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Burn Girl
2016 Westchester Fiction Award
After her drug addict mother dies of an overdose and her uncle becomes her guardian, Arlie must adjust to the new stability in her life and the pressures of going to school with a face disfigured by a meth lab explosion.
Arlie's face was disfigured by burns when her stepfather's meth lab exploded. After that, Arlie discovered the street smarts and survival skills she needed to shelter her addict mother, since the law and Lloyd, her deranged stepfather, are both looking for them. People died in the explosion and everyone wants answers. But Arlie's carefully constructed world is ripped apart when her mother overdoses shortly after Arlie's 16th birthday. Now she can no longer remain hidden. Social Services steps in and before Arlie can make sense of anything, she is following the rules, going to school, and living in a 31-foot Airstream trailer with an eccentric uncle she didn't even know she had. Then she meets a boy who doesn't care about her scars or her past. Just when she begins to think a normal life might be possible, Lloyd shows up. He's looking for the drug money he insists Arlie's mother stole. Will Arlie be able to shield her Uncle and her boyfriend from Lloyd? Did Lloyd somehow play a role in her mother's death? And can she get rid of him once and for all before her world blows apart again?
After her drug addict mother dies of an overdose and her uncle becomes her guardian, Arlie must adjust to the new stability in her life and the pressures of going to school with a face disfigured by a meth lab explosion.
Arlie's face was disfigured by burns when her stepfather's meth lab exploded. After that, Arlie discovered the street smarts and survival skills she needed to shelter her addict mother, since the law and Lloyd, her deranged stepfather, are both looking for them. People died in the explosion and everyone wants answers. But Arlie's carefully constructed world is ripped apart when her mother overdoses shortly after Arlie's 16th birthday. Now she can no longer remain hidden. Social Services steps in and before Arlie can make sense of anything, she is following the rules, going to school, and living in a 31-foot Airstream trailer with an eccentric uncle she didn't even know she had. Then she meets a boy who doesn't care about her scars or her past. Just when she begins to think a normal life might be possible, Lloyd shows up. He's looking for the drug money he insists Arlie's mother stole. Will Arlie be able to shield her Uncle and her boyfriend from Lloyd? Did Lloyd somehow play a role in her mother's death? And can she get rid of him once and for all before her world blows apart again?
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
795 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Mikulencak
3 books178 followersMandy Mikulencak has been a writer her entire working life. First, as a journalist, then as an editor and PR specialist for two national nonprofits and a United Nations agency. Today she lives in the mountains of Southwest Colorado with her husband. Her historical novel, THE LAST SUPPERS, was released by Kensington Publishing in late 2017. Her next book, FORGIVENESS ROAD, comes out in March 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
October 27, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Albert Whitman & Company and NetGalley.)
“I’d like to report a death,” I said. “My mother’s.”
This was an okay story, but I lost interest.
Arlie lost a lot in this book, not only had she got permanent scars on her face from a fire in a meth lab, but she also had to cope with the death of her mother, and the threat of her step-father finding her. Finding your mother’s dead body can’t be easy for anybody, so I did feel for Arlie.
“Don’t you see you’re not wanted here? You should have died in that fire. That way we wouldn’t have to look at you.”
The storyline in this followed Arlie after her mother’s death, as she met her maternal uncle, and tried to avoid her step-father who seemed to be out to get her. I found the whole thing quite slow though, and I really lost interest.
There was a bit of romance, but I didn’t really appreciate that either.
“You said you’d keep us safe.”
The ending to this was okay, and I was glad that Arlie’s Step-father got what was coming to him. I think other people may enjoy this, but for me it was a bit of a miss.
6 out of 10
“I’d like to report a death,” I said. “My mother’s.”
This was an okay story, but I lost interest.
Arlie lost a lot in this book, not only had she got permanent scars on her face from a fire in a meth lab, but she also had to cope with the death of her mother, and the threat of her step-father finding her. Finding your mother’s dead body can’t be easy for anybody, so I did feel for Arlie.
“Don’t you see you’re not wanted here? You should have died in that fire. That way we wouldn’t have to look at you.”
The storyline in this followed Arlie after her mother’s death, as she met her maternal uncle, and tried to avoid her step-father who seemed to be out to get her. I found the whole thing quite slow though, and I really lost interest.
There was a bit of romance, but I didn’t really appreciate that either.
“You said you’d keep us safe.”
The ending to this was okay, and I was glad that Arlie’s Step-father got what was coming to him. I think other people may enjoy this, but for me it was a bit of a miss.
6 out of 10
August 7, 2015
This review was originally posted on Book Blog Bird
Burn Girl is the story of Arlie, a sixteen year old girl living in Colorado with her meth-addicted mum. When her mum dies of a drug overdose, Arlie’s life changes forever. She goes to live with her uncle and starts attending school for the first time. She even meets a boy. But Arlie soon finds out that there are some parts of her past that won’t stay buried.
I really liked Arlie as an MC. She is strong and loyal, but living with and acting as carer to an addict has damaged her severely (as it would) and her mum’s death has left her with all these confused, angry emotions roiling round. She reminded me of a hedgehog - all prickly and curled up into a ball to protect herself from the world. She does some pretty dumb things on occasion, but on the whole she was a great MC.
The only aspect I didn’t really buy into was her relationship with Cody. Cody seemed sweet and I have to give props to the author for bringing in a love interest with a disability, but it felt a bit instalove-y and I thought it could have been developed a bit more before they decided they were in love.
On the other hand, her relationship with Mo was really well written. It’s rare to see a female friendship explored in such depth and it was interesting to see how both girls push the boundaries of their friendship. I also enjoyed reading about the development of Arlie’s relationship with Frank and how she learns to start trusting people and accepting that she now has a stable home life.
The author doesn’t pull any punches when describing what it’s like to live with an addict and I have to commend her for that. It would have been really easy to gloss over the skanky, dark parts of Arlie’s life, but the author doesn’t do that at all and it gives a real sense of how awful Arlie’s life must have been. From her mum’s all-weekend drug benders to waking up to strange people wandering through the house and being kissed by one of them when she was only seven, Arlie seems to have lived through it all.
There is tension woven throughout the book from Arlie’s relationship with her ex-stepfather who may or may not be stalking her. Lloyd was a suitably creepy villain and some parts were really spooky, although I’m not entirely convinced by his motives for contacting Arlie - I’m not sure how he thought a sixteen year old was going to drum up fifty grand. Perhaps long-term meth use rotted his brain?
I’d definitely recommend Burn Girl if you’re looking for a decent contemporary standalone this summer.
I received a copy of Burn Girl in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and Albert Whitman.
Burn Girl is the story of Arlie, a sixteen year old girl living in Colorado with her meth-addicted mum. When her mum dies of a drug overdose, Arlie’s life changes forever. She goes to live with her uncle and starts attending school for the first time. She even meets a boy. But Arlie soon finds out that there are some parts of her past that won’t stay buried.
I really liked Arlie as an MC. She is strong and loyal, but living with and acting as carer to an addict has damaged her severely (as it would) and her mum’s death has left her with all these confused, angry emotions roiling round. She reminded me of a hedgehog - all prickly and curled up into a ball to protect herself from the world. She does some pretty dumb things on occasion, but on the whole she was a great MC.
The only aspect I didn’t really buy into was her relationship with Cody. Cody seemed sweet and I have to give props to the author for bringing in a love interest with a disability, but it felt a bit instalove-y and I thought it could have been developed a bit more before they decided they were in love.
On the other hand, her relationship with Mo was really well written. It’s rare to see a female friendship explored in such depth and it was interesting to see how both girls push the boundaries of their friendship. I also enjoyed reading about the development of Arlie’s relationship with Frank and how she learns to start trusting people and accepting that she now has a stable home life.
The author doesn’t pull any punches when describing what it’s like to live with an addict and I have to commend her for that. It would have been really easy to gloss over the skanky, dark parts of Arlie’s life, but the author doesn’t do that at all and it gives a real sense of how awful Arlie’s life must have been. From her mum’s all-weekend drug benders to waking up to strange people wandering through the house and being kissed by one of them when she was only seven, Arlie seems to have lived through it all.
There is tension woven throughout the book from Arlie’s relationship with her ex-stepfather who may or may not be stalking her. Lloyd was a suitably creepy villain and some parts were really spooky, although I’m not entirely convinced by his motives for contacting Arlie - I’m not sure how he thought a sixteen year old was going to drum up fifty grand. Perhaps long-term meth use rotted his brain?
I’d definitely recommend Burn Girl if you’re looking for a decent contemporary standalone this summer.
I received a copy of Burn Girl in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and Albert Whitman.
July 19, 2015
Burn Girl is the story of Arlie who has been physically and mentally scarred after being involved in a meth-lab explosion. Her life so far hasn't been an easy one, her mother's a drug addict, she doesn't know who her father is and she's on the run with her mum from her abusive step-father. When her mum dies of an overdose, Arlie has two choices, call the police or run-away.
Unbeknown to her, she has an uncle called Frank who is willing to take care of her and with his help and her friend Mo she is able to start living the normal life of a teenager, going to school, joining a singing group and finding a boyfriend. Just as Arlie is starting to find her feet she suspects that her step-father, Lloyd has somehow tracked her down and that can only mean trouble.
The idea of this story was a good one but I didn't feel that it was developed as well as it could have been. There were times when I just wanted to shake Arlie and tell her to face up to things instead of running away. Saying that though, I liked the way the author portrayed her friendship with Mo and Cody and the strength Arlie gained from them. I loved Uncle Frank who had his own issues to deal with but was always determined to do the right thing for Arlie and give her a stable home.
Overall this was a good read and I would recommend it for the young adult reader.
With thanks to NetGalley and publishers Albert Whitman & Company for the review copy.
Unbeknown to her, she has an uncle called Frank who is willing to take care of her and with his help and her friend Mo she is able to start living the normal life of a teenager, going to school, joining a singing group and finding a boyfriend. Just as Arlie is starting to find her feet she suspects that her step-father, Lloyd has somehow tracked her down and that can only mean trouble.
The idea of this story was a good one but I didn't feel that it was developed as well as it could have been. There were times when I just wanted to shake Arlie and tell her to face up to things instead of running away. Saying that though, I liked the way the author portrayed her friendship with Mo and Cody and the strength Arlie gained from them. I loved Uncle Frank who had his own issues to deal with but was always determined to do the right thing for Arlie and give her a stable home.
Overall this was a good read and I would recommend it for the young adult reader.
With thanks to NetGalley and publishers Albert Whitman & Company for the review copy.
June 25, 2018
Thank you to Albert Whitman and Company, via Netgalley, for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy of Burn Girl by Mandy Mikulencak in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warning: Drug Mention, Drug Overdose resulting in Death, Fire, Attempted Murder, Guns, Bullying
This review is long overdue, but since I’ve only recently gotten around to reading Burn Girl…it is better late than never.
I’ve been perpetually interested in Burn Girl for a few years. Every time I go to read it, I read the synopsis and think “Hmm, this’ll be good!” and then for some reason I move on to another book. So I’m really freakin’ glad that I finally sat down to read Arlie’s story.
I can honestly say that now that I’ve read the book, I see how great the cover for Burn Girl is. There’s more semblance in the cover than I had initially thought, prior to reading BG.
I really liked that Burn Girl only has Arlie’s point of view. I like how we see her struggles and her triumphs. Also, seeing her thought process was different, because of how she has lived her life up to when her mom died, as well as living with the big scar on her face.
I like that there’s a little bit of romance in this novel. The romance isn’t all in your face and it doesn’t take over Arlie’s life. The romance is instead really sweet.
Something that I really enjoyed about this novel was that we see Arlie’s life in the present, but there are moments that gives us insight as to how Arlie lived her life before her mom died. I’m bring attention to this because I usually don’t like when novels do the flashback thing, but Mikulencak has done it incredibly well. The flashback moments don’t feel forced. They feel incredibly natural.
The progress that Arlie makes throughout this novel is heartwarming. Because we see Arlie in pretty much three stages of her life: before her mom died, before the accident, and Arlie’s life in the present. At the start of Burn Girl, we see Arlie incredibly anxious and very stand-off ish. By the end of the novel we see Arlie grow to trust. We see how Arlie deals with her problems: she admits she has them, and she’s getting help for that.
Trigger Warning: Drug Mention, Drug Overdose resulting in Death, Fire, Attempted Murder, Guns, Bullying
This review is long overdue, but since I’ve only recently gotten around to reading Burn Girl…it is better late than never.
I’ve been perpetually interested in Burn Girl for a few years. Every time I go to read it, I read the synopsis and think “Hmm, this’ll be good!” and then for some reason I move on to another book. So I’m really freakin’ glad that I finally sat down to read Arlie’s story.
I can honestly say that now that I’ve read the book, I see how great the cover for Burn Girl is. There’s more semblance in the cover than I had initially thought, prior to reading BG.
I really liked that Burn Girl only has Arlie’s point of view. I like how we see her struggles and her triumphs. Also, seeing her thought process was different, because of how she has lived her life up to when her mom died, as well as living with the big scar on her face.
I like that there’s a little bit of romance in this novel. The romance isn’t all in your face and it doesn’t take over Arlie’s life. The romance is instead really sweet.
Something that I really enjoyed about this novel was that we see Arlie’s life in the present, but there are moments that gives us insight as to how Arlie lived her life before her mom died. I’m bring attention to this because I usually don’t like when novels do the flashback thing, but Mikulencak has done it incredibly well. The flashback moments don’t feel forced. They feel incredibly natural.
The progress that Arlie makes throughout this novel is heartwarming. Because we see Arlie in pretty much three stages of her life: before her mom died, before the accident, and Arlie’s life in the present. At the start of Burn Girl, we see Arlie incredibly anxious and very stand-off ish. By the end of the novel we see Arlie grow to trust. We see how Arlie deals with her problems: she admits she has them, and she’s getting help for that.
January 17, 2018
J'ai d'abord été intriguée par le titre. Burn girl... À quoi cela pouvait-il bien référer? Un incendie, une métaphore sur des sentiments blessés?
Non, c'est plutôt l'histoire de Arlie (Arlène, mais c'est un nom de vieille dame, pas vrai?), 16 ans, qui vit avec sa mère toxicomane. Il y a 7 ans, alors qu'elles vivaient toutes deux avec Lloyd, le nouveau mari de sa mère, le laboratoire de fabrication de Meth qu'il avait installé dans la cuisine explosa, tuant les deux amis de Lloyd, Rosa leur gentille voisine et... défigurant Arlie. Sa mère et elle s'enfuirent. Loin de Lloyd, loin des horreurs et loin de la drogue... Mais la drogue finit toujours par vous retrouver.
J'en ai des frissons. Franchement, excellent roman!! Jusqu'à maintenant publié seulement en anglais, mais je souhaite SI FORT que les droits soient rachetés pour la traduction! Je le vois très bien chez Gallimard, dans la collection Scripto ;-)
Reste à voir si mes prières seront entendues, mais ça en vaut vraiment la peine! Si la littérature jeunesse vous intéresse, sautez là-dessus, c'est un petit bijou! Bien écrit, scénario cohérents, personnages tout aussi cohérents et intrigue bien balancée. Et je ne peux pas m'avancer sur la traduction française, mais l'écriture en anglais est fluide, intime et agréable. Un beau moment de lecture!
Non, c'est plutôt l'histoire de Arlie (Arlène, mais c'est un nom de vieille dame, pas vrai?), 16 ans, qui vit avec sa mère toxicomane. Il y a 7 ans, alors qu'elles vivaient toutes deux avec Lloyd, le nouveau mari de sa mère, le laboratoire de fabrication de Meth qu'il avait installé dans la cuisine explosa, tuant les deux amis de Lloyd, Rosa leur gentille voisine et... défigurant Arlie. Sa mère et elle s'enfuirent. Loin de Lloyd, loin des horreurs et loin de la drogue... Mais la drogue finit toujours par vous retrouver.
J'en ai des frissons. Franchement, excellent roman!! Jusqu'à maintenant publié seulement en anglais, mais je souhaite SI FORT que les droits soient rachetés pour la traduction! Je le vois très bien chez Gallimard, dans la collection Scripto ;-)
Reste à voir si mes prières seront entendues, mais ça en vaut vraiment la peine! Si la littérature jeunesse vous intéresse, sautez là-dessus, c'est un petit bijou! Bien écrit, scénario cohérents, personnages tout aussi cohérents et intrigue bien balancée. Et je ne peux pas m'avancer sur la traduction française, mais l'écriture en anglais est fluide, intime et agréable. Un beau moment de lecture!
July 13, 2015
When I first started reading this book it was promising yet somehow as I progressed I had to question myself whether I had read the same book that I had at the beginning.
The main thing which really frustrated and irritated me is Arlie's incompetence, her actions and that she is constantly running away. Very quickly this got tiring. It's nearly been a decade since the meth lab explosion alongside with the constant reminder of the incident is her mum's excessive drinking and drugs habit. I understand how this might affect her but she just needs to accept things and stop being denial.
'but I'd run. As I'd done time and time again'
Apart from my issue mentioned above, it was a fairly enjoyable read. I absolutely adore her uncle. He really made an effort to make Arlie comfortable and tried to provide a better way of life for her.
The main thing which really frustrated and irritated me is Arlie's incompetence, her actions and that she is constantly running away. Very quickly this got tiring. It's nearly been a decade since the meth lab explosion alongside with the constant reminder of the incident is her mum's excessive drinking and drugs habit. I understand how this might affect her but she just needs to accept things and stop being denial.
'but I'd run. As I'd done time and time again'
Apart from my issue mentioned above, it was a fairly enjoyable read. I absolutely adore her uncle. He really made an effort to make Arlie comfortable and tried to provide a better way of life for her.
July 17, 2015
I received a copy via net galley.
Meh, I don't really have a lot of good or bad for this book. Predictable, was probably its biggest downfall. But the characters were good, storyline interesting, and it has its moments were it'll suck you in. I'm glad the main characters growth development went along kinda slow rather then how many like to make it sudden. I also found the love interest to be quite cute. I don't wanna spoil too much so go shoo read it yourself.
Meh, I don't really have a lot of good or bad for this book. Predictable, was probably its biggest downfall. But the characters were good, storyline interesting, and it has its moments were it'll suck you in. I'm glad the main characters growth development went along kinda slow rather then how many like to make it sudden. I also found the love interest to be quite cute. I don't wanna spoil too much so go shoo read it yourself.
October 28, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Arlie was an okay character, and I felt quite sorry for her throughout this. She didn't have an easy time!
The story wasn't bad, but it did lose my interest pretty early on unfortunately. The pacing was just a bit too slow for me, and the book dragged because of it.
Overall, Okay read, but a bit slow.
Arlie was an okay character, and I felt quite sorry for her throughout this. She didn't have an easy time!
The story wasn't bad, but it did lose my interest pretty early on unfortunately. The pacing was just a bit too slow for me, and the book dragged because of it.
Overall, Okay read, but a bit slow.
February 21, 2018
Burn Girl had emotions that were strong, and interesting.
I read this book because I enjoyed Last Suppers. This book did not disappoint, it kept me wanting to read.
I read this book because I enjoyed Last Suppers. This book did not disappoint, it kept me wanting to read.
June 4, 2019
What a heart felt story
Wow what a amazing read of courage! After all she’d been through, she beat all of it. I’d love to read a sequel to see what becomes of her and Cody
Wow what a amazing read of courage! After all she’d been through, she beat all of it. I’d love to read a sequel to see what becomes of her and Cody
August 12, 2019
I finally got around to reading this author's first book, Burn Girl. As always, Mandy tackles tough issues in her plot. I enjoyed the strong female teen characters. It was a quick read for me since I was engaged with the plot immediately. I am looking forward to her next novel.
May 28, 2019
Couldn't put it down...some of the story seemed a little unrealistic, but I still enjoyed the fast pace and felt vested in what happened to the characters.
December 15, 2015
This book started out strong with the main character coping with the death of her mother. It was almost inevitable the fate of her mother with the lifestyle that she had chose to live. Following the plans, Arlie cleans up her mother’s body, disposes of the evidence and she makes sure that everything looks proper before calling the authorities. Arlie was not prepared for what lies ahead for her future. I like Arlie’s attitude as she was strong for being sixteen. She was used to being mature, independent and self-sufficient, taking care of her mother and herself as they hid from her stepfather after the accident. Arlie blames her stepfather for her mother’s drug addition, her mother’s criminal record and the scar that marks her face. As Arlie starts a new chapter on her life, she begins to realize how important drugs were to her mother. An unknown uncle welcomes the opportunity to be a part of Arlie’s life now. Arlie now has the chance to relinquish some of the burdens and responsibilities that she has been carrying so she can be relax and have the life of a teenager. Her uncle has big plans for their future, Arlie is just there for the ride for now and things at school are progressing rather quickly. I was surprised how fast Arlie adjusted to school. Arlie finds romance rather instantly, and this relationship occupies the rest of the book. There were some terrific moments in this relationship and some moments where I was bored with the drama being played out. This novel wasn’t as great as I had expected. I wondered after I got finished reading it, if perhaps I had missed something. Was there more to their relationship than what I discovered, was there something else based on her condition and his disability? 3.5 stars
September 6, 2015
Originally posted on my Blog, Over The Bookshelf
Arlie is 16 and on the run with her mother who is a drug addict. They are hiding from Arlie’s stepfather Lloyd, who is responsible for the meth lab explosion that left Arlie permanently scarred, physically and mentally. This book was okay. I enjoyed the writing and the story, but I didn’t love the main character.
Arlie’s mother overdoses and Arlie discovers that she has an uncle, that she’d never heard of. She is given the chance to finally have a somewhat normal life. She has a place to live, she gets to go to school with her best friend, and there’s even a guy that’s interested in her. She’s even seeing a therapist and things are starting to look up, and her guard starts to come down.
Everything’s going okay and then Lloyd shows up and threatens everything Arlie cares about. He says her mother stole money from him and he’s there to collect. Arlie isn’t used to having people who care about her, so she decides to try and deal with the situation herself. She thinks only of herself and not the people around her, who actually care about her.
This was my biggest problem with Arlie. One second she was making progress with her uncle and then tries to take on all of her problems by herself. I found myself getting very frustrated with her.
Overall, I actually enjoyed this book. It was slightly frustrating, but it was a quick read and it was interesting.
*E-Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Arlie is 16 and on the run with her mother who is a drug addict. They are hiding from Arlie’s stepfather Lloyd, who is responsible for the meth lab explosion that left Arlie permanently scarred, physically and mentally. This book was okay. I enjoyed the writing and the story, but I didn’t love the main character.
Arlie’s mother overdoses and Arlie discovers that she has an uncle, that she’d never heard of. She is given the chance to finally have a somewhat normal life. She has a place to live, she gets to go to school with her best friend, and there’s even a guy that’s interested in her. She’s even seeing a therapist and things are starting to look up, and her guard starts to come down.
Everything’s going okay and then Lloyd shows up and threatens everything Arlie cares about. He says her mother stole money from him and he’s there to collect. Arlie isn’t used to having people who care about her, so she decides to try and deal with the situation herself. She thinks only of herself and not the people around her, who actually care about her.
This was my biggest problem with Arlie. One second she was making progress with her uncle and then tries to take on all of her problems by herself. I found myself getting very frustrated with her.
Overall, I actually enjoyed this book. It was slightly frustrating, but it was a quick read and it was interesting.
*E-Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2015
This book immediately grabbed my attention. Arlie is a loner who feels compelled to help her drug addict mother and provide for both of them as much as she can until her mother overdoses. She never attended school, and her best friend is a girl who stalked her in her motel parking lot and never gave up on her, even knowing the situation she was in.
She dropped into a school system with normal peer pressures and an uncle guardian who she didn't even know existed before this. But she's different; everyone knows about her prior life and the burn scar on her face, which makes her feel even more alone. And then her evil stepfather comes back and she panics when she realizes everyone she's come to care about and everything she's acquired could be taken away in a heartbeat.
However the last 25 pages were a struggle. I get irrationally angry when a character displays extreme stupidity. I don't mind it if it's some heroic act, but if they've done a bunch of stupid things already and just don't seem to understand the consequences of their actions and/or how it impacts those around them, and don't seem to learn anything or progress and keep doing the same dumb things, I get frustrated. Thankfully there is a happy ending, but it seems unfinished and rushed, which is why I gave this one 3 stars.
She dropped into a school system with normal peer pressures and an uncle guardian who she didn't even know existed before this. But she's different; everyone knows about her prior life and the burn scar on her face, which makes her feel even more alone. And then her evil stepfather comes back and she panics when she realizes everyone she's come to care about and everything she's acquired could be taken away in a heartbeat.
However the last 25 pages were a struggle. I get irrationally angry when a character displays extreme stupidity. I don't mind it if it's some heroic act, but if they've done a bunch of stupid things already and just don't seem to understand the consequences of their actions and/or how it impacts those around them, and don't seem to learn anything or progress and keep doing the same dumb things, I get frustrated. Thankfully there is a happy ending, but it seems unfinished and rushed, which is why I gave this one 3 stars.
July 13, 2015
As a former secondary English teacher and resident of Durango, I so appreciated Mikulencak's first YA novel, Burn Girl, on many levels. Burn Girl's characters are well developed and emotionally engaging, yet Mikulencak also establishes a strong sense of place making this a well-rounded and -written contemporary YA novel. Arlie's facial scars and Cody's blindness are explored from various social-emotional angles of tenderness, ridicule, humor and self-esteem, in a more mature and sophisticated way than Wonder (Palacio). I don't typically tolerate violence well, yet Burn Girl's crimes and lurking danger kept me in suspense (sorry Annie, I disagree with your review that the novel is "predictable") and were necessary examples of our societal scourges. I truly hope Burn Girl makes it to the big screen, too!
August 9, 2015
I got this as an advance reader copy through my local librarian. After I got through the first few pages of burn girl I found it as a page turning read. This book is a great book for people looking for a book where the main character faces here past and tries to silve problems involving said past. If you are looking for a book with a completly happy storyline this is NOT it. This is a fairly happy book with bits of sad here and there. This is definable one of the best books I have Ever read. Giving it a 5 out of 5 stars does not do it justice. If it was possible I would give it a 10 out if 5.
November 4, 2015
Arlie's face was scarred as a child after her stepdad's meth lab exploded in their home. She and her mom were constantly on the run from him until her mom overdosed and died in their motel room. At just 16-years old, her uncle moves to town to care for her, she enrolls in school, has a crush, and has to hide from the stepdad that's looking for her. The beginning of the book was promising and I thought the story was original, but there was a lot going on and it was hard to root for Arlie because she made stupid choices.
I received this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
I received this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
June 19, 2015
I'm sorry to those who gave this five stars because really? Really? The story is fine and the writing is fluid and you care about the characters but this was FAR too predictable. How many times is Arlie going to do the same thing over and over--sneak out to confront the bad guy. And I never quite really got why Lloyd was after her--it was too weak.
So, if you're on an airplane or at the beach and need something to read, then this reads well--the story just was too weak.
So, if you're on an airplane or at the beach and need something to read, then this reads well--the story just was too weak.
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August 12, 2015I'd like to thank Netgalley and AW Publishing for providing me this copy in exchange for an honest review.
WOOOOW I'm on a roll today with not finishing books. DNF at 15%. There was nothing in this story that held my attention.
WOOOOW I'm on a roll today with not finishing books. DNF at 15%. There was nothing in this story that held my attention.
May 8, 2016
This wasn't a bad read. I liked it more in the beginning. The ending felt rushed and Arlie's choices were really stupid. I feel the ending could've been a lot better. I liked the flash backs and enjoyed the characters.
May 29, 2020
Stories of teens with drug addicted parents always intrigue me. I love a tale of survival. This one had its ups and downs, with a couple implausible scenes, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
December 24, 2015
*I received digital ARC of this book from Albert Whitman & Company through Netgalley*
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
At first, I was a little worried that this book would be that kind of dark read that would take me into a dreadful state. I’m glad that it’s more like a sad read than depressing. In fact, it wasn’t entirely sad because the story actually emanates a feeling of hopeful for those who read it. Or at least that’s what the author initially wanted to relay through this story.
Burn Girl tells a story about Arlie, a flawed girl with sixteen years of dark memories trying to live a ‘normal’ life for the first time. The opening scene was Arlie narrating a story when she found her mom’s lifeless body in their motel room. By the indifference in Arlie’s tone, we could see how her mother’s death only affected her very little than it was supposed to be. Arlie had been a tough girl her entire life, being a hardly-ever-sober meth addict’s daughter. She had to take a random job at such a young age to support their lives while at the same time taking care of her mother every time she went high. When her mother decided to live a nomadic life in Durango by moving from one motel to another trying to dodge the chase of an ex-husband, Arlie left school for good. She often thought of running away but at some points she would eventually come back. Living with her addict mom was no different than having no mom; none of them is a better choice than each other. So it was a little weird for her to feel sad when the person who’s dead is the very person who always gives her a hard time. All she felt was this hollowness of not knowing what to do and where to go after years of hiding from the world.
The last great thing happened to Arlie was from five years ago when she met a quirky girl over the motel’s dumpster. Meeting Mo, a girl who declared herself as a friend on their first encounter was the first step that made Arlie feels like a normal sixteen years old girl. Mo had not been only loyal but she introduced her to a life a teenage girl supposed to have. It didn’t take long before Arlie and Mo became a solid best friend. I am touched by the friendship they built over years. Mo is everything Arlie isn’t. But that’s where a strong friendship usually comes from. The author creates Mo’s character so lovable. Her character is a perfect picture of best friend a girl could ever have. I think she might be the most selfless side-character I ever read. It was lucky of Arlie that among all of the chaos she still had Mo, the last string that made everything bearable for her.
Arlie was sure now that her mother had died, she would eventually end up in a foster home knowing that she might be the last person in their barely existing family tree. But when someone named Frank from Texas claimed he was Arlie’s mom’s brother, she realized that maybe, just maybe, her life would be all different now.
With companies of a weird yet kind-hearted uncle she never knew about, a best-friend who never left and a boy who could never saw the world yet able to help her see one, Arlie had to face a brand new chapter of her life as a normal girl with a normal life. It might sound easy but when the ghost from her past kept haunting her every step, Arlie realized that sometimes it takes more than just a self-bravery to fight your demon. Sometimes, you have to let others in so you can all fight them together ‘till the end.
Even though Arlie’s literally the ‘victim’ here, it’s kind of hard for me to really connect with her. She kept getting on my nerves all the time. I understand the wary feeling Arlie constantly felt toward the ‘new life’ she was about to face considering how happiness seemed so far away from her reach for years. I want it so bad to sympathize with her circumstance. But she made it difficult by keep shutting out people who truly cared for her. She constantly pushed people away because she believed that everything was just a camouflage that would disappear from her sight at some point. Moreover when she tried to be all tough and brave, for me it just came out as reckless and very irresponsible of her. Truthfully, I liked her character much better when her mother was still alive. The Arlie ‘before’ was so mature and reliable. Reading the memories of her past, I felt so much ache for little Arlie for having to deal with ugly things her mom always did then how growing up she became this strong girl practically taking responsibility for them both. It’s just sad that the Arlie ‘after’ became kind of frustrating with her I-don’t-deserve-everyone personality.
The romance she had with Cody was really sweet. Though some people might see an irony of the pair (with Cody was blind that he couldn’t see the ugly burn scar in Arlie’s face), I like to think that they made a beautiful couple with their flaws. Cody who could never see anything in life showed Arlie that sometimes the beauty of something doesn’t always need to be seen through the eyes. Sometimes when you just close your eyes and let the other senses to work, that’s when the beauty feels even more intense. The progress of their relationship might be considered fast but I loved it alright. I just wished though that there’s a deeper background story of Cody’s character and their very first encounter.
Mo and Frank easily become my favorite characters in Burn Girl. While friendship with Mo is something to envy about, Frank offers a beautiful uncle-niece relationship to Arlie. For a man his age, Frank is really patient with Arlie’s difficult personality. I love him so much for trying so hard to give everything his sister could never give to Arlie. He showed so much effort to give his best even when Arlie least expected him to.
Even though Arlie made a lot of stupid decisions throughout the story, I liked that there was a scene that made her character somehow stand out a bit in the end. It was a little dramatic but I loved the message implied within the scene that after all Arlie was just simply a sixteen years old with a rough past; that every mistake was solely driven by her one-sided love for the mother who had disappointed her all her life. In the end, I’m glad that she finally realized her self-worth―thanks to the people who never stopped reminding her of it.
This book had a quite predictable plot and a really slow pace but I pretty enjoyed it. The amazing side-characters made the book much more interesting than its actual simple storyline. Burn Girl offers a story of a scarred girl trying to find a place in her new life while dealing with the shadow of the dark past that keeps following her everywhere.
Arlie’s story teaches us that the ugly past isn’t something you need to eliminate completely from your mind but it could be the foundation of our future strength; something to remind us that we were once survived from such breakdown and we could always do it again when we need to.
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
At first, I was a little worried that this book would be that kind of dark read that would take me into a dreadful state. I’m glad that it’s more like a sad read than depressing. In fact, it wasn’t entirely sad because the story actually emanates a feeling of hopeful for those who read it. Or at least that’s what the author initially wanted to relay through this story.
Burn Girl tells a story about Arlie, a flawed girl with sixteen years of dark memories trying to live a ‘normal’ life for the first time. The opening scene was Arlie narrating a story when she found her mom’s lifeless body in their motel room. By the indifference in Arlie’s tone, we could see how her mother’s death only affected her very little than it was supposed to be. Arlie had been a tough girl her entire life, being a hardly-ever-sober meth addict’s daughter. She had to take a random job at such a young age to support their lives while at the same time taking care of her mother every time she went high. When her mother decided to live a nomadic life in Durango by moving from one motel to another trying to dodge the chase of an ex-husband, Arlie left school for good. She often thought of running away but at some points she would eventually come back. Living with her addict mom was no different than having no mom; none of them is a better choice than each other. So it was a little weird for her to feel sad when the person who’s dead is the very person who always gives her a hard time. All she felt was this hollowness of not knowing what to do and where to go after years of hiding from the world.
The last great thing happened to Arlie was from five years ago when she met a quirky girl over the motel’s dumpster. Meeting Mo, a girl who declared herself as a friend on their first encounter was the first step that made Arlie feels like a normal sixteen years old girl. Mo had not been only loyal but she introduced her to a life a teenage girl supposed to have. It didn’t take long before Arlie and Mo became a solid best friend. I am touched by the friendship they built over years. Mo is everything Arlie isn’t. But that’s where a strong friendship usually comes from. The author creates Mo’s character so lovable. Her character is a perfect picture of best friend a girl could ever have. I think she might be the most selfless side-character I ever read. It was lucky of Arlie that among all of the chaos she still had Mo, the last string that made everything bearable for her.
Arlie was sure now that her mother had died, she would eventually end up in a foster home knowing that she might be the last person in their barely existing family tree. But when someone named Frank from Texas claimed he was Arlie’s mom’s brother, she realized that maybe, just maybe, her life would be all different now.
With companies of a weird yet kind-hearted uncle she never knew about, a best-friend who never left and a boy who could never saw the world yet able to help her see one, Arlie had to face a brand new chapter of her life as a normal girl with a normal life. It might sound easy but when the ghost from her past kept haunting her every step, Arlie realized that sometimes it takes more than just a self-bravery to fight your demon. Sometimes, you have to let others in so you can all fight them together ‘till the end.
Even though Arlie’s literally the ‘victim’ here, it’s kind of hard for me to really connect with her. She kept getting on my nerves all the time. I understand the wary feeling Arlie constantly felt toward the ‘new life’ she was about to face considering how happiness seemed so far away from her reach for years. I want it so bad to sympathize with her circumstance. But she made it difficult by keep shutting out people who truly cared for her. She constantly pushed people away because she believed that everything was just a camouflage that would disappear from her sight at some point. Moreover when she tried to be all tough and brave, for me it just came out as reckless and very irresponsible of her. Truthfully, I liked her character much better when her mother was still alive. The Arlie ‘before’ was so mature and reliable. Reading the memories of her past, I felt so much ache for little Arlie for having to deal with ugly things her mom always did then how growing up she became this strong girl practically taking responsibility for them both. It’s just sad that the Arlie ‘after’ became kind of frustrating with her I-don’t-deserve-everyone personality.
The romance she had with Cody was really sweet. Though some people might see an irony of the pair (with Cody was blind that he couldn’t see the ugly burn scar in Arlie’s face), I like to think that they made a beautiful couple with their flaws. Cody who could never see anything in life showed Arlie that sometimes the beauty of something doesn’t always need to be seen through the eyes. Sometimes when you just close your eyes and let the other senses to work, that’s when the beauty feels even more intense. The progress of their relationship might be considered fast but I loved it alright. I just wished though that there’s a deeper background story of Cody’s character and their very first encounter.
Mo and Frank easily become my favorite characters in Burn Girl. While friendship with Mo is something to envy about, Frank offers a beautiful uncle-niece relationship to Arlie. For a man his age, Frank is really patient with Arlie’s difficult personality. I love him so much for trying so hard to give everything his sister could never give to Arlie. He showed so much effort to give his best even when Arlie least expected him to.
Even though Arlie made a lot of stupid decisions throughout the story, I liked that there was a scene that made her character somehow stand out a bit in the end. It was a little dramatic but I loved the message implied within the scene that after all Arlie was just simply a sixteen years old with a rough past; that every mistake was solely driven by her one-sided love for the mother who had disappointed her all her life. In the end, I’m glad that she finally realized her self-worth―thanks to the people who never stopped reminding her of it.
This book had a quite predictable plot and a really slow pace but I pretty enjoyed it. The amazing side-characters made the book much more interesting than its actual simple storyline. Burn Girl offers a story of a scarred girl trying to find a place in her new life while dealing with the shadow of the dark past that keeps following her everywhere.
Arlie’s story teaches us that the ugly past isn’t something you need to eliminate completely from your mind but it could be the foundation of our future strength; something to remind us that we were once survived from such breakdown and we could always do it again when we need to.
November 21, 2023
Burn Girl was an emotional rollercoaster of a book – it follows the story of recently orphaned 16-year-old Arlie after her mum overdoses in their hotel room and she’s sent off to live with her Uncle. Arlie is suddenly thrusted into a ‘normal life’, one her past life never even had a semblance of. Arlie struggles to leave her drug-involved past behind, her burn scars (caused by a freak explosion in her stepdad’s meth lab) a constant reminder of this. It explores quite dark subjects, ranging from toxic relationships to drug abuse, along with the effects and role of drugs in the ruining of lives and families.
By far, my favourite part of the book was our protagonist, Arlie. Throughout the book we get to see Arlie grow; she forms meaningful bonds with others (I adore the romantic subplot – so cute!), becomes more self-confident of her scars and self, and is able to accept her past before eventually, face all her traumas and fears head on. Additionally, I loved how Arlie’s relationship with her mother was depicted – the contrast of how reliant and attached Arlie was to her mum vs her mother prioritizing drugs over her own daughter - made my heart break, especially knowing the fact that this kind of relationship is probably not uncommon in reality.
I really did enjoy this book, it was a fantastic down to earth YA novel that I would gladly reread again!
By far, my favourite part of the book was our protagonist, Arlie. Throughout the book we get to see Arlie grow; she forms meaningful bonds with others (I adore the romantic subplot – so cute!), becomes more self-confident of her scars and self, and is able to accept her past before eventually, face all her traumas and fears head on. Additionally, I loved how Arlie’s relationship with her mother was depicted – the contrast of how reliant and attached Arlie was to her mum vs her mother prioritizing drugs over her own daughter - made my heart break, especially knowing the fact that this kind of relationship is probably not uncommon in reality.
I really did enjoy this book, it was a fantastic down to earth YA novel that I would gladly reread again!
September 24, 2017
With the ability to jump right into life and feel as if you are sharing a story that is a part of your life, Burn Girl FEELS real. Strong female protagonist, as well as a world in school and out of school that doesn't cut you any breaks, the plot rolls forward without any extra pity dished out. Mandy Mikulencak does a superb job of literally facing adversity in many forms, peers, social circles, relationships, family, and yourself. One does not have to hardly question when an action would actually take place, it all seems plausible.
Turned on to Burn Girl from a new colleague in Mexico City, and stalking Ms. Mikulencak as a Authors Among US participant for Repentino's Author event in April 2018, this book was a welcoming read among so many events occurring in a short span in my life. Being able to celebrate the achievements of lead character Arlie as she finds herself, and finds others, added to the quality of this story. A welcome novel about survival, self-discovery, and strength that often is hidden until you want to discover it.
Turned on to Burn Girl from a new colleague in Mexico City, and stalking Ms. Mikulencak as a Authors Among US participant for Repentino's Author event in April 2018, this book was a welcoming read among so many events occurring in a short span in my life. Being able to celebrate the achievements of lead character Arlie as she finds herself, and finds others, added to the quality of this story. A welcome novel about survival, self-discovery, and strength that often is hidden until you want to discover it.
February 25, 2018
This book is about a girl named Arlie. Arlie has spent most of her life under the radar, with her addict mom. They have spent their whole lives running away from the law, and Adies evil stepdad. But Adies whole life spins when her mom overdoses and dies. Now Adie's life is run by social workers, and she has to go to school where she meets Cody and nice blind guy how she might have feelings for. But when something from Adies past comes back, she will have to do everything she can to protect her new life. I liked the book because it is very emotional and has lots of details.
June 20, 2018
A story that unfolds involving a girl that has lost her mother to drugs, an evil stepfather hunting her down, a best friend that is always looking out for her and an uncle that has come to give her a stable life. All while enduring the ramifications of facial scars! Ends with many pivotal moments e planned.
January 2, 2018
This isn't necessarily my type of book, but I liked its style. Arlie annoyed me with her refusals to work with anyone other than herself -- I get that she had had to be the adult for so long, but she pushed it too far for my sympathy.
February 2, 2018
This was a very good book, it even brought me to tears to some parts. I happen to own the un-proofed version, so I've never actually read the officially published one, but I've gotta say, even that one was awesome.
March 1, 2018
i’d probably think this was the bee’s knees if i was in middle or high school.. unfortunately, i’m in my twenties and still reading young adult books as if i expect something so totally dazzling!! UHHHH anyway... 2.5 stars. mediocrity, my dudes
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