ARC Review~The Names They Gave Us

~Review~

The Name They Gave Us was a heartbreak I was not prepared for. Emery is amazing at making swoon worthy characters, and this book had it but it also had a deeper surface that was graced. It made my heart hurt. I cried twice over and still managed to fall in love with this book. The characters were amazing, and the story was well planned throughout the entire read. As well the book really did portray a diverse set of characters which allowed for the story being told to have a greater impact on readers.

This book covers a lot about Lucy and staying but struggling to live by her faith. She is handed with temptations and dished the worst possible fates a teenage girl could face. She questions her God and wonders why hurt the people she cares dearly about. I love the meanings this story has to offer even if I am not a super religious person. But thats what made this book so good, even if you aren't a huge faith follower this book had important lessons to be learned and shared. So Emery did a tremendous job at illustrating just that. The turns and reveals were also nicely portrayed. As well throughout the text I found myself admiring all the characters individual for all the hardships they went through 

The characters were also top notch, but thats something Emery does well. She creates a range of characters who range in traits, and she makes unlikely situations turn likely. Each character spoke to me in a way that made me feel completely connected with the story and what was happening. Lucy was a tremendous character, she was strong but still struggled with making choices that could greatly effect her life. That however is how life is, and thats what made this book so real.

Overall The Name They Gave Us by Emery Lord is another book to add to her great collection of fables. She knows how to tell a story and make readers connect with them in every way possible. I highly recommend this book to those who have read Emery's work before, and for those who like reading realistic YA fiction with very real characters. I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

~About the Book~

Title: The Names They Gave Us
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: May 16th, 2017
Format: ARC curtesy of Raincoast and McNally Robinson
Description: "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?