A lot was happening in this book and I'm honestly not a huge fan of YA anymore so that's my own fault and not the authors at all. It felt juvenile and contrite and could have been so much better. However the prose was so beautiful. A juxtaposition for sure with story and writing

Twins Arch and Emmie and their best friend Paige must face realities that challenge their mental health, friendship, and social dynamics. Arch must conceal who he really is, while Immie lies to her best friend to protect her twin. When Ro, a transplant from London, moves to town the same day as a mysterious fire starts in their high school, a series of events are set into motion that will put them all on different paths.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum.

A coming-of-age story that highlights how quickly things can come to a head when emotions and hormones are in play. Even though this is a young adult novel, it was so well-written and the characters were so engrossing that it never felt immature.

A riveting YA contemporary that follows several teenagers through a school year of friendships (built and broken), romances, family issues, and the mounting pressures of the journey into adulthood. I do have to warn that this book is a character study at its heart, so it’s light on plot. Some people might be put off by that, but I was engaged enough with these teens and their complicated relationships that I didn’t mind. The story is told from multiple POV’s as we follow twins Arch and Immie, their best friend Paige, and new kid Ro. We find out at the beginning that something happened that has majorly strained the relationship between Paige and Immie – a kiss, a betrayal – but the details are murky, and the mystery of those circumstances unfolds throughout the book. Immie spends the book struggling to get back into Paige’s good graces and fighting an attraction that she fears will harm their friendship more. Meanwhile, Immie and Arch are keeping secrets, both about that night and their family, and Paige is struggling to just stay afloat when her world seems to be crumbling around her. This book is perfect for anyone who likes a character-driven story filled with emotional angst!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There was a time when I was really into Julie Buxbaum's books. Tell Me Three Things and Admissions were both solid reads! However, I've either lost my taste for this particular genre OR (more likely) this one just wasn't as good.

Year on Fire follows a group of friends through a series of different obstacles, the first of which starts with a kiss. Twins, Immie and Arch, have been best friends with Paige for years. Only, their loyalty to one another will forever trump that to others... a fact that is proven when Arch kisses Paige's boyfriend and Immie takes the blame. The tension in their friend group is at an all-time high when English transfer student, Ro, enters the mix. All the while, there's someone setting intentional fires within the school... for some reason.

We see these teens grapple with some very real issues, most of which revolves around their families. They all have a less than ideal relationship with their parents -- Immie and Arch continuously cover up the domestic abuse occurring at home (forcing Arch to remain closeted, fearing his dad's reaction), Paige's parents are never around, and Ro carries resentment for his father's infidelity. While I commend Buxbaum for integrating these subjects into her writing, the actual story was just... painfully boring. And the arson sub-plot felt random and unnecessary.

All in all? Not one I'd recommend.

This has an amazing cover, got great buzz, and I just could not get into it! Did not finish, put down at 10% completed.

Julie Buxbaum is a must read YA author for me, and Year on Fire did not disappoint.

I enjoyed the relationships that were explored between so many of the characters in this book. Also, I liked the frank look at how our world’s look different to outsiders and the work we put into protecting the perception versus reality.

Finally, I thought the high school storyline was completely believable which is not always the case! I mean who hasn’t been in a secret romance with misunderstandings surrounding it ;)

As always, Julie Buxbaum delivers a great YA novel. She creates relatable characters that appeal to teens and adults.

A little more than 4 stars! I really liked this, it was a fresh take on coming of age with lots of secrets and betrayals and loneliness and love and longing. Lots of great topics covered in ways that were natural to the story without seeming forced. Tons of great rep!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Sad that this was a Young Adult book and that I didn't see that before requesting, but I thought it was really good and the character building was great!

DNF. This ended up being a book I wasn't expecting and did not have a desire to follow through with. Apologies for requesting it without understanding ahead of time. The kinds of relationships and trials within the relationships were more angsty than I usually prefer to read, especially as I have high school kids and am trying to keep them from these kinds of awful relationships.

I've been a Julie Buxbaum fan ever since she hooked me with Tell Me Three Things. In her latest YA novel, four teens in L.A. navigate teen drama of the completely normal and novelly excessive variety. Plenty of entertainment and angst for all!

A scorching romance--as the title promised! I have been a fan of Buxbaum for a while now and it was nice seeing her back to true form instead of ripped from the headlines like Admission.

Thank you NetGalley for supplying this ARC I'm exchange for an honest review. In all honesty, I was disappointed by this novel. The description of this novel suggests that it would have more mystery to it's plot than what I found. Mostly it was predictable and too YA-y, though the latter could be a personal preference.

This was a fun read. Twists and turns, and fire I wasn't expecting. The cover originally made me think this story was just going to be a cute high school romance, but, reading it showed me it was so much more. I will be checking out more by Julie Buxbaum. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Too predictable. Four teens, a web of lies, and an elite private school is a recipe for either peak entertainment or absolutely disaster. This book stands somewhere in between. The exploration of dysfunctional families, identity, and the pains of today's generation is impressive. But the plot doesn't have a core to keep the ball rolling and the overemphasis on character emotions leaves the story stale. Still, some of the commentary on above themes is done excellently— making this a fine pick for young adult readers.

This was too YA for me-secrets, lies, family drama, arson—it was just too much. I think I am no longer fit to read YA as I find myself rolling my eyes at all the unnecessary drama over missed communications.

Great book and enjoyed the characters . loved the slight romance and the how well the group worked together. Overall a great book . I would read this author again.