Safe Harbour

Dundurn Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Safe Harbour. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.Safe Harbour is the story of a fourteen year old girl, waiting in a tent in the woods for her father. Harbour has a dog, a supply of tuna, and books to pass the time. Will a chance encounter with a teen, not unlike herself, help Harbour to come to certain realizations about her situation?Toronto in the summer is pleasant for camping out, but as winter approaches, Harbour sees her options dwindling. The author does a good job of giving her main character a set of challenges to overcome and some street smarts with which to help navigate her situation. Safe Harbour highlights the issues of homelessness, especially as it relates to teenagers. The only part of the book that was lacking was the ending, as it seemed that the author wanted to wrap everything up in a neat package. Readers in the target audience will like Harbour's resilience and her determination, so I would recommend it to others.

**Thank you to Dundurn Press, Christina Kilbourne, and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**Harbour is 14 years old and used to living on a boat with her father, ever since her mom died. This time, her dad has her take the bus to Toronto while he sails there, he says it will be a great adventure. When weeks pass and Harbour is living by herself in a tent in a ravine with her dog, Tuff Stuff, she starts to worry about him. Thankfully, she meets Lise, a young, homeless girl who starts to look out for her. They share food and spend all their time together, until winter starts to set in and it starts to look like something happened to Harbour's dad. When Harbour's credit card is declined, she starts to panic, especially because she is keeping a secret that could affect everyone.This book was fairly solid. It was shorter than I'm used to, but it was nice to be able to get through a book quickly. It was interesting reading about a girl who is basically homeless, trying to convince everyone around her that she is not homeless. Lise is a great asset to her, and she was frankly my favorite part of the book. I respect people who are able to make the most out of tough situations, and sometimes Harbour comes off as very whiny and ungrateful for the help Lise was providing. Also, I really have concerns about a dad that has his young daughter living on a boat, at one point stranding her on islands overnight, and then sending her to travel from Miami to Toronto by bus with only a dog to keep her company.I felt the ending of this went to quickly and the big reveal wasn't given enough emphasis. Harbour was SO convinced of this one thing, and then very quickly got over it with no issue. It didn't follow with her personality and demeanor throughout the book. Definitely a missed plot point there and one thing I would change.This was overall a solid choice. It was well written and kept my attention throughout the book.

At 14 years old Harbour's father sent her north to Canada to live while he sailed their boat (and home) up to her. Camping in a ravine, Harbour optimistically awaits the day he is supposed to arrive. When the day comes and passes, she begins to panic, not sure what she will do without out. Lise, an older homeless teen, befriends Harbour, showing her all of the good places to get a meal, or merely to be when it is cold. As the days tick away, it becomes more and more obvious that something has happened to Harbour's dad and that she needs to make a new plan.This book was a bit slow moving. Just as Harbour was waiting on her Dad, the reader was left waiting for Harbour to come to the truth about her situation. This was very tedious at times. Although Harbour and Lise were realistic characters, I didn't really find the plot all that believable. Overall, this book just wasn't for me.

How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalleyWhat a moving book. It really makes you feel like you should count your blessings, because not everyone lives in an easy, safe environment. Some kids have to sleep outside in a tent or the street when the weather is freezing. And it makes you think, what did the kid ever do to deserve this kind of life? Nobody deserves it. But it's so easy to slip through the cracks of society. And we rarely tend to think or write stories about these people. We should. We shouldn't forget.I'm glad I read this book. It's easily readable, moving and has a strong topic. Makes you remember you should be thankful for what you have.I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

It's always fun to read stories written in a familiar landscape. The author has presented a likable character and interweaves her story as a street-kid in with family, mental illness and community supports - excellent story.

Every teen should read this.