Scan barcode
kelleemoye's review against another edition
3.0
When Nan wakes up in a subway car in a too small pink plastic dress with a skeleton face and mutilated hair, she is terrified because she can remember what has happened to her. Even worse, she keeps randomly blacking out and having dizzy spells. She hopes she has not relapsed after she had done so well in the months since rehab, but she can't deny that she does not end up in this situation without being under some sort of influence. As Nan tries to piece together what happened to her, she flashes back to memories about her best friend Seemy who introduced her to the lifestyle that she has been trying to avoid.
Written in alternating chapters of "today" and "remembering", Vrettos does a great job of giving the reader just a taste of Nan in each chapter until the whole picture of the protagonist takes form. A quick novel that keeps you reading, it will definitely find a home in many high school libraries and classrooms.
Written in alternating chapters of "today" and "remembering", Vrettos does a great job of giving the reader just a taste of Nan in each chapter until the whole picture of the protagonist takes form. A quick novel that keeps you reading, it will definitely find a home in many high school libraries and classrooms.
beautifully_broken's review against another edition
3.0
I don't have much to say about this book, honestly I thought it had a lot of promise but fell miles short of what could have been.
Nan is just plain stupid and Seemy is a terrible friend making it impossible to really care where the story was going. More time was spent telling the story of a terrible "friendship," than about the presumably horrible events leading up to Nan's blackout.
Overall it's not the worst book ever, its a quick read with with an interesting premise, but the idea was better than the outcome.
Nan is just plain stupid and Seemy is a terrible friend making it impossible to really care where the story was going. More time was spent telling the story of a terrible "friendship," than about the presumably horrible events leading up to Nan's blackout.
Overall it's not the worst book ever, its a quick read with with an interesting premise, but the idea was better than the outcome.
findthosedreams's review against another edition
5.0
Short, not sweet, but really powerful. I was very captivated by the mystery and nightmare of the story. It did a great job illustrating every scene so i could understand the teenage substance abuse culture Im unfamiliar with and still connect to emotions like Nan's confusion, lonliness, and strong thirst for Seemy's friendship, that I do understand. If you liked "Speak" or "Every me, Every you", give this one a whirl.
mrsjkamp's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I received this ARC through Around The World ARC Tours. Here is my honest review:
I wasn't sure at the beginning of this novel if I would really get into it at all. It took me a couple days, but I read the last 75% in one sitting. It's a quick, short read, so it doesn't take too long. And you would think with its lack of pages that it wouldn't get too involved, but man! There's the whole mystery of what the heck happened to her the night before. And it goes into her past: her friendships with Seemy and Toad, her quick fall into drinking, and her rehab stint.
It gets a little complicated because you're not sure if she started drinking again or if drugs came into the picture until she starts running into people who saw her the night before. Every clue she gets is totally accidental, so it's a little unbelievable and a bit over the top, but it makes it interesting I suppose. I did get sucked in and I really wanted her to remember, figure out what happened to her, because I didn't want her to go back to rehab or get in trouble (be it with her mom or just with life in general).
Also, Nan is supposed to be this tall, big-boned girl. I pictured her probably in exaggeration, but I could totally feel for her. It's hard to be a teenager and not fit in. She never seemed to have any friends, and then she found the wrong ones. It's amazing how fast things can change, and how quickly things can go wrong.
*spoilery stuff here*
I didn't like those guys, Turner and Hooch. They weren't a big part of the novel for them to turn out to be the awful assholes they were. And I had no idea what Liquid Gold was, so I didn't know what they were doing to the girls. I basically just wished Nan was stronger and that Seemy would have been a better person to leave her out of her trouble and let her get on with her healthy life. Ugh.
I received this ARC through Around The World ARC Tours. Here is my honest review:
I wasn't sure at the beginning of this novel if I would really get into it at all. It took me a couple days, but I read the last 75% in one sitting. It's a quick, short read, so it doesn't take too long. And you would think with its lack of pages that it wouldn't get too involved, but man! There's the whole mystery of what the heck happened to her the night before. And it goes into her past: her friendships with Seemy and Toad, her quick fall into drinking, and her rehab stint.
It gets a little complicated because you're not sure if she started drinking again or if drugs came into the picture until she starts running into people who saw her the night before. Every clue she gets is totally accidental, so it's a little unbelievable and a bit over the top, but it makes it interesting I suppose. I did get sucked in and I really wanted her to remember, figure out what happened to her, because I didn't want her to go back to rehab or get in trouble (be it with her mom or just with life in general).
Also, Nan is supposed to be this tall, big-boned girl. I pictured her probably in exaggeration, but I could totally feel for her. It's hard to be a teenager and not fit in. She never seemed to have any friends, and then she found the wrong ones. It's amazing how fast things can change, and how quickly things can go wrong.
*spoilery stuff here*
I didn't like those guys, Turner and Hooch. They weren't a big part of the novel for them to turn out to be the awful assholes they were. And I had no idea what Liquid Gold was, so I didn't know what they were doing to the girls. I basically just wished Nan was stronger and that Seemy would have been a better person to leave her out of her trouble and let her get on with her healthy life. Ugh.
baleypetersen's review against another edition
4.0
Original Post: http://thereadersbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/burnout-adrienne-maria-vrettos.html
Burnout is the story of Nan, a teenage girl who wakes up the morning after Halloween with no recollection of the night before. She wakes up on subway train wearing make up and a costume she doesn't remember. The problem is, while this would not have been unusual for Nan six months ago, she has since been through rehab, confronting her demons and leaving blackouts in the past. I was instantly intrigued by the idea of this mystery, so I was very excited when I won this book from GoodReads FirstReads.
At the heart of this novel is a girl who, I think, just wants to be good. Her home life is kind of a mess, so when she meets outrageous Seemy, Nan desparately wants to be her friend. Where Nan is big boned and amazon-esque, Seemy is petite and lithe. Nan is grounded and steady; Seemy is flighty and spontaneous. Nan falls in love with Seemy who prefers to avoid complex emotions in favor of one-night-stands with losers. Friendship with Seemy means skipping school to get drunk in the movie theater, or stand guard while she hooks up with a random guy in their sacred Carriage House. Despite it being a damaging friendship, Nan hangs on tightly to the lively girl who makes her feel special. Nan is a relatable character--most people, at one time or another, have been willing to forego rationality for the sake of affection from someone they love. For this reason, I care about Nan and how she came to wake up from a blackout after so many months in recovery.
I don't want to ruin the mystery, but I will say that not every question is answered...much like real life. There is some real terror in this story, inducing a heartwrenching kind of ache for these girls who are making choices that will impact their lives in significant ways. It's a fast read with memorable characters. Vrettos deserves the many accolades she has received this year for her stellar writing.
Rating: $$.5
Received courtesy of GoodReads FirstReads.
Burnout is the story of Nan, a teenage girl who wakes up the morning after Halloween with no recollection of the night before. She wakes up on subway train wearing make up and a costume she doesn't remember. The problem is, while this would not have been unusual for Nan six months ago, she has since been through rehab, confronting her demons and leaving blackouts in the past. I was instantly intrigued by the idea of this mystery, so I was very excited when I won this book from GoodReads FirstReads.
At the heart of this novel is a girl who, I think, just wants to be good. Her home life is kind of a mess, so when she meets outrageous Seemy, Nan desparately wants to be her friend. Where Nan is big boned and amazon-esque, Seemy is petite and lithe. Nan is grounded and steady; Seemy is flighty and spontaneous. Nan falls in love with Seemy who prefers to avoid complex emotions in favor of one-night-stands with losers. Friendship with Seemy means skipping school to get drunk in the movie theater, or stand guard while she hooks up with a random guy in their sacred Carriage House. Despite it being a damaging friendship, Nan hangs on tightly to the lively girl who makes her feel special. Nan is a relatable character--most people, at one time or another, have been willing to forego rationality for the sake of affection from someone they love. For this reason, I care about Nan and how she came to wake up from a blackout after so many months in recovery.
I don't want to ruin the mystery, but I will say that not every question is answered...much like real life. There is some real terror in this story, inducing a heartwrenching kind of ache for these girls who are making choices that will impact their lives in significant ways. It's a fast read with memorable characters. Vrettos deserves the many accolades she has received this year for her stellar writing.
Rating: $$.5
Received courtesy of GoodReads FirstReads.
chrissymcbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
This is a ghost story. I am the ghost.
Nan is not supposed to wake up in strange places anymore, without any memory of how she could have gotten herself into this mess again. She's not supposed to be drunk and drugged and confused like this -- not since Nanapocalypse, the event that left her in therapy, struggling to get clean from what her therapist calls a problem with making bad choices. She's supposed to be sober now... so, what happened?
Everything started back when Nan met Seemy, a tough pixie girl in dainty little dresses that could party like there was no tomorrow. Nan admired Seemy in a way she couldn't describe -- in a way that left her strangely desperate for attention and affection like never before in her life. And with Seemy, Nan felt tougher and more inspired to change herself.
First came the multicolored hair, then the combat boots and the wardrobe consisting of only black --- and then came the parties, the alcohol, the drugs... all leading to Nanpocalypse. And then, Nan learned her lesson.
So, why has Nan awoken in a subway, wearing a tiny, ripped costume dress with white face paint, cuts up her arms, a partially shaven hairdo, and absolutely no memory of what events could have led to this point? As Nan blacks in and out of consciousness, running around town, desperate to regain some bit of her memory, she alternates between the current time and memories of the past that may shed some insight into today -- the day she met Seemy, the day she met Toad, the day she went to rehab, and so on...
In alternating chapters, Nan slowly comes to terms with how she woke up this way... only to realize she may be in much more danger than she previously remembered...
BURNOUT was an intense, fast paced, crazy read that could easily be digested in a single sitting. The author did a fantastic job blending the past with the future, crafting a series of intricate events that defined Nan's current identity and led her up to the frightening present where she has awakened with no memory.
I enjoyed having a limited perspective of the story, only seeing reality as it slowly unfolded from Nan's hazy viewpoint. Once you start reading, there is NO way you can stop until you reach the very last page....
I loved this book and I definitely can't WAIT to read more from this author in the future!
Nan is not supposed to wake up in strange places anymore, without any memory of how she could have gotten herself into this mess again. She's not supposed to be drunk and drugged and confused like this -- not since Nanapocalypse, the event that left her in therapy, struggling to get clean from what her therapist calls a problem with making bad choices. She's supposed to be sober now... so, what happened?
Everything started back when Nan met Seemy, a tough pixie girl in dainty little dresses that could party like there was no tomorrow. Nan admired Seemy in a way she couldn't describe -- in a way that left her strangely desperate for attention and affection like never before in her life. And with Seemy, Nan felt tougher and more inspired to change herself.
First came the multicolored hair, then the combat boots and the wardrobe consisting of only black --- and then came the parties, the alcohol, the drugs... all leading to Nanpocalypse. And then, Nan learned her lesson.
So, why has Nan awoken in a subway, wearing a tiny, ripped costume dress with white face paint, cuts up her arms, a partially shaven hairdo, and absolutely no memory of what events could have led to this point? As Nan blacks in and out of consciousness, running around town, desperate to regain some bit of her memory, she alternates between the current time and memories of the past that may shed some insight into today -- the day she met Seemy, the day she met Toad, the day she went to rehab, and so on...
In alternating chapters, Nan slowly comes to terms with how she woke up this way... only to realize she may be in much more danger than she previously remembered...
BURNOUT was an intense, fast paced, crazy read that could easily be digested in a single sitting. The author did a fantastic job blending the past with the future, crafting a series of intricate events that defined Nan's current identity and led her up to the frightening present where she has awakened with no memory.
I enjoyed having a limited perspective of the story, only seeing reality as it slowly unfolded from Nan's hazy viewpoint. Once you start reading, there is NO way you can stop until you reach the very last page....
I loved this book and I definitely can't WAIT to read more from this author in the future!
joyagoffney's review against another edition
3.0
A thriller. Right near the end, pages started turning turning turning, but before that... so the characters felt a bit underdeveloped. I've realized I'm not a fan of stories that use the past to develop characters and to develop those relationships between the characters. Flashbacks are good and important, but when they are most of the story, I cant. It's just a personal distaste. The past is boring. The present is what keeps my interest. Anyhow, good poignant story, well written, didn't find myself rolling my eyes constantly. It was just... a book though.
lyssamarie's review against another edition
2.0
Title: Burnout
Author: Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Rating: 2.5 stars
Nan wakes up the day after Halloween on a subway bus seat, having no memory of the past 24 hours. Scared, confused, sick, and wearing a bad costume and face paint, she struggles to remember what went wrong. Her days of blackouts and memory loss were supposed to be over after going to rehab. So what happened?
This YA novel was a very fast read. It felt like I had only sat down reading for 30 minutes and was already halfway through the book. It's only about 200 pages, but the writing is fast, and even though some of the book seems slow-paced, it won't take you very long to read. Although a quick read, the writing isn't necessarily rushed, like some have criticized. I actually thought the writing was decent. Even through the slow, somewhat boring parts, it was well-written. The chapters alternate between present-day and flashbacks. The first three-fourths of the book is kind of slow, whereas the last fourth is fast because finally Nan is solving the mystery of what happened.
Honestly, Nan kind of irritated me. She made a lot of dumb decisions when she could have easily fixed things a lot faster had she gotten help immediately. But, of course, if she would have done that, there wouldn't have been a novel.
If you're looking for a fast YA read, this one isn't too bad. The Ohio Digital Library didn't have it, so unfortunately i had to spend 9 bucks on it, which it isn't really worth, so I recommend trying to find it at your local library. But hey, if you're really into quick reads about teenage alcoholism and blackout adventures, go ahead and buy it, because you'll probably really enjoy it.
Author: Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Rating: 2.5 stars
Nan wakes up the day after Halloween on a subway bus seat, having no memory of the past 24 hours. Scared, confused, sick, and wearing a bad costume and face paint, she struggles to remember what went wrong. Her days of blackouts and memory loss were supposed to be over after going to rehab. So what happened?
This YA novel was a very fast read. It felt like I had only sat down reading for 30 minutes and was already halfway through the book. It's only about 200 pages, but the writing is fast, and even though some of the book seems slow-paced, it won't take you very long to read. Although a quick read, the writing isn't necessarily rushed, like some have criticized. I actually thought the writing was decent. Even through the slow, somewhat boring parts, it was well-written. The chapters alternate between present-day and flashbacks. The first three-fourths of the book is kind of slow, whereas the last fourth is fast because finally Nan is solving the mystery of what happened.
Honestly, Nan kind of irritated me. She made a lot of dumb decisions when she could have easily fixed things a lot faster had she gotten help immediately. But, of course, if she would have done that, there wouldn't have been a novel.
If you're looking for a fast YA read, this one isn't too bad. The Ohio Digital Library didn't have it, so unfortunately i had to spend 9 bucks on it, which it isn't really worth, so I recommend trying to find it at your local library. But hey, if you're really into quick reads about teenage alcoholism and blackout adventures, go ahead and buy it, because you'll probably really enjoy it.