kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Blood and Salt is an engrossing and rather creepy young adult romance with supernatural elements. This debut novel by Kim Liggett centers on Ashlyn "Ash" Larkin, a centuries old family curse and a mysterious spiritual commune in the middle of a cornfield in Quivira, Kansas.
The history of Quivira is rather convoluted, goes back centuries and features a love triangle between Katia Larkin, Alonso Mendoza and Spanish explorer Coronado. Katia's quest for immortality results in betrayal and death and the Larkin women are called upon to carry out their fate in Quivira as Katia's "vessel". Nina Larkin escaped from Quivira before giving birth to twins Ash and Rhys seventeen years earlier. The family now lives in New York, but just before the summer solstice, Nina returns to Quivira to fulfill her destiny as a vessel for her ancestor Katia. Desperate to find their mother, Ash and Rhys travel to the eerie cornfield to save their mother from what they consider to be a religious cult. However, unbeknownst to Rhys, Ash's lifelong visions of a hanging girl have increased in frequency and she soon realizes these images are memories of events that occurred centuries earlier. Upon arrival in Quiriva, these horrifying images take an ominous turn and Ash quickly becomes increasingly concerned for their safety.
Modern day Quivira clings to the traditions of the past and Ash figures heavily into their quest for immortality. She and Rhys are aided by Beth, a "seer" whose visions once foretold the future before a severe head injury quieted her gift. Ash is immediately enthralled by Dane, a charismatic young man whom she is forbidden to love due to his mixed bloodlines. The rest of the villagers seem mostly harmless but Ash quickly senses evil when she meets their current leader, Spencer Mendoza.
Ash is swiftly drawn into the rituals of Quivira and despite Rhys's pleas to leave, she is determined to rescue their mother. With her visions becoming more and more frequent, she realizes the hanging girl seems to be trying to tell her something. With Dane at her side to protect her, Ash eagerly allows the hallucinations free rein and she soon realizes the horrifying truth. But is it too late to stop the diabolical plan that Katia has unleashed?
Blood and Salt is a suspense-laden horror story that is full of unexpected twists and turns. The novel is fast-faced and quite riveting and Kim Liggett easily captures the reader's attention with the inventive storyline. Thundering to a dramatic and completely unexpected conclusion, this first installment in the Blood and Salt series will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book in this ingenious series.
The history of Quivira is rather convoluted, goes back centuries and features a love triangle between Katia Larkin, Alonso Mendoza and Spanish explorer Coronado. Katia's quest for immortality results in betrayal and death and the Larkin women are called upon to carry out their fate in Quivira as Katia's "vessel". Nina Larkin escaped from Quivira before giving birth to twins Ash and Rhys seventeen years earlier. The family now lives in New York, but just before the summer solstice, Nina returns to Quivira to fulfill her destiny as a vessel for her ancestor Katia. Desperate to find their mother, Ash and Rhys travel to the eerie cornfield to save their mother from what they consider to be a religious cult. However, unbeknownst to Rhys, Ash's lifelong visions of a hanging girl have increased in frequency and she soon realizes these images are memories of events that occurred centuries earlier. Upon arrival in Quiriva, these horrifying images take an ominous turn and Ash quickly becomes increasingly concerned for their safety.
Modern day Quivira clings to the traditions of the past and Ash figures heavily into their quest for immortality. She and Rhys are aided by Beth, a "seer" whose visions once foretold the future before a severe head injury quieted her gift. Ash is immediately enthralled by Dane, a charismatic young man whom she is forbidden to love due to his mixed bloodlines. The rest of the villagers seem mostly harmless but Ash quickly senses evil when she meets their current leader, Spencer Mendoza.
Ash is swiftly drawn into the rituals of Quivira and despite Rhys's pleas to leave, she is determined to rescue their mother. With her visions becoming more and more frequent, she realizes the hanging girl seems to be trying to tell her something. With Dane at her side to protect her, Ash eagerly allows the hallucinations free rein and she soon realizes the horrifying truth. But is it too late to stop the diabolical plan that Katia has unleashed?
Blood and Salt is a suspense-laden horror story that is full of unexpected twists and turns. The novel is fast-faced and quite riveting and Kim Liggett easily captures the reader's attention with the inventive storyline. Thundering to a dramatic and completely unexpected conclusion, this first installment in the Blood and Salt series will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book in this ingenious series.
taysreads_'s review against another edition
It wasn't giving what I wanting it to give. Normally for me there's something in the beginning or a book that draws me in but it wasn't there this time. I thought I would like it bc it was horror but I didn't.
cgreens's review against another edition
3.0
This was indeed . . . different. I read some of the other reviews while mid-way through and almost put the book away. The characters aren't very well-rounded or believable, and it's super annoying that everyone is super gorgeous (despite being horribly inbred?).
I'm glad that I stuck with it as the book ended up being very entertaining for me, and I enjoyed the plot development a lot more than I thought I would. I'm not a fan of horror so am not super immersed in the genre, but I did think the book was creepy and frightening throughout, not just at the start. The only similar work I've read is In the Shadow of the Blackbirds, and while that one was written much better and overall enjoyed a lot more, I'd say this one is actually a lot scarier.
I wish Dane had been fleshed out a whole lot more, and I did find the insta-love extremely off-putting. I also thought the whole idea of being "all in--blood and salt!!!" as a relationship norm was troublesome, especially in a YA work and am not sure if the end redeemed this.
Honestly this book was fine. The characters were a bit annoying and caricatures, especially Coronado, but I liked the spooky bits and how Katia's history unfolded. Questions:
Soooo . . . Ash is not a conduit? She is just being haunted by Marie, who wants to help her?
What happened to Alonso's soul? Why wasn't he able to take over Dane's body like the Dark Spirit promised?
Are there gay people in Quivira? Is everyone unquestioningly heterosexual in the Blood and Salt universe? Is this just a part of being an old timey cult?
I'm glad that I stuck with it as the book ended up being very entertaining for me, and I enjoyed the plot development a lot more than I thought I would. I'm not a fan of horror so am not super immersed in the genre, but I did think the book was creepy and frightening throughout, not just at the start. The only similar work I've read is In the Shadow of the Blackbirds, and while that one was written much better and overall enjoyed a lot more, I'd say this one is actually a lot scarier.
I wish Dane had been fleshed out a whole lot more, and I did find the insta-love extremely off-putting. I also thought the whole idea of being "all in--blood and salt!!!" as a relationship norm was troublesome, especially in a YA work and am not sure if the end redeemed this.
Honestly this book was fine. The characters were a bit annoying and caricatures, especially Coronado, but I liked the spooky bits and how Katia's history unfolded. Questions:
Spoiler
Was Katia killing some of the Larkins? I thought the book said this at one point. In order to feed the corn or something? For example, she fed Thomas to the corn. Is that correct? Or was it just Coronado killing the Larkins Dane sent to him?Soooo . . . Ash is not a conduit? She is just being haunted by Marie, who wants to help her?
What happened to Alonso's soul? Why wasn't he able to take over Dane's body like the Dark Spirit promised?
Are there gay people in Quivira? Is everyone unquestioningly heterosexual in the Blood and Salt universe? Is this just a part of being an old timey cult?
zombiecupcake29's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book simple because it was compared to Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn and that’s all I needed to hear. I love a good horror meets romance and this didn’t disappoint. The instalove/soulmate attraction between Dane and Ash is something that will draw you in and make you want them to go the distance. The creepy cult is something straight out of a horror movie but there’s so much feeling in the words that bring this world into reality that you can’t help but want more. I can’t wait to get the second book to find out what happens next.
mokey81's review against another edition
3.0
This was...interesting? I'm not sure what to make of it. I think it actually needed a couple hundred pages at the front end of the story.
It seemed completely random and thrown together. This is a story of immortals, Spaniards, Native Americans, corn fields, and...cults-sorta....sounds like someone was rolling plot dice.
There were pieces I really enjoyed. There were pieces that left me confused. I also had this figured out extremely early on, which is always a disappointment. I'm typically really bad at seeing what's coming.
I'm not even sure I'm completely understood what happened in the end. I accepted it, but not sure the pieces all fell together.
There is a book called Dreadful Sorry by Kathryn Reiss, which is extremely similar, but in my mind, woven together much better. It isn't as edgy as this book. But in terms of the past intermingling with the future, I think it was done much better.
It was ok, but not as great as I was hoping it would be.
It seemed completely random and thrown together. This is a story of immortals, Spaniards, Native Americans, corn fields, and...cults-sorta....sounds like someone was rolling plot dice.
There were pieces I really enjoyed. There were pieces that left me confused. I also had this figured out extremely early on, which is always a disappointment. I'm typically really bad at seeing what's coming.
I'm not even sure I'm completely understood what happened in the end. I accepted it, but not sure the pieces all fell together.
There is a book called Dreadful Sorry by Kathryn Reiss, which is extremely similar, but in my mind, woven together much better. It isn't as edgy as this book. But in terms of the past intermingling with the future, I think it was done much better.
It was ok, but not as great as I was hoping it would be.
caseymac's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Xenophobia, Murder, Body horror, and Violence
jbojkov's review against another edition
3.0
Better in some ways than I expected (the romance was not what I thought) and worse in others(I would have liked it a little creepier). Give it to kids who like supernatural romance- but lighter on the romance than usual and who can handle a non-typical happy ending.