Any Place But Here
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“June’s complicated feelings for Jess—and subsequent questioning of her sexuality before coming out as bisexual—are compassionately and authentically written…An atmospheric meditation on connection and identity.” -Kirkus Reviews
“This novel does a good job of illustrating complex teen emotions, especially the precariousness of growing up and wanting to fit in despite not yet being sure where you belong… Fans of Julie Murphy’s Ramona Blue and Nina LaCour’s We Are Okay will enjoy this introspective, emotional novel.” - School Library Journal
Included on the American Library Association 2022 Rainbow Book List
Seventeen-year-old June can't think of anything worse than being separated from her best friend, Jess. But at the end of her first semester of junior year she's expelled for drinking at a school dance. It's bad enough being expelled, but her parents decide to send her away to live with her grandmother in Virginia and attend the all-girls boarding school where her grandmother teaches. Miles away from home, her life, and most importantly, Jess, June is devastated.
She still talks to Jess every day and counts down the days until she can come back home for the summer. But as she befriends new girls at school, and meets Sam, who she is instantly drawn to, life in Virginia starts to feel more real. Her relationships with her friends, grandmother, and Sam get stronger as she learns more about them and herself through her photography assignments. At the same time, she starts to question her friendship with Jess as Jess pulls away.
Can June hold onto the past while also exploring her new future?