Cover Image: Burn Down, Rise Up

Burn Down, Rise Up

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Member Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝙈𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝘼𝙣 𝙪𝙧𝙗𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙩. 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙅𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚.

I instantly knew I wanted to read this when I heard it being compared to Stranger Things - I love that show so much!! I can definitely see the comparisons to that show and it made me enjoy this even more. I struggle a lot with connecting to the characters in YA books, however, this story really connected with me and I didn’t care too much for the YA aspects.

I flew through this one with the audiobook, I found myself so intrigued and didn’t want to put it down. It had such a priming synopsis and I am glad it didn’t disappoint. There was so much action in this one and the overall story was very creepy, just picturing being in this situation sends chills.

I found the characters to be relatable, they were very well written. The setting of this one is super creepy - imagining The Echo becoming realistic is so terrifying. This is the first book I’ve read that takes place in the Bronx, and I found myself pulled into the story with the details of the setting. I think the world setup was so phenomenal and very well executed.

It was a bit rushed at times and some scenes weren’t explained fully, however, those were minor moments in the overall enjoyment. There were also some unrealistic scenarios. However, the overall story is definitely worth the read. It didn’t feel too YA to me and I loved the Stranger Things vibes it gave. It was also super quick and the audiobook was amazing. There were some gory scenes. I also really enjoyed the rep in this one - Afro Dominican American sapphic MC, Black sapphic rep, Black side characters, Bronx community, and the overall story was well developed.

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Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review! This book is about Raquel whose crush Charlize's cousin goes missing and then her mother comes down with a mysterious illness. She pairs together with Charlize to try to save their loved ones. There were a lot of elements that I really enjoyed about this book but I felt like the actual plot was a little lackluster. I also think I wasn't the target audience for this one because it read much younger than the typical YA that I am drawn to so this rating should be taken lightly for those who really enjoy YA. I enjoyed hearing about the history of The Bronx which I did not know about and thought it was super informative interesting. I also loved the creepy Stranger Things inspired visuals towards the end but I didn't feel particularly attached to any of the characters which made the reading experience less enjoyable to me. I would highly recommend this book for a younger audience who is looking for Stranger Things vibes in a book! I ended up rating this one 3.5 stars.

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Je n'ai malheureusement pas eu le temps de lire ce livre mais l'intrigue me plait tout particulièrement.

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I wish I could read Burn Down, Rise Up again for the first time. It was such a fast-paced, engaging and suspenseful read. I adored Raquel and the rest of the cast. The plot was cleverly woven. The conclusion answered all the questions the story asked, and resolved the plot. It started and ended strong. Tirado's debut provided a gripping glimpse of how the characters lived in this well-developed world, and the action was heart-pounding and effortless to visualize.

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I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Vincent Tirado in the future. This book was creepy and unsettling but still felt very YA. I loved the diversity and LGBTQ+ rep. This was a solid debut, but I wasn't as invested in the characters as I'd like to be. I didn't love this book, but I liked it and if this is Tirado's debut, I'm interested to see what they do next!

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This book helped me realize is that I love books about New York city when they are about people who are born in the city, who have that identity in their blood. That is when New York City is at its most alive, when the City becomes another silent character who is always there.

Vincent writes about the Bronx in this horror novel that is really poetic in what it means to be from the Bronx. It's a love story for the Borough wrapped in some wonderful fucking eldritch horror. I could have read another 200 pages easily of the Echo alone. I am so bummed the urban legend is time locked to an hour.

Speaking of the urban legend, I had to laugh at every mention of how it's some of the whitest shit to hear an urban legend and want to do it. (There's even an explanation and it's *chef kiss*)

Do I, a white woman, want to go play the Echo game? Fuck yes.

Do I, a person who knows the history of the town I live in know what the Echo would be? Why yes. Atlanta burned, and I live next to a battle mountain.

But do I still want to? ABSOLUTELY. Just as much as I want to play the elevator game. I am not allowed to play the elevator game, so I am guessing I cannot take the Echo challenge either.

I loved this book. It's not even a "this is a good book...for a debut" this is genuinely a book I loved. When I do my urban fantasy/horror reread of the boroughs, this will always be on that list.

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As more teens disappear from the Bronx, sixteen-year-old Raquel tries not to let it get to her. But when the most recent disappearance hits close to home (the cousin of her friend Charlize), she starts to wonder what is really going on. Things get even worse when a mysterious illness befalls her mom, putting her in the hospital in a contained ward. Raquel and Charlize work together to find out what's going on and soon discover that everything may be linked to a horrifying urban legend called the Echo Game, where people disappear under the subway. Quickly, Raquel isn't sure if they'll be able to save anyone--including themselves.

I seem to be an outlier but this one just didn't work for me. There were potential glimmers of real brilliance, but simplistic writing and lots of plot holes marred it all. Now I'm sure some of it is that I do not read a lot of fantasy and horror, but this book was just strange. I actually liked the idea of the plot (weird game luring people into a strange underworld, basically), but the writing was just basic and the story had so many plot holes, even if it was a horror tale. You can tell a good fantasy story without leaving gaps in the plot or failing to wrap up loose ends. The Echo/train challenge could have been really great--especially because the way it was linked to the history of Bronx was well-done--but overall, it was mostly just confusing and fizzled out at the end.

I really liked Raquel's friendship with Aaron, another schoolmate, but there's no real backstory to her sapphic friendship with Charlize, which was such a bummer. So much wasted potential there. The book's strength is its exploration of the history of the Bronx and its examination of the racism the area has faced and continues to face. Unfortunately, the overall story was fairly uneven and just didn't work for me. Others enjoyed it and hopefully you will too.

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This was a thrill ride through the history of the Bronx, featuring stakes that made this unbelievable creepy pasta scenario feel extremely real. I loved getting to know these characters, how their backgrounds blended in with their city, and imagining that the Echo exists in all major cities is a chilling prospect. Yet, there's history everywhere, much of it is dark, and it can come back to bite you if you don't know to watch out for it.

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Whew is this ever a mess. Such a good concept and a really promising writer but an utter, unedited mess. Just because you've discovered a wunderkind doesn't mean you can abdicate your responsibility as an editor to help make the book coherent, structured, and tight.

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Apparently this is meant to be a fast-paced book – I definitely did not get that vibe. As with Goth Girl, I really tried to push myself to read and like this book, and I eventually decided this was not worth it. I really liked that it was diverse and I enjoyed seeing the Bronx rather than New York or another standard American setting – especially when they added a bit of history – that I did enjoy. That was sort of all that I enjoyed about the book.

The book didn’t scare me – I love horror movies so when I read a horror book I want that same feeling. I unfortunately didn’t feel the same way, which might’ve been another reason for my dnf – that I couldn’t get into the book because the horror wasn’t enough for me.

Even though I got to nearly 60% I still felt like I didn’t know anything about the characters, and yet I had been given a lot of information about them. I think the writing was fine enough, I just couldn’t find anything about… anything to really dig into the story and enjoy. Much like Goth Girl, this will find their audience and others will enjoy it.

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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Another great read! I really got wrapped up in this story and couldn't put the book down.

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While I felt that more time could have been spent on a building up a few elements, I still give this book top marks. it explores the ghosts of traumas past that linger in a community long after the perpetrators have gone and how that impacts communities at large. There was a lot of good horror elements to keep me happy. Like I said, I feel like it felt thin in a few places, like things were left on the cutting room floor. But it still gets a 4.5 from me=.

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Burn Down, Rise Up uses horror and fantasy to explore the generational trauma of racial redlining in the Bronx. The Silent Hill reminiscent story will appeal to gamers and horror fans, while the discussions of institutional racism will appeal to those who crave fiction with social justice themes. Amazing crossover read for teens looking to explore outside their usual genres.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I totally read this in a Stranger Things-induced slump and it definitely met my expectations of a creepy, sci-fi setting. I loved how the Echo was connected to real-world historical events. I had unfortunately never heard of the Bronx fires and it was heartbreaking to read about them. Tirado did a fantastic job of connecting the reader to the situation and the history behind it. I also liked how there was inner-world lore about the Echo and how it was an urban legend. I almost put down the book to open up Reddit and look it up in real life!
I wish that the stakes were a little higher, though. I was never too worried about the characters' safety. I think additional situational tension would have immersed me more into the story.
The main sapphic romance was so cute! I could have done without the hint of a love triangle, though.

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Urban legends, psychological terror, … this is the type of book my students asking for horror are looking for.
The twists and quick pacing will keep readers reading.

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In this creepy ya fantasy, Raquel is drawn into a ghostly memory dimension of the 1970s Bronx on fire. Her childhood friend, Charlize, is grieving her cousin's disappearance, one of many kids to vanish in the past year. He briefly resurfaces at a hospital, only to leave Raquel's mother with an unusual, mold-like infection when she tries to help him. Raquel and Charlize team up to fight for their loved ones once it becomes clear that something spooky is at work and no one else is prepared to do what it takes. Meanwhile, Raquel wrestles with the fact that as they rekindle her friendship, her feelings for Charlize veer more and more in a romantic direction.

One of the coolest aspects of this book is the author's message about community and oppression. While there is ample space given to the terrible actions of slumlords, police, and institutional racism in general, the book ultimately draws attention to the power of community action and the beauty of pride in one's neighborhood. I also really appreciate the focus on an Afro-Latine family and queer women of color. We need more ya (and any other level, too) sapphic romances, so I loved that aspect.

While I found this a meaningful story, the execution was not as impactful as I hoped. From the description, I was expecting more suspense and atmosphere. It was a bit too rushed to make room for that. I also think relationship-building suffered from the quick pace. While I liked what we got about Raquel's love story, her friendship, and her relationships with her parents, they feel like snapshots rather than a full exploration or journey.

This ya standalone has important representation, a critical message about community, and fast-paced drama. If any of that sounds up your alley, you should check it out. Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for my copy to read and review!

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Thank you to Netgallery for the ARC for in exchange of a free review.
Burn Down, Rise Up starts strong. For about 60% of the book, I really enjoyed it. The Sapphic awkwardness, the close friendships, and the Echo. But after that - the story drags. It doesn't feel like it ever ends, and it honestly felt like I was having to drag myself to read it. I really loved the premise, the Sapphic love, and learning about the Bronx, but because of the very boring writing in the last half of the book, I couldn't bother finishing it. I did get to 85% - but cannot bother finishing. This book was a dud for me, and that's okay.

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BURN DOWN, RISE UP
BY VINCENT TIRADO

I love thrillers, and a thriller/horror read in the YA world, plus Sapphic, plus Stranger Things vibe? Bring it on!

This is a story about sixteen year old Raquel from the Bronx, where mysterious disappearances are an on-going issue along with some strange illness. When Raquel’s crush also Charlize’s cousin turns up missing, she teams up with Charlize to find the sinister beneath these strange occurrence and play the terrifying Echo game to get some answers.

Vincent Tirado writes a great story and a wild ride - that is fast, exciting, and totally strange and creepy. The story also embeds a sense of community, and inclusion bringing in diversity and heart. I really appreciated and enjoyed that in this book.

I enjoyed this one a lot!

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

I do want to say, that I am a slow reader, so I did not finish the book before this review. I have around 75% of the book left to read, which I will be getting from my library. I enjoyed this book so much that I did purchase it for my library.

In Burn Down, Rise Up, the reader is completely taken by the story on the first page of the book. Within the first chapter or so we learn that people have been disappearing at a rate where it is suspected that there is a serial killer in the Bronx. However, it can't be confirmed because no bodies have been found of the missing people.

We follow Raquel, who is a sixteen-year-old who lives in the Bronx. Raquel's world is rocked because her mom was attacked by a patient and is now being quarantined with a strange illness. She now has to live with her father. Raquel has somewhat of a strained relationship with her father, but there are interesting bits and pieces throughout the novel that we learn of Raquel's past and the Bronx's past through him. The information we learn from him is extremely important to the plot of the book. Raquel starts to hang out with Charlize, who is a childhood friend because Charlize's cousin becomes one of the missing. It's up to them to find him and save Raquel's mom from the strange illness overtaking her body.

Honestly, I WISH I could read fast because this book is one that I could not put down. It really grabs your attention from the very beginning and becomes more intriguing throughout. It is very timely because there is some discussion of police and racism. Also, learning about the Bronx's past is absolutely fascinating and heart-wrenching at the same time. I really loved all of the characters, and felt a lot of emotion about what they were going through (honestly, laughed, cried, and gasped.) I can not wait to get it from my library and read the rest of the book..

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Stranger Things (there are A LOT of Stranger Things vibes throughout), horror, or history intertwined with sci-fi feels.

(I'm only rating this book 4 stars because I haven't gotten to finish it)

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BURN DOWN, RISE UP is another great example of smart, politically aware, and utterly terrifying horror centering OwnVoices, characters and identities that usually find themselves on the margins of such stories. A fantastic monster story and a beautiful love letter to the Bronx.

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