Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
To be published by Delacorte Press on July 7, 2020
my rating: ★★★★ (4)
Goodreads avg: 4.13 (as of 2020-06-22)
disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review consideration. All of the opinions presented below are my own. Quotes have been taken from the advanced copy and are subject to change upon publication.
Spoiler-free Review
Goodreads | IndieBound | Author’s Website
It’s about time love left a mark on me.
Okay, I really liked this. While I enjoyed Power’s debut, Wilder Girls, I feel like she really hit her stride here. I found myself drawn into Burn Our Bodies Down almost immediately. Margot came to life for me right away and I was so invested in her story and where it would go. The mystery was soo twisted and I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. And I was absolutely wrong at every turn. My only problem was really some inconsistencies I’m sure will be ironed out in the final copy.
I never got good at recognizing attraction in other girls–it took me long enough to recognize it in myself, and even longer to say “lesbian,” without blushing.
I also love the queer rep in this; the main character is a lesbian and while there is no romance she has that little “do I want to be friends with her or do I want to kiss her” struggle that I think most wlw experience when they meet another woman they’re drawn to. I’m glad a romance wasn’t shoehorned in here; I feel like it would have been out of place in the story considering what’s going on.
Overall, this book is soooo good and I’ll definitely be recommending it in the future!
content warnings: Fire. Emotional abuse by a parent, including gaslighting. Familial and generational abuse. Body horror, some gore, blood (lighter, relative to Wilder Girls). Death. On page character death. Child/infant death (takes place off page but implied violence – pages 301 and 308 in the print ARC). Off-page gun violence. Emesis (mention of vomiting). (I removed one cw that I felt was a spoiler, but you can click the link for a more comprehensive list from the author that she will be updating as she receives feedback!)
Sarah Ames-Foley 
Ooh, I can’t wait for this! I loved Power’s debut so it’s exciting to hear you think this one is even better 👀
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Great review! I’m so excited for this one.
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thanks! i hope you love it 🙂
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Ooh, great review! I didn’t love Wilder Girls quite as much as I’d hoped to and was kind of cautious but hopeful about reading this one, and it sounds like it’s everything I would’ve wanted in a sequel from this author. So glad you had a good time with it!
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thanks! i hope you enjoy it if you do end up reading it 🙂
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Great review! I loved this so much. I’m still trying to figure out how the hell to even form my thoughts into a coherent review because it honestly was just so much better and MORE than I expected from it.
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thank you!! and i agree, i didn’t realize how swept up in it i would get!
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