Amy Lynn

More an origin story than a traditional novel, Jack July's Amy Lynn follows the coming-of-age of a charming little Southern girl. Raised in a family of bootleggers and scoundrels, the motherless Amy is adopted by her Aunt Carla Jo, who teaches her everything about being a woman.

A triumvirate of male Southern characters teach her other lessons: How to survive, how to live off the land, and how to be a winner. By the time Amy enlists in the United States Navy, she is the sort of heroic figure who commands respect - and over the course of her service in Afghanistan as a corpsmen attached to a Marine unit, she surprises everyone with her strength, skills, and heart.

Jack July has a rough style and is not a polished writer, but he can tell a mesmerizing story. Throughout the book, he takes little sidetracks to tell the stories of different key characters in Amy Lynn's life, each one a little gem in its own way. If you are not already intimate with Southern country life, this book will challenge everything you might believe about modern redneck culture. If, however, you are a Southerner (by the grace of God), you will find yourself nodding in recognition as each character is revealed and the often-byzantine system of family and favors within Jackson County is shown in action.