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Ashley survives by taking a job in a quirky San Francisco coffee shop, where she finds the friends, the confidence, and the courage to start putting her life back together. But there is still one piece of her former life that just doesn't fit into her new one. What really happened to Ashley's mother?
This heartfelt coming-of-age story will resonate with any young woman who is looking ahead to the moment when she must step out on her own and not just survive, but thrive.
Reviews"Bowsher convincingly develops the unique voice of a young woman sliding from being a San Francisco suburban 'Valley Girl' into homelessness. ...This captivating story reads more like a journal than a novel. Though it is not high literature, it is a quick, easy read." -School Library Journal "What teens will read as a riveting adventure, adults might see as empowering teen readers. Ashley develops into a complex, admirable young woman. Useful in classrooms as a vehicle for discussing plot and character develop, instrumental for engaging reluctant readers, and decidedly satisfying for all, this book belongs in schools and libraries where readers age twelve to twenty-seven can enjoy and learn for themselves." -VOYA
About the Author
Melodie Bowsher grew up in Kansas and received a degree in journalism from Kansas State University. After graduating, she went to work at the Wall Street Journal's Dallas bureau where at age twenty she was the first woman ever hired by that newspaper as a staff reporter. Melodie later moved to San Francisco where her two kids provided the research for this, her first novel.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 30, 2012 -
Formats
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781619630222
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781619630222
- File size: 2047 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 5
- Lexile® Measure: 750
- Interest Level: 6-12(MG+)
- Text Difficulty: 3-4
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Reviews
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October 1, 2006
Gr 8 Up-Bowsher convincingly develops the unique voice of a young woman sliding from being a San Francisco suburban Valley Girl into homelessness. At the opening of the story, Ashley is an abrasive, catty snob just days away from high school graduation. Soon enough, however, the police are knocking on her door. Apparently the familys life of luxury has been financed by embezzled funds, and her mother has disappeared without a word. Ashley doesnt know what to believe, but she has no time to sit around wondering. She has to go to work, her boyfriend isnt as loyal as she might have hoped, and all the while shes dealing with the criminal investigation. By the end, Ashley has shed her judgmental pretension and is simply a feisty young woman with a tough exterior. This captivating story reads more like a journal than a novel. Though it is not high literature, it is a quick, easy read."Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL"Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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November 15, 2006
Part sexy romance, part urban survival adventure, this long, fast-paced contemporary novel will speak to older teens about coming-of-age. At 17, Ashley is homecoming queen, has a 4.0 GPA, and is on her way to an elite college when her mom disappears after being accused of embezzling funds. Suddenly the spoiled high-school star is homeless and alone, shunned by the elite in her Bay Area community. She moves into a camper and gets work in a local coffeehouse, where she finds community with the customers and fellow workers, including gorgeous Patrick, with whom she has sex. No way is she joining her girlfriend as a stripper. The plot is pure melodrama: the princess brought low. But Ashley's first-person narrative is funny, whether she is talking about what to wear or whom to talk to ("the only normal people are ones you don't know very well"), and readers will be caught up in the riches-to-rags turnaround in a materialistic world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.) -
January 1, 2007
Eighteen-year-old spoiled rich girl Ashley is apparently abandoned by her mother, a bookkeeper accused of embezzlement. Homeless and broke, Ashley must learn to fend for herself. Although the multitude of calamities that befall her strains credibility, Ashley's character development is convincing in its imperfection. Colorful secondary characters, including Ashley's gay coffeehouse owning boss, help brighten up the story.(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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