(Review) The Names They Gave Us

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Publication Date: May 16, 2017

Pages: 384 (hardcover)

Genre: Young Adult

My Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: When it all falls apart, who can you believe in?
Everything is going right for Lucy Hansson, until her mom’s cancer reappears. Just like that, Lucy breaks with all the constants in her life: her do-good boyfriend, her steady faith, even her longtime summer church camp job.

Instead, Lucy lands at a camp for kids who have been through tough times. As a counselor, Lucy is in over her head and longs to be with her parents across the lake. But that’s before she gets to know her coworkers, who are as loving and unafraid as she so desperately wants to be.

It’s not just new friends that Lucy discovers at camp—more than one old secret is revealed along the way. In fact, maybe there’s much more to her family and her faith than Lucy ever realized.

My Review: 

I love Emery Lord, but I was a little wary going into this one with the description being about faith. As a Christian I have a hard time reading "Christian fiction" and often times I feel that people just don't get it right. That probably sounds like an asshole thing to say, but my faith is a big deal to me and I hate misinterpretations of Christianity. (Not that it ever happens in real life, you know. *eyeroll*)

ANYWAY. 

It's hard to put into words how much I truly adored this story. I loved Lucy something fierce. She is strong and faithful, not only to her family and religion, but to her new friends and her new job. 

Every character in this book plays a part and every character has their own story to tell. Each page is full of real, raw emotions and, man, do you just want to hug everyone in this book. 

The faith aspect of this story was perfectly done. I've been in Lucy's shoes before, facing down loss, and it's hard. It tries everything you've ever believed in, but in the end you are stronger for it. 

My only complaint is that there were so many things left open and unsaid in the end! I'd love to imagine that everything worked out for the best, but I know that might not be true. Instead I'll focus on what was told and how beautiful it was.

You're going to suffer...but you're going to be happy about it.