This is the first book I read where a teenage girl’s life isn’t about being popular. Ellen Hopkins finally did this in the book Burned.

Burned is about a girl named Pattyn. The book is named Burned for a reason. Her dad doesn’t really burn her, but she is constantly getting “burned”. Her life is horrible. But you won’t even want to believe the suspenseful, not so happy ending.

Pattyn, has many dysfunctional relationships, but also has many good ones. But her dad is the worst. Always hoping for a boy, he names his children after wartime heroes, both physically and verbally abusive. He yells and abuses his children for the simplest thing, and god forbid his teenage daughter have a boyfriend. Other than that her mom makes her watch the seven children, and there are rude, gossiping girls at her school. The only person good in her life is her best friend, and Sister Jackie. That is until her dad can’t handle Pattyn anymore and sends her away to her aunt’s. Her Aunt J. teaches her about this amazing world, that she too ran to. And not to mention where she meets the love of her life.

The book is basically about Pattyn getting sent to her Aunt J’s home, where it is wonderful, and she never wants to leave. She meets the love of her life Ethan, who’s sweet, supportive, loving. But they may do some things her dad doesn’t approve of. She dreads the day she has to leave. But all good things must come to an end.

It’s not your typical “teenage girl with high school drama” book, but one much more interesting, and realistic. And much more realistic.