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Burn for Burn
By Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian and Anna Wolf
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Start Reading- Publisher:
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Released:
- Sep 18, 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781442440777
- Format:
- Book
Description
Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.
KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.
LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.
MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.
None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.
With an alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.
Book Actions
Start ReadingBook Information
Burn for Burn
By Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian and Anna Wolf
Description
Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.
KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.
LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.
MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.
None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.
With an alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.
- Publisher:
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Released:
- Sep 18, 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781442440777
- Format:
- Book
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Burn for Burn - Jenny Han
CHAPTER ONE
LILLIA
I’M SITTING ON MY BATHROOM COUNTER, TRYING TO remember what the makeup lady at Saks told me about how to do eyeliner on Asian eyes. Only . . . I can’t think straight.
I think she said to wing it just the tiniest bit. I do my right eye first, and it looks okay. I’m finishing up my left eye when my little sister, Nadia, bangs on the door so loudly that I jump.
Lil! I need to take a shower!
she yells. Lilli-uhh!
I pick up my hairbrush and then reach over and unlock the door. Nadia rushes in and turns on the water. She sits on the edge of the tub, in her big soccer T-shirt with her shiny black hair mussed up in the back and watches me brush my hair. You look pretty,
she says, her voice scratchy with sleep.
Do I? At least the outside is still the same.
I keep brushing. Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, done. I brush my hair twenty-five strokes every morning. I’ve done it that way since I was little.
Today will be like any other day.
But I thought you weren’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day,
Nadia adds.
I look down at my sweater. It’s new—white cashmere, soft and snug. I’m wearing it with my white short shorts. Nobody follows that rule anymore,
I tell her, hopping down from the counter. Besides, this is winter white.
I swat at her butt with my hairbrush. Hurry up and get in the shower.
Do I have time to curl my hair before Rennie gets here?
she asks me.
No,
I say, closing the door behind me. Five minutes.
Back in my room I start filling my brown saddlebag with my school things, like I’m on autopilot. My new pen and the leather planner my mom got me as a back-to-school gift. Lollies. Cherry ChapStick. I try to think if I’m forgetting something, but nothing comes to mind, so I grab my white espadrilles and head down the stairs.
My mom is in the kitchen, wearing her robe and drinking an espresso. My dad bought her one of those fancy espresso machines for Christmas, and she makes a point of using it at least once a week, even though she prefers tea, and even though my dad is hardly ever at home to see her use it. He’s a doctor, the kind who does research. For as long as I can remember, he’s been working on some new drug to cure cancer. He spends part of the month working at a lab in Boston, and he gets sent all over the world to present his findings. He was on the cover of some science journal this summer. I forget the name of it.
Gesturing to the plate of muffins, my mom says, Sit down and eat before you go, Lilli. I got those sugary ones you love.
Rennie will be here any minute,
I say. When I see the disappointed look on my mom’s face, I take a muffin and wrap it in a napkin. I’ll eat it in the car.
Touching my hair, she says, I can’t believe you’re a senior in high school. One more year and you’ll be away at college. My pretty girl is grown-up.
I look away. I guess I am grown-up now.
At least I still have my baby. Is Nadi getting ready?
I nod.
You have to look out for Nadi now that you’re at the same school. You know how she looks up to you, Lilli.
My mom squeezes my arm, and I swallow hard. I do have to look out for Nadia better. Not like how I did on Saturday night, when I left her at Alex’s party. She was with her friends, but still.
I should have stayed.
Rennie’s horn honks outside, and I stand up. Nadia!
I yell. Rennie’s here!
Just one more minute!
Nadia shrieks back.
I hug my mom and head for the garage door.
Take a muffin for Rennie,
she calls out as I close the door behind me. Rennie wouldn’t eat it anyway. She goes off carbs at the start of every cheerleading season. She only lasts about a month before she gives in, though.
In the garage I slip on my espadrilles, and then I walk down the driveway to Rennie’s Jeep.
Nadia’s right behind me,
I say, climbing inside.
Rennie leans over and hugs me good morning. Hug her back, I tell myself. And I do.
Your skin looks awesome against the white,
she says, eyeing me up and down. I wish I could get as tan as you.
Rennie’s wearing tight jeans and an even tighter lacy scoop neck top, with a nude cami underneath. She’s so tiny, I can see her rib cage. I don’t think she’s wearing a bra. She doesn’t have to. She’s got a gymnast’s body.
You’re pretty tan too,
I say, clicking my seat belt.
Bronzer, baby.
She puts on her sunglasses and starts talking a mile a minute. So here’s what I’m thinking for the next party. It came to me in a dream last night. The theme will be . . . Are you ready for this? The roaring twenties! The girls could wear flapper costumes with, like, a feather headpiece, and long beaded necklaces, and then the boys could wear zoot suits and fedoras. Hot, right?
I don’t know,
I say, looking out the window. Rennie’s talking so fast and so much, it’s making my head pound. The guys might not be into it. Where are they supposed to find that stuff on the island?
Hello, it’s called the Internet!
Rennie taps her fingers on the steering wheel. What’s taking Nadia so long? I want to get there before everybody else does so I can claim my parking spot for the year.
She presses her hand down on the horn—once, then twice.
Stop,
I say. You’re going to wake up my neighbors.
Oh, please. The closest house is, like, half a mile down the street.
Our front door flies open, and Nadia comes running down the steps. She looks tiny against our massive white house. It’s different from most of the other houses on the island—modern lines and lots of glass. My mom helped design it. It was originally our summer home, and then we moved to Jar Island for good before my freshman year. I was the one who begged to move here, to be with Rennie and my summer friends.
My mom waves at us from the front door. I wave back.
So are you yay or nay on the twenties party?
Rennie asks me.
I honestly don’t care, but I know my answer matters to her—which is why I feel like saying nay.
But before I can, Nadia is at the car, her hair sopping wet. She’s got on her new jeans and the black top the three of us bought together when we went shopping back in July. That feels like forever ago.
She climbs into the backseat. I twist around and say, You should have dried your hair, Nadi. You know you always get colds when you go around with wet hair.
Breathlessly she says, I was scared you guys would leave without me.
We wouldn’t leave you!
Rennie cries, turning the wheel. We’re your big sisters. We’ll always look out for you, honey bun.
Something nasty is on the tip of my tongue, and I swallow hard to keep from saying it. If I say it, we’ll never be the same again. Even worse than now.
We pull around our circular driveway and down the road.
Cheerleading practice is at four,
Rennie reminds me, bouncing in her seat to the music. Don’t be late. We need to evaluate the fresh meat. See what we’ve got to work with. Did you remember to bring your mini camcorder so we can tape them?
I open my bag and look, even though I know it’s not there. I forgot.
Lil! I wanted to evaluate them later tonight in HD.
Rennie lets out a grumbly sigh, like she’s disappointed in me.
I shrug my shoulders. We’ll deal.
That’s what we’re doing right now, isn’t it? Dealing? But Rennie’s clearly better at it than me.
Nadi, who’s the prettiest of all your friends?
Rennie asks.
Patrice,
Nadia says.
Rennie makes a left, and we pass the small rental cottages that populate Canobie Bluffs. I focus on one in particular. There’s a caretaker outside closing it up for the season, now that it’s empty. I think it’s Reeve’s dad. He’s bolting the shutters on the first floor windows. He hasn’t gotten to the master bedroom yet. Those ones are still wide open.
I turn my head away, and out of the corner of my eye, I look at Rennie. Just to see if she has noticed it too. But there’s nothing there—no recognition, no alarm, nothing.
Nadi, you’re so much prettier than Patrice. FYI, I’m only taking the cream of the crop for the varsity squad,
Rennie says. Let me know if there’s anyone you want to cheer for, and I’ll hook it up.
Immediately Nadia says, Alex. Can I cheer for Alex?
Rennie gasps. Ooh! You better ask your sister. He’s her boy toy.
Rennie, be quiet.
I say it more snappishly than I intended, and she makes a face to Nadia in her rearview mirror. I take a breath. Nadia, there’s a whole line of junior and senior girls ahead of you for Alex. We can’t show favoritism like that. I mean, how would it look, us giving a senior starter to a freshman? Besides, you still have to try out. You haven’t made the squad yet.
At this, Rennie nods. Lil’s right. I mean, you’re basically in but we have to treat you the same as everybody else. Even though you’re clearly special.
Nadia wriggles in her seat like a puppy. Oh, and make sure to tell your friends that if they’re even one minute late, they’re going to be sent home. Period. As captain I need to set the tone for this season.
Got it,
Nadia says.
Good girl. You’re going to be our freshman star.
I feel like I am floating above myself as I say, She needs to work on her back handspring. It’s weak.
It gets really quiet.
I flip down my visor to look at Nadia. The corners of her mouth are turned down, her dark eyes hurt.
Why did I say that?
I know how badly she wants to make the squad. We practiced all summer, back handsprings and tumbling and stunts and our routines. I told Nadia that when Rennie graduates, it will be her on the top of that pyramid. I told her she’ll be set at Jar High. Just like her big sis.
But now I’m not so sure I want her to be anything like me or Rennie. Not anymore.
CHAPTER TWO
KAT
I CLIMB OVER THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE THAT SURROUNDS the Jar Island High parking lot. Alex’s SUV is parked near the football field, shiny and freshly washed for the first day of school. I try to ignore that my heart is pumping triple time, filling my chest, my throat, my ears with heat.
* * *
Saturday was my eighteenth birthday. I spent the night at my kitchen table, doing whiskey shots with my brother, Pat, and eating the frozen chocolate cake Dad had picked up from the supermarket.
Oh, Judy.
My dad said it after every shot, as if she were sitting at the table, knocking them back with us. Look at our baby girl.
I’m a woman now,
I corrected.
One hell of a woman,
he added, and nudged his shot glass forward for a refill.
Eww, Dad. That’s gross,
Pat said, and poured us another round.
Alex was supposed to come home that day, but I wasn’t sure when. Or if he’d call. I wouldn’t let myself think about it. I’d wasted too much brain power on him already.
I spent most of the week Alex was gone going over and over what happened on our last night together. Unlike the band guys I meet at Kim’s place, I didn’t have to worry about how far things with Alex would go, but it was still really hot, the way he took charge. And it was so taboo, him and me together. We were never supposed to become friends, never mind make out all over his uncle’s multimillion-dollar yacht.
I knew for a fact that Rennie would give Alex so much shit if she knew we hooked up. I was sure I’d get it too, from Rennie, from Reeve, from everyone. Not that either of us thought about that when we were going at it. But it had to have occurred to him afterward, the same way it had for me.
And then he texted me.
Welcome home party at my place. Stop by if you’re not doing anything.
I pushed back my chair. Pat said, What are you smiling about?
I barely heard him. I was thinking about my black lace top with my cut-offs, but then I was like, what if his parents are there? I should probably wear something classy.
I sat back down. What was I getting so crazy over? It was one night. I needed to pump my brakes.
I shut off my phone and told my brother to pour me another whiskey shot.
Around one in the morning I was officially drunk. My dad had gone to bed and Pat was passed out on the living room floor. Our dog Shep was scratching at the back door with his paw, so I grabbed his leash and took him for a walk.
Of course I ended up at Alex’s house. Even though White Haven was a good six miles from T-Town.
There had definitely been a party, but it was long over. Plastic cups and trash were scattered around the path leading to the backyard. There was music on, the bad dance-y crap that’s always on the radio, but the volume was turned way down. The lights around the pool were off. There was food sitting out, bowls of chips and a plate of uneaten hamburgers, guacamole turning brown, cups filled with melted pink drinks and paper umbrellas. There were other decorations too. Fishing nets, tiki torches, conch shells. A rumpled-looking captain’s hat hung on a fence post. I heard Shep chewing on something he’d found on the ground. I had to wrestle it out of his mouth. A plastic pirate eye patch.
I walked over to the pool house where Alex stays and peered in through a window to see if he was awake.
He was asleep in his bed, lying on his side, on top of the sheets. Some of the copper in his hair had turned lighter, like the color of sand. And he was tan. Tan with freckles.
He looked so cute, it took me a second to notice the small body curled up in the sheets next to him.
* * *
I pass the fountain on my way into school. Alex is there, standing with his friends. Rennie and Lillia are both dressed for the first day of school in some stupid movie. Lillia’s got a lollipop in her mouth. That GoodyTwo-shoes has a serious oral fixation. And Rennie. Just the way she stands in her heels, one hip out to the side, hand on her back, pushing her pathetically small chest out as far as it can go, I can tell she’s ready to own the school, now that she’s a senior. She’s been waiting for this moment her whole freaking
Reviews
Cover Impressions: First of all, kudos for having cover models who actually look like the characters (double kudos for having an Asian character and *GASP! an Asian Model - IT CAN BE DONE!) This is the type of cover that would definitely appeal to my jr high girls. The faded colors work really well and I enjoy the effect of the transparent title overlay.
The Gist: On the picturesque Jar Island the teenage population subsists on partying and gossip. Three unlikely friends, Lillia, Kat, and Mary secretly band together in a "Strangers on a Train" - esque plot in order to take down the people who have made their lives miserable.
Review: Oh so much potential! I was really looking forward to this book. As a teacher, I see mean kids every day and, once in a while, there is a teen so heinous and cruel that you can't help hoping that they get their comeuppance one day. I was hoping that this book would let me live out those schadenfreudian fantasies but, instead, it just left me feeling sad.
Three kids were targeted for revenge: Alex, Rennie and Reeve. While each of the kids had done horrible things, they didn't seem to be cruel enough to deserve these punishments. As such, I couldn't force myself to side with the main characters against them. One particular problem that I had was that so much time was concentrated on Alex. Of the three, he was the least deserving. He was (to me) just a nice guy who made a mistake (possibly). A good 3/4ths of the books was spent on minor pranks used to humiliate Alex. I found myself cringing at each of these because all I wanted was for Lillia to break down and actually ASK him what was going on. I think, had the revenge started with Rennie or Reeve instead, I could have gotten behind it a little more as these characters were slightly more reprehensible.
I also had an issue with the type of revenge that the girls were taking. What I was expecting: a slow progression from small pranks to bigger ones resulting in humiliation but no real harm. SPOILER ALERT - What I got: very tame pranks and then a sudden jump to DRUGGING A MINOR! WTF?! This is not cool, under any circumstances, and incredibly dangerous! This was the moment where the main characters really lost me. From this point on, I was no longer on their side.
The characters themselves represented basic stereotypes, but they were fun and I enjoyed watching the budding friendship between the three. Lillia was probably my least favorite, she was nice enough and the authors did attempt to give her a more meaningful back story, but it felt forced and, once revealed, was never mentioned again. Lillia and her friends are very materialistic and I did not enjoy how this came through in the writing. For example, during a scene at Rennie's home it is pointed out that she lives in a condo, shares a pool and that her mother bought last season's dress (Gasp!) on sale! I would love to hear other people's opinion on this but it felt to me like I was meant to feel sorry for Rennie and her mother. This really bothered me. I sympathize with characters who have rough home lives, dead or absentee parents and a meager income but I refuse to feel pity for a character simply because she has to work a part-time job in order to afford to live her friend's extravagant lifestyle.
Kat was fun and feisty and Mary - oh my heart! that poor damaged girl. I wish I had been able to spend more time getting to know them and that there had been some growth and change by the end of the book. I understand that this is a series and things need to be saved for the next book, but I would have liked to see a little softness from Kat, some personality and bravery from Mary and some backbone in Lillia - just a spark would have been fine.
I was not a fan of the switching, first person narrative. This however, may be a personal issue. Whenever I encounter this particular form of writing I end up spending the first few lines in every chapter looking for clues in order to see who is speaking and this distracts me from the plot. The writing style itself is clean, not overly descriptive, and flows well. One particular problem I had with the plot was the choice to incorporate some semblance of the supernatural. It was very subtle, but jarring and left me scratching my head as to what exactly was going on. I felt that this was completely unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment of the novel. I sincerely hope that there are big plans for this in the next novel, otherwise it should have been cut altogether. The abrupt ending of Burn for Burn did not work for me either. I don't need all the ends to be tied up in a first book, but I do prefer a little closure.
I am conflicted about whether or not I will continue this series. I guess it will depend on the synopsis of the next book.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and Up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Sex mentioned - not described,
Violence: Possible date-rape, Fist-fighting
Inappropriate Language: Shit, Ass, Bitch, Fuck, Asshole, Slut, Prick, Pissy
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking, smoking, use of marijuana, drugging of drinks,
I did like the characters. Each one had depth, and something that made them unique. I think my favorite character is Kat. She’s fierce and doesn’t give a damn what people think of her. Or at least that’s what she portrays. Lillia is kind of vanilla. She always does what is expected of her. But she’s also dealth with some crap that she shouldn’t have had to. Mary is meek. She isn’t one to be bold like Kat, or confident like Lillia.
The drama is what really keeps this story going. Even if I didn’t agree with what this group of girls do, I think it shows how friendships can come from the unlikeliest of places.
I didn't expect to liked this book as much as I did!! The story is unbelievably crazy because of its clicheness but it's just so entertaining that I feel like it's something to overlooked!
What this story about:
Mary is back to Jar Island. She left back then because she was being bullied starting when Reeve transfer to their school. He called her "Big Easy" and the name got stuck. But the wound went deeper than that. She planned on making him feel the pain she felt back then.
Lillia. She's protective of her sister, Nadia. And one day, when she heard that Alex, her friend, was taking advantage of her, she's pretty much furious.
Kat. She's Rennie's original bestfriend. But when Lillia came to their lives, Rennie forgot about her. And then last summer, Kat hooked up with Alex. Also hearing that he's with another girl made it possible for him to be inside her hate list.
(Confused about the characters? Well, that's me at first but you'll get used to it!)
They cannot just sit around and wait any longer. They decided to take sweet little revenge in their own hands.
"This is karma. I'm a bitch. Can you think of anyone who deserves a bitch slap?"
The characters and what happened to them:
Kat. Kat is my favorite one among the three of them. She's strong and quite fearless. She wants something, she'll work hard for it to be done. She has the most bitchy attitude.
Lillia. She's Asian, like me. Yay plus points for that lol. She contributed some ideas to their plan. Once they photocopied Alex's poems to spread how corny he is. But then she learned that Alex liked her and it's about her. Spell awkwaaaaard.
"..The longest hallway leads to you, but I never reached the end. Long hallway. Long, long hallway. Long hallway."
"Wow, Lillia said. 'That's one seriously long hallway.'"
I burst out laughing at so many parts I can't keep count. This poem by Alex (he's been keeping a journal) is plainly lame!
Mary. WHAT THE HELL? I asked myself if this book is paranormal or something because I did not see that coming, that so-it-looked-like power. Or is that even a real power? Maybe she's imagining it? Whaaat in the world! Yeah. I know it's confusing, I'm confused myself XD
Ending: I WILL READ THE WHOLE TRILOGY. ENOUGH SAID. Haha. Seriously though. Some plans really doesn't happen that way it's supposed to happen, huh? Their sweet little revenge turned sour and I'm intrigued to know how their going to face the consequences of their actions.
I was having a reading slump these past few days and find it difficult to finish a book but this one is so entertaining that I finished it in one sitting.
I remembered reading Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series and liked it and I'm seriously not disappointed by her work again. This was definitely recommended!
P.S. Don't read book 3's blurb before reading book 2. There's a big spoiler. :(((
This book for me was a huge struggle to get through in the beginning. I really wantedto like this book, I really did. I was able to get 249 pages in just to have to put it down. I almost didn't finish it. But, when I finally did decide to pick it back up, I was able to get through it pretty quickly because it began to pick up.
I liked Lillia, Kat & Mary well enough but it was just hard to get into and like the book itself. I'm not really into books written by two people. There have been a few that I loved though.
I understood why the girls wanted their revenge, but like all revenge, there's usually trouble that is going to happen with it. Either the person trying to get revenge gets it backfired on them or someone else gets hurt...Well, let's just say you get some of both in this book.
I have never read a Siobhan Vivian book before but I have read the Summer I Turned Pretty Series trilogy by Jenny Han and I loved those books. That trilogy is what made me pick up this book from the library. I had also picked up Fire With Fire but took it back when I realized how little I was into this book.
Will I go on to the next book in the trilogy/series?
I'm not sure!
I want to know what happened in the next book, and if they continue with the revenge, but I am not sure how long it will take for me to get to it. It has left a not so great feeling with me. The only reason it got the 3.5 stars is because it did pick up quite a bit.
Will I read any other Siobhan Vivian Books?
Probably not, but I won't totally write her off either. It's one of those "We will see!" type of things. Her writing style isn't horrible by any means, just not something that attracts Me. I guess that's why there are so many writing styles, because people are different and don't like the same things.
Will I read any other Jenny Han books?
I'm sure I will. I adored The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy a lot so that gave me hope with Ms. Han.
Hopefully, when or if I do decide to go on to Fire With Fire, it's a lot better than Burn For Burn
Lillia, the popular rich Asian (yay for minorities in books), has had a horrible night out with her best friend Rennie. Since then, Lillia hasn’t really been feeling all that chummy with her and is started to get annoyed by Rennie’s mean girl behaviour. Also, her best guy friend, Alex, might have hooked up with her little sister.
Kat, the social outcast, use to be best friends with Rennie, but once Lillia showed up, Rennie dropped her. Not only did Rennie drop Kat, but she relentlessly teases her and insults her on almost a daily basis. She also hooked up with Alex, but then she finds out he was two timing her.
Mary, the new girl, just wants Reeve to notice her. After everything that happened to them in the past, it’s the least he can do. But he doesn’t, in fact, he acts like she doesn’t exist. Mary wants him to suffer like she did.
So when the three find themselves in the bathroom, they decide to get revenge, once and for all.
When it came to the actual reasons behind the revenge, I was with Kat and Mary. I understood why they wanted revenge and why they felt like this was the only way. I may not have agreed with them, but I understood where they were coming from. On the other hand, I still don’t know why Lillia went through with this. Alex is her best guy friend and instead of talking to him, she decides to humiliate him in front of everyone. Why? I don’t really know. I suspected that the root cause for her resentment was due to what happened at the party with Rennie, but this was mentioned in passing and never brought up again.
Plus, it’s clear that Lillia did more of the work, because Alex, Rennie, and Reeve, are friends of hers and she’s in their social circle. Kat and Mary had nothing to lose, so that kind of made me wonder why Lillia did what she did. She’s still an interesting character and she’s relatable, just like everyone else, but I just don’t know why.
I did love the friendship brewing between the three girls as well. Even though they may not be in the same social circles, they still stuck together and even seemed to care for one another.
That being said, the writing is great. When you pick this up, you’ll fly through the pages. Plus, each girl had a distinctive voice and feel, so I really enjoyed that. There does seem to be a supernatural element to the novel, almost with a Carrie vibe like to it, but I really hope this isn’t the case. I don’t really mind supernatural stuff, but I don’t really want it here.
The last revenge novel I read was Premeditated, which was okay, but I was disappointed because there wasn’t really any revenge in it. Plus, the main character didn’t do anything but whine. Thankfully, the girls in Burn for Burn are proactive in their revenge schemes and actually do get their intended results. Add that to the fully fleshed out characters, who have distinctive voices, and the great writing and yourself have a great novel. Just don’t expect big bangs, this is still high school.
Overall: I would pick this up. It’s a fun light novel that will have you wanting more.
Review can also be found at BookingRehab
The summer is coming to an end on Jar Island and three very different girls – Mary, Lillia and Kat – are preparing to start the new term. For Mary, it is her first year at Jar Island High School. Four years ago she left the island with her parents after the abuse and misery she suffered at the hands of a boy, Reeve, led to a serious incident. But now she’s back to live with her mysterious Aunt Bette and to confront her past, and most importantly the boy who ruined her life.
Lillia is returning for her final year at Jar Island High School where her little sister, Nadia, is just starting, and Lillia – whose summer ended with a traumatic experience – is going to go all-out to protect her. When she hears rumours that her friend, Alex, has been seeing Nadia, her sister is her number one priority.
And for Kat, life has never been the same since her best friend Rennie turned her back on her and treated her like trash. But this summer, Alex made her feel like she wasn’t an outsider – that is, until she found him with another girl.
Girls’ troubles bring Mary, Lillia and Kat together – and Kat hatches a plan for them all to get even. Starting with Alex, then moving on to Rennie and Reeve, the three girls devise and carry out increasingly dramatic and serious acts of revenge. But is their revenge justified, and how far is too far?
Han and Vivian's collaboration is effortless in Burn for Burn and the result is a thrilling and powerful novel on teen issues and realities, with a revenge plot that is especially thought-provoking.