Book Review: Burning

Stars: 2
Author: Danielle Rollins
Genre: Ya Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA


Review: 
I did not like this book, but it that doesn't mean it is a bad book. In fact, I think a lot of kids might like it. It's a bit edgy (in that the teens in the book are in a juvenile detention center and they have committed crimes, some of them seem like they are sincerely dangerous and disturbed). It has a very, very Orange is the New Black vibe right from page one. I could almost picture Brunesfield as Litchfield. Also, there is a quite a bit of violence, some of it a bit gory, and there is a mystery/thriller element with a paranormal twist. I found it to be well-paced, but not particularly original. The story didn't totally lose me until after about 60% when the dangerous purpose of the SciGirls club is finally revealed (cue the cheesy, creepy music).

I didn't mind the heroine, Angela, but she didn't really do much for me either. She is reasonably well-fleshed out and her two friends: Cara and Issie are also reasonably well-drawn, but none of them were particularly compelling for me. Quite frankly, I didn't care what happened to any of them. The mystery centers on a newly incarcerated young girl named Jessica. Over the first 40% of the book we come to find out Jessica has the mysterious and horrifying ability to set people and things on fire-- with her mind! (*gasp* ) However, after the initial mystery surrounding Jessica is revealed, the story fell flat for me. I easily predicted that the new, "good" doctor at the prison, was not really good and that there would be a romance between Angela and the guard (really?! Straight rip-off from Orange is the New Black *sigh*). I didn't love any of that. And  I really didn't love the conspiracy theory secret-organization-who-takes-girls-from-juvie-for-secret-experiments-because-no-one-will-notice-or-care angle. There is a cliff-hanger at the end, but by that point, I was skimming. I wouldn't pick up the next one. For a younger, less-jaded reader this book might work, but it didn't for me.