Friday, April 27, 2012

Review of: Burn For Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian


Oh. My. Badass Girl Power. (can I say that? ...hope so)

I received* Burn For Burn yesterday and started it immediately! When I stopped reading, everyone in my house was asleep and I didn't know what to do with myself - I needed to tell someone how AWESOME this book was! It crossed my mind to do a review right then and there, but I couldn't figure out how to include all of it's splendor without spoilers.
I'm still not sure I can do it, but here goes:

Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian have created a diverse group of three unlikely-to-get-along girls - Lillia, Mary, and Kat - each with their own secret hurt, who come together for the sake of making all the wrongs right. And the best part is you want them to do it. Then you don't, then you do, then you don't, and before long you're wrapped up with them in the deceitful tangle that is revenge - and far too involved to back out when things reach the breaking point.
This intricate story is told in the girl's rotating voices, while we watch the other characters evolve in new shades through each girl's POV: Who can we trust? Who's telling the truth? Who really deserves what's coming for them, and who doesn't?
My favorite parts of the book in no particular order:
lyrical story telling, summers at the ocean, the Voices - each so distinct and relatable even though maybe unlikable, intrigue - Oh The Intrigue, fresh and snappy language, high school hierarchy, and something 'different' among the Revenge Girls.
I can't say much about the 'different' without spoilers, but I'm sure if you're interested in this book you know it has been billed as supernatural on certain sites. If this was the intention, I'd instead say, it's supernatural for readers that don't like supernatural (or, readers that are burnt out on it), and at the core it is a suck-you-in-never-let-you-go story of heartbreak, love, friendship, loss, broken promises, and getting even, above all else. (with an innovative spin on ______: a classic I can't name or it'd give too much away. But I'm really curious if Jenny and Siobhan were thinking of said classic while writing it!)

My overall review for readers: Get your reader-butts to a bookstore, electronic device, and/or library on September 18th and fall heart first into Lillia, Mary, and Kat's story. You will be entranced page by page - Burn For Burn!


*I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. And couldn't have been happier! I may or may not have ripped the package open on the front porch and danced around cheering to no one in particular. The Mail Guy will never look at me the same again, I'm sure. 

2 comments:

  1. Two awesome contemporary authors combining forces for something whose premise that sounds deliciously unique (revenge? truth and lies?! supernatural?!?), SIGN ME UP. Why do I have until September to read this?

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  2. It was WONDERFUL, Linna!!! I seriously, can't stop gushing about this book to everyone I've see today. AND to share the love I'm going to give it away!
    To enter go to this post: http://samanthasessoms.blogspot.com/2012/04/burn-for-burn-arc-giveaway.html

    Good luck!

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