Thank you NetGalley! This author knows how to put out heart wrenching young adult books. This one is just as intense. I enjoyed her previous works. The multiple POVs with this one made it easy to understand what can happen when tragedy strikes young people

Marieke Nijkamp's After We Burned explores the aftermath of a tragic fire at Fenix High School, delving into the secrets and stories of five teens connected to the event. The novel tackles themes of grief, guilt, and the complexities of friendship amidst a community in mourning. While the premise is compelling and the multiple perspectives provide a layered view of the tragedy, the execution fell slightly short of its potential for me. The characters, though interesting, sometimes felt underdeveloped, making it harder to fully connect with their individual stories and secrets. The pacing was uneven at times, with some revelations feeling rushed or predictable. That said, Nijkamp's writing captures the emotional undercurrents of grief and the tension of hidden truths well enough to keep you engaged. The story leaves readers pondering the nature of loss and the weight of secrets we carry—though perhaps not as powerfully as I hoped it would. Overall, a decent read that offers an intriguing look at aftermath and accountability, but with room for more depth and nuance.

★★★★★ (5/5)

After We Burned is an incredibly powerful and deeply affecting read. It tells an important story about what happens when kids are let down over and over again by the adults they are supposed to trust, by adults who are supposed to protect them and how corporate greed can tear apart communities.
This is not an easy book to read, heavy and heartbreaking at times, and that is only enhanced by the writing which makes you feel like you’re immersed in the story.
I was deeply touched by the way the main characters (the teens) stand up for one another and look out for each other. Their choices are often imperfect, and their actions often show desperation, love and loyalty.
I’ll definitely be thinking about this for a long time.

Review will be posted on Storygraph and Goodreads a month before publication.

I really enjoyed this author's previous work and these books are popular titles for our patrons, but this one just does not cut it. The story is confusing and, compared to her previous work, it feels as though she wasn't as committed to the story this time.

I was super excited for this one based on the synopsis, but the listing indicated NOTHING about the triggers that would included - which are a major part of the story - but not at all mentioned in the promo. This prevented me from being able to continue with a story that I really wanted to read, and if I had known I wouldn't have requested it.

This is a 5 star rec for me and one that I will definitely be putting in my High School Library. Emotional, tough, and heart wrenching, but at the same time, REAL! Marieke Mijkamp doesn't hold back and she shouldn't! Every high school library should have this on there shelves!

After We Burned is not an easy read—but it’s an important one, this novel sits in that same space: dark, honest, and urgent. It’s about trauma but it’s also about the courage to speak up, even when it hurts.

Moody, intense, and kinda beautiful in a broken way. The story pulled me in with its emotion and atmosphere, and I really felt the weight of everything the characters were carrying. It didn’t totally hit 5 stars for me—maybe a bit slow in parts or didn’t punch as hard as I expected—but still, solid and stuck with me after.

“After we burned” is shelved as a YA thriller, a genre I’m never tired of, but this one wasn’t exactly what I expected from a thriller. Yes, there’s a girl who dies in a mysterious way, but I felt like her plot was rushed and not the main focus of the book (which is okay, but I wasn’t that interested in finding out how that happened/what caused it, and that’s usually the thing that keeps me interested in a thriller).
And I think that was also because the girl who dies is a stranger to us readers, despite some chapters being from her point of view: I couldn’t connect with her, I felt uninterested.
The book mainly deals with toxic and abusive relationships, and I felt like that was more the centre of the book than the ‘how did this girl die?’ bit.
There’s a few characters, but they felt flat and, once again, so far away that I didn’t care about them.
It’s a nice read, unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would; some chapters were boring, and maybe too slow and repetitive.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I can say that I'm a fan! I loved the multiple POV's that were all interwoven together. The characters were interesting and each had their own backstory. There were multiple twists that I didn't expect and I felt all the emotions while I was reading this book. Will definitely be reading more by this author.

pretty well written thriller by Njikamp, with interesting writing and pretty good characters. has some good twists, too. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

As a past high school teacher, when I read about teachers committing atrocities against students, I am of course, horrified, and I also find myself wondering how my previous school administrations would react. Would we do the "right" thing? Or would we attempt to protect the adult and ignore student voice?

This book will interest and engage both young adults and adult readers, and has a lot to offer in the way of small group book discussions. There will be patrons who resonate with Eden, others with Payton, and some with Theo (for who they are as characters, not what has happened to them). I would recommend this book, but also encourage readers to read the author's note/content warnings because it is not a light-hearted or easy read, but there is hope throughout.

A fast-paced quick read. Told from multiple points of view and alternating timelines. Everybody has secrets...the town, the people. What will come to light? What really happened?

This was an interesting premise - we bounce back and forth between different students' POV to try and figure what REALLY happened leading up to the night that Eden was caught and died in a school fire.

From the first few chapters, I was really engrossed in this one! The characters were interesting and I enjoyed reading about their diverse personalities and backgrounds - story layouts like these always have me guessing how they intertwine in the end because some of the connections weren't as obvious at first! Unfortunately, it didn't really feel like there was much suspense or buildup toward the end, making things feel a bit rushed and unfinished. I also wanted a little bit more from some characters, particularly Eden and Theo.

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read that I think YA readers will eat up upon its publication! Thanks for the ARC!

The worldbuilding was vivid, and the emotional moments hit hard. It did get a bit slow in places, but overall it was a good read.

This novel was confusing. I kept feeling like there was a back story with Theo that I was missing. Comments like "When I chose my name" or allusions to past school trauma that wasn't explained made me wonder if there as information about Theo that didn't make the cut for the book and that these portions of the narrative needed to be removed as well.

Having read several of Marieke’s books, I can say with certainty that she has a talent for crafting gripping and intense stories. 54 Minutes was my first introduction to her writing, and ever since, I’ve been hooked—always on the lookout for her latest work.

When I saw the chance to request After We Burned on NetGalley, I knew I had to jump on it immediately!

Set to release on July 1st, this book takes place in a high school setting and follows four students, each with their own secrets. Kelsey, one of the popular kids at Pierce High, Eden, an introverted art lover, Payton, who is hiding a secret relationship, and Theo, the school newspaper’s writer, all find themselves entangled in a mystery that goes far deeper than anyone could have imagined.

At the heart of it all lies a fire—one that left behind more questions than answers. But that’s not the only thing being kept under wraps. There are whispers about a teacher, hidden truths that some would do anything to keep buried. How long can these secrets stay in the dark? What really happened to Eden? And when the truth finally surfaces, will the town be ready for it?

This story is a rollercoaster of suspense, deception, and the fierce determination to protect those we care about. Get ready for a jaw-dropping ride!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

AFTER WE BURNED by Marieke Nijkamp

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the earc (July 1)

When a fire starts at the local high school, a student ends up dying. What no one knows is that five teens were there that night...that they know what happened, and that they'll protect their secrets.
I'll admit, this book didn't hold my attention as well as I would have liked in the beginning. It's nothing against the story. I was confused because there were so many different points of views and timelines that it was hard to keep track of, but once I was able to, I unearthed a story about grief and sacrifice.
AFTER WE BURNED is a story of loss, love, and standing up against those who wronged you. It's compelling and an emotional roller-coaster. Around the halfway point was when everything started coming together and making sense, and I was hooked. I wanted---needed---to know what happened and would happen. It was like I was a puppet being controlled as I devoured the rest of the story. And let me tell, this story is something else. I haven't read much by this author, but what I've read has been grasping and emotional. And most not for the feint of heart. AFTER WE BURNED is not exception. Once the story begins to unfold, and we as reader learn what is actually going on, it can be said that this touches on topics tha may be hard or triggering for some. Nonetheless, I ended liking this more than I thought I would.

A fast-paced, quick read. The plot is heavy with a variety of abuses (parent-child and teacher-child). A couple of twists along the way and told from a few characters with past and present timelines while unwinding the mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

A story of trauma tinged with Hope. The author doesn’t shy away from tough subject matter. They truly capture the voice of so many who have experienced similar trauma. Mind the trigger warnings. But as someone with very similar trauma I felt the same sad sort of comfort in knowing that I wasn’t alone in my experiences or my feelings that came from them. Well worth reading.