The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 380

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books 

Released: 1st of June 2017 

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means?

What I Have to Say 

This was a beautiful, beautiful book. At first the Christianity put me off a bit, even though I understood it and how important it was. Lucy grew up her entire life with Christianity and her relationship with god being a huge part of her identity. But the beauty of it was that as she felt disconnected from her faith, she started to explore the sides of her personality that she's never looked into. At the start, she defined herself too much as the pastor's daughter and it was good to see that fall away and be rebuilt in a way that allowed her to live her life more as she wanted without worrying so much about her parents' or god's approval. 

I loved the friendship group at Daybreak. I loved Daybreak! It had such a sense of individuality and the realness that this sort of place have. The kind of atmosphere that you have to be part of to understand it all. The kids at the camp were so sweet as well, especially the little ones. It was interesting how not all the problems of the children were told, but it was obvious they were there for a reason. 

This whole book was a fantastic story and I can't wait for Emery Lord's next book. 

My thanks go to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn by Marianna Baer

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Pages: 384

Publisher: Amulet Books

Released: 4th of April 2017

Quinn Cutler is sixteen and the daughter of a high-profile Brooklyn politician. She’s also pregnant, a crisis made infinitely more shocking by the fact that she has no memory of ever having sex. Before Quinn can solve this deeply troubling mystery, her story becomes public. Rumors spread, jeopardizing her reputation, her relationship with a boyfriend she adores, and her father’s campaign for Congress. Religious fanatics gather at the Cutlers’ home, believing Quinn is a virgin, pregnant with the next messiah. Quinn’s desperate search for answers uncovers lies and family secrets—strange, possibly supernatural ones. Might she, in fact, be a virgin?

What I Have to Say

I adored this book so much. I wasn't sure at first how it would go, but I was happily surprised by how much of a discussion it was about believe and religion. It was really interesting to see Quinn and her friend consulting a priest and hearing about the different interpretations of the bible. It was also interesting seeing a character who was not at all Christian being the subject of the book. 

It showed every side of the issue. The people who called Quinn names and accused her of lying; the people assuming that she has some psychological issue and endeavor to help her find out what happened; the family, desperate to find out who the father is so they can find a solution to the issue; and of course the true believers who caused so much trouble. 

I also loved how much it was left open to the reader to believe what they wanted. It became such a beautiful book of magic realism and the ending was a nice satisfying ending while still leaving it up to the reader to decide what to believe. 

Quinn was such a great character and I'm so happy I got the opportunity to read this book. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Amulet Books for providing me with this copy for review.