Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Release Date – September 18, 2012
Publisher Website –
Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media -
Twitter
Pages - 368 pages
My Rating- 5/5
**obtained from publisher via BEA for an honest review**
Here is the
Goodreads synopsis
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.
Be careful what you wish for. Two wrongs do not make it right. We’ve all heard these before. The desire to avenge a wrong against us is something everyone has felt. What if you took that feeling and acted on it? Burn for Burn takes that idea and combines it with realistic characters and an engaging plot.
The narration switches perspectives between each of the three girls. Each of them are so fully developed. They have clear distinct voices, and engaging personalities. They have very little in common apart from their desire for revenge and their willingness to follow through. The unlikely, but touching friendship that grows between them was one of my favourite parts of the novel. Lillia is the wealthy, pretty, popular girl. Kat is the girl from the "other side of the tracks" so to speak. Mary is the damaged girl coming home after running away from her past. These three girls are the heart and soul of the novel and I ended up caring for each of them.
Jenny and Siobhan are best friends and know each other very well. This carries over to this novel and appears in the writing. They mirrored each other’s writing so effectively that it meshes flawlessly together. I could not tell that there were two authors, or how they might have divided up the chapters. It made the journey seamless and allowed me to be swept away.
The novel brings to mind movies like Heathers, and The Craft. The former for it’s delicious take on revenge, and the latter for the strength and bonding these girls invoke while on their journey. The bonds of friendship is a fully explored theme within the novel. The sting of betrayal, the giddiness of spending time with friends, and feeling of support all come to mind for various friendships in the novel.
The road traveled when seeking revenge is rocky and this novel explores the darker side of it. Our anger and hurt can sometimes misguide us and make us act with considering the outcome. Consequences of your actions are very real and Lillia, Kat and Mary learn this the hard way. Each girl has their own reason for revenge, and they are as varied as the girls themselves are. I found each of their stories to be heartbreaking, but Mary tugged at my heart the most. I wanted to avenge her myself. Lillia’s story is gut wrenching, and should NEVER happen to anyone. Kat’s story is one that will most likely be familiar to a lot of people.
I like that the “villains” of the story are just as fleshed out as our main characters. Nothing in the story black and white, and I found my sympathies changing throughout the story.
There is an element in the story. At first glance it appears to be paranormal in nature, but I hesitate to call it that. There is something special about one of the delightful revenge seekers that is merely hinted at in the book. This tease of things to come was enough to leave me tantalized and wanting more.
Burn for Burn is a fun, and page turning read that is perfect for striving off those end of summer blues. I was left wanting to play with a little fire in the sequel Fire With Fire.
