Lisa Samson’s Straight Up will stay with me a long time. Oh how I could eat up her words, her beautiful, off-beat, crazy words. The story follows two cousins, Fairly and Georgia, who battle their own personal demons in very different ways. Some have criticized Samson’s ending, but I applaud it (no spoilers here, don’t worry). The back cover copy summarizes Samson’s unique ability to weave in characters so alive and vibrant, you want them as your friends:

“It takes a Congo refugee, a soul-food chef, a persistent husband, and one desperate night on the brink of freedom for Georgia and Fairly to realize how far they have drifted from their God-given purposes.”

Here are some genuine tastes of Lindt truffle writing you’ll ever find:

“He shares the confusion, too, because sometimes pain and love hold each other’s hand, then sway like cats on a fencepost.”

“A shoe box of a business holding, at first glace, about as much promise as a two-dollar umbrella.”

“Even velvet rubs the skin raw after too many passes, doesn’t it?”

Folks, this girl rocks my world. Thank you again, Lisa, for a beautiful, haunting, poetic read.