We’ll cut to the chase: Jessica Anya Blau may have written one of the best novels of the year, in our opinion. Mary Jane follows its titular character, a 14-year-old girl growing up in 1970s Baltimore who is offered a summer nanny job for the hippie family down the street. Forced to come to terms with her own conservative upbringing, Mary Jane comes of age in the company of a rock star and his movie star wife. This book is a party you’ll want an invitation to . . . and don’t be dissuaded by Mary Jane’s age; this is most certainly a book for adults.
—Brittany, Madison Books, Seattle, WA
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