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Flash Burnout: A Morris Award-Winning Coming-of-Age Novel of Photography, Friendship, and Identity
Winner of the 2010 William C. Morris Award!
Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who’s a girl. One of them loves him; the other one needs him.
When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa’s long-lost meth addicted mom. Blake’s participation in the ensuing drama opens up a world of trouble, both for him and for Marissa. He spends the next few months trying to reconcile the conflicting roles of Boyfriend and Friend. His experiences range from the comic (surviving his dad’s birth control talk) to the tragic (a harrowing after-hours visit to the morgue).
In a tangle of life and death, love and loyalty, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of himself.
Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who’s a girl. One of them loves him; the other one needs him.
When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa’s long-lost meth addicted mom. Blake’s participation in the ensuing drama opens up a world of trouble, both for him and for Marissa. He spends the next few months trying to reconcile the conflicting roles of Boyfriend and Friend. His experiences range from the comic (surviving his dad’s birth control talk) to the tragic (a harrowing after-hours visit to the morgue).
In a tangle of life and death, love and loyalty, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of himself.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2009
38 people are currently reading
4759 people want to read
About the author
L.K. Madigan
3 books144 followersLisa Wolfson (also known as L.K. Madigan) was born in Portland, Oregon, but when she was ten years old, her parents moved to Los Angeles. They were pretty insistent that she accompany them. She spent the rest of her formative years in L.A. (the Valley, to be exact … a region made famous in both song and film). When she was 28, she decided that she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in L.A., even though she had a cool job working at Warner Bros. Records. Her husband and her decided to relocate to her hometown. Living in Portland and L.A. made her the kind of person who was equally at home sitting in traffic jams or walking in the rain.
FLASH BURNOUT was published in October 2009. Her second young adult novel, a paranormal story titled THE MERMAID’S MIRROR, was released in Fall 2010.
She was a 20-year breast cancer survivor. She died on February 23, 2011 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 47.
FLASH BURNOUT was published in October 2009. Her second young adult novel, a paranormal story titled THE MERMAID’S MIRROR, was released in Fall 2010.
She was a 20-year breast cancer survivor. She died on February 23, 2011 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 47.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
January 4, 2012
She flips through the photos, her face impassive. “Too bad about the flash burnout on this one.”Books like this remind me of why I love contemporary young adult fiction.
I look over at the shot she’s indicating. “The what?”
“The flash burnout. You got too close to the subject. So the flash overexposed her. Well, me, I mean.”
Flash Burnout is by no means a perfect book. Its frank approach to love, lust, death and drug abuse may not hold universal appeal with readers. But where these themes often get over written, overblown, over dramatized, Flash Burnout handles them with finesse. The story that emerges from the finely balanced humour and sadness is a pitch-perfect, poignant snapshot of teen life, and the reality of growing up.
Flash Burnout only appeared on my book radar when I heard through the blogosphere about the death of L K Madigan. The tributes to her writing, her life, her very person piqued my interest, but it wasn’t until this year that I actually got around to procuring Flash Burnout. And now I wonder what I was waiting for.
There is a lot of talk/writing around the internets about “voice”, but if I wanted to show someone exactly what I think well done voice is, rather than try to tell them, I’d push a copy of this book into their hands. Because Madigan nails it. Throughout this entire story, Blake’s character spills off the pages. Through the serious, the funny, the macabre – it’s still Blake telling the story, Blake’s personality colouring the scenes, Blake’s fifteen-year-old-guy-lens filtering the world. And I loved this so hard. I laughed with him and at him, I cheered for him, I got mad at him, and my heart ached for him. Essentially, I believed just about every word of this book. It rang with authenticity, and had the heart that’s sometimes lacking from first person narration.
This has also got to be one my favourite portrayals of family in a YA novel. Rather than being mere phantom presences, or convenient foils for adolescent hijinks, the Hewson parents have a real role in this story as strongly realized, important characters in their own right. From the awkward safe sex talk, to the brotherly ribbing, to their unconditional love and support, Blake’s family bring another dimension to this story, a vital layer to the characterisation of Blake.
Then there’s Shannon and Marissa: the girlfriend who loves Blake, and the friend who needs him. It would have been easy for these two relationships to fall into cliché territory, or for one of them to be conveniently villainised, creating an easy way out of a tricky scenario. But instead, both girls are refreshingly interesting, flawed and sympathetic characters.
While I anticipated where the plot was headed relatively quickly, I can’t say that this detracted from my reading experience. In fact, perhaps the opposite is true. Understanding what was likely to happen, where Madigan was going to push her characters, probably made it all the more intense.
Flash Burnout doesn’t flinch from heading into murky territory when it comes to choices and actions. But I feel it’s well handled here. There’s a certain gravity to the writing, without coming across as heavy-handed or preachy. Neither does the story try to justify or shelter the characters from their decisions. Madigan simply lays it out in all of its raw, painful complexity. Most importantly though, I felt invested in these characters. I liked them. And I think it's this ability to create engaging characters that elicit a real response from the reader, that make this such a compelling story.
I also appreciate the fact that there’s no big bow tying off the ending. It would have felt like a cop out, a betrayal of the honesty with which Madigan had chosen to tell the story. As Blake’s Mum would say “actions have consequences,” and the reality of navigating adolescence is not always a John Hughes film.
This turned out to be a bit more of a gush than I set out to write. That tends to happen when I read a book that both surprises me and exceeds my expectations, and Flash Burnout did just that.
December 2, 2011
It isn't everyday I read a book I really like. I was pretty ambivalent for the first fifty or so pages, but the premise (and the love triangle) intrigued me.
Alright, the love triangle more-so than the premise. I'll admit it -- I'm a sucker for well written love triangles, especially if one of the love interests is the best friend of the MC. I like best-friends-fall-in-love stories. Even more than that, I prefer books written from male POV. Yes, three admissions in one review. I feel like I'm in an AA meeting.
Anyway, I didn't expect to like this book. I figured it be another lame two-star contemporary that lacked substance or meaning. I was wrong. It's, more or less, kind of like Zero, by Tom Leveen. Underneath the light exterior is a complicated psuedo-dark read. Not Courtney Summers dark, but it certainly isn't something you'd shelve next to a Meg Cabot book. That's not to say that Meg Cabot books lack substance or meaning (well, I think they do, but that's for another review).
Just because a book is light doesn't mean it should lack substance, but the majority that I've read, ie Anna and the French Kiss, anything by Lauren Barnholdt, and anything by Simone Elkeles, aren't able to deliver a memorable read. I read them once, gripe about it here, and forget them soon after. Flash Burnout is different. It starts out like one of those books and then it evolves.
Now, if you read my reviews on a regular basis, you know how much I hate stupid teenagers and unrealistic portrayals of drugs/alcohol (on either end of the spectrum). But more than that, I hate when authors are unable to decide what kind of book they're writing. It's like they're having a genre crisis -- looking at you Glee. Unless you're writing a black comedy, it's very difficult to have an MC who cracks a bunch of (bad) jokes and still maintain a serious tone. Even more than that, it's almost impossible to feel sorry for an MC who deals with petty shit when the supporting characters have way more crap on their plates. Why should I throw you a pity party over the cute boy not noticing you in class when your friend's mom is dying from cancer?
The main character, Blake, is likable. It's as simple as that. I cared what happened to him. I wanted to see if he'd screw around with his best friend. Curiosity and empathy. That's all it takes to get me to finish a book. You don't need space ships, vampire boyfriends, or zombie plagues. You should be able to take those elements out of your book and state in one sentence what your novel is about. If you're unable to do that, I'm under the impression that you have a problem.
In one sentence, what is Flash Burnout about? It's about a guy choosing between a girl who wants him and a girl who needs him. That's the core plot. Hell, even the inside cover jacket says as much.
And the ending? I liked it. I want a sequel from Melissa's POV, provided it doesn't follow in the footsteps of Goth Girl Rising.
My main problem with this book? The way Blake refers to his GF as his girl. It's kind of odd, almost bordering on objectification. Coupled with the way he treats her, I think he could do with a little more suffering. Also, the pop culture references are bit much, as well as the slang. But I love the bits on photography.
4.25 stars. This is tied with Finding Grace for the best contemporary book I've read this year.
October 14, 2009
Once I started reading this book I had trouble putting it down, even though, on the surface, the plot doesn't sound like one I would find page turning.
What I loved about this book was the depth of characterization. I know Lisa, and sometimes that makes it very hard to get lost in a book. When you know the author, you see too much of them in the pages to forget that you're reading a story. But I did get lost in the characters. They were so complex. At first I thought Blake's older brother would just be a jerk and Blake's relationship with his girlfriend Shannon would be boring while he fell for his troubled classmate in photography, Marissa.
As the book unfolds, nothing is that simple. Blake's older brother Garrett does some things that made me like him a lot even though he remained mostly irritating. I felt terribly sorry for Shannon at one point even though I understood Blake's position too. And the circumstances with Marissa didn't unfold as I expected either.
Blake himself has a great voice -- funny, sympathetic, realistically boy (I felt), and highly likable.
Even minor characters like the parents and teachers stand out in this wonderful book. Lisa nailed characterization without sacrificing pacing, which is all too rare. Highly recommended.
What I loved about this book was the depth of characterization. I know Lisa, and sometimes that makes it very hard to get lost in a book. When you know the author, you see too much of them in the pages to forget that you're reading a story. But I did get lost in the characters. They were so complex. At first I thought Blake's older brother would just be a jerk and Blake's relationship with his girlfriend Shannon would be boring while he fell for his troubled classmate in photography, Marissa.
As the book unfolds, nothing is that simple. Blake's older brother Garrett does some things that made me like him a lot even though he remained mostly irritating. I felt terribly sorry for Shannon at one point even though I understood Blake's position too. And the circumstances with Marissa didn't unfold as I expected either.
Blake himself has a great voice -- funny, sympathetic, realistically boy (I felt), and highly likable.
Even minor characters like the parents and teachers stand out in this wonderful book. Lisa nailed characterization without sacrificing pacing, which is all too rare. Highly recommended.
December 6, 2009
Three words; gritty, pretty & bizarre
There was just something so very unique about this story. I couldn't stop turning the pages, even though on the surface the plot isn't something I'd think of as a "page turner".
Madigan seamlessly blends humor with more serious matters. She's somehow realistically channeled the mind of a teenage boy (to me anyway) that most authors even the male ones, have a hard time doing. The characterization was fantastic. Even the most minor characters seemed to leap of the page.
This was just an awesome debut novel. Fantastic characterization, genuine dialogue and highly entertaining.
There was just something so very unique about this story. I couldn't stop turning the pages, even though on the surface the plot isn't something I'd think of as a "page turner".
Madigan seamlessly blends humor with more serious matters. She's somehow realistically channeled the mind of a teenage boy (to me anyway) that most authors even the male ones, have a hard time doing. The characterization was fantastic. Even the most minor characters seemed to leap of the page.
This was just an awesome debut novel. Fantastic characterization, genuine dialogue and highly entertaining.
June 14, 2015
I found an okay-copy of this book in Booksale for a cheap price. I'm hesitant to buy this but when I saw that Sara Zarr blurbed this one. No contest, I bought it. :D
August 2, 2009
stayed up till past 1.30am to finish lk madigan's FLASH BURNOUT. brilliant. funny, touching, sad, and utterly real. i love blake. RECOMMEND!
madigan channeled a boy teen with a sense
of humor and heart--capable of mistakes like
all of us is nothing short of amazing.
a terrific read!
madigan channeled a boy teen with a sense
of humor and heart--capable of mistakes like
all of us is nothing short of amazing.
a terrific read!
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Blake is trying to understand relationships. He has a girlfriend and he is also the friend of a girl. Both relationships are important to him, but he realizes balancing them requires artful skill much like in his hobby of photography. There are rules to follow and one mistake can cause everything to go out of focus.
Blake is a cool character. He dreams of life as a stand-up comic and uses almost every opportunity to test out jokes and one-liners. He chalks up an invisible mark every time he gets a laugh. Many of those laughs come from Shannon. Blake can't believe how much fun she is, how beautiful she is, and how much he is really starting to love her.
Marissa is Blake's partner in photography class. As the two youngest in the class, they became partners by default, but it's a partnership that has worked well. Their friendship revolves strictly around photography until the day Blake accidentally takes a picture of Marissa's mother. He didn't realize they were mother and daughter when he stumbled across the homeless woman sleeping on the street. The photo begins a change in their friendship as Blake learns the truth about Marissa's mother.
What makes this story unique is the combination of an interesting cast of characters in a mix of serious situations and refreshing humor. My attention was immediately grabbed in the opening pages as Blake enters the kitchen for breakfast. He describes the snapshots of gunshot wounds fanned out across the kitchen table and the snoring of his father, the coroner, asleep on the nearby couch. Then there's the entrance of his mother, a hospital chaplain, dressed in only underwear and a blouse. As she fixes her morning coffee, Blake is disgusted, but not particularly shocked, when she warns of an oncoming hot flash and promptly removes her blouse.
With an introduction like that, how can readers not continue turning pages?
L. K. Madigan has fun with her characters as she takes them through the good times and the bad. Readers are sure to find at least one character to relate to and at least one experience to learn from. Several added bonuses include a photography tip at the beginning of each chapter and two interesting playlists with commentary from Blake at the end of the book.
FLASH BURNOUT doesn't come out until October 2009, but be sure to watch for it; it's a worthwhile read.
Blake is trying to understand relationships. He has a girlfriend and he is also the friend of a girl. Both relationships are important to him, but he realizes balancing them requires artful skill much like in his hobby of photography. There are rules to follow and one mistake can cause everything to go out of focus.
Blake is a cool character. He dreams of life as a stand-up comic and uses almost every opportunity to test out jokes and one-liners. He chalks up an invisible mark every time he gets a laugh. Many of those laughs come from Shannon. Blake can't believe how much fun she is, how beautiful she is, and how much he is really starting to love her.
Marissa is Blake's partner in photography class. As the two youngest in the class, they became partners by default, but it's a partnership that has worked well. Their friendship revolves strictly around photography until the day Blake accidentally takes a picture of Marissa's mother. He didn't realize they were mother and daughter when he stumbled across the homeless woman sleeping on the street. The photo begins a change in their friendship as Blake learns the truth about Marissa's mother.
What makes this story unique is the combination of an interesting cast of characters in a mix of serious situations and refreshing humor. My attention was immediately grabbed in the opening pages as Blake enters the kitchen for breakfast. He describes the snapshots of gunshot wounds fanned out across the kitchen table and the snoring of his father, the coroner, asleep on the nearby couch. Then there's the entrance of his mother, a hospital chaplain, dressed in only underwear and a blouse. As she fixes her morning coffee, Blake is disgusted, but not particularly shocked, when she warns of an oncoming hot flash and promptly removes her blouse.
With an introduction like that, how can readers not continue turning pages?
L. K. Madigan has fun with her characters as she takes them through the good times and the bad. Readers are sure to find at least one character to relate to and at least one experience to learn from. Several added bonuses include a photography tip at the beginning of each chapter and two interesting playlists with commentary from Blake at the end of the book.
FLASH BURNOUT doesn't come out until October 2009, but be sure to watch for it; it's a worthwhile read.
January 12, 2011
Flash Burnout is a rarity among YA novels for a number of reasons.
1. It’s edgy and realistic: No vamps, no zombies, nary a faery, but the subject matter does include a number of difficult subjects including drug addition, parental abandonment and sex (parents, don’t cover your eyes yet). I love vamps as much as the next reader, but it’s refreshing to visit real problems in the real world — there are no potions, runes or spells to undo the choices the characters make.
What’s more, the story doesn’t have a neatly-wrapped ending like so many YA novels, where the guy gets the girl, evil is defeated and mortals sleep in peace. Life has loose threads and so does Flash Burnout (and I promise, nothing more spoilery than that). That’s not to say it isn’t satisfying – it is, with its central message of “actions have consequences.”
To that I say, amen.
2. It’s written from a male POV: Blake’s voice is, hands down, the best male POV I’ve read in a long, long time. There is a serious lack of boys’ POVs in YA. Because girls read more? With more characters like this, even reluctant male readers will be forced to bow down to Madigan’s genius. She captures a guy’s high school experience like Blake captures “gritty” with his ever-present camera.
3. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious: Readers may not realize this, but it’s extremely difficult to write humor, even for funny people, but again, Madigan handles this with ease. Not only that, she creates necessary and ever-present sexual tension using humor, reminding this reader of her best guy friends from high school.
The funniest scenes involve Blake’s parents, particularly his dad, when he has “the talk” with Blake after realizing he may soon be taking things to the next level with his girlfriend. It’s awkward, embarrassing and shoot-soda-out-your-nose funny. It’s also great to see present, supportive parents, in a genre where parents are largely MIA.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up — it deserves a place in your to-read list. Then tell us what you think in the comments or at clumzbella@yahoo.com.
1. It’s edgy and realistic: No vamps, no zombies, nary a faery, but the subject matter does include a number of difficult subjects including drug addition, parental abandonment and sex (parents, don’t cover your eyes yet). I love vamps as much as the next reader, but it’s refreshing to visit real problems in the real world — there are no potions, runes or spells to undo the choices the characters make.
What’s more, the story doesn’t have a neatly-wrapped ending like so many YA novels, where the guy gets the girl, evil is defeated and mortals sleep in peace. Life has loose threads and so does Flash Burnout (and I promise, nothing more spoilery than that). That’s not to say it isn’t satisfying – it is, with its central message of “actions have consequences.”
To that I say, amen.
2. It’s written from a male POV: Blake’s voice is, hands down, the best male POV I’ve read in a long, long time. There is a serious lack of boys’ POVs in YA. Because girls read more? With more characters like this, even reluctant male readers will be forced to bow down to Madigan’s genius. She captures a guy’s high school experience like Blake captures “gritty” with his ever-present camera.
3. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious: Readers may not realize this, but it’s extremely difficult to write humor, even for funny people, but again, Madigan handles this with ease. Not only that, she creates necessary and ever-present sexual tension using humor, reminding this reader of her best guy friends from high school.
The funniest scenes involve Blake’s parents, particularly his dad, when he has “the talk” with Blake after realizing he may soon be taking things to the next level with his girlfriend. It’s awkward, embarrassing and shoot-soda-out-your-nose funny. It’s also great to see present, supportive parents, in a genre where parents are largely MIA.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up — it deserves a place in your to-read list. Then tell us what you think in the comments or at clumzbella@yahoo.com.
March 16, 2021
Wow, this gave me a lot to chew on. Very different and refreshing.
Flash Burnout is an incredibly authentic and modern YA story centered on Blake Hewson. Blake is 15, a high school sophomore, and head over heels for his girlfriend Shannon. Shannon is a typical teenaged girlfriend. She's beautiful, fun and funny, but highly emotional and insecure. Blake is also friends with Marissa, a girl he met in Photography class last year. She's also fun and funny, but he honestly doesn't see her as more than a friend. Recently he learned that she lives with her grandmother because her mom is addicted to meth and has been missing a long time. Marissa is sweet and good, but emotionally scarred by her mom's inability to choose family over drugs. As Blake learns more about Marissa's family situation, the two grow closer.
By far, Blake and Marissa are the two characters I liked best from the start, along with Blake's mom who is capital A Awesome. I disliked Blake's older brother until he showed himself to be more than a stick figure character when Marissa, and then Blake, needed him most. Another character I warmed up to was Shannon. Her moodiness and jealousy throughout the book was tiresome, but after the course of events played out I found myself sympathizing a little.
So, what's the book's message? That boys can't be just friends with girls? That a boyfriend shouldn't even try to be friends with other girls? No, this book isn't trying to say any of that. The message is actions have consequences. There's a great section at the start of Chapter 32 that reality-checks and it's perfectly stated.
I'm really, really glad I read Flash Burnout. It was an unexpected mix of humor, friendship, school drama, and the pain of first love and growing up. It's hard to believe how much I keep thinking about this book! Highly recommended to the YA Contemporary crowd.
Flash Burnout is an incredibly authentic and modern YA story centered on Blake Hewson. Blake is 15, a high school sophomore, and head over heels for his girlfriend Shannon. Shannon is a typical teenaged girlfriend. She's beautiful, fun and funny, but highly emotional and insecure. Blake is also friends with Marissa, a girl he met in Photography class last year. She's also fun and funny, but he honestly doesn't see her as more than a friend. Recently he learned that she lives with her grandmother because her mom is addicted to meth and has been missing a long time. Marissa is sweet and good, but emotionally scarred by her mom's inability to choose family over drugs. As Blake learns more about Marissa's family situation, the two grow closer.
By far, Blake and Marissa are the two characters I liked best from the start, along with Blake's mom who is capital A Awesome. I disliked Blake's older brother until he showed himself to be more than a stick figure character when Marissa, and then Blake, needed him most. Another character I warmed up to was Shannon. Her moodiness and jealousy throughout the book was tiresome, but after the course of events played out I found myself sympathizing a little.
So, what's the book's message? That boys can't be just friends with girls? That a boyfriend shouldn't even try to be friends with other girls? No, this book isn't trying to say any of that. The message is actions have consequences. There's a great section at the start of Chapter 32 that reality-checks and it's perfectly stated.
I'm really, really glad I read Flash Burnout. It was an unexpected mix of humor, friendship, school drama, and the pain of first love and growing up. It's hard to believe how much I keep thinking about this book! Highly recommended to the YA Contemporary crowd.
May 6, 2011
I don’t think I ever expected to pick up a book about a 15-year-old boy and call it one of the best books I’ve ever read. Yet here I am doing just that.
I found out about Flash Burnout at Wordstock last weekend. I heard the author speak about the book during a teen-book session (I had gone to see a different author). L.K. Madigan really didn’t impress me. She’s new to writing, she’s a 40-something soccer mom, and yeah. The one thing that really caught my attention about her book was that it won the 2010 William C. Morris YA Debut Award (a previous winner was Graceling, one of my favorite books). Then when I was at the library last Sunday I saw it on the shelf and checked it out. I’m not sure if I was really intending to read it at the time, but I’ve been chowing through books this week and it came up in the pile.
When I picked it up two days ago I gave it the first two chapters to get me interested. I was a little turned off by the fact that it has a first-person teenage boy narrator. And it had me in the first three pages.
There is something very honest and very true about Blake’s voice (the main character). He is funny and insightful, and so entirely 15-year-old boy. And at the same time it’s a story about love, and friendship, and figuring out life at that age. Nothing in the book ever felt fake or cheesy. I had a hard time putting it down and was actually up past 2 am last night reading (which is why I am so freaking tired today). The ending was unexpected, but so much better than anything I had imagined. It’s a little sad, and a lot hopeful. And one damn good read.
I found out about Flash Burnout at Wordstock last weekend. I heard the author speak about the book during a teen-book session (I had gone to see a different author). L.K. Madigan really didn’t impress me. She’s new to writing, she’s a 40-something soccer mom, and yeah. The one thing that really caught my attention about her book was that it won the 2010 William C. Morris YA Debut Award (a previous winner was Graceling, one of my favorite books). Then when I was at the library last Sunday I saw it on the shelf and checked it out. I’m not sure if I was really intending to read it at the time, but I’ve been chowing through books this week and it came up in the pile.
When I picked it up two days ago I gave it the first two chapters to get me interested. I was a little turned off by the fact that it has a first-person teenage boy narrator. And it had me in the first three pages.
There is something very honest and very true about Blake’s voice (the main character). He is funny and insightful, and so entirely 15-year-old boy. And at the same time it’s a story about love, and friendship, and figuring out life at that age. Nothing in the book ever felt fake or cheesy. I had a hard time putting it down and was actually up past 2 am last night reading (which is why I am so freaking tired today). The ending was unexpected, but so much better than anything I had imagined. It’s a little sad, and a lot hopeful. And one damn good read.
July 30, 2009
I was smitten with the main character's voice just a few pages into LK Madigan's FLASH BURNOUT. This YA novel is really, really funny at the same time it tackles some tough issues about family, teen romance, drug addiction, and friendship.
The novel begins with a photography assignment for fifteen-year-old Blake, just experiencing his first real romance. When Blake inadvertently snaps a picture of his friend Marissa's mother, he launches her into a journey for which she desperately needs some support. That journey causes Blake to question what he thought he knew about love, sex, and friendship and takes readers on a wild ride of their own.
The voice in this book is really remarkable, and Madigan's rich characters with their hysterical dialogue reminded me of John Green at times. FLASH BURNOUT is a fantastic, fantastic debut!
The novel begins with a photography assignment for fifteen-year-old Blake, just experiencing his first real romance. When Blake inadvertently snaps a picture of his friend Marissa's mother, he launches her into a journey for which she desperately needs some support. That journey causes Blake to question what he thought he knew about love, sex, and friendship and takes readers on a wild ride of their own.
The voice in this book is really remarkable, and Madigan's rich characters with their hysterical dialogue reminded me of John Green at times. FLASH BURNOUT is a fantastic, fantastic debut!
March 19, 2010
What I learned from this book as a writer:
This book made me aware of voice - of how certain combination of words, the use of slang, even the placement of punctuation can all contribute to the unique sound of a narrator. The narrator's voice will stay with me for a long time -- not the voice of LK Madigan, who I soon forgot about, but Blake, whose whole personality formed with perfect pitch.
I'm learning more about YA, too, as I read, about how voice might be the single most important quality of a good YA.
Definitely a must-read for any YA fans.
This book made me aware of voice - of how certain combination of words, the use of slang, even the placement of punctuation can all contribute to the unique sound of a narrator. The narrator's voice will stay with me for a long time -- not the voice of LK Madigan, who I soon forgot about, but Blake, whose whole personality formed with perfect pitch.
I'm learning more about YA, too, as I read, about how voice might be the single most important quality of a good YA.
Definitely a must-read for any YA fans.
November 18, 2009
See this is why I rarely read realistic books like this--they rarely end the way I NEED them to end, and I'm the kinda girl who needs my HEA delusions. I just finished this thing and now I feel wrecked. Just completely wrecked. But in, like, the best way.
June 12, 2009
What kind of mom would I be if I gave my book baby less than 5 stars?
:-)
:-)
February 11, 2017
Can I say this book was AMAZING?
I can? HECK YEAH!!
When I started reading the first few pages, I was H-O-O-K-E-D.
Blake has a girlfriend who he really adores, Shannon. And a female best friend, Marissa. When Blake took a picture of a woman passed out on the street, he then discovers that the woman was Marissa's meth-addicted mom. Now Marissa is determined to find her. Meanwhile, Blake is conflicted with Shannon's jealousy and tries to figure out his feelings for her. And then . . . Blake and Marissa do something wrong. REALLY WRONG.
I really liked Blake's voice and narration. And it made me laugh out loud. I also liked the photography facts(Blake is a photographer and so is Marissa, I forgot to mention), it made the book unique.
But, the ending made me feel . . .empty. I really didn't get the ending. I felt there was something missing.
Other than that, this a must-read. You got to have it.
I can? HECK YEAH!!
When I started reading the first few pages, I was H-O-O-K-E-D.
Blake has a girlfriend who he really adores, Shannon. And a female best friend, Marissa. When Blake took a picture of a woman passed out on the street, he then discovers that the woman was Marissa's meth-addicted mom. Now Marissa is determined to find her. Meanwhile, Blake is conflicted with Shannon's jealousy and tries to figure out his feelings for her. And then . . . Blake and Marissa do something wrong. REALLY WRONG.
I really liked Blake's voice and narration. And it made me laugh out loud. I also liked the photography facts(Blake is a photographer and so is Marissa, I forgot to mention), it made the book unique.
But, the ending made me feel . . .empty. I really didn't get the ending. I felt there was something missing.
Other than that, this a must-read. You got to have it.
October 29, 2014
Photography is a hobby and a passion for many people. In Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan, Blake and Marissa are best friends who take a photography class together. A photo is worth a thousand words, and those words depend on angle, perspective, and focusing enough to prevent a flash burn out from happening.
The problems ahead that are waiting to happen. Blake, a sixteen year old confused sophomore, is dating Shannon, a over emotional soft and quiet fifteen year old sophomore girl. While Blake is in a relationship with Shannon, he hangs out with Marissa, a trendy outgoing fifteen year old sophomore, who is one of his best friends. Blake tries to help Marissa in every way, and he even talked Garrett, his eighteen year cadaver loving jock of a brother, to help them. Unfortunately being the guy Garrett is he has frequent hook ups with Cappie, a psychotic eighteen year old senior transfer from Texas who works at the radio station. All these things with personalities that clash spells out disaster.
Having an older sibling in high school with you is horrible Not to mention their random hook ups who torment your life that you get to deal with. Blake and Shannon, are dating. During lunch Garrett’s friends with benefits girl, Cappie makes an announcement to the entire school: Blake cheating on Shannon with Marissa. Quite frankly it is possible, but Blake is not cheating on Shannon. Extreme embarrassment comes to two people, who are just friends, and pain comes to a new couple, who are dating for the first time each. An angle that Cappie is using and completely wrong, but why on Earth is she doing such a thing. She does call things like she sees them, but she does it to three innocent people. What a rude person.
Your first girl/boy friend is where you learn what to say and not to say during different situations. Shannon and Blake are newbies at this, so they both are in need of a little help. Shannon is busy with sports, and Blake is constantly trying to help Marissa out with homework and home life issues. The sad thing is the root of these issues is her mom, a abandoning run off tweak-er. From Blake’s perspective Shannon is the girl of his dreams who he loves, and are him and Marissa more than friends like everyone says? Marissa has a different view: Shannon a girl who her best guy friend is dating who she really cares less about. While Shannon is totally lost, is Marissa going to take away my boyfriend whom I love? Finally, Shannon is going ballistic on Blake about him and Marissa hanging out all the time. Blake is trying to convince Shannon there is nothing going on, but him and Marissa are getting closer and closer by the minute. Confusing for family, friends, and acquaintances is making these three’s lives more messed up by the second.
Family members dying and the thought from close calls makes most people, especially girls, very emotional. Marissa’s mom goes missing, and the morgue has a new tweaking middle aged female to be investigated. Being the good friend that Blake is, him and with the help of Garrett, who loves cadavers and works at the morgue, sneak Marissa in. Thankfully it’s not her mom, but Marissa is a wreck and needs a friend. As they say, ���We got carried away, one thing just lead to another,” but truthfully it does happen. If you allow something to happen, I promise you it will happen. Hurt, terror, hatred, betrayal, and happiness, who knew all these things could come from one action? A flash burnout is when the camera is not focused enough and the flash blurs out the entire subjects of the picture. The flash burnout has occurred in this situation too, everything is ruined, over with, and done. Shannon hates Blake and Marissa with a passion. I can’t say I blame her either. As for Blake and Marissa they have been socially shunned and their lives are officially over. Life is going to be pretty rough for these three.
While Flash Burnout is a good young adult realistic fiction book, the book very well could of happened and of been written off of previous experience Written from a teenagers point of view i suggest teenagers of both genders to read this book.
As a personal rating this book deserves a 4 star rating. The reason I docked Flash Burnout a 1 star is because there were a few dull moments and the outcomes of situations are very predictable; however, I did find it was very enjoyable to read. Find out for yourself what these kids all went through and read Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan.
The problems ahead that are waiting to happen. Blake, a sixteen year old confused sophomore, is dating Shannon, a over emotional soft and quiet fifteen year old sophomore girl. While Blake is in a relationship with Shannon, he hangs out with Marissa, a trendy outgoing fifteen year old sophomore, who is one of his best friends. Blake tries to help Marissa in every way, and he even talked Garrett, his eighteen year cadaver loving jock of a brother, to help them. Unfortunately being the guy Garrett is he has frequent hook ups with Cappie, a psychotic eighteen year old senior transfer from Texas who works at the radio station. All these things with personalities that clash spells out disaster.
Having an older sibling in high school with you is horrible Not to mention their random hook ups who torment your life that you get to deal with. Blake and Shannon, are dating. During lunch Garrett’s friends with benefits girl, Cappie makes an announcement to the entire school: Blake cheating on Shannon with Marissa. Quite frankly it is possible, but Blake is not cheating on Shannon. Extreme embarrassment comes to two people, who are just friends, and pain comes to a new couple, who are dating for the first time each. An angle that Cappie is using and completely wrong, but why on Earth is she doing such a thing. She does call things like she sees them, but she does it to three innocent people. What a rude person.
Your first girl/boy friend is where you learn what to say and not to say during different situations. Shannon and Blake are newbies at this, so they both are in need of a little help. Shannon is busy with sports, and Blake is constantly trying to help Marissa out with homework and home life issues. The sad thing is the root of these issues is her mom, a abandoning run off tweak-er. From Blake’s perspective Shannon is the girl of his dreams who he loves, and are him and Marissa more than friends like everyone says? Marissa has a different view: Shannon a girl who her best guy friend is dating who she really cares less about. While Shannon is totally lost, is Marissa going to take away my boyfriend whom I love? Finally, Shannon is going ballistic on Blake about him and Marissa hanging out all the time. Blake is trying to convince Shannon there is nothing going on, but him and Marissa are getting closer and closer by the minute. Confusing for family, friends, and acquaintances is making these three’s lives more messed up by the second.
Family members dying and the thought from close calls makes most people, especially girls, very emotional. Marissa’s mom goes missing, and the morgue has a new tweaking middle aged female to be investigated. Being the good friend that Blake is, him and with the help of Garrett, who loves cadavers and works at the morgue, sneak Marissa in. Thankfully it’s not her mom, but Marissa is a wreck and needs a friend. As they say, ���We got carried away, one thing just lead to another,” but truthfully it does happen. If you allow something to happen, I promise you it will happen. Hurt, terror, hatred, betrayal, and happiness, who knew all these things could come from one action? A flash burnout is when the camera is not focused enough and the flash blurs out the entire subjects of the picture. The flash burnout has occurred in this situation too, everything is ruined, over with, and done. Shannon hates Blake and Marissa with a passion. I can’t say I blame her either. As for Blake and Marissa they have been socially shunned and their lives are officially over. Life is going to be pretty rough for these three.
While Flash Burnout is a good young adult realistic fiction book, the book very well could of happened and of been written off of previous experience Written from a teenagers point of view i suggest teenagers of both genders to read this book.
As a personal rating this book deserves a 4 star rating. The reason I docked Flash Burnout a 1 star is because there were a few dull moments and the outcomes of situations are very predictable; however, I did find it was very enjoyable to read. Find out for yourself what these kids all went through and read Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan.
January 15, 2019
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
Personal Response: I like this book because it made me feel like I was inside the book and the stuff that happened made me feel like I was apart of it. This book made me weirded/grossed out in some of the weirdest ways. I related to this book in a lot of different ways. The main characters are in high school and so am I. I did enjoy reading this book. It made me laugh, and some parts made me cry. Also, some parts made me confused and it made me cringe. But it was still a good book, and I am glad that I read it.
Plot Summary: A boy named Blake and his high school sweetheart girlfriend Shannon are the “it” couple. They’re your average high school relationship. But, Blake has a best friend Marissa who is of the female gender. And they end up spending a lot of time together when stuff starts to take a turn in Marissa’s home life. Shannon starts to get a little jealous because they are spending a lot of time together and Blake wasn’t telling Shannon that they were hanging out. Then rumors were getting spread around the school that Blake was cheating on Shannon. But he really wasn’t. Or was he… You’ll have to read to find out!:)
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those people out there that like to read realistic fiction. I wouldn’t personally call this book and “chick book” not even a romance novel. I think even you guys out there would like this book. Not all of you but some of you. In this book, there are some stuff that would tug at peoples heart strings depending if that happened to you. It sure did to mine. But it won’t for some people if they had never experienced or had something similar to what was going on in Marissa’s home life.
Personal Response: I like this book because it made me feel like I was inside the book and the stuff that happened made me feel like I was apart of it. This book made me weirded/grossed out in some of the weirdest ways. I related to this book in a lot of different ways. The main characters are in high school and so am I. I did enjoy reading this book. It made me laugh, and some parts made me cry. Also, some parts made me confused and it made me cringe. But it was still a good book, and I am glad that I read it.
Plot Summary: A boy named Blake and his high school sweetheart girlfriend Shannon are the “it” couple. They’re your average high school relationship. But, Blake has a best friend Marissa who is of the female gender. And they end up spending a lot of time together when stuff starts to take a turn in Marissa’s home life. Shannon starts to get a little jealous because they are spending a lot of time together and Blake wasn’t telling Shannon that they were hanging out. Then rumors were getting spread around the school that Blake was cheating on Shannon. But he really wasn’t. Or was he… You’ll have to read to find out!:)
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those people out there that like to read realistic fiction. I wouldn’t personally call this book and “chick book” not even a romance novel. I think even you guys out there would like this book. Not all of you but some of you. In this book, there are some stuff that would tug at peoples heart strings depending if that happened to you. It sure did to mine. But it won’t for some people if they had never experienced or had something similar to what was going on in Marissa’s home life.
October 20, 2011
Even though this book the narrator is a teenage boy, Blake, I liked it more than I had expected. The book is about a fifteen year old boy who has a pretty normal life- first real girlfriend, class clown, and amaetur photographer. Then there has always been the girl in the background of his life, Marissa. Blake knows Marissa from photography class. When he find out that Marissa's mom is a meth addict, he wants to be there for her. He's left to choose from the girl that loves him, and the girl that needs him.
I really liked that the book was not corny at all, and very much realistic to what an average high school boy could actually go through. A lot of other books I've read, when the main character was a teenage girl, didn't seem realistic. On the other hand, I didn't like how young the characters were. Comparing my life to a fifteen year old is kind of hard for me to do. But then again I'm not a boy.
After reading this, I do plan on reading some more of L.K. Madigan's books to see if they are similar. I liked her writing style in particular. She's not a well known author to me, but I plan on reading similiar books like this one. This layout and story of the book made me feel the emotion for the main character. I loved it. When Blake was confused, I was confused. When he was upseet, I felt upset for him, and so on. I would recommend this book to any of my friends, because I liked it that much.
One thing that I did take away from this book is that friendship matters and it can take you a long way. Sometimes I see kids at school that I know, and I say hi to them in the hallways, but do I really know what's going on in their lives? No I don't. I wish I could be there for every hurting person, and I love to see Blake do that for someone. Even though he had a girlfriend, he chose to still help a girl in major need. AWESOME BOOK!
I really liked that the book was not corny at all, and very much realistic to what an average high school boy could actually go through. A lot of other books I've read, when the main character was a teenage girl, didn't seem realistic. On the other hand, I didn't like how young the characters were. Comparing my life to a fifteen year old is kind of hard for me to do. But then again I'm not a boy.
After reading this, I do plan on reading some more of L.K. Madigan's books to see if they are similar. I liked her writing style in particular. She's not a well known author to me, but I plan on reading similiar books like this one. This layout and story of the book made me feel the emotion for the main character. I loved it. When Blake was confused, I was confused. When he was upseet, I felt upset for him, and so on. I would recommend this book to any of my friends, because I liked it that much.
One thing that I did take away from this book is that friendship matters and it can take you a long way. Sometimes I see kids at school that I know, and I say hi to them in the hallways, but do I really know what's going on in their lives? No I don't. I wish I could be there for every hurting person, and I love to see Blake do that for someone. Even though he had a girlfriend, he chose to still help a girl in major need. AWESOME BOOK!
September 17, 2012
Good reading this, though likely not the first time to have funny combined with the sad, not once does it cross the line into hokey and over the top. The way things wrap up, and there really is none… he screws up, but they all do (OK, him most of all) was fine… more than fine because he made me laugh, he made me cringe, and he made me furious, too. Except he screws up and he owns up to it.
A fifteen year old boy’s perspective, I kind of liked it even when I did want to give him a piece of my mind. But he isn’t a bad kid, in fact his heart is in the right place. It just takes his head a while to catch up and see things for what they were. Perhaps that last bit is made more difficult with two girls, one who needs him, another who loves him pulling him in two directions. But these girls aren’t bad girls either, they’re imperfect. Sometimes needy, overly emotional, too sensitive but they’ve both good moments to them too. With Marissa it’s a shred passion, and with Shannon, it’s this new sweet connection between the two, that both of them are exploring.
None of them are perfect, but something in all of them had me wanting them to be better. He is a funny kid and so very aware of it, in fact, it’s his thing. His other thing is trying to be this awesome boyfriend. All his little Houston moments cracked me up as they were supposed to. Pay heed, I’d think except at times it was a little too late. Him and Shannon, lust love sex… all rang true, better there’s an added element of him making things funny. Him and Marissa, it was all about being there for the other. And it was sweet, and I was all conflicted… but all the while, I knew who was talking and what he was feeling. But Blake is young and not as wise as I would want him to be as were the girls in his life. Yet, there’s something that had me hopeful for the all of them.
4/5
A fifteen year old boy’s perspective, I kind of liked it even when I did want to give him a piece of my mind. But he isn’t a bad kid, in fact his heart is in the right place. It just takes his head a while to catch up and see things for what they were. Perhaps that last bit is made more difficult with two girls, one who needs him, another who loves him pulling him in two directions. But these girls aren’t bad girls either, they’re imperfect. Sometimes needy, overly emotional, too sensitive but they’ve both good moments to them too. With Marissa it’s a shred passion, and with Shannon, it’s this new sweet connection between the two, that both of them are exploring.
None of them are perfect, but something in all of them had me wanting them to be better. He is a funny kid and so very aware of it, in fact, it’s his thing. His other thing is trying to be this awesome boyfriend. All his little Houston moments cracked me up as they were supposed to. Pay heed, I’d think except at times it was a little too late. Him and Shannon, lust love sex… all rang true, better there’s an added element of him making things funny. Him and Marissa, it was all about being there for the other. And it was sweet, and I was all conflicted… but all the while, I knew who was talking and what he was feeling. But Blake is young and not as wise as I would want him to be as were the girls in his life. Yet, there’s something that had me hopeful for the all of them.
4/5
February 26, 2011
This is a perfect YA book. Well, the story is perfect. I'm not digging the cover so much, and the jacket copy was clever, but didn't give me an accurate sense of the story - the frame of the story, yes, but the heart of the story, no. I may not have read it if it hadn't won the Morris award.
This is definitely going into the "I Wish I Wrote This" category. The humor was so exactly my kind of humor, the struggle was so wonderfully relatable. I really hugged the book and talked to Blake, and laughed with him, the main character, as if he were present.
LK Madigan found ways of describing life and making her character struggle in ways that made me feel like we had the exact same values. Either we did, or she's a tremendous writer. Maybe both.
I found out while reading this that LK Madigan was suffering from pancreatic cancer. I think it made the book even better. Reading her last blog post where she makes peace with her own mortality, had me weeping well into the night, and touching my own family's realness a little more than usual.
LK Madigan died this past week. I almost didn't want to finish her book. But I did. And I read this passage where Blake is describing his girlfriend whose grandmother passed away: "I glance over at Shannon, who is sitting a few feet away in a sunny spot with Kaylee and Jasmine. Her grandma's funeral was last week. She's back at school now, cheering up little by little. Sometimes when she laughs at something, I see a look cross her face like, How can I laugh when my grandma just died? But people die. All the damn time. We have to grieve and then keep living."
This is definitely going into the "I Wish I Wrote This" category. The humor was so exactly my kind of humor, the struggle was so wonderfully relatable. I really hugged the book and talked to Blake, and laughed with him, the main character, as if he were present.
LK Madigan found ways of describing life and making her character struggle in ways that made me feel like we had the exact same values. Either we did, or she's a tremendous writer. Maybe both.
I found out while reading this that LK Madigan was suffering from pancreatic cancer. I think it made the book even better. Reading her last blog post where she makes peace with her own mortality, had me weeping well into the night, and touching my own family's realness a little more than usual.
LK Madigan died this past week. I almost didn't want to finish her book. But I did. And I read this passage where Blake is describing his girlfriend whose grandmother passed away: "I glance over at Shannon, who is sitting a few feet away in a sunny spot with Kaylee and Jasmine. Her grandma's funeral was last week. She's back at school now, cheering up little by little. Sometimes when she laughs at something, I see a look cross her face like, How can I laugh when my grandma just died? But people die. All the damn time. We have to grieve and then keep living."
January 11, 2011
This book crept up on me. The first quarter or so took a while to get through, and I wasn't sure if I was terribly interested in the story. But soon enough, I couldn't get Blake and Shannon and Marissa out of my head, and last night I put down the book at a tense moment and went to sleep wondering how everything would turn out for the three main characters. I liked how the ending left several points unresolved, but left Blake in a place where you could be sure he'd start working things out for himself.
Several specific things I liked:
- Blake's parents! Wow, parents in a YA novel who were alive and still together and not afflicted with any mental disorders! And while so many YA plots rely on needing the parents out of the way, I like how part of FLASH BURNOUT's plot was how Blake relied on his parents for things like advice and transportation, and how they were just always there, and Blake had to figure out how to grow up under their watch. Also, loved their clumsy attempts at safe-sex conversations with Blake. Loved that they were, in fact, safe-sex conversations and not abstinence conversations.
- Blake's humor, equal parts corny and charming. It grew on me throughout the novel.
- Blake and Shannon's tense relationship. The (seemingly) little conflict about what to get Shannon for Christmas was so true and heartbreaking.
Also, I have to rant briefly about the state of the Kindle e-book. Some of the free classics I've read on Kindle had better formatting than this one. Occasionally missing open-quote marks and paragraph breaks, as well as random hyphens strewn throughout made for a technically challenging read in some parts.
Several specific things I liked:
- Blake's parents! Wow, parents in a YA novel who were alive and still together and not afflicted with any mental disorders! And while so many YA plots rely on needing the parents out of the way, I like how part of FLASH BURNOUT's plot was how Blake relied on his parents for things like advice and transportation, and how they were just always there, and Blake had to figure out how to grow up under their watch. Also, loved their clumsy attempts at safe-sex conversations with Blake. Loved that they were, in fact, safe-sex conversations and not abstinence conversations.
- Blake's humor, equal parts corny and charming. It grew on me throughout the novel.
- Blake and Shannon's tense relationship. The (seemingly) little conflict about what to get Shannon for Christmas was so true and heartbreaking.
Also, I have to rant briefly about the state of the Kindle e-book. Some of the free classics I've read on Kindle had better formatting than this one. Occasionally missing open-quote marks and paragraph breaks, as well as random hyphens strewn throughout made for a technically challenging read in some parts.
February 13, 2011
I really liked this book---so much so, that I started it last night and devoured it late into the night. I loved Blake--I think Madigan did a great job capturing the male POV. This is high praise indeed since I wrote a male narrated book as well. I never found myself thinking, "This sounds like a chick....".
Even though it was a heavy handed subject, I didn't think it was as gritty as it could've been--BUT, that's the true beauty of it. It's the harshness of Marissa's world encapsulated in the perfect suburband family of Blake. It's the people next door to us or the kid sitting next to us in class that hides the really dark secrets.
Like I said, I really loved the contrast of the idyllic family that Blake and his brother Garett come from with Marissa's meth addicted mom and biker brother. There's also a contrast with the parents of Shannon--her ice princess mom is shudderworthy. I loved the dad who was a medical examiner--the scene where Garret takes Blake and Marissa to see if the latest cadevor is Marissa's mom was amazing....the emotions captured between Blake, Marissa and Garrett are great. Great chemistry with the parents who still seemed so in love as well as with the parents and children(like when Blake stumbles to tell his mother that he told Shannon he loves her)
The only reason why I gave it 4 Stars was the ending....I didn't like the open endedness....and I wasn't really sure that straight laced Marissa(well except for the boozing at football games) would take off with her meth addicted mom. Or if she did, I would have liked a resolution with Blake, not Gus, Marissa's brother going to look for her.
Even though it was a heavy handed subject, I didn't think it was as gritty as it could've been--BUT, that's the true beauty of it. It's the harshness of Marissa's world encapsulated in the perfect suburband family of Blake. It's the people next door to us or the kid sitting next to us in class that hides the really dark secrets.
Like I said, I really loved the contrast of the idyllic family that Blake and his brother Garett come from with Marissa's meth addicted mom and biker brother. There's also a contrast with the parents of Shannon--her ice princess mom is shudderworthy. I loved the dad who was a medical examiner--the scene where Garret takes Blake and Marissa to see if the latest cadevor is Marissa's mom was amazing....the emotions captured between Blake, Marissa and Garrett are great. Great chemistry with the parents who still seemed so in love as well as with the parents and children(like when Blake stumbles to tell his mother that he told Shannon he loves her)
The only reason why I gave it 4 Stars was the ending....I didn't like the open endedness....and I wasn't really sure that straight laced Marissa(well except for the boozing at football games) would take off with her meth addicted mom. Or if she did, I would have liked a resolution with Blake, not Gus, Marissa's brother going to look for her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2016
Personal Response:
I did not really like this book that much. I didn't really find it too interesting. I didn't like how it didn't have that much of a plot. The main character was just really absorbed in his relationships and I found him very clueless.
Plot:
This book was about a boy named Blake. He was in a relationship with a girl named Shannon. He was really good friends with a girl named Marissa. Blake had a photography project that required him to take pictures of people. He ended up taking a picture of Marissa’s long lost mother. Marissa went out to search for her and ended up finding her. She was a drug addict that lived on the streets. Marissa tried to turn her mother’s life around, but it didn't work. Her mother ended up running away again and in the end, of the book Marissa moved out of her grandma's house and started living with her mother in Washington.
Characterization:
One of the main characters in this book was Marissa. Her character grew a lot throughout the book. She started out as young and naive, but as the book went on she got a better understanding of what really matters in life.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to high school students. I think that age group would like this book because the main characters are also high schoolers. I would recommend this book to girls over guys because this book was mostly about relationships.
I did not really like this book that much. I didn't really find it too interesting. I didn't like how it didn't have that much of a plot. The main character was just really absorbed in his relationships and I found him very clueless.
Plot:
This book was about a boy named Blake. He was in a relationship with a girl named Shannon. He was really good friends with a girl named Marissa. Blake had a photography project that required him to take pictures of people. He ended up taking a picture of Marissa’s long lost mother. Marissa went out to search for her and ended up finding her. She was a drug addict that lived on the streets. Marissa tried to turn her mother’s life around, but it didn't work. Her mother ended up running away again and in the end, of the book Marissa moved out of her grandma's house and started living with her mother in Washington.
Characterization:
One of the main characters in this book was Marissa. Her character grew a lot throughout the book. She started out as young and naive, but as the book went on she got a better understanding of what really matters in life.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to high school students. I think that age group would like this book because the main characters are also high schoolers. I would recommend this book to girls over guys because this book was mostly about relationships.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2010
Blake is a typical teenage boy, filled with hormones and rampant thoughts about sex. He also aspires to be a stand up comic, and does his best to make everyone around him laugh. He makes for a funny, interesting character that many teenage boys will relate to.
There were a few times, however, that his voice sounded too teen-girl. Such as "Oh no she didn't!" That phrase is begging for a 'snap' at the end of it, and I don't know any teen boys who would do that. :) He also had a little too much insight at times (like, at the end with Marissa), which didn't fit his maturity level, character, or situation in life. Also, the end result of his photography felt like the story was being tied up with a bow.
So, for me (who isn't a teen anymore), those elements weakened the story. However, I can still see teens, both boys and girls, strongly relating to the characters and their situations. Especially since the writing is sharp, and the descriptions of the photographs are vivid and interesting.
This is definitely not for a younger audience, though. Sex is mentioned frequently, and there is an after-sex scene that might be too mature for kids younger than 13 or 14. The drug aspect of the story was done well, without graphic consequences, but it's also prevalent throughout the story.
There were a few times, however, that his voice sounded too teen-girl. Such as "Oh no she didn't!" That phrase is begging for a 'snap' at the end of it, and I don't know any teen boys who would do that. :) He also had a little too much insight at times (like, at the end with Marissa), which didn't fit his maturity level, character, or situation in life. Also, the end result of his photography felt like the story was being tied up with a bow.
So, for me (who isn't a teen anymore), those elements weakened the story. However, I can still see teens, both boys and girls, strongly relating to the characters and their situations. Especially since the writing is sharp, and the descriptions of the photographs are vivid and interesting.
This is definitely not for a younger audience, though. Sex is mentioned frequently, and there is an after-sex scene that might be too mature for kids younger than 13 or 14. The drug aspect of the story was done well, without graphic consequences, but it's also prevalent throughout the story.
February 27, 2010
Dude. Very awesome, believable, real teenage guy here. He likes photography, he likes girls, he likes his family. However, he does the wrong things anyway.
I love how he can totally be clueless as to why his girlfriend is upset when he doesn't call her, and at the same time totally not understand about how his photograph of his best friend's drunk mother is traumatic, and at the same time yearn to do the right thing for both.
The guy in this book just wants to make people laugh and for everyone to be happy, unfortunately for him, he doesn't quite know what to do with a girlfriend who is jealous of the time he spends trying to support a female friend from photography class dealing with a junkie mother.
And his older brother calls him a douchebag and won't let him borrow the car.
And it's set in the Pacific Northwest!
Highly, highly recommended.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Curry and rice, for the comforting flavor of the human interactions, coupled with a slight spiciness of the protagonists' sense of humor, with all those healthy vegetables you just gobble up (healthy vegetables in this case equaling the true philosophical issues explored here about how much we can help the people we love).
I love how he can totally be clueless as to why his girlfriend is upset when he doesn't call her, and at the same time totally not understand about how his photograph of his best friend's drunk mother is traumatic, and at the same time yearn to do the right thing for both.
The guy in this book just wants to make people laugh and for everyone to be happy, unfortunately for him, he doesn't quite know what to do with a girlfriend who is jealous of the time he spends trying to support a female friend from photography class dealing with a junkie mother.
And his older brother calls him a douchebag and won't let him borrow the car.
And it's set in the Pacific Northwest!
Highly, highly recommended.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Curry and rice, for the comforting flavor of the human interactions, coupled with a slight spiciness of the protagonists' sense of humor, with all those healthy vegetables you just gobble up (healthy vegetables in this case equaling the true philosophical issues explored here about how much we can help the people we love).
May 30, 2010
4 1/2 stars. Near perfect, for what it is, which to me is a high school slice of life that's an excellent look ahead for middle schoolers. It has sex, drugs, language, and music, BUT they're all so tastefully done that I'd hope that any parent who tried to object would just look like a total doofus. Morris committee made an excellent call on this one. I personally liked Hold Still slightly better, but I can see why this would win over that. They have in common the photography as art and healing aspect, and the wonderful set of supportive parents, but this one has much more universal appeal. The female author did an amazing job with the male main character. He, and his relationship with his older brother, were both extremely realistic. The love triangle with the sad ending is so well done, and should have at least some appeal for those who love the fantasy love triangle books (Twilight, Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, etc.). Will be on the lookout for Madigan's new title this fall. I love the pondering of appropriate and inappropriate risk-taking behavior, and love "actions have consequences". If I had read this last year, it would have definitely been one of my favorite books of the year! Great playlist at the end!
March 21, 2010
I had fun with Blake's voice and humor, especially when it comes to girls. He's got a girlfriend, Shannon, and then a girl friend, Marissa, who's far more interesting, but has got a screwed up homelife. The circumstances of their friendship are odd enough (Blake photographs a tweaker on the street and Marissa recognizes that it's her mother) and so begins their journey.
In high school there's a fine balance between a lot of things and Blake crosses many of them, mostly realizing the humor as it occurs. Then things get serious when Blake crosses the friendship barrier with Marissa and photographs her naked while also getting too involved in her home life.
The reason I was captured by the story was Blake's character and the fact that it doesn't end happily. He looses his girlfriend and Marissa to her meth-addicted mother, but turns his tribulations into a beautiful art gallery showing based on the pictures he immortalized Marissa in throughout their friendship.
In high school there's a fine balance between a lot of things and Blake crosses many of them, mostly realizing the humor as it occurs. Then things get serious when Blake crosses the friendship barrier with Marissa and photographs her naked while also getting too involved in her home life.
The reason I was captured by the story was Blake's character and the fact that it doesn't end happily. He looses his girlfriend and Marissa to her meth-addicted mother, but turns his tribulations into a beautiful art gallery showing based on the pictures he immortalized Marissa in throughout their friendship.
January 29, 2010
This Morris winner surprised me. As I was reading about Blake and his two girl friends (one he was "in love" with [or lusted after:]the other was his buddy) it seemed very predictable. Oh, yeah, I thought--and he's going to end up realizing that his "buddy" is the one he really loves. Then the author throws a curve ball at us. Extremely satisfying!
It's well written, and the adults were especially nicely drawn--a far cry from the shadow figures that parents often are in teen novels. They are real, compassionate people with real lives! Blake's dad, for instance, is a medical examiner who has the bad habit of leaving the tools of his trade on the kitchen table (a head saw, for instance) and his mom is a hospital chaplain. I also loved Blake's tough-guy big brother--the football star with the secret girlfriend and the soft heart.
Flash Burnout will stay with me for a very long time!
It's well written, and the adults were especially nicely drawn--a far cry from the shadow figures that parents often are in teen novels. They are real, compassionate people with real lives! Blake's dad, for instance, is a medical examiner who has the bad habit of leaving the tools of his trade on the kitchen table (a head saw, for instance) and his mom is a hospital chaplain. I also loved Blake's tough-guy big brother--the football star with the secret girlfriend and the soft heart.
Flash Burnout will stay with me for a very long time!
April 17, 2010
I really, really liked this one. Not being a teenage boy, I can't speak to the authenticity of Blake's voice, but it felt realistic, fresh, and very consistent. Although the plot was compelling, I think the voices and the characters carried the novel. I loved that the angst was tempered by ambiguity and real dilemmas (omg hormones and decisions!) and a realistically imperfect main character. I didn't mind the subplots at all.
Also, hey, great parents! I love good parents in YA, and I totally think there are more of them than ever. Yes, there was obvs a bad one too, but she was more than balanced out by the Keith Mars school of parenting.
Flash Burnout doesn't feel very gritty (despite the subject matter) and it's more like Sarah Dessen or Dana Reinhardt in tone than, say, Sara Zarr. I really do think girls (esp Dessen fans) will like this one a lot - I'm curious to see about boys.
Also, hey, great parents! I love good parents in YA, and I totally think there are more of them than ever. Yes, there was obvs a bad one too, but she was more than balanced out by the Keith Mars school of parenting.
Flash Burnout doesn't feel very gritty (despite the subject matter) and it's more like Sarah Dessen or Dana Reinhardt in tone than, say, Sara Zarr. I really do think girls (esp Dessen fans) will like this one a lot - I'm curious to see about boys.
July 17, 2011
Blake's a decent guy, has a well-adjusted home life, and likes to make people laugh. His girlfriend Shannon loves him, his photography friend Marissa needs him. In photography class, he takes photos of 'gritty' subjects, and one day he brings in a photo of a drug addict passed out on the street. That drug addict is Marissa's mother.
Madigan's words are lovely, and the characters' dilemmas felt very real, even if it all (inevitably) comes crashing down. You see, this book is an excellent one about how decent people can make mistakes, and how those mistakes have consequences. I really appreciate how Madigan doesn't sugarcoat that, and that no one character is demonized, just choices. Personally, I'm either a bit to old or had too different an experience than they did, and I find myself in the role of the older sister or young aunt. I'm a little bit disappointed in them, but I know this is just an episode in their lives and that they're still growing and becoming.
Madigan's words are lovely, and the characters' dilemmas felt very real, even if it all (inevitably) comes crashing down. You see, this book is an excellent one about how decent people can make mistakes, and how those mistakes have consequences. I really appreciate how Madigan doesn't sugarcoat that, and that no one character is demonized, just choices. Personally, I'm either a bit to old or had too different an experience than they did, and I find myself in the role of the older sister or young aunt. I'm a little bit disappointed in them, but I know this is just an episode in their lives and that they're still growing and becoming.
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