I want to start by saying that I have not read Wilder Girls and therefore had no expectations concerning the author's writing style or way of storytelling. All I thought this would be was a family drama, which it was in part, but there is definitely so much more to it that I feel like I didn't sign up for.

I've been trying to gather my thoughts for a while now, but can't seem to make sense of it all yet. I think my main issue was that I went into this book thinking I'd get a twisted tale of a torn family, but really, it was more along the lines of horror? Those of you who know me, realise that in 9 out of 10 cases, I would not pick up a horror book on purpose and it was off-putting here as well.
I was prepared for an otherworldly, thick with the scent of buried secrets atmosphere (which Power manages to create quite well), however, I was not prepared for it to be so decidedly not our world in the end. When you start this novel, the characters take some getting used to, but it seems like we are here, in our reality. It takes almost half the book to come to the conclusion that you are not and at that point you are just confused.

This book features queer characters, a strained family relationship, a rural/small town setting - all factors that would usually entice me to read a book! So, why exactly didn't it work for me?

Burn Our Bodies Down is told through the inner monologue of the main character Margot. She is a strange girl with very intense mood swings, something that didn't always make it easy to follow her thought process. We get snippets of her personality as well as a bit of exploration of her sexuality (is she a lesbian? bisexual?), but it all gets dropped in favor of the "mystery" of the plot. And that mystery is really all that kept me propelled to keep reading, because I surely wasn't able to connect or like any of the characters very much. I wanted to know how it would be resolved. I had my guesses early on and even though at that time, I had still thought this was just regular reality, I was right. That just added to me not feeling very satisfied by the pay off, because what else could it be?

Before I end this review for good, I just want to say that I saw a lot of people enjoy this book. It's probably a very me-thing that I didn't and which I mostly base on the inability to connect to any of the characters while reading.

Wow, this book took me all over the place! Margot runs away to live with her Gram that she just found out existed. She's running from a mother that is pretty awful, only to land in a town that distrusts her on sight, and a grandmother that keeps so many secrets Margot feels the need to figure it all out on her own. This book was a slow-burn for me, but I found myself unable to step away from it. I needed to find out what happened next!

I read this e-arc and listened to the audio. I thought the narrator did a great job with this book. She put the right amount of inflection and cadence that it flowed wonderfully!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

A huge thank you to PRH International for the e-ARC!

I had heard so many positive reviews about Wilder Girls (I haven’t read it yet) and was naturally looking forward to reading something by the author. So when this book came by as an ARC, I was super excited.

If I had to describe this book in one word, I would call it bizzare. It was weird and kinda creeped me out. The author has a knack for beautiful writing – I have to give her that. The story was unique and had so many elements that could have made it great but I couldn’t love it, unfortunately. I’m in the minority, I know. A lot of people did like this book so make sure you check out those reviews as well. Everything was confusing. There’s the good kind of confusing that wows you and then there’s the kind that makes you feel utterly stupid. This was the latter.

I lapped this book up in a few hours. I was hooked only because I had this inkling about how things might pan out and really wanted to know if I was correct. It was quite slow though. Nothing much happens for like most of the book and then it sort of picks up speed towards the end. By then, I was already quite upset with the fact that I hadn’t connected with the characters or the story (most of the characters were quite annoying. The grandmother (for example) – oh she was a piece of work. Everyone was weird. Everything was weird. It was a decent read but I was left wanting more – there was something missing – ugh. I don’t like books ending this way. It felt like those horror/thriller movies that have bizarre endings that make you go ‘huh?’ and make you go crazy on Google, trying to find answers to help you make sense of things.

Anyway, as much as I wanted to read Wilder Girls, I’m not so sure about it anymore. Someone needs to really convince me to pick that one up because as much as I like bizarre mysteries, I don’t want to read anything that makes me feel stupid.

What I Loved: What a strange, atmospheric experience this book was. I found Wilder Girls to just be okay, especially where the character were concerned. With that said, there was something so unsettling and eerie about Burn Our Bodies Down and I loved that aspect of the book! It reminded me very much of the rural horror that first drew me to Kim Liggett (Blood and Salt, The Last Harvest, etc…). Also, trigger warnings for all the body horror towards the end of the book.T here is something wrong with the small town of Phalene and our protagonist Margot (who might be bi-sexual or a lesbian- it’s never really worked out or explained at all) is determined to find out what’s going on. If you love horror novels set in weird towns you will definitely want to pick this one up!

What I Didn’t Love: I have such a weird relationship with Powers’ novels because I should love them. Both Wilder Girls and Bodies have possessed all the elements of books that I should love but there is always some thing lacking. In Burn Our Bodies Down I had two key issues that really took me out of the flow of the story: first, the pacing was all over the place and really inconsistent. If it had been a slow burn, creepy story all the way through I probably wouldn’t have minded but it was so slow in some places and far too quick in others that I found it quite distracting. Second, was the character development and particularly the dialogue. I really struggle with conversations that feel contrived in books. Unfortunately, Bodies has a lot of instances of this and I found myself rolling my eyes on numerous occasions.

Regardless of this passionate review, I would recommend this book to small town horror enthusiaists, even if the horror doesn’t really present itself until closer to the end of the novel. Overall, I gave this one 3.5/5 stars.

Burn Our Bodies Down is the second book I've read by Rory Power. It's just as strange as the other book that I've read, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I was definitely committed to finding out what in the world is going on. I felt like the story didn't even really start happening much until half way through. Which aggravated me, but I needed answers so I kept on briskly reading, strangely annoyed, yet captivated. I did feel the story got better toward the end, but I also kind of felt like I was waiting and waiting and then BAM! slapped in the face with all of the story I'd been waiting on all at once in the very last portion of the book. It's definitely a very dark tale, at times pretty gruesome, and has quite a few g d words throughout. So although the main character is a teen and this is marketed as teen book, I would personally say it's for the older teen/ya and over audience.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Margot is a naive, do-nothing protagonist who angsts about having to make choices without actually making a single one. She just sits around until things happen to other people in her proximity. There is literally no plot to speak of until the last 15% of the book, and at that point it's too little, too late. The "mystery" is hastily explained and neatly resolved.

My primary issue with Wilder Girls was that there were tons of threads that never resolved. That's a problem here too, but it's secondary to the core structural issues that permeate the entire text. She does commit to body horror, which I can appreciate, but it's purely an aesthetic, not a storytelling device.

This book gets two stars instead of one because I do think it does well with demonstrating generational cycles of abuse, but that's literally the only good thing I have to say about it.

Margo desperately wants to know more about her family, but any time she asks, her mother refuses to tell her anything about where she is from. As their relationship becomes more strained, Margo decides she has to find some answers. With only a photograph as her guide, Margo runs away to Phalene to get the answers she has always wanted but quickly learns there might be a reason her mother hid everything from her for her whole life.

Just as with Wilder Girls, I truly loved the writing style in this. The use of short, fragmented sentences really helps to set the mood of the story. Because of this and all of the plot twists that happen right away, I loved the beginning of this book. Unfortunately, I lost interest as the story continued. The beginning was so intense that the middle felt kind of boring. Towards the end of the story, I was again completely back on board and loved that there was a little bit of ambiguity at the end of this book as well. Overall, this made the pacing feel a little off for me, but I think the beginning and ending absolutely make up for the middle of the book and I would still recommend it!

Oh god. This book broke me. It is so intelligent and well-written. I can't let go of it. Please read it - your life will be better for it.

Disclaimer: I was given an eARC of this book from Delacorte Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure exactly what this book was about when I started and actually felt that way through most of it but I enjoyed it nevertheless. If you enjoyed Wilder Girls by Rory Power, you will also enjoy this.

I feel like this is one of those books that if you try to describe it, you will give away too much about the story. The only issue I had with this book, is that it felt like the story was rushed and there was plot development that should have happened a bit more slowly.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of spooky book without being too dark.

Holy mystery Batman! Rory Power intrigued me with her debut novel, Wilder Girls (see review here), in 2019 with a satisfying mix of mystery and science fiction. She’s back with her newest release, Burn Our Bodies Down, set in a farming, pastoral area where the town has more secrets than they’re letting on, but it can’t hold a candle to secrets held by the Nielsen family.
In Burn Our Bodies Down, Margot is searching for answers to her past. Her mother won’t give her answers and she has no other family of which to speak, until she finds a clue that leads her to her grandmother’s farm. Unfortunately, she arrives to find her grandma’s fields burning and a dead girl that looks eerily similar to herself. The question is, will Margot finally find the family she has so desperately wanted or will she uncover dark truths that were better left buried?
I really enjoyed Burn Our Bodies Down. Especially when comparing it to Power’s first novel and the growth in her writing! I honestly don’t want to say too much about this book because I don’t really want to spoil any plot lines. Just know that Power does a wonderful job of mixing the mystery, the science fiction, and the intensity of family relations all into one neat package.
My only “complaint” is that this book seems to have a LONG set up with a BAM ending. We slowly piece together bits of information until everything comes to a final, heart wrenching climax toward the end. It reminds me a bit of a horror movie construction, which makes sense for a horror novel, but I think I would have enjoyed a bit more unraveling throughout rather than at the end. Sometimes this really bothers me, but other times it doesn’t bother me (respectively, I’m looking at you Beasts Made of Night and American Gods). However, I’m rather middle of the road for Burn Our Bodies Down because I didn’t find myself bored, even through the long set up.
I’m giving Burn Our Bodies Down 4-out-of-5 Awesome Austin Points. The science fiction and mystery elements were very intriguing to me as well as the unmasking of all the family secrets. If you’re in for a quick, thrilling read then this novel should make it to your reading pile.

Burn our Bodies Down is a creepy masterpiece. Rory Power really knows how to write thrillers. There were so many red herrings thrown around that I had no clue what was going on till the final few chapters. With themes centering around family and individuality, Burn Our Bodies Down challenges the importance of family against staying true to ones self.

The first few chapters were hard to read because of the narcissistic relationship between mother and daughter, but it soon became a crazy story that brought up so many questions I couldn't put it down.

I requested this ARC because I LOVED the author's first book, "The Wilder Girls". Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with "Burn Our Bodies Down". The novel beings by describing the relationship between a mother and daughter that is stressed and secretive. This drew me in and I was excited to see where the plot was headed, only to be disappointed by the slow pace of the body of the novel. I did not finish the book, but did make it over half way through before I completely lost interest. Power did a good job building the characters and giving them complex emotions, but the plot moved so slowly, I did not find a reason to continue reading. I am willing to try the author's next title, in the hopes that it is faster paced.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read the Wilder Girls but had heard so much about it that I wanted to read this author. I thought this was a very interesting book. I'm not usually a sci-fi/fantasy fan, but I liked that element of this book. **It isn't obvious throughout the book until the end.** I enjoyed the characters and thought they were well developed. The story kept me guessing until the end. It was a good read.

I can’t stop thinking about this book. I honestly don’t know what to say about this one. Wow! Amazing! Fever dream! Strange! Weird! Are a few things that come to my mind. Seventeen year old Margot is living a bleak existence. She doesn’t get along with her Mom, who has kept has kept her family away from her for her entire life. When Margot finds a clue pointing towards a town called, Phalene, her journey begins. This book was incredible. I’ve never read anything like this and I can’t wait to see what Rory Powers does next.

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power - 5/5 stars

Trigger Warnings: Fire, Body Horror, Emotional Abuse/Gaslighting From A Parent, Death

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone is bowing down to Ms. Power, correct? Because if you aren't, then you should be. Rory Power does not disappoint. She has completely solidified herself as a new favorite author. I loved her debut, Wilder Girls, and so I had very high hopes for her sophomore novel. Let me tell you, I was NOT let down. Burn Our Bodies Down was just as good!

I listened to this on audio, which I highly recommend! The narrator - Lauren Ezzo - stepped into Margot's voice perfectly. The eery, isolated feel of the novel is so perfectly depicted in this audiobook. If you have the ability to listen, I highly recommend.

This novel filled all of my creepy, weird, horror needs! While it wasn't scary per say, it was terrifying in a subtle way. Filled with realistic emotional abuse and horrific gaslighting from many family members in Margot's life and body horror that chills you to your core, this was an incredible story with so many twists and turns.

This was delectably weird and doesn't exactly give you all of the answers tied up in a neat little bow. There are still questions at the end of the novel, but it's done in such a perfect way that leaves you perfectly satisfied with unsatisfaction.

Margot is also queer in this novel!! Which is so beautifully done! She doesn't have a love interest nor is there a romantic storyline, but this doesn't take away from her queerness whatsoever. There aren't enough novels out there with protagonists who are just queer and it doesn't make up their entire storyline. It was so refreshing to see a queer main character without the story being a romantic one!

Rory Power is an absolute icon and I cannot wait to read literally everything else that she does. Everything.

Burn our Bodies down was not what I was expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised. The story is about a girl who looks just like her mother, but she feels no emotional connection to her whatsoever. Feeling alone, she goes prying into their family's past, looking for answers, and hoping to find a family to love her. The answers she finds lead her to Phalene, where her mother grew up. Trouble and secrets surround her, but she must know the truth.

What I loved about this story, was I had no clue where the twists and turns were taking me. I didn't know which characters to trust, and became suspicious of everyone. The ending was great. I can't say too much more about the ending, for I fear I will give something away. I was left with an unsettling in my heart, but I am pretty sure that it was purposeful.

First, it was blatantly obvious reading this that Rory Power didn't do her job in researching Nebraska. They're in northwest NE, on a *corn field* and the farther west they go, the *flatter* the land goes. Really, Rory Power? A basic search about Nebraska would've taught you about the Sandhills and the lack of corn fields in that area.

I truly thought the spooky horror elements of this book in the middle were really well done. I was so intrigued about what was going on with the family, and I thought Powers' writing was really great. I also think she got the atmosphere of a small town right.

However, I wasn't a fan of the anti-GMO allegory at the end of the book. That's totally my personal preference, but as someone who grew up in Nebraska and knows a lot about how corn is raised-GMOs are not something to be feared. I haven't seen anyone else bring this up in a review though, so I must be the only one getting that message.

Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along. But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for. Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there? (Goodreads synopsis)

Much like Wilder Girls, this book is just different. It’s odd, its way outside the box, and sometimes you find yourself thinking “this is just so weird.” That said, I still really enjoyed this one! I was so confused at times of what was going on and why all of these crazy fires were happening, and who is this girl? In the end though, this book kept me trying to figure out what was actually happening until the very end!

I read a digital ARC of Rory Power's debut, Wilder Girls, last year, and while I loved her writing, I was disappointed by the character and relationship development (and by the abrupt ending). The writing in Burn Our Bodies Down is up to the same standard—beautiful and visceral—but unfortunately the character/relationship building has remained the same as well. Throughout the novel, it felt that the protagonist, Margot, is being held at a remove, just out of the reader's reach. As such, it was difficult to get immersed and invested in the story—without a strong connection to the main character, the stakes just weren't there. I'm still impressed by Power's writing and will give her a third chance, but will be going in with lower expectations next time around.

Burn Our Bodies Down was an interesting and creepy second novel by Rory Power. I went into this one blind having heard nothing about it, but picked it because I absolutely loved Wilder Girls. I read this in one day because it was so intriguing. I was just as invested in figuring out the history of the Nielsen family as the main character and narrator, Margot Nielsen. Her relationship with her mother is dysfunctional to say the least. Then you throw in the, everybody knows everybody else’s business, small town of Phalene, Vera the crazy deceptive, secretive grandmother, and the family background that everyone in town seems to know about but Margot, and this book is unnerving. The ending left me with some questions and I was totally like, wait, what just happened? But overall I really liked this unsettling second book by Rory Power.

Would definitely recommend it to fans of twisty, kind of weird books.

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.