Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Big girls don't cry...they get even.
Postcard-perfect Jar Island is the kind of place where nobody locks their doors at night, where parents can sleep easy, knowing their daughters are tucked away safe and sound in their beds.
But bad things can happen, even to good girls, and sometimes the only way to make things right is to do something wrong.
Lillia used to trust boys, but not anymore. Not after what happened this summer. And she'll be damned if she lets the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is through with being called a freak. She's over the rumors, the insults, the cruel jokes made at her expense. It all goes back to one person-her ex-best friend-and Kat'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. Now that she's back, he's gonna be in trouble... 'cause she's coming after 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.
summary from book
Rating: 4/5
I was excited to read Burn For Burn not only because the premise sounded intriguing but because I was and am a huge fan of Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series. This book is completely different, yet immensely entertaining all the same. I always get excited when contemporary novels are made into a trilogy or something else equally as continuous as they're harder to come by. That being said, I'm excited that I'll be able to follow Lillia, Mary, and Kat for another two novels.
The characters over all were fairly interesting. I found myself most drawn to Lillia and her friends. There is a whole lot going on in this group of individuals. I appreciated how everyone had something going on and how each primary/secondary character is given both a good and a bad side. You definitely sympathize with everyone at some point (some more than others) and are torn given the heavily emphasized revenge plans being thought up. I found that overall, the characters were pretty well drawn out and characterized well. This novel gives you just enough without being too heavily detailed. I'm sure everything will only be expanded upon in the upcoming two novels in this to be series, the characters included.
Plot wise, this book is a whole lot of fun to read. Revenge isn't the most flattering subject matter but it's an entertaining one when depicted the way it is in Burn For Burn. These girls have all been-well burned-and there's a lot riding on their plans to get even. There's a human side to it all however which I appreciated. The girls are not evil, they do feel and care even given what they've each been through. There's hesitation and doubt which I feel was an important element in keeping the reader's sympathies intact and prevalent.
Regardless with whether you agree with Lillia, Mary, or Kat. This book just flies by. Once the revenge plan is set in motion, it's difficult to place this book down. I literally finished this novel in about two days.
Overall, there's just one aspect regarding Burn For Burn that left me a little confused. I won't spoil anything for future readers but there's a slight turn with Mary that left me a little...puzzled. I don't really know what to think about it yet as it's too soon to judge. Regardless it did catch me off guard just because it's so not what anyone would have expected. At least, I don't think so. It also doesn't necessarily fit in with the contemporary feel of the novel.
Overall: An extremely entertaining novel and a great start to what I'm sure will be a promising trilogy. I think most readers will be captivated by the plot and the characters. I'm happy that the second installment Fire With Fire is already out. Can't wait to pick it up!
