Burn [Review & Giveaway]

Burn
Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: January 2010

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 384

Author Site: http://www.teddekker.com/, http://www.erinhealy.com/

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Recieved from Phenix Publicity

Synopsis [from goodreads.com]:

The past Janeal thought had burned away is rising from the ashes.

Years ago, the Gypsy Kumpania where Janeal Mikkado lived was attacked by outsiders. With her best friend about to be consumed by a fire, Janeal had two options: try to save her friend--at serious risk to her own life--or disappear with the million dollars that she had just discovered . . .

But the past is quickly coming back to haunt her. Both the best friend and the boyfriend that she was sure were dead have reappeared in her life, as has someone who knows about the money. There's a debt to be paid for the money she found, but there's an even greater debt she must face--and if the chaff isn't burned from her own heart, it will consume her.

Review:

First off, I absolutely love this cover!! I admit it was one of my main decisions to review it.& the book trailer was very well done in my opinion, almost like a movie trailer. The other reason was Ted Dekker... I haven't read anything by him but I own BLACK which is his first book in the Books of History Chronicles: Circle series. I've also heard some great things about him as an author so I was definitely excited to try him out. And while I enjoyed BURN I wasn't totally in love with the story.

I didn't know this was considered Christian fiction until just recently and I never noticed the fact that Thomas Nelson was a Christian publisher. I don't read a lot of Christian fiction, again not for any particular reason. I read books based on my interest in the synopsis, and this one definitely grabbed my attention. However, I didn't get a real sense of the Christian faith or religion while reading. There is some reference to God but I personally felt it was more of a spirtual thing for the characters. Anywho, I don't want the fact that BURN was put in this genre to discourage those who are wary of it. The suspense/thriller aspect of the book was very entertaining and enjoyable!

But I must say I didn't enjoy BURN as much as I was hoping for. While there was plenty of fast-paced action in the story, I found myself lacking a real connection with the main character Janeal Mikkado. And the huge twist/climax in the plot (which I can't reveal to you) kinda threw me off kilter. It's hard to discuss without giving things away. I will say the idea of this book is entirely unique, at least to me, but something I had trouble accepting.

Janeal Mikkado, along with the other characters, are first introduced when she's a teenager living with her gypsy kumpania (or community) as an outsider. She has this longing to explore the world and get far away from the people she's been around her entire life. But her boyfriend, father, and best friend don't really see things the way Janeal does. After a dark, handsome, and mysterious man comes into her life claiming the only way to save Janeal's father is to betray him... Janeal is faced with a decision that will forever alter her life. A decision that will forever haunt her no matter how hard she tries to run from it.

I didn't want to give much more of the plot away so I'll leave it at that. I'd definitely say give this one a go if your a suspense/thriller kind of reader. I don't know how this book holds up to Ted Dekker's other books however.

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

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