Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

I think this may appeal to readers of gritty urban lit but I think they may not discover it. Its an adult book with teen appeal since it centers on two teenage characters. Skeeter who owns a fabulous female fighting pit bull he had bred with tragic results and Esch the only female in a male household. Esch has chosen to let the many male friends of her brothers have sex with her rather than fight their never ending passes and is pregnant. Esch's mother died in childbirth several years previously. The family lives in a swampy, wooded area outside of New Orleans just before and immediately after the destruction of hurricane Katrina. And so this family of survivors, does what they can to survive yet another set back. Its a tough book to read but despite the squabbling, poverty and alcoholism and Katrina there is love to be found here. This has gotten very positive reviews and is well worth the read. JDW7/23