Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Series: Dust Lands, Book One

Publisher: Marion Lloyd

Format: Paperback

Published: 4^th January 2012

Number of Pages: 544

Book: Bought

Genre: Dystopia, Science-Fiction, Romance, Thriller, Suspense, Action-Adventure, YA

Recommended Age: 13+

Contains: Swearing, Violence, Death, Alcohol and Drug References

Author's Blog: Moira Young's Official Author Page

In the Dustlands, you fight or you die.

There are no laws in Saba’s world.  When her twin brother is stolen, she pursues his captors through a wild, wasted land.  She must become a warrior to survive.  On this dangerous road she can trust no one.  Not even the handsome thief who saves her life – and steals her heart.

                                                                   Review:

I've seen rave reviews of Blood Red Road all over the place.  So when I picked the book up, thanks to all the hype, I never thought it could be as good as I was imagining.  Man, I was wrong.  Blood Red Road exceeded all my expectations, every single one.

"I'll find you," I says.  "Wherever they take you, I swear I'll find you."

In Saba's world, there are no rules, just death and danger everywhere.  But she has Pa and her twin brother Lugh, who's everything to Saba. 

And then he's taken from her.  Her "golden heart" is torn away and she's all alone in the Dustlands, left to care for Emmi, the younger sister she blames for their mother's death. 

With Pa dead and Lugh taken by four armed horsemen, Saba is left with but one option:  She will find Lugh.  No matter what she must do or where she has to go. 

Or who she has to put up with, namely Jack, a charming thief who has stolen her heart...

But with so many obstacles and such short time, can Saba get to Lugh before Midsummer?  Before it's too late...? 

Right from the first sentence, this book had me hooked.  Something about Blood Red Road just instantly grabbed me and pulled me in.  I could hardly put the book down, even for the important stuff like eating and sleeping.  Just - or should I say "jest"? - everything about this story screams 'READ ME!  LIVE ME!'  It's one of those books that is so rich it sucks you right into the world and never lets you go.  It's utterly unique and I just loved every single second of it.  Every.  Single.  Second.  And I needed to read Rebel Heart the second I put Blood Red Road down. I think I may have a new fave series and author...

The characters were so amazing, so real and 3D - even the minor ones.  It was like I knew them and felt so strongly about all of them, be it love or hatred.  They were the kinda characters you're terrified of losing, who make your heart beat faster when they're in trouble.  Now, Saba was the kinda heroine a girl could really root for.  She was strong, determined, full of love and willing to do anything for the ones she loved.  Yes, she wasn't perfect and was harsh and tough on the surface, but her roughness and bluntness just covered a heart every bit as golden as Lugh's.  I loved her spirit and fight and the way she never, ever backed down.  She was a survivor and whenever she was in trouble, I found myself terrified, because she was just so easy to love.  And Jack, oh how I loved him! He had a Jace-Wayland-cocky-charm and was cute and very, very hot.  He was deep and perfect and always managed to make me smile.  And Emmi I just loved!  She was so sweet and strong and resourceful, even though she was only nine!  I really, really loved Emmi!  And somehow, God knows how, Young was able to get me to fall in love with a crow called Nero.  He had such a wonderful personality: I want me a Nero!  There were so many other characters I loved: Maev, Helen, Ash, Mercy, Ike (I loved Ike: he killed me), Epona, even The King, actually.  Even if I hated them, I had to admit that they were awesome. Ooh, and I loved Hermes, Saba's horse.  I never thought I could love a horse and crow this much until Blood Red Road!  Oh, and I can't wait to see DeMalo again - I hope I see him again: he's intriguing... 

Another thing I loved about this book was the relationships.  That unyielding, overpowering love Saba had for Lugh was the driving force of the story, but what I loved most wss the way the relationship between Saba and Emmi changed overtime.  The relationship between Saba and Jack was brilliantly done too.  They really made me laugh.  There was just so much heat between them, so much chemistry.  Yum!

But the writing... it was just so unique.  Sure, it took a little getting used to, but soon I loved it to bits, could hear Saba's voice in my head.  It was a complete escape and the odd dialect just added to the amazing world and took me away completely.  And the plot in this book was in one word: amazing.  So rich and twisty and almost ridiculously addictive.  It was one of those storylines that pulls you right in.  It was like I was in the story, living it all.  It was just that good!  And it may not have been action twenty-four, seven, but there was so much goin' on, so much suspense and adventure and excitement.  And near the end, man, it really, really kicked off.  So much so that it became completely impossible for me to put down!

Then, this world... incredible.  It was one of the most amazingly constructed worlds I've come across, ranking way up there with Lord of The Rings.  I loved how it somehow felt dystopian-future-y and historical all at the same time.  Amazing. 

Blood Red Road was just beyond words.  It's the kind of book that is all-consuming, that tugs you right into its grasp and doesn't let you go, even after you've put the book down.  Everything about the book is amazing, total perfection.  I honestly can't thing of a single thing I didn't like about it.  I don't think I've ever come across a debut that is so perfect in every single way.  It was just... breathtaking.  All consuming.  Addictive.  Amazing.  Beyond description. 

I loved it so, so, so, so much, if you hadn't gathered!  Like, so much it's insane.  But I really loved it that much.  And I honestly can't recommend it enough.

Oh, and sorry for rambling!

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Legend by Marie Lu

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Happy Reading

Megan