C.H. Armstrong has a knack for writing about strong women in trying times. In Roam, she tackles the difficult issue of homelessness through the lens of Abby Lunde. Abby is a seventeen-year-old senior in high school who has had to relocate to Rochester, Minnesota with her family due to a series of horrible events. First, Abby's mom lost her job, then her step-dad lost his job, then they lost their home.
Forced to literally live in a van in a Wal-Mart parking lot, Abby must navigate integrating into a new school, making friends, defending herself from enemies, and looking out for her younger sister, all while keeping the secret of her unsettled home life a secret.
With respect for the subject matter and true insight into the life of teenagers, Armstrong tells an honest, heart-wrenching, and ultimately, uplifting tale about survival, trust, hope, and, above all, forgiveness. I'd recommend Roam to any fan of fiction, regardless of age. It's a great story that tackles deep issues with care and honesty. Do yourself a favor, and give Roam a read. I highly recommend it.

This story is interesting because we get to see how life it’s unstable. One moment everything is alright and the next second you are sleeping in the van, in a couple of months or just weeks.
I liked the story line. See how the family must do to get their needs satisfied. It’s shows how hard is to be homeless, how hard is to have a job that’s not enough to help you survive. The people who passes through these hard issues are true fighters. It’s very hard! And, if being homeless is hard, imagine being homeless with your children. Despair, torment, feeling hopeless, can’t even imagine how a parent can feel in this situation. This book is perfect showing that, a story of survival, forgiveness and the willingness of some good people to help others in need.
Abby is a strong character and realistic, she’s very grown up and knows perfectly her responsibilities and issues. At the same time, she desires to have a normal life with her friends and boyfriend knowing it can maker her lifer even hard and she’s not perfect, that’s way she’s a good character.
I like Zach but feels like is missing a little, he’s too perfect. In some way is the dream boyfriend every girl wants though in reality, you will get suspicious. Too nice? Maybe is sociopath, oh well. Let’s not forget Abby’s enemy, Trish. Of course, there’s always a popular girl trying to mess someone’s life.
In general, I liked the characters, every single one shows a part of a normal life, in this case a more difficult life, but the typical connections and roles.
I really liked this story! It shown me we can’t take our things and life for granted. Makes me treasure more the life I have and grow a desire to help others. I’m glad I read this book.

Wow! Ugly crying,; happy tears. Roam is an important novel exploring themes of hopelessness, empathy and the triumph of the human spirit.

Book Review - ‘Roam’ by C.H. Armstrong ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Central Avenue Publishing, Netgalley and C.H Armstrong for the chance to read and review this book.

“There are countless things I never imagined about being homeless - so many things I’d taken for granted.”

Roam is a story about a normal family going through familiar problems, and a normal teenager with normal teenage problems. But there’s one thing that isn’t normal: they’re also homeless and currently sleeping in the back of their van and eating free meals at the soup kitchen, all whilst trying to settle into a new town. Living this way makes every little thing that much harder as they’re cramped in this small space with no escape or privacy, they have no washing facilities for themselves or their clothes and very little money for food. It also means they have to think about things most of us don’t give a second thought: can they afford to turn on the heat in the car, can they afford breakfast or do they need to skip it, getting the kids to school early so they can have a wash and brush their teeth and hair before anyone else turns up, and how are they going to wash their clothes and bodies? It also makes starting a new school even more daunting as Abby is worried she’ll be bullied if people find out about her family’s situation.

“There wasn’t anyone who could help you?”

As soon as I read the description of this book I was intrigued. While reading I realised that part of my attraction to this book, and the affinity I was feeling with Abby, was because of my experiences with homeless people. A few months before I turned 13 my Dad got a job after almost three years out of work. The job saw us move from the north of the country to the south, and while we weren’t homeless, we did live amongst people who were or had been. My Dad’s new job was at the YMCA and we lived in the staff flat on the premises. Over the years I saw many things, heard people’s heartbreaking stories and saw teenagers who were homeless for a multitude of reasons. It taught me it can happen to anyone, that we never know why someone is on the street and to be thankful for all I have. I also learned that once you’re homeless it isn’t easy to pull yourself out of that situation and how vital things such as homeless shelter and soup kitchens really are. I think these things all made the book resonate with me in a unique way.

“..the best part isn’t the food - it’s how we’re treated: like real people..”

So many times in this novel we’re reminded of how dismal Abby’s situation is and how heartbreaking and demoralising it must be. Who wouldn’t feel that way queuing for hours just to make sure you’re first in line at the soup kitchen for dinner or sneaking into the toilets at Wal-Mart so you can wash your hair and have a sponge wash in the sink. But then there are the heartwarming times such as the first time they go to Saturday Community Kitchen and are served as guests instead of lining up like at the soup kitchen, and in the many acts of kindness that take place in this story.

“How can I ever forgive her?”

At first we don’t know exactly why they had to leave Omaha for Rochester or what it is that Abby’s Mom did to make her so angry at her, but over time we learn the stories and are able to empathise with some of Abby’s feelings towards her mother. I thought that their relationship was well written: full of the usual teenage angst and complexities between a parent and child but with the added anger, guilt and frustration the pair feel.

“It’s easy to forget you’re worthy when you’re trying so hard just to make it through each day, but always remember: you are worthy.”

I really enjoyed this book. It had a good story, was well written and had great characters. I connected with Abby and thought the writer captured teenage friendships and relationships well. I particularly liked Abby’s relationship with her little sister, Amber. It offered some of the more light hearted moments, and also some of the most emotional ones. It also gave Abby a person who mattered more to her than she did that she could focus on. I loved how she’d sing to her little sister to get her to fall asleep, distract her or cheer her up. I also liked how instead of the stereotypical evil stepdad we had a stepdad in this book who was adored, and loved his stepchild like he did his own. I liked how the book ended, though I’m not saying more as I don’t want to give anything away. Roam is a great novel that I would recommend, and not just to lovers of the Young Adult genre.

Abby Lunde is a 17 year old girl who becomes homeless after her parents problems, nothing dramatic, just the loss of a job and other relatable issues.

Abby starts a new school and tries her best to fit in and doesn’t want anyone to know that she and her family are living in their car.

The book shows the reality of being homeless, the support, such as it is, for people who find themselves in such awful circumstances. The fears that Abby feels, not only where her next meal is coming from, but of the stigma of being found out. While this does have a nice happy ending, it does touch a raw emotion, as in difficult economic times many people are just one missed payday from this situation. A very thoughtful, emotional read. Great writing.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

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Being a teenager is hard enough but when your mum is responsible for your world turning upside down - can you forgive her? Abby and Amber are made to not only change houses and schools but also completely leave behind their old lives when their mum commits a cardinal sin. Amber is a sassy but somewhat unaware 6 year old but Abby? She’s a struggling 17 year old having to grow up before she needs to. Set in a high school environment we have the classic characters: the jock, the queen bee, the class clown and the ‘odd one out’ or ‘pretender’. But can this upheaval be the best thing that has happen to Abby and her family?

What a beautiful piece of writing. Such an emotional story. Get a box of tissues ready. Strong characters and story line.
It’s a book that you will almost certainly get hooked.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

Let me start with a quote "Anger flows like hot lava' That was the whole comparison, not 'flows like hot lave, slowly demolishing everything in its path. or something poetic, just blunt and without description or context.

Fantastic premise, but for me, this book has quite a forced feel.

I really loved this story. It has the basic theme of a YA book - girl meets boy, she has a secret, it causes a problem between them.... But her secret is that she's homeless. And the homelessness plot is tackled with such sympathy and concern. It's clear that the author researched it well and really considered all the different ways it might be a problem for Abby and her family. Abby wants to be a normal teen and she meets great friends and a nice, cute boy.

The school is really cooperative and understanding. The whole plotline is just handled really well. It's just a great book, without being preachy or like a PSA/hallmark movie. This is another book that I plan to give to my teenage nieces when it's eventually released.

I really liked this book. Its realism even made me cry. Even so, I thought the perfect contrast between the protagonist's former and current friends was a little too perfect. Also, is everyone in Minnesota really that nice?
Still, it's a good book on an underserved topic that will make readers think about how close they may be to losing everything themselves.

4.5*

This was a YA book but not a romance, it was a story of life. It was good to read something different but completely engaging. Abby and her family were homeless and this book deals with how they cope. The tribulations of the family were not for the weak and they went through a lot. All the time they displayed their inner strength. Abby meets new friends at school (and a rather lovely BF) who show her what true friends are. There is the typical high school nemesis but in a way what she does, though unforgivable, does help Abby.

I really enjoyed this debut from this author and look forward to more from her. I would even like to read more about Abby, her family and friends.

Life is tough as a teenager and even tougher when you and your family have to live in a van. Abby and her family had to leave their home due to mistake made by her mom. Losing jobs and having tarnished reputations, the only choice they have is to move and start over. However, it is hard for Abby's parents to find jobs so they have to live in their van. Abby struggles to adjust to a new high school and friends all the while trying to keep her situation secret. She just wants to be normal and pretending so lets her ignore the pain. A touching, heart warming story, Abby learns that everyone is not as judgmental as she thinks and are willing to lend a hand.

Warning! This book may make you cry!

When you think of the homeless, the stereotypical images of rough sleepers come to mind. This is far from the reality for most homeless families.

17 year old Abby Lunde and her family find themselves homeless. Having lost their jobs, and been evicted from their home, the Lunde family pack up their essentials into the back of a van and head off to Minnesota for a fresh start. With very few resources they are reliant on charity organisations and their own tenacity for survival.

Abby is a typical teenage girl - trying to settle into a new school, making friends and applying for college. The difference is that she sleeps in a van, uses the Walmart bathrooms to wash in and relies on soup kitchens for her evening meals. As the winter draws in and work is hard to find things are looking pretty desperate for the Lundes.

This book is incredibly realistic. You can see how quickly like unravels for the family as mistakes and tensions are revealed.

As Abby succeeds at school, making some amazing friends, and a dangerous enemy, and falling for the star of the football team, her troubles are never far from her mind.

There are parts of this book that are just heart breaking and so well written. It's book that has so many positive messages about resilience, forgiveness and empathy. There are strong, healthy relationships and characters that break stereotypes.

I absolutely loved this book and will definitely recommending it to my students.

Thanks C. H. Armstrong, Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Beautiful and heart-wrenching. A much needed addition about homelessness for the classroom library shelves.

This is a story about a girl who has seemingly lost everything. Her friends, her home, her old life. It’s quite rare to see the realities of homelessness written about, let alone with the focus being on a young girl so this was a refreshing read.

This book hooked me from the start with its realistic dialogue and representation of family dynamics. The relationship between the family members is one that many young readers could identify with and it's refreshing that the stepfather isn't the bogeyman as they so often are in Young Adult literature. Throughout the book there were examples of interesting, fleshed out characters that made some attempt at representing diversity without feeling shoehorned in the narrative for the sake of it.

From an educator's point of view, this book offers a number of thought-provoking themes to explore; the liberating power of forgiveness, the need for humanity and empathy in our daily lives and the shocking ease in which our modern, comfortable lives can fall apart in an instant.

Reading this novel there were many things reading this novel that, based on previous Young Adult novels, I expected would happen which thankfully didn't. This is a testament to the skill of the author in presenting a story different from the norm. My only (small) criticisms would be that the villain of the story is a little cliché. We've seen this girl many times in Young Adult literature and maybe it's time to give this character a rest. I think the story itself could have managed without her, as surely the real villain is the lack of safety net that exists for families fallen upon hard times. The pop culture references, although identifiable to the contemporary reader, will quickly age which could impact the novel’s usefulness were it to be an assigned reading text in schools. The main character can every so often begin to wander down the path towards Mary Sue territory but thankfully doesn't quite make it there.

Overall, this was a refreshing and thought provoking read which I would absolutely recommend to young people and to educators as a means of introducing the topic of homelessness and social injustice and inequality.

A haunting story that kept me turning pages way later into the night than I wanted. The puffy eyes are totally worth it, however. Armstrong hit hard with her debut, and I can't wait for her next work!

Book review: Roam by C. H. Armstrong
Publication date: February 5, 2019
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com

In spite of the serious nature of homeless families, this is a warm fuzzy, feel good, happy ending kind of story. With a new boyfriend too good to be true and an instant flock of new friends, teenage Abby allows her homelessness to color her daily life (but who could blame her?). None of the people in her new school know that her family's "house" is a van or a church basement, and Abby tries desperately to keep it that way. The difficulty Abby has keeping her secret is exasperated by her new neighborhood -- an uber-rich area near the Mayo Clinic -- a jealous ex-girlfriend, and a homecoming dance.

With a fairy tale, full-of-forgiveness ending, readers might feel the story tied together too neatly, but it was refreshing to read a story where there really was a plausible ending. Well, believable if the readers accept a school where teachers and counselors are helpful and caring, where the hottest guy in school is also always a gentleman, where everyone accepts the out-of-the-closet gay kid, and where people still want to date the class bitch.

I chose to believe, and I had a great time doing so. Because of this, I am able to give the story 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. The story was tight and left me with no questions. I thought the characters were well drawn out, and the plot flowed naturally. I recommend this book for anyone who sees silver linings and is able to put aside skepticism.

This is a fantastic piece of realistic fiction for people who want to know what it's like to live in someone else's shoes. The characters are created in a variety of ways and remind me a lot of Joan Bauer type novels. The storyline is strong and readers will not be disappointed. I'm already talking this title up to my 7th grade students. This would also be a good text to use with Memory Moments (Notice & Notice Fiction Signpost) and flashback!

This book would be an excellent assigned reading book for teens and pre-teens. I work in a community where many families are living out of cars or a single room, so the concept of homelessness and being stuck in a cycle of poverty is all too familiar to many of the people who frequent my library.

This book was very formulaic; however, this can be viewed as a positive attribute considering its targeted audience. The simplicity of the book puts it at an appropriate reading level for kids in Jr. High and High School and makes it more broadly relatable. It demonstrates that poverty does not always wear the face you expect, and it is not always evident when people are facing extreme hardships. I also appreciate that this book teaches empathy. For readers that can closely relate to Abby’s struggles, this book will show them that they are not alone and there are resources available to help them get through difficult times. I will absolutely be recommending this book to teachers and students who come into my library.

This is a really different, engaging book that tells the story of a homeless teenager and her family in a honest and relatable way. The characters felt true to life and the story didn't feel unnecessarily dramatic, you could see how these events could have happened. I think this is an important read for both teenagers and adults that gives lessons on how we consider others, empathy, and that none of us are untouchable. A read that will stay with me.