Burned by Ellen Hopkins

What happens when a teenage girl decides to rebel against her religion and family beliefs? Or when love matters more than anything else in the world? Pattyn Von Stratton does just this and her father sends her away - away from her Mormon society and the religious beliefs that have been drilled into her head since the womb. Pattyn finds herself being sent to her Aunt Jeanette's and she could not be happier. She is given unconditional positive love from Aunt J and an unconditional summer love from Ethan. Deep, dark secrets are revealed to Pattyn about her father and she never wants to go back home.

The summer spent at Aunt Jeanette's has brought Pattyn to find her true self and destiny. But the summer comes to an end and Pattyn is faced with difficult obstacles. Will she be strong enough to keep Ethan and everything he has given her?

“Burned” is indeed worth everyone's time. The book goes into a great insight on the life of a teenage girl who is in search of her true self, not by what her family or religion has set for her. The novel is an easy flow read and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. Ellen Hopkins leaves a surprising and unexpected twist at the end of the book that will leave you speechless and wanting to read “Burned” again.

Ileana T.