched me in a way that few books have done. There are only three books that have actually made tears flow down my face and this is now one of them. Embarrassing to admit, I do most of my reading on my commute to work and there is a situation that happens in the book in the final third. I am reading and totally caught up and sadness over takes me to the effect that I am weeping. This is to the effect where the woman sitting next to me asks if I am ok. I said that it is the book that I am reading and nothing personal. She exclaims, that must be one hell of a book in which I replied, you have no idea.

I highly urge everyone to read a copy of ‘Never Be Alone’ as it is a real page turner. With deep emotions that emulate the reader from within. It also raises important issues and it will make you look at things in a different way. It is not a preaching novel but it will open a new light and look at your surroundings in a more improved outlook. Deeply moving and disturbing but full of the heart. This book is now one of my own personal favourites and I recommend everyone give Page Dearth’s novel ‘Never Be Alone’ a read as you won’t be disappointed.

I couldn’t get this novel out of my head! I woke up at 3 am just so I could finish it. I had to know what happened to Joon and her new street friends. After living with her loser of a foster mother, I was afraid what would become of Joon. She was just becoming familiar with living on the street and learning who she could trust out on her own. Life on the street was a new experience for her and each day provided new struggles and sometimes, she got to experience happiness.

Both of Joon’s parents died suddenly and she finds herself in foster care. Her foster mother is extremely mean to Joon, both verbally and physically. Aaron has two son’s and one of them follows in his mother’s footsteps as he also abuses Joon. The other son wants to help Joon but feels powerless in the situation. After many years of abuse, Joon finds an opportunity to escape and she heads to the street. Innocent and not street-smart, the street becomes an obstacle for her. It’s complicated and hard out on her own but she knows eventually it will be better than where she came from.

I enjoy reading stories of this nature. Heartfelt stories that push my emotions and show me inside a life that is so different than my own. The novel moved quickly, oh so quickly. Joon experiences are extensive before she becomes an adult, much more than anyone of us would experience in a lifetime. I really enjoyed reading this story and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Fiction With Meaning, LLC. in exchange for an honest review.

Joon is a young girl who is in the foster system as her parents have died. She is to live with Aron and her two sons. Living ther becomes a nightmare of horror that she will never forget. When she becomes older, Aron’s oldest son tells Joon that he is going to have his way with her while his mom is out that evening. Joon goes in the direction of school but keeps walking not having any idea how she is going to survive. She meets a homeless person who helps her learn how to live on the street. Will Joon survive or not?

This is an important story about what can happen to a child in the foster system. It is also enlightening about what life is like living on the streets. As I read this novel, I hated what happened to Joon. At times, I could only cry as at times it is heartbreaking. There is a wide range of emotions explored in the book. The author shows how cruel and selfish people can be to others. I think that a book written about this should read and discuss what can be done to keep others from being in situations like this. Do read this book!

I've read another book by Paige Dearth (Mean Little People), so I knew this would be a dark story Joon's parents die when she is very young and she is placed into the foster care system. Her foster family is unbelievably brutal and cruel.and Joon eventually runs away and lives life on the street. She encounters horrible, heartbreaking things but is resilient and a survivor.. I was very glad that the book ended in a positive way for Joon. This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley.

If you're looking for a feel good story of surviving teenage homeless, look elsewhere. Never Be Alone is truthful, brutal and unapologetically raw. It forces us to confront that which makes a lot of us uncomfortable, kids doing what they need to do to survive on the streets.

Joon is our 8 year old MC who is put into the foster care system when her parents die in a car accident. She is placed in a foster home with Aron, who appears to the outside world as a loving single mother but who shouldn't even have custody of her own two boys.

Joon endures four years of unimaginable horrors and decides that she has had enough when threatened by one of her foster brothers:living on the streets seems to be a safer option.

On the streets she meets a cast of characters, some that want to help her and others that want to help themselves to her. To say what Joon experiences is heart-wrenching comes across as an understatement. There is nothing that I could tell you, short of telling you Joon's story, that will prepare you for Never Be Alone.

Joon is a character that will stay with me for mostly wrong reasons. I can't look at the cover without getting a knot in my stomach or tearing up.

Highly recommended.

Tearful thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I found this a very moving story about a woman abuse and lived homeless and was helped along the way. The author wrote a great story and i would be honoured to read and review another one if needed.

Another good read from Paige Dearth. One would think I'd get sick of these twisted books... but i don't. I enjoy the strength in the protagonists. A good fast page turner.

I really enjoyed this book!!! It pulls you in wanting to find out what happens next!!! Read and enjoy!!!

First I want to thank the author and netgalley for my free kindle book! The book started by introducing me to the main character Joon, who lost both her parents and ends up living with foster woman whose name was Aron and her sons. My heart broke right away with the abuse this poor girl had to live with. The system completely failed her. The abuse this girl had to go through no human should have to go with. After being threatened by her foster brother he was going to rape her she runs away. This is where the book took a turn. Joon ends up on the street without money or a home or knowing the streets and the people who live on the streets and that it’s basiclalu war to survive. The authors ability to create characters is amazing from ragtop a woman who helps joon but ends up disappearing . To Pringle a young girl like joon who offers to help and becomes a friend to joon. The book brought tears to my eyes and opened my eyes about how the homeless are people who need help and each person has a story to tell. No person deserves to go through what joon went through ever. All she wanted was to be loved and a family. This is her story. I recommend reading this book with your eyes and heart opened. I do warn some content in this book may be difficult to read.

I loved this book so much. I’m sitting here sniffling, writing this review. This book was definitely a hard read due to the subject lines, abuse, homelessness, prostitution, etc. However, I’m so glad I read it. I’m already looking forward to reading Mean Little People, since it is one of the characters’s back story. This author is amazing, she really makes you feel, smell, react to what is going on. I was hooked and telling my sister to get it within one chapter. I will be reading all of Paige Dearth’s books! I’m hooked. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to get hooked on this author!

'Never Be Alone' was certainly a page turner and what an emotional rollercoaster it was. Loved the main character 'Joon' and without giving away any of the storyline, the ending ended just how i hoped it would. I have read a few books by Paige Dearth and is an author that i would highly recommend and shall be on the look out for more.

I would like to thank Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest review.

Never Be Alone is a dark and gritty book based on the horrors of teenage homelessness. The author describes her work as real life horror, which delves into the worst case scenarios of what it's like to be a young teen and living on the streets.

We first meet Joon at 8 years old entering a dysfunctional foster home after her parents suddenly die. She is severely abused and neglected for the next 4 years. In order to avoid further abuse she runs away at 12 years old and is forced to survive on the streets of Philadelphia. Her journey takes her into various predicaments and she meets a variety of characters - some of who are kind and others who are out to 5ake advantage.

I read Ms. Dearth's previous novel Mean People and the main character Tony makes an appearance in this book too. I enjoyed touching base with Tony again and thought he was a nice addition. It was a great way to connect as a reader to the plot because I already knew who he was and what he was about.

I find this author has an ability to take the reader on an unpredictable journey. We never really know where the plot is going or what's going to happen with the characters. Never Be Alone was true to its description but includes graphic sexual and violent descriptions so is not for every reader. I missed the element of rage and revenge that was perfectly portrayed in Mean People. This plot had more of a sadness and grief feel to it, which wasn't as engaging for me.

A solid read that pretty much captures the nightmares one faces while homeless, alone and vulnerable. Looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Joon is homeless by choice. Only if leaving a life of torture and abuse provides the justification. After hoping someone would notice her bruises and scars, Joon sees that no one is there to help. Paige Dearth examines the flaws in the foster care system that contribute to the youth homelessness. This book doesn't sugarcoat reality. It's a difficult life and everyone has a different reason for being homeless. The main character, Joon, is believable. A few of the minor characters lack depth but it could be that their stories will be told in another book

This story will evoke a wide range of emotion. Be prepared for it. I know that the next time I see someone who is homeless, my perspective will be much different than before.

I love Paige Dearth’s stories. They make me feel grateful for the life I have. This is a heartbreaking novel, a story of physical and mental child abuse. It also is a story of hope, of right winning out over evil, in spite of the challenges. Joon is 8 eyars old when both her parents die in a car crash. Until the age of 18, her life was a series of abusive foster parents, a boyfriend who sold her into prostitution and a life of being homeless and feeling hopeless. Joon is lucky enough to find people who are good friends to her, who love her and care for her. This is a story everyone should read to remind us that this sort of evil does exist. We should never close our eyes to the suffering of others, especially children.

This book is a very heart-wrenching story about being alone on the streets and in part about the what can happen in Foster Care. I was sad in part of this book but I also loved Joon and wanted her to be happy. This book took my emotions all over but I love that is a book as well. When I book make me feel something it is a great book in my opinion. *This book was given to me for free at my request from Netgalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

Gets you from page one, a real roller coaster ride could not put it down,love the main character plot moves along nicely