The Burning Tree

by Helen Dent

There’s a secret growing in the woods.

In Ellie Caster’s town of Bishop’s Gap, the Casters and the powerful Levy family have been feuding for generations. The families share just one thing in common—they both dread the mark, a scorch that appears at random on their doors, bringing a curse from the Burning Tree.

When the mark hits Ellie’s door, her sister Jean falls into a coma. Ellie knows the Burning Tree is to blame, and desperate to save her sister, she braves the forbidden woods to confront it. But this choice ignites a chain of unintended consequences, forcing her to work with her nemesis, Charlotte Levy.

Together, they must complete an impossible task, uncover the ancient secret of Bishop’s Gap, and end the curse before time runs out for their entire town.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Magical Realism, Christian

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[The M✝️(KALADIN & EPIC & ILIUM & TELEMARKET Ed.) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good! My English co-op teacher lent me this book because she said a good friend of her's had wrote it (and recently published it) and she wanted my opinion on it! It was a little bit fast paced but it was great overall and I'm glad I was recommended this!

I love a good, clean, YA fantasy book!

I also love that she ended up with Drew in the end! 💖

Side note, I found the idea of the tree fascinating! I like it when authors take something that's normally just something ordinary and turn it into something mystical and magical! It really inspires me for the books I plan to write in the future!

[Lori Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not everything in small towns is as wonderful as it seems, and The Burning Tree does an excellent job of showing what happens when wounds run deep.

The story connects closely with characters who feel stuck in their small town - a town with a strange tree and deep division. And it doesn’t take long for the reader to get swept away in Ellie’s search for peace in a town bent on generational hate.

Even the setting, which at first appears like a normal small town, gives a good physical representation of the characters’ inward struggles. And the mystery wrapped around the town? That will keep a reader glued to the book until the last page.

All in all, a wonderful story of searching for the truth and forgiveness!

Romance: Clean
Violence: mild (short fight, a fantasy sickness)
Profanity: None

I was given an ARC in exchange for a review. Thank you to the publisher for this digital copy!

[Amelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book, and it made me want to write.

A hauntingly magical, autumnal, and lightly spooky vibe characterizes this small-town tale of long memory, entrenched rivalries, and a bitter curse. The prose snaps with enthralling descriptions and grounding motifs. The characters fulfill classic roles in the story, but they spark with life beyond mere archetypes. The plot is causal and tight, pulling me effortlessly from chapter to chapter. And the visceral, mythical struggle to overcome hatred and skewed understanding is rife with symbolism and conflict that feels so compelling and real.

I enjoyed this book immensely.

🍂 the heads-ups: mild violence, veiled references to abuse, brief implications of harassment 🍂

[Hanna Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Official endorsement: "Sparkling with witty prose and packed with complex relationships, Helen Dent's debut draws a timely picture of a world in which inherited prejudice has reduced a once-healthy community to self-interested tribalism. As we follow a tenacious and imperfect heroine in her race to save her sister, we readers are gently invited to wonder where our own points of view may be incomplete. Equal parts dystopia and modern fairy tale, The Burning Tree is not one to miss." -Hanna C. Howard, author of Our Divine Mischief and Ignite the Sun

[Jillian Sevilla-Sales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not let unforgiveness take root in your heart.

I was kinda expecting a different kind of story but this is a new to me story that's published under Enclave Publishing.
The vibes, the mystery and suspense, and all of the characters are so interesting.
This book kinda felt like a Jaime Jo Wright novel, plus a little bit Monster House and Stranger Things. I literally have to stop myself from reading or else I would have finished this book in one sitting.

This was a little spooky but fun read for me. I will definitely be on the lookout for this author's next book!


Got an early e-copy from the publisher and author, but above thoughts are my own.

[D.T. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Contemporary Fantasy I've ever read. Interesting book centered on themes of letting go of old wounds and choosing not to be ruled by hatred.

Find my full review in Clean Fiction's Autumn 2024 edition.

[Mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great speculative for teens that explores timeless themes in a beautiful way!

[Leaflet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give this 4.5 stars. Well-written and hard to put down.

[Beilby_Book_Nook Bekki Beilby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this YA Contemporary Fantasy debut by Helen Dent. This story reminded me of the books The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe and Curses and Other Buried Things by Caroline George.

The atmosphere of this story is perfect for a fall read and has just the right amount of spookiness. Ellie, the main character, knows that there is something not right with where she lives and the people who live in the small town with her. When her sister ends up in a coma, she gets pulled into having to navigate a generational feud and breaking a curse on her town in order to save her sister. This story has small town secrets, a generational feud, mystery, suspense and shows the power of family and forgiveness.

Content: some brief violence

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Helen Dent and Enclave Publishing. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Haley Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

um more books involving magic and rednecks please and thank you

[Kimberly McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating story centered around two rival families whose hatred divides a town. The one thing these families have in common is being tethered to the burning tree and her power. When the burning tree’s mark claims Ellie’s little sister, Ellie’s actions intended to save her sister almost destroys an entire town. This story has it all—mystery, suspenseful intrigue, magical realism, and family alliances versus deep-seated hatred. A fast-paced read that highlights the ruthlessness associated with grudges and the healing power of forgiveness.

[K.M. Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very okay book.

Pros:

Heroine isn't too dumb

Has an intact family who are important to the plot

Spooky tree in the woods

Team of people who hate each other but sort of become friends

Pretty good mystery about why the Tree is so angry

Happy ending

Cons:

Heroine throws a fit for the entire book because her slimy boyfriend dumps her on page 2 because he's the guy in that meme checking out the other girl while his own girl looks reproachful. He is not once held accountable for this.

A lot of plot threads laid in the beginning that are forgotten about in the second half, like the mutating forest growth and the leaves that shouldn't be there.

Curtis is a better man than Drew but Curtis is the one who is forced out of town. Taken as a whole with the rest of the book, this is a strange choice. Drew's actions at the beginning are the catalyst and he should have been the one being punished.

Heroine is the perpetually frenzied anxiety -inducing personality, do not expect any fun from her.

Conclusion:

Pretty good spooky read for Halloween or any spooky time. As long as you turn your brain off and don't pay attention to the inconsistencies, you'll have a good time following the plot's many turns. Just don't be like me and yell I'M THE RUMOR WEED, OOO OOO OOO every time roots are mentioned.

[Matthew Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Burning Tree is a captivating journey that weaves suspense with powerful storytelling in the richly detailed fictional town of Bishop's Gap. The story pulls readers into a world of mystery and intrigue and expertly keeps the answers just out of reach until the end. With richly drawn characters and an atmosphere thick with tension, it’s a must-read for fans of thrilling, immersive fiction.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, you’re just drawn in by a lovely cover, aren’t you? That was what I first found so enticing about Helen Dent’s debut. The Burning Tree has an absolutely gorgeous cover, one that promised mystery and nature and unexplained magic. The story housed beneath that lovely, evocative tree delivered on what that art promised, and it did so in a scant few pages. I was captivated by this standalone work of magical realism that pointed to hope burning through the darkness, even when light and hope seemed like a lost cause.

Bishop’s Gap has been home to three main families for generations: the Casters, the Levys, and the Finches. And for generations, the Casters and Levys have been engaged in a bitter feud, with the Finches caught in the middle. Think Hatfields and McCoys with a mystical edge. This feud is rooted in betrayal and a mysterious, magical plague that effects both Caster and Levy alike about once a generation. This plague stems from the Burning Tree, and it tends to target wells, or crops, or homes. That is, until Ellie Caster’s generation. Now, the actual health and lives of people are being effected, as some begin sinking into comas that baffle the medical world. And this all starts with Ellie’s little sister. Ellie will stop at nothing to free her sister from this curse. Even if it means burning her world to the ground.

Starting with the Burning Tree.

The Burning Tree is the type and tone of magical realism that brought to mind The Raven Boys and Boy’s Life and Ray Bradbury’s work, specifically his Green Town novels. I instantly loved the style and voice. Dent’s prose is lovely, and feels perfectly suited to this story’s chosen genre. It was immediately engaging and dramatic, reminding me of some of my favorite YA series, like Daughter of Smoke and Bone and (again) The Raven Boys.

I also really loved the themes here. This short, tight tale is all about putting aside hatred and grudges, unforgiveness and generations of hurt, in favor of mercy. It’s about breaking generational cycles and seeing outside of family names and family lore to the people who bear both. These were couched in a compelling setting that I wish I had been explored to even greater depths, but that would have required a higher page count. There’s a touch of romance here, but I honestly think the story would have been even stronger without it. That’s an aspect that I by-and-large ignored. I was much more interested in other relationship dynamics, like those familial or filial.

This was a really enjoyable story, one that reminded me of other stories I love while also being very much its own thing. As with every Enclave title, The Burning Tree is a totally clean read. It’s one that comes from a Christian worldview, even if faith is never laid bare or named on the page. But it was through viewing the world through that lens that mercy found its way into this book, and without that message of love and forgiveness and sacrifice, the story wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful.

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this cover! It's such epic cover art. And the story is a pretty good read, too.

I'm not quite sure what I expected when I read this, but it wasn't what I got. However, once I let go of my expectations and just went with it, the story had a real cozy, homey kind of feel to it.

I've lived in smaller towns most of my life and the setting really hit this one on the head for me. It has barefoot, walking in the woods, simple life meshed with a small vein of mysterious folk tale darkness. It's not quite creepy per say, but there's a haunting, nostalgic quality to the tone that is rather interesting.

The story kind of gave me backwoods Romeo and Juliet vibes XD These two families warring against one another, but also there's this third clan that wants nothing to do with the war. All wrapped in a generational curse, a funky oracle woman, and three MCs who really aren't equipped for the quest they're thrust into. I particularly felt intrigued by the dynamics of these three kids who were so hostile to one another.

There were hints of the neutral clan feeling ignored or not valuable because of the raging hostility between the two main warring families, but we didn't dig as far into that as I had hoped. But, the story did focus on things and people having a depth beyond what we first assume. I liked the layers we pulled back in both the characters and the plot.

Content: no foul language, only some mild fantasy violence (more focus on a sickness than anything else), and clean romance. The story deals with motivations in our hearts, prejudice, truth, and forgiveness. Suitable for probably 13/14+

As a note: I did have the honor of proofreading this manuscript :) But the thoughts above are my honest, freely given thoughts <3

[Mike Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Burning Tree, debut novel from author Helen Dent, is my favorite fiction read so far in 2024. It is a tale of several young people coming of age in a town locked into a multi-generational feud between two rival families. How did this feud begin? Why is it still ongoing? Is there any hope of ending it? Can the town…or even the world…survive it? The Burning Tree stands as a shining example of Magical Realism in the grand tradition of A Thousand Years of Solitude and Dandelion Wine; all presented in the sharp, concise prose of the best YA novels. Magical Realism is most strongly identified by the way it uses the fantastic to shine a light on the real world. The way bitter generational hatred comes to impact, not just the people, but even the town in very physical and cultural ways is masterfully portrayed in a way that will make you stop to check if this is really a debut novel. The story and characters are rich, the prose is very well-constructed, and (like Ogres) it has layers. You can feel free to simply enjoy a fantastic story or sink into the insights The Burning Tree has to offer concerning the broken world in which we live.

Please add this one to your reading lists and, if you like it, reach out to your local library and request they add it to their collection!

[Patti Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Burning Tree by Helen Dent is a Young Adult Fantasy. In Bishop’s Gap, two families have been feuding for decades. The Casters and the Levy families only have one thing in common – the absolute dread of a scorch mark appearing on their homes’ doors unexpectedly. The mark seems unexpected and brings the curse of the Burning Tree with it.

Ellie Caster finds herself in the center of things when the mark appears on her family’s door. Her sister, Jean, falls into a coma. I loved how the author built the storylines of Ellie, a member of the Levy family, and additional community members. I found myself involved in twists and turns that kept me reading.

Ellie and two of her classmates from the other two prominent families in town find themselves heading to the forbidden woods to lift the curse once and for all. The author builds suspense, shows faith’s power, and demonstrates how forgiveness can affect us.

So, if you are looking for a Young Adult Fantasy, check out The Burning Tree by Helen Dent.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

[Becca Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Burning Tree is a YA fantasy unlike one I’ve ever read. I genuinely had no idea where the story would take me or what would happen. And the ending was quite a twist!

I absolutely loved learning about the history of the setting and the tree and how the mark came to be. I loved the history of the three families–the Finches, and the two rivaling ones, the Casters and the Levys. I loved how a member of each family were chosen in order to attempt to break the curse that plagues Bishop’s Gap.

Each of the characters have great arcs and I really appreciated that–and I would’ve loved if the author would have gone even deeper with the characters. I believe the message that Dent is sending through her novel is incredibly important and developing the characters even further would’ve really driven that message even more.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It has a great message and will leave you turning the pages, just needing to know what will happen and how the three characters will break the curse.

I had received a copy of the book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

[Kendra Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasy, especially Young Adult Fantasy, is a normal genre that I read. I was really intrigued by the synposis of this book, so I decided to read it. The Burning Tree by Helen Dent is the latest Young Adult Fantasy book that I have read.

I will admit it took me a couple of chapters to really get interested in this book. Ellie Caster is the main character of this book. The book has Ellie trying to break a long time curse in her town of Bishop's Gap. The curse is bought on by a mark on doors. Bishop Gap has been home to the Caster and Levy families for generations and they have been feuding for generations. I really LOVE that Ellie Caster and Charlotte Levy come together to help break the curse from the Burning Tree when Ellie's sister goes into a coma and from a "mark" from the Burning Tree on the Caster family home. I really like that this book is set in a Small Town and has the "Family Feud". Ellie and Charlotte who were once enemies and how they came together to save Ellie's sister was very heartwarming. This book is filled with Suspense and Fantasy. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Fantasy and Suspense books! FANTASTIC BOOK!

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This book was both everything I expected and nothing that I expected. The world-building was great from the first page, with descriptions that made smoke-filled air easy to imagine and a town filled with hatred come to life.

Ellie was an easy character to connect with, both her anger and desperation to save her sister and prove herself more than what she was unjustly labeled. Though we don’t know her exact age, her actions are consistent with a teenager over her head in a situation.

The story and characters pulled me along through the story, keeping me hooked until the last page. The mystery, conflict, and town history combined with the tension of the tree’s curse and the diverse cast of characters made for an excellent read!

*The ending felt a bit rushed, and an important relationship was left a little too ambiguous for me, with the possible connotation of cheating that left a bit of a bad flavor. The difference between human choice and the influence of the tree was also a bit too wishy-washy at the end for me as well, leaving me unsatisfied with one part of the ending. For these reasons, I took off half a star.

[Brandi Raae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this tightly-woven, contemporary YA fantasy from debut author, Helen Dent!

“For a second, the table went dead quiet. For my sister, the fairy-tale veneer hadn’t yet rubbed off Bishop’s Gap. She didn’t see it for what it was—a place that should only exist in books, its own little pocket of insanity in the twenty-first century.”

Even though 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒆 is considered contemporary, there are so many wonderful components that emanate fairytale/dystopian vibes:

*small town
*forbidden woods
*generational feud
*ancient secret
*curse & consequences
*heroine to save the day

This book releases September 10, and is perfect for 13 and up. Teenage turmoil but no language or any other explicit content. Also under 250 pages, so a fun, quick read!

Although different, this story reminded me a little of the middle grade book, The Night Gardener. And maybe hints of a movie I love - The Village.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a complimentary paperback ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A town where secrets and hate whisper in the trees sets the stage for a story that will keep you glued to the pages. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this fantasy book but I was very impressed with it. The eerie woods hold a secret that has caused families to fight against families. Suddenly people start to get very sick and rumors of a curse reach epic heights that brings the worst out in people.

I loved following the main characters as they try to solve a mystery that has haunted the town for years. Ellie is my favorite character because she never gave up and was determined to figure out what was behind the unusual happenings in the town. She sure doesn’t let others stop her from the challenge that will include a few other teens. What intrigued me was the story touches on trust, forgiveness and letting go of the past. I enjoyed the story and how the author illustrates how important it is to work together.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit . The review is my own opinion.

[Hailey Huntington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Burning Tree is a story about roots, skillfully balancing secrets, history, and a little bit of magic.

Dent nailed the small-town-with-a-secret vibes. There really aren't any specific things in the setting to put the story in a certain time period, which I love. The almost-timeless feeling works perfectly with the story.

Ellie is an easy character to connect with. As someone with close relationships with my family, Ellie's determination to save her sister and grandfather resonated with me.

The plot is reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys, but don't assume you'll be able to predict everything that's going to happen.

With wonderfully woven themes of family and forgiveness, The Burning Tree is a solid debut by Helen Dent, and I look forward to more novels from her in the future.

Cautions: brief, moderate violence; light romance

(I was gifted an ARC by the publisher. All thoughts are my own.)

[Maggie Philpot · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly beautiful, delightful, and heartfelt novel. The story is of a town with a long-standing feud, always on the brink of tipping over into violence, a mysterious tree in the woods that seems to have some power for good or ill over the town, and dark markings that appear on doors in town as harbingers of trouble. When Ellie’s finds her front door is marked, it is her little sister who suffers a strange disaster, struck suddenly unconscious with an unexplained disease. Fueled by desperation and anger, Ellie decides to do something drastic to reverse her sister’s fate, and suddenly someone from every household in town is struck with this strange disease. Will Ellie and two unlikely companions be able to undue what has been done, find a cure to this cross, and stave off an explosion of violence in town? Courage, sacrifice, and great love will lead her on a suspense-filled journey. The Burning Tree is a wonderful read from novelist Helen Dent! I can’t wait to read her next book!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a few pages into this book and then stopped for a bit. I was on a plane trip and read about 40 pages, then I was hooked. I was drawn in by the plot and the characters. I wanted the book's troubled central character, Ellie, to find her way out and to find wholeness and peace. Her journey seems like such a common journey that so many teenagers are on today, but that plenty of adults can identify with as well. The book holds out the possibility for forgiveness and reconciliation--such a powerful message and encouragement for our world today. I would recommend this book to teenagers for sure, but I think many adults will enjoy the story and its message. Life does not have to be ruled by grudges and hatred and lies. There is such great power in forgiveness and love and truth--and family members (and friends) who love us no matter how we have messed up. This book is an enjoyable read with timeless truths that shine through. So glad it was recommended to me!

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual 3.5/5 The Burning Tree is a fast-paced, quick, little story that zips along from start to finish. It is written in a rather blunt style, which can be jarring if you are reading it after a more lyrical book like I did. There are a lot of good elements in the structure of the world. The marks, the tree, the tension between Casters and Levys, the history of the town, the woods, the sick people, and Maggie all mixed together to form this slightly creepy and intense world. It helped keep Ellie on edge as she ran around trying to do things without really knowing what she was supposed to do. It does a good job of keeping you from knowing exactly what Ellie is going to need to do to help save everyone until the very end. There is a lot of fallout at the end, but it also does a lot to show how much she has grown throughout the story. Overall, the story was easy to read and came together well.

[John Bartell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Dent’s debut novel, The Burning Tree, is an exciting YA fantasy story. Helen is such a gifted writer – her words flow as if they’re spilling out of a Rembrandt painting. And the story is gripping and compelling. I found myself completely engrossed in both the storyline – how the main character, a teen named Ellie Caster, struggles to save both her sister and the entire small town where she lives from its mythic master – and in Ellie’s personal conflicts (the boy she has a crush on, keeping her friends, holding onto her family’s love). Helen has also seamlessly woven a world where the mystic is interspersed with the normal. It’s an entertaining, exiting and thought provoking read and I highly recommend it! (Though it definitely leans into YA, readers of adult should consider it as well.)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing debut! The title and beautiful cover immediately snagged my interest. But what held my attention was the fascinating plot. A young girl finds herself right in the middle of a quest to not only save her sister but a whole town. With generations of prejudice and feuding threatening to boil over, Ellie, Charlotte and Curtis must act quickly.

I don't usually read many books written for young adults, so I was surprised at the extent of character development for the main characters. Readers will fall in love with this blend of mystery and magic realism. Woven throughout is a theme of sacrifice and forgiveness.

I received a complimentary arc copy from the author/publisher and have purchased my own book as well. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Laura Dupuy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was unlike anything I've ever read before! It's got a contemporary small-town setting blended with a dark, Old-World-fairy-tale vibe that gave me great shivers. I love stories about fighting supernatural forces that nobody understands, and the curse that drives the story kept popping up in creepy and interesting ways. And on top of the magical mysteries, the uneasy alliance between the main characters had me twisting myself in knots, worried that one of them would go too far and blow the whole thing up before they'd saved the town. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and by the end, I wished there were more of it!!! If you liked The Breakfast Club, but would have liked it better if the teens had to skip detention to solve the mystery fueling a centuries-old magical curse before it consumes everyone they'd ever loved, then you're in luck!

[Diana Cullum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Dent’s debut novel is a page-turning autumn mystery with dystopian flashes of Hunger Games and all the atmospheric spookiness of The Village. When an ancient curse on her hometown takes a sinister turn, Ellie Castor and her friends race to uncover the secrets of the past and lay old injuries to rest. Helen’s almost lyrical prose whisks you away to a world that stays with you long after you’ve closed the book. The narrator’s voice, vivid imagery, and relatable characters are all spot on. The Burning Tree is a journey toward forgiveness appropriate for both adult/young adult and discerning upper-middle grade readers. Keep Helen on your radar—she’s a tremendous storyteller and a beautiful writer!