A Catalog of Burnt Objects

by Shana Youngdahl

The story of a girl struggling to figure out her estranged brother, a new love, and her own life just as wildfires beset her small California town—by the acclaimed author of As Many Nows as I Can Get, herself a native of Paradise, California, destroyed in the 2018 Camp Fire

Seventeen-year-old Caprice wants to piece her family back together now that her older brother has returned home, even as she resents that he ever broke them apart. Just as she starts to get a new footing—falling in love for the first time, uncertainly mending her traumatized relationship with her brother, completing the app that will win her a college scholarship and a job in tech—wildfires strike Sierra, her small California town, taking from her more than she ever realized she cherished. A response to the terrifying, heartbreaking events of Paradise, California, where the author grew up, and a love story of many stripes, this is a tale that looks at what is lost and discovers what remains, and how a family can be nearly destroyed again and again, and still survive.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Addiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

i added this book when it had no cover, no synopsis, and no release date. then i waited.

it was a clear stubborn-off and i won.

but also i anticipated this book for 6 years, after kind of liking the author's debut. there was no way it was going to live up to the hype i gave it.

in truth, though, it came pretty close. this was intense and emotional, and i liked the complex relationships our protagonist had: with her brother, her town, herself.

i just wanted more from the other ones. i thought the grand first love depicted was kind of flimsy, and i was more interested in the parental and best friend dynamics than the story permitted. 

but i will still await the author's next book.

just maybe with less intensity.

bottom line: worth the wait but not the hype i gave it.

(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Dona's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished Reading

Pre-Read notes

I honestly grabbed this one for the title alone, but after reviewing the table of contents, which gives a good idea of the shape of the plot, I was completely invested.

Final Review

“Yeah, right . Sorry. I’m a little— you know, off today.” “Witnessing a fire-pocolypse can do that to a person,” I said. p124

Review summary and recommendations

I enjoyed this book in part because it's a well structure trauma narrative. I love reading stories about people or characters (in this case, a whole town) who survive a terrible experience (in this case, a wildfire) and start to piece their lives and new identities together in small ways, like the main character's reliance on her boyfriend's kisses to get her through, what she describes as "a fix".

I thought giving the audience this story through a teenage girl's perspective created a story with a surprisingly energetic tone and a tendency to question how the story action connects to itself. I loved that Youngdahl chose to write this story as YA.

Reading Notes

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. This form is smart and will add a lot to the story. I can tell just by looking at the table of contents!

2. Every year, the canyon winds heralded fall as sure as pumpkin spice at Peak Coffee and giant pots of mums at Franks. But this was different. People say the wind howls, but that morning it was an engine— a helicopter or a speed boat. A constant roar. p88 Wonderful description of the setting.

3. Selfies that said “I’m alive!” Everyone was waiting. Waiting to know what had happened to their friends, family, houses, pets, wanting to know if— or when— we could go home. p123 I find this scene so real and authentic. When M and I went through the fires in Colorado in the 2000s, and Hurricane Oscar in 2018 when we were in West Palm Beach, I was glued to social media to check on everyone, and to report as safe. I love the way Youngdahl writes this element.

4. I like the romantic elements in this one. This young live is very important to the barely-adult MC's planning their futures away at college. It sort of raises the stakes of the fire in a clever reverse-psychology way. Then I was kissing him back, getting lighter with each touch, and more aware of my hands and feet and lips. Yes, I had lips. And River. I had River to kiss. It was compulsive this kissing. More than a hunger. A fix. p176

5. I saw a growing darkness on the gray ground. Oh. I was bleeding. No wonder it hurt. Yeah. Ouch. That was pain. I thought in Alicia’s dad’s voice: Girls, if someone is bleeding, apply pressure. But with what? My hands were coated in toxic dust, and all scraped up. I tried to free my foot, but I was stuck. p218 The fmc's voice remains accessible and addictive, no matter the stakes or level of tension.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Not a fan of this form where the author often switches to some list form or other to deliver story information. The content feels repetitious because the form is. So I listened, and when he put his hand on my shoulder, I didn’t even look at it. I didn’t see the tarnished gold of his wedding band. I didn’t reach up and hold on. I didn’t say there’s no chance in hell we are leaving without you. I didn’t demand that he stay with us. I didn’t run ahead to grab whatever he needed twice as fast as he could. I didn’t. “Go on now.”He pushed me. p116

2. Okay the page full of Ifs is annoying, especially if you have diminished vision and your screen reader stumbles over and over all that. In general, this sort of repetition, where words become more like blockades, does not appeal to my senses, and it doesn't here. For excellent execution of this technique, I recommend House of Leaves. *edit This repeats throughout the book, it's brutal! But it's a pretty effective literary representation of anxiety. I don't hate this stylistic choice, because I think I get it's purpose.

Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 /5 flames
Recommend? definitely!
Finished: Mar 8 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🌪 natural disaster stories
🏋🏻‍♀️ strong fmc
👩🏽‍🤝‍👨🏻 teenage friendship under strain
🌳 great descriptive writing

Thank you to the author Shana Youngdahl, publishers Penguon Random House, and NetGalley for an accessible advance digital copy of A CATALOG OF BURNT OBJECTS. All views are mine.
---------------

[joni ౨ৎ - [semi hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a beautiful story and i think it's meant for everyone. i loved the characters and everything about this.

it follows caprice alexander before and after a forest fire destroys sierra, her hometown.

her estranged brother has returned home and she's trying to work on her relationship with him, unsure when she lays. she's designing an app for tourists who might visit her town, showing all the best places to go. she falls in love with the new boy in town, who cares about being carbon neutral and runs his truck on vegetable oil.

after the fire they have to piece their life back together one by one. it's such a drastic event that changes your life. everything you thought you knew is just poof gone, you start to realize where to put importance and how important your family/friends are.

the writing was very easy to follow and I read this in 3-4 hours. it says 12+ but there were many mentions of sex/intimacy so I'd say 14+ because of the innuendo but no language.

there's grief, first love, loss, new beginnings.

💚 ┆⌗ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ౨ৎ
just got accepted for my first physical arc ever?!!!! SCREAMING so excited for this!!!

[Blagica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Story


I set a goal to read 20 pages a day as a way to bring more joy into my routine. Well, that plan backfired—in the best way. I tore through this book way past the daily page count because I simply couldn’t stop. It’s that good. Charming from start to finish, with a story that feels both timely and timeless, this one easily earns a five-star spot on my shelf. Also, any book that puts girls who code front and center absolutely deserves the spotlight.

With California wildfires raging once again, this novel couldn’t be more relevant. Yes, it touches on the destruction and trauma these disasters cause—but it’s ultimately about resilience. It threads together climate change, sustainability, and the urgent need to live with the land rather than dominate it. But at its core, it’s a coming-of-age story about love, family, and navigating uncertainty.

Caprice, seventeen, is trying to keep the peace as her brother Beckett—newly out of rehab—returns home. Their relationship is strained and complicated, full of buried tension and unspoken truths. Caprice swings between anger and care, resentment and loyalty. It’s messy and real. As a wildfire creeps toward their small town, the chaos forces everything into sharp focus.

Some characters, like Beckett, can come off as self-absorbed, but it’s believable. He’s surviving day by day. The emotional distance between him and Caprice is heartbreaking, especially when you sense how much they still care about each other. Addiction doesn’t just affect one person—it radiates outward—and the story captures that ripple effect in a painfully honest way.

I wished we had Beckett’s point of view. I wanted insight into his choices, his guilt, his grief. But maybe that’s intentional—we don’t always get answers, and we have to learn to live with that. I appreciated how Caprice’s anxiety was written with care, and how the romance subplot added texture without overpowering the narrative. River and Ali were both strong supporting characters with depth and goals of their own.

In the end, this is a story about healing—personal, familial, and environmental. It’s emotionally heavy at times, but never hopeless. It strikes a beautiful balance between hard truths and the quiet hope that things can change. Also? Big bonus points for weaving STEM themes into a heartfelt narrative. A standout read for both teens and adults.

[Amelia Blackmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: A Catalog of Burnt Objects
Author: Shana Youngdahl

What to expect:
*Alcohol addiction
*Natural disaster
*Family angst

Notes:
Read as part of the library Children’s Book Council program.

Pros:
I loved the general idea of the women in STEM storyline. Also like the storyline of alcohol addiction, teens/young adults so often get overlooked and dismissed as teenage rebellion when they are, in fact, creating addictive tendencies.

Cons:
The constant repetitive words and sentences almost made me DNF this title. I get that the FMC was suffering from PTSD, but the repetitiveness so annoying!

Safety:
Complete town destruction from wildfire, suicidal thoughts by main character

Format: Libby audiobook
Genre: Young Adult
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️
Characters: Caprice (FMC)

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4. 75! I highly recommend this book, it is so great especially with wild fires being so prevalent today. Even though fires can burn down communities, everyone stayed strong and helped bring it back to life!

[Yolanda | yolandaannmarie.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
A Catalog of Burnt Objects releases March 18, 2025

Set in Sierra, California, we follow the life of high school senior, Caprice, as she navigates grief, first love, the return of her brother, and a destructive wildfire that sweeps through her town.

Climate fiction, grief, and complex family dynamics surrounding addiction are all things I highly enjoy delving deeper into and being introspective of as a reader, however, little of this book actually worked for me.
The first half of the story felt too low-stakes, and it seemed like the rebuilding of trust between siblings took a more cautious approach in favour of prioritizing a romantic plotline.
I found it very difficult to be invested in the characters due to how surface-level the story came across, and the way Caprice often spoke in code by way of “IF… THEN...” was not my cup of tea.

What really stuck out to me were the little details, like deliberately choosing to have characters smoke cigarettes on top of severe smoke inhalation and in the worst air quality possible, as well as the ease in which characters broke the anonymity of AA and sanctity of the 12-step program, both of which I found to be highly irresponsible traits.

I can see the potential here, and while I appreciated the community aspect with the various accounts of lost items that tied into the book’s title, the execution just wasn’t for me.

[Valleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Catalog of Burnt Objects is a love story of many kinds and a reflection of the terrifying, heartbreaking events of Paradise, California, where the author grew up. It's a tale that looks at what is lost and discovers what remains, telling how a family can be nearly destroyed again and again, and still survive.

Burnt Objects is also a story of family, friendship, addiction, and young love. Parts are heartwrenching and others are hopeful. I loved Caprice's first love, named River. (Great names!) I also loved the cute and clever names of the stores and restaurants!

On the downside, the writing had quite a unique format, which wasn't what I expected or particularly enjoyed.

Having said that, Burnt Objects is a moving story of how to survive when so much has been lost.

Thank you, #DialBooks, for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. It has an expected publication date of March 18, 2025.

#Family #Friendship #YoungLove #Fire

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words to describe how much I loved this story. The details were beautiful and each character brought their own unique part to the unfolding of this families journey. While I enjoyed the authors first novel, she really brought it with this one. To bring such beauty to such devastation takes real talent.

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We weren’t dead, but much of our lives were gone.”

I don’t think I can accurately express the spectrum of feelings that A Catalog of Burnt Objects provoked in me. The writing choices the author made (I’m thinking about the coding language that Caprice uses, esp during anxiety peaks) were particularly clever and enhanced the emotions during the whole book –don’t ask me how many tissues I used, because, yes, I also cried a lot. “If” is a powerful world, but it takes even more importance here.
The book revolves around a massive wildfire, and how people –especially the MC– as individuals but also as a whole community deal with that. How can you imagine your future when a fire just ravaged your entire past? What Caprice lives is everything but simple. This is a coming of age story, but it’s so much more than that. If a major trauma wasn’t enough, she has to decide on her future like any other teen, face what first love kindles in her, learn how to deal with loss and grief –in every possible way. I loved the idea of introducing characters with these text boxes in which they talk about their most regretted lost object, and it also made me wonder what I would miss the most, should I lose everything.
Each character has something to say. In their diversity, they are a piece of the puzzle that is their community, and we can question a lot of themes, especially about our modern life, but also about transmission and memory. How can you remain yourself when your memories are gone –the objects, but also the insubstantial ones, like for Caprice’s grandmother?
Exploring the before, during and after through an ambitious teenager’s eyes was a very interesting POV, as much as this first love that gives her wings –or even better, allows her to anchor her feet on the ground. She has a great evolution during the novel, and if you can feel (quite literally) her distress in you bones, you also can feel hope. As I said, a whole panel of (raw) feelings.

Thank you to the author, Penguin Teen and ColoredPages pr for the eARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl is a thought-provoking young adult novel of family, relationships, and loss of community.

Seventeen-year-old Caprice is about to experience unanticipated highs and lows after her brother Beckett returns from rehab. Although she is happy he is home, she is reluctant to believe he will remain sober. Caprice also embarks on a new romance with newcomer to town, River. And she is overjoyed when her best friend Alicia returns home from music camp. With the fall season, school begins as do the high winds and dry conditions that eventually bring a catastrophic fire that will challenge Caprice in many unexpected ways.

Caprice is a wonderful young woman whose life has been chaotic because of Beckett’s alcoholism. She is coder who is writing an app that celebrates her hometown. Her friendship with Alicia is endearing and their interactions are entertaining and heartfelt. Beckett’s return is fraught as he tries to restart his life in a town with long memories. River is a great young man who is quite charming and perfect for Caprice.

A Catalog of Burnt Objects is a fast-paced and engaging young adult novel. The various characters are vibrantly developed and likable. The small town of Sierra is vividly drawn both before and after the devastating and tragic fire. The storyline is compelling with sensitive subject matter that is deftly handled. Shana Youngdahl brings this marvelous young adult novel to a realistic conclusion.

[The Reading Raccoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Catalog of Burnt Objects is a young adult coming-of-age novel about a high school senior who loses her town to a wildfire.

Caprice is adjusting to her older brother coming home after a stint in rehab, developing a tourism app for her town, and romance with a new student when tragedy strikes. After a long drought, her small Northern California mountain town is quickly consumed by flames, forcing her to make a series of quick decisions to save whoever she can. But in the weeks that follow, she faces shock, grief and guilt as she struggles to navigate a new life without a home.

This is a moving portrayal of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood whose entire life is pulled out from under her while she also tries to figure out her relationship with her brother, Beckett, a recovering alcoholic. Like her debut, As Many Nows As I Can Get, Shana Youngdahl does a beautiful job capturing the inner lives of teens and the pain of addiction. I loved Caprice’s complicated relationship with Becket and their banter but also the weight of unspoken words about their past. I also appreciated the strong friendship between her and Alicia, as well as her budding romance with River. I thought the inclusion of chapter breaks where various characters described a “burnt object” lost to the fire was especially touching.

Youngdahl drew on her own experience growing up in Paradise, California, and the devastating 2018 Camp Fire, which resonated with me personally, as I spent time there throughout the ’90s and have fond memories of the town and its people.

This is a touching and realistic portrayal of a young woman and a community forever changed by a destructive fire.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclaimer: An advanced copy was provided by Dial Books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Casie Bazay · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading As Many Nows as I Can Get, I've been eagerly awaiting Youngdahl's next book. A Catalog of Burnt Objects did not disappoint! Told in a unique format, this book features deep characterization, a sweet romance, and believable healing between two siblings after substance abuse altered the entire family dynamic. And all of this occurs in the weeks leading up to and following a terrifying natural disaster (based on what happened to the author's own hometown). Youngdahl writes with such heart and honesty, and I very much enjoyed this story. Thanks to the author for an arc of this book!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. it's labeled as YA, but besides high school kids kissing never going beyond kissing, it reads like general fiction. The main character/narrator was really well written, I loved her and really felt for her throughout, as she struggled with so many changes and events out of her control. she is filled with a lot of anxiety before, during, and after the devastating fire that destroys the small town that is her home. I just really wanted to give her a hug at so many points of this story. Ultimately a coming of age story of family, loss, and hope.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read this book, since I lost a home to fire years ago. I was afraid it would bring back some hard feelings, which it did. The author did such an excellent job at relaying this personal story in novel form, that she captured the feelings and experience perfectly. What I didn’t expect and very much enjoyed, was the unique style in which she wrote. As a software developer, I did get a kick out of how Caprice and Alicia communicated. I enjoyed the experience of this book, and it will stick in my mind for quite some time.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of things that are lost and things that remain. Caprice’s ambivalence about her brother, newly home after a stint in rehab, intertwines with the sudden occurrence of a raging wildfire in Sierra. The latter part of the novel focuses on day to day survival and loss and small joys, and the impact on relationships.

[Elise Musicant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Catalog of Burnt Objects is the story of Caprice, a 17-year-old girl who is going into her senior year and loves to code. Her brother has just come home from rehab, and she is nervous around him, unsure how to act now that he’s sober. She also meets River, another senior who has just moved into her small town of Sierra, California. Midway through September, a fire hits town, and all of her problems are thrown out the window as everyone focuses on surviving the fire and coping with the PTSD and grief that come with it.

This was an absolutely fabulous book. While I was reading it, I felt it right in my gut. The poetic writing to display Caprice’s shock and grief was so perfect, and it packed such a punch. I live for books that make me feel the way this book made me feel.

Each chapter is preceded by an object - a literal catalog of objects burnt in the fire. Most of these items are not valuable, but they cannot be replaced - pinch pots made by children, a vase given as a wedding gift, etc. These pages hold memories, pieces of each characters’ life that can never come back.

I really liked Caprice’s relationship with her brother, Beckett. There are a lot of books about characters dealing with drug addiction, but the difficulty of helping a family member maintain their sobriety is a different perspective that I don’t see as often. Like a well-written pair of siblings, these two show each other compassion and love, but they also bicker and fight. Beckett can be frustrating and can poke Caprice’s buttons, but when tragedy hits, they help each other through.

This book comes out in March 2025, and it is definitely worth the read. This was such a beautiful book about the hardships of climate change and natural disaster, and how it affects the human spirit.

[emily gielshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and gutting coming of age tale of a high school girl making peace with her newly sober brother and falling in love with the eco conscious new boy in town and having a damn good friend in Alicia, and then their town catches fire. Almost YA feeling in a good way? I liked this

[Stacie (BTR) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end.

[Kristie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much. I could not get into this book at all. A sarcastic high senior experiencing first love, a new kid with gay moms, an immature older brother home from rehab, a high achieving black best friend, a hippie mom, a meat and potatoes grandpa, a grandma with dementia, a gossipy aunt. And then wildfires hit their town and wreak havoc. Now, none of these things are bad. All are fine. All, individually, have the potential to make a great story. But together they are like a soup with no broth. There is so much happening that you cannot focus on anything.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review: 4/5 ⭐️
Genre: YA fiction
Themes: wildfires, addiction, family, grief, acceptance

IF book features girls who code, THEN it deserves a feature.

Thank you for @coloredpagesbt @penguinteen and @shanayoungdahl for letting me be a part of this book tour.

With devastating wildfires once again raging across California, this is such a timely novel. While shedding light on the sheer horror and destruction these wildfires can cause for a community, a family, it was more a story about hope. Sure it comments on climate change and how people can learn to live in an environment as opposed to taking it over, a life of balance and sustainability, but at its heart, it is a coming of age story. One of first love, the bond between family, learning to adapt and accept uncertainty, and the roots that tie us to a place.

Seventeen year old Caprice is walking on eggshells with the return of her brother. A recovering alcoholic, his struggles have been the centre of the family, and a resentful Caprice has no interest in discussing it further. Torn between being mad at her brother and wanting to support him, between resenting him for always needing to be the centre of attention and loving him for it at the same time, theirs is a complicated relationship, where serious topics are off the table. As she tries to mend the rift, while also working on her ticket out of small town life, everything will change when a wildfire breaks out. Suddenly life is put into perspective, and the future is more uncertain than ever.

In true teenage fashion, many of the characters can seem self-centred at times, especially Beckett. He seems incapable of understanding the true impact he had and is still having on the lives of his family, or at least verbalizing it. Given that he is focused on daily survival it makes sense, but I felt for Caprice. Both Beckett and Caprice are experts in avoidance and forging forward, but as bitter feelings linger this brother-sister bond is tested. It was really interesting to have the perspective of living with a loving brother who also struggles with an addiction. To have this element introduced at a very young age was both heart breaking and interesting. The ripple effects never really end with an addiction.

The characters: I liked Caprice, but I also wished for Beckett’s POV. I wanted to know why he turned to alcohol to begin with, what the accident had done to him, what he was thinking in the now - but I think that’s the point. We can’t always know, but have to learn to live in the now. I don’t always love the best friend and the brother situation, but it was handled well under the circumstances and I was rather fond of Ali. River had all the characteristics of that first, the hormone induced obsession and tender moments. I liked that he had his own goals and motivation, but was equally enamoured.

Overall, it was a rather sweet story of healing and learning how many maybes life can have. With grief, addiction and displacement, it is certainly a serious read and Caprice’s anxiety is palpable, but I think it is a beautiful story for older and younger readers alike. Kudos for also integrating STEM into the narrative. As someone in this field, I greatly appreciate the youthful interest. Highly recommend this one!

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl is a beautiful but heartbreaking look at life, love, and the obstacles that are thrown in our way.

While perhaps geared for young adults and/or high school age readers there is a lot here for those who can connect with a well-rounded character even if of a different generation. I am several generations past the protagonist and found myself thinking about the big picture topics she faces (as well as what the rest of the townspeople face). Yes, she is also falling in love and in a, well, teen way (imagine that!) but the storytelling doesn't let the novel become so full of teen angst in the sense that an adult with empathy, and a memory of their own youth, can't still enjoy it and relate.

I found the interludes (from the app Caprice ended up developing) quite moving. They were placed near where we learned something about the character writing it and could see how that person felt about other people in the town and about the town itself. Those sections usually made me tear up. Yes, I can be sappy, but this was more because I could relate very well. I lost most of what I owned in Katrina and some of the most valuable to me were the things without much monetary value. That said, anyone who remembers things from their past that they no longer have, no matter the reason, will relate. The first art or shop project your child brought home that somehow has been lost in moving. The small gift from a grandparent that didn't mean as much when you were 10 but would mean the world to you at 60.

I would recommend this to readers who aren't put off by a teenager as the protagonist, especially since so much of what she is dealing with is not age-specific but human-specific. So if you're human you'll be able to relate to this story without feeling you're reading some teenage melodrama.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Deamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have been hearing about these raging wildfires on the news for the last few years, but have we ever gotten a chance to experience what people living in these areas are going through in the aftermath of such hazardous situations, where sometimes there isn't even a home to go back to. Well, this author, a homie of Paradise, California, wanted to throw a light on these wildfires in her own way, bringing this book to life.

For context, the story flows like this, Caprice our FMC, a pro at mulitasking, just rolling with her tight gripped life with her bestie Alicia, her rebel brother Beckett brother is back from rehab, they have love but there is trauma too, a cute guy River also comes into her life. It's getting a bit complex for her, but then her town Sierra faces a wildfire, pushing her into a place like never before. The story moves forward to where she, along with her friends, family and towners, face the aftermath with their own complexities swirling into the mix.

I am not delving more into this, because this book is meant to be an experience, and I really hope you, as a reader, get to feel that too, because trust me as a fellow nature lover, this was painful to me. Despite that though, there were many beautiful layers filling my bucket for a layer lover like me *wink*. And this book was full of heart, filled with family love, another of my special tick marks checked for a book.

And there is more mental health. Wow, this book was something there, that I was spellbound. The only con was I felt few contrasts in her relationship with River didn't work with me personally, else I really enjoyed feeling this one. Uncannily, the title was a genius idea *wink*.

Rating - 4.5 stars.

Book Recommendation - Hell Yeah.

Thanks to @coloredpagesbt @penguinteen @shanayoungdahl for gifting me a free copy for an honest review.

[Jacqueline Firkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

After loving Youngdahl’s debut, As Many Nows as I Can Get, I was elated to get early access to this one. Youngdahl’s writing is layered, poetic, and deeply resonant in a way that reads as effortless, even though I’m sure it’s anything but. The simplest of sentences carries emotional weight. The symbols and metaphors are lightly handled but vividly drawn, such that every garden gnome, every street corner, every haphazardly-incurred scar has layers of meaning. I also love that in a sea of feel-good reads that are dominating the YA market right now (because, let’s face it, we all need something that makes us feel good), Youngdahl doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Here, we not only have a community displaced by the wildfire that devastates their town, but a beloved brother working through the brutally challenging aftermath of intense addiction that wracked his family and left his best friend in a permanently vegetative state, a grandmother with dementia, and parents with a contentious relationship to each other and a largely distant relationship to their kids. It’s a lot, though Youngdahl balances the layers of trauma with the flutters of attraction brought on by the cute new boy in town, a ride-or-die friendship, and a tenacious hope for a better future that colours every interaction. It’s a story about a town destroyed by wildfire. It’s a call to action about ignoring climate change. It’s a deep dive into the resilience of the human spirit and the challenges of accepting the unknown as a means of moving forward after intense hardship. It’s a heartfelt, poetic look at the things we hold dear, and why they grip our hearts. It’s complicated. It’s insightful. It’s beautifully written. And it packs a hell of an emotional punch.

[Lourdes]

Shana Youngdahl's "A Catalog of Burnt Objects" is a beautifully crafted young adult novel that intertwines personal struggles with the collective trauma of a devastating wildfire.

The story follows Caprice "Cappy" Alexander as she navigates the pressures of her senior year of high school while grappling with her brother Beckett’s recovery and her own dreams of escaping her small town of Sierra, California. The early revelation of the wildfire creates a simmering tension throughout, making the unfolding events even more impactful.

Youngdahl’s narrative structure is both innovative and poignant, incorporating archival entries of objects lost in the fire to highlight the broader community’s loss. This element not only enhances the emotional depth of the story but also ties seamlessly into its conclusion, expanding the scope beyond Cappy’s individual journey. The relationships in Cappy’s life—with her family, her best friend Alicia, and her crush River—are written with warmth and authenticity, adding layers of richness to the character-driven plot.

With its compelling pacing, vivid characters, and thoughtful exploration of resilience in the face of disaster, "A Catalog of Burnt Objects" is a moving tribute to those living under the constant threat of wildfires. Shana Youngdahl’s empathetic storytelling captures both the pain of loss and the strength found in community, making this novel a standout in contemporary young adult literature.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book follows 17 year old Caprice, who is an aspiring app developer working on a project that highlights the best spots in her hometown, Sierra, CA. Everything seems to be looking up for her and her family: her app has a local funder, her brother has returned home from rehab, and a new love prospect has entered her life. the first third of the book counts down to the day of the fire. When the fire happens, Caprice moves through a state of shock, which Youngdahl brings to life through interrupted and non-linear narration, as well as Caprice’s mental blackouts and anxiety/ panic attacks. In the days and weeks that follow, Caprice and her family work to figure out what a future looks like for each of them. Youngdahl doesn’t shy away from the tension between Caprice and her mother, her parents reaching for their own coping mechanisms, and the teenage spiraling as Caprice figures out what this means for her social and love life.

By far by favorite aspect of this book is the device of the “catalog of burnt objects” that Youngdahl weaves through the book. Presented like case reports, these sections list the object that is missing, the place, and the owner of the object, followed by a narrative from that character about the meaning of the object. This brings the story outside of Caprice’s perspective and creates a collective voice for the town of Sierra. In what is lost, we learn about the stregnth of memory and spirit of each of the town’s members.

[RedReviews4You · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful step back in time to a place I inhabited as a young woman. Caprice owned these pages and with a voice and writing style that truly spoke to my inner teen and she drew me into her world in all its emotional chaos and family dynamics and held me close. I feel as if I have made a new friend and shared her world experiences, however there is a wonderful quality to youth that allows the young to stand tall in the face of adversity and grow stronger still because of it. Caprice reminds me of a seed from a giant redwood, her full strength would not be realized and the power of her spiritual breath would not be seen if not for the fire that allowed her sprout and claim her place.

As a an older reader, I was impressed with Youngdahl's writing and her ability to share Caprice's story in a way that make me feel as if I was teen again. But I am not the target audience, no matter how much I saw myself reflected here. Stepping back and thinking to what I longed to read as a teen and reflecting on what I hear teens commenting on around me, I can see this story being one that truly reflects the reality that this generation isexperiencing. This book would be a great summer read for anyone, but I truly feel this is a book teens need in this moment when resiliency, love, compassion, and endurance are the mixed up hallmarks of their generation. Caprice's story is one that will allow many to process the confusing mix of feelings that is life in the 21st Century.

[vanessa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a teenage girl named Caprice navigating her senior year of high school in her small hometown. As she deals with issues such as her brother recently returning from an addiction recovery program, her grandmother's memory slowly fading, her crush on the new boy in town, and the desire to get out of her hometown for college, Caprice's life is changing rapidly, even before the wildfire that sweeps through Sierra, destroying her home and everything she has ever known there.

This was an absolutely beautiful story about home and family and growing up, and also about dealing with trauma and grief. The writing was beautiful and the characters felt so familiar and loveable, as did the setting. I might be biased because I was born and raised near Paradise (the town Sierra is based on), and this book made me want to cry because I love the place I grew up so much, even if I had to leave it. I think it did a wonderful job of portraying the loss, but also the resilience and the hope of the people in that community. So much of it rang true to my family's experiences with the fire and its aftermath, and I had a very emotional time reading it. I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Pengiun Teen and Netgalley.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A CATALOG OF BURNT OBJECTS by Shana Youngdahl

Thank you Netgalley and PenguinTeen for the earc (Mar 18)

When Caprice's brother returns home, she wants nothing more for things go back to normal---for her family to be okay, or as okay as they can be. As things start looking up for her: working on her app, rekindling a relationship with her brother despite how she feels, and falling in love, a wildfire strikes her hometown leaving her confused, worried, and unsure about her future.
A CATALOG OF BURNT OBJECTS was a fast-paced read that I flew through in under a day. With it's coming-of-age, contemporary vibes, it makes for an emotional read.
This book was gripping and left me giddy, sad, relieved, all the emotions rolled into one. The characters were likeable for the most part...they each had their faults, but honestly that made them more human, which in turn made this book more realistic.
I want to say: this reminded me of LIES LIKE WILDFIRE by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, which was neat because I liked that book. This book is also something relevant to today's times, the tragedies that so many have endured with countless wildfires. 10/10 would recommend.

[Pam O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Shana Youngdahl's debut was one of my favorite reads a couple years ago, and when I heard about this book I couldn't wait to read it! And it lived up to my expectations.

I have to admit, I just experienced the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, and reading this book was almost cathartic in some ways. I really like how Youngdahl was able to depict the hellscape devastation of wildfires and also weave in a coming of age love story at the same time. Cap is a very real, intelligent, kind main character. I enjoyed her programming language to make sense of the world around her. I also thought Beckett, River, and Alicia were fantastic characters.

I enjoyed the vignettes from the catalog of burnt objects. It was a cool way to quickly depict the emotional hurt from losing things in a fire. And I thought there was care with talking about Beckett's recovery process. Overall I really liked this and would recommend it.