Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1)
by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
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 rumours, 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 each had a taste.
Source: I won a hardcover copy of this book in a giveaway hosted by SimonTeen.
Review:
I loved Burn for Burn. It was one of those stories that kept me guessing the entire time and I found it completely unpredictable. It was as if I knew what to expect, since a high school revenge plot isn’t a new concept, but it was written in such a way that I wasn't sure what direction the story would take as a whole. Burn for Burn was a surprising read for me.
Who were these girls? How would they get together? Why do they all want revenge? How will they do it? Will they learn a lesson? What will the conflict be besides the revenge plot? How will it end? All of these questions were flying through my head the entire time and it made for an interesting book that I couldn't put down.
The story was told from the point of view of Lillia, Kat, and Mary. Each of them had their own chapters and distinct personalities. I liked all of them, but Kat was probably my favorite, even though Lillia's point of view was more interesting to me. If that makes any sense. I felt like I was getting to know the characters and their friends and by the end of the story, I wanted more. I feel so invested in their lives and I love when characters speak to me like that. They were so complex with their own inner conflicts and motivations.
A good revenge plot in high school can be hard to pull off without seeming entirely too dramatic or too immature. It's hard to hover in between those two and Burn for Burn did a wonderful job. Despite originally thinking it would be more of a light read, it wasn't really a John Tucker Must Die or Mean Girls kind of plot where the entire thing is more entertaining than believable. It wasn't Carrie crazy, either. It was just the right amount of revenge and mistakes and motivations that I felt it was believable and engrossing more than lightly entertaining.
I like the way the plot unfolded in Burn for Burn. I didn't have everyone's full story, yet. Each of the three girls told their stories slowly and their reasons for wanting revenge were slowly revealed. I liked not having all of the information at once because it made the characters seem more realistic instead of vindictive girls who somehow craft a ridiculous plan. That would be far too easy. Maybe I just feel like by getting to know them, I know why they did the things they did and I like being able to understand that.
I highly recommend Burn for Burn. It doesn't play out like you'd expect, which keeps it interesting until the very end. Really interesting up until the last sentence. If you're looking for an interesting YA contemporary that is dramatic without being too deep and dark and entertaining without being too light and fluffy, Burn for Burn is the perfect read. And I'm actually kind of glad I read it now because it is the perfect summer read for some reason. I can't WAIT for book two (and I'm totally spoiled because I HAVE it thanks to winning a great giveaway). Burn for Burn is MUST read this summer, especially because Fire With Fire releases in September.
