3/5

“People like you don’t go mad, Vi. They’re quiet on the outside and loud on the inside and sane as the day is long”

I have a love/hate relationship with this duology. While on one hand it is nowhere near to be perfect, it is the definition of a guilty pleasure.

I think part of this guilty pleasure is due to the writing style. Tucholke's writing is simplistic, clean and not too flowerly at the same time, which helps create the atmosphere of the book. This duology is one of the easiest writing to read, even though the pace wasn't constant.

Not all the characters had full development for a novel that concludes the story. Between the Spark and the Burn focuses more on Violet and Neely, with Luke, Sunshine and Jack being pulled aside to the background. We also get introduced to new characters that I didn't find to be that important expect for Pine and Finch

a.k.a Broodie

. We also don't get too much development on River, even though I dispise him.

Now I agree with most reviewers that point out that the ending was rushed and left me wanting more. Although I don't mind open-ended books, this series left some unanswered questions that I would have liked to find out, specially considering that this installment is smaller than the first one. There should have been more time fully close the plot,

specially with the whole River/Broodie situation and if Violet chose River or Nelly *which I hope it was Neely because Nelly is such a sweatheart and I hate River lol*

Overall, it was an interesting duology. I understand why this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but I highly recommend if you are on a reading slump and want to read something easy and even cheesy to keep you mind occupied.