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babs_reviews's review against another edition
3.0
A slow building novel that wasn't as engaging in the opening as it could have been. You definitely get a feel right away the type of book you're getting, real and emotional. All of the potential was there but not executed well.
The characters didn't do it for me. That's not to say that others won't connect with them, only that I didn't.
It was full of growth and self healing. I loved that we could go on that journey. It also gave me a new respect for firefighters (men and women alike!)
The overall message was great and I liked it but not something that left me hanging on to the world once it ended.
**I received an eARC copy from netgalley for an honest review**
The characters didn't do it for me. That's not to say that others won't connect with them, only that I didn't.
It was full of growth and self healing. I loved that we could go on that journey. It also gave me a new respect for firefighters (men and women alike!)
The overall message was great and I liked it but not something that left me hanging on to the world once it ended.
**I received an eARC copy from netgalley for an honest review**
bookswritingandmore's review against another edition
5.0
I'm quickly becoming a fan girl for Paty Blount. Her characters and stories are so good. This is the second book I've read by her. The first was "His Touch" which just melted my heart but I think I liked this one just a little better. This novel had a longer story so it was really easy to get wrapped out in Patty's world.
bluebeereads's review against another edition
4.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
I love you so much, Patty Blount. You make me feel all the feels every time I pick up one of your books. While I did have a few... annoyances with this book, I still loved it to bits and you made me cry. I read it in one sitting and I'm ignoring my growling stomach so I can get these thoughts out of my head for you. So here goes...
Nothing Left to Burn is about Reece Logan. His father hasn't spoken to him since the car accident that killed Reece's brother Matt. Reece is desperate for forgiveness and his father's respect and joins the Junior Cadet program at his dad's firehouse. That's where he meets Amanda. Amanda is a foster kid and she's finally found a good home she wants to stay at. But then a string of arsons point to someone close to her and she might lose everything.
Patty's books always make me feel. She picks some tough topics to weave a story around and makes it great. I cried a couple of times reading this with Reece's POV. His story is so emotional and I loved him so very much as a character! I felt so much for him and I just wanted to hug him. I also loved the other members of the Junior Cadet team and Reece's best friend Alex. In the beginning I didn't like his dad, but he redeemed himself quite a bit so I grew to love him too. I read this book in one sitting, mainly because I was so invested in Reece's story.
Now what didn't I like? I didn't really care all that much for Amanda in the beginning. I liked her, don't get me wrong, but her POV felt unnecessary sometimes. That got better in the second half though. I also didn't really buy the romance. It started a bit sudden. Not that it was insta-love, not really. It just... It caught me off guard because I was focused on the other parts of the story.
Nothing Left to Burn was another great book by Patty Blount and I do recommend it to fans of contemporary. You deserve that spot on my author auto-buy list very much, dear Patty. Now go write me more awesome books!
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog.
I love you so much, Patty Blount. You make me feel all the feels every time I pick up one of your books. While I did have a few... annoyances with this book, I still loved it to bits and you made me cry. I read it in one sitting and I'm ignoring my growling stomach so I can get these thoughts out of my head for you. So here goes...
Nothing Left to Burn is about Reece Logan. His father hasn't spoken to him since the car accident that killed Reece's brother Matt. Reece is desperate for forgiveness and his father's respect and joins the Junior Cadet program at his dad's firehouse. That's where he meets Amanda. Amanda is a foster kid and she's finally found a good home she wants to stay at. But then a string of arsons point to someone close to her and she might lose everything.
Patty's books always make me feel. She picks some tough topics to weave a story around and makes it great. I cried a couple of times reading this with Reece's POV. His story is so emotional and I loved him so very much as a character! I felt so much for him and I just wanted to hug him. I also loved the other members of the Junior Cadet team and Reece's best friend Alex. In the beginning I didn't like his dad, but he redeemed himself quite a bit so I grew to love him too. I read this book in one sitting, mainly because I was so invested in Reece's story.
Now what didn't I like? I didn't really care all that much for Amanda in the beginning. I liked her, don't get me wrong, but her POV felt unnecessary sometimes. That got better in the second half though. I also didn't really buy the romance. It started a bit sudden. Not that it was insta-love, not really. It just... It caught me off guard because I was focused on the other parts of the story.
Nothing Left to Burn was another great book by Patty Blount and I do recommend it to fans of contemporary. You deserve that spot on my author auto-buy list very much, dear Patty. Now go write me more awesome books!
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Despite living in Matt's shadow, Reece absolutely adored him and he is deeply grieving his loss. He is also living with the horrible guilt that he is responsible for his brother's death and his troubled relationship with his father compounds these feelings. In the months since Matt's death, his relationship with his father has deteriorated to the point they barely speak. After a vague but troubling conversation with his best friend Alex, Reece decides to take his advice and tries to connect with his father by joining the junior cadet program at fire department where his father works as a volunteer fire fighter. While their interactions remain fraught with tension, the rest of the cadets pull together to help Reece succeed in the program.
Reece does not let the team's initial dislike of him or his father's derisive attitude intimidate him and he eventually thrives once he makes progress with the physical and intellectual demands of the program. While he is hoping to improve his relationship with his father by joining the cadet program, he is truly surprised by the camaraderie he finds with his fellow team members. He is also stunned to discover he truly enjoys the fire fighter training. As he gains more confidence and his dad's grudging respect, Reece's objectives for joining the training begin to evolve. He also begins making progress with dealing with his guilt and grief but his ongoing struggles with his dad continue to be a stumbling block.
Amanda is a fellow cadet whose home life is tenuous since she in the foster care system. She is finally with a foster family that she likes and she is not willing to do anything to jeopardize her current placement. She adheres to her foster family's strict rules and although she cares deeply for her foster brother, she tries to remain emotionally distant from him and her foster parents. Despite her initial animosity toward Reece, Amanda is fully invested in making sure he succeeds in the cadet program and she easily rallies the rest of the squad into helping him. When Amanda's feelings toward Reece deepen beyond friendship, their relationship becomes a frustrating push/pull since she is determined to protect both her heart and her living arrangements.
The novel is written in dual, first person perspective and the chapters alternate between Reece and Amanda's points of view. This technique works well for the story and the character's voices are quite distinct. While Reece's story is the most compelling, it is helpful to know the reasons behind some of Amanda's decisions.
Nothing Left to Burn is a fascinating blend of family issues, romance and a hint of suspense. The plot is unique and Patty Blount's meticulous research brings the fire fighting aspect of the storyline vibrantly to life. The romance between Amanda and Reece is the weakest part of the plot due to the "instalove" feel to their relationship. The suspense element is interesting but rather easy to solve. Neither of these story arcs lessen the overall enjoyment of the novel and I have absolutely no qualms about recommending Nothing Left to Burn to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary young adult novels.
Reece does not let the team's initial dislike of him or his father's derisive attitude intimidate him and he eventually thrives once he makes progress with the physical and intellectual demands of the program. While he is hoping to improve his relationship with his father by joining the cadet program, he is truly surprised by the camaraderie he finds with his fellow team members. He is also stunned to discover he truly enjoys the fire fighter training. As he gains more confidence and his dad's grudging respect, Reece's objectives for joining the training begin to evolve. He also begins making progress with dealing with his guilt and grief but his ongoing struggles with his dad continue to be a stumbling block.
Amanda is a fellow cadet whose home life is tenuous since she in the foster care system. She is finally with a foster family that she likes and she is not willing to do anything to jeopardize her current placement. She adheres to her foster family's strict rules and although she cares deeply for her foster brother, she tries to remain emotionally distant from him and her foster parents. Despite her initial animosity toward Reece, Amanda is fully invested in making sure he succeeds in the cadet program and she easily rallies the rest of the squad into helping him. When Amanda's feelings toward Reece deepen beyond friendship, their relationship becomes a frustrating push/pull since she is determined to protect both her heart and her living arrangements.
The novel is written in dual, first person perspective and the chapters alternate between Reece and Amanda's points of view. This technique works well for the story and the character's voices are quite distinct. While Reece's story is the most compelling, it is helpful to know the reasons behind some of Amanda's decisions.
Nothing Left to Burn is a fascinating blend of family issues, romance and a hint of suspense. The plot is unique and Patty Blount's meticulous research brings the fire fighting aspect of the storyline vibrantly to life. The romance between Amanda and Reece is the weakest part of the plot due to the "instalove" feel to their relationship. The suspense element is interesting but rather easy to solve. Neither of these story arcs lessen the overall enjoyment of the novel and I have absolutely no qualms about recommending Nothing Left to Burn to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary young adult novels.
acozybooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
Being a fan of Patty Blount already, I was pretty excited for this book and was geeked to get it off Netgalley early! Nothing Left to Burn was a pretty good read that kept me going, turning pages but didn’t fully knock it out of the book park for me. With that being said I would rate it at about 3.5 but rounded to a 4 for star rating. I went with that because of a few reasons that I will list below!
*I didn't really connect with the characters very well, granted I really enjoyed Reece as a character and he was written very well, I just didn’t feel a connection with him. I didn’t care much for Amanda as a character overall, I honestly wish the book would’ve just centered full around him and not switched POV between Reece and Amanda, hers just didn’t seem to benefit the story in any way. It wasn't enough to deter my love for the overall story though.
*It started out slowly for awhile and you honestly learned more about being a firefighter then anything! (mad props to those men and women!), normally I don't like that and put the book down for another time but her writing was so good that it still drew me in and kept me reading till the end and I was happy I stuck it out. About half way through the book was when I really got sucked it and didn’t put it down tell I was finished.
*The overall writing and end result in the story was a winner for me! Following Reece through his struggle to have acceptance from his father after his brother’s death was so heartbreaking, it was nice watching him grow as a person finding himself and where he belonged in the end. It also had a bit of a love story in there and a hint of mystery added in there for a surprise!
*I love the cover, I get that the cover is supposed to be Amanda, but really Reece is I think the main target of the book as well as firefighting. So I think some of you may be mislead there as I was.
Overall thinking there was a handful of both dislikes and likes for this story but I still found this to be a good read.
**I received an eARC from Netgalley for an honest review, thank you**
*I didn't really connect with the characters very well, granted I really enjoyed Reece as a character and he was written very well, I just didn’t feel a connection with him. I didn’t care much for Amanda as a character overall, I honestly wish the book would’ve just centered full around him and not switched POV between Reece and Amanda, hers just didn’t seem to benefit the story in any way. It wasn't enough to deter my love for the overall story though.
*It started out slowly for awhile and you honestly learned more about being a firefighter then anything! (mad props to those men and women!), normally I don't like that and put the book down for another time but her writing was so good that it still drew me in and kept me reading till the end and I was happy I stuck it out. About half way through the book was when I really got sucked it and didn’t put it down tell I was finished.
*The overall writing and end result in the story was a winner for me! Following Reece through his struggle to have acceptance from his father after his brother’s death was so heartbreaking, it was nice watching him grow as a person finding himself and where he belonged in the end. It also had a bit of a love story in there and a hint of mystery added in there for a surprise!
*I love the cover, I get that the cover is supposed to be Amanda, but really Reece is I think the main target of the book as well as firefighting. So I think some of you may be mislead there as I was.
Overall thinking there was a handful of both dislikes and likes for this story but I still found this to be a good read.
**I received an eARC from Netgalley for an honest review, thank you**
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Loved reading this book! Loved the topic, and the characters, it was just so freaking fantastic! Loved it!
my_expanding_bookshelf's review
4.0
I received a copy of Nothing Left to Burn via Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.
This book had me in tears. So many tears. Just the raw emotion contained within 368 pages is overwhelming!
Nothing Left to Burn is a rare type of book. It brings so many different characters from different backgrounds and meshes them together excellently. The setting ties in extremely well with both the characters and the plot. In fact, they practically go hand in hand. It makes absolute sense for each of the characters to be where they are. The majority of the characters, including the secondary characters, are very likable with the exception of Reece's father.
Nothing Left to Burn is told via the alternating perspectives of Reece and Amanda. These perspectives do tend to overlap, but this allows the reader to gain a better picture of how the characters feel, especially in regards to Matt and J Squad. It also shows how the Junior Cadets, and probably everyone else, judged and blamed Reece for Matt's death. This was something that really affected Reece and he did shoulder all the blame and it crushed him.
There are so many aspects to the story - Reece's relationship with his father, joining J Squad, Amanda's struggles etc - and this makes the story very fast paced. There was always something happening or some secret being revealed. This means that Nothing Left to Burn is also a very quick read. Every aspect to the plot was also logical. There weren't too many plot twists - it's mainly set around Reece struggling for acceptance from his father and J Squad. However, the one major plot twist wasn't expected. All the evidence didn't really noticeably point to the outcome yet it still revealed clues throughout the story.
I really liked Reece. I just felt so sorry for him and wanted to give him a massive hug. All he wanted was to be accepted by his father and this had such a profound effect on his life as a whole. He is just so different to the rest of his family and he really struggles with this. To a lesser extent, I can relate to this as I'm the odd one in my family however my family actually speaks to me and we get on. Reece also struggles with his overwhelming guilt over the death of his brother. It doesn't help that everyone, family and Matt's friends, piles the blame on to him. Reece bottles his feelings up until they just explode out of him. I really don't think that his parents have handled the situation well. Of course, they are grieving but they should have remembered and supported their other son.
However, underneath all his grief and family problems Reece is probably one of the nicest people anyone would have the fortune of meeting. He can be very sweet and witty and a total lack of verbal filter which results in a few cute/awkward moments.
I loved Amanda for her pure desire to persist through tough times. She really hasn't had the best start in life and is desperate to better herself. Unlike, many (but obviously not all) teenagers stuck in the foster care system she manages to stick to the straight and narrow. She doesn't want to be a statistic and, therefore, pushes herself to do the best she can both at school and at the firehouse. However, for a girl who grew up in foster care she could also appear rather snobbish and stand-offish at times. However, this is mainly directed towards Reece and gradually disappears.
I would definitely recommend Nothing Left to Burn to fans of YA contemporary romance. It is extremely emotional and a tough read but I think anyone would like it. I look forward to reading more by Patty Blount in the future.
This book had me in tears. So many tears. Just the raw emotion contained within 368 pages is overwhelming!
Nothing Left to Burn is a rare type of book. It brings so many different characters from different backgrounds and meshes them together excellently. The setting ties in extremely well with both the characters and the plot. In fact, they practically go hand in hand. It makes absolute sense for each of the characters to be where they are. The majority of the characters, including the secondary characters, are very likable with the exception of Reece's father.
Nothing Left to Burn is told via the alternating perspectives of Reece and Amanda. These perspectives do tend to overlap, but this allows the reader to gain a better picture of how the characters feel, especially in regards to Matt and J Squad. It also shows how the Junior Cadets, and probably everyone else, judged and blamed Reece for Matt's death. This was something that really affected Reece and he did shoulder all the blame and it crushed him.
There are so many aspects to the story - Reece's relationship with his father, joining J Squad, Amanda's struggles etc - and this makes the story very fast paced. There was always something happening or some secret being revealed. This means that Nothing Left to Burn is also a very quick read. Every aspect to the plot was also logical. There weren't too many plot twists - it's mainly set around Reece struggling for acceptance from his father and J Squad. However, the one major plot twist wasn't expected. All the evidence didn't really noticeably point to the outcome yet it still revealed clues throughout the story.
I really liked Reece. I just felt so sorry for him and wanted to give him a massive hug. All he wanted was to be accepted by his father and this had such a profound effect on his life as a whole. He is just so different to the rest of his family and he really struggles with this. To a lesser extent, I can relate to this as I'm the odd one in my family however my family actually speaks to me and we get on. Reece also struggles with his overwhelming guilt over the death of his brother. It doesn't help that everyone, family and Matt's friends, piles the blame on to him. Reece bottles his feelings up until they just explode out of him. I really don't think that his parents have handled the situation well. Of course, they are grieving but they should have remembered and supported their other son.
However, underneath all his grief and family problems Reece is probably one of the nicest people anyone would have the fortune of meeting. He can be very sweet and witty and a total lack of verbal filter which results in a few cute/awkward moments.
I loved Amanda for her pure desire to persist through tough times. She really hasn't had the best start in life and is desperate to better herself. Unlike, many (but obviously not all) teenagers stuck in the foster care system she manages to stick to the straight and narrow. She doesn't want to be a statistic and, therefore, pushes herself to do the best she can both at school and at the firehouse. However, for a girl who grew up in foster care she could also appear rather snobbish and stand-offish at times. However, this is mainly directed towards Reece and gradually disappears.
I would definitely recommend Nothing Left to Burn to fans of YA contemporary romance. It is extremely emotional and a tough read but I think anyone would like it. I look forward to reading more by Patty Blount in the future.
breyonareads's review against another edition
5.0
It was hard to get started but, one I did, I couldn’t stop. It made me laugh and cry.
bookbriefs's review against another edition
3.0
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
Right from the first page, you can tell that Nothing Left to Burn is going to be an emotionally raw and powerful story. It is told in dual narrative between Amanda and Reece. Nothing Left to Burn really got to me. I loved that the book starts out featuring the male protagonist, Reece. Reece really touched me. I felt for him so badly. If anyone needs a hug, it is Reece. Luckily, I was also able to tell right away that he has a kick ass friend in Alex.
Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult emotional contemporary. Reece's older brother Matt died a year prior to the start of the story, and Reece is still reeling from the loss. That and the fact that everyone around him (except for Alex) seems to be blaming him in varying degrees for his brother's death. (which, side note, kind of bugged me for the whole story.) In order to honor a promise he made to his brother, Reece joins the local junior firefighter program to get close to his dad. (since said dad was being a major jerkface.) And at this program Reece meets Amanda. I bet you can guess what happens next.
Yep, emotional romance. I liked the romance in nothing left to burn, but for me it came secondary for Reece's journey. Amanda has her own issues, but they didn't really measure up to Reece's. I don't mean that they weren't as important as his. She hasn't really had a place to call home, other than the firehouse, but her emotions didn't bleed out of the pages quite like Reece's did for me. Still, it was nice to see Amanda and Reece impacting the other one. Amanda has to deal with all sorts of crazy with her current foster family, so there were plenty of roadblocks in store for our young friends.
Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult book for readers that like their romance with a heavy side of emotional and deeper issues. This is not a lighthearted, beach read. But it is a worthwhile read. I had a few minor annoyances throughout the story, but it didn't take away from author Patty Blount's powerfull-ness to her prose. She has a very strong book on her hands with Nothing Left to Burn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Right from the first page, you can tell that Nothing Left to Burn is going to be an emotionally raw and powerful story. It is told in dual narrative between Amanda and Reece. Nothing Left to Burn really got to me. I loved that the book starts out featuring the male protagonist, Reece. Reece really touched me. I felt for him so badly. If anyone needs a hug, it is Reece. Luckily, I was also able to tell right away that he has a kick ass friend in Alex.
Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult emotional contemporary. Reece's older brother Matt died a year prior to the start of the story, and Reece is still reeling from the loss. That and the fact that everyone around him (except for Alex) seems to be blaming him in varying degrees for his brother's death. (which, side note, kind of bugged me for the whole story.) In order to honor a promise he made to his brother, Reece joins the local junior firefighter program to get close to his dad. (since said dad was being a major jerkface.) And at this program Reece meets Amanda. I bet you can guess what happens next.
Yep, emotional romance. I liked the romance in nothing left to burn, but for me it came secondary for Reece's journey. Amanda has her own issues, but they didn't really measure up to Reece's. I don't mean that they weren't as important as his. She hasn't really had a place to call home, other than the firehouse, but her emotions didn't bleed out of the pages quite like Reece's did for me. Still, it was nice to see Amanda and Reece impacting the other one. Amanda has to deal with all sorts of crazy with her current foster family, so there were plenty of roadblocks in store for our young friends.
Nothing Left to Burn is a great young adult book for readers that like their romance with a heavy side of emotional and deeper issues. This is not a lighthearted, beach read. But it is a worthwhile read. I had a few minor annoyances throughout the story, but it didn't take away from author Patty Blount's powerfull-ness to her prose. She has a very strong book on her hands with Nothing Left to Burn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
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