Hello! Welcome to throwback Thursday! Today I’m going to be re-reviewing Ellen Hopkins’ novel Burned and the sequel Smoke.

Read: August 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

Burned by: Ellen Hopkins: When Pattyn starts to wonder about God and sex, well let’s just say that doesn’t go down with her super religious family. She is sent away to live with her aunt hoping to find herself, and that she does, though returning home is something she doesn’t want to do, but knows she has to. The novel starts off relatively slow, and certain points the reader wonders if should they continue reading. It does get better, but the storyline is powerful, and if you’re not religious, it can make you a little angry. The novel is left in a sort of cliffhanger ending, and there feels like there should be more. Overall it’s quick paced, and written in the same style Hopkins always writes in, poems, it’s a good read once you dig in.

Read: October 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

Smoke by: Ellen Hopkins: The sequel to Burned. The novel is told in the perspective of both Pattyn and her sister Jackie. Pattyn has run away to California to hide herself away from what she’s done. She starts a new life as a maid to a rich family. Jackie is at home left to clean up the mess. But when a tragic accident happens bringing Pattyn home, things unfold and the truth comes out. The novel was well crafted and made the reader think a lot about family dynamics and the truth about love. The ending was sweet and was a good ending for the novel. All the loose ends were tied and it showed that life was happy, sorta like a fairy tale ending.