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A review by reading_and_roaming20
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I find YA to be hit or miss, which is entirely due to my personal preferences. There are books I’ve loved (HOUSE OF HOLLOW + THE DEVIL MAKES THREE) and others that are too YA for my taste, if you know what I mean. WHITE SMOKE falls into that second category for me.
I wanted so much more from the haunted house, angry ghost storyline, but it really felt like more of a backdrop to Mari’s personal progression. She’s a lovely character, going through a healing journey in a new town with a new stepfather and stepsister, after an OD. But I really could have used more of the horror stuff and less of her obsessive drive to find weed in her new town. (Though shout out for the mental health rep!)
I also found the gentrification subplot interesting and appreciated how TIFFANY D. JACKSON built it into the storyline. I can see the Get Out reference making sense here.
Since this one was so heavily built around classic YA tropes that aren’t my jam, I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to give it a rating. I definitely didn’t dislike it and think it has its merits. It’s just not for me and that’s ok.
If YA is your thing and you want a dash of spooky fun to go along with a female MC you’ll love to root for, WHITE SMOKE is absolutely worth picking up. If you tend to enjoy YA that toes the line of general fiction, this is probably not going to be your cup of tea.
FEEDBACK WANTED :: For TIFFANY D. JACKSON fans out there, I’m curious if you feel like this is a pretty typical style of book for her. I know it’s her first go at horror and am also intrigued by THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD and GROWN. That said, if they’re going to have a similar vibe, I might skip them. I’d love to hear any thoughts because I’m definitely up for giving this author another go if y’all think she’s worth a shot!
I wanted so much more from the haunted house, angry ghost storyline, but it really felt like more of a backdrop to Mari’s personal progression. She’s a lovely character, going through a healing journey in a new town with a new stepfather and stepsister, after an OD. But I really could have used more of the horror stuff and less of her obsessive drive to find weed in her new town. (Though shout out for the mental health rep!)
I also found the gentrification subplot interesting and appreciated how TIFFANY D. JACKSON built it into the storyline. I can see the Get Out reference making sense here.
Since this one was so heavily built around classic YA tropes that aren’t my jam, I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to give it a rating. I definitely didn’t dislike it and think it has its merits. It’s just not for me and that’s ok.
If YA is your thing and you want a dash of spooky fun to go along with a female MC you’ll love to root for, WHITE SMOKE is absolutely worth picking up. If you tend to enjoy YA that toes the line of general fiction, this is probably not going to be your cup of tea.
FEEDBACK WANTED :: For TIFFANY D. JACKSON fans out there, I’m curious if you feel like this is a pretty typical style of book for her. I know it’s her first go at horror and am also intrigued by THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD and GROWN. That said, if they’re going to have a similar vibe, I might skip them. I’d love to hear any thoughts because I’m definitely up for giving this author another go if y’all think she’s worth a shot!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fire/Fire injury