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emmahwe's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Domestic abuse
allisonhollingsworth's review
5.0
"When there's nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire."
A while back, I met Heather at a meet up with some booktubers and learned about her book she was writing, and I remember it had everything to do with fire. Fast forward a year later, and here it is. This book was positively raw and powerful and I enjoyed every moment of it. I've never read a book that took place in the middle of a wildfire and that aspect kept me hooked from start to finish. Heather did an amazing job of raising the intensity of the fire, the impending danger of it as it creeps closer and closer to every thing Audrey loves, at the same time as the reader discovers what has happened to Audrey over the past couple of days. This book touches on so many issues, the big ones for me being about family and toxic relationships. At the beginning, it's hard not to like Brooks, hard not to fall for him along with Audrey. But slowly a darker part of him is revealed and I really appreciate how this book shows that one person can't expect to fix everything about another person and that it's so much more complicated than that. I also loved the relationship between Audrey and her sister, Maya, who's hilarious. I also really liked Hayden character. I can't wait to read Heather's next book.
A while back, I met Heather at a meet up with some booktubers and learned about her book she was writing, and I remember it had everything to do with fire. Fast forward a year later, and here it is. This book was positively raw and powerful and I enjoyed every moment of it. I've never read a book that took place in the middle of a wildfire and that aspect kept me hooked from start to finish. Heather did an amazing job of raising the intensity of the fire, the impending danger of it as it creeps closer and closer to every thing Audrey loves, at the same time as the reader discovers what has happened to Audrey over the past couple of days. This book touches on so many issues, the big ones for me being about family and toxic relationships. At the beginning, it's hard not to like Brooks, hard not to fall for him along with Audrey. But slowly a darker part of him is revealed and I really appreciate how this book shows that one person can't expect to fix everything about another person and that it's so much more complicated than that. I also loved the relationship between Audrey and her sister, Maya, who's hilarious. I also really liked Hayden character. I can't wait to read Heather's next book.
biktoryaa's review
4.0
4.5
A full-on review to follow on my blog. But for now, I will say this: I wasn't expecting thatat all.
A full-on review to follow on my blog. But for now, I will say this: I wasn't expecting thatat all.
toryhallelujah's review
2.0
[ARC]
TW: mentions of HORRIFIC animal abuse.
Confusing and overly dramatic. Implausible characters and situations. An 18 year old dating a 15 yo and her parents are okay with it? And they're both drinking without any concern?? And she loses her virginity to him after just 3 months? And he's abusive and manipulative and just GROSS.
P. 108: I mean, he got the Stars line wrong: it's "when* there's nothing left to burn, you have to set* yourself on fire," not "if" and "light," so I sure hope the brother didn't get his actual suicide note wrong because that'd be embarrassing af
TW: mentions of HORRIFIC animal abuse.
Confusing and overly dramatic. Implausible characters and situations. An 18 year old dating a 15 yo and her parents are okay with it? And they're both drinking without any concern?? And she loses her virginity to him after just 3 months? And he's abusive and manipulative and just GROSS.
P. 108: I mean, he got the Stars line wrong: it's "when* there's nothing left to burn, you have to set* yourself on fire," not "if" and "light," so I sure hope the brother didn't get his actual suicide note wrong because that'd be embarrassing af
stringbeanbooks's review
i really liked this, the writing especially- it is written so well. i knew nothing about the plot and had 0 expectations going in, and it certainly went in a direction i didn’t expect. a mature ya story about the dangers of letting things (and people) consume us.
trigger warnings for fire (house fire, wildfire, evacuation due to fire, death due to fire), suicide, self harm, animal abuse, emotional abuse/gaslighting, cancer, loss of a loved one/death of a child, grief, mentions of disordered eating, depression
trigger warnings for fire (house fire, wildfire, evacuation due to fire, death due to fire), suicide, self harm, animal abuse, emotional abuse/gaslighting, cancer, loss of a loved one/death of a child, grief, mentions of disordered eating, depression
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Rosemary
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: California Noir
Bonus Factor: The Californians
Relationship Status: Hot and Heavy
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: California Noir
Bonus Factor: The Californians
Relationship Status: Hot and Heavy
Read the full book report here.
diamondxgirl's review
5.0
Nothing Left to Burn landed on my radar as a Californian living in the time of frequent and terrifying wildfires. I consumed it like a wildfire was licking my heels because it was unputdownable.
Oof. This book. You will cry. You will scream. You will shake the book as if it will listen. NO IT CAN NOT BE. This book is messy and relatable and complicated. The characters. The situations.
We get both the present timeline and the backstory, slowly weaving, causing unease the whole time. I loved Audrey and hated Brooks. But I also understood why Audrey was into him, as a person who has been in a similar relationship.
Audrey spends much of the book trapped and trying to escape. Trying to escape a wildfire that is after her whole life. Trying to escape a boy who is an abusive, manipulative liar. Escaping her own insecurities and worries.
Heather Ezell does an excellent job of describing the devastation, emotionally and physically, of a wildfire. The urgency of the evacuation. I felt myself tensing up while reading.
This book is intense, to say the least.
Oof. This book. You will cry. You will scream. You will shake the book as if it will listen. NO IT CAN NOT BE. This book is messy and relatable and complicated. The characters. The situations.
We get both the present timeline and the backstory, slowly weaving, causing unease the whole time. I loved Audrey and hated Brooks. But I also understood why Audrey was into him, as a person who has been in a similar relationship.
Audrey spends much of the book trapped and trying to escape. Trying to escape a wildfire that is after her whole life. Trying to escape a boy who is an abusive, manipulative liar. Escaping her own insecurities and worries.
Heather Ezell does an excellent job of describing the devastation, emotionally and physically, of a wildfire. The urgency of the evacuation. I felt myself tensing up while reading.
This book is intense, to say the least.
gothamgal's review
3.0
Audrey awakens to a pounding on her door the morning after she loses her virginity. Her home in Orange County is being evacuated due to a fire in the Cleveland National Forest. Her mom and sister are at a hotel in Newport, prepping for her sister's dance audition. Her dad is working. Audrey is alone and needs to make decisions about packing her family's home and memories within five minutes.
Evacuated, she ends up at Starbucks--where she sees her boyfriend (volunteer firefighter) Brooks. But what she doesn't know is whether or not she still wants to be with him. Throughout the course of the morning, and the day, Audrey will need to make some difficult decisions that will bring her closer than ever to the fire.
I feel like Ezell broke a critical rule in the writing of this. I was more concerned with Shadow than anything that happened to Audrey. I will be bookcrossing this. I don't feel like Audrey or Brooks are characters that are sympathetic. And I hope that this can educate people on the dangers of wildfires.
Evacuated, she ends up at Starbucks--where she sees her boyfriend (volunteer firefighter) Brooks. But what she doesn't know is whether or not she still wants to be with him. Throughout the course of the morning, and the day, Audrey will need to make some difficult decisions that will bring her closer than ever to the fire.
I feel like Ezell broke a critical rule in the writing of this. I was more concerned with Shadow than anything that happened to Audrey. I will be bookcrossing this. I don't feel like Audrey or Brooks are characters that are sympathetic. And I hope that this can educate people on the dangers of wildfires.
rondasue27's review
3.0
Pretty good read. I get annoyed with books that continue to go forward and back in time through the entire book, though.