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The Burning
Alice Leininger seems to have the perfect life. She’s happily married, has two beautiful children, a close knit group of friends, and a cause she cares deeply about. But beneath the surface, her world of safety and comfort is unraveling. The periods of lost time she’s kept secret—even from her husband—are happening more frequently. She certainly doesn’t remember leaving her Sarasota home at three-thirty in the morning to burn someone alive. Now she sits in a Florida state mental institution, awaiting judgement on whether she’s fit to stand trial on charges of murder and arson. While a psychologist works to help Alice face her past, her future depends on the answer to one question: How far did she go for justice?
*This book is recommended for mature audiences. While there are no explicit scenes of graphic or explicit violence, it does touch on themes of trafficking and sexual assault.
*This book is recommended for mature audiences. While there are no explicit scenes of graphic or explicit violence, it does touch on themes of trafficking and sexual assault.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2018
38 people are currently reading
551 people want to read
About the author
S.O. Esposito
1 book14 followersS.O. Esposito began her writing career as a cozy mystery author under her full name, Shannon Esposito. She has four books in the PET PSYCHIC SERIES (misterio press) & two books in the PAWS & POSE SERIES (Severn House). But to keep her muse happy, she’s ventured into darker territory with her suspense debut THE BURNING.
THE BURNING was inspired by a piece of flash fiction she wrote in 2012 called “Mario’s Goddess.” In that story, the goddess of war–in the form of a human named Alice–had been locked up in a psychiatric hospital, but over the past few years Alice has insisted on telling a longer story. So, Shannon had her main character, but the story needed an antagonist and a question to explore. Enter the 2016 presidential election where America elected a man who’d been accused repeatedly of sexual assault and bragged about groping women on tape. Knowing that one out of every five women in the US is sexually assaulted, Shannon was heartsick, but it did inspire both an antagonist and a plot question:
How would the goddess of war handle a rich, powerful man who thought he could just grab what he wanted?
Though THE BURNING deals with sexual assault, it also offers women hope that things can and will change. Shannon is grateful that the “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements are already changing things, and she’s excited that THE BURNING is timely enough to add to the conversation.
She lives in the sunny state of Florida with her husband, twin boys and two mastiffs, where she is an avid reader, beach-goer and lizard wrangler.
Her online suspense home is http://soesposito.com/
*If you’d like to learn more about Shannon’s cozy mysteries, please visit http://murderinparadise.com/
THE BURNING was inspired by a piece of flash fiction she wrote in 2012 called “Mario’s Goddess.” In that story, the goddess of war–in the form of a human named Alice–had been locked up in a psychiatric hospital, but over the past few years Alice has insisted on telling a longer story. So, Shannon had her main character, but the story needed an antagonist and a question to explore. Enter the 2016 presidential election where America elected a man who’d been accused repeatedly of sexual assault and bragged about groping women on tape. Knowing that one out of every five women in the US is sexually assaulted, Shannon was heartsick, but it did inspire both an antagonist and a plot question:
How would the goddess of war handle a rich, powerful man who thought he could just grab what he wanted?
Though THE BURNING deals with sexual assault, it also offers women hope that things can and will change. Shannon is grateful that the “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements are already changing things, and she’s excited that THE BURNING is timely enough to add to the conversation.
She lives in the sunny state of Florida with her husband, twin boys and two mastiffs, where she is an avid reader, beach-goer and lizard wrangler.
Her online suspense home is http://soesposito.com/
*If you’d like to learn more about Shannon’s cozy mysteries, please visit http://murderinparadise.com/
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 30, 2019
Loved most of this but hen it lost me sadly.
I'm conflicted about this book. I was really into it until a certain psychological twist was offered up impacting the lead female. This twist has been in two recent novels I've read lately and divided opinions arise.
It's novel much that the whole reveal is unbelievable bygone element is for me. A solid novel just suddenly goes rogue, left field and stops the flow.
I liked certain p!or lines like helping women out of pumps and prostitution. I was fascinated about why the main character had to seek he!p. But the reveal, especially as it filled the book lost credibility in my opinion.
Plots both merged and clashed. I got lost in parts then the court moments drew me back. I had expected a five star read but it was not to be. I think some will love this and some will roll their eyes at how far the truth is presented. 3 stars for me, a middle ground novel.
I'm conflicted about this book. I was really into it until a certain psychological twist was offered up impacting the lead female. This twist has been in two recent novels I've read lately and divided opinions arise.
It's novel much that the whole reveal is unbelievable bygone element is for me. A solid novel just suddenly goes rogue, left field and stops the flow.
I liked certain p!or lines like helping women out of pumps and prostitution. I was fascinated about why the main character had to seek he!p. But the reveal, especially as it filled the book lost credibility in my opinion.
Plots both merged and clashed. I got lost in parts then the court moments drew me back. I had expected a five star read but it was not to be. I think some will love this and some will roll their eyes at how far the truth is presented. 3 stars for me, a middle ground novel.
April 16, 2018
I really liked what Esposito has done with this novel. This is her first take writing a psychological thriller, and she did not disappoint. Alice Leininger seems to have the perfect life. She is married to a loving husband, has two adorable kids, and volunteers with her friends at Project Freedom--a project determined to help women leave a life of prostitution and sex-trafficking behind to rejoin society.
The narrative is fairly fast-paced and suspenseful. Alice is a great and likable character. It's not so easy to figure out if she is a victim or a villain, and Esposito keeps you guessing until the end. I liked how she handled such sensitive topic, and I enjoyed the almost feminist flavor of this book.
I would like to thank the author for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The narrative is fairly fast-paced and suspenseful. Alice is a great and likable character. It's not so easy to figure out if she is a victim or a villain, and Esposito keeps you guessing until the end. I liked how she handled such sensitive topic, and I enjoyed the almost feminist flavor of this book.
I would like to thank the author for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 7, 2018
This story was different than other stories I have read. I don't hear about split-personalities, or as they are now called dissociative-identity-disorders very often, and it seems that Ms Esposito did her homework on this. This story also dealt with prostitution and the forced sex trade, and I liked the way it was handled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
This one requires suspension of disbelief, but it was very well done.
May 30, 2018
Alice Brown-Leininger has a wonderful successful husband, great marriage, and beautiful children. They live in a five million dollar condo in Sarasota, Florida. Alice volunteers for Project Freedom, which is an organization who assists abused women and prostitutes transforming their lives into productive careers instead of lives in the streets. What could possibly go wrong? After attending a former prostitute’s funeral, she begins to feel faint and eventually passes out. Her husband, Jake, thinks it’s because of the stress that Alice has experienced since she was quite fond of Reyna. It’s believed that Reyna was murdered by her former pimp. Alice suddenly wakes up in a car, and she is watching a car belonging to a pimp go up in flames. She doesn’t know how she even got there. The blackouts seem to be happening more often. She wakes up and doesn’t realize what has happened. Alice finally tells her husband what has been happening to her. He is not dealing with her blackouts very well. He seems to be a perfectionist and this type of behavior is not fitting in with his lifestyle. Alice starts seeing therapist, Dr. Willa Evelyn to help her try to figure out what is causing these blackouts. Events keep happening, and the therapist thinks that the blackouts were brought on by a former trauma that Alice suffered at a very young age. Alice is displaying symptoms of Dissociative Disorder, in other words, multiple personality disorder. Another prostitute, who frequented Project Freedom, ends up missing. No one can find her. What happened to her? Alice finds out from the girls, that some of the other prostitutes, were ordered to attend parties by government officials. The girls were drugged, beaten horribly, and violated. Is this why some of the girls were missing? Alice and her other personalities, decide to take matters into their own hands. What will she do? Which personality is dominant? Will they find out who the individuals are that are doing such horrible things, such as sex trafficking and sexual assaults, to these girls? Alice ends up in a psych ward and is being held to decide if she is competent to stand trial for a murder. Will Alice ever get a handle on the blackouts? Will her husband support her in her health challenges? Why all the fires? The plot was genius, and I loved the character development too. This book caught me from the first page and kept me reading until early in the morning. I am looking forward to reading more of this genre from this author.
August 5, 2018
I received a free copy from goodreads to review,
An emotionally damaged woman who suffers blackouts when she is stressed begins to worry that she then becomes enraged is then capable of doing violence. She otherwise seems to have the ideal life. She married a successful, wealthy businessman, dresses beautifully, has a home in a gated community and, as way of" giving back", belongs to a group of women who do yoga and have started a group which is trying to salvage the lives of prostitutes . But she is having frequent blackouts, followed by dreams in which she as done horrible things.
The blurb read much more interesting than the book turned out. It appeared in the ad synopsis be more of thriller that I found it to be while reading the book.
It was quite obviously aimed at the woman reader. For one thing, the angst of well-off dilettantes bores me. Second the narrative put her into danger insensible of normal caution, such as walking, unaccompanied, into bad neighborhood alleys to look for bodies or to go into hot-bed motels looking for a missing prostitute while various surly brown people lounge around. Oh yes, she did have a friend with her who had a black and blue belt in some form of judo, rode a Harley and could no doubt whip four hulking street- wise dudes with one kick. Unreal. When the women in the yoga class, after donating their used designer clothes and shoes, sit down in a circle to wash and massage each other feet while the aromatherapy candles are burning and the teacher-guru talks about "self-actualization", that was it for me. Oh it is hard to be humble when one is so beautiful, rich and gifted.
Just one man's opinion. You may find it to your taste, it was not to mine. One extra star to allow for compassionate caring to blossom.
Just one opinion, read it and see for yourself. I may have missed the attraction.
An emotionally damaged woman who suffers blackouts when she is stressed begins to worry that she then becomes enraged is then capable of doing violence. She otherwise seems to have the ideal life. She married a successful, wealthy businessman, dresses beautifully, has a home in a gated community and, as way of" giving back", belongs to a group of women who do yoga and have started a group which is trying to salvage the lives of prostitutes . But she is having frequent blackouts, followed by dreams in which she as done horrible things.
The blurb read much more interesting than the book turned out. It appeared in the ad synopsis be more of thriller that I found it to be while reading the book.
It was quite obviously aimed at the woman reader. For one thing, the angst of well-off dilettantes bores me. Second the narrative put her into danger insensible of normal caution, such as walking, unaccompanied, into bad neighborhood alleys to look for bodies or to go into hot-bed motels looking for a missing prostitute while various surly brown people lounge around. Oh yes, she did have a friend with her who had a black and blue belt in some form of judo, rode a Harley and could no doubt whip four hulking street- wise dudes with one kick. Unreal. When the women in the yoga class, after donating their used designer clothes and shoes, sit down in a circle to wash and massage each other feet while the aromatherapy candles are burning and the teacher-guru talks about "self-actualization", that was it for me. Oh it is hard to be humble when one is so beautiful, rich and gifted.
Just one man's opinion. You may find it to your taste, it was not to mine. One extra star to allow for compassionate caring to blossom.
Just one opinion, read it and see for yourself. I may have missed the attraction.
May 24, 2018
THE BURNING by S.O. Esposito
This compelling, haunting read is an excellent psychological thriller. THE BURNING joins the Goodreads Psychological Thrillers Reading Group Book of the Month (BOTM) as our first Member of the Month Read. Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
I’m a guy (an old one). The author said I was “outside the demographic” for this book because I am a man. I think the demographic should include everyone alive on this planet. This is a story about everyone and it’s for everyone. All of us--we’re all part of this, one way or another. The realm of this story is multifaceted—prostitution, sex trafficking, drug abuse, misogyny at its worst, foster homes, dissociative identity disorder (formerly termed multiple personality disorder) and murder.
This first-person narrative moves right along. It’s told from the inside and it takes you to places you might not want to go. Don’t worry, you can easily walk away—easier than the story’s characters can, for sure. But don’t. This is much more than a story about damaged individuals. It’s really a story about struggle, empathy and concern for our fellow human beings. Understanding is a key that opens the doors to discourse and action. THE BURNING is a great place for you to take that step.
CHEERS! And Happy Reading!
Jim in MT
Join our May 2018 Goodreads discussion with author S.O. Esposito and your fellow readers. The thread stays open for comments for an entire year. Start right here and follow the links: http://botm.blackdogebooks.com/
This compelling, haunting read is an excellent psychological thriller. THE BURNING joins the Goodreads Psychological Thrillers Reading Group Book of the Month (BOTM) as our first Member of the Month Read. Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
I’m a guy (an old one). The author said I was “outside the demographic” for this book because I am a man. I think the demographic should include everyone alive on this planet. This is a story about everyone and it’s for everyone. All of us--we’re all part of this, one way or another. The realm of this story is multifaceted—prostitution, sex trafficking, drug abuse, misogyny at its worst, foster homes, dissociative identity disorder (formerly termed multiple personality disorder) and murder.
This first-person narrative moves right along. It’s told from the inside and it takes you to places you might not want to go. Don’t worry, you can easily walk away—easier than the story’s characters can, for sure. But don’t. This is much more than a story about damaged individuals. It’s really a story about struggle, empathy and concern for our fellow human beings. Understanding is a key that opens the doors to discourse and action. THE BURNING is a great place for you to take that step.
CHEERS! And Happy Reading!
Jim in MT
Join our May 2018 Goodreads discussion with author S.O. Esposito and your fellow readers. The thread stays open for comments for an entire year. Start right here and follow the links: http://botm.blackdogebooks.com/
April 10, 2018
I just finished the most compelling book I've ever read! "The Burning" by Shannon Esposito is so amazing, riveting, spellbinding engrossing novel that every woman should read & take to heart!! Alice is now a privileged mother of two beautiful children, Charlie & Addie, married to Jake. Life was not always so good for Alice as she grew up in foster homes. She was a waitress when she met Jake who whisked her off to be his Princess.
I know this sounds like a corny, chick lit romance! Hold onto your hats as you're in for a ride! Alice volunteers at Project Freedom with friends Angelina & Vivi. Rhys is a good friend & also a photographer, who was photographing some of the girls who were involved with Project Freedom, which tries to assist young girls who want to get clean & out of their lives of prostitution.
Anytime "life" interrupted me today while reading I felt like I had to come out of being Alice to the real world! Jake's business associate, Oliver Brooks, tried frequently to make sexual advances to Alice, to the extent he tried blackmailing her! So the world with the young drug addicts & prostitutes seemed cleaner & fresher than their social life!
I want to thank author, Shannon Esposito for allowing me to read & review this book!
I know this sounds like a corny, chick lit romance! Hold onto your hats as you're in for a ride! Alice volunteers at Project Freedom with friends Angelina & Vivi. Rhys is a good friend & also a photographer, who was photographing some of the girls who were involved with Project Freedom, which tries to assist young girls who want to get clean & out of their lives of prostitution.
Anytime "life" interrupted me today while reading I felt like I had to come out of being Alice to the real world! Jake's business associate, Oliver Brooks, tried frequently to make sexual advances to Alice, to the extent he tried blackmailing her! So the world with the young drug addicts & prostitutes seemed cleaner & fresher than their social life!
I want to thank author, Shannon Esposito for allowing me to read & review this book!
May 30, 2018
“The Burning,” by S. O. Esposito, is a fast paced thriller about a woman with Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). It’s an aggressively feminist book, looking at the many different ways rape culture is the status quo, enforced both actively and passively by both men and women. There’s also arson.
I should note that I received this book as part of a GoodReads give away in exchange for my honest opinion.
Every time I run into a book featuring Disassociative Identity Disorder, my hackles go up. It’s a flashy, vilified mental disorder often used cheaply and meanly to indicate someone is a villain or just flat out CRAZY!!!!!!!!!, a mean cliche that further stigmatizes a very real mental illness. Esposito seems to have done her homework, however, and her protagonist Alice Leinenger, is a person and a character with attributes outside of “just” living with DID.
read more at the link
I should note that I received this book as part of a GoodReads give away in exchange for my honest opinion.
Every time I run into a book featuring Disassociative Identity Disorder, my hackles go up. It’s a flashy, vilified mental disorder often used cheaply and meanly to indicate someone is a villain or just flat out CRAZY!!!!!!!!!, a mean cliche that further stigmatizes a very real mental illness. Esposito seems to have done her homework, however, and her protagonist Alice Leinenger, is a person and a character with attributes outside of “just” living with DID.
read more at the link
June 10, 2018
The Burning is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read that explores dissociative identity disorder (DID) or what most people know it as, multiple personality disorder. The Burning does start out slow as it fills in the background for Alice, however, once Alice starts seeing a psychologist and starts diving into DID, the novel picks up quickly! Most of the supporting characters fell a little flat making it challenging to stay interested, but the plot line is phenomenal. The characters I loved the most and always wanted more of were Alice's different personalities! I really loved how Esposito was able to create characters within her main character! She also did a great job of letting the reader decide, is Alice the villain or is she the hero?
Not only does The Burning explore DID, but it also has underlying themes of sexual assault and human trafficking. With everything that has been going on the USA recently, I think The Burning has effectively brought up issues that need to be discussed. It wasn't too much or over the top, but gave multiple perspectives from both sides, what it's like to be sexually assaulted, what it feels like when the people you trust don't believe you, and what some women go through on a regular basis to make a life for themselves.
Not only does The Burning explore DID, but it also has underlying themes of sexual assault and human trafficking. With everything that has been going on the USA recently, I think The Burning has effectively brought up issues that need to be discussed. It wasn't too much or over the top, but gave multiple perspectives from both sides, what it's like to be sexually assaulted, what it feels like when the people you trust don't believe you, and what some women go through on a regular basis to make a life for themselves.
May 2, 2018
The Burning is a psychological thriller of the best/worst kind. It was very hard to put this book down.
Alice has a good life, great husband, 2 small children, life of money and privilege. She is a volunteer trying to help women/girls who have become prostitutes change their lives and get off the streets. But Alice's life has not always been this easy. She has started having black-outs and can't remember periods of time. Alice has a past that she has not shared, secrets that she keeps hidden. As the black-outs increase, Alice begins to remember things that happen while she is blacked out. The victims she is helping are threatened and one woman is killed. But there seem to be some vigilante efforts underway. Could Alice somehow be involved in these acts?
Alice has a good life, great husband, 2 small children, life of money and privilege. She is a volunteer trying to help women/girls who have become prostitutes change their lives and get off the streets. But Alice's life has not always been this easy. She has started having black-outs and can't remember periods of time. Alice has a past that she has not shared, secrets that she keeps hidden. As the black-outs increase, Alice begins to remember things that happen while she is blacked out. The victims she is helping are threatened and one woman is killed. But there seem to be some vigilante efforts underway. Could Alice somehow be involved in these acts?
April 10, 2018
This book completely blew me away. It deals with the very real and timely subject of sex trafficking and misogyny at its worst. Ms. Esposito clearly echoes the thoughts of enlightened women of today. Outstanding writing.
Writing in the first person puts the reader inside the mind of the main character, Alice, so one feels all her raw emotion as she deals with her world disintegrating. Ms. Esposito writes with a knowledge that reveals careful and thorough research of the psychology of the human mind.
The book held me spellbound from beginning to end. Every woman who has ever been, or known of someone who has been a victim should read this book. I highly recommend it.
Writing in the first person puts the reader inside the mind of the main character, Alice, so one feels all her raw emotion as she deals with her world disintegrating. Ms. Esposito writes with a knowledge that reveals careful and thorough research of the psychology of the human mind.
The book held me spellbound from beginning to end. Every woman who has ever been, or known of someone who has been a victim should read this book. I highly recommend it.
May 6, 2018
This was one of the psychological thriller group read for the month of May 2018 and I was glad that I was able to get a copy of this from the author to join in with the group and to get my reviews in on it. Thank you S.O. ESPOSITO for such a great book. I believe that everyone should read this one to get a better understanding of what life is like for those that live this way and to be able to fight for the rights of these people. I hope you will just read this and take away the good from it and share it with others...
July 11, 2018
Alice thinks she’s going crazy and might have murdered her husband’s friend for having sex parties. I was fine with the first half of the book and thought her multiple personality defense might have been interesting. Then I realized that she was a dishrag that was bending over backwards to please her husband who might just leave her if she had a backbone. At her murder trial, everything turns around and she’s a conquering hero that is going to save all of the oppressed women (which, of course, is every single woman) and end all future rapes and human trafficking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2018
This was an excellent book that delved into a subject not often discussed. I wish I could have given it 4 1/2 stars because I found the beginning to be very slow. Just when I was thinking of giving up the book grabbed me and didn't let go. It also tackled a terrible problem that's been going on for ages; prostitutes and pimps. The story is not fiction at that point but the solution that pulled the main character back into the real world would be great if possible.
April 6, 2018
Suffering from blackouts and memory loss, Alice attempts to find the cause while helping other women combat drug addiction and escape from prostitution. Strange things begin to those hurting the women. Was she truly one person or two? Did Alice get revenge or was it "the other"? A great premise, but I found that it moved a little slow for me.
May 21, 2018
Wonderful
Quick fun read. This book kept you sucked in and interested the whole time. Easy to follow when you have distractions and have to begrudgingly put it down. Creative story line and a great plot
Quick fun read. This book kept you sucked in and interested the whole time. Easy to follow when you have distractions and have to begrudgingly put it down. Creative story line and a great plot
May 3, 2018
I did not enjoy this book very much ,but l have to say ,l didn’t see the twist coming , l would not say don’t read it , but for me l have read better books.
May 28, 2018
Absorbing and wonderfully written. An absolute thrilling look into D.I.D.
July 4, 2018
Awesome story coul d not put it down had to keep reading
July 10, 2018
Fun vacation read
Greatly Enjoyed it. Kept my attention and was the perfect read to enjoy over my vacation. Would read more from this Author.
Greatly Enjoyed it. Kept my attention and was the perfect read to enjoy over my vacation. Would read more from this Author.
October 22, 2018
a bit slow, she tries to hit on too many cliched issues. not a bad read.
March 23, 2019
Enjoyable read
What a suprising book, really enjoyed the story, multiple personalties so interesting to read about, held my interest right to the last page. ☺
What a suprising book, really enjoyed the story, multiple personalties so interesting to read about, held my interest right to the last page. ☺
July 9, 2018
I loved this book! Oh my gosh! It was intriguing and exciting and dark and mysterious!
Tons of psychology and interesting twists and turns throughout!
Don't miss out! Read this book.
Tons of psychology and interesting twists and turns throughout!
Don't miss out! Read this book.
May 1, 2018
The Burning is a heart-rending novel that grips you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Alice Leininger loses time from her ordinary days. The mother of two sweet children and a perfectionist husband, she can’t bring herself to threaten their happiness with the truth of her situation. A former waitress, orphaned at birth, she fears she’s not worthy of the love they offer. Then there’s her friends at Project Freedom, where she helps young prostitutes get out of the trade. Alice wonders if anyone has seen her behave oddly or knows what happens to her during the times she can’t remember. But no one seems to notice. When a young prostitute is murdered, and another goes missing, the stress and worry escalate Alice’s fears that she may be losing her mind. As her personal life begins to spin out of control, she reveals her fears about the blackouts to a close friend. He encourages her to seek professional help. After taking his advice she works with the psychologist, learning that past traumas have caused her blackouts, and so much more.
Want to read
July 21, 2018Great book
I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down, it was a fast read. It kept me riveted throughout the whole book.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down, it was a fast read. It kept me riveted throughout the whole book.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews