Listen with me

 The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Given the set-up, this book could easily have turned into a cliche. We have a pastor's daughter who's always been "good" floored by the return of her mother's cancer. She doubts her always-been-easy faith and in this state goes to work at a secular summer camp for kids who have difficult lives. This could have turned into utter rejection of organized religion and easy answers about relationships and grief. But it works hard to go deeper. It explores how relationships shift as people grow, how empathy is at the forefront and guides "goodness". While there are some obvious reveals later in the plot, the strong characters and genuine soul searching make up for perceived weaknesses.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley