It seems like every summer into fall wildfires are in the news especially in California. Have you ever thought about what it must be like to live where they are? Or perhaps you do. Today I am going to share with you a book about a teenager who is dealing with so much. She is home alone when her neighborhood is evacuated. The book is Nothing Left to Burn by Heather Ezell.
Audrey is having a tough time. She is trying to figure out her thing in life. For awhile ballet was her thing, but the truth was she was dancing for her sister who had cancer at the time. Now her sister is better and ballet is her thing. Everyone seems to have that special thing that they live for except Audrey. Then she meets Brooks. He is the new older boy who has a mysterious past and is very interested in Audrey. He is a bit of a loner and doesn't really seem to want to be with Audrey's other friends. He is dealing with his own grief from his brother's death and his parents' divorce. Audrey's focus is on Brooks and helping him through his grief. But things change in the fall. The wildfire is approaching her neighborhood. And there is a mystery in the novel. Audrey hints at what happened this past week, but the story goes back and forth between the past and the present. By the end you get the entire story and understand her struggles.
This book has it all. It has intrigue and is all consuming like Audrey's relationship with Brooks. The wildfire is growing bigger and bigger, and life is about to change so much. Neighborhoods are burning and being destroyed. Audrey is evacuated and thus homeless. She is in a state of confusion. The book is a page turner and goes along with the current news. It also is so much about life of a teenager and how some relationships consume you sometimes for the worse. There are lessons to be learned in this book as well as a very interesting story. What would you do for someone you love even if you are realizing he/she is not as perfect as you once thought?
As an adult reading this book I can look at and see the issues of their relationship. This book could be a great conversation starter for a teen and her/his mother. It has everything from losing her virginity with some regrets to being in an unhealthy relationship. The signs are there and in fact Audrey's mother warns her not to feel the need to fix him. Have you talked to your teen daughter about those kind of relationships? Have you ever been in one? Even if you don't want to have a conversation about these issues it is a great book and I would highly recommend it for young adults.
