Okay; I really wanted to enjoy this seemingly creepy YA mystery – and I did to an extent. Burn Our Bodies Down was creepy, haunting and in the end, chaotic in way that did not endear it to me.

Burn Our Bodies Down had me intrigued right from the start – the moment I read the blurb and requested to review the audiobook – Yes, I have been listening to an insane amount of audiobooks recently thanks to the lockdown – but I also do think that the narration of an audiobook does have a strong effect on how I would like a book.

Which is one of the reasons that went against Burn Our Bodies Down – the narrator of the book was both shriek-y and shrilly – I literally spent more than half of my time either turning the volume up or down, the narration always went into extremes; either it was too soft or it was too loud and it affected my experience of the book as well.

Now coming to the book itself – I was really excited to read a creepy haunting YA Mystery with unexplained or even paranormal phenomenon that would not only awe me but also have me creeped out!

I wouldn’t exactly go into the plot itself – but the author has done a good job of portraying the anxiety, the fear and the confusionthe protagonist goes through with her own mother; but also the eternal hope and faith that she feels when she thinks she has found family who actually wants her!

About 80% of the book is just a push and pull that the protagonist goes through in regards to her own feelings, her identity and her own decisions – and it is in the last 20% that the actual climax and the action actually occurs.
I really was in the mood for a creepily haunting storyline – but somehow this one just missed the mark when it came to the execution!

I read this on the recommendation of another booktuber who read it and really enjoyed. I feel like the tone was a little off at times. I'm really excited to see what Rory Power has next.

WOW, this book, guys, was everything I wanted and more. I can already say that it will not be a book for everyone, I'm sure there will be many polarities of opinions and they'll all be super valid, but I'm happy to be part of those people who have loved it. I adore the author's style, it really resonates a lot with my soul, I adore how atmospheric this book is, and above all the originality of the story and the emotional weight it carries, as well as the complexity of its characters. Incredible work, I don't give 5 stars often, but this book deserves them.


In this twisted story full of secrets we follow Margot who has never had the best relationship with her mother, therefore one day she decides that she has had enough of this toxic relationship and all the secrets that her mother has hidden from her, and guided by an old photograph she has found, she leaves her house on the way to Phalene, her mother's hometown, to discover where she comes from, desperate to create a connection with a family she has never met. But once there, Margot will begin to understand why her mother escaped from there so many years ago, and soon she understands that she may never leave.


This book is made just for me, I love every vibe that came to me while reading it, it's super creepy and you have that feeling of discomfort while reading it, but also you felt very intrigued to know what's happening since the plot is super uncertain in the beginning, and then it takes really wild shapes, which I love. It's also super atmospheric, it's a book that transports you completely to another place and even to another time, it feels kind of historical although it's not really. I love the small-town vibes, where there are many secrets and lies and strange conspiracies happening, it's my jam & I loved how the plot developed, .I think it's very well thought out, there's a lot of work put here and it shows, the author has a brilliant mind that managed to inspire me a lot to continue writing my own project Reading this book was a very strange, but incredibly exciting and compelling experience, it has some grotesque and twisty scenes, but if you've read Rory Power before you know what you can find and it's like her unique style. I loved it, I think from my heart that it's an incredible work, I'm very excited to read whatever she has planned for us in the future.

Of course, the writing style is super captivating, it envelops you in a way where you can read many chapters without even noticing it, and that's obviously due to the great talent of the author when designing and writing her stories. I love how easy it was to read, even though it feels complex at the same time, the author struck a fine balance between plot and characters, making the latter incredibly complex.


This book is highly focused on super toxic family relationships, so I want to note this in case it's triggering for you, it also contains gory and graphic scenes.
The relationships in the book are extremely interesting to read and follow, they develop a lot throughout the plot and it was very interesting to explore them further. Especially Margot's relationship with her mother Josephine, whose relationship is charged and marked by many secrets and things that aren't said, but then as you learn more about them and their stories, you understand on a deeper level what's really happening, and that was very well done, I loved it. Another relationship that I found interesting was that of Margot with Vera, her grandmother, I can't share much of this relationship, but it was so incredible, it shows a special vulnerability in both characters, they're so different, but at the same time very equal in certain aspects & Last but not least, Margo's relationship with Tess, it's brilliant, it's adorable at times, but it also shows an honest and new bond for Margot, I'll tell you more about the characters below, but I wanted to highlight the relationships that the book focuses on because I think it's the most important thing and the relationships that have the most weight in this story.


The characters as such are incredible and you can see the work in each of their personalities. Margot's a great main character, she has grown up with many insecurities and fears due to the lack of care and love on the part of her mother, so seeing her grow and evolve made me very happy. I think that showing such a vulnerable character with so many problems to connect and communicate was super intense to read and gives another tone to the story, and a greater impact on the development of it, I was all the time on her side and although I didn't I agree with each of her decisions, I understand where it comes from and that most of her actions and decisions are taken for her need to be loved, cared for and accepted in a family. Then we have Vera and Josephine, characters with a very dark veil over them, many secrets and extremely manipulative personalities, but extremely interesting to follow, as well, these characters keep you on the edge of your seat and you never know what their true intentions are until the end, what I loved & Tess, is great, I think this character came into Margot's life to give her a little light, hope, and fun, you know? and in the book we see the beginning of a beautiful friendship that marks Margot in unimaginable ways, she's a great character to explore within this type of plot.

There's no romance as such in this book and I liked that very much, it focuses 100% on family dynamics and personal development and searches for the truth, as well as many other very creepy things that I cannot explain lol. There are some friendships happening and we know that this can be as or even more significant than a romance, and in this book it undoubtedly is, it's a beautiful and super important complement.
One aspect that I loved to see is that Margot is lesbian and seeing this character expressing how she feels about this was very well explored, especially because I like that there's a sapphic character that it's not involved in a romance, you know? It's not necessary for a person to be involved in a relationship with someone to know who you are and how you feel and that's fantastic.


This book has an extremely different and unexpected twist, that I don't want to even hint at because I don't want it to be ruined for you, but I do want to share that I think it was very unique, and I know it won't work for everyone, but it did for me. It's weird..... sooooo weird, so be prepared to have thousands of theories and still be surprised in the end.

I think I mentioned this briefly before, but this book is set in a small town where there are several farms, called Phalene - Fairhaven, and the small and somewhat old towns are the perfect settings for this type of plot and I hope you agree with me on that because I love them completely. Margot's grandmother has a farm and it's there where most of the events take place, and let me tell you, I grew up part of my life as a child on a farm since my grandparents live there, and there's nothing more creepy than a farm on daylight, I just saying lol. Amazing choice of setting, I loved it.


I loved the ending, I think it is extremely unexpected and very rare, but in the best way, at some point, I may have thought it would happen, but I discarded it because I couldn't understand how the author would tie all the loose ends that this story has, but she did it in a brilliant way. I feel good about Margot's ending, I think I would love a sequel just to know what will happen now with the characters and how everything will develop, it's such a unique plot but the characters get my applause, especially Margot, I love how her development towards the end lit a fire inside her and I adored follow her going through everything to find out the truth about herself and her family lineage. Parts of the ending really shocked me because of how shocking they were, just WOW.


Obviously, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to read something extremely unique and original, with a very creepy vibe, full of secrets, lies, mystery, and suspense. I also recommend it if you want to read about morally gray characters, you know that I love that and this book has them all, but also the characters are very complex and unpredictable. It's a story focused on the family and on self-discovery and self-development, but it also focuses a lot on giving the reader some impact and high tension, reading this book is quite an experience and I know you cannot miss it, I simply loved it.
The complexity of the plot, the characters, and the creation of the setting and the vibe are perfect. I LOVED IT and although it's not for everyone, I hope you can enjoy it too, especially if you have enjoyed the author before.

My first book from the author and I really enjoyed it! I loved how creepy it was and how I had no idea what was going on throughout the book. It is the perfect read in the spooky season for sure!

Angst-ridden teenager Margot has no past. Her troubled relationship with her secretive mother is cemented only in the present day with all attempts to learn about her heritage well and truly destined to fail.
The chance discovery of an old photograph amongst discarded belongings leads Margot to run away from home to the town of Phalene in search of her roots. Once there, she discovers the grandmother she always wanted, and a town with an inbred hatred of her family. As the days pass and relationships form, Margot slowly begins to unravel the secrets that her mother tried to hide.
Rory Power has delivered a nice little YA thriller that offers plenty of twists and a cast of characters that may not be what they initially seem. Those that begin as cardboard cutouts soon reveal deeper aspects to their personalities… except the protagonist herself.
Perhaps it is Lauren Ezzo’s stellar narration that is at fault here. Margot’s petulant teen antics are a mainstay of the novel and are so brilliantly realised by Ezzo that the character fast becomes an annoying brat that you wish would run away. Rather than driving the story forward, Margot’s excessively selfish and miserable personality often threatens to drive the listener away. It’s only Power’s ability to tell a good thriller, and Ezzo’s notable narration that keeps one listening. Perhaps other angst-ridden teenage girls will fully relate to the main character’s belligerent, whiny hype, but the lack of any real light-and-shade in the character will make her unbearable for most.
If Power’s aim was to have such an unlikable main character, then he has excelled. Given that all the other characters are so much better fleshed out however, makes it an unlikely choice. It is rare to have a character engender such a strong sense of annoyance as to turn a reader away. For this alone, Burn Our Bodies Down is a note-worthy work.
For the story and narration, bravo. For the central character, it is a very strong thumbs down for this one.

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power was an extremely slow read. I found it hard to really get into this book. I don't think it was super fleshed out. It was a bit disappointing. I really like Power's writing style, I just wish the story had more meat to it. I felt like the book could have a bit fast paced and the twists were just too predictable.

I really loved the narrator. I thought the narrator did a great job with the story. It sounded great. I honestly finished this boo because I liked the narrator. I would definitely listen to another audiobook by this narrator.

Nasty! A lot of nasty in this story, and that's what makes it so good. Sit back, suspend your disbelief and get ready to be hooked.

Margot knows nothing about her family, there has always been just her and her mum. That has been enough, but Margot has been emotionally shut out by her mum, and now she has a clue to her mother's past and she runs off to investigate. What she finds is a town full of damaged people, huge secrets and very scary going ons. She finds a grandmother who is manipulative and downright creepy, and cops who are trying to pin a crime on her gran. And before that there is a fire, a terrifying, nasty and destroying fire.

This was an audiobook, read amazingly well by Lauren Ezzo, she got the tone just right, the pace and her reading set just the right notes.

I really enjoyed this, found it hard to stop listening to and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Give it to kids who loved One of Us is Lying.

I have been unable to download the audiobook so I am unable to provide review for this book. I hope to read it in the future.

Burn Our Bodies came to me via Netgalley on AUDIO! Audio! Is this not exciting?! Well, it's exciting for me anyway, haha.

I read Wilder Girls late last year and I thought it was a great slow burn of a book with some chilling organic body horror and very complicated relationships. Burn Our Bodies Down isn’t quite as horrorish as Wilder Girls but it’s still quite chilling especially when you learn all of its secrets!

Margot lives with her unstable mom and they have a very strained relationship. Her mom reminded me a little bit of Chuck from Better Call Saul and if you’ve seen that show (and you should) you’ll understand why Margot is having such a rough time. Margot loves her mom but, well, this quote says it all “I love her so much more when she’s not here.” It’s complicated and genuine and it is hard to read those conflicted and painful emotions and that is why I adore the way this author writes. Margot is desperate to learn more about her family so when she sees an opportunity to do so she grabs it and she runs and she lands at a blighted, twisted, homestead.

That’s the setup. What follows is a very creepy and slow reveal of family secrets. And when I say creepy I am not exaggerating. These are some bizarre family secrets but if you’ve read Wilder Girls you won’t be too taken aback. I’m not going to reveal anything else because this is the type of book where the less said about the plot, the better.

Now, because I listened to the audio version I feel the need to say that some choices here weren’t my favorite. The audio echoes early on and it is distracting. I thought it was my cheapie headphones at first, or perhaps it was because I always speed up my audios a bit and I don’t know if it cleared up or if I just became accustomed to it but eventually I stopped noticing it and fell into the story. Also, the narrator often sounds on the verge of tears. Margot is an emotional character and this narrator gives it her all and I applaud her for that but sometimes her all was just a wee bit too much for me to take. Other than that she does a fine job with this wildly unusual story.

<b><i>“I am supposed to be quiet, I am supposed to be good, but I was born at war and I can only keep from fighting for so long.”</b></i>

<b>representation: lesbian MC (own voices).

[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]</b>

★★★.5

so i am a big dumb dumb and didn't realise i received an audio copy for review and i instead read it physically *facepalm* so i can't speak for the audiobook, but in regards to the physical book - i didn't like it nearly as much as wilder girls, but i think that has everything to do with personal preference. i preferred the atmosphere in wilder girls as it had a lot of my favourite things like boarding school, survival story, wintery atmosphere, that kind of thing, whereas burn our bodies down has more of a summery, cornfields, southern type of feel which isn't typically my favourite atmosphere/setting.

i will say that this book constantly had me scratching my head just ITCHING to know what the heck was going on because it was all so intriguing!! i just HAD to know what happened next and how everything tied together so it was a super quick read because i couldn't stop flipping the pages!

it had a super unsettling/creepy vibe as soon as she met her grandmother who was SUSPICIOUS AF and i could just see this making an amazing film in my head!!!

i would definitely recommend this, especially for the spooky season, but don't go into thinking you're going to get another wilder girls because it's totally different!

<b>trigger warnings: fire. emotional abuse by a parent (her mother), including gaslighting and familial and generational abuse. Non-consensual pregnancy (no rape or sexual assault). body horror, gore, and blood. on-page character death. child/infant death (off-page, but there is implied violence). off-page gun violence. emesis (mention of vomiting). all of these are taken from the author's website. i'm going to also add - being buried alive. </b>

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the review copy!</i>

Gripping, haunting, and mysterious - this book will sear your skin and leave charred marks in your hearts. A truly riveting read, Rory Power knows the word branding and she sealed her own brand with this sophomore novel.

The narrator also did an excellent job in the audiobook. The articulation were on point all throughout and the emotion were also played all throughout the storyline.

RATING: 4stars

🔥 "I love her so much more when she's not here." 🔥

Burn our bodies down may be my favourite book of the year. Rory Power returns to fiction with a novel about poison in a small rural town. The depiction of generational trauma in this book is the best I have seen in years, Margot's desire for familial love even in the face of emotional abuse was captivating for me as a reader. Everything in this book leads back to the characters relationships with one another and the possibility of breaking a seemingly endless cycle of abuse.

This book also makes for a great listening experience. I got to experience Burn Our Bodies Down as an audiobook, Power's gritty strange world was upped thanks to unnerving narration by Lauren Ezzo.

If you like your Young Adult Fiction queer and compelling, then read Burn Our Bodies Down.

⚠Trigger Warnings⚠: Fire, Emotional abuse by a parent, including gaslighting. Familial and generational abuse. Nonconsensual pregnancy – note, no sexual assault or rape. Body horror, some gore, blood. Death. Referenced Gun Violence.

An updated list of content warnings available: HERE (link in review)

See my Review of Wilder Girls 🥀 HERE (link in review)

I received an advance review copy of this audiobook for free via NetGalley in association with Blackstone Publishing. I am leaving this review voluntarily 📚.

I listened to this on audiobook and this was the second book I have read by Rory Power. I read Wilder Girls and really enjoyed it, but this one didn't live up to it.

Margot lives with her mum and it as just been the two of them. But Margot gets in contact with the grandmother she has never met and goes to visit her and the place where her mum grew up. As soon as she gets there she runs into a girl burning and running from a big fire. Margot tries to help her but shes dies, but the strange thing is, she looks exactly like Margot.

No one knows who the girl is, even Margot's grandma. Margot wants answers but is not getting any.

The first half the book was ok, but I didn't really pay that much attention to it, not until I was at least 50% the way through. Then it got better. It wasn't until the last few chapters that everything is unravelled and revealed. And let me tell you, it was a weird one.

This was one even weirder then Wilder Girls.

Overall an ok read. But too slow going for me, but I did enjoy the ending and the strangeness.

3.5/5 for me.

Burn Our Bodies Down was the creepy, paranoia-inducing Autumn read that I needed right now. It unraveled so slowly, feeding the reader little eerie details, giving plenty of chances to piece it all together before being thrown into the deep end during the last fifteen percent of the book. I can’t even handle how perfectly this story is paced to tease the reader just the right amount while still revealing enough to keep everyone satisfied.

In addition to sheer storytelling skill, Power really showcases her ability to write unique, relatable characters and relationships. The core of this book tackles intergenerational trauma and the challenging dynamics between mothers and daughters. And even in this weird, sci-fi adjacent story, the tense relationships in this family are so goddamn believable. I’ll admit that maybe the uncomfortable relationship between myself and my birth mother contributed to how I connected with this aspect of the story. But the way Margot carefully walks on eggshells and watches for body language triggers felt oh-so familiar and I applaud Power for capturing the reality of that environment with so much tact and clarity.

Added characterization bonus: love seeing queer rep in a story that doesn’t revolve around being queer. Don’t get me wrong – I love both. But it’s always great to see rep in spaces that are about other things, so that excited me during this read as well.

Another thing that made this read such a fantastic experience is the narrator, Lauren Ezzo. I cannot overstate what a perfect job she did on this read. Her voice was so full of emotion and angst and trauma. She provides one of the most believable narrations I’ve ever heard. Some narrators read like they are reading a book. Lauren Ezzo is like listening to a movie. When you can actually hear her voice crack as she fights tears... chef’s kiss, man. She’s perfect and I can’t wait to see what other books she can read to me.

Long story short, Burn Our Bodies Down is a slow-burn mystery chockful of sapphic tension, psychological suspense, and tons of dark family secrets. The creepy, don’t-know-who-to-trust vibes are intense and perfectly crafted, especially for a SpookySeason read. For an extra special treat, go for the audio version.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for offering an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first review for an audiobook, so bear with me. As far as the story goes, I really enjoyed it! I thought it was the perfect amount of literary fiction with super creepy what-the-hell-is-going. As far as the narrator goes, I thought they did an excellent job of creating an image to go with the voice they provided for the main character. I don't really listen to audiobooks but want to give reviewing one a go, and I think I'll stick to regular e-books! That being said, I really enjoyed listening to this book and I'm excited to reread it as an e-book to pick up the little peices I know I missed with the audiobook.

I received a complimentary advanced ebook and advanced audiobook of Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power from Delacorte Press through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Burn Our Bodies Down came out in July 2020!
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Margot has never known any family other than her mother. Her mother refuses to answer any questions about her past or where she came from. Their small life in a run-down apartment isn't enough for Margot. She wants a family and family history. When she finds a photo in her mother's bible, Margot finally has the information she needs to find out more. The photograph draws her to a town called Phalene where Margot will discover her family's dark secret and the reason her mother left and never looked back.
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I read part of this one, but I mainly listened to it on audio. This story and Rory Power's haunting prose lend themselves well to audio. It was hard to stop listening. Like Wilder Girls, this story has a more contemporary setting but it has a fantastical, scifi sort of aspect to it. It took me a while to work out my feelings about this one and I'm not sure I completely have, but overall I think it's a good YA horror novel. I felt like there wasn't much that happened in this story though. We spend a lot of time in Margot's head and the events are slow to unfold. Still, the audio format worked well with that and I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook! Trigger warning for violence and gore!

This was an interesting book to say the least. I enjoyed the narrator as I have listened to quite a few of her books. I appreciated how there was a mental health issue (strained relationship) between the mother and daughter (Margot), which is explained at the end of the book. Margot is basically on a hunt to find out why her mother is the way she is, so she stumbles to her grandmothers house. It all goes downhill for Margot there, but she does indeed find out why her mom is the way she is. I just felt like the book fell a little flat & just totally not believable. Even when I found out what happened I was just like oh..okay. It just wasn't a wow factor for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This is my first ever Audiobook ARC that I've requested from Netgalley and I just have to say that this is a brilliant idea because it allowed me to really sink my teeth into this book and allow myself total engagement.

Burn Our Bodies Down is about a teenage girl named Margo whose mother has been keeping a lot of things secret from her, and due to Margo's curiosity and yearning to have a normal life with loving grandparents, friends, and actual care, she snoops and finds a message in her mother's bible. This leads to Margo running away and finding her grandmother in a town named Phalene.

Thence begins Margo's slow descent into the secrets that have torn apart her mother and grandmother's life, the secret that inevitably leads to Margo's own life being put in danger.

To say the least, I enjoyed the suspense in this book. I found the plot twist at the end to be very satisfying and creepy enough that I shuddered at the thought. What really appealed to me about Burn Our Bodies Down is that it's essentially a book about parental negligence and how it affects us throughout our lives. We see it in Margo and in Margo's mom, who isn't given any excuses for the way she raised Margo to be self-reliant against Margo's will. I liked that this book touched upon topics of small-town weirdness as well as family secrets and even biochemical mysteries.

I enjoyed it a lot and I'll be looking forward to Rory Power's future works.

I had a hard time getting into this book, I had to stop halfway thru. It does sound like a nice book, but I just couldn't get into it.

This book was not for me, at all.

I couldn’t get into the story because the main character was so insufferable. Margot is just..... terrible. She is the classics example of the “innocent” character. Just think of a bad horror movie, the main character ignores everyone because they want to find out what’s inside of the creepy, terrifying house.

The only reason why I finished the book was to find out the ending. And even then I was disappointed.

Overall, I felt think this book was trying to do too much.

I also was not a fan of the narrator. She was too passionate in most parts which annoyed me throughout the whole book.