The Summer We Got Free [B2056]

2012 PB in nice clean condition. Winner of the 2013 Lambda Literary Award for Debut Fiction. At one time a wild young girl and a brilliant artist, Ava Delaney changes dramatically after a violent event that rocks her entire family. Once loved and respected in their community and in their church, they are ostracized by their neighbors, led by their church leader, and a seventeen-year feud between the Delaneys and the church ensues. Ava and her family are displaced from the community even as they continue to live within it, trapped inside their creaky, shadowy old house. When a mysterious woman arrives unexpectedly for a visit, her presence stirs up the past and ghosts and other restless things begin to emerge. And something is reignited in Ava: the indifferent woman she has become begins to give way to the wild girl, and the passionate artist, she used to be. But not without a struggle that threatens her well-being and, ultimately, her life.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A very good book about queerness, and being different from the status quo. It's about family, and what we mean to each other. It's about allowing yourself to heal, and forgiving yourself for being imperfect."; "This book is serious and sad I some ways, but carries with it a hint of magic and joy that keeps you from wanting to put it down. Each character was complex and felt so real you could touch them. It took me out of my present and submerged me in each of their stories. I couldn't put it down. A definite must read."; "Wonderful read. Queer joy is timeless and deserved."; "This might be my favorite book I've ever read. The beautiful imagery McKenzie embeds into this story is incredibly captivating, and the story itself flows seamlessly. I love stories that go back and forth between the present and the past, and Mia McKenzie did a wonderful job. There were so many times while reading this book that I felt as though I were feeling and experiencing exactly what the main characters were feeling. This book left me full to the brim with emotions as I finished it, and it is a book I will treasure for a long time."