This was such a page turner! I thought I was coming up with great theories only to have them all proved wrong, but that’s okay. I don’t usually figure out mystery’s, but it’s still fun to try.

I actually really like when there aren’t a lot of likable characters in a thriller. It makes it hard to trust anyone and you become skeptical of everything.

If you want a fast, engaging read I think you’ll enjoy this. It was a fast paced thriller and easy to get through. The short chapters made everything very digestible.

3.5 stars!
This was a fun and twisty thriller, however I knew the culprit from the beginning but I'm going to chalk that up to me being a seasoned thriller reader. The characters were interesting and fun to read about, and I really liked the setting—how the story kept taking the reader back to the woods. Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a lot, I just wish that it did something to set it apart from other books in this genre. Also, the cover for this book is stunning but someone please tell me, what does the title have to do with the story?

Thoroughly enjoyed the entire book! MK Pagano nailed the dynamics of a teenager grieving and navigating the complexities of relationships, while also trying to solve her sister’s murder.

I didn’t guess a single twist throughout the book, though they remained believable. I find many thriller/mystery writers struggle to create believable twists that really shock the reader, but Pagano did exactly that.

The main character, Addie, was deep and well-rounded. Throughout her life’s tragedies, she took on a more mature, maternal role in her family life and this played a big role throughout the story in terms of how she handled different questions and conflicts.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in a YA mystery.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Girls Who Burn is a fast paced, thrilling mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Throughout the story I kept going back and forth between who I thought the killer was, only to be shocked when the identity of the killer was revealed. The storyline was easy to follow, and addictive. The enemies to lovers subplot was written so nicely and the tension, was sizzling! You can tell how much Seth and Addie cared for one another throughout the story.

Girls Who Burn is M.K. Pagano debut book, and she killed it! (No pun intended). I look forward to feature books written by the author.

If you are looking for a thrilling, engaging, YA mystery that will keep you guessing, I would definitely pick this up!

Addie and her family have long had a complicated relationship with the Montgomery family. Addie, her sister Fiona, and her brother Davy live in the middle-class community of Bier’s End full-time, while the wealthy Montgomery family lives in the city, only coming into Bier’s End for the summer. The families grew up together as childhood playmates (and sometimes enemies) before eventually forming romantic connections: Fiona and Thatcher, Addie and Seth, Davy and Marion.

Fiona died a year ago, her body discovered at the bottom of a ravine, while Addie was hooking up with Seth in a nearby clearing in the woods. Between that and the fact that Addie’s last words to Fiona were said in anger, Addie carries a lot of guilt with her. She’s also publicly blamed Thatcher for Fiona’s death, heightening the tensions between her and the Montgomery family.

But shortly after the Montgomery family shows up in Bier’s End for the summer, Thatcher is discovered dead at the bottom of the same ravine where Fiona was found. Addie finds herself reconnecting with Seth as they work together to figure out what really happened to Fiona and Thatcher, and the more Addie digs, the more family secrets she discovers—about both families—leading her to wonder whether she can truly trust Seth, even as she finds herself attracted to him once again.

This was a solid summer mystery, full of suspense (and a little bit of romance) that will appeal to your mystery fans. We liked Addie and were eager to learn what truly happened to her family through all the ups and downs of her investigation. We also enjoyed a subplot where Addie reconnects with an old friend and ex-boyfriend: she has to process her own hurt but also her realizations that, perhaps, she hasn’t been entirely fair to these old friends and isn’t truly better off without them.

The novel’s inclusion of profanity, teen drinking, and references to sex makes it more appropriate for high school students than middle school students.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Nancy Paulsen Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Review will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on July 15, 2024.

What a rollercoaster of emotions and who done it!! Most of the times when I read a mystery thriller I can guess the killer before the halfway mark or even before but with this one it was just a flurry of suspects. In this fast paced YA debut everyone had a reason to be guilty and M.K did a great job giving each of them a justifiable reason. With M.K descriptions and dialogue EVERYONE looked guilty and I couldn’t pin point to one suspect, I was starting to believe the killer had to be a ghost 😂😂 but alas this wasn’t a paranormal book.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Girls Who Burn by M. K. Pagano is a first person-POV YA romantic thriller. Addie’s older sister Fiona was murdered a year ago and now Thatcher, a young man who Addie believed killed Fiona, has also ended up dead. Thatcher’s cousin and Addie’s summer fling for years, Seth, helps Addie track down who killed their family members as they grow even closer than before.

Addie is very much stuck in her head throughout the book. She struggles to see past her own tunnel vision and consider that other people care about her despite past mistakes or that things are more complicated than they might appear, including with Seth and her old friends. When she realizes her old friend is now dating her ex-boyfriend, Addie doesn’t want to hear it and shuts them both out even further instead of considering that maybe she could repair the relationship.

Seth and Addie’s relationship was my favorite part. Seth comes from an affluent family but he never puts Addie or her family down for having less. Other members of his family are attracted to members of Addie’s family (his cousin Thatcher was attracted to Fiona and Addie’s younger brother Davy used to date Seth’s cousin Marion), which indicates that the two families were very close at one point in their childhoods. Addie is constantly drawn to Seth no matter how hard she tries to pull away and he is always there for her when she really needs him.

One thing I really appreciated was how M. K. Pagano brought up the difficulties that the internet sleuths can bring to unsolved cases. It isn’t a big focus, but Addie regularly brings up how the internet boards think either Thatcher or she killed Fiona and now that Thatcher is gone, they believe Addie is the one who did it. Addie isn’t targeted by hate mail, but there have been cases in the past of these groups harassing family members of unsolved murder victims, so it was nice to see the author bring it forward.

I would recommend this to YA thriller fans with strong romance elements, fans of thrillers that explore inter-family relationships and those looking for a thriller set in a small town.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

A solid entry in the YA teen murder mystery category. It follows familiar trends of teens from different class backgrounds, and broken homes. Where this books succeeds better than most is how it does a solid job in developing the main character in Addie who comes across as a complex character that feels mostly realistic. It also does reasonably well at keeping multiple suspects as plausible culprits without resorting to plot holes or having a wild and farfetched conclusion. While the ending mostly satisfies, it does tend to shy away from action and more into expository in over-explanation. Despite these shortcomings, it is a solid debut novel.

Wow, this YA book has it all. First love, betrayal, and murder with twists and turns around every corner.

After Addie's sister Fiona dies in a mysterious "accident," she is determined to prove that it was anything but. Except when her main suspect ends up dead, Addie has to rethink the whole case.

This was a fantastic read that keeps you guessing, and just when you form your own opinion, everything comes crumbling down. This is my first time reading a novel from M.K. Pagano, but it will definitely not be my last!

Addie's sister died last year and she's convinced the Montgomerys are behind it. When her main suspect, Thatcher Montgomery, dies under mysterious circumstances, it throws Addie's investigation for a loop. Addie and Thatcher's cousin, Seth, become the prime suspects in the police investigation. Together, they set off to find the killer before they're arrested for a crime they didn't commit.

This is one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and it did not disappoint. I flew through the pages and would’ve finished it in one night but alas I had to sleep. In other words, the pacing was perfect. The mystery was good. It kept me guessing and the plot twists kept it interesting. There’s a strong message about class divide throughout that’s not very subtle but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Eat the rich, as they say. There’s a potential here to turn this into a great series. I did, however, find Addie to be… easily manipulated? That’s not to say she’s a bad main character. I enjoyed being in her head most of the time. But I wish she could’ve figured out what was happening earlier. As the reader, some things become obvious, especially towards the end. All in all, I had a great time reading this. I can tell this author has great stories and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Girls Who Burn by M. K. Pagano offers an intriguing blend of mystery and romance, with a plot centered around the unresolved deaths of Addie's sister, Fiona, and the rich boy down the street, Thatcher. The premise promises a thrilling ride as Addie, driven by guilt and suspicion, sets out to uncover the truth behind these deaths. The novel effectively sets up a tense atmosphere with a backdrop of corrupt police and a powerful, questionable family, making it a gripping read for fans of suspense.

However, the execution of this compelling plot is somewhat inconsistent. While the character dynamics between Addie and Seth, her childhood rival and unlikely ally, are well-developed, some aspects of the narrative feel forced. The romantic tension between them, although engaging, occasionally overshadows the central mystery, detracting from the story's primary focus. Additionally, the pacing can be uneven at times, with certain sections dragging while others rush through crucial plot points, leaving some character motivations and developments feeling underexplored.

Overall, Girls Who Burn succeeds in delivering an entertaining story with a strong central mystery and well-crafted characters, even if it stumbles in its execution. Fans of young adult mysteries and romance will find much to enjoy here, though they might wish for a bit more depth and consistency. The novel earns a solid three stars for its intriguing premise and the chemistry between its leads, tempered by a few narrative missteps.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
My sister is dead, and someone needs to be held accountable.
3.5/5
After reading this, I found that this is one of the mysteries that seemed alright in the summary but was a better story. I enjoyed the characters, following Addie in her search to find out what truly happened to her sister, and others who have been found dead. The main thing about this book that stood out was the writing, which I found to be well done, the pacing was medium but in some cases it had more speed. I found that in the book there were a lot of similarities to AGGGTM. I don’t like comparing books but there were at least three things that happened in both stories that felt odd to have both been mentioned. Overall though this was a fun mystery and I enjoyed reading it.

- i very rarely read mystery/thriller books so i can’t really compare this one to others but i really enjoyed this! maybe bc i don’t read this genre often but i couldn’t figure out the culprit 😥 (although i had a few suspicions) and i was kept on my toes until the end
- the story is really fast-paced and entertaining! it’s set in the summer which makes this a good summer read imo :3
- the frenemies to lovers subplot was so angsty and kinda messy but I’m here for it 😩🤭
- interesting side characters!
- overall i liked addie as a main character and her character development was good! the only thing that bothered me was the randomly thrown in fact that she counts prime numbers 😭 i don’t think it added anything to her character and it lowkey took me out of the story whenever it was brought up
- will definitely check out the author’s future works, I kinda wanna read more thrillers now too!

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

This was a great YA mystery! I liked the complicated sibling relationships, Addie’s regret about Fiona and how overprotective she was of Davy. It definitely got tense at points, and tbh I liked how Addie kept getting turned around and had no idea who to trust. I didn’t guess who the killer was but it was totally fitting. Addie and Seth’s relationship was sweet, and I liked Addie being able to repair her old friendships as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the digital ARC; these are my own unbiased opinions.

MK Pagano’s debut novel, “Girls Who Burn” is a fast paced mystery thriller that forces two childhood frenemies ...... to team up together to solve the murder of their loved ones. As they tackle corruption & family secrets through their investigation .... is also trying to figure out her feelings towards ..... and heal her abandonment issues.

At the beginning of the story .... is an insecure girl convinced that she is not worthy of love due to her mothers abandonment and that her assumptions are the only correct “facts” so it was nice to see her mature and grow as a character.

Girls who Burn was definitely a page turner for me & it was fun to try and figure out who was the murderer. As I read i kept changing my possible suspect and was surprised how wrong i was.

if you enjoy a fast pace murder mystery thriller I encourage you to pick up a copy!

Thank you again for allowing me to read the advance copy. (:

Absolutely fantastic from beginning to end!

I picked this one up on a whim, and it exceeded all my expectations. The story drew me in right away.

Addie is tormented by the fact that she said terrible things to her sister just hours before she died. Now, she's determined to uncover the truth about what really happened that night. Although it was ruled an accident, Addie is convinced there's more to the story.

A year later, the community is shaken by another death. Thatcher, the boy she believed was responsible for Fiona's death, is found dead in the same place.

Addie's life has unraveled over the past year. Her ex-boyfriend despises her, and even her best friend has turned against her. The only person who seems to understand is Seth, Thatcher's cousin. The story explores the history between Seth and Addie, as well as the dynamics of their entire group.

With multiple players involved in this deadly mystery, Addie is unsure who to trust. Everyone seems to be hiding secrets, and Addie is desperate to uncover the truth.

This is a fast-paced, well-written, and engaging YA thriller that I couldn't put down.

looking for a fun, fast paced ya thriller / mystery ??? THIS IS THE BOOK YOU NEED !!!!

The story revolves around Addie Blackwood, who lost her sister one year ago and believes she was killed by Thatcher Montgomery, a very rich friend, after witnessing a big fight between them. Despite the police ruling her sister's death an accident or suicide, Addie does everything in her power to convince them she was murdered. Going as far as to start writing on a crime forum under a nickname to raise awareness about her sister Fiona's case.

One thing about me is that I'm an absolute SUCKER for rivals-to-lovers romances, so giving me that where they then have t0 collaborate in order to solve murders??? im sat. (bonus points for the absolutely gorgeous cover)

the plot line was so fun, the writing done well and fast paced, while i did suspect the killer i wasn't quite sure about it until a few pages before they were revealed. The author wrote this in a way where the main character Addie finds herself suspecting EVERYONE - making the reader in turn also suspicious and not 100% sure if your hunch is correct or you've veered completely off course.

Loved it, Thank you to NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

4/5 ⭐️
If The Summer I Turned Pretty and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder had a baby, it would be this book.
This was a fun, twisty thriller. I practically inhaled this story, it had me on the edge of my seat constantly guessing. At one point it even had me suspicious of a character I was loving. And the third act plot twist had me bolting upright. It was very entertaining. Although the “villain” speech was a tad dramatic and they really harped on the rich just use and abuse people. Like some of their points weren’t wrong. But I think jt could’ve been developed more.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and definitely would recommend. The thriller part was thrilling. The mystery kept me guessing. And the romance was cute and complicated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

4 stars. I am such a sucker for YA mystery/thriller... especially when the MC is investigating a local murder. And with Girls Who Burn, we get 2 murders! The summer before her senior year, Addie's sister Fiona dies by falling in a ravine. But what looks like a suicide might in fact be murder. At least to Addie, who is convinced that the murderer has to be one of the rich boys next door, who is also coincidentally the cousin to the guy she make out with sometimes. But when that guy ends up dying as well, it becomes clear that 1) there's a murderer on the loose and 2) Fiona may have been hiding a lot about herself. So Addie decides to investigate the murders with Seth, aka the rich boy next door she sometimes makes out with. And oh yeah, he's still kind of pissed that she thought his cousin was a murderer. Sounds confusing? It's really not. But what it is, is a damn good and fast paced mystery thriller. I love those books where the main character has no idea who they can trust. EVERYONE is a potential suspect! And the closer that Addie comes to solving the crimes, the more she puts herself in danger. As far as YA mystery/thrillers go, this one was great. As I already said, it was really fast paced. The mystery was in no way obvious, and Pagano did a really great job building the suspense. For those that like the genre (think books by Maureen Johnson, Holly Jackson, or Karen McManus), I think you'll find a lot to enjoy about Girls Who Burn. My only warning is that while this is billed as YA, I would definitely classify it as upper YA. There is a lot of talk about sex, so that's just something to keep in mind when thinking about the audience for this one. Given that I'm in my 30s, clearly that didn't bug me. All in all, I thought this was a really solid read and I will 100% be reading more from Pagano in the future!

Thank you so much to Pagano, Penguin Teen, and Netgalley for an eARC and physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought that this was overall a fairly good mystery. I wanted more of a wild twist, but i was still relatively shocked by who the killer was. I think that this is a great YA mystery, I've been reading so many adult thrillers lately, that i have to remember to look at it thought a different lens;. I appreciate that the main character wasn't a total idiot which is a common thing that tends to happen in mysteries. I do think that the overall story wrapped up way too nice and neat for me, but it was a nice, quick read.