Julie's Review: Year on Fire

Author: Julie Buxbaum
Series: None
Publication Date:  August 1, 2020
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Pages: 329
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Young Adult
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Learning how to navigate feelings of love while being true to yourself 
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Summary: It was a year on fire. They fell in love. Someone was bound to get burned. 

The Spark: Just days before the start of junior year for twins Arch and Immie and their best friend, Paige, a spontaneous kiss shakes the very foundation of their friendship. But some loyalties run too deep to be broken by accidental betrayal. 
The Fuel: Enter Rohan, new to Wood Valley High by way of London, who walks into school on the first day completely overwhelmed by his sudden move halfway around the world. When Paige calls dibs on him—he’s too cute to ignore—Immie is in no position to argue, certainly not after taking the fall for the disloyal kiss. Too bad for Immie that Ro feels like the best kind of familiar.
The Kindling: Former lab partners Arch and Jackson, Paige’s ex-boyfriend, have never considered themselves more than friends. But sometimes feelings can grow like wildfire. 
The Flames: When the girls’ bathroom at Wood Valley is set ablaze, no one doubts it’s arson. But in this bastion of privilege, who’d be angry enough to want to burn down the school? Answer: pretty much everyone.
Year on Fire explores the blinding power of the lies we tell others and those we tell ourselves, the tight grip of family secrets, the magic of first love, and the grounding beauty of friendship. ~amazon.com 

Review: I don't read a lot of Young Adult labeled novels, but I know that Julie Buxbaum is well loved plus the summary sounded really intriguing. Twins, Arch and Immie are linked to their best friend, Paige since they were little kids, even if their home lives are very different. They have always had this connection but as they start their junior year of high school, their bond is coming a bit frayed. It's nothing that can't be worked through but as a teenager, it's hard to ask for help or understand how to give help. 

Enter teenage hormones which is what causes the initial rift between the twins and Paige. Then enter the new guy, Ro and Paige calling dibs on him. Of course, when Immie starts to spend time with Ro she feels like she's betraying Paige with her feelings. 

And while Paige was a bit much for me in the beginning of the novel, type A, she begins to unravel as she loses control of things. With parents that are never home, she's often left by herself, which is why she's so reliant on Immie and Arch. Except things aren't always what they seem at their house either. 

I admired the friendship of the three because even though it was tested a few different ways, they are truly there for each other when it matters. 

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