What did I read?

It's been a month and I honestly still don't know whether it deserves three stars or more. There are a lot of twists and turns as the family history is uncovered, but Jesus Christ, that grandmother was something else!

Having read Rory's other book, The Wilder Girls, I went into this one with super high expectations. It wasn't my favorite of the two, but Rory has a voice that is unlike any other. I still recommend this and it's a great book to pick up during autumn / the spooky season.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Wilder Girls comes a new twisty thriller about a girl whose past has always been a mystery—until she decides to return to her mother’s hometown . . . where history has a tendency to repeat itself.

Rory Power's sophomore title Burn Our Bodies Down does not disappoint fans of her previous work. Engaging and satisfying, this thriller packs a punch.

Another gem from the exceedingly talented Rory Power. I will read anything she writes for the rest of time.

This book was so bizarre. It was definitely slow to start, but did pick up in a very interesting way. Phalene was a creepy setting and I actually really liked the main character of Margot.

So why the low rating? While I did like most of the book, the ending was just weird. It gave off a scifi feel, when the book wasn't marketed that way. The big reveal on why all the women in Margot's family looked alike was a good twist, but it was very unrealistic.

It ultimately comes down to the book being marketed wrong. There was nothing in the synopsis to suggest a SciFi element.

After reading Rory Power's Wilder Girls a few years ago, I thought I knew what to expect from her sophomore book. But I was wrong. This was dark, it was twisty, and it kept me guessing the entire time. The more I learned about the town and Margot's family, the more I desperately wanted to know. I'd call this one a combination of weird, creepy, suspenseful, disturbing, and alarming.

I'm very much looking forward to her next book!

This book was honestly a wonder, and kind of a marvel to the follow up that was Rory Powers first book. The fact that she was able to create such a different world while still using the same atmospheric writing style, is stunning. I had a bit of trouble following along with the plot, but overall this was a wonderful read, and a major help to the development of my thesis.

I didn’t get it finished before the title was archived. Thank you for the opportunity. I was invested enough to purchase the book and read it in hard copy. Will be recommending out of my students!

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

This had all the makings of a book I should love: queer characters, rural small-towns, strained mother/daughter relationships, but something about this really just didn't click for me. I feel like I never really got to know the main character, which kept me from bonding to her or the story or honestly caring about anything that happened.

This is the second book I've read by Rory Power and the woman is killing it! This book is so many different things. It's weird, burning with anticipation, it's got twists and turns. Oh, I could rave about this forever. I'm a slow reader, but this one I finished in 3 weeks (I'm in school don't judge lol). 10/10 would pick this book up again when I do my rereads.

Rory Powers: you have done it again. You have crafted a beautifully crafted mystery that kept me breezing through the pages. The plot centers around Margot and the complicated relationship with her mother. Burn Our Bodies Down was not afraid to get gritty, dark, and heavy but I truly appreciated it. This was a harrowing read that I throughly enjoy. Biggest complaint? The pacing was a bit off but overall it was still a phenomenal book. Can’t wait to what else Rory Powers comes up with!

DNF, sadly the author was found to have some controversial opinions which I absolutely disagree with so I did not continue with the book.

As someone who was a very big fan of Rory Power’s debut novel, Wilder girls, I had high expectations entering into this book. Unfortunately, it was not the book I had hoped for. I did not feel drawn into the story the same way as with her previous novel and didn’t find myself getting lost in the world she built. It wasn’t particularly captivating for me.

Power is an incredible writer when it comes to just basic craft. Her control of imagery and metaphor are exceptional, and it makes for really beautiful books. That said, I can see this book not being for everyone--it's definitely *out there* and frankly pretty confusing. But it also takes a fantastic look at complex mother-daughter relationships and familial trauma. If the writing style doesn't turn you off, I think this book is definitely worth recommending to people looking for tense, building horror stories.

I was pulled in right off the bat. It is a mix of mental health, and girl empowerment. There are family secrets, a bit of mystery and magic and a touch of horror.

This one is so hard to review, as it is not what you expect. The characters were vivid, though dark. All of them are quite manipulative. But we don't know their motivations, well except for Margo. She feels alone, lonely, and wants to know more about where she comes from. Doesn't everyone?

When Margo finally takes things into her own hands, and goes digging for her family history, she finds a grandmother. She seems nice, and Margo cannot understand why her mom kept away all those years. But the price of finding her grandmother, was finding a girl's body.

The twisty end was wow. The gruesomeness of it all, and the layers of the characters on which it was all built.. ugh. It just made my jaw drop. The characters were real. The grandmother with her coldness and harshness, but still showing that motherly side of her, even if just for a moment. The broken mother, who is so so troubled, but still calculating and strong even if misunderstood. And then we have Margo, who's young and naive, but still so determined and strong to finally stand up for herself.

I dunno, peeps. This was exactly the dark weird, with a side of girl power I needed.

So, I finished this in one evening. Lots of emotional abuse and gaslighting and then we get some horror on top of the mystery at the end. I found it to be a decent read, but nothing I need to revisit.
Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

My first read form this author and I was amazed by the writing and the pacing of the book. Loved it many twists and turns.

I got about halfway into this book and just couldn’t finish it. I think a halfway point is a good enough amount in to give my thoughts on a book. From the beginning to the middle I was in an utter fog the whole time. You are hardly given any answers and left in confusion the whole time. I think that’s the part that frustrates me most was that it was a continuation of secrets on top of secrets with no answers given. I had a feeling of unease the whole time and I couldn’t get past that. I think this book is cut out only for certain readers and I’m just not one of them.

This was so creepy and I think the author did well at slowly delivering the clues to how the story would unfold, keeping the reader engaged along with the protagonist.