What do you think?
Rate this book
Nie igraj z ogniem
Sekret, który spala od środka.
Porywający thriller Amandy Searcy, amerykańskiej autorki bestsellerów z gatunku Young Adult.
Przeprowadzka do ojca i zamieszkanie w remontowanym właśnie hotelu w ponurej, przerażającej mieścinie były dla Jenny koniecznością. Bardzo daleką od jej marzeń i pragnień, ale jedyną, która zapewni jej bezpieczeństwo.
Jednak zmiana otoczenia nie uwalnia jej od uzależnienia, które spala ją od środka. Codziennie woła ją ogień. Nie może go powstrzymać od czasu wypadku sprzed lat. Do tego zaczyna mieć dziwne przeczucie, że ktoś obserwuje każdy jej ruch.
Czy tajemnice Jenny zostaną odkryte?
Czym jest płonąca głęboko w niej prawda?
Porywający thriller Amandy Searcy, amerykańskiej autorki bestsellerów z gatunku Young Adult.
Przeprowadzka do ojca i zamieszkanie w remontowanym właśnie hotelu w ponurej, przerażającej mieścinie były dla Jenny koniecznością. Bardzo daleką od jej marzeń i pragnień, ale jedyną, która zapewni jej bezpieczeństwo.
Jednak zmiana otoczenia nie uwalnia jej od uzależnienia, które spala ją od środka. Codziennie woła ją ogień. Nie może go powstrzymać od czasu wypadku sprzed lat. Do tego zaczyna mieć dziwne przeczucie, że ktoś obserwuje każdy jej ruch.
Czy tajemnice Jenny zostaną odkryte?
Czym jest płonąca głęboko w niej prawda?
343 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2018
26 people are currently reading
1162 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Searcy
2 books82 followersAmanda Searcy has a BA from New Mexico State University and an MA in human rights from the University of Essex in England. She works in collection development for a public library system and loves chocolate, cats, and curling up with a good book. She lives in New Mexico.
Visit her online at amandasearcybooks.com and follow her on Twitter at @aesearcy.
Visit her online at amandasearcybooks.com and follow her on Twitter at @aesearcy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 20, 2018
Watch You Burn by Amanda Searcy is a young adult thriller about a young arsonist. Jenny has moved to be with her father to hopefully start anew and avoid an arson investigation back in Ohio where her mother and stepfather live.
Jenny’s father is in the process of renovating an old roadside motel and turning it into an upscale tourist attraction when finished so when Jenny arrives she gets her own luxurious suite. It doesn’t take long though for that urge for fire to return to Jenny even in her new surroundings.
Sneaking out at night Jenny thinks she is find as long as her hobby doesn’t hurt anyone but she quickly finds that the small town has eyes everywhere. Jenny tries to set her sights on making friends and keeping occupied in the town but then a murder occurs too close to Jenny for comfort.
Watch You Burn started off strong in my opinion, Jenny was one of those unreliable narrators that I thought the author portrayed rather well showing her addiction to fire. However, somewhere along the way the story just became somewhat confusing and dare I say unbelievable. I saw right through the whodunnit rather early and questioned a lot of the happenings but in the end I’d say this was an Ok read, not one that I will find overly memorable but at least it was creative.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Jenny’s father is in the process of renovating an old roadside motel and turning it into an upscale tourist attraction when finished so when Jenny arrives she gets her own luxurious suite. It doesn’t take long though for that urge for fire to return to Jenny even in her new surroundings.
Sneaking out at night Jenny thinks she is find as long as her hobby doesn’t hurt anyone but she quickly finds that the small town has eyes everywhere. Jenny tries to set her sights on making friends and keeping occupied in the town but then a murder occurs too close to Jenny for comfort.
Watch You Burn started off strong in my opinion, Jenny was one of those unreliable narrators that I thought the author portrayed rather well showing her addiction to fire. However, somewhere along the way the story just became somewhat confusing and dare I say unbelievable. I saw right through the whodunnit rather early and questioned a lot of the happenings but in the end I’d say this was an Ok read, not one that I will find overly memorable but at least it was creative.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
December 9, 2018
DNF on page 141
I loved this cover and the synopsis hinted at an unreliable narrator and I was all in. Sadly, I was pretty disappointed.
I think I liked Jenny? She wants to be a good person, but she’s a pyromaniac and that controls everything. She self-harms, lies, and steals — and that’s just in what I read. There are several guys, but I don’t know who is supposed to be the love interest as they’re all a little creepy. There are a few other characters, but no one stood out.
Plot wise, it was boring. I was expecting tension and creepiness and none of that happened. Scenes felt repetitive, Jenny’s actions were either overreacting or meh, and I just couldn’t settle into the sort of odd writing. I did skip to the end and read the last chapter, but it wasn’t enough to get me to finish.
Overall, it was an interesting premise, but the execution didn’t work for me.
**Huge thanks to Delacorte Press for sending me a finished copy free of charge**
I loved this cover and the synopsis hinted at an unreliable narrator and I was all in. Sadly, I was pretty disappointed.
I think I liked Jenny? She wants to be a good person, but she’s a pyromaniac and that controls everything. She self-harms, lies, and steals — and that’s just in what I read. There are several guys, but I don’t know who is supposed to be the love interest as they’re all a little creepy. There are a few other characters, but no one stood out.
Plot wise, it was boring. I was expecting tension and creepiness and none of that happened. Scenes felt repetitive, Jenny’s actions were either overreacting or meh, and I just couldn’t settle into the sort of odd writing. I did skip to the end and read the last chapter, but it wasn’t enough to get me to finish.
Overall, it was an interesting premise, but the execution didn’t work for me.
**Huge thanks to Delacorte Press for sending me a finished copy free of charge**
Read
September 12, 2018DNF @ 30%
I really tried with this one. This girl, right here, used to be the DNF Queen. I would pick up books left and right, and if they weren't to my liking, I would fling them to the wind, usually giving them a little jazz hand wave as they flew away. But but but I had reformed! It's been ages since this princess did her Miss America hand flutter. I had found something like, book commitment?? But this book came along and I was lost.
Pros: there were interesting moments. The writing was easy enough to get through 30% of it. I liked how the writer decided to tackle an interesting unreliable narrator who isn't the conventional YA character. She did have real psychology behind it, and definitely showcases the mind of an addict. Um, um, um, I really really really like the covers and chapter headers??? I'm so sorry. That's honestly about it.
Cons: oh dear. Bullet point list format since it's mine and Sha's preferred method of rants/semi-rants.
- The main character. She was just so eh. And jumped to the wildest conclusions. Example: she sees a burning cigarette outside her hotel room on the first night she sneaks out and sets a fire. So, instead of going like, oh, okay, someone clearly doesn't understand how to use an ash tray and is littering, she is immediately going, SOMEONE HAS SEEN ME. THEY KNOW. THEY KNOW EVERYTHING AND THEY MUST KNOW THAT I STARTED THIS FIRE LIKE A MILE AWAY AND ALL IS LOST. Um, okay, I'm paranoid af, but even I wouldn't have jumped to that major of conclusion.
Also, in things that are majorly weird and out of the ordinary, she didn't have any sort of reaction? Example: she comes home one day and finds that there is a person in her room. Obviously and clearly, she starts reacting and freaking out (and I mean, you go girl, because you need to) and then IMMEDIATELY after, like, one sentence chills out because it's her friend who literally snuck through her window, goes to use her shower, and then just chills in her room - all without asking. And her friend? She just met her I'm pretty sure 4 days before hiding out in an abandoned no trespassing zone. The main character's main reasoning for instantly going kk sure is because she feels bad about her new bestie being semi homeless and living with a terrible aunt, even though this is weird???? If my best friend that I've known since 4th grade had done this, I still would be completely weirded out because I mean, you snuck through a bedroom window????
- I kept getting confused. There were moments that would happen that would be clear, but I really had no clue why they were happening, and then things would happen and I was just really confused by them and what was happening. The opening really perplexed me especially with the main character's description of the hotel/motel that she's living in. I literally had to read 3 paragraphs over 4 different times because I couldn't tell if they were living in a really nice, fancy hotel or, like, the seedy Bates Motel where she about to meet Norman. It might have been because I was starting to mentally check out of this book hotel, but I really don't even know how to describe what was going on in this book.
- Also, I was promised a haunted town, and I got no haunts?? Like, the main character doesn't mention how she thinks this is a weird town or she's not vibing it. I thought this would really go a long way to create an atmosphere and some spookiness, but honestly, the most setting I felt was picturing it in arid New Mexico. I felt like this was promptly forgotten about?
- The revolving door of male characters. There is, like, 3 men that kept popping up for no reason and I didn't fully get their purpose otherwise to confuse me on the male triangle of possible love interests???
All of these items added up to me having to call it quits despite me really trying to turn a new page in my DNF status book. It was an interesting premise, and I would see moments of that potential, but overall, it really didn't add up to me. There were too many factors that I wasn't a fan of that kept me from enjoying this one. No crowns because it was a DNF and a Snow White rating!
I really tried with this one. This girl, right here, used to be the DNF Queen. I would pick up books left and right, and if they weren't to my liking, I would fling them to the wind, usually giving them a little jazz hand wave as they flew away. But but but I had reformed! It's been ages since this princess did her Miss America hand flutter. I had found something like, book commitment?? But this book came along and I was lost.
Pros: there were interesting moments. The writing was easy enough to get through 30% of it. I liked how the writer decided to tackle an interesting unreliable narrator who isn't the conventional YA character. She did have real psychology behind it, and definitely showcases the mind of an addict. Um, um, um, I really really really like the covers and chapter headers??? I'm so sorry. That's honestly about it.
Cons: oh dear. Bullet point list format since it's mine and Sha's preferred method of rants/semi-rants.
- The main character. She was just so eh. And jumped to the wildest conclusions. Example: she sees a burning cigarette outside her hotel room on the first night she sneaks out and sets a fire. So, instead of going like, oh, okay, someone clearly doesn't understand how to use an ash tray and is littering, she is immediately going, SOMEONE HAS SEEN ME. THEY KNOW. THEY KNOW EVERYTHING AND THEY MUST KNOW THAT I STARTED THIS FIRE LIKE A MILE AWAY AND ALL IS LOST. Um, okay, I'm paranoid af, but even I wouldn't have jumped to that major of conclusion.
Also, in things that are majorly weird and out of the ordinary, she didn't have any sort of reaction? Example: she comes home one day and finds that there is a person in her room. Obviously and clearly, she starts reacting and freaking out (and I mean, you go girl, because you need to) and then IMMEDIATELY after, like, one sentence chills out because it's her friend who literally snuck through her window, goes to use her shower, and then just chills in her room - all without asking. And her friend? She just met her I'm pretty sure 4 days before hiding out in an abandoned no trespassing zone. The main character's main reasoning for instantly going kk sure is because she feels bad about her new bestie being semi homeless and living with a terrible aunt, even though this is weird???? If my best friend that I've known since 4th grade had done this, I still would be completely weirded out because I mean, you snuck through a bedroom window????
- I kept getting confused. There were moments that would happen that would be clear, but I really had no clue why they were happening, and then things would happen and I was just really confused by them and what was happening. The opening really perplexed me especially with the main character's description of the hotel/motel that she's living in. I literally had to read 3 paragraphs over 4 different times because I couldn't tell if they were living in a really nice, fancy hotel or, like, the seedy Bates Motel where she about to meet Norman. It might have been because I was starting to mentally check out of this book hotel, but I really don't even know how to describe what was going on in this book.
- Also, I was promised a haunted town, and I got no haunts?? Like, the main character doesn't mention how she thinks this is a weird town or she's not vibing it. I thought this would really go a long way to create an atmosphere and some spookiness, but honestly, the most setting I felt was picturing it in arid New Mexico. I felt like this was promptly forgotten about?
- The revolving door of male characters. There is, like, 3 men that kept popping up for no reason and I didn't fully get their purpose otherwise to confuse me on the male triangle of possible love interests???
All of these items added up to me having to call it quits despite me really trying to turn a new page in my DNF status book. It was an interesting premise, and I would see moments of that potential, but overall, it really didn't add up to me. There were too many factors that I wasn't a fan of that kept me from enjoying this one. No crowns because it was a DNF and a Snow White rating!
March 31, 2019
I have no idea what this book is about. At all.
Nothing about the plot, the characters, or even the twist is worthy of mentioning. Oh, wait, in fact, there's only one special feeling I've never experienced when reading this book and that is: my very first time being so incredibly, unbelievably, amazingly oblivious towards everything happening in Jenny's story. Truth be told, Watch You Burn is definitely the most uneventful story I've ever came across throughout my bookish life so far and I'm seriously amazed by that. I mean, I tend to feel something while reading and this book successfully turns me into someone devoid of all the emotions ever existed. *shrugs*
Anyway, it's such a disappointment since I actually had a good time reading Amanda Searcy's previous work, The Truth Beneath the Lies. There's no way I'd recommend this book and I don't think I'll give her future works another chance anytime soon. #sorrynotsorry
***Despite my unfavorable review, I still am thankful to the publisher for sending me an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Nothing about the plot, the characters, or even the twist is worthy of mentioning. Oh, wait, in fact, there's only one special feeling I've never experienced when reading this book and that is: my very first time being so incredibly, unbelievably, amazingly oblivious towards everything happening in Jenny's story. Truth be told, Watch You Burn is definitely the most uneventful story I've ever came across throughout my bookish life so far and I'm seriously amazed by that. I mean, I tend to feel something while reading and this book successfully turns me into someone devoid of all the emotions ever existed. *shrugs*
Anyway, it's such a disappointment since I actually had a good time reading Amanda Searcy's previous work, The Truth Beneath the Lies. There's no way I'd recommend this book and I don't think I'll give her future works another chance anytime soon. #sorrynotsorry
***Despite my unfavorable review, I still am thankful to the publisher for sending me an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
February 27, 2022
I didn’t dislike this book, I simply had no feelings at all about it. The story had potential but was convoluted with too many characters. Ultimately, it’s not something I can recommend.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
October 25, 2018
Who is Jenny?
Arsonist or victim?
Friend or foe?
Honest or a liar?
Sane or insane?
You may not know until the very last sentence of WATCH YOU BURN. Amanda Searcy is back with her second consecutive home run in this psychological thriller.
Jenny tells us she wants to do better from whatever (presumably arson) incident had her moving from her mother’s home in Ohio to her mostly absentee father’s place in New Mexico. They live in a motel he’s converting from a seedy flophouse to a luxurious place to stay. New Mexico is a fresh start, where nobody knows what happened when she was seven and what that made her. Everybody Jenny meets also has secrets. Which of hers new friends and acquaintances are friends, which are sociopaths?
If my daughter had the experience Jenny did at age seven, she would have been in therapy to help her recover. If my daughter was a suspected arsonist, she would have been in therapy. I certainly would not send her to live with her father without telling him my suspicions and urging him to get her help. Although, lack of therapy for surviving trauma probably made Jenny who she became.
I kept rooting for her to make good choices, or at the very least, tell someone her problem, but I can see why a teenager her age would be frightened and lack the foresight of where to turn. Jenny had a conscience and balanced that with an unhealthy sense of self-preservation, made her sympathetic and compelling.
WATCH YOU BURN made me long for a sequel to see the growth of these major and minor characters continue. Or not.
Arsonist or victim?
Friend or foe?
Honest or a liar?
Sane or insane?
You may not know until the very last sentence of WATCH YOU BURN. Amanda Searcy is back with her second consecutive home run in this psychological thriller.
Jenny tells us she wants to do better from whatever (presumably arson) incident had her moving from her mother’s home in Ohio to her mostly absentee father’s place in New Mexico. They live in a motel he’s converting from a seedy flophouse to a luxurious place to stay. New Mexico is a fresh start, where nobody knows what happened when she was seven and what that made her. Everybody Jenny meets also has secrets. Which of hers new friends and acquaintances are friends, which are sociopaths?
If my daughter had the experience Jenny did at age seven, she would have been in therapy to help her recover. If my daughter was a suspected arsonist, she would have been in therapy. I certainly would not send her to live with her father without telling him my suspicions and urging him to get her help. Although, lack of therapy for surviving trauma probably made Jenny who she became.
I kept rooting for her to make good choices, or at the very least, tell someone her problem, but I can see why a teenager her age would be frightened and lack the foresight of where to turn. Jenny had a conscience and balanced that with an unhealthy sense of self-preservation, made her sympathetic and compelling.
WATCH YOU BURN made me long for a sequel to see the growth of these major and minor characters continue. Or not.
March 31, 2024
Książka nie jest idealna, jednak jest to niezły młodzieżowy thriller. A końcówka była dla mnie rollercoasterem.
October 23, 2018
By the time I picked up this book, there were already a bunch of low reviews on Goodreads. Still, I did not let that discourage me. I went into this with high hopes and fully willing to love it. And for a moment, I think I almost did. The beginning was interesting, despite the writing style which simply wasn't for me. I was curious to see where the book was going to so. Sadly, it went downhill soon for me.
Jenny is an unreliable narrator, which I love. But, she's full of terrible, illogical decisions, pyromania aside. I really liked the way her mania was described. But her mental process for everything was so incredibly frustrating. She was always either overreacting or underreacting. Also, how was it not known that she was the one setting these fires? How was that conclusion not drawn early on? I feel like there were definitely moments in which that was out in the open.
Then there was the mystery. I don't read much mystery. Yet, when I do, it always manages to surprise me. I don't feel like this book did that. In a way, it reminded me of There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins in that there was build up and with an ultimately unsatisfying reveal. It also reminded me a bit of Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart, where there was so much messed up stuff happening that I ended up being more shocked at it than actually impressed. In the end, I just wasn't all that into it.
Overall, I have to be honest, I just felt disappointed with this book. I didn't feel as though it delivered on what I wanted. I wanted to love the charcters and I ended up not feeling attached to any of them. I wanted to be invested in the plot and I instead found myself constantly checking how much of the novel I had left, eager to be done with it.
So, do I recommend it? Not really. I think that what this book tries to do, other books do better. That said, if you truly think this is a book you might like, then by all means, go for it. I do recommend reading an excerpt first, though. And if you do go for it, I really hope you like it!
Jenny is an unreliable narrator, which I love. But, she's full of terrible, illogical decisions, pyromania aside. I really liked the way her mania was described. But her mental process for everything was so incredibly frustrating. She was always either overreacting or underreacting. Also, how was it not known that she was the one setting these fires? How was that conclusion not drawn early on? I feel like there were definitely moments in which that was out in the open.
Then there was the mystery. I don't read much mystery. Yet, when I do, it always manages to surprise me. I don't feel like this book did that. In a way, it reminded me of There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins in that there was build up and with an ultimately unsatisfying reveal. It also reminded me a bit of Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart, where there was so much messed up stuff happening that I ended up being more shocked at it than actually impressed. In the end, I just wasn't all that into it.
Overall, I have to be honest, I just felt disappointed with this book. I didn't feel as though it delivered on what I wanted. I wanted to love the charcters and I ended up not feeling attached to any of them. I wanted to be invested in the plot and I instead found myself constantly checking how much of the novel I had left, eager to be done with it.
So, do I recommend it? Not really. I think that what this book tries to do, other books do better. That said, if you truly think this is a book you might like, then by all means, go for it. I do recommend reading an excerpt first, though. And if you do go for it, I really hope you like it!
November 8, 2018
This book was OUTSTANDING! I’ve seen a few people say that they didn’t finish it and I have to assume they are Amanda Searcy virgins! This author is a master of the plot! Just when she lulls you into feeling a certain way about the book, she pulls the rug out from under you and completely changes the rules! Absolutely NOTHING turned out how I thought it would and I ALWAYS guess the ending! I couldn’t put it down!
October 19, 2018
Ehh... Full review to follow soon.
March 8, 2022
It was great! Not perfect. It had some larger flaws, the ending was a bit messy and the beginning wasnt great either, but still enjoyed it a lot!
September 16, 2018
Amanda Searcy is back with a new novel. Watch You Burn is about Jenny, a teen that can't seem to stop the itch to make things burn. She is sent to live with her dad as he rebuilds a dilapidated motel into a fancy roadside motel. There she meets two new friends and a potential love interest. She still can't stop her urge to play with fire and trouble and murders seem to follow her. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens.
Overall, I really liked this book. I had seen some so-so reviews of the book around so I was a little bit apprehensive but I am so glad that I decided to pick up the book. The writing is incredibly strong. It kept me hooked so much that when I decided I finally needed to sleep, I couldn't wait to pick it up in the morning. I ended up reading the whole book in just over 24 hours. The twisty mystery had me guessing and I did have a guess on the end and I was correct but it was so fun trying to figure out if I was right.
If you're in the mood for a good thriller/mystery-definitely pick up this book.
*Book received through the Amazon Vine program*
Overall, I really liked this book. I had seen some so-so reviews of the book around so I was a little bit apprehensive but I am so glad that I decided to pick up the book. The writing is incredibly strong. It kept me hooked so much that when I decided I finally needed to sleep, I couldn't wait to pick it up in the morning. I ended up reading the whole book in just over 24 hours. The twisty mystery had me guessing and I did have a guess on the end and I was correct but it was so fun trying to figure out if I was right.
If you're in the mood for a good thriller/mystery-definitely pick up this book.
*Book received through the Amazon Vine program*
October 22, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this book from Delacorte Press and Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (arson, violence, lots of fire, mystery)
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jenny didn't want to move to the creepy, possibly haunted town with her dad. But the cops are on to her, and the only way she can protect herself is by moving as far away from her hometown as possible and staying out of trouble.
But even after she moves, Jenny still gets the itch. The itch to light a match and then watch it burn.
It's something she hasn't been able to stop, ever since an accident years ago. Now, in a new town, Jenny has the strange feeling that someone is watching her every move. Will her arsonist ways be exposed? Or is the burning truth deep inside her a greater danger?
For the most part this book had a really engrossing plot. The plot was so intriguing that I couldn’t put the book down! I felt that the book had some really interesting characters and I liked how developed they were and I liked how the book turned out. It was a really good mystery with some twists I didn’t see coming and it certainly kept me on my toes!
However, I did feel that the book was really hard to get into and it can be offputting for some readers. I think that the main difficulty of the book is that it’s really slow paced and stuff is draw out unnecessarily long in my opinion. I felt that the this book didn’t have a lot of reread potential as well and the book didn’t make sense for in my opinion for some of the things that occurred in this novel.
Verdict: Twisty windy mystery galore!
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (arson, violence, lots of fire, mystery)
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jenny didn't want to move to the creepy, possibly haunted town with her dad. But the cops are on to her, and the only way she can protect herself is by moving as far away from her hometown as possible and staying out of trouble.
But even after she moves, Jenny still gets the itch. The itch to light a match and then watch it burn.
It's something she hasn't been able to stop, ever since an accident years ago. Now, in a new town, Jenny has the strange feeling that someone is watching her every move. Will her arsonist ways be exposed? Or is the burning truth deep inside her a greater danger?
For the most part this book had a really engrossing plot. The plot was so intriguing that I couldn’t put the book down! I felt that the book had some really interesting characters and I liked how developed they were and I liked how the book turned out. It was a really good mystery with some twists I didn’t see coming and it certainly kept me on my toes!
However, I did feel that the book was really hard to get into and it can be offputting for some readers. I think that the main difficulty of the book is that it’s really slow paced and stuff is draw out unnecessarily long in my opinion. I felt that the this book didn’t have a lot of reread potential as well and the book didn’t make sense for in my opinion for some of the things that occurred in this novel.
Verdict: Twisty windy mystery galore!
October 14, 2019
This was the perfect book to keep me entertained during jury duty. There’s just enough mystery and suspense to keep me hooked and I didn’t mind being caught up reading for hours.
I loved the atmosphere. New Mexico doesn’t really make an appearance in many YA books so it was fun to see a tiny reflection of the world I’ve grown up in. I live in the biggest city in the state and the story takes place in a fictional small town but the FEELING is there. It feels like New Mexico.
Once again, Searcy creates story that’s not strictly a mystery. Jenny is an unreliable narrator so it’s hard to fully grasp what’s going on. You think you have an idea of what’s going on but as the story progresses, you realize your guesses are all wrong.
I really enjoyed getting inside Jenny’s head. Yes, it’s weird and confusing that Jenny is both intrigued and scared of fire. That’s how addiction can be. It’s not supposed to be logical or make sense. It’s why you, as a reader, need to keep a closer eye on her. Don’t take anything she says at face value.
Great engaging mystery!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Youtube
I loved the atmosphere. New Mexico doesn’t really make an appearance in many YA books so it was fun to see a tiny reflection of the world I’ve grown up in. I live in the biggest city in the state and the story takes place in a fictional small town but the FEELING is there. It feels like New Mexico.
Once again, Searcy creates story that’s not strictly a mystery. Jenny is an unreliable narrator so it’s hard to fully grasp what’s going on. You think you have an idea of what’s going on but as the story progresses, you realize your guesses are all wrong.
I really enjoyed getting inside Jenny’s head. Yes, it’s weird and confusing that Jenny is both intrigued and scared of fire. That’s how addiction can be. It’s not supposed to be logical or make sense. It’s why you, as a reader, need to keep a closer eye on her. Don’t take anything she says at face value.
Great engaging mystery!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Youtube
July 16, 2018
Searcy is a master at keeping you guessing up until the very end. Fleshed out characters each with their own flaws round out this suspenseful story. I inhaled Watch You Burn, desperate to know how it would end!
September 6, 2018
Jenny leaves Ohio to move in with her dad in Arizona attempting to get herself off the police’s radar as they pursue an arson investigation. Her dad’s construction company is renovating an abandoned and dilapidated hotel into a shiny, updated new one to bring in more tourists to this tiny town. Jenny lives in one of the refurbished rooms with luxury features, but even her new lifestyle and starting at a prep school can’t suffice her cravings to start fires.
Making new friends and acquiring a boyfriend, Jenny attempts to behave and leave her past in Ohio, but once she lights the first match she spirals back to her old ways. Now the police in Arizona are investigating the fires along with murders that suddenly crop up. Despite the heat of the investigation, Jenny can’t shy away from starting fires and eventually she starts receiving notes and pictures from a stalker.
This story was a splendid mystery. The writing style was a tad difficult to get into, but as the story progressed I was so engrossed with the plot that I paid no attention to how everything was written. One small negative was how long it took for answers to be revealed, but on the plus side it made me want to keep reading. There were so many questions regarding the secondary characters, and Jenny, that weren’t answered until well over the 50% mark which was somewhat frustrating since I wanted my answers asap.
I didn’t expect the twists despite my history of reading many young-adult mysteries and thrillers so that was refreshing. I was on the edge of my seat until the end, very content with the final chapter and confrontation. I didn’t know the killer’s identity until the reveal since I expected it to be someone else. Jenny was beautifully written; you experienced her flaws instead of her good traits, but deep down she loved her family and would do anything to protect them, especially her little sister. The final chapter was when we got to see the true Jenny during her clash with the killer, and I adored every second of the power she possessed and manipulated.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
Making new friends and acquiring a boyfriend, Jenny attempts to behave and leave her past in Ohio, but once she lights the first match she spirals back to her old ways. Now the police in Arizona are investigating the fires along with murders that suddenly crop up. Despite the heat of the investigation, Jenny can’t shy away from starting fires and eventually she starts receiving notes and pictures from a stalker.
This story was a splendid mystery. The writing style was a tad difficult to get into, but as the story progressed I was so engrossed with the plot that I paid no attention to how everything was written. One small negative was how long it took for answers to be revealed, but on the plus side it made me want to keep reading. There were so many questions regarding the secondary characters, and Jenny, that weren’t answered until well over the 50% mark which was somewhat frustrating since I wanted my answers asap.
I didn’t expect the twists despite my history of reading many young-adult mysteries and thrillers so that was refreshing. I was on the edge of my seat until the end, very content with the final chapter and confrontation. I didn’t know the killer’s identity until the reveal since I expected it to be someone else. Jenny was beautifully written; you experienced her flaws instead of her good traits, but deep down she loved her family and would do anything to protect them, especially her little sister. The final chapter was when we got to see the true Jenny during her clash with the killer, and I adored every second of the power she possessed and manipulated.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
August 2, 2018
*3.25 stars
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a harder one to really put my feelings into words for. I'd say for about the first 40%, I was really bored. I honestly considered giving up on this and just marking it as a DNF. But, I held out, and it did pick up, so I'm glad I did.
Right from the beginning I was excited to have a main character who is one of the bad guys. There is a lot going on here, so she's definitely not the only bad guy, but she's certainly not who I would call the hero of the story. Actually, looking back on it, I don't think that there even is a hero in this story. I don't see this often, and I felt like the author could do a lot with it. I think it turned out OK, but I was expecting more.
The overall "plot twist" was one I saw coming from about the 50% mark, when things had finally started to get good. I mostly decided to keep reading this one because I wanted to find out if my guess was right or not. We've got these two big plot lines that don't really have anything to do with each other, and that makes for a pretty interesting experience. On one hand, we've got Jenny itching to start basically anything flammable on fire, and then we've got someone running around killing people. It made for a fun time trying to figure out how everything was going to tie together, but the reveal wasn't really shocking for me.
The characters were interesting enough, but there were some small story lines here and there that kind of came and went but didn't get resolved. I wasn't a fan of the writing style whatsoever in the beginning, but after a while I got used to it.
Overall, I don't hate it, and I don't love it. It was a fun read, but it didn't quite quench the thirst for a suspenseful mystery, in my opinion.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a harder one to really put my feelings into words for. I'd say for about the first 40%, I was really bored. I honestly considered giving up on this and just marking it as a DNF. But, I held out, and it did pick up, so I'm glad I did.
Right from the beginning I was excited to have a main character who is one of the bad guys. There is a lot going on here, so she's definitely not the only bad guy, but she's certainly not who I would call the hero of the story. Actually, looking back on it, I don't think that there even is a hero in this story. I don't see this often, and I felt like the author could do a lot with it. I think it turned out OK, but I was expecting more.
The overall "plot twist" was one I saw coming from about the 50% mark, when things had finally started to get good. I mostly decided to keep reading this one because I wanted to find out if my guess was right or not. We've got these two big plot lines that don't really have anything to do with each other, and that makes for a pretty interesting experience. On one hand, we've got Jenny itching to start basically anything flammable on fire, and then we've got someone running around killing people. It made for a fun time trying to figure out how everything was going to tie together, but the reveal wasn't really shocking for me.
The characters were interesting enough, but there were some small story lines here and there that kind of came and went but didn't get resolved. I wasn't a fan of the writing style whatsoever in the beginning, but after a while I got used to it.
Overall, I don't hate it, and I don't love it. It was a fun read, but it didn't quite quench the thirst for a suspenseful mystery, in my opinion.
December 23, 2020
[Advisory: Rant review]
For the first 30-35% of this book, I thought it was interesting enough- nothing overly special, but fine- before it turned into what I thought would be painfully predictable and tedious territory. Then, it kept winding and dragging interchangeably until the big ‘twist ending’, which was painfully non-sensical and beyond agitating to encounter.
Jenny is an abhorent person who had zero empathy for by the end. She is clearly deeply mentally disturbed and as much as both she and the book try to convince we, the readers, that she isn’t ‘really’ a bad person, it is clear to me that she absolutely is. She is a pyromaniac, a chronic liar, and an arsonist, and while both of these things are not at all indicative straight-away of someone being bad, she hurts so many people in so, so many ways throughout the entire course of the novel that by the end, I’m feeling sympathy for people who only ever tried to help her, like Ben, Hailey, Doc, her mother, her father.
The other characters were very poorly executed. Kara was one-dimensional and spotty, Allen was predictable and an obnoxious ‘nice guy’, Cam was not explored fully. There were far too many names and people to keep track of for them to be cleanly tied up at the end. The absolute horror and tragedy of what happened in Jenny’s past is never gone into with as much respect, grittiness, and complexity as it absolutely should have been. She was a seven year old who listened to multiple people die horrific, painful deaths, and she didn’t go to therapy? She craves fire but ‘doesn’t want to hurt anyone’? How the whole thing was handled makes my blood boil, especially as a Psych student. Just...hard no.
And then there’s Ro. A ‘classic twist villian’ that is really just an over-the-top, ‘oh now I’m evil’, outdated trope that gleams with classism and the clear bias the author has against the poor. As a matter of fact, the handling of ‘the colony’ of homeless people having their livelihoods destructed by a massive project and portraying all of them as perverted, vile, mean-spirited creeps, then having someone who is impoverished be the random ‘big bad’ at the end for seemingly no reason? Not to mention the very lowkey homoerotic subtext between Jenny and Ro that is completely ignored. These things are what infuriate me the absolute most about this train-wreck of a work of fiction.
I have hated several books that I have read this year, and this one has gotten to me just as severely as ‘#murder trending’ and ‘Dead Poet’s Society’, both of which I technically rated higher than this one. There was decent potential in this book and some effort clearly put in, but it beyond doesn’t pay off and is frankly far more insulting and a waste of time than I wanted to give it credit for before.
0.75/5 stars.
For the first 30-35% of this book, I thought it was interesting enough- nothing overly special, but fine- before it turned into what I thought would be painfully predictable and tedious territory. Then, it kept winding and dragging interchangeably until the big ‘twist ending’, which was painfully non-sensical and beyond agitating to encounter.
Jenny is an abhorent person who had zero empathy for by the end. She is clearly deeply mentally disturbed and as much as both she and the book try to convince we, the readers, that she isn’t ‘really’ a bad person, it is clear to me that she absolutely is. She is a pyromaniac, a chronic liar, and an arsonist, and while both of these things are not at all indicative straight-away of someone being bad, she hurts so many people in so, so many ways throughout the entire course of the novel that by the end, I’m feeling sympathy for people who only ever tried to help her, like Ben, Hailey, Doc, her mother, her father.
The other characters were very poorly executed. Kara was one-dimensional and spotty, Allen was predictable and an obnoxious ‘nice guy’, Cam was not explored fully. There were far too many names and people to keep track of for them to be cleanly tied up at the end. The absolute horror and tragedy of what happened in Jenny’s past is never gone into with as much respect, grittiness, and complexity as it absolutely should have been. She was a seven year old who listened to multiple people die horrific, painful deaths, and she didn’t go to therapy? She craves fire but ‘doesn’t want to hurt anyone’? How the whole thing was handled makes my blood boil, especially as a Psych student. Just...hard no.
And then there’s Ro. A ‘classic twist villian’ that is really just an over-the-top, ‘oh now I’m evil’, outdated trope that gleams with classism and the clear bias the author has against the poor. As a matter of fact, the handling of ‘the colony’ of homeless people having their livelihoods destructed by a massive project and portraying all of them as perverted, vile, mean-spirited creeps, then having someone who is impoverished be the random ‘big bad’ at the end for seemingly no reason? Not to mention the very lowkey homoerotic subtext between Jenny and Ro that is completely ignored. These things are what infuriate me the absolute most about this train-wreck of a work of fiction.
I have hated several books that I have read this year, and this one has gotten to me just as severely as ‘#murder trending’ and ‘Dead Poet’s Society’, both of which I technically rated higher than this one. There was decent potential in this book and some effort clearly put in, but it beyond doesn’t pay off and is frankly far more insulting and a waste of time than I wanted to give it credit for before.
0.75/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2018
Watch You Burn has a lot of potential. It’s about a girl named Jenny who’s an arsonist. Her and her dad move to a new town and Jenny thinks this is her way of starting over. Starting fresh. She thinks if she burns things that are non relevant that everything will be ok. But she’s wrong.
I really liked the first half of this book. It was a great read. Suspenseful. An unreliable character but someone you liked. Then I don’t know what happened.
The writing took a turn for the worse. There were things that was happening where you thought, WTF did I just read and not in a good way. It became sporadic and unbelievable. Now I know it’s fiction and it’s not real but some of the stuff was out there.
Overall base your own opinion. You might like it. All of it.
I really liked the first half of this book. It was a great read. Suspenseful. An unreliable character but someone you liked. Then I don’t know what happened.
The writing took a turn for the worse. There were things that was happening where you thought, WTF did I just read and not in a good way. It became sporadic and unbelievable. Now I know it’s fiction and it’s not real but some of the stuff was out there.
Overall base your own opinion. You might like it. All of it.
December 5, 2024
“One Match-one tiny spark -and they’d go up.” One of the many lines Searcy uses to grasp the reader’s attention in this teen thriller. While doing a great job at catching my attention, I lost the plot somewhere in the middle, but towards the end the book does touch on important topics in adolescent life such as mental health. This would be a great book to have a guidance office or to use as an example to tell teens it’s okay to need help.
October 4, 2018
Warnings: self-harm, arson, discussion of substance abuse
Watch You Burn is a psychological thriller mixed with a murder mystery. Jenny has an undiagnosed compulsive tendency to set fires, and she has been exiled by her stepfather to stay with her father so that she doesn't harm her younger half sister. Here, no one knows her past, really, and she is trying to be better, only the 'itch' to be scratched in less harmful ways. However, soon, her actions are about to throw the town into conflict, as her illness entangles with the new friendships she is making.
Jenny's perspective is troubling, with destructive thoughts circling and guilt from her past actions as well as her inability to contain her urges, swirling into a mixture of paranoia and scheming. She wants to keep her activities on the down low, but also gets a high whenever she sees the destruction her fire sets. When she is close to being suspected, her adversaries are taken of, which is a touch troubling to her. Along with that, escaping from the shrewd eyes of her friend, as well as her dad's girlfriend has her constantly on the edge, which feeds the urges. Meanwhile, there's the fact that her father's business depends on the current job being done successfully, and there is opposition to that which puts her life in danger. The identity of the killer wasn't really a surprise, because they were blatant clues in the text, so the mystery wasn't as exciting as the anticipation of how it would all be revealed.
On the relationship side, Jenny has a very superficial connection to people in her new life. Her friend is a little too clingy, but she is also heartened by her support. While she keeps people at a distance, Jenny also wants to know everything about them, which in some cases leads to her butting into things are not her business (particularly when it comes to a recovering addict who has asked for space). She is unlikable in that aspect, always looking for an in, seeking to be close to a person, almost to be point of feeling entitled to their secrets. She is also ruthlessly manipulative when push comes to shove, knows how to use her privilege to her advantage, and yeah, some things can be taken as her just trying to survive but she is not above throwing someone else under the bus. I kept wanting her to wake up and realize she needed real help, but she was so fearful of the criminality of her actions and the mounting strikes against her, as well as disappointing the people in her life (okay, that part is relatable) that she never considers it.
In short, a gripping plot with a sympathetic but also unlikable antihero.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
Watch You Burn is a psychological thriller mixed with a murder mystery. Jenny has an undiagnosed compulsive tendency to set fires, and she has been exiled by her stepfather to stay with her father so that she doesn't harm her younger half sister. Here, no one knows her past, really, and she is trying to be better, only the 'itch' to be scratched in less harmful ways. However, soon, her actions are about to throw the town into conflict, as her illness entangles with the new friendships she is making.
Jenny's perspective is troubling, with destructive thoughts circling and guilt from her past actions as well as her inability to contain her urges, swirling into a mixture of paranoia and scheming. She wants to keep her activities on the down low, but also gets a high whenever she sees the destruction her fire sets. When she is close to being suspected, her adversaries are taken of, which is a touch troubling to her. Along with that, escaping from the shrewd eyes of her friend, as well as her dad's girlfriend has her constantly on the edge, which feeds the urges. Meanwhile, there's the fact that her father's business depends on the current job being done successfully, and there is opposition to that which puts her life in danger. The identity of the killer wasn't really a surprise, because they were blatant clues in the text, so the mystery wasn't as exciting as the anticipation of how it would all be revealed.
On the relationship side, Jenny has a very superficial connection to people in her new life. Her friend is a little too clingy, but she is also heartened by her support. While she keeps people at a distance, Jenny also wants to know everything about them, which in some cases leads to her butting into things are not her business (particularly when it comes to a recovering addict who has asked for space). She is unlikable in that aspect, always looking for an in, seeking to be close to a person, almost to be point of feeling entitled to their secrets. She is also ruthlessly manipulative when push comes to shove, knows how to use her privilege to her advantage, and yeah, some things can be taken as her just trying to survive but she is not above throwing someone else under the bus. I kept wanting her to wake up and realize she needed real help, but she was so fearful of the criminality of her actions and the mounting strikes against her, as well as disappointing the people in her life (okay, that part is relatable) that she never considers it.
In short, a gripping plot with a sympathetic but also unlikable antihero.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
September 28, 2018
Review coming soon
September 26, 2021
This book literally kept me on my toes the whole time and was so eerie. Honestly a good read just didn’t have to same motivation I usually do for books. 3.5 stars
September 23, 2025
Pretty good!
April 8, 2019
This book kept me turning the pages, when I had time. This was probably the first book I've ever truly been engrossed in! This is an amazing read on my opinion!
November 25, 2021
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.
Normally, I'm not a paranoid person, but I was suspicious of everyone and everything in Watch You Burn. Jenny's actions made me feel anxious and unsettled, and she frequently chooses to be reckless. I wish she had refrained from taking unnecessary risks, but it did move the story along. She's struggling with her addiction to fire, and it wins more often than not. I thought it was an interesting perspective, and it made me think about arsonists in a different way. I wish someone had helped her instead of letting her addiction spiral out of control.
I sympathized with Jenny, but I didn't like her. I also didn't agree with most of her decisions. First of all, she was extremely hypocritical. She wanted to collect everyone's secrets, but she was unwilling to share her own. Secondly, I think she should have come clean about her mistakes and dealt with the consequences of her actions. Jenny clearly needed help, but all they did was send her somewhere else. She's also insecure, petty, and jealous. Her confidence was fleeting, and would quickly be replaced by anger and frustration.
At times I felt like the story was a little slow, but the mystery kept me turning the pages. I had theories, but never felt confident about them. Everyone was hiding something, so I suspected every person she came into contact with. There were also a lot of unexpected twists that made me question everything I thought I knew, and I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. It left things mostly unresolved.
Overall, it was an interesting read. However, I do wish Jenny had been more likable. I found it hard to relate to her and her way of thinking. She wasn't kind to others, and she threw money around like it didn't mean anything to her. I was annoyed when she used her parents money for stupid things just because she could. We already know about her extracurricular activities, and yet she still takes advantage of others.
There were a few romantic possibilities, but ugh. I feel like the romance could have been left out. Jenny used people to get what she wanted. She only worried about herself and what would happen if her secrets were exposed. She went along with whatever Ro suggested, and didn't treat her or Kara with the respect they deserved. Her relationships with everyone felt strained and awkward, and I'm not a huge fan of her father. He should have inserted himself in her life more, but he was too busy being distracted by the woman warming his bed.
I sped through Watch You Burn because I was invested in the mystery. I wanted to know what was happening and why, but also learn more about Jenny and her struggles with arson. The characters fell a little flat for me, but the story itself was okay.
Normally, I'm not a paranoid person, but I was suspicious of everyone and everything in Watch You Burn. Jenny's actions made me feel anxious and unsettled, and she frequently chooses to be reckless. I wish she had refrained from taking unnecessary risks, but it did move the story along. She's struggling with her addiction to fire, and it wins more often than not. I thought it was an interesting perspective, and it made me think about arsonists in a different way. I wish someone had helped her instead of letting her addiction spiral out of control.
I sympathized with Jenny, but I didn't like her. I also didn't agree with most of her decisions. First of all, she was extremely hypocritical. She wanted to collect everyone's secrets, but she was unwilling to share her own. Secondly, I think she should have come clean about her mistakes and dealt with the consequences of her actions. Jenny clearly needed help, but all they did was send her somewhere else. She's also insecure, petty, and jealous. Her confidence was fleeting, and would quickly be replaced by anger and frustration.
At times I felt like the story was a little slow, but the mystery kept me turning the pages. I had theories, but never felt confident about them. Everyone was hiding something, so I suspected every person she came into contact with. There were also a lot of unexpected twists that made me question everything I thought I knew, and I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. It left things mostly unresolved.
Overall, it was an interesting read. However, I do wish Jenny had been more likable. I found it hard to relate to her and her way of thinking. She wasn't kind to others, and she threw money around like it didn't mean anything to her. I was annoyed when she used her parents money for stupid things just because she could. We already know about her extracurricular activities, and yet she still takes advantage of others.
There were a few romantic possibilities, but ugh. I feel like the romance could have been left out. Jenny used people to get what she wanted. She only worried about herself and what would happen if her secrets were exposed. She went along with whatever Ro suggested, and didn't treat her or Kara with the respect they deserved. Her relationships with everyone felt strained and awkward, and I'm not a huge fan of her father. He should have inserted himself in her life more, but he was too busy being distracted by the woman warming his bed.
I sped through Watch You Burn because I was invested in the mystery. I wanted to know what was happening and why, but also learn more about Jenny and her struggles with arson. The characters fell a little flat for me, but the story itself was okay.
November 19, 2021
Loved this book it had a couple plot twists that I never saw coming!!
November 7, 2019
Watch You Burn by Amanda Searcy, 340 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House Children’s Books), 2018. $17.99
Language: R (35 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Exile for Jenny looks like a motel under construction with her dad and his girlfriend. Jenny’s stepdad didn’t want her in Ohio anymore, which she understands. But she’s going to do better now. She’s not going to let the burn take over her anymore. Not here.
I did not enjoy reading this book. Jenny’s story wasn’t just slow, I didn’t understand what the point was for the first 100 pages. By that point, I saw that Jenny was trying to put together a puzzle, but I didn’t care about what the end picture was supposed to look like. Furthermore, the ending felt like the beginning, as if none of the story ever happened. The mature content rating is for underage drinking and implied sex, and the violence rating is for arson and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Language: R (35 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Exile for Jenny looks like a motel under construction with her dad and his girlfriend. Jenny’s stepdad didn’t want her in Ohio anymore, which she understands. But she’s going to do better now. She’s not going to let the burn take over her anymore. Not here.
I did not enjoy reading this book. Jenny’s story wasn’t just slow, I didn’t understand what the point was for the first 100 pages. By that point, I saw that Jenny was trying to put together a puzzle, but I didn’t care about what the end picture was supposed to look like. Furthermore, the ending felt like the beginning, as if none of the story ever happened. The mature content rating is for underage drinking and implied sex, and the violence rating is for arson and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
December 28, 2019
Ogień paraliżuje, spala i zostawia po sobie zgliszcza. Jednym słowem – wszystko niszczy. Czy może jednocześnie hipnotyzować?
Piromani – to oni potrzebują ognia, by poczuć swoją siłę. Lubią patrzeć jak wszystko płonie. Uwielbiają ten duszący zapach zgnilizny. Jednym z takich piromanów jest główna bohaterka powieści, o ironio, „Nie igraj z ogniem”. To właśnie ona trzyma w dłoni bezpieczeństwo miasteczka, które może jednym ruchem sparaliżować ze strachu.
„Zeszłej nocy wyrzuciłam zapalniczkę w płomienie. W moim pokoju nie ma już żadnych pokus. Lęk i przypływ adrenaliny wywołane byciem nieomal schwytaną powodują, że moja blizna pulsuje bólem.”
Nie podobało mi się w powieści to, jak Jenny – główna bohaterka – prowadzi swoje śledztwa. Nie podobało mi się dążenie do poznania sekretów mieszkańców, podczas gdy sama skrywała niejedną przerażającą tajemnicę. Nie podobało mi się również rzucanie pochopnych oskarżeń, wyciąganie na chybił trafił wniosków i igranie z własnym życiem, jakby była nieśmiertelna. Czasami żałowałam, że nie potrafi ugryźć się w język.
„Policzki płoną mi rumieńcem. To był głupi pomysł. Nie jestem typem rozchichotanej laski, która zrobi wszystko, byleby zwrócić na siebie uwagę.”
Powieść zdecydowanie jest przeznaczona dla młodszego, nastoletniego czytelnika. Porusza bowiem tematy mu bliskie, współczesne; problemy, z którymi boryka się dziś wielu nastolatków. Uzależnienia, pierwsze miłości, samotność, problemy z rodzicami. Ponadto bohaterami powieści są właśnie przedstawiciele młodego wieku, którzy trafią swoimi rozmowami, przemyśleniami i uczuciami do takich właśnie czytelników.
Ogromnym plusem powieści jest akcja napędzana tragicznymi momentami, tajemnice straszące na każdym kroku i zaplątane przeszłości postaci. Ponadto niedostępne charaktery i zamknięcie w sobie sprawiały, że trudniej było rozwikłać zagadki narzucane nam przez autorkę.
„Tutaj. Złość. To tu się zaczyna, a potem rozprzestrzenia wszędzie. Jak narkotyk. To nie powinno być przyjemne, ale jest. Daje poczucie mocy.”
Bardzo podobała mi się również taka delikatna osłonka romantyzmu. Takie muśnięcie piórkiem w serce. Gdy czytałam o perypetiach mojej ulubionej pary znajomych – robiło mi się cieplej na duszy. Powoli zaczęłam zapominać jak wygląda takie czyste, szczenięce zauroczenie.
„Nie chcę nikogo skrzywdzić. Wiem, że strażacy ewakuują kolonię. Chcę tylko, by Allen wiedział, że to koniec gierek. Nie tylko on potrafi być niebezpieczny.”
W powieści uwielbiam również tę jedną, nieskazitelną postać, która mimo burzliwej przeszłości potrafi być takim promieniem słońca wśród szarości pozostałych bohaterów. Wątki z nią to była zdecydowanie moja ulubiona część. Jeśli kiedyś powstałaby osobna książka traktująca o losach tej postaci – czytałabym bez zastanowienia. Obecna tu Jenny jest również dobrze skonstruowana, bo dwojakość jej natury mnie zafascynowała, jednak ostatecznie czuję, że zabrakło w niej żywych uczuć, które pokazałyby ją jako realną postać. To, co zasługuje na uwagę w jej charakterze, to ostatnie rozdanie kart. Bardzo, ale to bardzo spodobało mi się zakończenie, które pokazało, że nawet Jenny ma ten pazur.
Piromani – to oni potrzebują ognia, by poczuć swoją siłę. Lubią patrzeć jak wszystko płonie. Uwielbiają ten duszący zapach zgnilizny. Jednym z takich piromanów jest główna bohaterka powieści, o ironio, „Nie igraj z ogniem”. To właśnie ona trzyma w dłoni bezpieczeństwo miasteczka, które może jednym ruchem sparaliżować ze strachu.
„Zeszłej nocy wyrzuciłam zapalniczkę w płomienie. W moim pokoju nie ma już żadnych pokus. Lęk i przypływ adrenaliny wywołane byciem nieomal schwytaną powodują, że moja blizna pulsuje bólem.”
Nie podobało mi się w powieści to, jak Jenny – główna bohaterka – prowadzi swoje śledztwa. Nie podobało mi się dążenie do poznania sekretów mieszkańców, podczas gdy sama skrywała niejedną przerażającą tajemnicę. Nie podobało mi się również rzucanie pochopnych oskarżeń, wyciąganie na chybił trafił wniosków i igranie z własnym życiem, jakby była nieśmiertelna. Czasami żałowałam, że nie potrafi ugryźć się w język.
„Policzki płoną mi rumieńcem. To był głupi pomysł. Nie jestem typem rozchichotanej laski, która zrobi wszystko, byleby zwrócić na siebie uwagę.”
Powieść zdecydowanie jest przeznaczona dla młodszego, nastoletniego czytelnika. Porusza bowiem tematy mu bliskie, współczesne; problemy, z którymi boryka się dziś wielu nastolatków. Uzależnienia, pierwsze miłości, samotność, problemy z rodzicami. Ponadto bohaterami powieści są właśnie przedstawiciele młodego wieku, którzy trafią swoimi rozmowami, przemyśleniami i uczuciami do takich właśnie czytelników.
Ogromnym plusem powieści jest akcja napędzana tragicznymi momentami, tajemnice straszące na każdym kroku i zaplątane przeszłości postaci. Ponadto niedostępne charaktery i zamknięcie w sobie sprawiały, że trudniej było rozwikłać zagadki narzucane nam przez autorkę.
„Tutaj. Złość. To tu się zaczyna, a potem rozprzestrzenia wszędzie. Jak narkotyk. To nie powinno być przyjemne, ale jest. Daje poczucie mocy.”
Bardzo podobała mi się również taka delikatna osłonka romantyzmu. Takie muśnięcie piórkiem w serce. Gdy czytałam o perypetiach mojej ulubionej pary znajomych – robiło mi się cieplej na duszy. Powoli zaczęłam zapominać jak wygląda takie czyste, szczenięce zauroczenie.
„Nie chcę nikogo skrzywdzić. Wiem, że strażacy ewakuują kolonię. Chcę tylko, by Allen wiedział, że to koniec gierek. Nie tylko on potrafi być niebezpieczny.”
W powieści uwielbiam również tę jedną, nieskazitelną postać, która mimo burzliwej przeszłości potrafi być takim promieniem słońca wśród szarości pozostałych bohaterów. Wątki z nią to była zdecydowanie moja ulubiona część. Jeśli kiedyś powstałaby osobna książka traktująca o losach tej postaci – czytałabym bez zastanowienia. Obecna tu Jenny jest również dobrze skonstruowana, bo dwojakość jej natury mnie zafascynowała, jednak ostatecznie czuję, że zabrakło w niej żywych uczuć, które pokazałyby ją jako realną postać. To, co zasługuje na uwagę w jej charakterze, to ostatnie rozdanie kart. Bardzo, ale to bardzo spodobało mi się zakończenie, które pokazało, że nawet Jenny ma ten pazur.
September 19, 2018
First off I want to thank NetGalley and Delacorte Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel for a full and honest review.
This was a 3.5 stars read for me. This was my first Amanda Searcy book and I did enjoy it quite a bit. The novel had the feel of the old school YA mystery/thrillers that I used to and in reality still do really enjoy reading. It had the feel of Christopher Pike or R.L. Stine (Not Goosebumps R.L. Stine but the YA version). The novel begins with Jenny arriving from Ohio where she lived with her Mother, Step Father and half sister Hailey after an unfortunate incident. to a small town in New Mexico to live with her Father. Shortly after she arrives a slew of fires begin to appear within walking distance of the Motel she is staying in. There is no point in hiding the fact that Jenny is the one starting the fires as it is revealed very quickly. We also find out quickly that she was in a fire herself as she has a burn that is an itches whenever she has a desire to light a fire. As Jenny tries to settle in to town and her new school she makes some new friends and that is when we get hints of what is to come in the novel.
I have to admit that it did take me a decent amount of time to really get into this novel. I think I was at about 45% on my Kindle when the book finally started to hook me. I never thought about not finishing it as I would never not finish an ARC. That just does not seem right but it did not hold my interest for a good amount of the beginning. The reason for the 3.5 stars? When the book picked up it really did pick up. All of the sudden things really begin to happen. You start to see the deep cracks in each of the characters that come in Jenny's life. Everyone is broken in some way, shape or form. Some you really love and some you begin to suspect have very shady motives almost immediately. I thought the character of Ben was extremely well written. In fact I thought he was actually the best written character in the book. There is a classic whodunit and though there are plenty of suspects I think the guilty party is pretty easy to figure out. Thi is not a book where everyone gets a happy ending, in all honesty there is no real, true happy endings but there is a an ending that I felt was very fitting for the novel. I wanted to love this book but I think I kind of just liked it. I did enjoy Amanda Searcy's writing and will be picking up another novel by her.
This was a 3.5 stars read for me. This was my first Amanda Searcy book and I did enjoy it quite a bit. The novel had the feel of the old school YA mystery/thrillers that I used to and in reality still do really enjoy reading. It had the feel of Christopher Pike or R.L. Stine (Not Goosebumps R.L. Stine but the YA version). The novel begins with Jenny arriving from Ohio where she lived with her Mother, Step Father and half sister Hailey after an unfortunate incident. to a small town in New Mexico to live with her Father. Shortly after she arrives a slew of fires begin to appear within walking distance of the Motel she is staying in. There is no point in hiding the fact that Jenny is the one starting the fires as it is revealed very quickly. We also find out quickly that she was in a fire herself as she has a burn that is an itches whenever she has a desire to light a fire. As Jenny tries to settle in to town and her new school she makes some new friends and that is when we get hints of what is to come in the novel.
I have to admit that it did take me a decent amount of time to really get into this novel. I think I was at about 45% on my Kindle when the book finally started to hook me. I never thought about not finishing it as I would never not finish an ARC. That just does not seem right but it did not hold my interest for a good amount of the beginning. The reason for the 3.5 stars? When the book picked up it really did pick up. All of the sudden things really begin to happen. You start to see the deep cracks in each of the characters that come in Jenny's life. Everyone is broken in some way, shape or form. Some you really love and some you begin to suspect have very shady motives almost immediately. I thought the character of Ben was extremely well written. In fact I thought he was actually the best written character in the book. There is a classic whodunit and though there are plenty of suspects I think the guilty party is pretty easy to figure out. Thi is not a book where everyone gets a happy ending, in all honesty there is no real, true happy endings but there is a an ending that I felt was very fitting for the novel. I wanted to love this book but I think I kind of just liked it. I did enjoy Amanda Searcy's writing and will be picking up another novel by her.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews