There are a rare few books that I rank among my personal list of mind-blowingly good, life-changing pieces of literature — and the standard I hold them all against is J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.
My list is extremely short:
1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
2. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
and now …
3. Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
It is equally funny, sad, sweet, nostalgic, simple and honest. It’s a rare treat these days to find a realistic Young Adult novel quite like Flash Burnout; one that speaks to contemporary issues, serious subject matters and the issues modern teens find themselves facing on a regular basis.
These are the qualities that make Flash Burnout the perfect addition to my short, very particular list of books. All three of those books (four, if you count Catcher in the Rye) share these qualities. That intangible feeling of being a teenager and digging through the muck life throws at you.
These books all evoke the same feeling in me — a certain nostalgia for those teenage years (something I very rarely feel nostalgic for; I most definitely prefer adulthood). Each book is equally contemporary and timeless.
I won’t go on with a full review — because my fellow staffer Stephanie has already written the perfect review for Flash Burnout, explaining exactly why this book is so wonderful and why you should read it.
But I will say this: you SHOULD read it.
In fact, please go read this book.
Trust me.
You won’t regret it.
And it might just change your world.
For the comments: Tell us about the books that are on your list of “mind-blowingly good, life-changing pieces of literature.”
Novel Novice 
Glad you liked it as much as I did. I wish great realistic fiction got as much press as paranormal stuff.
Oh … my … GREAT … GOODNESS.
Thank you for amazing review, Sara! I’m speechless. (A rarity.)
Just … thank you!
Lisa
Thank YOU for writing such an amazing book!!!
My list of favorite books?
All but my Life, by Gerta Weissmann Klein. I don’t love this memoir. I hate it. I hate that everything in that book actually happened. I hate that those people had to suffer and die for their faith. But it is one of my favorite books, because it shows the strength of a promise, and the light at the end of the night.
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. I like this book, because it shows the darker side of being human. Jean’s sudden flare of jealousy ultimately costs Phinny’s life. Jean never wanted to hurt Phinny, but in the one split second, where he succumbed to his darker emotions, Phineaus’ life was damaged. He lost his love of life and changed into a darker person until his death.
The Rocket Man, by Ray Bradbury. This was the only short story in “The Illustrated Man” that I liked a lot. There is nothing like the irony in this novel, and Lilly’s damaged soul is beautifully written.