This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Callie's mother, convinced that her father would sue for full custody, kidnapped Callie at a young age and they became fugitives. This lifestyle lead to some very dangerous situations and at one point allowed for one of her mother's boyfriends to take advantage and sexually abuse her when she was still a child. 
 These events happen before the novel starts. The reader doesn't see the assault take place, we're only aware of it through Callie's memories. It's something that she always carries with her, no matter how her situation changes, even when it improves. I think this is an important thing to take note of - one does not simply "get over" sexual assault, no matter how much time has passed, no matter how good their life becomes. 
 I also thought Where the Stars Still Shine did an excellent job showcasing how the assault affects her relationships with other people. Calllie is always ready to run and take off. She's often afraid things are too good to be true. A big part of this stems from the fact that she loves her mother and she trusted her to keep her safe, but living with her mother ended up being incredibly damaging - How can she trust her situation with her father won't turn out the same way? 
 It also affects her romantic relationships. Early on a friend sets her up on a date. She's never been on a date and the only time men or boys have shown an interest in her it has involved sex. So right away she assumes that they're going to have sex on this date because that's what all boys want. And then there's Alex - the love interest of this story. Callie has a hard time opening up to him. The book chronicles the stages of their relationship. From some rocky encounters (including nightmares), to her telling him the truth, to them pushing each other to face things they may not want to, and so on. It's a slow building love story and at times extremely complicated. But it feels so authentic, which is why it was one of my favourite things about this novel. 
 Where the Stars Still Shine is an emotional novel that doesn't shy away from some intense issues. It examines the after effects of sexual abuse and how they affect relationships throughout the course of a victim's life. I found it to be an honest and realistic read that I highly recommend to contemporary YA fans.