A review by newkgirl
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A fast paced YA thriller with twists and turns at every corner.
A trigger warning for anyone that hated bedbugs. They are mentioned several times in the book.
Marigold is running from ghosts and not just the ones from her past but real ones that are causing chaos for her and her family in their new home in the strange town of Cedarville.
A classic haunted house story with a modern take and a rather dark twist, I loved this story and found myself drawn in right from the get go.
I loved the author’s portrayal on anxiety and how it can manifest in different ways (in Marigold’s case this was her fear of bed bugs) and more importantly that POC can experience mental health issues as well and that they shouldn’t be treated as a taboo subject.
Jackson’s portrayal of a blended family and issues of race where confronted head on and not shied around as well as the sub-plot about gentrification and the wiping out of black communities.
A five star read for me. That said, I would have like some additional background on the key players that were responsible for all that was going on in Cedarville as it was only mildly touched on and the ending left little to no resolution in regards to what happens to said key players.
A trigger warning for anyone that hated bedbugs. They are mentioned several times in the book.
Marigold is running from ghosts and not just the ones from her past but real ones that are causing chaos for her and her family in their new home in the strange town of Cedarville.
A classic haunted house story with a modern take and a rather dark twist, I loved this story and found myself drawn in right from the get go.
I loved the author’s portrayal on anxiety and how it can manifest in different ways (in Marigold’s case this was her fear of bed bugs) and more importantly that POC can experience mental health issues as well and that they shouldn’t be treated as a taboo subject.
Jackson’s portrayal of a blended family and issues of race where confronted head on and not shied around as well as the sub-plot about gentrification and the wiping out of black communities.
A five star read for me. That said, I would have like some additional background on the key players that were responsible for all that was going on in Cedarville as it was only mildly touched on and the ending left little to no resolution in regards to what happens to said key players.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, and Drug use