(This review will soon be posted on my blog)

Burn Down, Rise Up is a queer YA horror novel, and a debut for the author, Vincent Tirado. Raquel, the 16-year-old protagonist, lives in the Bronx with her Mami, who works in a hospital. Raquel loves her neighborhood, but it has been plagued by unsolved disappearances and the authorities don't seem able (or willing) to do anything about it. But when tragedy strikes closer to Raquel than ever before, she has to team up with her friends and her crush to take part in a mysterious challenge to save their loved ones and their community.

This book is often described as Stranger Things meets Get Out and I can definitely understand where these comparisons come from, although to me the book was heavier on the Stranger Things side of the equation. It was creepy and scary, and I loved how Tirado connected the plot to a horrible and sad period in the Bronx's history. I find it really impressive when YA books touch on such difficult themes as racism, redlining, and police brutality, while also maintaining the lightness and ease of reading. I loved all the characters and while I also liked the romance subplot, I wish it was more developed and that we got even more of the characters' backstories.

TLDR: Burn Down, Rise Up is a satisfying, hair-raising read, proving that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones we create ourselves.

my first exposure to this book was from watching a tiktok that said fans of stranger things would enjoy reading this. as a huge fan of stranger things myself, i can confirm this is accurate! burn down, rise up follows raquel, a teenager who is living in a community in which people have gone missing for the past year. these strange occurrences don’t stop with just disappearances, and when things happens to people close to home, raquel decides to act and investigate what is going on. she and her crush charlize are then thrown into something called the echo game, and in order to save their community, they have no choice but to engage in a journey to burn it all down.

i really enjoyed this book. i haven’t read anything else like it, and that really stood out to me. the characters were relatable, and i found myself rooting for them throughout the entire story. the way in which the plot developed was gripping, which motivated me to finish reading. despite not being a huge lover of horror genre within literature, this was really great. there was a rich history that flowed through the pages, and aspects of the story that weren’t the main focus (namely the romance) only enhanced what was already a fantastic tale. i think that lovers of YA books and horror books will really enjoy this one. 3.5/5 stars!

thank you so much to netgalley and sourcebooks fire for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am normally not a YA horror reader but I absolutely loved this book. It had me needing to find out what happened and kept me turning the pages till I was done it one sitting.

This fast-paced book wrapped a compelling YA horror story in a fascinating urban environment. The author's commentary on social and political issues faced by many POC helped ground the story in gritty realism. The high-stakes action and queer female MC made it thoroughly enjoyable.

Overall Burn Down, Rise Up was a ton of fun to read. Light, easy, I read it in one sitting. This is very much Stranger Things meets Reddit Internet Myths meets Vampires vs the Bronx, featuring a strong female queer character. Horror fans will really enjoy this read. I also really enjoyed learning more about the history of Bronx. This is a fun read to kick off someone's summer TBR. I did feel like the book was missing something, it just jumped into the action and I needed some more build up or needed more explanation in certain areas. This was a quick, fast paced read and because of the pacing, it just misses out in really building out the characters, the lore, and and environment. I loved the characters in the book and enjoyed the authors POV and would be excited to read more from them in the future!

A YA/teen horror story with an engaging setting in the Bronx NY. Reads like a good horror podcast, with friends getting pulled deeper into the mystery of disappearing teens and terrible mold diseases, against a backdrop of relationships and romance. LGBTQ+ characters.

DNF at 40%

I feel bad about not finishing this, especially since I’m always looking for more queer horror, but I figured there was no point continuing when I knew I would not feel any more positive towards the rest of this.

I think the plot is intriguing and there’s some great potential, but by this point in the book, hardly anything has happened at all, and I find myself not wanting to pick this up.

The characters are fine, if a bit flat. It’s very clear where the romance will go (which isn’t a bad thing!!).

The horror stuff that’s been introduced thus far IS right up my alley- weird mood that grows ON people? A possible monster lurking in the subway? I just wish things were going a little faster pace wise.

I think there are definitely readers who will love this, just not for me!

Burn Down, Rise Up is a really great YA horror novel. It's set in the Bronx and follows a small group of high school students. When the story begins, we learn about some mysterious disappearances that have not yet been solved. There are other weird things happening too; for example, some characters are having vision-like dreams and there's a creepy rot disease spreading through the community. It's hard to explain more without giving spoilers, but I will say that the Stranger Things comparison is a good one.

The mystery and horror elements of this book were entertaining and kept me hooked, but what really made me fall in love with this one was the history and commentary on political and social issues. It addresses issues such as redlining, racism, landlords, and more using horror and monsters as symbols. The way that the past haunts the present in this story is really well done.

In addition to the other things I liked, the main characters are sapphic and there's a minor romance plotline (not a big focus).

I would highly recommend this to fans of YA horror or thrillers, as it does a great job entertaining the reader (and at some moments, scaring the reader) but it also incorporates history into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC to read and review honestly!

Burn Down, Rise Up was a complete surprise to me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I wasn’t expecting a high-stakes, action-packed, paranormal thriller... Cosmic horror? This book is so many things and they are all put together so well. The history of the Bronx tied in with a cosmic horror-esque mysterious game with a worrisome mystery somehow balanced each other out in this truly exciting contemporary thriller. I can’t wait to read more from Vincent Tirado because this book really blew it out of the water. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.

**Quick Summary**: The Bronx has been plagued by mysterious disappearances for over a year. No one can explain them but the residents of the Bronx aren’t surprised because they know that they only search for the white kids anyway. When Raquel’s crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention. Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate but soon discover that they are in way over their head and find themselves mixed up with a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game.

Burn Down, Rise Up shines in its writing. The worlds that the characters go to during the Echo Game are remarkably easy to picture without being too densely detailed in the writing. Tirado strikes the perfect balance of building the worlds just enough to let the reader fill in the blanks. This is an especially important skill when writing settings that are similar to parallel worlds like the Echo Game. The sharp writing and world-building kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.

The history embedded in Burn Down, Rise Up is exceptional. It is woven into the plot without bogging it down at all. Readers can learn about the history of the Bronx through Tirado’s well researched story without feeling like they are taking a history lesson. The real history of the Bronx reveals a darker past than the children of today realize, both in real life and in the book. In Burn Down, Rise Up, that real-life horror in the 70’s is masterfully emphasized by the cosmic horror of the Echo Game to horrify you from multiple angles. This ultimately creates such an encompassing horror that will stick with you for days.

Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado was truly a suspenseful read! I needed to know what happened next immediately! The characters were all equally intriguing, I loved how each was represented!
The obstacles they each encountered resonates with high school students and the adults in this novel can easily be compared to someone we know or knew at some point in time. Tirado did a wonderful job of mixing intensity with heartwarming moments that just tugged at my heart!
This is an excellent novel that would capture the attention of any reader! This will definitely be highly recommended to my students. I'm so glad that so many new Latinx writers are bringing new stories to light! I will definitely be following their work from here on out!

Thank you to Source Books for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I’m not a huge person on horror and I’ve never actually tried before so this was a really pleasant surprise!

The plot was very interesting, and was filled with heart-pounding suspense the entire time. I loved the concept of the Echo Game as I thought it was so deliciously thrilling and creepy at the same time. I loved exploring the world of the Bronx and the paranormal elements involved were exhilarating! Although the plot was a little cliche at times (mainly towards the end) I was still looking forward to it and it was a very well developed concept.

I loved the characters they were each so strong in their own way and although I didn’t get along with all of them, I ended up loving them in the end. My personal favourite was Charlize as I thought she was so adorable and complex, and I loved seeing her character growth and journey. The only criticism I have about this is that I didn’t get to connect to Raquel, the MC, as much as I wanted to. I sympathized with her and I understood her motives but I wish she was a little more complex and had the internal conflict that Charlize was going through. I think it would have been much more interesting and I could have rooted for her much more.

I thought the romance between Charlize and Raquel was very cute and adorable and they had great chemistry! My only complaint is that I wish there was a little bit more sexual tension and moments between them. The sexual tension they did have was a little on the cliche side, but then again this is horror, not romance so I’m okay with that.

Overall I think it was a very enjoyable read and was very fast paced and addicting. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! Burn Down Rise Up is an incredible debut novel, filled with heart-pounding suspense, a blood-chilling stakes, and terrifying twists you’ll never expect. I give it a 4.5/5 stars and I’m glad to have read it!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this arc :))

I was intrigued by the book since it was written by an author of color and has LGBTQ+ rep. Not to mention that the cover was pretty too! I loved immersing myself in the story, this book was such a page-turner. The premise seemed cool and the execution did not lack in any way. This book is a solid 5 star read.

I could NOT put this book down. Fast paced and great adventure awaits for thoes who read BURN DOWN, RISE UP! One thing, well.two things I enjoyed most here was the world building and fabulous characters!
The plot kept me glued in my seat, not wanting to put my Kindle down, wanting to know what would happen next.
It was fast paced. Had great quality and we were able to understand everything that went down.
It wasn’t boring and it definitely had me hooked from beginning to the end!
The writing style was fantastic.
Vincent is definitely an author to look out for!
An absolute must read!

Sourcebooks Fire,
I can't thank you enough for this eARC!

A story of teenagers fighting dark forces in the Bronx. Raquel's mother is in the hospital with a mystery illness and her friend has disappeared. It all seems to be tied to a game played on the subway at 3a.m. Can Raquel save her mother and her friend?
This is an exciting horror story. I usually don't read horror but found this book an exciting read and I learned about the Bronx. The story is about the past and how community shapes a place. This story shows that teenagers can find community with each other and the place they live. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to #netgalley, @v_e_tirado, and @Sourcebooks for a copy of this book.

With such a pretty cover, I knew I have to read it. It’s not often you find a book with a fantasy world like this one and I got lost in it. The characters were all very complex and interesting and I definitely check it out if it sounds interesting to you!!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really exciting horror from a promising new voice! The Bronx setting is so vibrant, and the pace of this story is nonstop pulse racing.

This was an intense, rewarding read that brings to life the history and trauma of the Bronx through the eyes of protagonist Raquel, a 16-year-old student. She and her friends set out to investigate the disappearances of other kids from their neighborhood, knowing the police aren't taking them seriously, and the mysterious infection that's put her mom in a coma. Along the way, they discover a haunting alternate reality where the ghosts of urban blight, arson and neglect are made terrifyingly real. This was a fast-paced, engaging book that remained readable even when dealing with heavy topics. Having a queer main character whose queerness is not the central point of conflict in the story is refreshing, and I learned a ton about the Bronx along the way.

I didn’t love this, but I liked it.

I love a good historical education moment in a fictional story, so the way the Bronx burning and the whole careless landlord situation was weaved into the story…great! I do like the idea of the echo game. It definitely gave stranger things vibes with an urban twist.

I could’ve used more action or things happening that progressed the plot. It dragged at several points in my opinion and for some reason I couldn’t get into any of the characters or the “romance” between Raquel and Charlize.

Overall, I like the idea, and I’d be interested to read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and sourcebooks fire for this eARC

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher and author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really really loved Burn Down, Rise Up. It was one of my most anticipated reads this year so when I got the notification that my request to read it had been accepted I dove straight in. I’m so happy it lived up to my expectations.

BDRU is a tense story about the dark places of the world, the games that we get sucked into, and the power of love and standing up for yourself and what you believe in. It’s about friendship and fighting and doing what you can to save those around you who can’t save themselves. There were a few moments when I had to suspend my disbelief and go with the flow but once I’d settled into it there was no stopping me.

The world was realistic and brutal, the writing was sharp and full of action and I was never bored. There were moments where I couldn’t stop reading, absolutely glued to the page and desperate to find out what happened next - and these were balanced by the moments where the writing showed us the characters and the world through a softer light.

Overall I’d recommend this for fans of magical realism/horror set in a city atmosphere. I loved the diversity and I think a lot of other people will too! The world needs more sapphic stories, especially set it worlds that have a dark side to them.

A book that manages to teach you about the Bronx and it's history while interjecting horror and a lesbian mc of color...sounds like a weird mix, but it definitely works out in this book by Tirado. The writing style and dialogue is choppy at time and some decisions don't always make sense, but who knows, could also be because I am a bit farther away from 16 than several years ago.
The plot was interesting and kept me reading way past my bedtime, the vivid descriptions when it comes to the rot, mold and burning bronx made me more immersed in the story and I flew through the pages.
If you like the supernatural, horror and a bit of sapphic love: go for it!

***Thank you Netgalley for giving the chance to read and review this book***