I am going to be honest I did not finish this one. I kept forgetting to read it. And I do not think that I will go back and read this one. But I am super thankful to have been chosen for an ARC of this one.

I have absolutely adored Buxbaum's other YA novels, so was very excited to get an ARC of this....however, to me it does not compare to any of her others. I definitely liked this book, but would not say that I loved it. I was not really drawn to any of these characters, nor was I super invested in the "love story" that plays out in the book. It was an interesting enough high school tale of several friends, but also easily forgettable. For me there was just something missing, that didn't hook me. With all that being said, it was a quick, easy read, that is great for summer!

» overview «
stars: ★★★★★
plot: ★★★☆☆
readability: ★★★★☆
characters: ★★★★☆
writing: ★★★★☆
recommend: ✓

» liked «
- 4 different POVs, but they were all in 3rd person :) however i will say Ro's POV was my favorite
- how Immie and Ro's interactions and thoughts were written
- honestly anything Immie and Ro
- Immie prioritizing her brother over their best friend, based on the reasoning that she's been with her brother since birth. absolutely adore her loyalty

» disliked «
- Immie and Ro's reasoning for keeping his sexuality from their dad was an alright reasoning to why Ro's sexuality needed to be hidden, but i'm not sure why they just wouldn't just say it was some unknown person who Jackson kissed. Why did it need to be one of the twins? They were already keeping the secret that it was actually Arch, why not just do a different, better secret?
- I'm not a fan of Paige as much as the other three, but I can see where she is coming from regarding the pressures from her family, the fact that Immie would always pick Arch over her, Jackson also chose Arch over her, and the fact that her family is never there for her. That kind of pressure and rejection would kill me. It also explains the why she met up with Chase and why she was the arsonist. It also explains a few of her actions, especially during the first fire (Think: hero homicide), however I feel like the fact that it was her who set the fires really wasn't hinted at all that much until half way through the book.

» overall «
I was a huge fan of Tell Me Three Things, so I jumped at the chance to read Julie Buxbaum's newest book.

While I do like this book, I don't LOVE it. The romance and relationship between Ro and Immie was adorable and so refreshing. I haven't read such a nice romance in a while. Having been written in 3rd person, the thoughts and actions of the characters seemed much more natural and romantic.

As for the secondary storyline of the fires and who set them, I focused less on this and more on the interactions between the main four. I felt that this storyline was weaker and less developed. The reveal of the arsonist was a nice twist, but it was not as captivating or interesting as the romance. Plus, random fire alarms going off while living in California was something I went through, except there was no arsonist, just some malfunctioning alarms, so I honestly wasn't sure if this book was gonna go with an actual arsonist. (What can I say? I'm a romance reader, not a mystery one :P)

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for a review with my honest opinions.

Another great novel by Julie Buxbaum! It is engaging and there is nice character development. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

I love Julie Buxbaum's books. Her characters are well crafted, and the plots are perfectly planned. Year on Fire is another Buxbaum book filled with complex characters that develop realistic and complicated relationships. My only issue with the book is the resolution of who is setting fires at the school. The answer to the mystery felt both out of nowhere and obvious.

Young love, friendships, this latest YA release has all the best things about being a teenager!

There’s just something about love and how so many qualities of fire match it — the quick way it burns, the fleeting pace, the all-consuming feelings, I could not have been more caught up in the way this story was laid out.

Buxbaum writes characters so well, I love her writing style and how the descriptions and feelings made me instantly feel a part of this friend group who are so relatable and full of personality.

Thank you to NetGalley + Delacorte Press for the advance to read and review, it was a joy to be a part of the blog tour with TBR and Beyond Tours.

I LOVED this book. Ro and Immie are EVERYTHING. My only complaint? I was slightly hoping for a darker ending….but that might’ve just been my mood this week.

Honestly, I couldn’t get through this quick enough and was genuinely disappointed at my lack of reading time.

I usually love Julie Buxaum's books but this one ended up not really being what I was looking for. The issue I had with this book was that I didn't really connect with any of the main characters. The story is so character driven that by not really liking any of the characters I really couldn't get into the story either. I also didn't feel like the post covid setting was really explored. I think if you aren't going to weave that into your story fully, leave it out.

I am sorry to say that I did not finish this book. I really tried to like it but I just couldn't get into it.

This one just didn’t grab me as much as her other books. Definitely a story about coming to terms with who you are and what you want to be. Being the perfect girl isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be and when you get to close to the flames, without asking for help, you can get burned. Learning how to speak up and ask for help is a major theme throughout the book. I enjoyed the dynamic of the twins Immie & Arch: two halves of a whole, who also need to discover where they fit in without each other. Told from four different perspectives, it wasn’t hard to keep up with and discovering who was setting the fire was easier to figure out than I thought.

I usually love Julie Buxbaum's books, but her latest book was just ok for me. I love a good coming of age story, but I didn’t enjoy the third person perspective from 4 people. It was just too much. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Being a teenager is really really hard. If you are a teenager and pick this book up - I hope it can help you feel seen in all the challenges of navigating friends and relationships and families and school stress.

If you are an adult who reads this - as I am - you may find it fills you with gratitude to be past that stage. Sometimes I read YA and can be right back in that mindset and other times I find myself relating to the parents these days.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Julie Buxbaum is a must read for me when it comes to her YA. I really enjoyed this newest, and I love how she carries over all her stories in the same universe. Here we are back at Wood Valley, and there's even a mention of Baby Hope (from Hope and Other Punchlines). I loved the twins but was a little confused how their relationship with Paige. I'm not so sure that I would have been as forgiving if I were in this situation. I thought she shined light on an important topic with many teenagers with Paige. She was under so much pressure, and I'm glad that she eventually sought help. Always happy to delve back into Wood Valley.

Usually, Buxbaum's books are riveting and have a surprising amount of depth. This one fell flat for me and I am not sure why. I think I was on a string of mediocre reads and I was hoping for more. This would still be a decent purchase for a robust Youth Services collection, but I don't think it is a must have.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Year on Fire was an interesting book. I think this is the third book of Julie's that I have read and so far, they've been good. It did take me a while to get into this though and I wasn't in love with all the characters either. The twins, Immie and Arch, were lovable and I adored them so much. It's just unfortunate that I really didn't like their best friend, Paige. Even the new kid, Ro, was way more likable than her.

Other than that, the drama and mystery were entertaining. Some of the secrets that came out were a little predictable. While others annoyed me a smidge because I just wanted them to come out and for everyone to know already. I definitely had a problem being patient when it came to these four and will need to work on that.

In the end, I'm happy that I got the chance to jump into this. I kind of wished that I liked Paige more than I originally did because I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more. Also, I really liked how Julie dove into certain hard topics throughout the book. She did an amazing job, and I can't wait for her next book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.
I love anything by Julie Buxbaum and Year on Fire is no different. Each character jumps off the page and into your heart as you read it. LOVED THIS ONE

Year on Fire takes place at an elite private school on the west coast that is centered around four characters twins, Immie & Arch, Paige (their best friend), and Rohan who is the new kid in school from London. They are all juniors.

The book begins on the first day of school, which I love when a book about schools starts then. Immie has confessed to Paige that a few days before she had kissed her then-boyfriend, but in reality, it wasn’t her she is taking the blame to cover up for Arch because he isn’t ready to come out yet. She knows she has betrayed Paige and is trying to make amends with her. She will basically do anything to get back in Paige’s good books so when they spot the new guy, Rohan and Paige call dibs on him she lets her pursue him, even though she has a crush on him. Will they be able to mend this strained friendship?

No sooner are they into the first day of school than the fire alarm goes off and they have to evacuate the school. Someone has set fire to the girl’s bathroom but who did it? The only thing is it’s not a one-off situation, someone keeps setting fires inside the school. As the story progressed you discover who it is and for the most part I was spot on with my guess.

Looking at the group of four you think they have it all but behind closed doors, it’s a whole other story. Rohan is struggling with his father’s affair, Paige is struggling with being perfect all the time, and her parents neglect, Arch is gay and he really likes Paige’s ex and Immie she wants her freedom and independence.

I am sitting here struggling with what to write because I don’t want to give away everything about the book so maybe its best if I stop and say go and read this book.

After reading this all I can say is why haven’t I read any of Julie’s previous books? I definitely have to check out her books. Her previous books are Admission, Hope and Other Punchlines, What to Say Next, Tell Me Three Things, After You, and The Opposite of Love. The books are both young adults and adults.

I am a Julie Buxbaum completist and have read everything she’s ever published. She writes such believable and entertaining stories. This is such a great summer read. While her target audience is YA, I think adults can sink into her stories as well. I highly recommend this one as well as her backlist. (If you’re debating what to read next from her backlist, I recommend starting with Tell Me Three Things.)

I really enjoyed this book. The author was able to create beautifully lyrical writing that I just fell in love with.
I enjoyed the point of view of the whole school yard rumors thing with all the drama, friendship, and love interests you would expect at school.
I loved all the characters and watching the growth they went through during the book.

I don't read a lot of Young Adult labeled novels, but I know that Julie Buxbaum is well loved plus the summary sounded really intriguing. Twins, Arch and Immie are linked to their best friend, Paige since they were little kids, even if their home lives are very different. They have always had this connection but as they start their junior year of high school, their bond is coming a bit frayed. It's nothing that can't be worked through but as a teenager, it's hard to ask for help or understand how to give help.

Enter teenage hormones which is what causes the initial rift between the twins and Paige. Then enter the new guy, Ro and Paige calling dibs on him. Of course, when Immie starts to spend time with Ro she feels like she's betraying Paige with her feelings.

And while Paige was a bit much for me in the beginning of the novel, type A, she begins to unravel as she loses control of things. With parents that are never home, she's often left by herself, which is why she's so reliant on Immie and Arch. Except things aren't always what they seem at their house either.

I admired the friendship of the three because even though it was tested a few different ways, they are truly there for each other when it matters.