I really enjoyed reading this book! In short, we follow the main character, Delta, as she goes on a journey across the wastelands she calls home to save her people and find the 'Verdant', a legendary place full of life, water, and plants.

The characters are well developed, and the different ways each individual and 'town' have found to adapt to the wastes are really interesting to see. There's a lot of traveling between the various 'towns', but the author doesn't dwell too much on the hours of walking after the first journey so it doesn't get too repetitive, and the story flows well overall. I also really appreciated that the main character was not infallible. Her decisions were not always the best or smartest decisions and other characters don't just go along with what she says just because she's the Main Character. Sometimes they have more information, or they have better perspective, or just think of a better idea than her, and while Delta struggles a little with everyone not just following her plans and her schedule sometimes, she's not so stubborn as to blind herself to their logic and stick to her own idea no matter what. She's headstrong but not unreasonable, and every character brings something new and different to the table. The villain was also pretty good and suitably scary, without seeming invincible or ridiculous.

Aside from that, the action is also well written and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I was particularly pleasantly surprised by the 'big twist' towards the end, as well as how the consequences of it were handled by the characters. It was an unusual direction in which to take the characters and the story, and I think it worked quite well.

Again, I just really enjoyed this book. It kept me invested and guessing the whole time, and had a really good major twist. My only real qualm was that one character felt a little like just an empty plot device. He may be only a minor character, but his existence had major effects on two major characters, and it felt a little like an easy way of getting those characters to work together. It took some potential depth away from one of those characters in particular.

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Delta of Dead River is a young woman living in a dry wasteland with her small pack of family. Delta is forced to rescue her family from a power (and water) hungry general. Delta is also trying to solve the secret map that was branded onto her back as a small child that is rumored to lead to a land of lushness and water. Delta is a fantastic character. She is strong, smart, tough and loyal. There were lots of very interesting ideas brought about and one huge twist I did not see coming.

My favorite genre is post-apocalyptic, end of the world type, dystopian books and this was a blast to read. This is my first book by Erin Bowman and I will definitely go back and read more of her books.

Dustborn by Erin Bowman was advertised as a dystopian Mad-Max like story and it sure did deliver!
The main character, Delta of Dead River and her friend Asher have a secret. As children they were marked with two halves of a map that supposedly lead the way to the Verdant. A lush paradise to be controlled by the first person to find it.
Delta loves her "pack" fiercely and will do anything to protect them. So when they are captured and some slaughtered she has to travel with a newborn baby to try and save them. What she finds will not only change her world but of everyone alive.
The characters in this book were strong and well written and the world building was fascinating with a surprise twist. I have no idea if there will be more to this story but I would certainly love for there to be!
Definitely for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction. It really reminded me of Blood Red Road which was also a great series to read with a western/madmax feel to it. I highly recommend this series.

#Dustborn #NetGalley
A great dystopian novel for teens. It is an action packed adventure from beginning to end. Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, and HMH publishing for the opportunity to read and review Dustborn by Erin Bowman.

This book was SO fun! It was pitched as Mad Max with a dash of The 100, and I absolutely think the bill fits. Delta is a tough character and the world is gritty but really interesting. I found myself reminded of the 2011 YA dystopian Blood Red Road when reading too. I thought the world building was a lot of fun and very fresh to what is being read today. I could not put the book down and dropped another book I was reading to finish this one. I will definitely be recommending this one. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover! Fantastic job, HMH!

3.5/5 stars. - To Be Released in April 2021.
Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

To quickly sum up the premise, Dustborn is Waterworld + Mad Max. Water is limited, dust storms are constant, and the everyone lives with the hope of finding the Verdant - a lush, green, and prosperous area of the earth. Delta of Dead River has been branded with a map to the Verdant on her back as a child and told never to show it to anyone.

Dustborn had some excellent moments and an excellent twist, but unfortunately the rest of the novel was just okay. The twist was the best thing about this book, and looking back the author did a great job planting hidden-in-sight clues. Regardless, if you enjoy post-apocalyptic survival books, Mad Max, and/or Waterworld (which I have probably seen way too many times), this book will be right up your alley.

Dustborn by Erin Bowman was a page turner that will delight readers of all interest. Delta struggles to ensure the survival of herself and her pack in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. She holds out hope for a better life, and with the help of a map, searches for it against all odds. The novel is not only about survival, it is about community and hope for a better tomorrow, something we all need.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It was action packed with a unique setting and characters that were engaging. I loved how gruesome and unflinching Delta was. I loved learning about the lore and the "world building" of this solar-flair riddled Earth. I loved reading the descriptions of objects that were foreign to Delta and being like, oh that's a pair of binoculars or a bunker. The story was surprising and kept me guessing as I was reading as well. I will say that the one small drawback of this book was the length - it wasn't slow but it did feel like it could have been tightened up a little in a couple of places. However, the world building and characters are enough to make up for the length of the book. I also really appreciated that Erin Bowman was not afraid to get into the grittiness and darkness of this apocalyptic setting.

I accidentally posted the wrong review here. I'll be back when I finish the book and do it right this time. My apologies.

I was a major fan of Erin Bowman’s 2019 science fiction YA horror Contagion and I am delighted to say that she has followed it with an absolute corker in Dustborn. It has a superb setting; a world completely parched of water, where the rivers have tried up and the last surviving ‘packs’ of people scavenge to survive and follow the last traces of water. ‘Old Tech’ is mentioned frequently and is highly prized and sought after, the last functioning binoculars or compasses. Most survivors live in small groups and rely upon trading to survive, the main character is seventeen-year-old Delta of Dead River, whose ‘pack’ has shrunk drastically and is struggling to survive. Also, her sister is pregnant and in this very cruel world babies are a hinderance. With the baby coming soon, and her sister sick, Delta must try and find a medicine woman to try and help.

The setting of Dustborn is superb and you will be thirsty just reading it. It vibrates with echoes of both cult films Mad Max and Hardware and it will be easy to get behind leading character Delta who finds herself not only trying to survive but looking after a new-born baby. About a third of the way into the novel the story really opens up and Delta realises she has a much more complex part to play when she comes up against ‘The General’ who is also a very nasty piece of work. Delta also has an extensive and cryptic tattoo on her back which The General takes a very special interest in. I highly recommend this novel, which is an exciting blend of science fiction, action, strong characters in a very cleverly plotted post-apocalyptic thriller which teens should lap up. AGE 12+

I enjoyed reading Dustborn; a good dystopian book with a strong female character. It put me in the mind of Blood Red Road, as well as Gunslinger Girl and Bullet Catcher (all of which I'd recommend!). Delta of Dead River is a survivor and fierce lover of her tribe. When her tribe is captured and threatened with execution, Delta leaves on a search for answers that will save not just her family, but possibly all human life in a world (planet?) with dwindling water. Delta is not necessarily that easy to root for, but I feel it's that it's because she's a complex character bent on the simple mission of surviving and saving her loved ones. Partnered with someone she once thought long dead, Delta's journey leads her to potentially become a life saving goddess to people desperately looking for reason of existence. #Dustborn #NetGalley