The People We Keep by Allison Larkin (audiobook)

genre: contemporary fiction

April knows she's on her own.  Yes, she technically has a dad but now that she's sixteen, he's washed his hands of her. She lives by herself in an old motorhome and before she even graduates from high school, she and her guitar are looking for a better life.  Maybe it could be a life with people in it she could count on but for sure it will be one with music in it.  But for April, finding a place where you belong is an endless road and when staying put has only ever caused pain, it's a way harder risk to take than she can manage.

Truth: the only reason I got this audiobook from the library was because I adore the reader, Julia Whelan.  She was amazing, by the way.  So I went in completely blind and was sucked into the story right away.  I felt so much compassion for April, for her inexperience and immaturity, for how she tried so hard to work things out in a world that can be so ruthless.  I ached at all of her losses, I ached at her bad choices even when I couldn't really blame her for them.  I cried weepy tears at the end, when you realize that all along it was a story about the family you choose and how to let that be your own gift to yourself.

It's not a fluffy happy story, at all.  It breaks your heart.  It's got domestic abuse and assault and being on the road, essentially homeless, means that safety is NEVER a given.  That was really hard to read about sometimes.  But oh my goodness the way it ties together, as much as it nearly feels too good to be true, it's not.  It's just how miracles happen with people who need each other find each other.  I am so glad I gave this a try, it's definitely a highlight from my year.