Nothing Left to Burn

by Patty Blount

Dear Dad,

I promised Matt I’d do this—become a Junior Cadet. That I wouldn’t let you break me down. I know you hate me. Blame me for everything you lost. But that day I lost my brother and my dad. You could never be proud of me, could you? I was too “different.” So, just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m saying good-bye. Maybe someday you’ll miss me.

Reece

Reece’s words make her ache. Amanda understands wanting to belong. As a foster kid, she only feels at home at the firehouse where she volunteers. She wants to help Reece, but his dad is her boss. And she won’t risk her place as a Junior Cadet—it’s all that she has. But when a string of arsons points to Amanda’s foster brother as the culprit, her whole world is about to go up in flames. And the only way for Amanda and Reece to save each other is to risk getting burned.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Grief, Teen, Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

Patty Blount grew up quiet and a bit invisible in Queens, NY, but found her voice in books. Today, she writes smart and strong characters willing to fight for what’s right. She’s the award-winning author of edgy, realistic, gut-wrenching contemporary and young adult romance. Still a bit introverted, she gets lost often, eats way too much chocolate, and tends to develop mad, passionate crushes on fictional characters. Let’s be real; Patty’s not nearly as cool as her characters, but she is a solid supporter of women’s rights and loves delivering school presentations.

Patty is best known for her internet issues novels, SEND, a 2012 Junior Library Guild Fall Pick and TMI, a 2014 Watty winner, and her #MeToo novels, including SOME BOYS, a 2015 CLMP Firecracker winner and SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW, a 2019 double Athena Award winner. Visit her website at pattyblount.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter. She blogs at YA Outside the Lines and is also active online. She loves hearing from readers, especially when they tell her she’s cool (even though she knows it’s not true), and is easily bribed with chocolate. Never underestimate the power of chocolate.

Reviews

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a pretty insane amount of drama, one that didn't properly blend with the supposed huge mystery that the synopsis promised. And I say "supposed" huge mystery since it never really felt like an important part of the story for me. The romance overtook it for sure.

Now, the romantic in me says it's okay for the romance to take up most of the book, but only if it's executed well. Nothing Left to Burn failed in that department, if you ask me. Insta-kiss happened, and the general mood between the two main characters went from I-hate-you to I-heart-you way too quickly--I wasn't able to feel even an ounce of chemistry.

The odd dialogue made it even harder to ship them. Most of the time I was fine with Blount's writing, but sometimes I had to go, "What? Do people really talk like this nowadays?" Sometimes the dialogue was just painfully awkward and unnatural.

The two main characters, individually, were pretty unremarkable. If I'm being honest, I had to open up Goodreads to remember their names. While I appreciate that Logan wasn't your typical hot narrator, I just couldn't really get a good grasp of his thoughts. Where was his heart really at? Now Amanda was just a pain. She was really judgmental and kind of an ass, really.

The firefighting things in the book were interesting, and best of all informative . I did learn a lot of things that I'm sure school wouldn't bother teaching us. It may have gotten a bit info-dumpy a few times--there was definitely more telling than showing--but I appreciated it nonetheless, and it showed that Blount did her research.

If there's one thing I have to give kudos to Blount for, though, it's the awesome family Amanda has. She's just a foster kid and has a foster brother, and her parents are really strict, but they love each other and are willing to go through great lengths to protect each other.

Deadly Darlings | The Social Potato | The Book Geek | Twitter | Instagram

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, please. Gimmee gimmee gimmee!





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

Nothing Left to Burn by Patty Blount
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Reece’s father hasn’t spoken to him since the car wreck that killed Reece’s brother. Desperate for forgiveness, Reece joins the Junior Cadet program at his dad’s firehouse. But the program is grueling, and Reece isn’t sure he can make it through. Then he meets Amanda.

Amanda understands wanting to belong. As a foster kid, the firehouse is the only place that feels like home. She agrees to help Reece, but falling for him wasn’t part of the deal. And when a string of arsons suddenly point to Amanda, their relationship could go up in flames.

What I Liked:

I have a hard time with YA tough-issue contemporary novels. YA contemporary romance novels are usually fine, but the tough-issues ones? I always have problems with those. But Patty Blount's YA books - all tough-issue contemporary - seem to work for me. I liked TMI a lot, and LOVED Some Boys, and now it appears that I really liked Nothing Left to Burn! Something about her tough-issue contemporary novels make the tough issues real but readable, not too heavy or weighing the book down.

Reece Logan's brother Matt died in a car accident - and Reece was the one driving. Months later, Reece's father hasn't forgiven Reece, and Reece's mother hasn't stopped crying. Reece decides to join the junior fire fighting squad (his father is a lieutenant, and his brother used to be on the junior squad), after his brother made him promise as he was dying. Amanda is a member of the junior squad, and used to have a crush on Matt. Seeing Reece is like seeing Matt, and Amanda can't help but feel anger towards Reece. But Amanda slowly realizes that Reece might be just as "messed up" as she is. Junior squad is what is keeping them going, and when a series of arsons are connected in an eerie, Amanda and Reece will put everything on the line - even their relationship.

This book is written in dual, first-person perspectives, switching off between Reece and Amanda. Sometimes this works for me, sometimes it doesn't, but usually it does, especially with a couple (as opposed to best friends or siblings or worst enemies or something). I enjoyed reading from Reece's perspective especially - Blount does an excellent job of writing in the male and female perspectives, creating unique voices for each character. But I especially like Reece's voice.

Reece is an interesting guy, from the start. His brother is the more athletic one, the more likable/outgoing/charismatic one, the one that their father loves more. Reece is very intelligent, with photographic memory. He likes chess, isn't on the junior squad, isn't a bulky/ripped guy, doesn't have all the ladies after him. Reece is quiet and doesn't stand up to his father. He takes the blame for his brother's death and carries the burden and pain of losing a brother - and indirectly, a father - with him all the time.

And when he joins the junior squad, the juniors see the pain and loss. Lieutenant John Logan treats his son terribly, calling him a nickname he hates, picking on him when Reece wouldn't know, expecting him to be perfect, after only just joining. John leaves him and his mother. It's no wonder that Reece thinks that no one cares - and he begins to write his feelings down, in the form of a letter to his father.

Amanda... I think I like Amanda. I'm kind of on the fence with her. The reason why this book didn't get five stars is because of her. I had a weird feeling about her from the start, and she didn't exactly redeem herself for certain things as the story went on. I wanted to cut her some slack though. She's a well-developed character, and I can understand some of her thoughts and feelings, but I don't necessarily like her. She wasn't a bad protagonist though. I liked Reece much more.

Both characters develop and grow throughout the story - Blount writes the characterization and development of both Reece and Amanda well. Even though I was meh about Amanda, it was clear how she grew and matured. It was very obvious with Reece - without spoiling anything, I can say that Reece learned a lot about himself throughout the story. Reece is a complex and complicated character, and I think Blount developed and wrote him well.

This book had me close to tears for nearly the entire book! You know that's powerful because I literally do not cry for books, movies, TV, etc. I really felt for Reece. The scenes that Blount wrote involving Reece and his father - over and over, Blount captured loss and pain and regret and betrayal, in terms of the father-son relationship. I read this book on Father's Day - it was definitely a good one, given the holiday. Blount does an amazing job of injecting gripping emotions into her stories, and making the situations understandable and easy to relate.

There is so much more to the story than Reece and his father's relationship, and how it affects Reece's life on the junior squad, or his home life. Reece and Amanda begin to get closer, after a rough start. Reece begins to drift apart from his friend Alex, and isn't sure of how to fix that. Meanwhile, Reece is really enjoying junior squad, no matter the hard work and workouts that he has to put into getting into shape. And the bigger picture plot - a series of arsons has been spreading throughout the town, and it's related to someone in the story that we wouldn't expect. I love this mystery plot - I did not guess the culprit at all.

The romance wasn't my favorite aspect of the book, mostly given that I didn't like Amanda, but I liked the romance. It was a hate-to-love type of relationship, and I like those. Reece is a sensitive guy, not your macho type with cute feelings. He is sensitive and quiet and intelligent, but he has a hidden temper and he's determined, a hard worker. Amanda is in-your-face and in-your-business, and she doesn't want to like Reece. But they both fall for each other, despite everything.

This book ends pretty nicely, on all ends. I was surprised by who the culprit of the arson attacks was! And I was surprised with one or two others things, but in a good way. The ending made me very happy and a bit sad, too. We learn a lot about Reece, and I wanted to hug him so hard by the end of the book. Overall, I really liked this book!

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said above, I didn't really like or hate Amanda. She did things that I didn't like and couldn't forgive (I'm not Reece). But besides that, she just wouldn't be someone that I'd like in real life, I think. She's too callous. I understand that people have their own issues, but first impressions are everything, and I would have flipped her off and kept far away from her from the very first day. But then, maybe we're of similar temperaments and that's why. Or maybe not. Either way, I didn't really like/hate her. She was a decent character, but she wasn't a favorite, by any means.

Would I Recommend It:

I loved this book, and all of Patty's books (with the exception of Send - I own it, but have not yet read it), and I will definitely keep reading her books. I'm not a tough-issue contemporary fan, and this book deals with a lot of tough issues (especially with Reece, the poor guy!), and I know fans of contemporary will love this book. But this is one of those books that I wish everyone would read - dealing with feelings of not being wanted, suicide, etc. are definitely intense topics that need to appear more (and have been appearing more) in YA literature!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (see above). I really, really enjoyed this book! My second favorite Blount book, I think. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

[Shannon Miz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
What do you even say about a book when half the stuff was pretty awesome and the other half made you want to throw your Kindle out the window? And I don't mean half the book as in "I liked the first half but the second half went to shit". I mean there were things that I absolutely adored, and things that filled me with an unquenchable rage (did you enjoy my dramatic flare there?).

The Good:

Huge focus on family and the importance of family throughout the book. Reece's family is in shambles since his brother's death, and also Reece's dad is basically the biggest piece of shit ever. He is horrible to Reece, horrible to Reece's mom, and has pretty much cut Reece out of his life completely. So he isn't exactly winning "Father of the Year" anytime soon.
And then there's Amanda's non-family. She lives with a foster family who seems decent enough but has a litany of ridiculous and nonsensical rules. But, they're the best family she's been with in years, and she adores her foster brother, so she wants to stay there. Her mother is another giant bag of awful, basically ditching Amanda for some creepy dude who ends up landing her in jail. So both of these kids are just craving something from family members who pretty much can't or won't give it.

The firefighting stuff is pretty unique and interesting. There's a bunch of teenage dudes.... and Amanda. Which seems unlikely, because I imagine in the entirety of Long Island there is more than one female who wants to be a firefighter, but I digress. They are like a makeshift family, which is really cool because they all have each other's backs, both in the fire hall and outside of it.

I really felt for Reece, because he was trying so hard to do so much: to prove himself to his father, to help out his mother, to grieve the death of his brother, to make friends, all while under an enormous amount of stress. He was a broken and likable character, and I loved how he pushed himself to be better in so many ways.

The Not-so-Good:

The romance was... unromantic. I mean, I didn't feel a single spark, and this was set in a place that deals with fire so... yeah. There just wasn't any chemistry for me. Plus, Amanda had a crush on Reece's dead brother, so that added in a creep factor. And it was kind of insta-lovey. She hated Reece one minute, but the literal next moment was checking him out? No no.

I still do not understand why these people blamed Reece so fiercely for Matt's death. I just can't imagine people being so mean to a young guy who has just lost his brother. Especially since accidents do happen, it just behooved me. And it wasn't like people quietly blamed him, they were ready to burn him at the stake or something.

Some of the execution just fell short for me. The conversations often seemed a bit forced and unnatural, and the characters, especially Amanda, could have been a little more fleshed out. The characters' reactions were also often inconsistent with their personalities and/or past reactions. I don't mean that in a character growth way either, just more of a confusing way. There was also a mystery element to the story, which I figured out pretty much immediately.

This last one kind of filled me with rage more than anything. It is also basically something that happens near the end of the book and I don't want to spoil anything, but I DO feel like it needs to be mentioned, so I am going to try to do this with the biggest spoiler warning ever. DO NOT look at the spoiler tag unless you are prepared for like, half the story to be spoiled, got it? Good.
Seriously BIG SPOILER okay? Okay. Reece had basically planned on killing himself because he thought maybe his parents could at least stop hating each other if he was gone, and then he'd be with Matt again. But then, Amanda comes along, and he basically flat out SAYS that she is the reason he didn't kill himself, and then he nonchalantly tosses the bullet. Um NO. That is not how a suicidal person's mind works. You don't just "get over it" because you kiss some pretty girl. Romanticizing depression is NEVER EVER okay, and the message "hey kids, if you dad finally gives you a high five and you get a girlfriend, you won't be depressed anymore!" is irresponsible and inaccurate. End rant.
Bottom Line: This book has some really unique elements that could have really made it a powerful read, but it did end up falling a bit short for me, especially with that last piece.

*Copy provided by publisher for review*

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Nothing Left to Burn via Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me in tears. So many tears. Just the raw emotion contained within 368 pages is overwhelming!

Nothing Left to Burn is a rare type of book. It brings so many different characters from different backgrounds and meshes them together excellently. The setting ties in extremely well with both the characters and the plot. In fact, they practically go hand in hand. It makes absolute sense for each of the characters to be where they are. The majority of the characters, including the secondary characters, are very likable with the exception of Reece's father.

Nothing Left to Burn is told via the alternating perspectives of Reece and Amanda. These perspectives do tend to overlap, but this allows the reader to gain a better picture of how the characters feel, especially in regards to Matt and J Squad. It also shows how the Junior Cadets, and probably everyone else, judged and blamed Reece for Matt's death. This was something that really affected Reece and he did shoulder all the blame and it crushed him.

There are so many aspects to the story - Reece's relationship with his father, joining J Squad, Amanda's struggles etc - and this makes the story very fast paced. There was always something happening or some secret being revealed. This means that Nothing Left to Burn is also a very quick read. Every aspect to the plot was also logical. There weren't too many plot twists - it's mainly set around Reece struggling for acceptance from his father and J Squad. However, the one major plot twist wasn't expected. All the evidence didn't really noticeably point to the outcome yet it still revealed clues throughout the story.

I really liked Reece. I just felt so sorry for him and wanted to give him a massive hug. All he wanted was to be accepted by his father and this had such a profound effect on his life as a whole. He is just so different to the rest of his family and he really struggles with this. To a lesser extent, I can relate to this as I'm the odd one in my family however my family actually speaks to me and we get on. Reece also struggles with his overwhelming guilt over the death of his brother. It doesn't help that everyone, family and Matt's friends, piles the blame on to him. Reece bottles his feelings up until they just explode out of him. I really don't think that his parents have handled the situation well. Of course, they are grieving but they should have remembered and supported their other son.

However, underneath all his grief and family problems Reece is probably one of the nicest people anyone would have the fortune of meeting. He can be very sweet and witty and a total lack of verbal filter which results in a few cute/awkward moments.

I loved Amanda for her pure desire to persist through tough times. She really hasn't had the best start in life and is desperate to better herself. Unlike, many (but obviously not all) teenagers stuck in the foster care system she manages to stick to the straight and narrow. She doesn't want to be a statistic and, therefore, pushes herself to do the best she can both at school and at the firehouse. However, for a girl who grew up in foster care she could also appear rather snobbish and stand-offish at times. However, this is mainly directed towards Reece and gradually disappears.

I would definitely recommend Nothing Left to Burn to fans of YA contemporary romance. It is extremely emotional and a tough read but I think anyone would like it. I look forward to reading more by Patty Blount in the future.

[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review on The Candid Cover

3.5 Stars

Nothing Left to Burn was not really my cup of tea. I had the wrong impression of this book before starting it and couldn’t really relate to it. The cover of this book is misleading and I found the characters unrelatable. That being said, this book is quite diverse and could be enjoyable for others who like learning about firefighters.

The cover of Nothing Left to Burn makes the book seem a little bit like Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley, where a girl joins the military and has to prove that she is as good as the boys are, but this book is mostly about a boy named Reece and how he wants to make his dad angry by showing up at the firehouse and joining the squad he is in charge of. Honestly, I couldn’t really relate to this book, not only because most of the book is told in Reece’s perspective, but because I don’t really know anything about firefighting. Yes, a few firefighting terms are explained in the book, but I found it a bit hard to follow.

Reece and Amanda are the main characters in Nothing Left to Burn. Amanda is the captain of the fire squad and is a well-behaved girl. Reece is the son of the Lieutenant and he doesn’t really get along with his father. When his dad tries to get Reece to mess up, or asks him impossible questions during lessons, Reece doesn’t stick up for himself, despite Amanda’s prompts. He sits quietly and lets his friends tell his dad to stop. After he is asked so many times to defend himself, he doesn’t, which I didn’t really like. The book was really slow for me because of this.

I did, however, really appreciate and enjoy the diversity in Nothing Left to Burn. One of the main characters, Amanda is a foster child and explains throughout the book how well-behaved she has to be in order to stay in her foster home. Reece’s dad also moves out at the beginning of the book, after his brother dies, leaving him with only his mother. These kinds of books really show readers are different perspective and a lifestyle that they might not be aware of.

Personally, I would not recommend this book due to its inability to engage readers and the slow pace of the storyline. However, if you are interested in books about firefighting, or are looking for something a little different, you might enjoy Nothing Left to Burn. I definitely had high hopes for this one.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5

Right from the first page, you can tell that Nothing Left to Burn is going to be an emotionally raw and powerful story. It is told in dual narrative between Amanda and Reece. Nothing Left to Burn really got to me. I loved that the book starts out featuring the male protagonist, Reece. Reece really touched me. I felt for him so badly. If anyone needs a hug, it is Reece. Luckily, I was also able to tell right away that he has a kick ass friend in Alex.

Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult emotional contemporary. Reece's older brother Matt died a year prior to the start of the story, and Reece is still reeling from the loss. That and the fact that everyone around him (except for Alex) seems to be blaming him in varying degrees for his brother's death. (which, side note, kind of bugged me for the whole story.) In order to honor a promise he made to his brother, Reece joins the local junior firefighter program to get close to his dad. (since said dad was being a major jerkface.) And at this program Reece meets Amanda. I bet you can guess what happens next.

Yep, emotional romance. I liked the romance in nothing left to burn, but for me it came secondary for Reece's journey. Amanda has her own issues, but they didn't really measure up to Reece's. I don't mean that they weren't as important as his. She hasn't really had a place to call home, other than the firehouse, but her emotions didn't bleed out of the pages quite like Reece's did for me. Still, it was nice to see Amanda and Reece impacting the other one. Amanda has to deal with all sorts of crazy with her current foster family, so there were plenty of roadblocks in store for our young friends.

Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult book for readers that like their romance with a heavy side of emotional and deeper issues. This is not a lighthearted, beach read. But it is a worthwhile read. I had a few minor annoyances throughout the story, but it didn't take away from author Patty Blount's powerfull-ness to her prose. She has a very strong book on her hands with Nothing Left to Burn.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of Blount's previous novel, Some Boys, I was really excited to learn about Nothing Left to Burn.  It sounded like the type of book that I would love so I was so excited to get started reading it and while I did enjoy the story, Unfortunately, I didn't LOVE it like I did Some Boys.

Reece or Logan (he seems to go by both in the book), is on a personal mission to get his father's attention.  His dad hasn't spoken to him since the accident that killed Logan's brother, Matt.  Everyone, including Logan's dad, seems to blame Logan for Matt's death.  As a way to get his father's attention, Logan joins the Junior Cadet Squad at the fire station where his father is a lieutenant.    But, Logan discovers that it's harder than he thought it would be, and that he actually enjoys it.

I liked the message that this book tried to convey, and I loved the fact that it shows how dangerous it is to be a firefighter and that there's more to it than just tossing water on a fire.  There's so much more that goes on behind the scenes that I had never thought of before.

The main thing that bothered me was the fact that everyone seemed to blame Logan for Matt's death.  It was a freaking accident and it wasn't anyone's fault and it made me so mad how everyone seemed to place the blame on Logan JUST because he was the one behind the wheel.  I could understand  Logan blaming himself, survivor's guilt, you know?  But, when a parent goes to the extent that Logan's dad did at the beginning, NO.  I'm sure that it actually happens in the world, but as a parent myself, it made me so sad to see what Logan was going through and the plans that he had because of it.

Everything kind of felt rushed to me, I found myself thinking during quite a few instances during the book 'well, that was fast'.  I think it would have been more powerful if some points happened a little slower.

Nothing Left to Burn has a wonderful message behind it, but there were some things that kept me from completely loving it.

 

 This review was originally posted on Novel Ink

[Angela Auten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing Left to Burn Review

Book Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

Story Line: 5 stars out of 5. Reece was in a traffic accident that killed his brother. Everyone blames him for the accident. His father is angry with him. He doesn't even talk to his son. His father leaves him and his mother. Reece only has one friend. His friend gives him advice to join J Squad. His father is a firefighter. Reece joined the Junior Squad so that he could start getting closer to his father. He meets Amanda who had loved his brother. She gave him a really bad attitude. Amanda and the rest of the Junior Squad members decide to help Reece. Reece learns how to be a firefighter. Reece wanted to keep the promise he made to his brother before he passed. It was hard for him to try to keep that promise. Reece was hurt a lot throughout the book. My heart broke for him a lot. He didn't deserve the treatment he was getting from his father. His mother loved him, but he needed the love from his dad too. His father did everything with his older brother. He never made time for Reece. All Reece wanted from his father was to be treated normally. This whole book made me mad, upset, and happy. I loved every single second of it except for when it switched to Amanda's POV. This was one of my favorite books by Patty Blount. Another one of my favorite reads of 2016.

Characters: 5 stars out of 5. Reece was my favorite character. He wanted to prove that he could become a firefighter. He had to carry around the guilt of his brother's death. He was strong despite the loss. He was hurting on the inside. I was worried about him throughout most of the book. He was copying someone else's suicide note. I really was afraid that he was going to end up killing himself. I'm happy he didn't.

Amanda...hated her throughout this whole book. She doesn't know the meaning of being a good friend. She doesn't know the meaning of forgiveness either. She had a bad attitude throughout this story. I hated it. Every single second of her POV. She did have a rough childhood, but that doesn't mean it's okay for you to be a horrible person. I really didn't like her much.

Favorite quotes will be added later when I reread this book. I plan on it either next year or in 2019.

Writing Style: 5 stars out of 5.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade: B-

Reece's father hates him because he was driving the car that killed his perfect brother, though truth be told, his father never really liked him. In an effort to fulfill a promise to his dying brother, Reece signs up to be a junior cadet at the fire department where his father and volunteers. He meets the tough talking junior captain, Amanda, who also hates him for killing his brother. When a series of fires turn out to be arson might hit close to home, the fire team must band together to prevent more destruction.

Reece dripped agony and grief at not just the loss of his brother, but the pain in his mother's eyes and the hatred in his father's. Although the accident was just that, an accident, he believes he killed his brother. The chapters he narrated began as snippets from letter to his father. Amanda came by her no-nonsense attitude through a neglectful mother and the foster care system. Warming to her was more difficult, because of the wall she built around her. I loved her loyalty to her foster brother.

I enjoy Patty Blount's crisp writing style, but I wish she had created the Amanda's and Reece's POVs with distinguishable voices. She wrote a lot of what I consider unnecessary procedural details about firefighter training. I skimmed those parts because they felt like filler and they slowed down the pace of the book. She chose an over-the-top climax, when just having the arsonist named would have been enough. While Blount did excellent research on firefighting, her research on foster care seemed lacking. I interned in a foster care agency and foster families are supposed to mirror bio families and give kids a "normal" childhood. No boys would have never flown with social workers and foster parents are usually referred to by their first names or a form of their first names - Abby Mom, Aunt Michelle or just Mary, particularly for long term placements like Amanda's and Larry's.

THEMES: grief, depression, family, siblings, foster care, suicide, firefighters,

NOTHING LEFT TO BURN is a unique, readable story, although not one of Blount's best works.

[Chantelle Keena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fiction book with a genre of a teenager finding his way. It involves death, hate, and love. It keeps you interested all the way through the book and there never being a real dull moment with all the drama going on. I recommend this book to young adults and teens as they might understand some of the feelings from the main character.

[Amber Schrameyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing Left to Burn is about a 16-year-old boy named Reece Logan who struggles with grief, self-blame, and worst of all, his father. John Logan, Reece’s father, never bonded with him, especially after Matt died due to an accident caused by Reece. On his deathbed, Matt forced Reece to promise him that he’d fix things with their dad. Of course that’d be difficult since Reece blames his father for Matt’s death while John blames Reece. To fulfill his promise, Reece decides to write a letter to give to his father, but things get complicated when his dad moves out after another disagreement with his mother. Since his dad left home, Reece decides to invade his second home, the fire station. Reece became a junior cadet and meets Amanda, Bear, Max, Gage, Kevin, and Ty who all help him catch up to speed.

Nothing Left to Burn is by far my favorite book, it’s entertaining and informative. While reading the book, I learned many facts about firefighting and fire safety. At the same time, I heard about family drama and two lovers who were banned from being together. I highly suggest reading this book if, like me, you’re a drama lover or love learning new things.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing Left To Burn is a very interesting book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but far more challenging and thought provoking.

Firefighting was always the special thing that bonded Reece's father and brother. So when Reece's brother is killed in a car accident that was Reece's fault, the distance between Reece and his father widens even more. Determined to make his father pay attention to him once and for all, Reece joins the junior fire squad. But once there he comes to love the thrill and unexpected comraderary of the squad far more than he expected.

Nothing Left To Burn is written in a very intriguing way. It felt jumpy and there were a whole lot of unknown undercurrents. I wasn't really sure, as I read, what the underlying theme was. What was really going on? This, I believe, was done on purpose and was cleverly executed. The reader is kept guessing and, despite the book being written in two points of view, I felt like you only gradually come to have a clearer picture of the characters. This is especially true of Reece. We are in Reece's head but are left guessing about his intentions and even some of his past. As such, I was kept engaged the whole time as clues where given and sections of the past were slowly revealed. I was reading thinking, what really happened? what aren't we being told? is Reece going to 'that'? does he actually mean 'that'? (can't tell you what 'that' means, because that would be spoiling it), but I was never really sure. As a result the book is much less about investigating who is behind the recent arson fires and more about Reece's relationship with his father, his joining the fire squad and how he copes with the death of his brother.

In Nothing Left To Burn we also get the story of Amanda, foster child and captain of the junior fire squad. I loved reading her story and would have liked more of it, but again her point of view seemed predominately to support Reece's story. This added to the overall style of the book, but also provided great balance and perspective to the story.

I really enjoyed Patty Blount's Some Boys. I didn't find Nothing Left To Burn as engaging, but it certainly made me think and Patty shows she is very good at writing about touching and hard issues. Another stimulating teen contemporary read.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Young adult fiction. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books

I love you so much, Patty Blount. You make me feel all the feels every time I pick up one of your books. While I did have a few... annoyances with this book, I still loved it to bits and you made me cry. I read it in one sitting and I'm ignoring my growling stomach so I can get these thoughts out of my head for you. So here goes...

Nothing Left to Burn is about Reece Logan. His father hasn't spoken to him since the car accident that killed Reece's brother Matt. Reece is desperate for forgiveness and his father's respect and joins the Junior Cadet program at his dad's firehouse. That's where he meets Amanda. Amanda is a foster kid and she's finally found a good home she wants to stay at. But then a string of arsons point to someone close to her and she might lose everything.

Patty's books always make me feel. She picks some tough topics to weave a story around and makes it great. I cried a couple of times reading this with Reece's POV. His story is so emotional and I loved him so very much as a character! I felt so much for him and I just wanted to hug him. I also loved the other members of the Junior Cadet team and Reece's best friend Alex. In the beginning I didn't like his dad, but he redeemed himself quite a bit so I grew to love him too. I read this book in one sitting, mainly because I was so invested in Reece's story.

Now what didn't I like? I didn't really care all that much for Amanda in the beginning. I liked her, don't get me wrong, but her POV felt unnecessary sometimes. That got better in the second half though. I also didn't really buy the romance. It started a bit sudden. Not that it was insta-love, not really. It just... It caught me off guard because I was focused on the other parts of the story.

Nothing Left to Burn was another great book by Patty Blount and I do recommend it to fans of contemporary. You deserve that spot on my author auto-buy list very much, dear Patty. Now go write me more awesome books!



This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog.

[Taylor N]

PERSONAL RESPONSE:
Nothing Left to Burn was a fantastic read. I loved how Patty Blount switched point of views from Reece and Amanda. It was interesting reading from both of their perspectives, since they were so different. Reece was an interesting character, as was Amanda. Amanda was a tough girl. There are not many books out there about girls becoming a firefighter. I think it was great that Amanda had a goal and she went for it. Reece was a lost boy and had me wanting to tell him it was going to be okay. I was rooting for Reece and Amanda from the beginning.


PLOT:
The main events in Nothing Left to Burn were about Reece trying to fulfill his promise to his older brother, Matt. It was tricky because his father disowned Reece after the incident that left him with only one son. He got an idea how to make his father proud from his best friend, Alex. When Reece stepped into the firehouse, they tried to get rid of him. When Amanda saw Reece enter the firehouse, all she could think about was Matt, Reece’s older brother. She hated Reece for what he supposedly did. When Amanda had to train Reece, it went horribly at first. Nobody in the squad liked him. As the days went on, they realized he was part of the family so they had to help him. As Amanda trained him, she realized he was not that bad. When Reese and another member of the squad were driving, an arson happens right in front of them. Reece saw who he think did it. When he told Amanda, she could not believe it, it was her foster brother. Nobody knew that Amanda knew who the kid was. She had to talk to him first. As the days went on, secrets were revealed.


RECOMMENDATION:
I would recommend Nothing Left to Burn to 14 year olds and older. This book is not appropriate for younger children. The scenes in the book are mature. There are some chapters where younger readers would not understand. I would recommend this to girls and boys. For girls there is Amanda in the book, a girl who is trying to achieve her goals. It is a good mindset for both boys and girls. For boys there is Reece, a boy who is trying to keep his promise. Both boys and girls want to keep their promises no matter what happens as does Reece.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley*

Ever since Reece's brother Matt was killed in a car accident with Reece behind the wheel, he has been attempting to write a letter to his father to fulfil Matt's dying wish - that Reece improves his relationship with him. Reece was always on the outside growing up, always wishing he could join in with Matt and their dad.
Reece signs up as a junior cadet at the fire station where his dad, who has left him and his mum, is a Lieutenant. The angst between them is noticed by Amanda, a foster child who needs to stay away from drama if she's got a chance at staying with her current foster parents, the best home she's had since her mother went to prison when she was nine.
Amanda finds herself falling for Reece but one of the rules she has to follow is 'no boys'. Can she stay away from him?
Who is the arsonist that is burning down homes?
Will Reece repair his relationship with his dad?

Nothing Left to Burn was an enjoyable read.
I liked Reece and Amanda and felt sorry for them both. I found them relatable and wanted them to have happy endings.
The romance wasn't a huge part of the book which I liked as it was quite sweet and not over the top.
The plot was interesting and you could tell that the author had really done her research.
The writing style was easy to follow and I wanted to keep on reading but I wasn't gripped.
I did guess the identity of the arsonist early on.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing Left To Burn had me on the corner of me seat. This story has it all from loss to love to hatred to learning to move on in order to live.

Matt and Reece are brothers one year apart in age. They do everything together except for one thing. That one thing is that Matt and his father do fire fighting together. Then one night something tragic happens to the brothers that will tare this family apart.

Matt passes away at the age of 18 in a horrific accident and Reece is to blame. The family falls apart and the only thing keeping Reece sane is his mother. he loves his mother no matter what and will do anything for her. So when his best friend and his mother tell him to follow in his brother's footsteps and become a firefighter he is scared to death to apply as a volunteer firefighter.

He finally makes up his mind and goes to the fire department to sign up. Once he arrives he sees one girl there who right away hates him. But Reece is determined to fulfill his brother's last wish.

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Dear Dad,
I promised Matt I’d do this—become a Junior Cadet. That I wouldn’t let you break me down. I know you hate me. Blame me for everything you lost. But that day I lost my brother and my dad. You could never be proud of me, could you? I was too “different.” So, just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m saying goodbye. Maybe someday, you’ll miss me.
Reece

Reece’s words make her ache. Amanda understands wanting to belong. As a foster kid, the firehouse where she volunteers is the only place that feels like home. She wants to help Reece, but his dad is her boss. And she won’t risk her place as a Junior Cadet—it’s all that she has. But when a string of arsons suddenly point to Amanda, her whole world is about to go up in flames. And the only way to save themselves is to risk getting burned.

*2.5 stars*

This was a bit of a disappointment, to be honest. Lots of buzz about this novel, lots of great reviews...but I finished the book thinking "If only..."

Let's look at the positives first, though:

I think Reece's story was the best arc in the book. With issues with his father (trying to always prove himself to his jerk father), dealing with the grief after the death of his brother, and trying to make something better of himself, to reach for something more. He was a great character.

Amanda's story was also interesting. A foster child in a home where she isn't really wanted or loved, she makes her "home" at the firehouse. While not as emotionally invested in her story as I was in Reece's, it was still refreshing to see characters that I could relate to.

So, the main characters - and their separate storylines - were good...

...but that's about where it ended...

The two biggest drawbacks in this story for me were the insane amount of overwrought emotional scenes, and the insta-love thing.
I get that teens can be emotional. I get that, for a lot of the time, they don't understand what it is they are upset about. But they aren't ALWAYS like that. It felt like every other scene in this book with drenched in drama and emotion that it really did weigh down the pacing of the book and the story-telling aspects.
Also, the whole "boy-meets-girl, instantly falls in love" thing is just way over done. I appreciate that the story takes place over a relatively short time frame, but there is no chance to build chemistry when they are in love within minutes of meeting. It is one thing in YA fiction that really does my head in.

Add to that, the sometimes clunky dialogue and the final part, romanticising depression, wasn't a good look either.

So, what was a novel that I really thought would be a great read ended up being more frustrating...


Paul
ARH

[Nicol Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Nothing Left to Burn' was a very interesting and emotional read. This was the most heart wrenching book I have read. Mrs. Patty Blount did an extraordinarily fantastic job on this piece. She managed to tie in romance, violence, anger, and extreme sadness all into this book. I can tell she poured her heart out into this. She gave so much detail to the main characters it was insane! Completely mind boggling.

Both Reece and Amanda have very strong personalities. When Reece's brother died he went into a complete depression. He promised his brother he would join the local fire department after him. It wasn't until he got to know Amanda that he began to open up. Mrs. Blount perfectly wrote these two. Perfectly matched them together. To say this roller coaster of a book was a page turner would make me a liar. That is a complete understatement. This big was an amazing piece that I, personally could never forget. I give this an honest 10/10.

[isabelle : )]

reese logan thinks his father blames him for the death of his brother Matt, because he was the one driving with only a permit in the snow. Amanda fell for both logan boys and is in foster care. Amanda has been a jounior candet for a few years and Reese only a couple of months. Matt left Reese with a dying with that the fued between him and there dad would not go on forever. does he fufill his promise or does he say screw it and go with the same plan but without fixing anything with his father.

[Find Me Behind a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was another amazing read by Patty Blount. My heart broke for Reece and his relationship with his Dad. All he ever wanted was to be loved and accepted by him. After a horrible accident, he makes a promise to his brother that he just can't break.

[BJ Biley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this author. Good read and highly engaging for struggling readers.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it.

[Breyona · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hard to get started but, one I did, I couldn’t stop. It made me laugh and cry.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher via a NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While this book had its faults, and you know I'm going to list them in detail soon, I really liked it once I got past the first few chapters. First, I really liked the brotherhood that these characters find in their junior fire squad. Being part of this group made a huge difference in the two main characters' lives, and I think readers will respond to their comraderie and teamwork. Second, this book gave readers an accurate picture of what it feels like to be in the foster system. Some readers will see Amanda's insecurities, fears, and stress as exaggerated, but I know that lots of kids daily walk the line in fear of being sent to the next care facility. This is also the first book that really lays out the struggle Amanda will face as she begins to age out of the system - her dreams have to be a lot more practical than the average teen's. Her situation creates understanding and empathy for readers who may never have thought about foster care. I also liked the parallel dynamics between Reece and Amanda's situations with their parents - their internal conflicts essentially boil down to feeling like their parent didn't really love them, and the story presents two ways that confronting that feeling can go. Finally, I liked how the experience that Reece dreads is really transformative for him. He starts the book feeling like he is hated and useless, but becoming part of the squad gives him a new sense of purpose and belonging. That is a potentially inspirational message for any teen who doesn't feel like they have a place in the world.

Now, for the things I felt were a little lacking. The romantic feelings between Reece and Amanda feel rushed, and some readers will be uncomfortable with the fact that Amanda seems to be transferring her feelings for Reece's dead brother onto Reece as a result. I also felt like there was an unbelievable amount of hatred towards Reece. I'm not sure if those feelings were just his skewed perceptions or if people really did spew dislike of him. Either way, it comes across as too dramatic to be believable, and since that issue comes up within the first few chapters, it will cause some readers to write this book off too early. I also think that the book could be perceived as glossing over Reece's decision to change his plan to leave his family - there wasn't enough internal debate to really make it clear what convinced him to change his mind. I really believe it was the squad's support and friendship that changed the game, but it can come across to some readers that he is simply changing his mind for love of Amanda, and that could marginalized the bigger issue. Finally, I just didn't understand what was wrong with Reece - I think he had to be somewhere on the autism spectrum as a child, but I found it hard to believe that no one forced his family to seek out the answers. I understood that there was a desire not to pigeonhole him, but in this day and age, a teacher or a doctor would have insisted on getting him tested based on the way he was described as a young child. I don't know why that bothered me so much, but I felt like Reece struggled more than he would have if someone had just helped him understand why he found life and people more overwhelming than his peers.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and I didn't really see most of the faults until I sat down to reflect. It felt a little rushed and a little overly dramatic about some things, but I liked the big idea behind it. I think that there are definitely teen readers who will enjoy this book and make meaningful connections with the characters, but I think adult readers of YA will struggle not to view it as too exaggerated. Language and situations are appropriate for grades 7+.

[Leigh Collazo · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews at Mrs. ReaderPants.

WHAT I LIKED: I loved the firefighter theme of this book. It's something I haven't seen much in YA literature, and I know that firefighters really do have a brotherhood that goes beyond blood. The author clearly knows a lot about firefighter culture and the family bond that exists among them.

I also enjoyed the complex relationship between Reece and his father. Nothing is easy for these two, and their dialogue is incredibly realistic. I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve over the course of the novel.

The characters of Reece and his father. I love Reece's introspective thinking and how he calls things as they are. Reece's dad John is particularly complicated. He's made many mistakes with Reece and has to get past his pride, anger, and grief in order to overcome them. Author Patty Blount skillfully makes the reader feel both Reece and John's emotional struggles. John and Reece's characters are among the most realistically drawn I've seen in quite awhile.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:: The arson mystery. I figured it out by like page 50. And I hardly ever figure out the mystery in a book, so this one is clearly way too easy to work out.

Amanda's voice. Amanda's character nowhere near as interesting as Reece and John. I wish the novel was only told in Reece's voice--it would have been stronger and more emotional. I got to where I just didn't care about Amanda's problems or the romance between her and Reece.

Insta-love. I'm never a fan. Even though Reece liked Amanda before he joined the force, he tells her he loves her awfully quick.

The front cover. Since so much of the story focuses on Reece and his father, I think putting a pretty girl on the cover is misleading and will limit the audience to mainly girls. That's too bad--realistic fiction for male readers is needed, and with Reece's voice and the arson/firefighter theme, Nothing Left to Burn could help fill that need. But that front cover will limit the audience to mainly girls. Again.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I'm split evenly on this one--it's like the author got the hardest stuff (character development, dialogue, complex relationships) right, but the simple stuff (the identity of the arsonist, the front cover, Amanda's character) didn't get as much attention. It's too bad, really, because Patty Blount is clearly a talented writer.

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: I don't have any intention of getting this one, mainly because I believe the front cover is misleading. This book should have a boy or maybe a building fire or fire truck on the cover, not a pretty, pensive girl. The publisher is really missing the mark with that front cover.

READALIKES: Some Kind of Normal (Stone)

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 3/5
Creativity: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Engrossing: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Appeal to teens: 3/5
Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5


CONTENT:

Language: medium-high; includes some F-bombs and sh**
Sexuality: medium; kissing, sex (not described)
Violence: mild-medium; arson, death
Drugs/Alcohol: mild; reference to beer

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite living in Matt's shadow, Reece absolutely adored him and he is deeply grieving his loss. He is also living with the horrible guilt that he is responsible for his brother's death and his troubled relationship with his father compounds these feelings. In the months since Matt's death, his relationship with his father has deteriorated to the point they barely speak. After a vague but troubling conversation with his best friend Alex, Reece decides to take his advice and tries to connect with his father by joining the junior cadet program at fire department where his father works as a volunteer fire fighter. While their interactions remain fraught with tension, the rest of the cadets pull together to help Reece succeed in the program.

Reece does not let the team's initial dislike of him or his father's derisive attitude intimidate him and he eventually thrives once he makes progress with the physical and intellectual demands of the program. While he is hoping to improve his relationship with his father by joining the cadet program, he is truly surprised by the camaraderie he finds with his fellow team members. He is also stunned to discover he truly enjoys the fire fighter training. As he gains more confidence and his dad's grudging respect, Reece's objectives for joining the training begin to evolve. He also begins making progress with dealing with his guilt and grief but his ongoing struggles with his dad continue to be a stumbling block.

Amanda is a fellow cadet whose home life is tenuous since she in the foster care system. She is finally with a foster family that she likes and she is not willing to do anything to jeopardize her current placement. She adheres to her foster family's strict rules and although she cares deeply for her foster brother, she tries to remain emotionally distant from him and her foster parents. Despite her initial animosity toward Reece, Amanda is fully invested in making sure he succeeds in the cadet program and she easily rallies the rest of the squad into helping him. When Amanda's feelings toward Reece deepen beyond friendship, their relationship becomes a frustrating push/pull since she is determined to protect both her heart and her living arrangements.

The novel is written in dual, first person perspective and the chapters alternate between Reece and Amanda's points of view. This technique works well for the story and the character's voices are quite distinct. While Reece's story is the most compelling, it is helpful to know the reasons behind some of Amanda's decisions.

Nothing Left to Burn is a fascinating blend of family issues, romance and a hint of suspense. The plot is unique and Patty Blount's meticulous research brings the fire fighting aspect of the storyline vibrantly to life. The romance between Amanda and Reece is the weakest part of the plot due to the "instalove" feel to their relationship. The suspense element is interesting but rather easy to solve. Neither of these story arcs lessen the overall enjoyment of the novel and I have absolutely no qualms about recommending Nothing Left to Burn to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary young adult novels.

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars.

Nothing Left To Burn turned out to be an interesting read. I enjoyed that it made me ache for its characters (not that I enjoyed their pain, just you know, connected with them for a bit) and that it had an unusual playground that was entertaining to read about.

This book is told in dual POVs. First we have Reece Logan who is struggling to lead a normal life after his brother's death in a car accident he is supposedly at fault. Then, there's Amanda who only wishes to have a real family and a place to call home. Their fates intertwine when Reece goes to the firehouse where his father and Amanda volunteer at in hopes of getting his father to really look at him. To somehow keep his last promise made to his brother. But he has to overcome the anger and distrust everyone, including Amanda, have towards him.

Is this book emotional? Yes, I believe so.Well, it depends on the reader. I'm such a cry baby and I felt the tug of my heartstrings when I was reading Nothing Left To Burn. I was too invested on how unfair Reece's situation was. I mean, I understand that in a way, it was his fault that his brother died in that car accident because he was the one behind the wheel, but it's the kind of fault that doesn't make the subject guilty. It was an accident. A bad luck something that happened. But everyone turned their backs on him. No one thought about helping him grieve his loss. That angered me so much that it made me shed a few tears.

Despite being told in dual POVs, I felt that this book was more about Reece than Amanda. I guess because Reece's problems were a bit more dramatic. However, Amanda's story was important as well. I think it's the first time I read a book where the character isn't completely repulsed by the idea of foster care. It was enlightening to learn more about the ways of this system and have a character that was considerate and keen on aviding its rules. If only for a bit.

And speaking of learning, Nothing Left To Burn has lots of good info that I think is accurate. It was entertaining to learn about how fire stations work and how working/volunteering in there is no easy work. It certainly made me appreciate this service a lot more. Way to go, firefighters!

Now, what I'm really not that sure about is the romance of this book. I love romance but Reece and Amanda didn't strike me as a great couple. I think that their actions were a bit too rushed/forced. Oh, and Reece's mom rushing into dating that fast? Also weird.
Nothing Left To Burn wasn't the perfect read that I was hoping for but I'm glad I got the chance to read it. It's a good YA contemporary book with some good old firefighting action and a few twists around the corner to keep the reader entertained. Definitely worth the shot.

*Thanks to the publisher/publicist for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.* This review can also be found at The Reader & The Chef!*

[Carrie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite book of the three that I have read by Ms. Blount! Something about this book, the character of Reece, I think, just sucked me in from page 1. The pain that Reece carried over his brother's death, his part in it, the deathbed promise he made his brother, the nonexistent relationship with his father, his desire to be see and be good enough... all of it just wove together to make a character that I ached for and felt and intense need to stick by.

The plot line also fascinated me. So much of the book is just Reece learning to be a fire fighter, building rapport and respect with his squad, and working to gain his father's approval. Therefore, the book should feel slow and tedious, but, for me, it was the opposite. At one point, I realized I was halfway through the book and we had yet to come to the part where Amanda's foster brother is an arson suspect (not a spoiler - this is the big conflict told about on the cover)... and I was honestly surprised. It didn't feel like I should have been halfway through the book already. I was so invested in the characters, their motivations, their struggles, their relationships that big, flashy plot events weren't necessary. But, let me tell you, there are plenty of big, flashy plot events to be had in this book. Have no fear.

I will say, it seems that a hallmark of Ms. Blount's books are a boy and girl who love each other, hate each other, love each other, hate each other... on and on. In "Send," it was hard for me to really believe/accept this on again, off again dynamic. In "Nothing Left to Burn," this dynamic didn't bother me so much. I'm not sure if it just wasn't as predominant or I just found the reason for it more believable. Regardless, it was there... again. I would love to read a book by Ms. Blount that DIDN'T rely on this subplot to add tension to the story.

But, that little complaint aside, this was an EXCELLENT book. Also, now that I think about it, I also appreciate the uniqueness of the setting/basic situation in "Nothing Left to Burn." Young adults are not typically cast as fire fighters (age limits and whatnot) and YA books are not typically set largely in fire stations. Having her characters be members of a squad of junior fire fighters allowed for the closeness and camaraderie necessary to the plot and also added a novel aspect to the story overall. Just one more reason this is a favorite!

[Reading Bifrost · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I’m going to make you see me. Make you hear me. Make you…acknowledge that everything I am is because of Matt and everything I’m not is because of you.”

Reece is gifted as in he can easily memorize anything he concentrates on. As a child he easily grew bored and threw tantrums – only his mother and brother consoling him. His father always kept a distance from Reece even when the younger son wanted to join his brother and father on their trips. He’s very determined, but also a very broken character. The reader sees just how broken Reece is as the story progresses.

Amanda is a so-so character. She’s a foster kid who has been tossed from one home to another since her mother has been in jail. She puts up and strong front and she’s fairly independent, but she also has such a wishy-washy side that it bothers me. When she first meets Reece she can’t stand even looking at him. She had been crushing hard on Matt before he died, but she quickly falls for Reece. The thought of Reece being a replacement for Matt was briefly examined, but it really had no depth so I didn’t see a point in Amanda’s crush on Matt, especially since she already had a strong tie to him through the Junior Cadet program.

Even though Matt doesn’t have a physical part in this story his character is so developed the reader can understand what kind of person he was through the eyes of his friends and family.

The story seems to center more around Reece (as it should, in my opinion) but each chapter alternates between Reece’s and Amanda’s point-of-view. It took a few chapters of reading to get used to the alternating points, and really I wish it would have just stuck with Reece.

The main part of the story centers around Reece, Amanda, and the other Junior Cadets training in the firefighter program under Reese’s dad while an arsonist is on the loose. Reece struggles to prove himself to his father, come to terms with his brother’s death and his own part in it, and keep the final promise he made to Matt. Amanda fights against her feelings for Reece, her mother in prison, and her foster family while working toward a future for herself.

Overall, Nothing Left to Burn is a good young adult novel with heavy topics, but falls short on capturing a completely cohesive story. I recommend for fans of YA with family drama, firefighters, and sensitive topics.

www.ReadingBifrost.com

[Hannah (jellicoereads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. This book contains many elements that I don’t like, but dammit, it was also just full of heart, and for that, I award it three stars.

Throughout the entire novel, emotions are running high, and things did get quite overdramatic/overexaggerated at times - so that when I finished the book, I felt physically exhausted. Of our two MCs, Reece is struggling at home after a car accident he caused that killed his brother, strained family relations even further and led to his father abandoning the family and his mother crying herself to sleep. Amanda, meanwhile, is a foster kid who is on her best behaviour for fear of being sent away from her current foster home, and struggles with the idea of love.

There is pretty much a random kiss that happens pretty much out of nowhere, and then INSTALOVE. Y'all know how I feel about that. Our two MCs are bandying the L word about after like a few weeks.

Also, Reece keeps staring at Amanda's boobs. (Ha, this autocorrected to books.) This is mentioned many times. Basically obsessing about her body, from her eyes to well, everything.

Amanda is paranoid about breaking the no-boys rule that her foster-parents have set-down - she thinks she'll be sent back to a group home if she puts a foot wrong. And this is her reason for not getting closer to Reece. It seems a bit extreme to me - surely she could just sit her parents down and be like "Let's talk about this and see if we can reach a compromise"?

On the plus side:

-The fire-fighting aspect of the book was meticulously researched, and I found it really interesting to read about the different equipment, procedures, etc.

-I also enjoyed watching a rather stoic father having to overcome his own issues, and show love to his remaining son, which has been lacking for so much of Reece's life. I won't lie, there may have been tears running down my face when they finally hugged.

-The teamwork was great - the way the group slowly accepted Reece and helped him get to the level he needed to be at. I'm always a fan of teens working with each other instead of against each other, and this group had big hearts. Furthermore, as the only female on the team, Amanda more than holds her own, and it's awesome to see her getting the recognition that she deserves, instead of what I expected - shaming about her being weak, etc.

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.