Searching for a long-lost (actually never known to her) family member, 15-year-old Maya eludes an icky foster care placement (Christians, with a would-be-Dad whose eyes rest at chest level) and takes to the mean streets of northwest Nevada and southeast Idaho. Ayarbe (Freeze Frame) draws a convincing sketch of teenage life on the run and also the familial bonds that develop between traveling companions. Bad things happen in this book and there is no romantic subplot.
One of the reasons I snatched this book off the shelf of galleys was the blurb's suggestion that it would be very science focused, "…the only thing that makes sense to Maya is science. In fact, every time her dad's cons go wrong, she has a scientific way to fix it and keep them both safe and together." Unfortunately there isn't much science to Maya's method, and the gimmick doesn't really deliver. Though it takes a little too long for the resolution to come, the book is fairly absorbing. As a middle-aged reader, I may be less taken with the drama of the younguns' journey than a teen might be, so if the blurb appeals to you, give it a shot and let me know what you think.
Props also for the inland western setting, which strikes me as a rarity in YA literature.