Review: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian 

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.
Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.
Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Review: 

I am a huge fan of Jenny Han's Summer series and I'm constantly recommending it. I've read one novel by Siobhan Vivian, The List, and really enjoyed it, as well. This author duo seemed like the perfect pair to write a contemporary novel together and while this didn't exactly blow me away, it was an intriguing start to a series and I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next. 

The way this book was written, from three different points of view, made it easy to connect with each of the three girls. Lillia, Kat, and Mary may seem like complete opposites at first, but the more you read, the clearer their similarities become. At first, I wasn't entirely grabbed because I had a hard time separating who was who, but soon, each of the characters became very distinctive and I enjoyed each of their storylines. Revenge books are usually a hit or a miss for me, but Burn for Burn just worked! The characters were likable and the entire plot was addicting-- I just had to know what was going to happen! 

Lillia, Kat, and Mary, the three narrators, had each been wronged by someone else in their grade. I liked seeing the girls plot out different types of revenge and I was constantly flipping the pages, needing to know how things would turn out. Lillia, Kat, and Mary learned a lot about each other and those around them over the course of Burn for Burn and we are able to see what happens when revenge goes wrong. 

I think this book will be gobbled up by fans of Pretty Little Liars. It has just the right amount of mystery and intrigue, plus a touch of the supernatural, and the setting was perfect. Jar Island was such a unique place and everything about it added something to the novel. 

I've heard mixed reviews on Burn for Burn, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and the ending left me eager to pick up Fire with Fire, which unfortunately won't be released for awhile! I can't believe Jenny and Siobhan ended the book at that point and I need to know how things will work out. I definitely recommend Burn for Burn and I think it will appeal to all kinds of readers. I'm certain this series will  only get better and better and I'm looking forward to the summary for Fire with Fire being released!

Overall: 4  out of 5 stars

September 18, 2012/Simon & Schuster BFYR/368 Pages/Young Adult/Book One 

Source: Publisher 

Other books in this series: Fire with Fire (2013), Ashes to Ashes (2014)