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A review by madlereads
The Truths We Burn by Monty Jay
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
🔥 pyromaniac x mean girl
💔 second chances
🖤 dark college romance
🤠sneaking around/forbidden
Rook and Sage's book took me by surprise. I totally cried a lot because of both their stories. 🥺 they went through a lot so I'm glad they're each other's salvation.
The first part of the book takes place about a year before the main timeline's events. When Sage was the queen bee/mean girl in high school, secretly counting down the days when she can flee the toxic environment of Ponderosa Springs. But she finds out her parents have plans to chain her here forever with an arranged marriage to a guy she hates. Which pushes Sage to find her solace in Rook who gave her a glimpse of utter freedom and recklessness she's always craved. They begin a secret relationship until tragedy and betrayal strike them.
Sage was such a strong character. I adored her. 🥺 she's so self sacrificing even despite it failing sometimes and blowing up in her face, she continued to do things in order to save Rook and get revenge for her twin sister Rosemary. I cried a lot reading what she's been through. She was truly misunderstood and only did what she could to survive 🥲
I love that Rook brought her alive and made her wish for more for herself.
And I also loved what the girls, Briar and Lyra, did for Sage. They were her first true friends. It melted my heart to see Sage finally feel safe with some girl friends and be herself for once when she previously was only herself in secret with Rook. 🥺
Rook is the reckless pyromaniac of the Hollow Boys. He comes from an abusive household and harbors a lot of trauma and guilt but he's known for covering that up with his snarky humor. He doesn't give much attention to things, but when he does, you'll know it. And he sure was interested in Sage. 🤠I love that Sage was there for him to make him let go of guilt over things he couldn't control.
Really, I love how both of them wanted the best for each other. They dreamed for each other and hoped the other realized how much better they deserved in live. 🥺 their chemistry and bond was seriously blazing. I was obsessed with reading their story. They're soulmates for sure and they've got the soul marks to prove it 🤧 Rook made sure of it.
This book made me so emotional. It touches on the themes of familial bonds, betrayal, how the people who are supposed to protect you can sell you out because of greed, the guilt and trauma you can hold deep inside because of abuse. And also how people have pre-determined who you are, so you have almost no choice but to become that monster. It felt much more personal what happened to Rosemary because we see it from Sage's POV. There was a lot of paaaiiinn.
The revenge plot in this series just gets deeper and darker. The Hollow Boys and their SOs are pulling at a thread fighting this sex trafficking ring that continues to unravel and invite more dangerous characters out of the fold.
But boy is revenge sweet! It was satisfying what they did. What Rook did to get revenge for Sage personally ðŸ¤
There's so much more and it's such an uphill battle. I am absolutely hooked onto this series.
💔 second chances
🖤 dark college romance
🤠sneaking around/forbidden
Rook and Sage's book took me by surprise. I totally cried a lot because of both their stories. 🥺 they went through a lot so I'm glad they're each other's salvation.
The first part of the book takes place about a year before the main timeline's events. When Sage was the queen bee/mean girl in high school, secretly counting down the days when she can flee the toxic environment of Ponderosa Springs. But she finds out her parents have plans to chain her here forever with an arranged marriage to a guy she hates. Which pushes Sage to find her solace in Rook who gave her a glimpse of utter freedom and recklessness she's always craved. They begin a secret relationship until tragedy and betrayal strike them.
Sage was such a strong character. I adored her. 🥺 she's so self sacrificing even despite it failing sometimes and blowing up in her face, she continued to do things in order to save Rook and get revenge for her twin sister Rosemary. I cried a lot reading what she's been through. She was truly misunderstood and only did what she could to survive 🥲
I love that Rook brought her alive and made her wish for more for herself.
And I also loved what the girls, Briar and Lyra, did for Sage. They were her first true friends. It melted my heart to see Sage finally feel safe with some girl friends and be herself for once when she previously was only herself in secret with Rook. 🥺
Rook is the reckless pyromaniac of the Hollow Boys. He comes from an abusive household and harbors a lot of trauma and guilt but he's known for covering that up with his snarky humor. He doesn't give much attention to things, but when he does, you'll know it. And he sure was interested in Sage. 🤠I love that Sage was there for him to make him let go of guilt over things he couldn't control.
Really, I love how both of them wanted the best for each other. They dreamed for each other and hoped the other realized how much better they deserved in live. 🥺 their chemistry and bond was seriously blazing. I was obsessed with reading their story. They're soulmates for sure and they've got the soul marks to prove it 🤧 Rook made sure of it.
This book made me so emotional. It touches on the themes of familial bonds, betrayal, how the people who are supposed to protect you can sell you out because of greed, the guilt and trauma you can hold deep inside because of abuse. And also how people have pre-determined who you are, so you have almost no choice but to become that monster. It felt much more personal what happened to Rosemary because we see it from Sage's POV. There was a lot of paaaiiinn.
The revenge plot in this series just gets deeper and darker. The Hollow Boys and their SOs are pulling at a thread fighting this sex trafficking ring that continues to unravel and invite more dangerous characters out of the fold.
But boy is revenge sweet! It was satisfying what they did. What Rook did to get revenge for Sage personally ðŸ¤
There's so much more and it's such an uphill battle. I am absolutely hooked onto this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: Sexual assault
Mentions of past CSA of a minor character to the heroine