The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

I've enjoyed all the other Emery Lord books I've read and this one was no different. If I wasn't an Emery Lord fan girl before, I am now. The Names They Gave Us is one of the best I've read this year.

Lucy Hansson is 17. She's the captain of her swim team, has a good boyfriend, and is close to her parents but then her mother's cancer returns. Lucy, who's had a strong faith in God, starts to question her faith and starts to feel like she's falling away from God. It's summer vacation and Lucy's mom insists that Lucy attend a secular camp rather than the Christian camp that Lucy's parents run. Lucy doesn't want to at first. But after she goes she realizes that there is a lot of different ways to have faith.

I really liked Lucy. Sheltered at first but curious about the outside world. She sees other girls and how close they are. Lucy has friends but nothing like a best friend. I liked all the issues raised in this book although it felt like a lot. But that's life, you can get bombarded by information. You adjust and move on. The end of The Names They Gave Us threw out a lot of information and revelations. That part of the story felt rushed but I enjoyed the book so much that I won't complain more. I would love to hear more about Lucy in the future. She was a great character.

I couldn't stop thinking about Lucy and her struggles.  I highly recommend The Names They Gave Us. Others who shared their thoughts on The Names They Gave Us: The Teen Librarian Toolbox, Pretty Deadly Reviews, and The Girl In The Pages.