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carringtonshaw's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This took me a little while to get into, but once I did, I could not put it down! This is not my typical genre, but I'm giving it a shot. Once I was able to get past my snobby mental block of 'This is for teenagers and it is too far below your reading level', it just turned into a serious guilty pleasure! Who doesn't love a good underdog revenge story? And I loved watching the three main characters gradually become friends. It even had hints of some paranormal stuff going on, so that was fun.
I liked that the girls were all very distinct from one another. Too often that ends up not being the case in books with multiple perspectives.
Without giving too much away...at one point there is an attempted suicide mentioned. And then at another point, a character is at someone's house knocking on the door, and there's the briefest little horror-movie-style scene that gave me some serious chills for some reason. I'm probably way off here, but my prediction is that the forementioned attempted suicide was a little less "attempted" and a little more "succeeded" and that that explains the paranormal stuff. I don't know. Again, probably way off, but I'm going to at least read the second book and probably the third if that one doesn't let me down, so I guess I'll find out!
Also random: I'm currently watching The Vampire Diaries, and it was impossible for me not to picture Reeve as Michael Trevino and Alex as Zach Roerig. The girls were just the ones from the book cover. (I think maybe the Kat on the cover is Ashley Benson? If not, that's still who she is in my head.)
I liked that the girls were all very distinct from one another. Too often that ends up not being the case in books with multiple perspectives.
Without giving too much away...at one point there is an attempted suicide mentioned. And then at another point, a character is at someone's house knocking on the door, and there's the briefest little horror-movie-style scene that gave me some serious chills for some reason. I'm probably way off here, but my prediction is that the forementioned attempted suicide was a little less "attempted" and a little more "succeeded" and that that explains the paranormal stuff. I don't know. Again, probably way off, but I'm going to at least read the second book and probably the third if that one doesn't let me down, so I guess I'll find out!
Also random: I'm currently watching The Vampire Diaries, and it was impossible for me not to picture Reeve as Michael Trevino and Alex as Zach Roerig. The girls were just the ones from the book cover. (I think maybe the Kat on the cover is Ashley Benson? If not, that's still who she is in my head.)
fantasynovel's review
4.0
I really liked this book. I mean, I think I did. Here's what I liked:
1) The setting. I'm a sucker for island books. I love reading about the close-knit communities that form in these settings. The setting made me feel like I was on summer vacation, even though there's a foot of snow outside my house.
2) The distinct narratives. Sometimes it's really hard to tell the narratives apart, but I was never confused by who was talking. Partly because the chapters were so short that I didn't have any time to forget the name at the top of the chapter, but mostly because each girl was very developed and her own person.
3) The revenge. I love books where people take revenge in an organized fashion! I mean, it's been done before, but I'll read it as many times as someone wants to write it!
There was more I liked, but those were the three main things. Three things I didn't like:
1) The WTF sci-fi undercurrent. This one girl called Mary supposedly can make things happen with her mind like slam lockers shut, make a cheerleader fall off the top of a pyramid, and cause a power surge. So, does she have ESP, or is she crazy? I don't know, but if it's ESP, it just feels weird to include it in a contemporary. It just makes me feel uncomfortable.
2) You know what? I can't think of anything else. I really liked this book. Maybe it was just the ESP storyline than bothered me so much!
1) The setting. I'm a sucker for island books. I love reading about the close-knit communities that form in these settings. The setting made me feel like I was on summer vacation, even though there's a foot of snow outside my house.
2) The distinct narratives. Sometimes it's really hard to tell the narratives apart, but I was never confused by who was talking. Partly because the chapters were so short that I didn't have any time to forget the name at the top of the chapter, but mostly because each girl was very developed and her own person.
3) The revenge. I love books where people take revenge in an organized fashion! I mean, it's been done before, but I'll read it as many times as someone wants to write it!
There was more I liked, but those were the three main things. Three things I didn't like:
1) The WTF sci-fi undercurrent. This one girl called Mary supposedly can make things happen with her mind like slam lockers shut, make a cheerleader fall off the top of a pyramid, and cause a power surge. So, does she have ESP, or is she crazy? I don't know, but if it's ESP, it just feels weird to include it in a contemporary. It just makes me feel uncomfortable.
2) You know what? I can't think of anything else. I really liked this book. Maybe it was just the ESP storyline than bothered me so much!
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
4.0
Mini review! 3 1/2 stars.
Three girls take karma in their own hands. This is a very straight forward revenge story that I enjoyed much more than expected. It's the type of book where the flaws are obvious but you can ignore them because the pacing doesn't let you catch a breath. Before you know it, 400 pages have flown by and you can't remember many details, other than that it was awesome. There were many things that should have bothered me about this book, if it wasn't so entertaining.
The teenagers were the classic clichés, and all fall into the classic social groups. The jocks, the popular kids, the social outcasts etc. It's basically everything you’d expect at an American high school, and given how often this theme comes up in books and movies, I'm starting to wonder if it's actually true to real life or just a trope. For some reason it works, because our characters may are not entire cardboard cutouts, and actually have valid reasons for getting back at the people who have hurt them. All three main characters had a distinct voice and were surprisingly understandable.
The best thing about this book is without a doubt how addictive it is. Someone might as well have sprinkled drugs between the pages, I kid you not. I was surprised by how invested I was in the characters and couldn't wait to see how they would take their revenge. I can't wait to read the next one!
Side note: This book reminds me so much of Bad Blood by Taylor Swift.
1. Because Taylor Swift is an icon.
2. The revenge theme.
3. The music video is just as exciting as this book and has tons of badass ladies killin' it. YES.
Three girls take karma in their own hands. This is a very straight forward revenge story that I enjoyed much more than expected. It's the type of book where the flaws are obvious but you can ignore them because the pacing doesn't let you catch a breath. Before you know it, 400 pages have flown by and you can't remember many details, other than that it was awesome. There were many things that should have bothered me about this book, if it wasn't so entertaining.
The teenagers were the classic clichés, and all fall into the classic social groups. The jocks, the popular kids, the social outcasts etc. It's basically everything you’d expect at an American high school, and given how often this theme comes up in books and movies, I'm starting to wonder if it's actually true to real life or just a trope. For some reason it works, because our characters may are not entire cardboard cutouts, and actually have valid reasons for getting back at the people who have hurt them. All three main characters had a distinct voice and were surprisingly understandable.
The best thing about this book is without a doubt how addictive it is. Someone might as well have sprinkled drugs between the pages, I kid you not. I was surprised by how invested I was in the characters and couldn't wait to see how they would take their revenge. I can't wait to read the next one!
Side note: This book reminds me so much of Bad Blood by Taylor Swift.
1. Because Taylor Swift is an icon.
2. The revenge theme.
3. The music video is just as exciting as this book and has tons of badass ladies killin' it. YES.
harleyrae's review
4.0
I love Jennifer Hans books. I find the writing fun and engaging. This book was no different, from he very beginning you are pulled in.
Burn for burn follows 3 girls who get together to put revenge on people who have hurt them. All while trying not to get caught.
I wish it was easier to the each POV apart, they were all very similar. My least favorite POV though was Kat, she just isn't my favorite. My favorite to read was Marys, I found her mysterious and fun.
All in all I can't wait to continue with the series and see what happens next.
Burn for burn follows 3 girls who get together to put revenge on people who have hurt them. All while trying not to get caught.
I wish it was easier to the each POV apart, they were all very similar. My least favorite POV though was Kat, she just isn't my favorite. My favorite to read was Marys, I found her mysterious and fun.
All in all I can't wait to continue with the series and see what happens next.
brendalovesbooks's review
3.0
This was like one of those teenage drama TV shows. It's definitely not great literature, but it was very entertaining. Two things that moved it down from four stars to three: the ending (I can't stand cliffhangers); the supernatural element that seemed to be thrown in there for no discernible reason.
maritzah's review against another edition
4.0
Whaaaaaaaat. I'm shocked and with so many questions.
At first, I thought this would be like a PLL book, but then when I read the first revenge I thought it would be a lot lighter than that and I was ok with that, but after that when they said the plan against Reeve, I was like: Ohhh, ok ok, it's a bit harder than I expected but then happens this and I'm :o
Since the start of the book, they gave us little clues of how weird were some moments when Mary was upset, but I get shocked anyways.
So, Mary has powers? Since then? And what kind of powers? Reeve was in love with Lillia? Alex really didn't hook up with Nadia?
I need anwsers so yes, I'll read the second book.
At first, I thought this would be like a PLL book, but then when I read the first revenge I thought it would be a lot lighter than that and I was ok with that, but after that when they said the plan against Reeve, I was like: Ohhh, ok ok, it's a bit harder than I expected but then happens this and I'm :o
Since the start of the book, they gave us little clues of how weird were some moments when Mary was upset, but I get shocked anyways.
So, Mary has powers? Since then? And what kind of powers? Reeve was in love with Lillia? Alex really didn't hook up with Nadia?
I need anwsers so yes, I'll read the second book.
wishfulfillment's review against another edition
4.0
2019 re-read: 4 stars. This was not nearly as terrible as I remembered it being. I didn't perceive the rape to be used as a plot device necessarily. The trauma responses were not inaccurate, though they were dramatized. The protagonists respond to Mary's bullying history appropriately but the authors definitely did not put in the time to challenge fat phobia. The authors were able to make the backstories believable while at the same time focusing primarily on the present. The characters are extremely believable as teenagers. There are less than a dozen harmful comments scattered throughout the book, but overall it was a fun revenge story that kept me invested from start to finish. I will be moving on to the next book immediately.
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2017 review summarized: I gave the work 4 stars at first because of how entertaining it was, how invested I was in the protagonists and their dynamics, and how believably the subplots developed. Then I thought about the content (suicide, bullying, rape, mental/emotional mind games, betrayal, unchallenged fat phobia, disordered eating, trauma responses) and lowered my rating to 1.5. I said I enjoyed it and would continue the series, but wouldn't recommend it.
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2017 review summarized: I gave the work 4 stars at first because of how entertaining it was, how invested I was in the protagonists and their dynamics, and how believably the subplots developed. Then I thought about the content (suicide, bullying, rape, mental/emotional mind games, betrayal, unchallenged fat phobia, disordered eating, trauma responses) and lowered my rating to 1.5. I said I enjoyed it and would continue the series, but wouldn't recommend it.
isabella1018's review
3.0
Did not expect this. I flew threw it and it was a fun read. I'm not super invested with the characters at the moment but I hope I can become more attatched in book 2 and 3!