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Pinky's Reviews > Burned
Burned (Burned, #1)
by
by
I finally finished last semester well and I am back to having a little bit of freedom. I have enough time to read 1-2 novels a week, so hopefully I can catch up on my reading goal this year! I can't believe I haven't read a book by Ellen Hopkins yet and I'm so glad that I finally did because it was bloody amazing!
“Did you ever, when you were little, endure your parents� warnings, then wait for them to leave the room, pry loose protective covers and consider inserting some metal object into an electrical outlet? "
Pattyn Von Stratten lives in a religious and abusive household. After having a dream of a guy she likes, she comes to question things about her life, regarding God, love and more. After causing a lot of trouble, Pattyn's father decides to send her off to her Aunt's house in Nevada. As Pattyn moves in for the summer, she realizes so many things, learns so many things and finally feels that she belongs. But is everything as perfect as it seems? Will she be able to stay away from her family forever?
"Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room? "
I really liked Pattyn's character, sure I wouldn't do a lot of the things she did, but I loved how she would fight for what she believes in. She is bold and different, and she never hesitates to speak up. The character development in this novel was great. Ethan is one of my favourite characters, but he seems too good too be true. Aunt J is great, I love how she gives Pattyn as much freedom as possible. She is so easy-going and awesome, I love how she lives her life. Jackie is a great sister and I love how she looks out for Pattyn.
"Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you? "
I loved the format of this book and how it was filled with poems. The way the story was told was so different from what I am used to, which was amazing! This book is so unique and I can't wait to read the sequel because the ending of this book killed me. I didn't think I would enjoy this book so much, but I did!
Me after reading this book:
I highly recommend this book to everyone! Anyway, I'll be off and hopefully finish another book soon!
“Did you ever, when you were little, endure your parents� warnings, then wait for them to leave the room, pry loose protective covers and consider inserting some metal object into an electrical outlet? "
Pattyn Von Stratten lives in a religious and abusive household. After having a dream of a guy she likes, she comes to question things about her life, regarding God, love and more. After causing a lot of trouble, Pattyn's father decides to send her off to her Aunt's house in Nevada. As Pattyn moves in for the summer, she realizes so many things, learns so many things and finally feels that she belongs. But is everything as perfect as it seems? Will she be able to stay away from her family forever?
"Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room? "
I really liked Pattyn's character, sure I wouldn't do a lot of the things she did, but I loved how she would fight for what she believes in. She is bold and different, and she never hesitates to speak up. The character development in this novel was great. Ethan is one of my favourite characters, but he seems too good too be true. Aunt J is great, I love how she gives Pattyn as much freedom as possible. She is so easy-going and awesome, I love how she lives her life. Jackie is a great sister and I love how she looks out for Pattyn.
"Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you? "
I loved the format of this book and how it was filled with poems. The way the story was told was so different from what I am used to, which was amazing! This book is so unique and I can't wait to read the sequel because the ending of this book killed me. I didn't think I would enjoy this book so much, but I did!
Me after reading this book:
I highly recommend this book to everyone! Anyway, I'll be off and hopefully finish another book soon!
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Quotes Pinky Liked
“Did you ever, when you were little, endure your parentsâ€� warnings, then wait for them to leave the room, pry loose protective covers and consider inserting some metal object into an electrical outlet?
Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room?
When you were big enough to cross the street on your own, did you ever wait for a signal, hear the frenzied approach of a fire truck and feel like stepping out in front of it?
Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you?
When you were almost grown, did you ever sit in a bubble bath, perspiration pooling, notice a blow dryer plugged in within easy reach, and think about dropping it into the water?
Did you wonder if the expected rush might somehow fail you?
And now, do you ever dangle your toes over the precipice, dare the cliff to crumble, defy the frozen deity to suffer the sun, thaw feather and bone, take wing to fly you home?”
― Burned
Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room?
When you were big enough to cross the street on your own, did you ever wait for a signal, hear the frenzied approach of a fire truck and feel like stepping out in front of it?
Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you?
When you were almost grown, did you ever sit in a bubble bath, perspiration pooling, notice a blow dryer plugged in within easy reach, and think about dropping it into the water?
Did you wonder if the expected rush might somehow fail you?
And now, do you ever dangle your toes over the precipice, dare the cliff to crumble, defy the frozen deity to suffer the sun, thaw feather and bone, take wing to fly you home?”
― Burned
“God is love," she said. "And he respects love, whether it's between a parents, and child, a man and woman, or friends. I don't think he cares about religion one little bit. Live your life right. Love with all your heart. Don't hurt others, and help those in need. That is all you need to know. And don't worry about heaven. If it exists, you'll be welcome.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Would I ever find forever love? Do I really want to, when forever was a word without meaning?”
― Burned
― Burned
“But, though I was very much in lust with him, I knew from the start we were nothing like "forever." Maybe because forever is such a scary place.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Me? Beautiful? I'm plain as cardboard.
That may be how you see yourself, but the rest of the world would be hard to agree. You shine brighter than the Milky Way.
Now there are those who might try to take that from you, but you don't have to give it away. Keep on shining Pattyn.
And when the right young man comes along, he'll love you all the more for giftin' this sad planet with your light.”
― Burned
That may be how you see yourself, but the rest of the world would be hard to agree. You shine brighter than the Milky Way.
Now there are those who might try to take that from you, but you don't have to give it away. Keep on shining Pattyn.
And when the right young man comes along, he'll love you all the more for giftin' this sad planet with your light.”
― Burned
“Do you ever dangle your toes over the precipice, dare the cliff to crumble, defy the frozen deity to suffer the sun, thaw feather and bone, take wing to fly you home?”
― Burned
― Burned
“I felt angry,
frustrated.
I felt I didn't belong, not in my
church, not in my home, not
in my skin.
Amidst the chaos, i felt
alone,
in need of a friend instead of
a sister, someone detached from
my world.
The "woman's role" theory
disgusted me.
I would soon be a woman, and I
knew I could never perform as
expected.
I was tired of my mom's submission
to her religion, to her husband's
sick quest for an heir,
to his abuse.
I was sick of my dad, of
reaching for
him as he fell farther away
from us and into the arms of
Johnnie WB.”
― Burned
frustrated.
I felt I didn't belong, not in my
church, not in my home, not
in my skin.
Amidst the chaos, i felt
alone,
in need of a friend instead of
a sister, someone detached from
my world.
The "woman's role" theory
disgusted me.
I would soon be a woman, and I
knew I could never perform as
expected.
I was tired of my mom's submission
to her religion, to her husband's
sick quest for an heir,
to his abuse.
I was sick of my dad, of
reaching for
him as he fell farther away
from us and into the arms of
Johnnie WB.”
― Burned
“Something stirred beneath my skin, some being inside I'd only suspected existed, demon or angel, I couldn't say.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Dad staggered in, eyes eerily lit.
The corners of his mouth foaming spit.
His demons planned an overnight stay.
Mom motioned to take the girls away.
hide them in their rooms, safe in their beds.
We closed the doors, covered our heads,
as if the blankets could mute the sounds of his blows
or we could silence her screams behind out pillows.
I hugged the littlest ones close to my chest,
till the beat of my heart lulled them to rest.
Only then did I let myself cry.
Only then did I let myself wonder why
Mom didn't fight back, didn't defend,
didn't confess to family or friend.
Had Dad's demons claimed her soul?
Or was this, as well, a woman's role?”
― Burned
The corners of his mouth foaming spit.
His demons planned an overnight stay.
Mom motioned to take the girls away.
hide them in their rooms, safe in their beds.
We closed the doors, covered our heads,
as if the blankets could mute the sounds of his blows
or we could silence her screams behind out pillows.
I hugged the littlest ones close to my chest,
till the beat of my heart lulled them to rest.
Only then did I let myself cry.
Only then did I let myself wonder why
Mom didn't fight back, didn't defend,
didn't confess to family or friend.
Had Dad's demons claimed her soul?
Or was this, as well, a woman's role?”
― Burned
“Later, Bishop Crandall dropped by
The house to give me a stern
reprimand. He sat across
the cluttered table,
playing with a paper clip.
'Your parents are worries about you, Pattyn.'
I was worried about myself.
But I wasn't about to let him
know it. "Really?"
'Really. What have you got to say for yourself? You've always been such a good girl.'
Good girl. Sit. Stay. Fetch.
Bristles rose up along my
spine. "Define good."
'I don't appreciate your attitude,
Pattyn. Fast and pray. Search your
soul for the inequities in your life.'
"Any inequity in my life
began when I was born
female. Can you fix that?"
'You'll have to fix that yourself,
by concentrating on the things
God expects of you.'
His two-faced rhetoric
was pissing me off. "You
mean like kissing your ass?"
He slammed his hand on the table.
'I will not listen to that sort
of language. Apologize!'
Behind me, I hear Mom
gasp. But I was on a roll.
"I'm sorry, Bishop
I'm sorry I ever believed
you might have something
worthwhile to say.”
― Burned
The house to give me a stern
reprimand. He sat across
the cluttered table,
playing with a paper clip.
'Your parents are worries about you, Pattyn.'
I was worried about myself.
But I wasn't about to let him
know it. "Really?"
'Really. What have you got to say for yourself? You've always been such a good girl.'
Good girl. Sit. Stay. Fetch.
Bristles rose up along my
spine. "Define good."
'I don't appreciate your attitude,
Pattyn. Fast and pray. Search your
soul for the inequities in your life.'
"Any inequity in my life
began when I was born
female. Can you fix that?"
'You'll have to fix that yourself,
by concentrating on the things
God expects of you.'
His two-faced rhetoric
was pissing me off. "You
mean like kissing your ass?"
He slammed his hand on the table.
'I will not listen to that sort
of language. Apologize!'
Behind me, I hear Mom
gasp. But I was on a roll.
"I'm sorry, Bishop
I'm sorry I ever believed
you might have something
worthwhile to say.”
― Burned
“You shine like the Milky Way. Now, there are those who might try to take that from you, but you don't have to give it away. Keep on shining.”
― Burned
― Burned
“But more importantly, you are a gift, to all who know you, whether or not they realize it. If they don't, they are blind. You have a special place in this world. All you hvae to do is find it.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Communication
Was never big in my house.
We sat together over
dinner, but the only sound
you'd hear was crunching
and chewing and the little
ones asking for more, please.
We lived, all boxed up in
invisible containers. We
hardly knew the people
we called sister or father.
Jackie and I were the
exceptions to that rule.”
― Burned
Was never big in my house.
We sat together over
dinner, but the only sound
you'd hear was crunching
and chewing and the little
ones asking for more, please.
We lived, all boxed up in
invisible containers. We
hardly knew the people
we called sister or father.
Jackie and I were the
exceptions to that rule.”
― Burned
“I was about six years old, still Daddy's little girl, even though Daddy couldn't care less about me.
How could I expect any man every would?”
― Burned
How could I expect any man every would?”
― Burned
“Do not give up on yourself, on the truths you have realized. Do not give in to those who would crush your dreams like nutshells. And never turn away from forever love.”
― Burned
― Burned
“I felt angry,
frustrated.
I felt I didn't belong, not in my,
church, not in my home, not
in my skin.”
― Burned
frustrated.
I felt I didn't belong, not in my,
church, not in my home, not
in my skin.”
― Burned
“One Time, One Day
between Davie and Roberta ,
I asked my mom why she persisted,
kept on having baby after baby,
She looked
at me, at a spot between my eyes,
blinking like I had suddenly fallen
crazy. She paused before answering
as if
to confide would legitimize my fears.
She drew a deep breath, leaned against
the chair. I touched her hand and I thought
she might
cry. Instead she put baby Davie in my arms
Pattyn, she said, it's a woman's role.
I decided if it was my role, I'd rather
disappear.”
― Burned
between Davie and Roberta ,
I asked my mom why she persisted,
kept on having baby after baby,
She looked
at me, at a spot between my eyes,
blinking like I had suddenly fallen
crazy. She paused before answering
as if
to confide would legitimize my fears.
She drew a deep breath, leaned against
the chair. I touched her hand and I thought
she might
cry. Instead she put baby Davie in my arms
Pattyn, she said, it's a woman's role.
I decided if it was my role, I'd rather
disappear.”
― Burned
“If you've never shot a gun,
You can’t understand
how it feels in your hands.
Cool to the touch, all its venom
coiled inside, deadly,
like a steel-scaled serpent. Awaiting your bidding.
You select it’s prey� paper,
tin, or flesh. You lie in wait,
learn that patience is the killer’s
most trustworthy accomplice.
You choose the moment. What. Where. When. Decided.
But the how is everything.
You lift your weapon,
ease it into place, cock it,
to load it, knowing the
satisfying snitch means a bullet is yours to command.
Now, make or break,
it’s all up to you. You
aim knowing a hair either
way means bull’s-eye or miss.
Success or failure. Life or death.
You have to relax,
convince your muscles
not to be tense, not to betray
you. Sight again. Adjust.
Don’t become distracted by the heat of the hunt.
Instincts take over.
You shoot and adrenaline
screams as your target shreds
or the flesh drops. And for
one indescribable moment you are God.”
― Burned
You can’t understand
how it feels in your hands.
Cool to the touch, all its venom
coiled inside, deadly,
like a steel-scaled serpent. Awaiting your bidding.
You select it’s prey� paper,
tin, or flesh. You lie in wait,
learn that patience is the killer’s
most trustworthy accomplice.
You choose the moment. What. Where. When. Decided.
But the how is everything.
You lift your weapon,
ease it into place, cock it,
to load it, knowing the
satisfying snitch means a bullet is yours to command.
Now, make or break,
it’s all up to you. You
aim knowing a hair either
way means bull’s-eye or miss.
Success or failure. Life or death.
You have to relax,
convince your muscles
not to be tense, not to betray
you. Sight again. Adjust.
Don’t become distracted by the heat of the hunt.
Instincts take over.
You shoot and adrenaline
screams as your target shreds
or the flesh drops. And for
one indescribable moment you are God.”
― Burned
“Concentrate. Level the sight. Breathe in.
Ease the trigger. And relax?
BLAP! The can somersaulted across the sand.
Pride swelled till I thought I'd burst.
But my pride slipped at Dad's reality check.
Not bad. Pretty good, in fact. For a girl.”
― Burned
Ease the trigger. And relax?
BLAP! The can somersaulted across the sand.
Pride swelled till I thought I'd burst.
But my pride slipped at Dad's reality check.
Not bad. Pretty good, in fact. For a girl.”
― Burned
“I know it may sound weird, but looking death square in the eye made me question the unknown. What happens after we exhale our last breathe? Do we really see an otherworldly light? Does God send angels to guide us home? Or when our eyes close, do we forfeit sight? And will our earthly spirits forever roam?”
― Burned
― Burned
“I had never kissed a boy, had never even considered that I might enjoy such an unclean thing, until literature opened my eyes.”
― Burned
― Burned
“But on that night, Dad staggered in, eyes eerily lit.
The corners of his mouth foaming spit.
His demons planned an overnight stay.
Mom motioned to take the girls away,
hide them in their rooms, safe in their beds.
We closed the doors, covered our heads,
as if blankets could mute the sounds of his blows
or we could silence her screams beneath her pillows.
I hugged the littlest ones close to my chest,
till the beat of my heart lulled them to rest.
Only then did I let myself cry.
Only then did I let myself wonder why
Mom didn't fight back, didn't defend,
didn't confess to family or friend.
Had Dad's demons claimed her soul?
Or was this, as well, another woman's role?”
― Burned
The corners of his mouth foaming spit.
His demons planned an overnight stay.
Mom motioned to take the girls away,
hide them in their rooms, safe in their beds.
We closed the doors, covered our heads,
as if blankets could mute the sounds of his blows
or we could silence her screams beneath her pillows.
I hugged the littlest ones close to my chest,
till the beat of my heart lulled them to rest.
Only then did I let myself cry.
Only then did I let myself wonder why
Mom didn't fight back, didn't defend,
didn't confess to family or friend.
Had Dad's demons claimed her soul?
Or was this, as well, another woman's role?”
― Burned
“I thought he'd run if he knew. Instead, he offered help, not that I believed he could possibly help.
I thought he'd turn his back, close his heart, slink away. Instead, he promised sanctuary.”
― Burned
I thought he'd turn his back, close his heart, slink away. Instead, he promised sanctuary.”
― Burned
“Aunt J, I've begged for love for seventeen years. Without you, I would never have found it.”
― Burned
― Burned
“I knew from the start we were nothing like "forever". Maybe because forever is such a scary place.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Maybe the church was right.
Maybe I'm selfish.
Maybe I'm evil.
Maybe I'm damned.
I feel like I'm on a tight rope,
barely balancing. I know it's
a long way down and I'm
afraid I'm destined to crash.”
― Burned
Maybe I'm selfish.
Maybe I'm evil.
Maybe I'm damned.
I feel like I'm on a tight rope,
barely balancing. I know it's
a long way down and I'm
afraid I'm destined to crash.”
― Burned
“This building disguised as a house of worship, was rather like a hive. A backward hive, for honeybees, at least, have the good sense to worship the female that gifts them all with life. They do not hold their drones in such high esteem. But here, is the hive of hornets, the males flitted flower to flower, pollinating, and stinging and injecting their poison.”
― Burned
― Burned
“I felt so fine I didn't once overanalyze the perfect emotion, budding inside. The one I'd always feared most.”
― Burned
― Burned
“Honesty.
Sobriety.
My virginity.
No way to regain
the first two, I almost
gave away the last.”
― Burned
Sobriety.
My virginity.
No way to regain
the first two, I almost
gave away the last.”
― Burned
“Librarians were like guardian angels, with graying hair and beady eyes, magnified through reading glasses, and always read to recommend new literary windows to gaze through.”
― Burned
― Burned
“How can I respect a house where women are no more than servants? How can I respect rules laid down by a phantom father? How can I respect a man who...”
― Burned
― Burned
Reading Progress
February 4, 2017
–
Started Reading
February 4, 2017
– Shelved
February 11, 2017
–
Finished Reading
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message 1:
by
Aj the Ravenous Reader
(new)
Feb 16, 2017 06:56PM
Yay! I'm glad you finally get a chance to read again, Pinky and I'm happy that you picked an enjoyable book to read. Great review, my friend. <3
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Aj the Ravenous Reader wrote: "Yay! I'm glad you finally get a chance to read again, Pinky and I'm happy that you picked an enjoyable book to read. Great review, my friend. <3"Thank you so much Aj! It's on and off, I didn't think I would be so busy this year. I feel so stressed out because so many things are going on! But thank you for always being there, you are amazing!
Aw. Life has to happen, Pinky but let's try to enjoy every moment, including the busy ones and you are more amazing. ;)
Thank you again Aj, you are right. And you are more amazing!
