The characters are well developed and the story is one of restoration as well as, loving and letting go. I have reread the last few chapters several times and come away crying each time. June Bug is a precious character who reminds me in many ways of my grandaughter. I definately recommend this book, it is a great read.

June Bug is a poignant novel of survival, sacrifice, family and love. June Bug is a spunky, but mature 9-year-old traveling around the United States with her father in an old RV. At least, she believes the man she has been living with for the past seven years is her father. When she sees her face on a missing child poster in Wal-Mart, June Bug's life veers down an uncharted road. As June Bug seeks the truth from her father, John, he is forced to confront memories of a painful past. Meanwhile, June Bug's biological grandparents in West Virignia are struggling to uncover the truth about their beloved granddaughter's disappearance while dealing with the painful questions of their daughter's involvement. Chris Fabry's vivid story-telling will keep readers turning the pages as the truth unfolds and the characters' lives irrevocably change.

June Bug captivated me from the first page. Chris Fabry masterfully tells the story from several perspectives of the individuals impacted by June Bug's disappearance: June Bug, John, the grandparents, and the police officer heading the investigation. Each perspective is equally moving, but June Bug's voice is especially compelling. I was anxious to discover the truth about June Bug's life and how she came to live with her father, John. The ending, though bittersweet was not a disappointment. I would love to read a sequel to the novel that picks up several years later because I wonder what life holds for each character further down the road. This novel is one of those rare thought-provoking gems that I find myself thinking about even a couple of days after finishing it. June Bug is the first book I have read by Chris Fabry, and I am anxious to read his other novels.

Absolutely loved the book! It was a good read for both a teenager as well as myself, as an adult. I didn't want to put it down and wished that it had continued beyond the last page. I have never read Les Miserables, and I am now inspired to read that, too.

This book literally left me speechless after I turned the final page. Tears were streaming down my face, which is a rarity for me with any novel. This book had such a tenderness to it, particularly with the love that a father has for a daughter. That struck a chord with me since I am so close to my father, and as a girl, looked up to him for everything. But it also dealt with the harsh realities of life, and how, despite the best-made plans, things just don't always turn out the way people want them to. I loved the connections to Les Miserables. Knowing that there were similarities in the storylines, I was a little bit impatient for things to play out like I knew they did in Les Mis. Instead, the author just gave a little morsel every now and then, and before too long, I realized that he was retelling only part of the story of Les Mis, and sometimes, not sharing details as they happened, but rather in retrospect. This may make the story sound unappealing, but trust me, when those connections with Les Mis occurred, it was oh-so-powerful. Trust me on this one thing...if you're looking for a book that is lyrical in it's storytelling, and one that will resonate with you long after you've finished it, then you can't go wrong with reading June Bug. I am sooo eager now to go back and read Chris' first book, Dogwood. If it's anything like June Bug, then I doubt I'll be disappointed at all. June Bug has earned a spot on my favorite books list, for sure.

June Bug is a modern-day take on the captivating story of Les Miserables. I was very curious to see how Chris Fabry would interpret Les Miserables into his own story. While the modern story, June Bug, has some differences from the old French tale, it also has many similarities. I found the story to be captivating. I couldn't wait to finish the book! I even read for several hours one Saturday to reach the final page in the book; this is a luxury for me as I rarely read during the evenings or weekends. You'll find me reading while the girls are at their violin lessons or at youth orchestra rehearsals, and that is about all I allow myself to read for pleasure. Maybe that is going to have to change! After finishing June Bug last Saturday, I had this great feeling all day, clear 'til bedtime, about the book and about being able to sit and read while it was fairly quiet in the house. My daughters, ages 10 and 12, read this book before I did. They really enjoyed the book. My 10-year-old finds it difficult to read books that really capture her attention, but she is now begging me to purchase some of Fabry's other books. The character development was excellent; the twists and turns in the story kept me captive. I was surprised up to the end of the book, and I shed a few tears when I finished the story. I wish one or two events at the end of the book had resolved in a different manner, but I suppose that was because I didn't want to cry, LOL. If you enjoy books with good character development, jerks and twists, and that allow you to become very emotionally tied with the plot and characters, you will enjoy this book. It has a pro-Christian theme, which I enjoyed, instead of people's religions always being slammed as in many modern day books. I am looking forward to reading this author's other works.