Thank you NetGalley and SparksPress for this copy. I really enjoyed this book! I was a little hesitant at first but was surprised at how into it I got. This book reminds me a lot of Jan 6 insurrection, has major cult vibes, talks a lot about political issues, and world views. If you have any knowledge of the stock market or are entertained by it I think you will really enjoy this book. I loved the setting, mainly because I am also from the San Francisco Bay Area and know the Central Valley area really well so it was cool to feel like I knew where everything was. There are some plot twists that you don’t expect which makes the story something you don’t want to put down. I loved how this book was written, like a true crime documentary but book style. It was tricky to read over kindle so I recommend picking up a book copy for sure! The text was fun as it was like court transcripts, emails, letters, interviews, news articles, etc. The characters are really interesting and I like how in depth Trigg went with their background so you really understood them and their viewpoints which was important for the story. Overall a great read!

Brilliant! This story blew my mind. It was so well written, and so relevant to the times, but also just a unique version of things. I love the perspective this comes from, and the court transcripts just made it that much better! I love the unexpected ending! The whole book kind of had a modern Romeo And Juliet twist to it. Just amazing! I will be thinking about this one for a long time! I can't wait to see what else this amazing author comes up with.
"That is all you need is BELIEF."
-Anonymous

Thank you to Netgalley, Mike Trigg, and Spar Press for an early release of this book.

Not my usual genre of book but I really enjoyed this one!! Full of twists and turns and an unexpected ending. Kept you guessing throughout what was going to happen, not a predictable storyline at all

Thank you for the arc! This was super interesting. I’ve really been enjoying thrillers that incorporate AI. I will recommend this to my audience, for fans of Black Mirror.

I enjoyed this fast paced wild ride of a book and it definitely kept me on my toes up until the very end. When I saw that I was approved for this book through Netgalley I was so excited because I had hyped myself up so much for this book. I read this in one entire sitting. This was my very first experience with Mike Trigg and I am a loyal reader from here on out. I am literally in my thriller era and this fed that craving. I am not going to give much up on this book because I will end up spoiling it for you and there is just so so much that you just have to read it to experience it!

This dishes out the loved and favorite multiple POV and brings the coaster of twists and turns. Once you think you are figuring it out, we are thrown a new direction and new information and it takes another turn and nope, no you haven’t figure it out—not until the very last page. Storyline and characters were exceptionally written and I felt as though I was walking through this entire book, the entire book felt so real to me. Shane and Chloe feel like two characters that could 100% be your real life friends. Can we have a mini series of this book PLEAAASSSEEE. This book surly should be on your TBR…I think that majority of readers will enjoy this book and I will absolutely be recommending this to all of my book besties.

Thank you @netgalley and @sparkpress for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I saw this on NetGalley and thought it sounded amazing! The reviews were also great, so I gave this one a chance. The synopsis drew me in, as the story sounded quite unique. It was definitely unique, but this book just didn’t hit the way I wanted it to.

Burner_911 is an account on far-right social
media platforms, spouting anti-government, anti-liberal propaganda. After a protest that turned violent and left several people dead, a man named Shane Stoller is arrested and charged with several crimes against the government - but is Shane really Burner_911? With encryption, burner phones and private browsers, it’s impossible to tell who actually runs the account. There are now thousands of “Burnoutz” across the country, people who are part of this movement. Who exactly was responsible for this uprising?

I think part of this book not resonating with me is the technological aspect - I don’t know much about these kinds of sites, and I know nothing about cryptocurrency, which is mentioned a lot. One other thing that threw me off is that this is a far-right group, but their idea on how to get billionaires to pay is quite a liberal concept. It’s like these Burnoutz are Q-Anon mixed with Democratic Socialist, and while the book briefly touches on that dichotomy, it seemed to make everything seem discordant.

In their quest to make billionaires go down in flames, a young woman named Chloe is kidnapped and held by members of this group. Her father is a billionaire with no scruples, but Chloe has a few secrets - one of which being that she’s in love with Shane. The book goes through Shane being in prison, and Chloe held hostage, while they are still fighting for each other (blech, love story) and what they believe in.

This book was quite slow, though it did start to pick up at the end. It was the odd political disconnect and the technology/crypto lean that has me giving this a lower rating. I think if you’re into those things, and like to read thrillers about technology, you’re probably going to love this book. For me, I’m going with three stars.

(Thank you to SparkPress, Mark Trigg and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 16, 2024.)

Fiction that hits too close to home, Burner is a perfect thriller that ties in all the tropes of our current society - social media, political instability, grandiosity, and greed. Mike Trigg weaves together a love story about Chloe, a billionaire’s daughter and influencer, and her unexpected boyfriend Shane, whose following was amassed by filming himself playing video games.

I was so intrigued by this story line because it felt so plausible in our current climate. I also loved the focus on taking down the financial elites and promoting the first amendment. I don’t think enough authors explore these topics. I will definitely plan to pick up whatever Trigg writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, SparkPress, and the author Mike Trigg for an ARC of this gem! This feels like the next Netflix hit movie.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was set up with different pieces of reddit threads, court transcripts, interviews, which made it seem more real like one of those Netflix documentary or a Black Mirror episode.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sparkpress for giving me the opportunity to read this book! This book was such an interesting read to me. I was expecting it to be a typical thriller that I would buzz through and enjoy while I had it in my hands, but the topic was much more complex than that. We live in a day and age where extremism is everywhere. Vitriol is everywhere, and everyone enjoys throwing stones. In the midst of it all, Burner_911 is ready to harness it and burn it down. But when online extremism becomes October 12, what is the cost of fighting?
I am not going to lie to you, I almost DNF’d this book a couple of times because the language used are things that people I loved used to say all the time and it honestly was triggering. But this book was actually kinda a space for me to explore what might be going on in their minds and lives. It was also just a fascinating thriller that I really enjoyed, so while it was uncomfortable at times, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to read it.

3.5. This was such a unique story! We all know the internet is the Wild Wild West, so I was very intrigued when I heard of this book. I’m not well versed in the world of technology or the stock market, which may have hindered my experience a little bit. I was often confused but understood the general idea of things. I wish the ending was a bit more in depth in regards to Shane. It felt a bit abrupt. All in all this was a very unique and captivating modern story with a cool layout.

This author is extremely talented and clever. I would definitely recommend reading from them. However, well-written as this book was, it was too extreme for my taste and around 37% I had to discontinue.

This story was the first is read from this author but omg it won't be the last. I really enjoyed it. It had a strong start and followed through the full way.

This book was so interesting to read. To me it almost seemed like a podcast but so much more. I loved how the author used different forms of writing by including court transcripts, news articles, reddit threads, etc. This is definitely a relative story that could very likely be taken from a headline in our current society. It is also full of twists and turns and I didn't see that end coming. I appreciate the author's research that went into writing this and the authenticity shows throughout the story. I'll definitely be recommending this one.

Thank you NetGalley, SparkPress and Mike Trigg for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This contemporary thriller has pushed me soooooo far out of my reading comfort zone and I'm so glad it has.
I'm stuck on the words from the book description of "all-to plausible", because it really is. The power behind social media and, I guess, mob mentality, is extraordinary. After what the world witnessed in 2020, an uprising would not be as shocking as it once was.
The angles, point of views, the story was written flowed really well in my head. You had the protagonist, his lawyer and his lover. The addition of news reports and court transcripts made it feel like you were made to take a step back, like you, the reader, was watching this happen from your TV at home.
This book had me shedding tears and made me think.
Burner is an excellent read and it's a book I would highly recommend.

"Burner" immerses readers in a gripping tale that mirrors the current political landscape and explores the repercussions of identity crisis and truth distortion in a technology-driven society. Shane and Chloe's clandestine love story unfolds amidst a chaotic web of domestic terrorism and social uprising, blurring lines between victim and perpetrator. This contemporary thriller delves deep into themes of disinformation, online subcultures, and the quest for connection and authenticity. With its blend of tragedy, suspense, and social commentary, "Burner" offers a compelling reflection of our digitally entangled world.

What a creepy book! I guess what makes it creepy most of all is the fact that… all of it feels real. All of that could be happening out there, right now, all while I was reading it and while I’m now sitting here and writing this review.
Yet, despite it feeling realistic, the plot and especially the twist was unique. The way the story was told was unique also.
A dystopian book that might as well feel like a near-future prediction – yeah, why not? And a well-written one. Yup, I enjoyed it a lot!

When I say this book could've been ripped from today's headlines, i mean it. Very well written book about the dangers of the media and social media as well. The book is a quick read, and enjoyable. I loved the setup, including courtroom transcripts, and back and forth conversations that made you feel like you were the one sending the messages! Least I did! Great book. Definitely pick it up and give it a read!

Aww I loved this! There's been a couple of netflix shows recently on a similar premise and these themes really are just so relevant and fascinating. Now I'm not a fan of having a load of different types of media used in books like switching from normal narrative to newspaper clippings to chat sites to podcast type vibes but it does work well and overall I just loved the premise and how it was plotted out. The current culture of misinformation, dog whistles, online pile ups, the power in being anonymous online and the fact some people are so addicted that likes become their only interest is very real! I was completely taken in by this story and it does highlight how scary it can all get! Very relevant and thought provoking. Loved, loved, loved

Thanks for the opportunity to get an advance copy it is much appreciated.

This is not badly written just not my kind of read. It is a little dragging and could have been wrapped up in a 100 less pages.

The story is interesting and I know many will enjoy this book more than I did

Burner is not the typical type of thriller I read but I truly enjoyed it. It was written in multiple points of view, along with court transcripts/ documents, news articles, letters, and texts. It is also a commentary on social media. How it influences the influencer. How far out of control it can go. Not just in matters of gossip or material things, but with the right leverage create an unintended act of domestic terrorism. As frantic as Shane was to save Chloe there was nothing he could do if he weren’t logged in. The power that he wielded was with complete anonymity. As Chloe sat with her wrist bound her number one thought was “How many likes did I get?” The addiction to the thrill of likes went beyond the bounds of safety.

The plot twists were exceptional. Every new piece of information, new character, had me guessing. I knew that that piece of information was going to be very important in a chapter or a few pages. The characters were developed well. Shane’s background was told through interviews with the court appointed psychiatrist. How his troubled past led him to Chloe.

This was an excellent thriller and take on social media. It is completely realistic. You don’t have to use a large stretch of imagination to see it happening tomorrow.