Burn for Burn

Gr 7 Up—Popular cheerleader Lillia, traumatized Mary, and bad girl Kat make an alliance to get revenge on two bullies and a guy they think took advantage of Lillia's younger sister. The novel (S & S, 2012) takes place on small Jar Island, and the conspirators skulk around to keep their plan secret. The antagonists are at three-dimensional characters. Rennie, head cheerleader, is a bully and a snob, and is infatuated with the quarterback who isn't interested her. Alex is in love with Lillia, but she sees him as a friend. Reeve traumatized Mary years before. He's intriguing but a cipher. The protagonists are as difficult to like as the antagonists. Mary turns out to have supernatural powers, which seems tacked on to the plot. Lillia is duplicitous throughout as the victims are her friends only days before the conspiracy is hatched. Remorse seems scarce even when they learn that their first victim was innocent. Leaving room for a sequel, plot threads dangle at the abrupt ending. The three narrators—Madeleine Maby, Joy Osmanski, and Rebekkah Ross—ably voice the revenge seekers. They all sound believable and have just the right amount of angst and drama for the girls they're representing. Production values are fine, though Mary's segments are a bit tinny. For fans of "Gossip Girls" and books about mean girls behaving badly.—C.A Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO