Friday, November 9, 2012

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Genre: social issues
Series and Book #: Burn for Burn #1
Pages: 354
Summary:

Big girls don’t cry…they get even.
 
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
 
Kat is tired of the rumors, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person—her ex-best friend—and she’s ready to make her pay.
 
Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she’s not the same girl anymore. And she’s ready to prove it to him.
 
Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won’t stop until they’ve each had a taste.
 
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This novel had a little bit of everything. There was mystery, revenge, a twinge of romance, and even a slight bit of science fiction. I must say, at the beginning of the novel, I expected the girls to each be vying for their own sort of revenge with hearts full of passionate hatred. But I didn't see the characters becoming more complex in their feelings. Sure, each of them wanted their own dose of justice, but they were conflicted about it. The book then transformed into a  will-they, won't-they situation where I wasn't sure what the ultimate ending would be.
 
Kat was my favorite. She was strong, opinionated, and passionate. I really wanted her to be happy, but it seemed like the world was against her because of all she'd been through. I hope to see more development of her character in the coming sequels because I felt she wasn't as complex as the other two main characters.
 
Mary was very mysterious. There isn't much of a window into her past and when she narrated, she was uncertain and impartial. But she had moments in her past that made her seem like a a fragile, broken thing with a fire heart. The mystery continued as strange things (unnatural things) begun to happen around her. I wished there was more background to her character.
 
Lillia. She was the least favorite of mine. She seems like she'd be nice and sincere, but she also had her moments when I was wondering "What is your problem?" Though I disliked the way she treated others I appreciated how fiercely protective she was of her sister and how she came to realize how nasty Rennie really was. In the beginning, she was seemingly the nicest. In the end, she was the hypocrite.
 
Overall, this is definitely a novel I can see myself rereading multiple times. The complexity of the novel made it a fast-paced, heart-pounding book. Each of the character's had their own view of things and their own stories that added to the suspense. The ending was magnificent. I can't wait to read the next one!
 
The Cover: I love how each of the girls are perfectly matched to their characters. (Far left) Kat's cold stare, (middle) Mary's hesitancy, and (far right) Lillia's worried glance. It reflects the novel well.

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