Burn Baby Burn Baby

by Kevin Craig

Seventeen-year-old Francis Fripp's confidence is practically non-existent since his abusive father drenched him in accelerant and threw a match at him eight years ago. Now badly scarred, Francis relies on his best friend Trig to protect him from the constant bullying doled out at the hands of his nemesis, Brandon Hayley-the unrelenting boy who gave him the dreaded nickname of Burn Baby. The new girl at school, Rachel Higgins, is the first to see past Francis's pariah-inducing scars. If Brandon's bullying doesn't destroy him, Francis might experience life as a normal teenager for the first time in his life. He just has to avoid Brandon and convince himself he's worthy of Rachel's attentions. Sounds easy enough, but Francis himself has a hard time seeing past his scars. And Brandon is getting violently frustrated, as his attempts to bully Francis are constantly thwarted. Francis is in turmoil as he simultaneously rushes toward his first kiss and a possible violent end.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Abuse, Drama

174 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 11, 2014

About the author

Kevin is the author of seven novels: SUMMER ON FIRE (MuseItUp Publishing, 2011),SEBASTIAN'S POET (Musa Publishing, 2012), THE REASONS (Musa Publishing, 2013), BURN BABY BURN BABY (Curiosity Quills Press, 2014), HALF DEAD AND FULLY BROKEN (Curiosity Quills Press, 2015), PRIDE MUST BE A PLACE (MuseItUp Publishing, 2018), and THE CAMINO CLUB (Duet Press/Interlude Press, 2020). Look for Kevin's 2 new YA novels; BOOK OF DREAMS (Duet Press/Interlude Press, 2022) and WHERE IS ETHAN SINCLAIR (Duet Press/Interlude Press, 2023)!

Kevin is a 5-time winner of the Muskoka Novel Marathon’s Best Novel Award. They are also a passionate and accomplished playwright. They've had twelve plays produced.

Reviews

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably going to be a super popular book and of course... I didn't like it.
Frances is a seventeen year old boy who lives with disfiguring scars. His dad abused him often and actually ended up in prison for it. He is bullied mercilessly by the school jock. Thus the nick name of Burn Baby.
I hate bullies (yes, I do know I've been called one a few times) so I thought I would love this book. Because sometimes you just want the Lucy's of the world to get their due.


The thing is with the book is I never felt that Frances's character rang true. He is seventeen and it seems like he is so much younger in spots (yes, I do know abuse can do that) but then he is drinking every chance he gets. His best friend Trig could have been a great character too, but it sure as heck got weird for me with the way that Frances always wanted Trig to save him.
Then Rachel, the love interest gets thrown into the mix. No rhyme or reason to why suddenly she is so attracted to Frances. She is the new girl in school and automatically knows what a great guy he is.

There are a few fun moments about his twin brothers Paul and Simon...get it? Paul Simon. That's it.
The rest of the time I honestly felt that the book was over trying with the angst and over the top with trying to pull on the readers feelings.

It's a very short book of just over a hundred pages so that may not have worked in it's favor. More time to give you build up to why the characters were the way they were could possibly have helped.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Paula M · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews on my blog: HERE

"A life cannot be compromised of just one of these things. You need elements of everything for a life to truly work, to be truly worthwhile."

This book blew me away. Blew. Me. Away. The fact that this book is a bit shorter than the usual books I read make this book more phenomenal. I have no idea that Burn Baby, Burn Baby will have a huge impact on me.  I admit I am fond of books that deals with Bullying but I have read so many that it kind of hard to read something that truly stands out and that really awed me.

Until this one.

Kevin Craig is such an excellent author. His words are just so simple but very skin seeping. With every page that I turn I just did nothing but absorb it and feel it and just… experience it. The main protagonist, Francis is very likeable and his monologue is really enjoyable. His funny and his point of view felt very real.

See, Francis has a disability. The side of his face is burnt. A burnt that his father did to him. Now, I think I’m not the only one who is aware that once we encounter a person with a figure like that, we can’t keep ourselves from doing a double take. Some even stares.

“You know the car wreck you don’t want to look at, but can’t help yourself from staring at? Well, I’m kind of like that car wreck in human form.”

But Francis can take the stares, he’s used to it. But there’s this one kid in his school that keeps bullying him and he FINALLY learned how to say STOP and ENOUGH when Rachel walked into his life. And of course, with the help of his best friend, Trig.

One aspect that I really adores here is the best friend relationship of Trig and France. Oh my goodness, I ACTUALLY ENVY IT. I want a best friend like Trig too.

There is nothing more to say than READ IT. READ IT NOW PLEASE YOU’LL LOVE IT. I admit that I am ALWAYS having a hard time writing a review when I LOVED a book so much. IS IT JUST ME? Anyway, Burn Baby, Burn Baby is a stellar book! A book that should be out more and to be read by many. I cannot wait to read more of Kevin Carig’s work.

[Kaitlyn Abshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

Francis has had a very, very hard life. His father abused him as a child and even set Francis on fire until half of his body was burned. Francis is now a teenager and is picked on constantly in school because of his burns. Lucky for him, he has a best friend, Trig, who would tear down anyone he caught trying to hurt Francis.

This book was short. Normally I don’t mind this, but I feel like it worked against the book’s favor. While I did appreciate the fast pace and wasn’t bored for a second, I really wanted to explore more of Rachel’s and Francis’s relationship. When I saw the cover of this book I figured I was going to be reading a sweet contemporary, but this book was focused mainly on Francis overcoming his bullies. I’m not saying I didn’t mind that part of the story…I just wanted more of Francis and Rachel!

I’m not going to lie, this book is sad. My heart hurt while reading the moments when Francis was abused by his father. The author handled these issues with grace and perfection. I am seriously serious, the feels while reading this book were all too real. Have you ever wanted to step into a book and just give the character a giant hug and tell them it’s going to be alright? This happened to me numerous times while reading this book.

Burn Baby, Burn Baby was such a great read. I couldn’t put it down and it didn’t take me long to finish this book! If you are looking for an emotional and moving read, pick up this book today!

3.5 out of 5 stars

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW was this a good book! I was sat reading this in between doing housework, seeing to hubby whose laid up with a bad back. I really really couldn't put the darn thing down. I know a lot of us reviewers say this, its a cliche! But I read this in one sitting.


We have an abusive Father who threw accelerant over his son [awful] and then lite him up with a match [who could do such an act!, it made me feel evil] His son was 8 years old when this happened. So straight away we could see what Francis had to contend with. With something like this happening, he is aware of others reactions to him, and lets me fair, people can be cruel, very cruel.

He is still at school, so you can imagine what sort of things, situations and events he has to go through.

Brandon is a horrible child! He called Francis Burn Baby [hence the title] but he wasn't the only one that put him through some emotional trials.

Trigg was Francis best friend, his support, he had his back.

All Francis wants is a 'normal' teen life, meet a girl etc so when that looks like its possible, can Francis overcome his feelings of self worth? can he overcome how he sees himself and see himself through the eyes of someone who loves him.

This was a truly remarkable piece of written work. I totally got lost in this story.


Well done to Kevin Craig for this wonderful book. This is my first time in noticing this author simply because I saw it for request on Net Galley and the publishers Curiosity Quills Press granted me a copy.
So I would like to thank them too

My blog
http://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk/...

[Margaret Lesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burn Baby Burn Baby!

I read this book in one night, and I usually don’t do that, but I really wanted to know what happened with main character Francis. And this is the kind of writer Kevin Craig is. He pulls the reader into the story, writing with the right amount of emotion so that you connect with the characters. I pretty much instantly cared about Francis and so desperately wanted his story to have a happy ending. (No spoilers here, though.) He’s a tragic figure who’s had the worst thing happen to him at the hands of his abuser father, and he’s built up walls of protection, using sarcasm as his shield. He has a best friend Trig who is unfailingly loyal (we should all have a best friend like Trig). New girl Rachel sees past his scars, but he can’t accept that she likes him for the amazing person he truly is. And then there is the horrible bully Brandon (who I wished bad, bad things would happen to).

Kevin Craig writes in a beautifully descriptive way with the heart of a poet. I welled up a couple of times but didn't actually cry sloppy tears. (I think I must be toughening up or something.) I hope more readers get to know him and his books. Burn Baby Burn Baby is a great read (especially if you're like me and enjoy first-person character-driven stories).

[G. Cribbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francis Fripp, the self-loathing MC of BURN BABY, BURN BABY by Kevin Craig will singe you. After all, he's dragging along the haunting memories of what his father did to him scarred across his face. Francis sees his life like a movie, panning in and out of scenes as if he's not even there, or maybe just an unimportant prop in the action of his own life. The voice of Francis is spot-on, sarcastic and cynical teen boy. As you keep reading, you'll understand why he's so calloused and hardened.

With each page, I felt the tendrils of smoke curling upward, which may have caused me to tear up a few times. Having read all of Kevin's books, I'd say BBBB captures the real-life quality of fully-realized characters as seen in Kevin's brilliant debut, SUMMER ON FIRE, and brings the emotional fortitude of THE REASONS, Kevin's strongest work thus far, with an ease only a seasoned writer could bring. This makes me incredibly excited for Kevin's upcoming book, HALF DEAD AND FULLY BROKEN. I love reading his male-centered YA books, since YA is primarily female-driven MCs, and Kevin is an author who landed on my auto-read list of authors. His contemporary is page-turning, richly-developed characters, and stories with twists and turns that leave the reader gasping for breath. I find myself reading most of his books in a single sitting. I can't wait to read every word, and BBBB is no exception.

I loved the relationship between Francis and Rachel. It reminded me of Eleanor and Park. They seem to be such opposites at first, but as you read, you'll understand their attraction is much deeper than their affinity for Shakespeare in the park (a section I absolutely loved!).

Trip was an interesting and complicated choice for Best Friend. He's Francis's protector when it comes to his nemesis, Brandon, the boy who named him Burn Baby. But that same fierceness comes with a price. He's often seen lashing out at those around him, with an aggression that goes largely unchecked, and which could turn on you in an instant. I found myself making comparisons with Francis's father (shudders) and Brandon. This makes Trip the kind of foil character that only an expert writer could pull off. The way the plot weaves together, I found Kevin's use of his characters such an enjoyable part of the experience.

Francis was right. It reads like a movie, and I hope Hollywood is paying attention. With so many other fine YA books going to the movies, I hope we get to see one or more of Kevin's works up on the big screen, big as life.

As Francis slowly comes out of his shell, with the patience and coaxing of Rachel, who sees past his scars to the boy inside and out, he must decide if he can finally let his past go, or grip it with both hands and light it up to burn for a world in need of a survivor as strong as Francis Fripp. The ending left me wanting more, and I hope we'll revisit Francis and Rachel and the others soon.

Highly recommended. A fast read that will make you feel for those who face bullies every day, and still manages to warm your heart despite these hardships.


*Thank you to Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Pavitra (For The Love of Fictional Worlds) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating 4.5 Stars

The review is up For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)

This is my second novel from Kevin Craig and I knew that if it was anything like Half Dead and Fully Broken, it would one heart wrenching ride for me and that’s one of the reasons why I took a while to read this one. And therefore I apologise for the delay! (I am a coward when it comes to books breaking my heart!).

Burn Baby Burn Baby, tells the story of Francis, a high school kid with burns on the right side of the body that made the high school jock Brandon Hayley, nickname him “Burn Baby” (Originality at its best!). Francis has his best friend, Trig by his side but no one else.

Told in Francis’s POV, I got to understand him and I adored him! He was one of the most real characters I have read about in a long while. His emotions, his sarcastic attitude and his bitterness, all made up a character that I felt for with everything in me. His belief that he wasn’t good for was not only purported by himself but all the humans (and I use that word very loosely!) around him.

His best friend, Trig was someone I honestly did not like, not at first, and I am ashamed to admit that at first I actually thought he would have been the one who would betray him, but trust me, when you actually read the book, you’ll realise why I was hesitant to trust him. I got to know only Francis’s side of the story, and his bitterness has a way of making it into your heart. And yet, he was a better person than me.

This book made me realise what a pathetic species humans are. How absolutely cruel and vile we can be to things that are different, to people who are different. How has it ever mattered that people are different? Especially for something that wasn’t even their own fault? How is that we never take time to understand the story behind why a person is the way s/he is? Why is that being different from others mean that you are open to ridicule and a soft target to bullying and god forbid, abuse?

Why is normal considered normal? Why can’t different be normal for us? Why that being bullied is never the bully’s fault but the victim’s fault? Why can’t we ever speak out against bullying? Why is that when someone does speak out against their abuser, it’s the victims who get to feel like they are the one who did something wrong?

I apologise that this review became a rant but bullying and abuse is something that is close to my heart and I wish, I had well, understood the kind of pain the victims go through.
Coming back to the book, Burn Baby Burn Baby honestly one of the better books

I have read in a while. Mr Craig has done a wonderful job of verbalising what a victim of bullying goes through. Though yes, there were a few things that I still need a closure to, but when I read that this novel was written in 72 hour writing whirlwind in Muskoka Novel Marathon in the acknowledgement, that’s when I realise that the kind of emotional whirlpool he must have submitted himself for. And for that, he has my utmost respect.

[Shelby Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC kindly provided by Curiosity Quills Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

The writing and the wit are wonderful. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline. I also appreciated the peripheral characters; Rachel and Trig. Both were funny, unique, and "real" personality-wise. Francis was also an intriguing character. I admit, I didn't like him as much as I did Trig, but I loved the relationship he shared with his twin brothers; Paul and Simon. In terms of other positives, I also found the references to other works (music, literature, movies, etc.) hilarious. The author clearly has incredibly distinct tastes in such areas, and it was fun to read how these played out on the page.

There were some aspects I didn't love, though. I found Francis bull-headed and slightly immature. Obviously his injury contributes to serious self-confidence issues, which is completely understandable, but his lashing out at those that love him was frustrating to read. He was also very self-centered. All he could think about was himself; what he looks like, what people think of him, what sort of setbacks he'll suffer through in life, how he is inferior to all those around him, how his life sucks compared to those that aren't disfigured, etc. It was very much a "woe is me" story. I appreciated his journey to find confidence through his relationship with Rachel, but I never really felt a connection between the two characters. I thought Rachel deserved to be treated better - not because of Francis's disfigurement, but because of the way he treated her and their relationship. It honestly only seemed like he liked her because she was the first to ever notice him.

I also found Trig a bit confusing as a character, despite how funny he may have been. He simultaneously was supportive and destructive to Francis. For instance, he literally screams at and demeans his girlfriend for confronting Francis's self-confidence issues, and then he turns around and challenges Francis to gain confidence as well. He's also slightly abusive; at least emotionally towards his girlfriend. And he has these insane bipolar episodes that are actually kind of terrifying.

Finally, I felt that the plot was bland. The only action that occurs takes place at Francis's home. The characters rarely go anywhere other than school, and they definitely don't do much. They usual just sit around and drink. I found myself wishing for some scenic action other than constant talk of self-loathing. Though Francis progresses, the progress is exceedingly slow. There was no variation in conversation or action.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I definitely recommend it to those that know a little something about disfigurement, bullying, and low self-esteem.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Craig knows how to write teenage boys.

When I was first approved for this book via NetGalley and went to send it to my kindle I was pretty aggravated. It was an Adobe Editions file. I was going to have to sit at my laptop and read this entire book if I was to review this. Then I saw it was only 147 pages and figured I could make it through. I would have sat on a bed of nails with my laptop if Craig was willing to write me 1,000 pages. This book is good.

Each character is well developed and has a unique voice. Trig is the best friend everyone wishes they had in their life. Georgia seems to have a heart of gold. Francis is coping with tragedy and bullying and still somehow manages to be compassionate and funny. I wanted to stay in his head forever.

This story is pretty heavy. It tells Francis's horrific backstory through a series of flashbacks. You can't help but want to hug him as you learn how his abusive father tried to kill him and scarred him for life.

Additionally, Francis deals with severe bullying at school because of his disfigurements. Watching him deal (and not deal) with it is hard because Craig makes you simultaneously feel terrible for him and like he needs to freaking do something about it!

In fact, Craig's story made me feel a lot of conflicting emotions as I read it. The story is that good.

My one critique would be that Rachel's part in the plot is somewhat underdeveloped. She comes into the story rather suddenly and I couldn't quite reconcile why she liked Francis at all. As sad as it is, being bullied is not necessarily an attractive quality in a guy and Rachel cites this as the reason she notices him. I would have liked to have seen their friendship develop a little bit more before any kind of romance blossomed. As it's written, Rachel almost seems drawn to Francis because he's someone she can teach , protect, and fix. They don't seem to be equals.

Regardless, I highly recommend this book- especially to fans of Winger. The story is short, but poignant. You won't regret taking a couple of hours to read it.

[Dory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read the synopsis for Burn Baby. Or maybe I have and it was just so long ago that I forgot about it before I actually started the book. But, judging from the cover and title, even the chapter headers. It looks like a sizzling romance. It mislead me, but I loved where it went nonetheless.

You know what, I’m not the best at analyzing ones writing. I purely judge the writing on how it tells the story, how I was comfortable with it. I must say it worked with the story and POV well and I was comfortable. That is good.

The plot was well run through. I always wanted to read more and more on France’s story. It was one to tell. Burn Baby had me on edge, curious about the past and curiouser about the near-future. There were twists that I didn’t see coming which altogether made it more interesting. I have a hidden love for books about severely troubled teens, and Burn Baby satisfied that love.

We had a small handful of characters, each of them was so interesting to read about, I consecutively wanted to know more about them. Francis is a casual teen who is insecure and lets himself be at the punching bag, but he has smarts and a really troubled past. France’s past was mixed in well with the present. Paul and Simon were France’s half-brothers who are also twins. They were the true highlight of the story, making it a thousand times more adorable. Rachel is the romantic interest. Surprisingly enough, she wasn’t the main thing about the book. Rachel was a great figure none the less. There are more characters I came to love.

My only disappointment in this book is that we never knew Brandon’s motives for taking so much of his time to treat Francis in such a crude way. Rachel hinted about problems at home, then he almost went gay by the end. It annoys me that we don’t know.

Burn Baby, Burn Baby was a really short novel which only took me about a day to finish. It’s definitely one to pick up if you’re into the genre or just need a contemporary pick-me-up for your reading slump.

Thank you Net Galley and Kevin Craig for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a gem that I think adults and teens will both love it. Its main topic is bullying and that is such a huge issue for people today. Tweens and teens (and adults) are both faced with bullying in such intense ways with the advent of technology. Bullying is an epidemic that continues to grow and is a very real issue that effects so many people. I am so glad Kevin Craig used bullying the way he did in this story.
Francis is constantly bullied by certain classmates and the way bullying is depicted using Francis and the bullies is well written. Sadly, I can see these scenes playing out all over the hallways of countless high schools. Francis’ past, combined with the bullying make him lack confidence and feel alone, except for his best friend, Trig. The friendship between Francis and Trig is special and I loved reading about their relationship and getting to see a genuine friendship.
A new student, Rachel, enters the story and she sticks up for Francis when he is being bullied. Francis isn’t sure if he can trust her, if she really likes him or if it is some kind of set up or prank. All these doubt he has about this were gut wrenching. Imagine feeling so bullied, and inadequate that you questioned anyone’s intentions who was nice to you. That is Francis and it’s understandable given his history. However, we get to see the relationship between Rachel and Francis grow and we find out whether or not Rachel is really interested in Francis or not.
Kevin Craig takes this story to places I never expected and touched my heart. Kevin blended bullying with a story and characters that we care about and feel for and the book hit all the marks without preaching. I highly recommend this book, especially to fellow young adult book lovers; however, I think non YA readers can truly appreciate this story as well.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. The above is still my honest opinion.
To read the rest of my review including gifs check out www.lostbraincell.com

[Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abuse In Many Forms


***This book depicts graphic violence in the form of child abuse and extreme bullying... Not for the feint of heart

This was a story of extremes and the horrible things that happen when bullies are allowed to run rampant. It teaches the dangers of standing by and allowing abuse and bullying. The characters are extremely vivid and relatable as well as being realistic and believable. I really enjoyed this book even when it was making me mildly ill :)

Francis has pretty much always known neglect and/or abuse from those supposed to care for him. His mother definitely neglected to do anything to protect or save him from his father's abuse... until it was almost too late. The only people who have really ever shown him kindness are his best friend Trig and his girlfriend Georgia. Everyone else either pities him or tortures him. Sure some teachers are okay but they get paid for that service. When the gorgeous new girl sticks up for him seconded by the teacher ... Life as he knows it is over! What could the new girl's motives be? Why does she even care about him? What does she want? Will France survive Brandon's anger at his new supporters?

I would definitely read this author again especially if he branched out into other genres :) Usually don't read this kind of book so the fact that I read this book all the way through speaks to the author's incredible talent.

***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy tragedy inspired angst and drama in their well written after school special tales :D

[Rebecca Reddell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting off, I have to say this book intrigued me. The summary definitely caught my attention and sounded like a fresh take on how a teen deals with being different and being bullied. I couldn't wait to start it and hear how everything would progress.

When I began this book, I immediately liked Francis' voice. It was nice to have a male character's point of view. I appreciated his unique and sarcastic perspective. He had dealt with a lot in his short seventeen years. Some may feel he was whiney or younger sounding a good majority of the time, but I feel it added to his character and what he went through.

It was nice to see Francis' interests in movie making, Shakespeare, and even drama. I liked the short intervals of interaction with his brothers, his background story- which was slowly revealed, his friendship with Trig, and his budding relationship with Rachel. I think my favorite portion of the story was Rachel's singing and Francis' reaction to it. As I read it, I couldn't figure out exactly what was going on until a few sentences in, and then I cracked up. It was hilariously revealed, and I loved it!

The author's choice of language, style, and plot was engaging. He hooked me on Francis' story and how he handled the story. I really liked the imagery and emotional connection the character gave the reader.

As much as I loved Francis and his story, there were a few things that stuck out to me and made the story a little harder to enjoy to its fullest extent. Here are a few of those things:

Francis' mother was a mystery to me. She's introduced as a screamer, nonpresent, didn't help her son escape his abusive father type of mother. I pretty much hated her throughout the entire story. When she finally stepped up toward the end of the book, I was surprised and gratified. However, I do wish it would have lasted, and I wish there would have been a little more background, presence, and resolution with her character.

Trig was a wonderful friend. I feel as if he was a bit too angry, and I didn't know why- just in general and not specifically in relation to Francis. I understood him wanting to stick up for Francis and be protective, but I feel as if a little more background or interaction as to why he felt this strongly might have helped me understand it better.

I have to admit, I didn't understand Rachel's interest in Francis when she didn't know him. She's the new girl, only been there for a couple of months, and she has this crush on him. I have to admit, I kept waiting for her to betray him. That probably sounds horrible, but I did. I really wanted him to have a happy ending, but this relationship confused me.

To me, and this is just my opinion, I feel like there should have been some concrete reasons why Rachel was attracted to Francis. What was it about him that hooked her attention and made her want to get to know him? Is she just attracted to people who are bullied? I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude. I just really wanted more of a tangible answer than: "Aren't you just attracted to someone, sometimes, and you don't know why?"

No, Rachel. No, I am not. There is ALWAYS a reason. Give it to me straight, girl. I want answers, and I want them now!

Sorry. Just had to let off some steam there. I liked their relationship, but I felt it was a bit vague. They exchanged their "my father sucks" stories, but I wanted more: invites to her house, him getting to know her mom and sister, them talking about more of their interests. I don't know... just more.

Why teachers weren't more supportive of Francis was also a mystery. He seems like a nice kid. He didn't do anything wrong, and I know teachers are overworked and underpaid and underappreciated, but I still felt like one of them (Thanks to the counselor for this, but where was he the rest of the story?) should have stepped up. I was a teacher. If I saw bullying, you better believe I said something about it and did everything in my power to change it. I hate bullies. So, this kinda irritated me.

Brandon was a bully, and he was a psycho. My question: where did his dislike of Francis come from? His bullying skyrocketed toward the end of the book, and I didn't understand it. In fact, I skipped over most of the chapter where he beats Francis senseless and almost kills him. It made me sick to my stomach when I started reading it, and I had to skim and then jump past the rest of it. Kudos to the writer for making it so lifelike, that I wanted to throw-up and beat the crap out of Brandon myself, but I still want to know why it got that dark!

I just want to know why Brandon hated Francis so much, it took him to such a fatalistic place. I suppose in the world today, we could chalk it up to anything, but I wanted some substantial reasons. Quentin's character was also a mystery. He seemed like an assistant thug and idiot. I'm glad he came to his senses toward the end, but I didn't understand his willingness to let things go as far as they did.

At the end, I feel there was a small growth in Francis' character. I really would have liked to have seen more progression of who he was and where he was headed. The book could have definitely been longer to build on his character development.

The underage drinking and sex also bothered me. Not gonna lie. It's not as if I don't know it does happen, but I guess I hoped to see more to the storyline than that.

A personal pet peeve for me is when there is a lot of narrative text, and the author tells me what happened instead of shows me what happened. Kevin Craig did a decent job of balancing this with his dialogue and action, but I feel the end would have been even better if it showed me how Francis' life changed. It felt like a whole chapter summation, and I didn't enjoy it.

Overall, I did like Francis. I appreciated his story. I immediately sympathized with him and read on in the hopes he'd grow and get his happy-ever-after. It was a great plot to build from and help people realize how bullying can affect others, and how we need to stop it when we see it.

However, the combined reasons for my score of 3/5 or "I liked it" are reflected in the breakdown. I hope this helps others when deciding to read this book. Give it a try! Thanks to the author, Kevin Craig, for a free copy in exchange for a fair review.

[Samantha Banik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book last night around 8:30 pm prepared to read a few chapters before bed, you know, the nightly routine when I am too tired to do much else. Well, I finished it. 11:30pm. I could not put it down. I loved everything about it. The characters are so believable and real that I fell in love with all of them...except maybe Brandon...not so much love there.

I fell so completely into this story that I was there watching everything happen right before my eyes. I cried, I laughed and then I cried some more. At one point, I pulled my knees up to my chest and cried out "No, no, no, no!" The emotional roller coaster this author put me through was intense and I thank him for it. :) Thank you, Kevin! <3

I cannot recommend this wonderful story enough!

[Lori Twining · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today, I have the pleasure of being part of the Burn Baby Blog Tour and sharing my Review of the novel with you. Before I do that, I just want to tell you that I am a huge fan of YA (Young Adult) novels. I'm an avid reader and I read books from every genre, but, I love the YA category the best. In fact, I am also a writer in the same genre, so believe me when I say, "I KNOW MY YA" With that said, I will just blurt out...

Read the rest of the review at: http://www.lvtwriter.com/writing/burn...

[Nina Rossing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was far funnier than anticipated - I laughed often, particularly in the first half. The grittier turn toward the end was nerve-racking, but the voice was consistent, and I found the plot and the characters' reactions to be convincing.
It's a quick read, and though some plot points could have been fleshed out, the characters rang true and the dialogues in particular were good.
Nice way to start the 2015 reading year :)

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf www.buchjunkies-blog.de

Seit fast einem Jahrzehnt versucht der 17-jährige Francis nun schon sich unsichtbar zu machen und so wenig wie möglich aufzufallen. Doch leider ist das die meiste Zeit unmöglich, denn egal wo Francis auftaucht, er zieht immer alle Blicke auf sich. Das hat er seinem Vater zu verdanken, der während einem seiner berüchtigten Wutanfälle seinen Sohn mit Brandbeschleuniger übergossen und angezündet hat.
Seitdem lebt Francis mit den Brandnarben in seinem Gesicht und auf seinem Körper. Er fühlt sich als Freak und Außenseiter und hat kaum Freunde. Nur sein bester Kumpel seit dem Sandkasten Trig ist stets an seiner Seite und beschützt Francis wo er nur kann. Das ist auch bitter nötig, denn Brandon, einer der beliebtesten Schüler und Spitzensportler der High School, hat es mit eiskalter Hartnäckigkeit auf ihn abgesehen. Je mehr Francis sich wehrt und von Trig abgeschirmt wird, umso grausamer und gnadenloser scheint Brandon zu werden.
Dass Francis bisher keine Erfahrungen mit Mädchen gesammelt hat, ist also kein Wunder, zumindest nicht für Francis. Welches Mädchen könnte ihm schon ins Gesicht schauen, ohne sich angewidert abzuwenden? Ganz zu schweigen von küssen? Da hat Francis allerdings die Rechnung ohne seine neue Mitschülerin Rachel gemacht, die schon nach kurzer Zeit mehr in Francis erkennt und ihn einfach nicht in Ruhe lassen will.
Es sieht fast so aus, als könnte sich sein Leben endlich zum besseren wenden. Doch Brandon und seine Freunde haben immer noch eine Rechnung mit Francis offen und lassen sich nicht davon abhalten, diese zu begleichen...

Burn Baby, Burn Baby von Kevin Craig war irgendwie so ganz anders, als ich erwartet hatte. Denn anstatt in einer tieftraurigen Geschichte zu versinken, ist dieses Buch erstaunlich witzig und dadurch wunderbar flüssig zu lesen. Francis führt mit ziemlich viel rabenschwarzen Humor durch seine Lebensgeschichte und es gab mehrere Momente, die mich wirlich zum schmunzeln oder sogar lachen gebracht haben.
Doch der leichte erste Anschein kratzt natürlich nur an der Oberfläche des eigentlichen Problems. Francis ist tief traumatisiert von dem, was sein eigener Vater ihm angetan hat - der Vorfall mit den Verbrennungen war nämlich nur der letzte einer ganzen Reihe von Misshandlungen, die sichtbare und unsichtbare Narben an Francis hinterlassen haben. Die Brandnarben sind aber sicher das, was ihm am meisten zu schaffen macht. Jeder kann sie sehen, jeder starrt und keiner scheint an ihnen vorbeiblicken zu können - Francis selbst am allerwenigsten. Deshalb fällt es ihm auch unglaublich schwer zu vertrauen. Trig ist so ziemlich der einzige Mensch, bei dem er sich keine Sorgen macht, dass er irgendwelche Hintergedanken hat. Ihre Freundschaft ist wirklich etwas ganz Besonderes und Kevin Craig zelebriert sie regelrecht in seinem Buch, was mir immer wieder aufs neue Freude gemacht hat. Doch auch Trig kann Francis nicht über seine Verbitterung hinweg helfen. Dafür hat er einfach schon zu viel erlebt in seinem Leben.
Erst als Rachel auftaucht, beginnt Francis langsam aber sicher sein Leben durch andere Augen zu betrachten. Ihm fällt es wie gesagt sehr schwer Vertrauen zu fassen und es war wunderschön zu sehen, wie dieses ungewöhnliche Mädchen langsam aber sicher Francis Mauern durchbricht. Allerdings muss ich sagen, dass mir Rachels Charakter ein wenig zu kurz kam. Das Buch ist grundsätzlich schon relativ kurz und so sehen wir auch nicht besonders viel von Rachel. Es wird zwar klar, dass sie ein wenig verschroben ist, was sie davor rettet zweidimensional zu werden, dennoch ist sie so wichtig für die Geschichte, dass ich gerne etwas mehr von ihr gehabt hätte.
Es gibt allerdings noch jede Menge weitere Charaktere, die einen mehr oder weniger großen Einfluss auf Francis haben, allen voran seine Familie. Seine beiden kleinen Brürder Paul und Simon muss man einfach gern haben und jede Szene mit ihnen hat mir ein Lächeln aufs Gesicht gezaubert. Auch ihre Mutter ist ziemlich interessant - wenn auch nicht wirklich durchschaubar. Sie und Francis haben nicht gerade die beste Beziehung, was nach allem, was sie in der Vergangenheit zuließ, natürlich kein Wunder ist. Den stärksten Eindruck hat aber sicherlich Brandon hinterlassen. Er steht stellvertretend für alle Bullies, Schulhofschläger und Peiniger, die vermutlich jeder in seiner Schulzeit irgendwann mal erlebt hat. Brandon treibt es allerdings eine Stufe weiter und bringt Francis wirklich an den Rand seiner Kräfte.

Es gibt allerdings drei Details, die sich für mich etwas schwierig gestaltet haben. Zum einen sind das die Dialoge. Sie sind vollgepackt mit Jugendsprache und Floskeln, was zu einem gewissen Maß sicherlich glaubwürdig ist, manchmal aber einfach übertrieben und aufgesetzt wirkte. Wenn Francis und Trig sich unterhalten haben, fiel es manchmal wirklich schwer den Geschehnissen zu folgen, weil sie ständig das Thema gewecheselt und sich Wortgefechte geliefert haben.
Trig wäre auch schon gleich das zweite Detail. Für Francis ist er der beste Freund, den es geben kann. Doch er hat auch ein ganz schönes Wutproblem, mit dem ich nicht ganz klar gekommen bin und das eigentlich sogar ziemlich besorgniserregend war.
Ebenfalls Sorgen hat mir Francis Alkohlkonsum bereitet. Manchmal wirkte es, als wäre er auf direktem Wege ein Alkoholiker zu werden, so sehr hat er sich auf die betäubende Wirkung verlassen. Es soll sicherlich zeigen, auf welch einem destruktiven Kurs Francis sich befindet, allerdings wurde es kaum angesprochen und mir zu sehr unter den Tisch gekehrt.

Ansonsten aber ist Burn Baby, Burn Baby von Kevin Craig ein wirklich interessantes und bewegendes Buch. Es hat seinen so ganz eigenen, skurrilen Humor und ziemlich verschrobene Chraktere, die mit einigem zu kämpfen haben, unterm Strich aber zum Großteil einfach sympathisch waren und dem Leser viel zu bieten haben. Burn Baby, Burn Baby wird mir deshalb bestimmt noch lange im Kopf bleiben.

[Kushti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for sending me a digital proof for review.

Pros
-The way in which we open up the book (when we see through the eyes of a director) is very interesting and unique. It is a really great concept and really effective in describing what is going on and who is who.
-The topic of child abuse is handled so well. In this case, it is very extreme and has such a real effect on the reader. Even I, who can handle gore and violence, was shocked and stressed out by the horrible things the father has done to his son.
-I felt like all the characters were very real in how they reacted to the situation. Trig was a loyal friend; this is realistic because, when having a ‘disabled’ friend, you tend to be more protective and feel a need to stand up for someone who can’t do it for themselves.
-The drinking scene after Trig and Francis’s big fight really illustrated how they got on. Trig didn’t care about his scars, it shows that Francis is just a normal kid. It was also a really heart-warming and down-to-Earth scene.
-I enjoyed the recurring movie theme; again, it really makes Francis real. Real people have real hobbies and dreams.
-I loved Rachel’s character. She was so sassy and sharp. She never beats around the bush and always says whatever the hell she wants to say. She was so strong and awesome to read about.

Cons
-I felt that the plot wasn’t very strong and/or original. Sure, you changed one aspect of the book (he has burns) but that doesn’t change the story. It felt like a repeat of a lot of YA books I have read before. (That said, Kevin Craig does pull it off better than most ‘weak-plotted’ novels *cough* Black Ice *cough*)
-One sentence I really hated was when Kevin Craig says ‘one of those shit kids who narks on everybody who gives him a hard time’. The problem with bullying today is that no one is telling adults when it is happening to them. The WORST advice you can give to a teenager is to not tell anyone and just to suffer alone. If you are being bullied, TELL SOMEONE. It was really wrong for this book to say that people who tell someone are bad.
-The story is about romance, right? So why is the big final scene about the bully? The bullying honestly felt like a side plot for 100 pages (Rachel being the main plot) and suddenly we forget about Rachel and it’s all about bullying. The book needed to foreshadow the ending more and match it by making bullying a bigger part of the plot.

Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. It’s a short sweet read that you can finish in one sitting. I gave this book 4/5 stars. I can’t wait to see what Kevin Craig has in store for us in his next book.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you survive the worst moment of your life and still live? Francis Fripp has been trying to figure that out. So far all he has seemed to have managed is the surviving part with the help of his best friend Trig. You see Trig has been there from the beginning back before Francis’ dad committed the worst of his crimes against his own son by burning his whole right side of his body.
The ultimate in meanest parents to the point where he has all these scars and has no right ear to speak of. His father went away to prison but only served 6 years for this terrible act. France (nickname) hasn’t even finished high school and his is out but there is a restraining order against being around him or his mom.
Francis can never forget though. As much as Trig tries to protect him there are still bullies like Brandon Hayley who don’t use his name but call him “Burn Baby!” He does things like shoving him in his own locker and banging his head against the back of it. Since he is a football star most teachers are either afraid of him or don’t want to rock the football team. One day in math Brandon takes his teasing way too far and the new girl stands up and makes a stand.
Rachel Higgins being new doesn’t understand the way things are that just because she was able to stop Brandon this time doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be gunning for Francis extra hard to get revenge not that a girl up ended his attempt to embarrass and be mean to him. So, after class he was waiting for his beat down from Brandon, instead he was faced with an “in your face” greeting from Rachel wanting to be his friend.
Although she’s cute he’s very leery of her due to past experiences. So, now he is waiting for the punch line that he is being “Punked” or for Brandon to pop out from somewhere. Not the case as he sees it now. She’s a pushy little spitfire that invites herself to his house. It happens…She kisses him! Just that fast.
You will have to read to see what goes on from here. I just love the interaction between Francis and his twin brothers, “Paul Simon” Now his mom gets mad that he refers to them as one name but he loves messing with her. Really though one is Paul the other is Simon. Those boys steal this story in the cutest department especially Simon. This being a funny at times kind of youthful book yet at the same time it was ungodly painful to read at certain parts. Yet, so real and terribly truthful. This is so worth the read for teens and parents alike. I would recommend for 13+ as a parent. It is something that will have to be discussed with your teens for sure. I give this 5 stars. Provided by Net Galley.
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[Gabs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really sure where to start with Burn Baby, Burn Baby. It definitely wasn't my type of book; I'll cut it some slack because trust me, this is not the kind of book I usually like to read. It may have been labeled at YA, but this is definitely more like New Adult. Still, even if it had been a completely YA type of story, I really doubt I would have loved it. There were just too many flaws.

The first thing that really caught my attention while reading is Trig. He was painted to be the ultimate friend, but he's a total scumbag to his girlfriend, and so no matter how brotherly he was to Francis, I hated him. Francis says at one point that Trig is borderline abusive to his girlfriend, Georgia, and I agree. It's not a healthy relationship whatsoever, and it disgusted me.

The second thing was the instalove. It doesn't feel as bad as some insta-love, because there are no lusty fireworks, but it still happens way quicker than any normal relationship. I want to know what originally attracted Rachel to Francis. I want a longer period of time between first words and first kisses. I don't want whatever the heck this is.

Francis is a total hormonal teenage boy, as was Trig, and it got kind of bleh after like two pages. I'm glad that the author actually painted him as a realistic teenage boy, because a lot of guys in YA do not remind me at all of any of the boys I go to school with, but almost every single sentence during the beginning of this story had to do with how hot a girl was or something.

Besides that, I didn't feel like I got to know him as much as I should of. Like, give me more about his Shakespeare obsession. Or his thing with making movies. Or his relationship with his mother. We got some interesting facts about him, but they never got elaborated on.

The ending...I don't know, I just felt like it escalated really quickly from the previous tone of the book. Like REAAAAAAAAALLLY quickly. I honestly had no idea how to handle it.

I didn't like this one very much at all. It seems I am the one of the only people that feels this way, but I really disliked Burn Baby. It's not something I would ever consider reading again.

[K.R. Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher for an unbiased review. Many thanks to Curiosity Quills for the chance to review it.

Burn Baby, Burn Baby is the story of a young man who lives with the constant reminder of his father’s violence, as burned into his skin. I love how this book starts, with the main character, Francis, relating how he would open his own film about his crappy life, if he ever became a director. It was beautifully done and, hands down, is my favorite part of the whole novel.

I loved how Craig portrayed Francis’ confusion and fluster over the girl, Rachel, who begins pursuing him, and how their relationship slowly blooms. I will say, I didn’t understand WHY Rachel suddenly follows Francis – she goes from stalking in the shadows, barely mentioned in the book, to: “Hey there, Francis! I’m going to walk you home, not be deterred and hey – let me come into your house and flop in your bedroom!” If she was THAT outgoing, it should have been shown in the book before she zeroes in on Francis.

The other thing that didn’t quite make sense to me was Brandon’s level of vengeance against Francis. Brandon is the stereotypical jock, complete with idiot side-kick. He harasses the crap out of Francis and gets physically violent, but it is Francis’ best bud, Trig, that always stands up for Francis. I didn’t understand WHY Brandon so viciously targets Francis or why Trig doesn’t help Francis learn to fight back.

I actually would’ve loved it if Brandon was a kid from the past who used to bully Francis, but was no longer in the picture. Because, for me, the strength of this novel isn’t the sub-plot about Brandon, but the terrific interplay between Rachel, Francis, and Trig.

Beautifully written and definitely aimed for the teen market. My fourteen-year-old daughter would love it!

[J.S. Frankel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. I'd never read anything from this author before and thought it was an interesting premise. It turned out to be full of teen angst, underdeveloped characters, lack of motivation for any of them...

So let's get to it. The plot deals with our MC, Francis--a seventeen year-old boy whose father decided to burn the living daylights out of him one day and ended up in jail for it. Francis is horribly scarred, has self-confidence issues, and basically hates his life. After an assault like that, who wouldn't? The obligatory joke of "lighten up, Francis" is here...and it's got more meanings than the obvious one.

Naturally, he dreams of meeting the person of his dreams, kissing his first girl, and in short, doing what all kids his age want to do. But there's a problem. His nickname is Burn Baby, hence the title of this novel, he has zero self-confidence, his best friend--Trig--would defend him to the death, and all Francis wants is to be normal. Don't we all? So he meets Rachel who looks past his scars and...let's leave it at that.

The books pluses are it's short. At a little over 150 pages, it does move at a fast pace, but...

...gotta give the downside. The writing is amateurish at best, the characters are really underdeveloped with the exception of the MC--full of snark and cynicism, and I can't really blame him--and the tone is so angsty, it was hard to dredge up the feels for this. If the writer had fleshed out the novel to around 200 or more pages with more character development, it might have earned a higher rating. As it is, it's okay, and nothing more. Would not read it again, and while I recommend most books I review, I can't say I'd recommend this one.

[Whitney- Lifestyle of a Blessed Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so surprised that this book isn't getting more attention... It is definitely along the lines of The Fault in Our Stars and those other YA books we all love. While being intense and emotional it also brought romance and charm to the table. I loved the friendships and I swooned over the new romance. It was definitely a 5 star read that I recommend to all readers!

Francis is teen boy with not only physical scarring, but also emotional scarring. He is uncomfortable in his own skin and struggles with living a normal teenage life because he is constantly bullied. Every day he walks into school just waiting to be made fun of or beat up. When a pretty girl stands up for him he can't help but think it's a joke. He wants to keep her at arm's length, but eventually caves and gives in to temptation. Together they embark on a beautiful journey of love. It isn't always easy though and the bullying grows out of control. Can their love survive? READ TO FIND OUT!!!

Burn Baby, Burn Baby was a gut wrenching story about learning to see what's inside and not just judging from appearance. Rachel helps Francis break out of his shell. She shows him that even with the scars he is handsome and worthy of love. He has set backs, but eventually learns to be happy that he is alive.

The Author's writing was great! The story didn't become boring once. It was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm not a huge fan of male pov, but with this book it worked wonders. I connected with Franics and was able to feel every deep emotion he was feeling.

I really loved the story and I wish more people would give it a read. I promise once you start reading you won't be able to stop.

[Lori Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional book. When you read a book like Burn Baby,Burn you can't help but cry and be grateful if you have never been in that situation. I loved this book but parts where really hard to read. That somebody that is suppose to love and protect you, is the one you need protection from. I know the world is like this but it's still hard for me to understand such a thing.
I think Francis. Trig, and Rachel, have to be three of my favorite characters. I loved how Trig had Francis back throw out all the things Brandon tried to pull. All with everything else that Francis was going through as well. And I loved that someone like Rachel was in his life as well, she was so awesome and so kick pass. She didn't pull any punches. And Francis with everything that happen to him, and still happening to him due to Brandon, he could have just checkout on his life. But even with everything in regards with Rachel and his relationship while he had doubts he went with it. I really loved his twin broth as well, can't forget to mention those two cuties.
I was also surprised on what happened towards the end of the book, that was another WoW I so didn't see that coming type of moment. Just a really great storyline, I really loved it. And think everyone that loves to read should get this book and read it. Or you'll miss out on such a great book, a book that really makes you take a look at such subjects of abuse and bullying.
I was given this book to review, and all I had to do is give my honest opinion on the book that I received.

[Cicely Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victims of abuse carry many emotional scars. Many tend to have anger and resentment issues, and limit their social behavior to those whom they know they can trust. In the case of Francis Fripp, he has his best friend Tripp, and his younger brothers, Paul and Simon, who he lovingly lumps them together as an entity, referring to the duo as simply Paul Simon. Francis is the underdog, a 17 year old with a shoddy home life, who can barely stand high school, and has no confidence. Aside from emotional scars, he has burn scars on the entire right side of his body. The scar tissue a constant reminder of his past, along with a relentless bully who taunts and beats him on a regular basis.

He struggles to deal with the abuse in his past, and the pain that he holds inside.On many levels he blames himself, disabling him from believing that he deserves better. Through his friends, and his new love interest, he gradually learns how to permit himself to experience the happiness he deserves.

What I enjoyed about this novel was that it had all the elements of a sweet, coming of age story of a young man who learned to love himself, and find someone who cared for him and truly saw him - not his scars. But the novel concludes on an interesting twist. An unexpected event happens that forces Francis to act quickly, and reexamine the life he feels he deserves and decide on the one wants to live. Finally understanding that "You can be anything. All you have to do is shed everything you don't want to be"( p. 141) and knowing what is truly important in the end.

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book.

It's one of those issue books without being an Issue Book. It's got a definite message and it's got some violence against the main character, but it was well-written and I liked the characters and I liked how it all was done and God this was right up my alley.

I do wish that it was a little longer, though. Maybe it's just because I'm really into long books, but maybe also because some things could've been better developed in a longer book? Like the relationship between Francis and Rachel. It was cute, don't get me wrong, but it probably would have worked better had the entire book been longer.

But other than that, this was phenomenal. It follows the story of Francis, who was severely burned by his abusive father when he was a child. Now his dad's out of the picture, obviously, but Francis still has problems with bullies and things like that. He's got his best friend, a cool dude called Trig, but Trig can't be around to protect him all of the time. And then a new girl shows up. And she likes him.

Like I said up there, this book was actually very well-written. I liked the writing style, and I liked the dialogue - everyone had a distinct speaking style, which I liked. And I've kind of been annoyed with bullies in YA because all of them seem like cardboard cutouts, and while these guys weren't the best I've ever read, they were definitely better than a lot of YA bullies.

Overall, this was a good one, and something that I do think more people should pick up. A nice message about bullying and abuse and all that jazz.

[T.M.B.A. Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book! It was enjoyable quick easy read.
The characters are perfect this author knows how to write characters that are realistic yet likable! You will quickly fall for Frances the main guy of the story. The entire cast was great! I used Cast cause it played out like a TV show in my head when I read it. I really liked this book and I have had to edit this review several times already because of too many spoilers. I couldn't help myself from rambling on about the things I liked about this book. Mainly you should know the ending was amaze-balls! You will finish this book and want more honestly I could not get the story off my mind!
I recommend this book to everyone!

Please check out my blog for more reviews.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I really loved this book. The main character Frances is instantly so likable and while the "baggage" that makes him who he is as a character is horrifying, it also makes him the amazing character he is. His tendency to turn life's worst moments into a film makes for good reading. His team of supporting friends are perfect; from the ultimate best friend, Trig, to the dream girl Rachel, who can see through the scars to the beautiful boy inside. The bullying that Frances endures is awful and makes the reader love him all the more. I highly recommend this book to YA fans and teens, male and female. It is worth the read, and has characters and a story that remain with you long after the last page. Thanks to the author for this wonderful book!

[G. Cribbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Full review coming soon.

The ending was SO FRACKING INTENSE!!

[bookgeek607 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is my second book I have read by Kevin Craig and I must say I have become a fan! Life was never easy for Francis, especially when he was abused and left scared by his own father. People can be cruel but in his eyes they have deemed him the pariah because of what he has been through. His best friends Trig and Georgia try to tell him his worth but it's hard when your constantly knocked down and bullied by the head jock. That is until he meets Rachel. She is not deterred by his looks she sees him past the scars, hurt, and self seclusion. She shows him how it is to be loved and how to love in return. Ooooo the feels this book gives makes you feel like your watching the movie in your head. Make sure you have tissues because this one hits you right in the feels on a few occassions!!!! Well written and can't wait to see what more Kevin had to offer!

*** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own and given of my own free will***