Reviews

Burning Britely by Deidre Huesmann

ryanpfw's review against another edition

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4.0

2023 update:

I had this series on my “to finish” list and re-read Book 1 before getting to Book 2. It resonated a bit more this time for me. Jeff is certainly unlikeable for stretches and there’s a few low points, but overall it felt like the solid setup I remembered. I may have been in a mood the first time. Updated to 4 stars.

Middle of the road for this one.

To be honest, it all feels like setup. This is the story of Jeff Young, who is fairly unlikeable for huge stretches of this novel, to the extent that I wondered what Braedon was even on about wanting to befriend him. There are lots of parts to this that could be interesting, namely Braedon’s younger brother, the changes to his education status, and Jeff’s new friends. 

This one was just okay, but the sequel has the capacity to do greater things.

eitan's review against another edition

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3.0

Corto y muy ameno. Puede considerable un buen libro puente para otros que sean más pesados. Los personajes (en especial Maya) están muy logrados y aunque la historia es típica, lleva un ritmo muy llevadero que no resulta pesado (al contrario, me lo leí de una asentada).

way2gosmartguy's review against another edition

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5.0

Burning Britely is a fabulous story by Deidre Huesmann. Its a coming of age story that follows two very different teenagers. It is the first book I have read by Huesmann, but I will be reading more. Her reading style pulls you in right from the beginning. The emotions are high, with drama, second chances, acceptance, love, fear, everything teenagers feel. Highly recommend the story.
Jeff Young is a nerd. He has his eye on valedictorian, even though he is still a junior. He spends his free time studying and getting ahead in homework. He has only one friend, and no intention of branching out. Braeden is the popular senior track star. Everyone lines him, including Jeff, who has been secretly crushing on him. Until a freak incident brings them together and sparks a friendship. Jeff tries to blow off Braeden, unsuccessfully. He is insistent on being friends and pushes until Jeff caves in and agrees to hang out. But can Jeff bury his feelings and separate the crush from the friendship? If not, is he willing to risk social suicide by coming out?

katie_83's review against another edition

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4.0

Burning Britely
By Deidre Huesmann
4 stars

After I read the blurb for this book I was really looking forward to getting started. I have read books by this author previously and I love her writing style, I find her stories easy to read and they are always about great characters. Although on the shorter side I still loved everything about this book and the hidden messages it was trying to put across. I loved the strength of friendships between the characters and I can only imagine how hard things must have been for the main characters Jeff and Braeden. I thought that author did an amazing job with this story and the way in which she wrote it. I really did feel everything that the characters did especially when it came to what other people think; unfortunately there are still people in this world who feel that way.
I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author again in the future.

lisa01's review against another edition

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5.0

Burning Britely
By Deidre Huesmann
Rated 5 stars

I really REALLY liked this story!

You know how some books are written purely for the enjoyment and others seem a little deeper. That is this book! There is the surface but if you look deeper there is a whole other level to this. The way this was written this could be about your brother, cousin or best friend. That makes it more relatable to the reader. You get a look Inside the life of a boy who is abrasive, cranky and prefers to be alone. He is protecting himself and trying to survive high school and figure out he fits in. I really empathized with boy. I was right there with him through all his good and bad times.

Even though it’s a shorts book it still packs a punch. One thing i really like about Jeff is how he thinks about things. Like basketball for example or lunch at school.....or a kiss. This is a story I won’t forget. In fact I will reread it when I need to lighten up a little.

Thank You Deidre Husemann for this outstanding book!

fish3718's review against another edition

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5.0

Burning Britely is a cute coming of age story. Deidre Huesmann has taken a sensitive subject matter into a beautiful story. Sometimes it is awkward enough to try to get through high school without being harass for being yourself. This is a story of a nerd who falls in love with the jock, the only difference is that it is a straight jock and a homosexual nerd. I love this story because it shows acceptance and not hate. It is hard enough when you are being labeled but it can be tortured and have lasting affects the rest of your life. As an adult reading the YA book, I would recommend that every child read a story of acceptance. I applauded Deidre Huesmann for writing this beautiful book.

bwagner's review against another edition

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4.0

It is a young adult book about being proud of who you are and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed how this story pulled me in right from the beginning and made me feel as if I was right there in the story. I enjoyed the characters are they were lovable and relateable. Jeff was my favorite even though I felt some compassion for him. I enjoyed watching him grow throughout the story and become the person he truly is. An emotional roller coaster with some twists and turns, I highly recommend this book.

angelahayes's review against another edition

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4.0

4 Stars

Burning Britely by Deidre Huesmann is a great YA/coming of age story, full of self-discovery, angst, drama, friendship, expectations, emotions, and self-acceptance. I am familiar with Ms. Huesmann’s other work, and really liked the Modern Greek Tale series, and The Alpha’s Pride- but this book is something different - and again it just proves that Ms. Huesmann can work with any genre/subject and create an engrossing story.
The book is a short story and is a very quick and easy read. It has a great pace and a smooth flow. The story and characters were interesting and quite relatable. I loved the strong character development and growth that occurred over the course of the story. For such a short story, the characters were fully realised, and the story had a depth that’s not so easy to achieve in a short amount of space- but Ms. Huesmann certainly succeeded where many have failed.
I am not going to give away spoilers, or rehash the premise of the story- as the blurb does a better job than I ever could. But, I do recommend reading this book, especially to those who love a great YA novel that has all the angst and inner turmoil that come with being a teenager- exploring the characters ‘coming of age’.

Thank you, Ms. Huesmann!

kazbo5771's review against another edition

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5.0

Burning Britely is the first part in a wonderful young adult coming-of-age series by Deidre Huesmann. It’s different from most other YA coming-of-age stories in that the main character Jeff Young is bisexual and the object of his desires in this book is male.
I absolutely adored Jeff. He’s the exact opposite of most leading males in a book. He’s short, skinny, grumpy and very nerdy. He’s very much a loner, with only Maya as a friend, and has been the subject of much bullying in his past. The object of Jeff’s desires is Braeden Britely, a character who could not be any different from Jeff. Braeden is the tall, muscular, sporty star of the school track team…and very straight.
The growing friendship between Jeff and Braeden is a fantastic read. Jeff’s struggle with his feelings towards Braeden is a compelling read. This book has so much angst, heartbreak and emotion, you won’t want to put it down. It’s a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the 2nd book Yearning Young.

jennadb's review against another edition

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4.0

Burning Britely by Deidre Huesmann is a quick and easy read that you will read in one  sitting. It is a young adult story about experiencing life in high school and trying to  work out who you are. It is an emotional read as someone who was once happy with  who they were is now trying to deal with feelings that are completely foreign. Deidre  wrote characters that are relatable and you can see everything in your minds eye.  
This is an enjoyable read that you will interest any young adult.