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Burn Down, Rise Up
Stranger Things meets Get Out in this Sapphic Horror debut from nonbinary, Afro-Latine author Vincent Tirado.
Mysterious disappearances.
An urban legend rumored to be responsible.
And one group of teens determined to save their city at any cost.
For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize's cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention—especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances.
Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate, but they soon discover that everything is tied to a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game. The game is rumored to trap people in a sinister world underneath the city, and the rules are based on a particularly dark chapter in New York's past. And if the friends want to save their home and everyone they love, they will have to play the game and destroy the evil at its heart—or die trying.
Mysterious disappearances.
An urban legend rumored to be responsible.
And one group of teens determined to save their city at any cost.
For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize's cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention—especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances.
Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate, but they soon discover that everything is tied to a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game. The game is rumored to trap people in a sinister world underneath the city, and the rules are based on a particularly dark chapter in New York's past. And if the friends want to save their home and everyone they love, they will have to play the game and destroy the evil at its heart—or die trying.
Audiobook
First published May 3, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
March 11, 2023
um, yeah, my heart is still beating and im definitely gonna get nightmares tonight in the best way possible
July 19, 2025
I recently learned about this novel via a Book Riot article on the 13 Best "Good For Her" Horror books.
Click here if you would like to see the full list:
Good For Her Horror Recs
I knew right away from the blurb that I was interested. After reading the full synopsis and a couple of reviews here on Goodreads, I couldn't wait.
I found the audiobook through my library and immediately downloaded it. I love a sudden mood read like that and this one paid off big time. Not only did I really enjoy this, but I've found a new author to follow.
This story starts out with an absolute bang and before I forget, the audiobook, I absolutely recommend it. Okay, so yeah, the beginning. You're following a boy who has had something happen to him. You aren't sure what, but you can tell he is sick, scared and seeking medical attention.
He enters a hospital and finally gets some help, but things do not end well. He takes off and subsequently disappears.
Our MC, Raquel, her Mom works at that hospital and is on duty at the time the boy comes in. Unfortunately, after her interaction with him, she's infected too and falls into a coma. With her Mom fighting for her life, Raquel has to stay with her Dad at his place.
As if this isn't stressful enough, the Bronx, where Raquel lives has been plagued recently by disappearances that barely get noticed. Raquel has tried to ignore that, pretend it's not even happening, but when her crush's cousin goes missing, she suddenly has to pay attention.
In fact, Raquel promises her crush, Charlize, that she will help her try to find her cousin.
What the girls discover is chatter about a horrifying local legend called the Echo Game. It's said that if you play the game it's possible you can get trapped in a sinister world underneath the city.
They believe Charlize's cousin may have played it and that the game is connected to his disappearance. With this in mind, there's only one choice really. They need to play.
I had so much fun with this. From the very start, the scene at the hospital, I was hooked. I had to know what was happening. It was disturbing, which we love.
I really enjoyed the writing style. The writer's imagination and ability to create some truly startling horror imagery were on full display within this work. It was getting under my skin and left me wanting more.
Burn Down, Rise Up felt like a Love Letter to the Bronx disguised as a Horror story. I feel like it's really special in that way. It actually made me want to go out and research the history of that area.
This concept is actually something I really love in my dark fiction. More specifically, I always enjoy when the history of a place influences the Horror elements of a story. It's like the place holds onto trauma, whether it be collective or singular, and then channels that into the present events.
I thought that was done so well here. Additionally, I enjoyed going along with Raquel as she fought so hard not only her family and friends, but for her community as a whole.
Overall, I am so happy that I picked up this book. I was really impressed by it and cannot wait to read more from Vincent Tirado. If this book is any indication, I am going to love them all!
Click here if you would like to see the full list:
Good For Her Horror Recs
I knew right away from the blurb that I was interested. After reading the full synopsis and a couple of reviews here on Goodreads, I couldn't wait.
I found the audiobook through my library and immediately downloaded it. I love a sudden mood read like that and this one paid off big time. Not only did I really enjoy this, but I've found a new author to follow.
This story starts out with an absolute bang and before I forget, the audiobook, I absolutely recommend it. Okay, so yeah, the beginning. You're following a boy who has had something happen to him. You aren't sure what, but you can tell he is sick, scared and seeking medical attention.
He enters a hospital and finally gets some help, but things do not end well. He takes off and subsequently disappears.
Our MC, Raquel, her Mom works at that hospital and is on duty at the time the boy comes in. Unfortunately, after her interaction with him, she's infected too and falls into a coma. With her Mom fighting for her life, Raquel has to stay with her Dad at his place.
As if this isn't stressful enough, the Bronx, where Raquel lives has been plagued recently by disappearances that barely get noticed. Raquel has tried to ignore that, pretend it's not even happening, but when her crush's cousin goes missing, she suddenly has to pay attention.
In fact, Raquel promises her crush, Charlize, that she will help her try to find her cousin.
What the girls discover is chatter about a horrifying local legend called the Echo Game. It's said that if you play the game it's possible you can get trapped in a sinister world underneath the city.
They believe Charlize's cousin may have played it and that the game is connected to his disappearance. With this in mind, there's only one choice really. They need to play.
I had so much fun with this. From the very start, the scene at the hospital, I was hooked. I had to know what was happening. It was disturbing, which we love.
I really enjoyed the writing style. The writer's imagination and ability to create some truly startling horror imagery were on full display within this work. It was getting under my skin and left me wanting more.
Burn Down, Rise Up felt like a Love Letter to the Bronx disguised as a Horror story. I feel like it's really special in that way. It actually made me want to go out and research the history of that area.
This concept is actually something I really love in my dark fiction. More specifically, I always enjoy when the history of a place influences the Horror elements of a story. It's like the place holds onto trauma, whether it be collective or singular, and then channels that into the present events.
I thought that was done so well here. Additionally, I enjoyed going along with Raquel as she fought so hard not only her family and friends, but for her community as a whole.
Overall, I am so happy that I picked up this book. I was really impressed by it and cannot wait to read more from Vincent Tirado. If this book is any indication, I am going to love them all!
January 9, 2022
A love letter to the Bronx and suspenseful read!
August 28, 2022
I haven't seen Stranger Things or Get out before reading this so I don't know much if it's the same vibe but it was extremely thrilling and intruiging to read. Very easy to get emersed in the story. A great YA horror
December 9, 2021
Prepared to be thrilled - a creepy, mysterious rollercoaster of a novel that had me hooked from the explosive start. Tirad0 packs both action and heart into this timely story.
September 8, 2022
As more teens disappear from the Bronx, sixteen-year-old Raquel tries not to let it get to her. But when the most recent disappearance hits close to home (the cousin of her friend Charlize), she starts to wonder what is really going on. Things get even worse when a mysterious illness befalls her mom, putting her in the hospital in a contained ward. Raquel and Charlize work together to find out what's going on and soon discover that everything may be linked to a horrifying urban legend called the Echo Game, where people disappear under the subway. Quickly, Raquel isn't sure if they'll be able to save anyone--including themselves.
I seem to be an outlier but this one just didn't work for me. There were potential glimmers of real brilliance, but simplistic writing and lots of plot holes marred it all. Now I'm sure some of it is that I do not read a lot of fantasy and horror, but this book was just strange. I actually liked the idea of the plot (weird game luring people into a strange underworld, basically), but the writing was just basic and the story had so many plot holes, even if it was a horror tale. You can tell a good fantasy story without leaving gaps in the plot or failing to wrap up loose ends. The Echo/train challenge could have been really great--especially because the way it was linked to the history of Bronx was well-done--but overall, it was mostly just confusing and fizzled out at the end.
I really liked Raquel's friendship with Aaron, another schoolmate, but there's no real backstory to her sapphic friendship with Charlize, which was such a bummer. So much wasted potential there. The book's strength is its exploration of the history of the Bronx and its examination of the racism the area has faced and continues to face. Unfortunately, the overall story was fairly uneven and just didn't work for me. Others enjoyed it and hopefully you will too. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Smashbomb ~ Instagram
I seem to be an outlier but this one just didn't work for me. There were potential glimmers of real brilliance, but simplistic writing and lots of plot holes marred it all. Now I'm sure some of it is that I do not read a lot of fantasy and horror, but this book was just strange. I actually liked the idea of the plot (weird game luring people into a strange underworld, basically), but the writing was just basic and the story had so many plot holes, even if it was a horror tale. You can tell a good fantasy story without leaving gaps in the plot or failing to wrap up loose ends. The Echo/train challenge could have been really great--especially because the way it was linked to the history of Bronx was well-done--but overall, it was mostly just confusing and fizzled out at the end.
I really liked Raquel's friendship with Aaron, another schoolmate, but there's no real backstory to her sapphic friendship with Charlize, which was such a bummer. So much wasted potential there. The book's strength is its exploration of the history of the Bronx and its examination of the racism the area has faced and continues to face. Unfortunately, the overall story was fairly uneven and just didn't work for me. Others enjoyed it and hopefully you will too. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Smashbomb ~ Instagram
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May 28, 2022I have to say, although I love the illustration of Raquel, I don't think cover does justice to this being a horror novel. I got sports vibes from it. I didn't notice the little monster claws/legs in the background on first viewing. But this is definitely horror, with some blood and gore, so be prepared for that going in.
The Echo game sounds a lot like the sort of creepypasta horror stories that get passed around Reddit and other forums, with just enough specificity to have you questioning whether they're real or not.
This is being marketed as Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele, which I think is a fair comparison: it definitely has social thriller elements, and it has the weirdness of Stranger Things, but with a little more gore.
I did feel like this got a little bit didactic at times, but I think that's a complaint coming from being a 32-year-old reading a YA novel and not necessarily an issue with the book itself.
If you want an antiracist sapphic YA social thriller and can stomach some body horror, give this one a try.
Content warnings: gore, violence, racism, gun use, police brutality, discussion of cannibalism, fire injuries/burns
Full review at the Lesbrary.
The Echo game sounds a lot like the sort of creepypasta horror stories that get passed around Reddit and other forums, with just enough specificity to have you questioning whether they're real or not.
This is being marketed as Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele, which I think is a fair comparison: it definitely has social thriller elements, and it has the weirdness of Stranger Things, but with a little more gore.
I did feel like this got a little bit didactic at times, but I think that's a complaint coming from being a 32-year-old reading a YA novel and not necessarily an issue with the book itself.
If you want an antiracist sapphic YA social thriller and can stomach some body horror, give this one a try.
Content warnings: gore, violence, racism, gun use, police brutality, discussion of cannibalism, fire injuries/burns
Full review at the Lesbrary.
June 29, 2022
4.0 Stars
This was a solid young adult horror novel that managed to avoid many of the usual tropes. For once a book actually fit the marketing. I was very pleased when the story delivered the "Stranger Thing" vibes I was looking for. Likewise, I appreciated the diverse elements of the story, which rounded out the narrative with some topical themes surrounding growing up black in the Bronx. I would recommend this YA horror book to a fairly wide range of readers. It was a very enjoyable story with plenty of widespread appeal.
This was a solid young adult horror novel that managed to avoid many of the usual tropes. For once a book actually fit the marketing. I was very pleased when the story delivered the "Stranger Thing" vibes I was looking for. Likewise, I appreciated the diverse elements of the story, which rounded out the narrative with some topical themes surrounding growing up black in the Bronx. I would recommend this YA horror book to a fairly wide range of readers. It was a very enjoyable story with plenty of widespread appeal.
October 29, 2024
In the tradition of Friday night Creature Features and modern teen horror flicks, this story is a good mix of fun creepiness and high school heroes. When Raquel’s mother, an E.R. nurse, gets attacked by a schoolmate and infected with a mysterious black ooze, Raquel decides to find answers on her own with the help of Charlize, her longtime crush, and Aaron, her best friend. They venture out to the New York subway at 2am trying to join the Echo Game, an urban legend, which seems to be the origin of the evil. It’s a bit of “once you’re in, you probably won’t come out” kind of challenge. My favorite character is, of course, Raquel because even though she’s just 16, she tries to be brave and save everyone. But monsters are terrifying for anyone. Her father, an EMT, is also a solid presence.
I love the setting of New York because we see the city through the eyes of Raquel, the beauty of the people and her community. She’s proud of being a young black woman of Dominican descent. But like many horror stories, the nightmare is rooted in the ugliness of real life. In this case, the game integrates the out-of-control fires that burned in the Bronx during the 1970’s. Basically, derelict landlords payed arsonists to burn down their buildings to collect insurance money, killing some and displacing many. The book’s power, I immediately watched the 2019 documentary, Decade of Fire, after finishing my read. How do we not know many of these stories?
Anyway, I enjoyed Burn Down, Rise Up, more thriller than scary but I definitely recommend for adults not wanting anything too dark for themselves or the younger crowd. Julienne Irons does a stellar job in giving voices to the characters. On Hoopla.
4.5 stars.
I love the setting of New York because we see the city through the eyes of Raquel, the beauty of the people and her community. She’s proud of being a young black woman of Dominican descent. But like many horror stories, the nightmare is rooted in the ugliness of real life. In this case, the game integrates the out-of-control fires that burned in the Bronx during the 1970’s. Basically, derelict landlords payed arsonists to burn down their buildings to collect insurance money, killing some and displacing many. The book’s power, I immediately watched the 2019 documentary, Decade of Fire, after finishing my read. How do we not know many of these stories?
Anyway, I enjoyed Burn Down, Rise Up, more thriller than scary but I definitely recommend for adults not wanting anything too dark for themselves or the younger crowd. Julienne Irons does a stellar job in giving voices to the characters. On Hoopla.
4.5 stars.
April 26, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Burn Down, Rise Up was a very interesting but super confusing book. It definitely started off with a mini bang that captured my attention. The little elements of horror throughout the book definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, I feel like I'm left with a bunch of unanswered questions and that annoys me.
As for the characters, I liked them. I really did. The friendships were easy to get along with and were adorable at times. I just think the romance was okay and had potential to be better. Then again, it is kind of hard to develop something with someone if you aren't exactly with them for most of the book. So, in a weird way, I see why things happened the way they did but I still wanted more.
Other than that, the game was completely dark and confusing. I would never volunteer as tribute to play. Like ever. Definitely had its creepy moments that will probably haunt me tonight when I'm asleep. I still wish that we got more information about it because I didn't fully understand why some of what was happening was actually happening.
Then again, it could just be me. I'm still happy that I got the chance to jump into this book. I think the Narrator, Julienne Irons, did an amazing job and I look forward to another book written by Vincent in the very near future.
Burn Down, Rise Up was a very interesting but super confusing book. It definitely started off with a mini bang that captured my attention. The little elements of horror throughout the book definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, I feel like I'm left with a bunch of unanswered questions and that annoys me.
As for the characters, I liked them. I really did. The friendships were easy to get along with and were adorable at times. I just think the romance was okay and had potential to be better. Then again, it is kind of hard to develop something with someone if you aren't exactly with them for most of the book. So, in a weird way, I see why things happened the way they did but I still wanted more.
Other than that, the game was completely dark and confusing. I would never volunteer as tribute to play. Like ever. Definitely had its creepy moments that will probably haunt me tonight when I'm asleep. I still wish that we got more information about it because I didn't fully understand why some of what was happening was actually happening.
Then again, it could just be me. I'm still happy that I got the chance to jump into this book. I think the Narrator, Julienne Irons, did an amazing job and I look forward to another book written by Vincent in the very near future.
August 1, 2024
I'm not entirely sure based on which book Goodreads had this book in my recommendations but it does hit a lot of the points that I like in a book, an underworld/alternate world, decaying urban settings, social commentary, queer representation, ambiguous/unreliable allies, and teenagers that actually behave and sound like teenagers. Also, the cover is amazing.
There's a lot of hard topics explored in this book, and I think it was handled very well especially considering the intended audience (it is a YA book).
Mild spoiler ahead: This book contains a scene where Raquel (teenage MC) says "I'm sorry" to a police officer holding her at gun point, I read the book the week the details surrounding the murder of Sonya Massey came out so that scene was extra potent.
Any and all Robert Moses' slander is always welcome.
There's a lot of hard topics explored in this book, and I think it was handled very well especially considering the intended audience (it is a YA book).
Mild spoiler ahead: This book contains a scene where Raquel (teenage MC) says "I'm sorry" to a police officer holding her at gun point, I read the book the week the details surrounding the murder of Sonya Massey came out so that scene was extra potent.
Any and all Robert Moses' slander is always welcome.
August 4, 2022
I found this story to be really good. It was rich in history regarding the Bronx and I found it fascinating.
I loved the mix of adding an internet challenge into the mix since it is so relevant to these young children today. This was just the right amount of creepy and Urban Legend. I loved all of the characters, even the teenage drama didn't bother me because it didn't overwhelm the story.
This was a great read.
I loved the mix of adding an internet challenge into the mix since it is so relevant to these young children today. This was just the right amount of creepy and Urban Legend. I loved all of the characters, even the teenage drama didn't bother me because it didn't overwhelm the story.
This was a great read.
September 13, 2022
Loved this!! Perfect for spooky season and sapphic September.
April 28, 2022
Burn Down, Rise Up releases May 3rd and you should totally put it on your radar.
It's advertised as a sapphic horror book with Stranger Things vibes.
The marketing team totally nailed this description!
Raquel is awesome, and this is interesting, fast paced and totally weird.
This was the perfect book for visible lesbian week.
Much love to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Tantor Audio for my DRC.
"You don't have to move to live in a better neighbourhood."
It's advertised as a sapphic horror book with Stranger Things vibes.
The marketing team totally nailed this description!
Raquel is awesome, and this is interesting, fast paced and totally weird.
This was the perfect book for visible lesbian week.
Much love to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Tantor Audio for my DRC.
"You don't have to move to live in a better neighbourhood."
April 5, 2022
Vincent Tirado what a great suspenseful story. This book is full of adventure, action, and great characters. A creepy, mysterious rollercoaster of a novel that had me hooked from the explosive start to spectacular ending. Tirado packs both action and heart into this timely story. Waiting for your next great book Vincent Tirado. Highly recommend.
March 2, 2022
a horror serve !
July 3, 2022
Riveting, encompassing, dark, fast-paced, worrisome, mysterious, creepy
Burn Down, Rise Up was a complete surprise to me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I wasn’t expecting a high-stakes, action-packed, paranormal thriller… Cosmic horror? This book is so many things and they are all put together so well. The history of the Bronx tied in with a cosmic horror-esque mysterious game with a worrisome mystery somehow balanced each other out in this truly exciting contemporary thriller. I can’t wait to read more from Vincent Tirado because this book really blew it out of the water. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.
Quick Summary: The Bronx has been plagued by mysterious disappearances for over a year. No one can explain them but the residents of the Bronx aren’t surprised because they know that they only search for the white kids anyway. When Raquel’s crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention. Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate but soon discover that they are in way over their head and find themselves mixed up with a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game.
Burn Down, Rise Up shines in its writing. The worlds that the characters go to during the Echo Game are remarkably easy to picture without being too densely detailed in the writing. Tirado strikes the perfect balance of building the world just enough to let the reader fill in the blanks. This is an especially important skill when writing settings that are similar to parallel worlds like the Echo Game. The sharp writing and world-building kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.
Full review on my blog Bookish Brews
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
Burn Down, Rise Up was a complete surprise to me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I wasn’t expecting a high-stakes, action-packed, paranormal thriller… Cosmic horror? This book is so many things and they are all put together so well. The history of the Bronx tied in with a cosmic horror-esque mysterious game with a worrisome mystery somehow balanced each other out in this truly exciting contemporary thriller. I can’t wait to read more from Vincent Tirado because this book really blew it out of the water. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.
Quick Summary: The Bronx has been plagued by mysterious disappearances for over a year. No one can explain them but the residents of the Bronx aren’t surprised because they know that they only search for the white kids anyway. When Raquel’s crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention. Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate but soon discover that they are in way over their head and find themselves mixed up with a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game.
Burn Down, Rise Up shines in its writing. The worlds that the characters go to during the Echo Game are remarkably easy to picture without being too densely detailed in the writing. Tirado strikes the perfect balance of building the world just enough to let the reader fill in the blanks. This is an especially important skill when writing settings that are similar to parallel worlds like the Echo Game. The sharp writing and world-building kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.
Full review on my blog Bookish Brews
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
June 19, 2022
Thank you Netgalley, Vincent Tirado, and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC! All opinions, thoughts and words are my own.
Burn Down, Rise Up follows a sixteen-year-old's journey through the Echo game, which takes place in the Bronx's subways.
I enjoyed the setting of the Bronx — the history explored was extremely interesting and was about a time I don't know much about. The culture was also really enlightening — I loved the main character, Raquel's voice. You could really see the author's passion for the setting of the story, and it read like a love letter to the Bronx, which I really adored.
Despite this, there were some problems with this book I couldn't overlook when rating it. Character decisions weren't based on much evidence and did things without reason. This made me a little frustrated while I read because characters either did things from convenience to the plot or to add more tension between characters (again to add to the plot) but there was no reason for some of these actions to occur. Though I enjoyed the Bronx setting, when it came to the Echo game, I felt the world-building was a little under-developed.
However one thing that shone in this book was the family relationships. The way they were developed and explored really made me smile. I did think, though, that the sapphic romance could have been improved -- I wanted more of it!
Overall, this was an enjoyable, fast-paced read that will delight younger queer readers. If I were to suggest anything to be improved, I would ask for the world-building of the Echo game to be a little clearer, and to add a little more reasoning behind character's actions.
Burn Down, Rise Up follows a sixteen-year-old's journey through the Echo game, which takes place in the Bronx's subways.
I enjoyed the setting of the Bronx — the history explored was extremely interesting and was about a time I don't know much about. The culture was also really enlightening — I loved the main character, Raquel's voice. You could really see the author's passion for the setting of the story, and it read like a love letter to the Bronx, which I really adored.
Despite this, there were some problems with this book I couldn't overlook when rating it. Character decisions weren't based on much evidence and did things without reason. This made me a little frustrated while I read because characters either did things from convenience to the plot or to add more tension between characters (again to add to the plot) but there was no reason for some of these actions to occur. Though I enjoyed the Bronx setting, when it came to the Echo game, I felt the world-building was a little under-developed.
However one thing that shone in this book was the family relationships. The way they were developed and explored really made me smile. I did think, though, that the sapphic romance could have been improved -- I wanted more of it!
Overall, this was an enjoyable, fast-paced read that will delight younger queer readers. If I were to suggest anything to be improved, I would ask for the world-building of the Echo game to be a little clearer, and to add a little more reasoning behind character's actions.
April 2, 2022
On my blog.
Rep: Afro Dominican American sapphic mc, Black sapphic li, Black side characters
CWs: gore, violence
Galley provided by publisher
It would not be an exaggeration to say that me and YA novels, particularly YA debuts, have struggled in recent times. I’ve started to think this is the end of the road for me and YA, and then something like Burn Down, Rise Up comes along.
This is a fast-paced and action-packed thrill ride of a book. It throws you into things from page one and doesn’t let up, which, given the premise, is what it needed to do. And it does it so well. There’s the perfect balance of time spent making sure the characters are rounded and sympathetic, building the tension as the characters work out what’s going on, and sending you on a rollercoaster ride in the final act.
Let me start with the characters, because this book wouldn’t work with characters who didn’t leap off the page. Luckily, there’s no such issue with Raquel, Charlize and Aaron (and to an extent, Mario and Cisco). It sounds a fairly simplistic point, but I think that a large part of what elevates a book from good to great is in how real the characters feel to you, and these ones feel just that. It also helps then, when you have to deal with their stupidity (looking at you Aaron), if you do like them somewhat.
Just like the characters, the situation and world they’re in is fleshed out and detailed. You can easily imagine the Echo, and its Passengers, and I liked that it was well-grounded in the history of the Bronx. I think the idea that people’s collective traumas leave an echo (ha) on the world is a really cool one, and very well-executed here. I also liked the discussion of how Raquel could even overcome the Echo—as it was a product of people’s memories, and so harder to vanquish when those memories wouldn’t be forgotten.
If I had any complaints about the book it’s that sometimes it felt a bit rushed in certain scenes. Case in point would be Raquel’s first fight with the Slumlord: it was almost too easy how she overcame him (although subsequent events did sort of explain that) and I needed a little more time spent on it at least.
But, like I said, overall this was a great book and one I highly enjoyed. Definitely one I’d recommend picking up in May.
Rep: Afro Dominican American sapphic mc, Black sapphic li, Black side characters
CWs: gore, violence
Galley provided by publisher
It would not be an exaggeration to say that me and YA novels, particularly YA debuts, have struggled in recent times. I’ve started to think this is the end of the road for me and YA, and then something like Burn Down, Rise Up comes along.
This is a fast-paced and action-packed thrill ride of a book. It throws you into things from page one and doesn’t let up, which, given the premise, is what it needed to do. And it does it so well. There’s the perfect balance of time spent making sure the characters are rounded and sympathetic, building the tension as the characters work out what’s going on, and sending you on a rollercoaster ride in the final act.
Let me start with the characters, because this book wouldn’t work with characters who didn’t leap off the page. Luckily, there’s no such issue with Raquel, Charlize and Aaron (and to an extent, Mario and Cisco). It sounds a fairly simplistic point, but I think that a large part of what elevates a book from good to great is in how real the characters feel to you, and these ones feel just that. It also helps then, when you have to deal with their stupidity (looking at you Aaron), if you do like them somewhat.
Just like the characters, the situation and world they’re in is fleshed out and detailed. You can easily imagine the Echo, and its Passengers, and I liked that it was well-grounded in the history of the Bronx. I think the idea that people’s collective traumas leave an echo (ha) on the world is a really cool one, and very well-executed here. I also liked the discussion of how Raquel could even overcome the Echo—as it was a product of people’s memories, and so harder to vanquish when those memories wouldn’t be forgotten.
If I had any complaints about the book it’s that sometimes it felt a bit rushed in certain scenes. Case in point would be Raquel’s first fight with the Slumlord: it was almost too easy how she overcame him (although subsequent events did sort of explain that) and I needed a little more time spent on it at least.
But, like I said, overall this was a great book and one I highly enjoyed. Definitely one I’d recommend picking up in May.
April 26, 2022
3.5 stars
The summary of this book really hit some buzzwords for me, 'urban legend', 'game', and 'mysterious illness'. I love a thriller with horror elements and having it centered around a sapphic relationship sealed the deal for me. I requested this book so fast and was psyched to get approved!
The story moves quickly and there are no slow moments here. Raquel quickly gets involved in tracking down information on the Echo Game and how playing could save both her mom and her crushes cousin Francisco. I liked the friendship bond between Raquel and Aaron and how far they were willing to go to help the other. A strong bond like that can help you get through even the darkest of times.
I did feel like the romance was underdeveloped and relied on past events that we didn't get to see. Plus the girls are separated for a while in the book so there's less time for them to build that relationship on page. I also thought the game was a bit lacking and even calling it a game is kind of misleading. There were cool and creepy parts to it for sure, I just wanted more information and maybe more of a point to the game.
The audiobook was good and I thought the narrator embodied Raquel well.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the copy.
The summary of this book really hit some buzzwords for me, 'urban legend', 'game', and 'mysterious illness'. I love a thriller with horror elements and having it centered around a sapphic relationship sealed the deal for me. I requested this book so fast and was psyched to get approved!
The story moves quickly and there are no slow moments here. Raquel quickly gets involved in tracking down information on the Echo Game and how playing could save both her mom and her crushes cousin Francisco. I liked the friendship bond between Raquel and Aaron and how far they were willing to go to help the other. A strong bond like that can help you get through even the darkest of times.
I did feel like the romance was underdeveloped and relied on past events that we didn't get to see. Plus the girls are separated for a while in the book so there's less time for them to build that relationship on page. I also thought the game was a bit lacking and even calling it a game is kind of misleading. There were cool and creepy parts to it for sure, I just wanted more information and maybe more of a point to the game.
The audiobook was good and I thought the narrator embodied Raquel well.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the copy.
June 28, 2022
Burn Down, Rise Up is a creepy, suspenseful, mysterious and with a bit of supernatural. I really enjoyed reading this book, characters are relatable (I like how the MC grow from start to end), twisty action and adventure of the MC and her friends to save Francisco and Charlize, the real friendship between Raquel and Aaron and their love for the Bronx!
As I read (or listen since I got the audiobook) through it, I keep relating it to our society nowadays, It takes one to stand up for the rotten society. Stand up to stop issues such as racism, gender discrimination and sexual orientation. We need one like Raquel who represent all to stand up and stop the rotten minds of some.
This is such a fast paced book, I sometimes get confused with some details in the story and writing is sometimes flat. But overall, my rating for this book is a 4.0/5.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for giving me an advance copy for this book!
#BurnDownRiseUP #NetGalley
https://christenelittlelibrary.blogsp...
As I read (or listen since I got the audiobook) through it, I keep relating it to our society nowadays, It takes one to stand up for the rotten society. Stand up to stop issues such as racism, gender discrimination and sexual orientation. We need one like Raquel who represent all to stand up and stop the rotten minds of some.
This is such a fast paced book, I sometimes get confused with some details in the story and writing is sometimes flat. But overall, my rating for this book is a 4.0/5.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for giving me an advance copy for this book!
#BurnDownRiseUP #NetGalley
https://christenelittlelibrary.blogsp...
February 27, 2022
A monster-hunting adventure and a love letter to the Bronx. This book was awesome. The quality of the writing itself was at times a little rough, but the richness of the setting and the realness of the characters more than made up for it.
The heart of this story really is the Bronx and the community that ensured through hardships like fires, black mold, and slumlords. The author uses the story’s monsters as a vehicle to personify and explore these hardships, which gives the book more depth than some other YA urban fantasy I’ve read.
Also, this book is sapphic! The romance felt a tad underdeveloped, and the dialogue wasn’t always completely believable, but the relationship was still incredibly wholesome and I loved watching the main character, Raquel, grow more comfortable with her own feelings.
[Thank you Sourcebooks for providing an ARC for review. I’ll be posting a video review soon!]
The heart of this story really is the Bronx and the community that ensured through hardships like fires, black mold, and slumlords. The author uses the story’s monsters as a vehicle to personify and explore these hardships, which gives the book more depth than some other YA urban fantasy I’ve read.
Also, this book is sapphic! The romance felt a tad underdeveloped, and the dialogue wasn’t always completely believable, but the relationship was still incredibly wholesome and I loved watching the main character, Raquel, grow more comfortable with her own feelings.
[Thank you Sourcebooks for providing an ARC for review. I’ll be posting a video review soon!]
May 12, 2022
A brilliantly suspenseful and creepy read full of heart, thrills and action from start to finish.
With a gentle sapphic childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, zombies and explorations of gentrification, racism, racial profiling, collective trauma, this was a multilayered, zombie hunting action/horror and I had so much fun with it. I can't wait to see what's next from Vincent Tirado because I'm already hooked on their stories.
Highly recommend the audiobook also!
TW: racism, police violence,
With a gentle sapphic childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, zombies and explorations of gentrification, racism, racial profiling, collective trauma, this was a multilayered, zombie hunting action/horror and I had so much fun with it. I can't wait to see what's next from Vincent Tirado because I'm already hooked on their stories.
Highly recommend the audiobook also!
TW: racism, police violence,
July 10, 2022
BURN DOWN, RISE UP
BY VINCENT TIRADO
I love thrillers, and a thriller/horror read in the YA world, plus Sapphic, plus Stranger Things vibe? Bring it on!
This is a story about sixteen year old Raquel from the Bronx, where mysterious disappearances are an on-going issue along with some strange illness. When Raquel’s crush also Charlize’s cousin turns up missing, she teams up with Charlize to find the sinister beneath these strange occurrence and play the terrifying Echo game to get some answers.
Vincent Tirado writes a great story and a wild ride - that is fast, exciting, and totally strange and creepy. The story also embeds a sense of community, and inclusion bringing in diversity and heart. I really appreciated and enjoyed that in this book.
I enjoyed this one a lot!
BY VINCENT TIRADO
I love thrillers, and a thriller/horror read in the YA world, plus Sapphic, plus Stranger Things vibe? Bring it on!
This is a story about sixteen year old Raquel from the Bronx, where mysterious disappearances are an on-going issue along with some strange illness. When Raquel’s crush also Charlize’s cousin turns up missing, she teams up with Charlize to find the sinister beneath these strange occurrence and play the terrifying Echo game to get some answers.
Vincent Tirado writes a great story and a wild ride - that is fast, exciting, and totally strange and creepy. The story also embeds a sense of community, and inclusion bringing in diversity and heart. I really appreciated and enjoyed that in this book.
I enjoyed this one a lot!
March 14, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
June 22, 2023
I knew the game/challenge trope wasn't going to be for me, but I laughed out loud a few times, the audiobook was good, and some parts were definitely spooky!
September 19, 2022
the bronx has seen tons of sudden disappearances over the past year. raquel does her best to ignore them, but can’t once her crush’s cousin goes missing and she decides to help her. also, raquel’s mom comes down with a strange illness that is seemingly connected to the disappearances. raquel and her crush, charlize, soon discover that the disappearances and illness are connected to an urban legend called the echo game, and to save the people they love, they must play.
one thing i love about the horror genre is when real-world monstrosities are linked to supernatural ones, which this book did very well. i’ve never been to new york and i don’t know much about its history, but i learned a lot in this book! anyway, i highly recommend to anyone looking for a great ya horror read!
source: my local library via hoopla
one thing i love about the horror genre is when real-world monstrosities are linked to supernatural ones, which this book did very well. i’ve never been to new york and i don’t know much about its history, but i learned a lot in this book! anyway, i highly recommend to anyone looking for a great ya horror read!
source: my local library via hoopla
Read
July 1, 2022I am not the target audience for this one and know readers who love creepypasta type stuff will absolutely dig this. For me, the book was more compelling before The Echo, when we got to know Raquel's family life, her friendship with Aaron, and the history of the Bronx. It didn't keep me engaged with the game, but that was the catalyst and resolution for the horror/mystery of the story and it was compelling enough to keep me going. Which is to say, I liked the characters but didn't find the plot as interesting. Others will, for sure, and readers who loved The Taking of Jake Livingston will dig this one.
March 11, 2025
3.5 Stars!
This was a very creative story about gentrification, societal class and racism including actual real life events all wrapped up in a YA horror novel. How can that not catch your attention?!?
This was really easy to get into and I really enjoyed the plot. The friendships were nice and felt relatable as well. I also really enjoyed the history lesson the author kind of centered their story around. You can tell the author really did their researched and they managed to built such an interesting story.
Also really loved the horror parts, it was actually really creepy and sent chills down my spine. Definitely going to be thinking about this one when I go to bed. Also had quite a few funny moments that I actually ‘lol’ out loud!
Another thing I found funny is how they would say ‘that’s some white people shit’ and turn right around and do said white people shit 😂😂
Now some things I really didn’t care for, the romance in here could’ve been built up way better. The romance aspect was cute but wasn’t flushed out all that great in my opinion, it felt very ‘meh’. Like I honestly didn’t care if they ended up together or not.
Another thing is I found ‘the game’ to be a bit confusing at times, certain moments it just felt a little all over the place. I feel like that element could’ve used a bit more world building.
Also felt like the book ended with me having some questions that I wish could’ve been answered.
Other than those couple of issues, this was a really good book. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down!
This was a very creative story about gentrification, societal class and racism including actual real life events all wrapped up in a YA horror novel. How can that not catch your attention?!?
This was really easy to get into and I really enjoyed the plot. The friendships were nice and felt relatable as well. I also really enjoyed the history lesson the author kind of centered their story around. You can tell the author really did their researched and they managed to built such an interesting story.
Also really loved the horror parts, it was actually really creepy and sent chills down my spine. Definitely going to be thinking about this one when I go to bed. Also had quite a few funny moments that I actually ‘lol’ out loud!
Another thing I found funny is how they would say ‘that’s some white people shit’ and turn right around and do said white people shit 😂😂
Now some things I really didn’t care for, the romance in here could’ve been built up way better. The romance aspect was cute but wasn’t flushed out all that great in my opinion, it felt very ‘meh’. Like I honestly didn’t care if they ended up together or not.
Another thing is I found ‘the game’ to be a bit confusing at times, certain moments it just felt a little all over the place. I feel like that element could’ve used a bit more world building.
Also felt like the book ended with me having some questions that I wish could’ve been answered.
Other than those couple of issues, this was a really good book. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down!
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