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Burn Bright
(Night Creatures #1)
by
Retra braves the intense pain of her obedience strip, and stows away to seek her brother Joel, gone two years for Ixion - island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community - no craving for parties or pleasure.
What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? What happens to those who grow too old for Ixion? Without ...more
What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? What happens to those who grow too old for Ixion? Without ...more
Paperback, 316 pages
Published
March 1st 2011
by Random House Australia
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Start your review of Burn Bright (Night Creatures, #1)

AHA!!! i knew aussie YA couldn't all be the very pinnacle of perfection! i knew there had to be some clunkers cluttering up their shelves!
australia - they're just like us!
so, this one is about ixion - the island of ever-night. (read in a spooky voice, please) which is some sort of permanent goth spring break where it is always nighttime and the only rule is you gotta strive to experience pleasure all the time.it is an island of youth and raves and hallucinogenics, where there are "ripers" who ov ...more
australia - they're just like us!
so, this one is about ixion - the island of ever-night. (read in a spooky voice, please) which is some sort of permanent goth spring break where it is always nighttime and the only rule is you gotta strive to experience pleasure all the time.it is an island of youth and raves and hallucinogenics, where there are "ripers" who ov ...more

Okay, you know that guy, THAT guy. The one so insanely hot that any flaws, personality issues or intellectual deficiencies pale in comparison to his smoldering sex appeal.
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And you know how he looks a lot like Ryan Reynolds...
This is how I feel about this book.
I will be the first to admit that it is not a perfect novel and rightly so, I should only give it four stars. The problem is that I just can't help myself. It has its issues. Whoever edited it did an appalling job. There were a ...more
[image error]
And you know how he looks a lot like Ryan Reynolds...
This is how I feel about this book.
I will be the first to admit that it is not a perfect novel and rightly so, I should only give it four stars. The problem is that I just can't help myself. It has its issues. Whoever edited it did an appalling job. There were a ...more

Nov 19, 2010
Lyndsey
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Those who enjoy things Hitchcockian or Burtonesqe
Also on Strangemore with Bonus Material and an Author Interview with Marianne de Pierres and a campaign to bring Burn Bright to the US!
Welcome to Ixion. A place of constant darkness, the Ever Dark. It is a bazaar of the bizarre. On this strange island, everything is a party. Modesty is a sin.
Ixion is like Party Zion. You know that scene in Matrix Reloaded with the rave where everyone is going crazy and dancing up on each other. That is how Ixion is ALL the time. But instead of Machines lurking o ...more

Imagine a place where there are no Elders. No rules. No punishment. Only music and laughter and freedom.
Deadly pleasures await on Ixion, an eerie island where young people are transported twice a year when they want to indulge in hedonistic pursuits. It is always night here, and every conceivable vice is available and encouraged. Retra has gone to Ixion in order to find her brother Joel, but her sheltered upbringing makes her cringe at the excess on display. She knows, however, that she cannot s ...more
Deadly pleasures await on Ixion, an eerie island where young people are transported twice a year when they want to indulge in hedonistic pursuits. It is always night here, and every conceivable vice is available and encouraged. Retra has gone to Ixion in order to find her brother Joel, but her sheltered upbringing makes her cringe at the excess on display. She knows, however, that she cannot s ...more

4.5 stars
In a YA market fast becoming saturated in dystopia's BURN BRIGHT shines out in the crowd. It's a dystopian tale with splashes of sci-fi. It is, in fact, so vibrant and unique and convincing that it makes me feel embarrassed for other recent (often flailing romantic) YA dystopia's. It is fantastically original, creepy, riveting and atmospheric. I can honestly say BURN BRIGHT is unlike any book I have ever read = complete WOW experience.
de Pierres makes it easy to sink into a complex worl ...more
In a YA market fast becoming saturated in dystopia's BURN BRIGHT shines out in the crowd. It's a dystopian tale with splashes of sci-fi. It is, in fact, so vibrant and unique and convincing that it makes me feel embarrassed for other recent (often flailing romantic) YA dystopia's. It is fantastically original, creepy, riveting and atmospheric. I can honestly say BURN BRIGHT is unlike any book I have ever read = complete WOW experience.
de Pierres makes it easy to sink into a complex worl ...more

Nov 19, 2010
Jillian -always aspiring-
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Readers who prefer world-building above all else in a story
Ixion: a place of eternal night and eternal pleasure -- but nothing, nothing, comes without its price. . .
Admittedly, Burn Bright was one of my most anticipated releases of 2011. First, there's the darkly beautiful cover that brings to mind the fashion of Lady Gaga and the gothic wonder of Tim Burton's movies; right from the first time I saw it, it ensnared me in such a way that for months I thought, "I must have this book, I must have this book." Then there's the synopsis, speaking of a dark pl ...more
Admittedly, Burn Bright was one of my most anticipated releases of 2011. First, there's the darkly beautiful cover that brings to mind the fashion of Lady Gaga and the gothic wonder of Tim Burton's movies; right from the first time I saw it, it ensnared me in such a way that for months I thought, "I must have this book, I must have this book." Then there's the synopsis, speaking of a dark pl ...more


"Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright,
but do not stray from the paths.
Remember, when you live in a
place of darkness you also live with
creatures of the dark."
It's been a long time since I've felt this excited about the opening of a new series. I'm not yet prepared to give it 5 stars as it's only just begun... but, you know, I'm thinking this could potentially be a 5-star series. Hurray for the aussies again who, after dazzling me with a series of awesome realistic fiction, have now provided an ...more

May 26, 2011
Arlene
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
YA Dystopic Fans
Recommended to Arlene by:
Street Corner Bookers - Nomes
Imagine a place where there are no elders, no rules, no punishment; only music, laughter and freedom. Welcome to Ixion! Island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. BURN BRIGHT! This is the place where modesty is kin to sin and baby bats run to in search of pleasure. But remember, when you live in darkness, you also live with creatures of the dark.
Woah! What a creeptastic book in the best possible way!
Burn Bright definitely commands your attention from page one as Marianne de Pierres takes ...more
Woah! What a creeptastic book in the best possible way!
Burn Bright definitely commands your attention from page one as Marianne de Pierres takes ...more

Okay that's it! I am packing my bags TODAY and moving to Australia! I don't know what they have over there that we don't but I really wish somebody would share the secret. In the past few months I have read several books and I can only think of a few US authors that have made my top 10. Every Aussie book I have had read is on that top 10 list and this one is no exception. First I have to thank Nomes for sending this one out on Tour. Nomes you are the absolute bestest ever!!
Now on to Burn Bright. ...more
Now on to Burn Bright. ...more

Hmmm. I have to say that I'm neither over- nor underwhelmed. The concept was definitely interesting, and the world building and overall atmosphere well done. But everything remained superficial. I am sure that there will be more details revealed about Ixion in future installments, that there are a lot more things to discover as this series progresses, but I am missing the hook. The incentive that makes me want to read on.
To make things worse, I didn't really connect with the characters. They re ...more
To make things worse, I didn't really connect with the characters. They re ...more

I don't think there will be a lot of spoilers in here, but there might be some small ones, so be warned.
The most difficult reviews to write are about the books I liked. This is no different. I mean, what is there to say? So much and yet so little.
I've been spending months and months without reading a single page, feeling no need to read. My Kindle was feeling sad and lonely, constantly giving me those "don't you love me anymore?" looks and to be honest, it only made me feel worse. But my good( ...more
The most difficult reviews to write are about the books I liked. This is no different. I mean, what is there to say? So much and yet so little.
I've been spending months and months without reading a single page, feeling no need to read. My Kindle was feeling sad and lonely, constantly giving me those "don't you love me anymore?" looks and to be honest, it only made me feel worse. But my good( ...more

Jun 11, 2011
mark monday
rated it
it was ok
Recommended to mark by:
Wendy Darling
Shelves:
scifi-modern,
teenworld
this is a little scifi-cum-PNR Young Adult novel from australia. on some planet somewhere, teens wanting to escape the varyingly restrictive environments of their home countries can escape to Ixion, a place of perpetual partying and constant night. but who are the island guardians; who really runs things? where do the aged-out go; why is a fearsome lady pirate trying to rescue them? who else lives on the island; what are those whispers in the night?
if i were to judge it by characterization and ...more
if i were to judge it by characterization and ...more

Burn Bright was incredible. A blend of dystopian and urban fantasy woven through a unique storyline that left me breathless. Following the storyline of Retra, readers are introduced to Ixion through the young and sheltered eyes of a sixteen year old girl who's searching for her brother. I loved Retra's character. She had a quiet determination and although having grown up in a community who punished free thought, she wasn't afraid to stand up for injustice in Ixion.
The island is only for the youn ...more
The island is only for the youn ...more

A scifi-in-space-fantasy-monsters-vampires-and-strange-creatures-good-and-evil-beastly-but-gorgeous-guy-drugs-and-blood-thriller featuring an innocent but incredibly strong heroine surviving a non-stop party on an island of infinite darkness, endless pleasure and short life-spans. Intrigued? You should be. It is that original and captivating.
(Note: 0.5 stars short of five because of the open ending.)
(Note: 0.5 stars short of five because of the open ending.)

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
3.5 stars
In Burn Bright, seventeen-year-old Retra escapes from her strict and isolated life in Seal South, an area walled off from the already enclosed land called Grave, to Ixion. Ixion is an island with never-ending night known for it's pleasure. It's where young people go to run away from rules and to enjoy freedom. The freedom to have fun and party all the time. Retra isn't looking for pleasure though. Her sole purpose in going there is to f ...more

Favourite Quote: "Rules? Ixion is supposed to be free of rules, yet it seems as strict as Grave in its own way and more...more dangerous."
Three words: I loved it! Burn Bright is one of those reads that when you are finished you are left saying "WOW I want more" because it such a amazing story.
I am having such a hard time writing a review to explain why I am so impressed by this book. I have being trying to write this review for two weeks and still nothing. So here is a list of just some of the ...more
Three words: I loved it! Burn Bright is one of those reads that when you are finished you are left saying "WOW I want more" because it such a amazing story.
I am having such a hard time writing a review to explain why I am so impressed by this book. I have being trying to write this review for two weeks and still nothing. So here is a list of just some of the ...more

Jun 08, 2011
Milly
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
aussie-reading-challenge,
book-tour,
young-adult,
aussie,
fantasy,
dystopia,
series,
debut,
2011
3.5 stars
Aussie Reading Challenge #4
The first thing that came to mind was Pleasure Island at Disney World. It's all-night-long partying at the happiest place on earth. Burn Bright definitely captivated and intrigued me. It's so different from the young adult dystopias I'm used to that I couldn't stay away from it for far too long. It was definitely a book I had a hard time putting down. The world building was done fantastically and so differently since it's set only at night. Ixion is nocturnal, ...more

(OK, so if you wanna read this book spoiler free then don't read this review)

Right...So this book was ok, it had an interesting concept, but I was basically overloaded with erroneous details, cardboard personalities, tedious inner-monologues (I do not like reading paragraphs about how shy Retra is or how hot some guy is) and sparse and confused descriptions. My head was spinning.
World building
Retra lives in a district that is closed off from the world, where everything is shit, a watcher-man eve ...more

Right...So this book was ok, it had an interesting concept, but I was basically overloaded with erroneous details, cardboard personalities, tedious inner-monologues (I do not like reading paragraphs about how shy Retra is or how hot some guy is) and sparse and confused descriptions. My head was spinning.
World building
Retra lives in a district that is closed off from the world, where everything is shit, a watcher-man eve ...more

Twice a year the barge comes to Grave during the night to sneak unhappy young ones away to a world of uninhibited freedom, music and eternal pleasure - all day, every day. Where desires are acted upon without care and every person burns bright with life. Retra is not like the other young partiers taking the journey to Ixion - she doesn't want to be there, she only wants to find her brother Joel, who escaped the harsh and restricted community they live in. He's the only one she's ever been able t
...more

On Part One, the biggest thing that might put people off is the world building. It's a daunting thing to tackle especially with it being so intricate. Imagine a place where there are no Elders. No rules. No punishment. Only music and laughter and freedom. That's Ixion. Needless to say, Ixion is complicated. And I confess, after reading that line I was imagining an outcome of donkey ears and wooden noses.
That aside, what I truly enjoyed was the puzzle that Retra presented. Plopped smack in the mi ...more
That aside, what I truly enjoyed was the puzzle that Retra presented. Plopped smack in the mi ...more

Oh my! I'm really annoyed that i knew there were a few more pages to go, but the next sentence I would be reading would plant me on a cliff, needing to want the next book immediately (which unfortunately isn't too far away - end of this year). It was BAM! the last sentence and then acknowledgments the page directly after it. Gutted me! However there is a chapter 1 preview of the next book Angel Arias, which I'm tempted to read but I just don't want to. I got totally lost in those last couple of
...more

Burn Bright first drew me in with its mysterious, beautiful cover. I’m a sucker for well done covers, and this cover is very nice, might I say. It’s dark and strange, alluring perhaps, with a brush of brightness. Then I found the synopsis intriguing, and I started hearing good things about it, about the mysteries hidden in the strange world of Ixion. Needles to say, I’ve been excited to read it. Then I finally got my hands on it, and… it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
Let me start on a posi ...more
Let me start on a posi ...more

I had a few strange little quotes which I had planned on using to start this review. Apparently, I don't get to use them when I come late to the review party.
Other GR reviewers : 1
Stacia : 0
Burn Bright fine print : Use the good stuff quick before someone else does. You losers who read the book after everyone else are screwed.
Ixion is one scary, scary place. Don't be fooled by the hype. People want you to believe it's one big non-stop part ...more
Other GR reviewers : 1
Stacia : 0
Burn Bright fine print : Use the good stuff quick before someone else does. You losers who read the book after everyone else are screwed.
Come with me to Ixion anyway. I'm afraid to go alone.
Ixion is one scary, scary place. Don't be fooled by the hype. People want you to believe it's one big non-stop part ...more

I am going to say that this is my first Aussie book I have read. I don't know if all their books are like this one or if it is an exception, but Burn Bright was such a fascinating read for me. I was so captivated by the creativity the author put into this book. It's really unlike any other "dystopian" I have read before. The world that Marianne de Pierres has created really can't be compared to anything that I have read. It's so fresh, new and a pleasing change, as from monotony I feel with the
...more

What a ride! From the moment the reader opens this book, and we're introduced to Retra, a young Seal (someone who lives in a sealed community, where education is limited and emotions oppressed), running for her life, we're plunged into the mysterious and sometimes terrifying world of Ixion - a type of pleasure sanctuary for young refugees, discontent with their lives and seeking thrills and change. In order to reach the isle, young people (and only young people are allowed there) must break all
...more

I was privileged enough to read an early draft of this a couple of years ago. I got through it in one sitting, and loved it.
Today my advance copy arrived in the mail, and I made myself a cup of tea, curled up on the couch and read through the finished book... in one sitting. And loved it even more.
Burn Bright is edgy, adventurous and unapologetic in its exploration of teenage desires and curiosities. Anxiety and euphoria have equal places in Ixion, the island of ever-dark - at least for the book ...more
Today my advance copy arrived in the mail, and I made myself a cup of tea, curled up on the couch and read through the finished book... in one sitting. And loved it even more.
Burn Bright is edgy, adventurous and unapologetic in its exploration of teenage desires and curiosities. Anxiety and euphoria have equal places in Ixion, the island of ever-dark - at least for the book ...more

Burn Bright is the first book in the Night Creatures series for young adults by versatile Australian writer Marianne de Pierres. De Pierres has also written the highly successful Parrish Plessis and Sentients of Orion series for adults, as well as the Tara Sharp crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Ixion is an island of eternal partying, a magnet for bored young people, provided they can sneak onto the barge that slips in twice a year to take them there. Retra is not like the othe ...more
Ixion is an island of eternal partying, a magnet for bored young people, provided they can sneak onto the barge that slips in twice a year to take them there. Retra is not like the othe ...more

The book starts with an escape to find her brother Joel. Main character's name is Retra (later she takes Naif as a name) when she runs away from a place named Grave ,where Seals trained very strictly, to İxio where pleasure, fun and life reign but after Retra lands there she finds nothing is fun, people vanish. Riper watch you like jail guardian it is not very different from Grave. then Leonir leader of ixion protect her and get bounded to save her life. While she tries to find her brother and u
...more

I wanted to read ‘Night Creatures’ because of the intriguing premise and the potential for something a bit different. I bought into the hype and the cover. Unfortunately, the execution was an epic fail. I don't think de Pierres knows how to write good dialogue, characters or human interaction. The whole mystery of the island was ridiculously obvious and underwhelming, and the ‘romantic’ aspects were puzzling and icky.
To illustrate a little: we get this insipid blushing virgin MC, who comes from ...more
To illustrate a little: we get this insipid blushing virgin MC, who comes from ...more

Sep 06, 2013
Lila Lockhart
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
paranormal,
young-adult,
romance,
physical-bookshelf,
yarr,
dystopian,
patriotism-much,
fiendlings,
display,
science-fiction
4.5 / 5
I may have received this book at a very cheap price (under $5), but it was well worth more than that. It would have to be the best three-dollars-something I have ever spent (see, that just doesn't sound like much of a compliment, but I swear it is). I will admit that at first my expectations for this novel were low - a young adult book about 'night creatures' screamed some trashy 'vegan vampire' fiction. Still, the cover was absolutely gorgeous (I'm a sucker for metallic pink - shiny!) so ...more
I may have received this book at a very cheap price (under $5), but it was well worth more than that. It would have to be the best three-dollars-something I have ever spent (see, that just doesn't sound like much of a compliment, but I swear it is). I will admit that at first my expectations for this novel were low - a young adult book about 'night creatures' screamed some trashy 'vegan vampire' fiction. Still, the cover was absolutely gorgeous (I'm a sucker for metallic pink - shiny!) so ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
YA Buddy Readers'...: Burn Bright (Night Creatures #1) by Marianne de Pierres - Restarting February 15th 2015 | 39 | 99 | Aug 13, 2015 07:53PM | |
Markes, Rollo, Joel, Kero or Lenoir? | 7 | 41 | Jan 16, 2015 02:15AM | |
Marianne de Pierr...: Burn Bright Campaign | 7 | 27 | Aug 18, 2012 03:14PM | |
Marianne de Pierr...: Yunyu's Music | 1 | 1 | Feb 14, 2012 04:40PM | |
Official Petition: Burn Bright to U.S. | 6 | 52 | Aug 09, 2011 09:13PM |
Marianne de Pierres is the award winning author of the acclaimed Parrish Plessis,Sentients of Orion and Peacemaker science fiction series. Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her Night Creatures series, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light has been very popular among young adult fiction readers. Marianne is also the
...more
Other books in the series
Night Creatures
(3 books)
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“In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute. Your endocrine systems have been altered by changes to your hypothalamus. You no longer need to sleep or see sunlight.”
—
17 likes
“Pain can be dismissed.”
—
13 likes
More quotes…