Thanks to Dutton Books for the free copy of this book.

 - LOVE IS A BURNING THING is the latest entry into the memoir subgenre of “what the heck did my parents do to me?” What’s interesting about this one is watching St. Pierre’s understanding of her experiences change as she learns more about her mother and her mother’s family.
- This is also a book about searching for meaning and for a place to call home, and grasping how important those things are in building a life.
- The last layer underneath all that is that this is also a story of a broken social safety net, specifically in terms of single motherhood and women left to fend for themselves, even when they are showing clear signs of distress.
- The one thing I wish there was more of in this book is deeper examination of the concept and history of self-immolation. St. Pierre touches on a few famous cases, but I would have liked more introspection here.