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Burning Glass

(Burning Glass #1)

Kathryn Purdie (Goodreads Author)

3.40 · Rating details · 6,645 ratings · 894 reviews

Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions o ...more

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Hardcover, 512 pages

Published March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

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· 6,645 ratings · 894 reviews

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Aug 28, 2015 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it

A love triangle between two brothers, and a fingernail-on-chalkboard type of heroine. Reader, this book is so bad it hurts.

What can I say? There is nothing about this book that's anything than a shallow romance "fantasy," fantasy is in quotes because this book hardly qualifies as such. Throw in a new world, put some random ass unexplained magical shit in it and call it a fantasy. No, it doesn't work that way. My standards are higher than that.

The love triangle is the plot. There is very little e A love triangle between two brothers, and a fingernail-on-chalkboard type of heroine. Reader, this book is so bad it hurts.

What can I say? There is nothing about this book that's anything than a shallow romance "fantasy," fantasy is in quotes because this book hardly qualifies as such. Throw in a new world, put some random ass unexplained magical shit in it and call it a fantasy. No, it doesn't work that way. My standards are higher than that.

The love triangle is the plot. There is very little else to this book besides that. This book is about the last survivor of the Auraseers, the rest having died through a stupid and senseless act courtesy of our intrepid heroine herself.

So much life had been snuffed out while I slept without dreaming. While a stranger died beside me. So much death and destruction.

All because of me.

Brilliant.

Sonya, our heroine, is an idiot. There really is no other word for it. What is most frustrating is that she uses her abilities as an auraseer (one who can sense others' emotions) as an excuse for her volatility and her idiotic actions.

I was more than wild—I was a walking keg of gunpowder.

Again, let me emphasize. I do not expect a heroine to be perfect. But neither do I expect them to be so frustratingly dumb that I wish I could enter the book and knock her out myself. Her powers are out of control - not an excuse. Kill her off or have her grow the fuck up. No excuse.

So because of her idiocy that killed most of her fellow Auraseers, Sonya is rewarded. Of course, she doesn't think of it as a reward, but what else can you call it when accidentally killing your fellow "sisters" gets you an invitation into the palace to guard a hot emperor and chill with his equally hot younger bro? Not cool, sis. Not cool.

Sonya steels herself to be cold. To do her duty.

The only remedy was to be cold to them. Distant. Compassionless. Because any love I ever gave in this world only ended up destroying the very ones I cared about the most.

THAT DOESN'T LAST LONG.

Sonya is a whiny wuss. She spends the entire book feeling sorry for herself and not much else. She cries easily. She gets scared.

Tears slid down my cheeks. Too many expectations. Too many people to disappoint. Too many teeming emotions begging to be defined. I felt like a glass figurine skittering to the edge of a mantel in an earthquake. Any more of this and I would fall, break into a million pieces. “Make them stop,” I pleaded as I hung on to Anton, my words jumbled and scarcely audible. “I can’t . . . I can’t do this.”

And she is completely fucking unprepared to be the Sovereign Auraseer, because she didn't really give a fuck about learning about her skills during training with her fellow Auraseers.

“Pull yourself together, child! Remember your training.”
I wanted to weep. What training? While the other Auraseers at the convent had sat in the study hall and wrote essays on the subtle distinctions between hunger, avarice, and desire, I’d scribbled notes to Yuliya or used too much of my inkwell to play mind-numbing games of X’s and O’s.

Cute. Not.

And so many tears. Oh my god, she just can't control herself. And I'm talking about herself, and not the emotions she reads from others.

His face was blurry through my watering eyes.

I didn’t let the tears fall until he grew bored of me.

The love triangle is terrible. The emperor and his younger brother. Bitter rivals. One dark, one light. I couldn't have made this more clichéd if I tried.

The sun through the stained-glass window, which had made Anton appear so gilded and beautiful, had an equally mesmerizing, though much darker, effect upon Valko, as his face caught in a patch of unsettling crimson.

There was no point to this book and no point to Sonya. There really was no reason for her to be at the palace, in my opinion. She can sense emotions! Whooo! Useless. What good is that when she can barely control her own emotions? Sonya spends the book being seduced by either brothers and that's it. The revolutionary plot, what little of it, didn't even factor into the majority of the book until the very end. It's like at the end, the author realized "oh, crap, there's no plot!" and tries to jam the rest of the book into a few chapters because there's a limited word count. No, thanks. ...more

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Aug 27, 2015 Emily May rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2016, coverly-love, arc

Excruciatingly boring tale of a love triangle, where an annoying heroine is forced to choose between two brothers.

Let it be known - somewhere in the last third-ish I started skim-reading, just because I wanted to know where the author would take this recycled story. So, while I know how it ends, feel free to consider this a DNF at 60% review.

Firstly, there is no plot. In my opinion, some vague mentions of slavery, a Black Death disease, and the possibility of freedom constitutes neither plot nor ...more

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May 20, 2015 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: epic-fantasy, heavenly-triangle, r2r-or-netgalley, angst, ya-romance

*deep breathe*

Finally!

It's felt like an eternity since I've read a book that I've had to 5 star it for the sheer awesomeness it made me feel.

This beauty made me feel everything.

➮I was anxious
➮I was elated
➮I was devastated
➮I laughed
➮I gasped
➮I felt betrayed
➮I felt the angst
➮I felt the hurt
➮I felt the relief
➮My toes curled
➮My stomach knotted
But most importantly...
I reveled in every second of it

The thing is, this story may not wow you, it may not sweep you off your feet. It will possibly not ...more

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Dec 15, 2016 Ben Alderson rated it it was amazing

Where do i start!

Honestly, this story was just what i needed. Mythology and Magic ( subtle ), court issues and PRINCES!
Really loved the ending of this, can't wait for book two! ...more

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Aug 17, 2015 Rebekah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-addiction, clean, 2016, 2022, true-heros, abuse, magic, reread, favorites

REREAD: 6/25/22 4/5 Stars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me just go ahead and shout this out....I LOVED THIS BOOK! I couldn't put it down! However, I am not happy but still excited that it's going to be a trilogy.

So this book follows Sonya who, after a tragic accident is chosen to be the Soverign auraseer for the Emperor. Sonya has 8 months of training under her belt and feels the burden of such a task as feeling other people's emotions/auras in order to sense danger toward the Emperor.

Sonya REREAD: 6/25/22 4/5 Stars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me just go ahead and shout this out....I LOVED THIS BOOK! I couldn't put it down! However, I am not happy but still excited that it's going to be a trilogy.

So this book follows Sonya who, after a tragic accident is chosen to be the Soverign auraseer for the Emperor. Sonya has 8 months of training under her belt and feels the burden of such a task as feeling other people's emotions/auras in order to sense danger toward the Emperor.

Sonya is a very complicated character. There were a few times I was confused and felt she cried too much BUT I still REALLY enjoyed how complicated as a person she was. There was some slow character development which was great! She was faulty, strong yet weak-which was relatable, she was kind and overall good. Again, I did really enjoy the complexity of this character.

The Emperor was fun to read about. I expected more.....evil from him. From
the way Anton; his brother, made him out to be I kept waiting for heinous things to happen. However I pictured him, a pretty boy who acted like a spoiled child. He was still very interesting to contemplate and figure out. I expected him to be more ruthless; which he was but at the same time...not.

Anton was flat out amazing. Talk about everything swoon worthy in a male character! SHEESH! I loved him from the get-go. So mysterious, brooding, gentle, sweet *sigh* amazing. He has everything worthy of being the emperor and a great leader. I loved the complicated relationship with Anton and all the other big characters.

The romance is this was exhausting. LOVED the dynamics between Anton and Sonya. I loved the complication between other characters. I overall was pleased with romance.

Overall I loved the book, I loved the complicated storyline and characters I loved that it was completely clean and you won't be able to put it down. I loved the creepy feelings I got with certain aspects of this story. I am definitely excited about this new author and this trilogy.

Sexual Content: moderate/mild
Violence: moderate (talk of self-inflicted pain, fighting)
Language: none
Drugs/Alcohol: mild
LGBTQ+: none ...more

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Jun 16, 2015 Rachel (APCB Reviews) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: most-obsessed-favorites, 2016-releases, 2016-debuts

Quick Review: Ever since I first heard about this book I had a feeling I'd love it. And so I did! Such an amazing concept well developed, Burning Glass held my attention from cover to cover. This book wastes no time and throws in plot twists left and right. A character-driven plot, beautiful writing, a rebellion, political intrigue, and a tangled romance (although it is love triangle, the main character clearly favors one guy) make this book a definite hit. March 1st, 2016. Be ready for this one Quick Review: Ever since I first heard about this book I had a feeling I'd love it. And so I did! Such an amazing concept well developed, Burning Glass held my attention from cover to cover. This book wastes no time and throws in plot twists left and right. A character-driven plot, beautiful writing, a rebellion, political intrigue, and a tangled romance (although it is love triangle, the main character clearly favors one guy) make this book a definite hit. March 1st, 2016. Be ready for this one!!

Read the full review @ A Perfection Called Books

In the empire of Riaznin, the Auraseers, people who can sense others' auras and moods, are rounded up and sent to a convent. There they learn to hone their skills in the chance that they might be called up to serve the Emperor as his Sovereign Auraseer to protect and warn him against threats on his life. Sonya has enhanced powers even among Auraseers, and a fatal accident puts her in line as the next Sovereign Auraseer, a position so precarious that one slip up means a death sentence. As she struggles to assuage Emperor Valko's temper and stay in his good favor, she uncovers a plot to overthrow Valko and realizes she might be fighting for the wrong side.

The Auraseer element of this novel really plays such a huge part in this novel. I feel I understand the characters so much better. I understand their feelings, their motives, their deepest insecurities through Sonya's gift. I felt my grasp and breadth of knowledge for these characters is greatly expanded compared to other books and their characters.

"My task might be monumental, but my gift-my curse-was the only means I had of making a difference in this world."

Sonya struggles to separate her own feelings and emotions from others. She constantly lives in fear of being overcome by others' auras and fights to stay herself. She grows from a meek and timid girl to a fierce and courageous woman. Valko's character is so complex. Raised in a fractured childhood, his insecurities and fears are laid bare to us as they are to Sonya. He's mercurial and power-hungry yet vulnerable and kindhearted at times. His character was so well developed and frankly quite scary. Anton is the younger prince, the idealist who struggles to overcome his own issues. I love how Kathryn developed such three vibrant characters. I felt like we understood them all so well.

"My feelings for you are here when I am alone, when you are miles form the palace I keep you with me. I choose to. you are the most impossibly stubborn person I have ever met. You are also the most honorable, the most caring. I love every part of you."

There's a unique dynamic among the three. Valko feels threatened by Anton, and Anton loves Valko regardless. Both have feelings for Sonya, yet this love triangle is not as it seems. Since Sonya is an auraseer, it's difficult for her to distinguish her feelings from those around her, and likewise it's hard for others to be sure that her feelings are truly her own and not a projection of someone else's. Sonya clearly favors one person, and you'll distinguish the toxic relationship from the tender one almost instantly. The romance was a definite highlight for me. It was blisteringly hot at times yet sweet and tender at others. By the end everything is made clear.

Kathryn's writing is amazing. Not only did she do well with the romance and character development, but there are so many beautiful prose lines and gorgeous descriptions she adds. There are plot twists and unpredictable moments around every corner. The political intrigue, balls, court functions, and Russian-influenced culture were also high points in the novel.

Although there isn't much action until the last quarter of the book, there's always something to engage and hold your attention. It's a long book, yet so much happens by the end. Kathryn wastes no time! Every scene carries some importance towards the story. The Auraseer element really infused so much more emotion and feelings into this story that truly sets it apart from others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy debut, and I hope you do too! ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Alyssa rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016-releases

3.5 stars.

Actually, just 3 stars. The more I thought about it, the more the romance bothered me, EVEN THOUGH it's a now resolved conflict that made me hate the romance (meaning, I hated the romance while I was reading the book because it seemed very triangle-y... until the very end, in which the triangle aspect completely disappears).

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie
Book One of the Burning Glass series
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: ...more

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Jun 11, 2015 Ash rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned-library

IT HAPPENED! I finished :)

I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. I WAS SO HAPPY TO GET THIS. This was one of those books where I saw it, and I just had to have it. I thought the March 2016 release date was total torture. I started this book the very day I got it.

I've been in...a bit of a slump the past few months. RL got in the way and I quickly went from averaging 25 books a month...to MAYBE 5. I've actually been working on this book for a while, but it had nothing to do with the book. I just c ...more

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Dec 04, 2014 Sara Larson rated it it was amazing

This is a breathtakingly spectacular debut fantasy from my friend Kathryn Purdie. I can't wait for everyone to get to read this phenomenal story. I will do a more detailed review closer to pub date, but for now, trust me when I say you want to add this to your TBR pile immediately! ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, love-triangle, netgalley-edelweiss, r2r-read, read-2016, as, paranormal, young-adult

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“Do you never take responsibility for your own emotions?” he asked.
“They far too often belong to someone else.”

This book took a long time to get interesting.

Sonya was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. She seemed to have no backbone at all, and had absolutely no idea what were her feelings compared to what she was feeling from other people! Talk about allo ...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Nova Zaiden rated it did not like it

Shelves: reviewed, can-the-mc-walk-into-heavy-traffic, i-expected-better-from-you, read-in-2015, literal-trainwreck, 2016-releases

Want more reviews, discussions and fun-filled posts? Check out my book blog, Out of Time.

After hearing such positive reviews of this novel from reviewers I trust, I feel as though I wasn't reading the same novel. - Nova @ Out of Time

This review is a rant. It is angry and possibly long winded. If that is not your thing, I advise that you don't read on.

About a year ago, I wrote a review for The Sin Eater's Daughter in which I highlighted things like a useless main character and nonexistent plot t Want more reviews, discussions and fun-filled posts? Check out my book blog, Out of Time.

After hearing such positive reviews of this novel from reviewers I trust, I feel as though I wasn't reading the same novel. - Nova @ Out of Time

This review is a rant. It is angry and possibly long winded. If that is not your thing, I advise that you don't read on.

About a year ago, I wrote a review for The Sin Eater's Daughter in which I highlighted things like a useless main character and nonexistent plot that bothered the crap out of me. This review goes down as one of the most negative I've ever written. I never thought I'd be in a position to write another review, but here we are again.

Burning Glass started off very quickly. It immersed me into the story without much warning so I felt as though I was being thrown in the deep end. I was actually a little confused. But that went away really quickly. What first struck me was how quickly the disaster happens. I felt as though the disaster was written really well and really darkly. I could feel Sonya's pain and survivor's guilt. But after a few chapters, it's like she forgot that all the people she grew up with are dead.

Nevertheless, I kept going and realized that things started to get better. We're introduced to Prince Anton and Emperor Valko. Immediately, I got the sense there would be a love triangle. Cue an eyeroll. The story doesn't do much, going between idle politics and the push/pull between the characters. Nearing the end, it's like the book realizes it hasn't done anything and thrusts and entire story worth of action in a few chapters. The plot itself is very dry and not original. Corrupt ruler gets overthrown by an unlikely heroine. You already know how this ends. It concludes with the main character doing something "strong" and proving that she's got power even though there was no building of any kind. Things fell into place too easy. It made no sense.

Sonya was idiotic and you know, if there was development, I wouldn't have minded. However, there wasn't. Being away from boys for your entire live and then sensing the allure of a prince [and an Emperor], I get it. The initial swoony feeling is totally natural. But once one of the two starts to force themselves on you and treating you like a mistress, I feel as though the choice is pretty clear. Sonya, unfortunately, did not. In the end, she does do something but it has nothing to do with the way the character treated her, which, to me, is SO NOT OKAY. It took her a long time before she realized a person's true nature. It's even more of a joke when you realize that Sonya's Auraseer power makes it so she's supposed to be able to sense people; their intentions and emotions. For someone of that power, she's exceptionally naive and useless.
This went from bad to worse nearing the end as I say it again. When she finally realizes her power, it's like there is no work involved to reach her goal of saving people. The people who have been terrorizing the fictional world since the beginning of the novel happen to bend to the will of a teenager without consequence?

I'm honestly so sick of this trope where the main character has more power than the entire country in her pinky. It stunts development, in my opinion. The worst part is that it's evidently clear that Sonya lacks any kind of control with her power. I don't understand why that wasn't a setback in the novel. Instead, it was all smooth sailing. More setbacks would slow down the story but it would also encourage development and natural growth.

The rest of the characters were no better. I felt as though I was in a wax museum the entire time. First we have the ruler bent on control. Then, there's the naive girl in the wrong place. Lastly, a prince with good intentions and a smoldering gaze who can do no wrong. I love how unique these characters are!1!11!1 Oh wait. This story relied on Sonya as the focal point. The other characters came into when it was in relation to her. It's hard to believe Sonya was not born in the palace with the way people kept kissing her ass.

I'm shaking my head while writing this review. I have no idea how to express my thoughts on this one. I found it a complete waste of my time, only pushing through because I kept assuming there would be something more; that there would be a part that blew my mind and made me realize why I heard so many great things. This didn't happen and now I'm snarky. ...more

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Aug 26, 2015 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

This was one of my most anticipated reads from Harper Teen for 2016. Between the gorgeous cover, the kick butt synopsis and the hopes that this would be something unique and fun, I was so excited to start it and hoped like crazy it would live up to all those pretty promises that both cover and synopsis claimed.

I am thrilled to report that this was a nonstop, can't put down, page turner for me. Ms. Purdie's debut novel held and captured my attention like only a well written fantasy novel can.

It ...more

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Dec 04, 2014 Kathryn Purdie added it · (Review from the author)

Sale alert! BURNING GLASS is available for only $1.99 across all e-book formats until August 14, 2017 (the day before book two, CRYSTAL BLADE, releases).

Also, check out my pre-order incentive for CRYSTAL BLADE on www.kathrynpurdie.com

Pre-order by August 15, 2017 and claim a fully-colored map of the BURNING GLASS world, a signed bookplate, a free download of the song I recorded, and a bookmark.

.........................................................................
I'm thrilled to announce my new ...more

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Oct 08, 2018 tiffany rated it did not like it

Shelves: 1-star, confusing, dnf, boring, never-again

dnf at page 4

at page 4 and already too bored and confused

okay.

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Oct 16, 2015 Jodi Meadows rated it it was amazing

Strong worldbuilding, characters, and intricate plot.

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Jun 25, 2015 Kristen rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-wishlist, e-arc, 2016, harper, harper-winter-2016

This and other reviews are on my blog My Friends Are Fiction

My Thoughts:
I really loved that Purdie created a character with a power she was unable to control. The use of empathy and how feeling other’s emotions would make someone feel was mesmerizing as well as executed to perfection. Sonya can’t distinguish at times what she’s feeling versus what others around her are feeling…imagine not knowing if the passionate view you felt was really yours? It is an incredibly interesting idea and I though This and other reviews are on my blog My Friends Are Fiction

My Thoughts:
I really loved that Purdie created a character with a power she was unable to control. The use of empathy and how feeling other’s emotions would make someone feel was mesmerizing as well as executed to perfection. Sonya can’t distinguish at times what she’s feeling versus what others around her are feeling…imagine not knowing if the passionate view you felt was really yours? It is an incredibly interesting idea and I thought it was such an amazing element to this book.

Burning Glass didn’t hesitate to throw the reader into the intensity of Sonya’s life and power. The first few chapters were insanely gripping for me and I was hooked. The rest of the novel’s pacing does slow down some as we focus on political intrigue and the characters. The story centers on Sonya taking the role she was believed to be ‘born to’, the Auraseer. She will work for the emperor and seek out if any around him means him harm.

For those curious there was a love triangle-but in this book it really didn’t bother me. I think it’s clear early on who Sonya prefers but the manner of her gift/curse to feel other’s emotions would lead her to confusion. I felt it all played out rather realistically assuming someone had her ability. I felt chemistry with both fellows but preferred one over the other easily.

All of the characters I felt were well developed and I loved seeing alternate sides to each. Sonya’s closest friend in her new role, Pia, was a breath of sunshine and I thought her interactions with Sonya were so genuine and sweet.

For me, the best part of this book was Sonya and her struggles with her ability. She veered on insanity more than once and those scenes were written so well and had such a dark nature to them…really brilliant. I loved the fact that as I was reading I couldn’t discern what Sonya was feeling and what she was mirroring from those around her.

Final Thoughts:
Burning Glass was an emotional read that used its slower pacing to introduce the reader to the characters and political intrigue and the main characters mental and emotional instability. Don’t expect a ton of action in the majority of the book but go into reading this looking to know Sonya and question what having her abilities would be like.
...more

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Jun 01, 2020 azure｡*☾ rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, dnf

DNF @ 41%...
2.5* because the first 30-35% was decent-ish!!

My only motivation at this point was to finish this so I could write a rare review ranting on it, but why not do that early? I would rather be reading a load of other books on my TBR - and I have, this has just been sitting on my shelf unread - so we might as well part our ways now. I keep telling myself I'll pick this up again some time in the summer - I am lying to myself. I will get rid of this at the first opportunity.

Take a look at t ...more

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Aug 16, 2017 Dana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017, borrow, historical-fiction, le-fromage, satellite-mind, love-triangle, romance, insta-love, young-adult-paranormal

Sonya is an Auraseer, which means she can sense peoples emotions and intents. After a devastating loss, she is conscripted into the service of a tyrant king. There she must navigate the complex emotions of complicated nobels and servants alike as she tries to control her wild gift that often leaves her overwhelmed.

This book started off really strong, the relationships between Sonya and Pia were always charming and fun, and the complex dance between Sonya and the King was well choreographed. Howe ...more

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Dec 09, 2014 Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: sts, audience-young-adult, 2016-published, arc, 2016-read

I have a superpower.

Not a very good one, and it’s one I don’t really tell people for fear they simply won’t believe me.

I’m an emotional chameleon.

I literally feel the emotions of people around me. Like an empath.

It was not that long ago that I confessed this useless and uncontrollable superpower to my husband when we were sitting in the car and I said to him, “Are you feeling down? I’m suddenly feeling down for no reason.”

Which, yes, sometimes does legitimately happen to me, but I am slowly begi ...more

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May 18, 2020 Maddie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: disappointing, series-i-probably-wont-finish, ya-fantasy, reviewed-2020, 2016-releases

TW: self harm, suicide, mental illness, trauma, grief, manipulation (emotional, physical, and mental), abusive relationships, hinted rape.

Before I get into the actual review, I want to say that the rep for self-harm in this book can be - in my opinion - harmful. The author had good intentions, and I believe she wanted to craft a powerful story of overcoming these struggles. However, so much time is spent in this head space and very little is spent overcoming it. The first mention of self harm ...more

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May 10, 2015 Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelwessis-review, a-must-read, fantasy, i-dont-want-it-to-be-over, amazing, r2r, i-loved-it, young-adult, so-many-feelings, you-ll-be-sorry-if-you-miss-this-bo

5 BEAUTIFUL, BURNING STARS...

BURNING GLASS was such a powerful read that I LOVED to pieces!! It quickly stole my breath away with it's different tone and forceful characteristics. It was such an unfamiliar kinda a read for me, that I enjoyed it for that aspect alone. But then you add in all the other great traits, and you have yourself an UNPUTDOWNABLE book that you won't want to miss a single breathtaking moment of!

Their were many reason of why I loved this book but I'll save all that for my ...more

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Jan 09, 2015 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it it was amazing

Wow! Just wow! This book was freaking fantastic! Burning Glass had me enraptured on page one! Kathryn Purdie has a hit on her hands and this will definitely make my top 10 of 2016 list!

I adored the MC Sonya she was an awesome heroine! She wasn't perfect heck she was far from it and that's what endeared me to her! And I fell in love with Anton from the moment I met him (well almost it may have taken a couple of pages lol). OMG the story! It was amazing! I loved that it was high fantasy but it had ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Paige Bookdragon marked it as to-read

Shelves: arc

I have an ARC but I'm kinda scared of reading this. I smell love-triangle... ...more

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Jul 07, 2015 Sophie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-read, 5-stars, 2016-releases, 2016-debut-author-challenge, read-in-2016, 2016-rockmytbr-challenge

I first heard about this book back in August, and was immediately intrigued by the premise. Sonya is born with a gift where she can feel and interpret the emotions of those around her, and that makes her extremely valuable to the empire. Girls like her are rounded up as soon as they start showing their abilities, and trained to one day become the Sovereign Auraseer for the emperor. Sonya is different though, for 17 years, she's been kept hidden from the government, to keep her safe from the clut ...more

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Jan 07, 2016 Brittney ~ Reverie and Ink rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

3 Stars. Just wasn't really for me.

I feel this was a let down. Maybe that is my fault- I bit too much into the description of the book and all the raving reviews. I mean- come on... the back of the book sounds freaking AMAZING.

"For fans of the Grisha trilogy"...nope. I don't think this was even a little bit similar to that.

I just had a very hard time connecting. I had to reread the first few chapters a few times just to make sense of what exactly was going on. I think that was the biggest prob ...more

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Jun 03, 2015 Gabe Novoa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult

WOW. Just finished reading and not totally sure what to say yet but WOW. I'll post a full review closer to release, but if you're a fan of YA Fantasy seriously add this one to your TBR lists.

My only regret in reading this is I need the sequel and the first book hasn't even been published yet. The struggle.

Full review:

Right from the start, Burning Glass drew me in with probably one of the most intense first chapters I’ve read in a long time.

Burning Glass is the type of book that grabs you by th ...more

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May 20, 2015 Jess marked it as how-come-i-mark-2016-reads

Now now, I know we say words, intentions and feelings are the true deadly weapons but really? Will the girl really do much to "protect" her emperor? I'd hire some muscle and weapon if I was in danger, no offence. A little more insurance, you know? If you were valuing life that is. ...more

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Mar 04, 2015 Laurie Flynn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sweet-sixteens, ya-fantasy

People, get excited for March 1st to arrive.

When I got my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, I knew I was in for a treat if the words inside were even remotely as gorgeous at that cover. I can honestly say that BURNING GLASS blew past those expectations and continued wreaking havoc with my head and heart. This is a story filled with complicated relationships and political intrigue and cartwheeling emotions and romance—oh, the romance!

BURNING GLASS is the story of Sonya, who is an A People, get excited for March 1st to arrive.

When I got my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, I knew I was in for a treat if the words inside were even remotely as gorgeous at that cover. I can honestly say that BURNING GLASS blew past those expectations and continued wreaking havoc with my head and heart. This is a story filled with complicated relationships and political intrigue and cartwheeling emotions and romance—oh, the romance!

BURNING GLASS is the story of Sonya, who is an Auraseer. Her powers give her the ability to feel what others around her are feeling, both physically and emotionally. It’s both a gift and a curse, as Sonya’s power is reckless and all those emotions can combine into a deadly cocktail threatening to consume her. It was this concept that made me want to read the book immediately. After a terrible mistake (trust me, you will probably forget to breathe during the first few chapters) leaves Sonya the only Auraseer able to serve Emperor Valko, she is forced to use her powers to discover would-be assassins in his court and protect the emperor against internal threats. But as seeds of rebellion grow in the palace, Sonya grapples with rebellion within herself, and she must decide where her loyalties (and heart) lie—to the emperor, with whom she has forged a tenuous alliance, or his brother Anton, the crown prince who makes Sonya feel things she hasn’t before.

As someone who loves twisty plots, changing relationships, and complicated, forbidden romance, this book sucked me in from the first page. Sonya is the kind of protagonist you’ll root for and also relate to. Yes, her power makes her unique, but her dueling emotions make her so uniquely human. Author Kathryn Purdie’s writing is deep and lush, gorgeous and evocative, just like the setting and all of its details she so beautifully weaves throughout the book.

Warning: You’ll get to the end of the book wanting more of these characters, more of this world. The good news is there are two more books in this trilogy. The bad news is that we all have to wait a little longer for them.
...more

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Jun 14, 2016 bibliophile (Romance Addict) added it

Shelves: fiction, dnf, pissed-me-off-heroine, annoying, not-worth-my-expectations, fantasy

Couldn't finish it honestly, and if you ask me why, it's all because of the heroine! She's annoying as hell.. Has a tendency of feeling better & more righteous than others.

To put it shortly, she's too much!

DNF at 15% of the book & since it's too early for judgement, I didn't rate it. Though life is too short to complete reading a book I'm not enjoying. ...more

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Jun 24, 2015 Ashley marked it as to-read

What I really want to know is how I can get this in my hands NOW

Seriously, my eyes are twitching at the release date:

MARCH 1ST 2016

...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Fantasy. Strong female character with mind-reading. Magic: sets fire to convent in first chapter. Her childhood friend is a poet & face of the uprising. She falls in love with King's brother. [s]	4	227	Dec 13, 2020 05:37PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Burning Glass (Burning Glass #1) by Kathryn Purdie - Starting November 20th 2017	27	89	Nov 01, 2017 02:55AM
Challenge Corner: Burning Glass - Starting August 27th	1	6	Aug 06, 2017 11:32AM
Blogger Lift: GIVEAWAY- SIGNED copy of YA Fantasy BURNING GLASS ends October 8th (US only)	4	5	Oct 07, 2016 04:21PM
New Booktubers & ...: GIVEAWAY- SIGNED copy of YA Fantasy BURNING GLASS ends October 8th	1	6	Oct 03, 2016 09:08AM
Readers That Love...: GIVEAWAY- SIGNED copy of YA Fantasy BURNING GLASS ends October 8th	1	1	Oct 03, 2016 09:03AM

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About Kathryn Purdie

Kathryn Purdie

1,484 followers

Kathryn is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the BURNING GLASS series. Her love of storytelling began as a young girl when her dad told her about someone named Boo Radley while they listened to the film score of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Kathryn is a trained classical actress who studied at the Oxford School of Drama. She also writes songs on her guitar for each of her stories and shares th ...more