Burn by Heath Gibson

August 5th, 2012 Kimberly Review 24 Comments

5th Aug
Burn by Heath Gibson
Burn
by Heath Gibson
Genres: Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne Star

All it takes is one spark-William Tucker loves being a volunteer firefighter (maybe it's no coincidence that a pastor's son would enjoy saving people). And after he rescues his crush, Mandy Pearman, she undergoes a profound transformation for the better. In fact, it seems like a lot of good comes from the embers of tragedy in his small Alabama town. William may not be able to meet his father's expectations, force his mother to ditch the gin, or protect his gay brother, but for those who need a second chance at life, William isn't afraid to light the match--and become the hero the town needs.

Burn offers us a unique look into a small town and a dysfunctional preacher’s family. It held my attention from page one and touched on some sensitive social subjects. Gibson takes us into the heart of a small Alabama town and the mind of one young man who resides there.

The tale begins when we meet William “Wee-Wee” Tucker. He is a high school student and trained volunteer firefighter. As the son of the local Baptist preacher he appears to be an outstanding pillar of the community. As the author takes us into Wee-Wee’s mind and introduces us to his family and friends, we quickly learn there are dark secrets here. This character driven novel, full of thought provoking messages sent me on an emotional ride as I tried to determine my feelings for this captivating tale.
Wee-Wee is a bright, dependable young man. Town folk would say he is polite and always does the right thing. He works at the local market, saved for his own car, respects his parents, attends church and protects his brother. After going to his first fire, he feels a rush. He has a crush on Mandy Pearman, but she sees him as her best bud. He wants to fix things around him, about him, and others and begins to look for ways to make things right. The Tucker family is complex. They are all covering up a secret about Tucker’s Mom. Tucker’s brother, Steven, is adorable and incredibly brave at times. He too has a secret and decides to be open about it. The town and his father might not be able to handle it. Tucker’s Dad is always concerned about the family’s image even at the cost to his family. I got chills when he said, “Remember who you are, son.” My favorite character was Samantha; she is a new student and shakes things up. She is very comfortable about who she is, and what she stands for. Other characters aid in rounding out the events, foreshadowing and believability.
Gibson’s writing style is enjoyable and the plot flowed as he took us into Wee-Wee’s mind.  His approach to the subject matter was interesting and thought provoking. Young readers who long to be heroes would benefit from reading this. While I didn’t completely connect with Wee-Wee, Heath did an excellent job of portraying his inner struggles, explaining his thought process and making his actions believable. The ending was chilling.
Burn offers an interesting tale and was worth the read. This would be an excellent book for a young reader’s book club as it offers up some fantastic topics to discuss. I have added Heath Gibson to my author’s to watch list and would definitely read more of his work.
Copyright (c) 2011-2013 Caffeinated Book Reviewer
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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24 Responses to “Burn by Heath Gibson”

  2. Nick

    I’ve never seen this book before, but it sounds very interesting. It sounds like Wee-Wee ( LOL at the name! ) has a lot to shoulder throughout the book. I love a good thought-provoking book, so this should be a good read for me.
    I’m adding this to my to-read shelf.
    Great review as always, Kim! 🙂

  3. Kristin Clifton

    I’m actually adding this one to my TBR b/c of the small town setting (I’ve lived in one in Maine) and I have experience in my family about what is “socially acceptable” and what you’re supposed to be in the eyes of the family patriarch/family as a whole. Sounds like a great character read! Thanks for reading and sharing!!

  6. Blodeuedd

    Forgot what I was supposed to say since I read the review this morning and now 12 hours later I am back 😉

  14. kimbacaffeinate

    I didn’t flip over, and as I said I wavered about my feelings towards it, but overall think the author did a cool job of taking inside the mind of Weewee..no matter how weird it was!

  15. becca

    I have never heard of this before but I am intrigued…Might have to give it a go, thanks for the heads up x

  17. Leanne

    I seem to be a part of the majority here… I haven’t heard of ‘Burn’ before, but I’ll admit it sounds interesting. And I really like that cover- so haunting! 🙂 Nicely reviewed. 🙂
    P.S. Love the name ‘Wee Wee’. I’m being immature, I know, but I couldn’t help but chuckle. 😉

  19. Christy (Love of Books)

    I’m sorry, but is he called Wee-Wee throughout the book? I picture Pee-wee Herman every time I read the name. Otherwise, it sounds like a pretty good book.

  23. Heidi

    I had this on Friday Forecast and was wondering about it. A dysfunctional preacher family that should be interesting. The ending was chilling peaked my interest! I just can’t get over the name WEE WEE I would be snickering all the time…yeah I know I forgot to grow up!

  24. Michelle

    wow I never would have given this book a second look, but your review has me considering it! I think I would like it, but probably not love it. And lately I have had reading ADD when I am feeling lukewarm about a book.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kimba