
A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is feeling overwhelmed by family secrets or navigating a high-stakes transition where they must rely solely on their own instincts. While it functions as a pulse-pounding thriller, the core of the story speaks to the intense pressure of maturing under fire. It is ideal for teens who are moving toward independence but still feel the heavy, often complicated pull of their family's legacy. Following Sara Jane Rispoli as she evades both the mafia and supernatural threats to find her missing family, the narrative explores themes of resilience and the burden of self-reliance. Parents should note that the tone is gritty and features significant peril, making it most suitable for older teens who enjoy dark, fast-paced mysteries. It serves as a compelling entry point for discussing how to stay true to one's values when the world feels chaotic and unpredictable.
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Sign in to write a reviewSupernatural creatures (flickers) are described in unsettling, suspenseful detail.
Protagonist is constantly hunted and in life-threatening situations throughout the book.
The protagonist must navigate her family's criminal history and make difficult ethical choices.
The book deals with parental abandonment and the disappearance of family members. The approach is direct and gritty, grounded in a secular, urban environment. While there is a sense of hope, the resolution remains somewhat ambiguous and realistic regarding the toll that violence takes on a young person.
A 15 or 16-year-old who enjoys 'tough' protagonists and urban fantasy. This reader might feel like an outsider in their own life or be dealing with the realization that their parents are flawed, complex, or even dangerous people.
Parents should be aware of the intense violence and the dark, gritty tone of the Chicago underworld. It is best to read the first book, Cold Fury, for context, though Goeglein provides enough backstory to follow the plot. A parent might see their child becoming increasingly secretive or cynical about authority figures, or perhaps they notice their teen gravitating toward darker, more action-oriented media as a way to process their own stress.
Younger teens (14) will likely focus on the 'superpower' and action elements. Older teens (17-18) will better appreciate the nuances of Sara Jane's identity crisis and the moral ambiguity of her family's mafia ties.
Unlike many YA thrillers that rely on a romance to drive the plot, this book is focused squarely on the protagonist's internal grit and her desperate, singular drive to reclaim her family.
Flicker & Burn is the second installment in the Cold Fury series. Sara Jane Rispoli is still on the hunt for her missing family, who vanished under mysterious circumstances. In this volume, the stakes shift from a standard noir mystery to include supernatural elements. Sara Jane finds herself hunted by 'flickers,' terrifying creatures that force her to tap into her family's dark heritage and her own burgeoning physical strength. She must navigate the Chicago underworld, shifting alliances, and her own trauma to survive.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.