Book Review: Burn for Burn

Title: Burn for Burn

Series: Burn for Burn

Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 18, 2012

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 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 for him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they've each had a taste.

My Review

Burn for Burn is the opening book by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian's Burn for Burn trilogy. (The series also includes Fire with Fire and Ashes to Ashes.) This novel definitely isn't the greatest YA novel out there, but it's not the worst. It is a pretty quick and entertaining read about vengeance. I enjoyed this book, but my rating is somewhere in between three and four stars just because I didn't find it to be spectacular.

When I first started reading it, I thought the three girls, Kat, Mary, and Lillia, were all seeking revenge for dumb and immature reasons, but I was very wrong! I really liked how Han and Vivian revealed little bits of their past and the reasons why they are seeking revenge throughout the book instead of all at once because it kept me interested in the book.

I like the three main characters, Kat, Lillia, and Mary. They each bring something unique and interesting to the book. I'd have to say that I am more interested in Mary and Lillia because their stories are a little more complicated, and I like how they are characterized. I could take or leave Kat.

Just a little warning... There is some heavy content matter in this book. I wasn't really surprised about this, but it's definitely a book for older teenagers. I really think the issues that Han and Vivian use in the plot are things that teens should be reading about, even if they don't know anyone who may have dealt or is dealing with them. I'm glad these two authors acknowledged and mentioned them in this book.

I really liked the writing style of the book. The paragraphs are short and easy to read, but they are still interesting enough to entertain a reader. There were some minor narration issues, and I will admit that I sometimes had to flip back to the beginning of each chapter to remember who the narrator of that chapter was. I didn't have to do look back a lot, but it was enough to annoy me a bit.

The end of the book is an abrupt cliffhanger, so I'm glad that I waited to read all three around the same time, instead of waiting a year for the next book. The ending of the book is also so intense and piqued my curiosity about books two and three.

Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian met in graduate school in New York City and have been inseparable ever since. The idea for the Burn for Burn series began over cupcakes, as the best ideas usually do. 

Jenny Han is the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series and the Burn for Burn trilogy. 

Siobhan Vivian is the author of The List, Not that Kind of Girl, Same Difference, A Little Friendly Advice, and the Burn for Burn trilogy.