Thank you Julie Buxbaum and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I'm a sucker for covers and this book caught my eye as I was scrolling through NetGalley. I took a chance, requested the book and was approved for an ARC. When I started the book, I was a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy it because it's Young Adult and it's been a LONG time since I've read a Contemporary YA book. I was in a bit of a book slump and was taking forever reading books. I think this book was just what I needed to get out of that mini burn out. It's so different from what I normally read and I loved it.

Year on Fire is told from the POV of four Juniors in one of the most turbulent times of their lives. Immie and Arch, fraternal twins are concealing a secret from their best friend, Paige and Ro has just made a suprise appearance as the new kid from London. Paige is on the way to becoming Valedictorian of their school and has no time for anything that doesn't fit in her rigid schedule. After a series of fires are set off at Wood Valley High School, the lives of these four begin to unravel and reshape into something none of them could have ever expected.

This story has two young romances that happen simultaneously, one queer, both so sweet it'll make you remember that first love from when you were younger. It's a story about the bond between family both blood and the family you choose. There are struggles that teenagers and adults alike can relate to. The stress of being the person that everyone expects you to be instead of being your true, imperfect self. I felt a multitude of emotions when reading this story and I believe that Julie Buxbaum did a beautiful job of telling all of these stories, while weaving them altogether.

I'm closer to having kids in high school than I am to being a 16 year old girl again. When my kids are at an age that they can appreciate what's told in this story, I plan on recommending this book to them. I want them to be their authentic, true self and to have a support system in their friends and family. They deserve to be proud of who they are, who they love, and be proud of how hard they work. Ms. Buxbaum does a wonderful job of normalizing the struggles of balancing life at the tender age of 16. Whether you're a fan of YA books or not, this is a great book to read with your teens or just to read on your own. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it since I'm not sure I would have picked it up on my own any other way.

Side note: If you're a parent and curious about details in the book, the most graphic it gets is a kiss here and there. Not detailed at all, but mentioned. There are also mentions of cutting and self harm, but it's very brief and isn't depicted in the book. Lastly, there are discussions of starting fires throughout the book, but again, nothing too graphic.

I absolutely love this author and was so eager for this book. As usual, the writing is top notch but this story was a little harder for me to get into this time. It starts off fine but I found it difficult to remain engaged with the characters and their situation. It is still a good read but not what I was expecting. I’d encourage others to check it out as this author always writes heartfelt, emotional books.

I found the beginning chapters a little all over the place, but I eventually got into the story. the mystery and adorable romance were well written and executed. super cute overall!

Julie Buxbaum does YA so well. Immie and Arch are twins and their junior year has started very dramatically. There is betrayal, stolen kisses, and family secrets.Their best friend Paige has called dibs on new guy Ro but Immie probably, sort of, definitely likes him as more than just a friend. Not only are there wildfires but someone is starting fires at their prestigious Los Angeles high school. And that's how Julie Buxbaum's newest book Year on Fire starts. This book was so angsty and dramatic in all the best ways. There is so much depth in all the relationships in this book, especially the best friendship between the twins and Paige. Being from Southern CA myself, I appreciated the shout out to Koreatown and Runyun Canyon. Excuse me while I go read the rest of Julie Buxbaum's backlist.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed how the perspective switched between the different characters and seeing each of their perspectives on the events in the story. Seeing the ways the original trio were growing apart, and then how their new friend Ro was fitting into the group and into Los Angeles was particularly cool from the alternating perspectives, I also thought the setting of Los Angeles and the fire season was well used. I grew up in Southern California and the way the fires are kind of normalized but also oppressive resonated with me. The mystery of who the arsonist is unfolded well and all around i enjoyed the plot of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Year on Fire follows four teens -- twins Immie and Arch, Paige, and Rohan -- as they navigate friendships, romance, and growing up.

This was a sweet YA coming-of-age story that felt incredibly real and honest. Our four narrators all have to navigate different issues, such as parental pressure, being a child of divorce, and abuse, and spend a majority of the book figuring out who they are and what it means to be a good friend and a good person.

Though I did find the arc of the plot ultimately predictable -- the "who" behind the fires, the way the romances would play out, etc. -- I didn't think the predictability majorly detracted from the story in any way. I still loved getting to know the characters, and it hurt to watch them go through the difficult parts of growing up. I was glad that everything really did turn out all right in the end, even if it wasn't all picture perfect. I also adored Buxbaum's writing, and the choice to follow all four narrators in a close third.

As there was a lot to like, it feels weird to be picky, but one thing that came up relatively early in the book that kind of bugged me was the idea that this LA that our characters live in is supposedly a post-COVID LA. There's one specific mention of the pandemic that I recall, and nothing about the world our characters live in feels like our post-pandemic world. I spent a lot of time wondering what the purpose was of including it at all if the ways in which the pandemic has changed the way we navigate the world are not really present on the page.

I'm not sure what exactly sets this book apart from other stellar YA coming-of-age stories -- the revelations of the story were not particularly unique -- however I still feel like this book has earned its place among the best.

I adored this book so much and I can not believe I haven't read more of Julie's books before. I loved the relationships between Paige, Arch and Immie. I loved Immie and I want the world for her. I loved Ro and the way he fit in. This gave me so much to think about.

This book follows twins Immie and Arch, their friend Paige and newcomer Ro as they navigate the early months of Junior year at Wood Valley private school in L.A.
The twins have a long standing bond with Paige, but when a kiss at a party unleashes a series of events that affect all aspects of this relationship, their dynamic is deeply affected and their lives have to be reevaluated. Of course, this also affects the relationship with Ro, the newcomer from London both girls seem to like.
I had never read this author, but I really like the YA genre so decided to give it a try. Adolescent friendships tend to remind me of my own long standing bonds with HS friends, but it seems apparent I’m getting too old to appreciate what kids are dealing with today or maybe, as I think, this book is to PC for my taste.
The four main characters are dealing with the never changing growing pains pertinent to their ages and these are things I understand from this book, but I didn’t care for the delivery at all. From the 4 POVs to the repetitive understanding of the arsonist each of them seem to have, I didn’t feel this book and not once did I empathize with any of them.

Julie Buxbaum is the queen of the teen read. Her writing illustrates the complications of high school and the push and pull of the heart that teenagers all over the world feel at some point. Year on Fire is a fantastic read in the YA subgenre.

It's Junior year of high school and the trio of friends - twins Arch & Immie, and best friend, Paige, are ready to navigate the trials of love and friendship as best they can. When a new international student, Ro, enters their world all of the equilibrium the group had been working towards gets thrown off balance.

Family secrets, and lies between friends Buxbaum's plot realistic and addictive. Overall a great novel that I would recommend to many. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens for a copy of this book. Year on Fire will hit bookshelves on April 12, 2022.

Julie Buxbaum writes the most interesting books. This one is told from the perspective of each main character. I love the complicated relationship between the twins Immie and Ash and their best friend Paige. Buxbaum does a great job of showing us really different and dynamic teenagers, each with their own issues. Immie is a people pleaser and has to find her voice. She and Ash share a volatile father, which makes Ash's hidden sexuality even harder for him as he navigates his first real love interest. And Paige--she's the most fascinating character to me because at times you really have a lot of compassion for how much pressure she puts on herself, and you also are really angry with her for how mean she can be. That's what's best about Buxbaum: characters feel very real, fallible and redeemable. Definitely recommend.

I wavered back and forth between 3-4 stars a lot. I think part of it is that the teen angst YA high school drama just isn’t my cup of tea the way it used to be. However, if those books are what you are into, this was a really good one.

The characters were complex which is a big deal to me. I appreciate characters and their stories so much more when they aren’t just defined by a single trait. They weren’t always likable, but they were real.

This book was full of secrets and some the readers are privy to and some we aren’t, slowly bubbling to the surface, little sparks that grow until everything around them catches fire - yea that metaphor wasn’t subtle but I liked it. I was really satisfied with the ending. Coming of age is hard and most families don’t wear their problems on the outside - nobody’s lives are perfect, even though it sometimes may seem that way. I think this book beautifully demonstrated that.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Immie, Arch, Paige and Rohan are juniors in an elite private school in LA. Ro is new to California, just come from London, and his first day at his new school, someone sets fire to the school. As we find out more about each of the teens, we learn all about the lies they keep from each other, and about just how green the grass looks from the other side of the fence. Each thinks another's life must be perfect, while hiding the extent of their own family's dysfunction.

Quite a few heavy topics are introduced in this book, and each is woven into the story in a realistic way. The more we learn about each character, the more questions we receive, with the ultimate question being, who continues to set fires in their school and why?

I enjoyed this book. The ongoing theme of each character having some aspect of their life that they keep hidden even from the people closest to them, is one that many of us will be able to identify with. I liked the intricate way this author wove each of the deceptions into each others' lives, leaving me constantly wanting to know more.

Thanks to Random House and Dellacorte Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Julie Buxbaum always draws you in with her characters and the same can be said for Year on Fire.

Immie, Arch & Paige are already best friends when Ro moves to LA from London and quickly joins their little group, but on the cusp of drama between Immie & Paige. Here's the dynamic: Immie & Arch are twins and Paige is best friend to both. Paige has been dating Jackson until she finds out that he has kissed Immie or so she is led to believe.

In addition to the tête-à-tête between the two girls, the book opens with a school fire on Ro's first day there so we have both physical and metaphorical fire to contend with especially once Paige also "calls dibs" on Ro who both girls find attractive with his London accent.

To add fuel to the fire, it was actually Archie & Jackson that shared a kiss (you learn this pretty early on so no spoilers here). As these four navigate their new relationships with each other now that things have shifted, we also learn some of their backstories and personal family dynamics for more kindling.

Although it wasn't my favorite Buxbaum book, it still had my attention and took me to a YA culture of California that was new to me.

Year of Fire is full of the emotional messiness of high school teens. The story follows twins, Immie and Arch, as they navigate their mutual close friendship with Paige after THE KISS. The arrival of a new boy complicates matters further. We get a pretty good glimpse into all four characters’ lives revealing the motivations for their lying and behaviors. There is good character development, and I was rooting for Immie and Rohan the whole time. I think this will be a big hit with teens and really has something for everyone.

Julie Buxbaum is a trusted author for me! I love the way she writes YA--with just enough of that teenage angst I can relate to but while also revealing so many complexities and character development within her stories. This book did exactly that and was a great and quick read!

Wood Valley High is a high school for the elite. Paige, Immie and Arch are 3 best friends in the school that are always to9ether and believe that nothing could tear them apart. But, when Ro, a new transfer student arrives mysteriously on the same day as a school fire, the tether that seemed to keep these friends together seems to start coming loose. Secrets, romances and dysfunctional family drama might be what finally breaks them apart.

Told from the perspectives of four teenagers, this book is an amazing coming of age story entangled with a propulsive, page-turning mystery that will keep you hooked until the end!

Thanks to @netgally, @randomhousechildrens and the very talented @juliebuxbaum for another great read!

I loved this book for its complicated relationships, the unspoken fears, the drama of falling in love unexpectedly, and the celebration of the close bond of siblings. The writing also swept me away. It’s lyrical and gorgeous and there were so many lines I wanted to sit and savor.

I can’t even choose a favorite character because I liked them all. Ha. I loved the way that Arch and Immie related to each other. It was so comforting to them when they were on the same page about something and so frightening when they weren’t. I was captivated by Ro’s feelings about his parents and the uncertainty of their future as well as feeling helpless and like he had no say in moving to Los Angeles from London.

The whole story sort of circles around fires at school and rumors about who set them. I liked the way that plot slowly unspooled in the midst of all the friendship drama and tension. I felt like it was paced really well– this was a book that I read in two sittings but would have read in one if I hadn’t started the first few chapters at midnight the night before I finished it.

All in all, I think fans of WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart or WE ARE THE GOLDENS by Dana Reinhardt will love this book.

I was excited to read this until the rating on Goodreads dropped so low. Unfortunately, I have other books to read that are rated higher right now and will maybe revisit this in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. There were certain things I liked; it was a quick, easy read, and I really liked Immie and Ro's characters. I enjoyed the LA setting, and the twin relationship between Immie and Arch. My biggest complaint was the writing style; it was very abstract, and I also felt like it was trying a little too hard which ended up making it feel unrealistic to me. However, this is a personal preference for sure. I don't think it was written badly at all, it just wasn't my cup of tea. It reminded me a lot of Simon Vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda; I had the same problem with that book, but so many others really liked it, and I think this book is similar.

I'd recommend this book to individuals who enjoy YA literature and who are looking for a light, enjoyable LGBT read, and especially if you enjoy more abstract, thoughtful passages because this book has a lot of beautiful writing that I just didn't have the patience for.

In a way reminiscent of John Green’s Turtles All The Ways Down, Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum is a novel that makes its readers think about their minds, their actions, and their place in the world. At its core, this story about twins Arch and Immie Gibson, their joint best friend Paige Cohen-Chen, the new guy Rohan “Ro” Singh, and how their desires strengthen or weaken the ties that bind them together.

Our story begins with the first day of school at a private Los Angeles high school. Readers are immediately witness to the strain now between Paige and Immie, who has confessed to betraying Paige and kissing her then-boyfriend Jackson days before. Once easier than breathing, Immie does not know how to act around Paige but is eager to atone. As such, she agrees when Paige calls dibs on new-boy Rohan, even though Immie has her own crush on him. Within minutes, their day is disrupted and school is evacuated after a fire begins in a girl’s bathroom. Students know this is arson but not who would commit the act. This dramatic beginning provides the event conversations and thoughts return to time and time again over the next few hundred pages.

When deciding whether or not to read Year on Fire, potential readers need to understand that this book is so character driven that I believe you must enjoy at least 3 of the four in the main set to enjoy the plot. My experience with Year on Fire was colored by the fact that Arch was the only character I found to be interesting in any way, with my excitement at a chapter obvious whether or not it was his POV as the by-line. He was nothing like I expected, while Immie, Paige, and Ro all were to the degree that I had pegged the arsonist in their first chapter. Perhaps it was that Arch’s subplot was more complex than Immie’s conflict over lying to Paige, Paige’s unsustainable perfection, or Ro’s failure to adapt, but I wanted to read more than was written about how Arch was handling the impact his sexuality would cause with his abusive father. Arch was more than a stock YA Novel character type. His thoughts were real and messy and interesting. I deeply wish Buxbaum had managed to capture that spark (ha) with her other three main characters that she did with Arch.

Considering Year on Fire is such an internally focused novel, I was then surprised at the focus Buxbaum has given to building up the world. Her novel is set up in post-COVID Los Angeles without addressing what that would actually imply. Rather, throwaway comments about how hard a year in isolation last school year is said by a twin and then promptly forgotten. Keep in mind that this timing influences the attitude of all characters, or at least it does theoretically. The locations most of the book takes place in are mostly limited to the following places: the twins’s bedroom; Paige’s mansion; Ro’s apartment; Wood Valley High; Espresso Yourself, where the twins work; and to a lesser degree, the twins’s car. Some other places pop up for smaller scene, but none were given the level of attention as the main haunts. I liked how well I could see the way their home environments would create their characters and color their actions, but from the book’s summary, I expected more from Wood Valley High. It remarks, “But in this bastion of privilege, who’d be angry enough to want to burn down the school? Answer: pretty much everyone.” Despite this teaser, very little attention is given to school as an influencing institution and it becomes a rather non-place next to the other settings. As somebody disillusioned with elite schools, the idea of tackling such a place is part of why I requested an ARC for Year on Fire. If you can imagine, finding it to be so unimportant just made me further jaded towards the book.

If I could give partial stars on reviews, Year on Fire would get a 2.5 from me, but unfortunately, I cannot justify rounding my review up to 3 for this system. For a book with four unique points of view, each chapter read to me as nearly the same. Characters are different in their names and appearances but had similar mindsets, motivations, and actions in my reading. Everything else is so small as to be irrelevant. Perhaps if I had picked this ARC up earlier in the year or had been in a different mood when I dove in, I’d have enjoyed its reflective nature more. As is, I am unlikely to either buy a second copy on its publishing date or commit myself to a reread.

**I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum was a hit or miss for me. I was having a hard time getting into the book which made me wonder if I outgrew this genre. But then the story started to pick up so I was sucked in. The relationship developments and characters were wonderful. It almost reminded me of a younger/teen version of Little Fires Everywhere. It definitely is a slow burn read and one that focused more on friendship and less on the romances. But it was very slow pace read. Stick with it and you won't be disappointed.