Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk

Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashely Woodfolk is a poignant YA masterpiece, woven with lyrical finesse. This enthralling novel, told in verse, intimately follows the journey of two girls on a fateful and tempestuous day. With each passing moment, their shared history unravels like a fragile thread, heightened by the aftermath of a fire they set on school grounds. What began as a friendship became something more, blurring the boundaries until the stakes became high. In the span of a single day, their past reveals its depths, their present is fraught with confusion, and the uncertainty of their future unfolds. 

At its core, this breathtaking novel showcases the sheer brilliance of Woodfolk’s writing. With a symphony of words that dance and sing, Woodfolk's lyrical prose casts an enchanting spell as emotions are meticulously sculpted into heart-wrenching poems. Every page brims with tenderness and vulnerability, raw and unfiltered, as the two unnamed girls spring to life in all their imperfect glory. Here Woodfolk’s characters come to serve as a poignant reminder of the complex nature of teenage existence. 

Furthermore, Woodfolk skillfully portrays the all-encompassing nature of first love. With an exquisite touch, she paints a portrait of an intense friendship blossoming into romance. She masterfully captures the essence of connection, the pangs of angst, and the confusion that binds the two girls together, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the maelstrom of first love. More profound, though, is the way in which Woodfolk explores the complexity of a toxic, codependent relationship. Without judgement of either character, Woodfolk delves into the web of emotions that arise when you become caught up with desiring and loving someone who may not be the right person for you. 

All in all, Nothing Burns as Bright as You is a beautiful novel that explores the human capacity to love fiercely, no matter the cost. Few authors possess the ability to grasp the complexity of the human experience as authentically as Woodfolk.