Reading her three other books, Ellen Hopkins's ability rises above all by revealing and uncovering the damages life may put upon us. Once again she succeeds in the story-telling of Burned.
A young Mormon-born teenager growing up with six younger sisters, a lazy detached mother, and an abusive alcoholic father fights to reveal the hidden truth. While she continues living and observing her broken home, Pattyn detects major flaws in her family, school and religion. In her junior year of high school, she meets a boy, who is ran off by her father, while she is shipped off to her out-casted aunt, and finds true love along with the ugly truth. As summer ends, she is returned to her broken home. Pattyn returns to situations that shift from bad to worse, which only end in grief.

This soft yet powerful ride of love, religion and morals all link together to create this masterful novel. As the setting switches, Pattyn's beliefs follow along.