Dust Lands: Blood Red Road

by Moira Young

I found this book on the Beehive Book Award Nominees shelf at the library.  They are usually good reads, so I grabbed a copy.  One of the quotes said, "Better than The Hunger Games"; I was intrigued.  The first chapter left me wondering where this might be headed.  The rest of the book had me hooked!  Adventure, angst, passion, grief, guilt, joy, and relief are a few words that come to mind as I reflect on the story.  A great read for young adults, especially girls who like a strong lead character.  Definitely worth the award nomination.

****

The Unnaturalists

By Tiffany Trent

Unsure of what I might find, I was interested in this book because of the steam punk dress on the cover (recent fascination).  As I read about this alternate world, I was hooked.  An element of fantasy mixed with the reality of early twentieth century London had me hooked.  A great reminder to keep the delicate balance of nature in mind as life is lived - without being obsessive or extreme, of course.  A fun tale for teens!

****

Shattered Silence

by Melissa G. Moore

This book club selection was a happy surprise!  When I learned it is the memoir of a child whose father was the "Happy Face Killer", I was interested, but not in the mood for such a dark topic.  To my relief, Moore tells her story in a way that makes it understandable and almost relatable (is that a word?).  She tells of her childhood and what it was like to have a father who drove truck for a living.  She tells of her mother doing her best to make ends meet.  She shares her relationship with her siblings and how it was affected by different changes in their lives.  I put the book down with a smile.  I found myself wanting to be a better person and "take the high road" rather than place blame or be a victim at times.  Well written and fascinating!  Great for young adults who have in interest in nonfiction (maybe age 15+) and people stories.

****

Wicked Girls

by Stephanie Hemphill

A Fictionized (is that a word?) account of the Salem Witch Trials.  It is articulate and interesting.  I love this topic, so I may a little biased, but I found this story wonderful!

***

False Princess

by Eilis O'Neal

This Beehive Book Award nominee is great for fans of Shannon Hale!  I like princess stories, but they need a little twist to keep me interested.  This book had princesses, twists, magic, adventure, and more!  I think readers of all ages would enjoy this (okay, maybe age 12+).  This book definitely gets my vote :)

***

Texas Gothic

by Mary Clement-Moore

According to the Beehive Book Choice Nominations, this book is for mature readers.  I wasn't sure what that entailed, until now.  A fantastic tale of ghosts, spells, potions, and daily life in a small Texas ranching town.  I would guess maturity is needed to handle the spooky ghost that keeps popping up and the slightly steamy incident between two of the characters (nothing graphic, but gentle reminders of being a teenager discovering hormones - probably not ideal for a young reader, but that's up to the parents).  I really enjoyed this book.  Definitely going to give it a vote for the Beehive Book Award (local author recognition)!

***

Beehive YA Nominees 2012

I love these books.  They are Utah authors from all genres.  Here's my list of to-reads that are nominees this year:

* Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (mature readers)
* Blood Red Road by Moira Young (mature readers)
* Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
* False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
* The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan (mature readers)
* Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
* Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
* Running Dream by Wendelin van Draanen
* Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
* Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
* Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore (mature readers - spooky, drinking, make outs, near nudity)

Finished Texas Gothic...onto False Princess.
Finished False Princess...onto something else :)

Enjoy!!