Definitely going to have nightmares of people living in my house now. This was creepy and well played. I thought the ending was a bit rushed at the end--I wanted a bit more follow through, even thoguh I appreciated the open-endedness of some things.

4.5 stars

I was so pleasantly surprised by this!

Having read several of Jackson's previous novels, I assumed I'd enjoy this work for the style alone, but I am constantly impressed by the kind of variety Jackson demonstrates in characters and subjects; Mari, the m.c. of this piece, only adds to Jackson's already awesome list of characters.

Mari moves with her blended family - mom and brother and step-dad and step-sister - to a creepy little town where it's apparent immediately that a lot is wrong. Mari is coming off of some personal challenges, including but not limited to addiction, rehab, public humiliation, and some truly disturbing bedbug-related concerns, so she is the perfect narrator for a work in this subgenre. Readers aren't sure if she can be trusted, and her family members are even less certain. When Mari begins to notice terrifying instances in the family's new home and in the neighborhood at large, it's easy to get scared and question what is and is not real right along with her.

I did find the beginning to be a little slower moving than I'd like for a YA thriller, but the action and creep factor pick up, and the payoff is so good. This is one of my favorite YA thrillers in a LONG time, and I hope it gets the buzz it deserves. Recommended!

Whewwww Tiffany D. Jackson did the damn thing with this horror story. It’s classic haunted house vibes and so spooky with a really eyebrow-raising kind of ending. I love that horror and thriller novels with Black main characters have been cropping up more and more lately. People can always benefit from seeing themselves represented in a story, even when the plot is a situation you’d never want to be in lol. In this case, Marigold and her family moving to a new town and into a creepy old house.

It, of course, wouldn’t be a Tiffany D. Jackson book if it didn’t tackle current issues, which it did. But it’s a lot less heavy on them than her backlog. Marigold has an unhealthy fixation, on bedbugs specifically, and it causes her extreme anxiety. She is addicted to weed because it eases her anxiety. I think the author did a really good job at showing kids that although weed as a substance isn’t inherently addictive, that the way weed makes you feel can be addicting. It’s not preachy, but it is a subtle warning to not let it take over your life.

Marigold, her brother Sammy, and their mom are all Black. Marigold’s new stepdad and stepsister, Piper, are both white. This is a source of some tension in the story, as well, but it sort of makes you wonder if it’s just tense because they’re new family members or if it’s something more. Piper has always been kind of a little shit, but a lot of the spooky stuff in the house starts pointing back to Piper, and it causes family tension to rise.

I think this story was genuinely creepy at times, but had enough depth to hold its own outside of the scary moments, too. There’s character development, of course, as Marigold learns things about the type of friend and family member she’s been over the course of her mental illness and addiction. There is NO pet death in this story although Marigold’s family has a family pet which I was very grateful for. The very ending was quite rushed, I could have handled at least 20 more pages. But I understand the decision to leave it a little less closed as well. Overall I’m excited about seeing more representation in this genre and I appreciate the conversations this book brings forth. I’ll absolutely be recommending it to teens.

Creepy. Terrifying. So so good! This book is a page turner!

When Mari and her family move into a town where it's clear something bad is going down, Mari is on the case. Her voice leaps off the page. She is funny and relatable with family struggles and a serious fear of bedbugs.

The book did feel a bit fast at times, especially with the number of things happening around the house from the moment Mari and her family arrive. Strange noises, possible ghosts, a fowl smell, a locked basement, shower creepiness, a sickness. These are just within the first few chapters and the spookiness only intensifies. Jackson does a good job of increasing tension and stakes throughout the book. This makes it a fast read without a lot of "down time." I do wish it was a little slower at some points, at least leading up to the midpoint, but overall, this book was a great read and the movie, Get Out, is definitely a perfect comp title.

I want to start with trigger warnings for this book: addiction, incarceration, drugs, overdose, bedbugs.

Mari and her blended family move to Centerville where they are hoping for a new start following Mari's troubled past and Alec and Raquel's joining of families. Mari has a younger brother named Sammy and a stepsister named Piper. They move into a rundown neighborhood, for free, in exchange for living there and begin advocates and artists for the community. However Mari begins to notice strange appearances, urban legends from the neighborhood, and "Ms Suga."

I so badly wanted to give this book 5 stars. There were so many great things about it. I loved the characters and their development. I loved how Jackson gave just enough details, but still kept you guessing and on edge for the truth. There were twists and turns throughout the book, but also some predictable storylines. This book reminded me of When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole. I did find it to be creepy in just the right amount for YA readers. I also really liked how each character had their own issues and personality that appeared in pieces, while hinting at the truth in the past.

The only thing that kept me from giving out the full 5 stars was there were loose ends for me. For example, Erika's storyline was never reviewed. The ending felt very abrupt. I liked the ending with Mari's interactions, but what happened next? Also the storyline with the Sterling Foundation was there, but did not evolve enough to go further with that line for me. The book also focused a lot on weed and Mari's need for weed, which ties into the city's prisons, but doesn't seem to go further.

Tiffany D. Jackson has done it again. At first glance you might be thinking is the narrator reliable? Is she sane enough to know what is happening or is she sober enough to be trusted? So while Mari (the narrator) questions herself at every turn, the suspense builds. Mari tries to write off the strange noises, smells, and horrid history of the town she and her family recently moves to, and chalk it up as her over active imagination and anxiety. But ss the story unfolds, it is clear something is going on in the house (ghosts? demons? burglars?). The happenings become more aggressive and unexplainable until she's face to face with the most unexpected turn. A fast paced thrilling story, filled with twists and turns that leave you holding your breath.

This book dealt with several topics all wrapped up in a ghost story. Mental health issues, divorce, blended families and drug use are a few of the issues in this book. The MC and other characters are dealing with issues all the while being caught in the ghost story. Anticipate twists and turns and unexpected events. This book is a little long, but a good read.

Tiffany Jackson does it again! I have been accustomed to her psychological thrillers but this book added another layer with the elements of horror. Jackson is a master of building suspense in each chapter which kept me up late at night wanting to read. I also appreciated the greater issues at hand (gentrification). Jackson tackles this issue with authenticity, causing the reader to want to help the characters save their town.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another wonderfully written story and handles heavy topics with care and honesty. I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to paranormal horror but I'm also a huge fan of the author, so I opted to read slow and savor this one. It is wonderfully creepy and twisty and even when I (mostly) guessed correctly, I still kept second, third, and fourth guessing myself. I loved this book, but I have to say that the end felt very abrupt and I feel like at the very least the story needed an epilogue. I went back and checked the file a few times to make sure I hadn't missed anything because the end came so suddenly. It would have easily been a five star read with a more fleshed out conclusion.

I enjoyed this book and, in typical Tiffany Jackson style, it had a twist ending with some pretty intense ideas and themes. I felt it ended a bit abruptly, but beyond that, it kept me really interested and compelled to finish it. I could see students really enjoying this book!

It's difficult to say no to a Tiffany D. Jackson book. We already have several in our collection, and this is going to be the newest one. It's said to be a mashup of Get Out and The Haunting of Hill House, and you know what, I can't agree more. It is so much more than just a horror book though, as it also presents social commentary on the community and its members. Fans of Jackson will not be disappointed.

The Marigold's family just moved to midwestern town, Cedarville from California. She is not happy with the move or her new stepfather and stepsister, Piper. Marigold is a recovering addict with very high anxiety. Mysterious and even dangerous incidents escalate the longer they live in this house. Piper blames her new friend, Ms. Suga, for all the issues. Marigold must rely on her brother, Sam, and her new friend, Yusef, for help to save her family and herself from more danger. This is another great book by Ms. Jackson! Even thought the main plot deals with Marigold's family and the potential haunted house, the bigger picture is unscrupulous officials who would rather scorch older family homes in poorer neighborhoods rather than help build community.

I am a huge fan of Tiffany Jackson and White Smoke did not disappoint! I was legitimately scared but could not stop reading. I enjoyed the horror aspect of the book and of course the twists! The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will absolutely be buying copies for my classroom.

4.5 stars

White Smoke tells the story of a struggling teen, Mari, dropped in the middle of stark urban blight as her family attempts a ‘new start’ in the Midwest. The degree to which Mari’s personal struggles and the struggles of the town around her are exacerbated by some sinister external force are something Mari must discover during her time on Maple Street.

As a protagonist, Mari is everything I could want in a character to follow. She is smart, interesting, and genuinely cares for her friends and loved ones—but she’s also selfish, angry, scarred by trauma of the past and coping in a mixture of healthy and unhealthy ways. She does not always extend the same charity to others that they extend to her, and yet we feel for her when she is unjustly blamed or mistreated. She’s complicated, and she’s human.

As a horror story, this is an admirable foray into the genre. The atmosphere is suitably spooky, the characters appropriately genre-aware but not too meta-knowledgeable, the plot elements well-paced and the narrative elements of Mari’s family life, friendships, and possibly-haunted-home very nicely balanced. The pacing gets muddied for me at the end of the book, but that’s not uncommon for the genre, and while I find the ending a little abrupt, it did not impede my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Although this story is told in a single timeline, rather than multiple, the plot and history reminded me of No One’s Home by D. M. Pulley, in a very good way; fans of that book can feel good about picking this one up.

I am not a habitual reader of YA, and often, conventions of YA writing bother me as a reader. I am delighted to say that this was not the case in reading White Smoke. While the prose is certainly YA-appropriate, being simple, readable, and believably attached to our protagonist, it nonetheless remained engaging, suspenseful, and evocative.

I have no idea how Tiffany D. Jackson has escaped my radar for this long. This book was excellent, and I am determined now to go and read her backlog!

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC. Tiffany Jackson is one of the top suspense/thriller young adult writers today and her newest, White Smoke does not disappoint. Billed as the Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out sets the up to be a horror book, but it is hard to place it in one genre. This is full of twists and turns as the events of the story unfold. I had a hard time putting this book down.

Marigold is recovering from many addictions and to get a fresh start their family is moving from California to a small Midwest town. Her mother had won an artist’s fellowship that allows her to live in a historical home. The home comes with creaks and noises that are creepier than most old homes. Mari swears she feels as if someone is in her room while she sleeps.

Fighting her panic attacks, anxiety, and constant need for marijuana Mari can barely stand to live in this house without WiFi or cell service. Her annoying stepsister and stepfather do not help the situation. The only bright side is the cute young man at school who also loves gardening- the only way she can relax. The reality of their neighborhood is bleak as all of the homes aside from theirs is dilapidated and run down with no neighbors. The more Mari learns about her town and neighborhood the more her jitters seem less like anxiety and more like a horror story. As the event in her home become violent, her nightmares begin coming true.

As is always the case with a book from Tiffany, this was masterfully crafted and touched on many important topics and issues. I'm not even sure where to begin, there's so much to process. The twist was something I did NOT see coming, and was so much more disturbing than what I even thought was going on. My only complaint is that the ending seemed very abrupt, but as I read an ARC, maybe it'll be fleshed out a bit in the final version. Or maybe we could get an epilogue. I just need to know what happens next - where a few things are concerned!

I am a fan of several of Tiffany D. Jackson's books, so I was excited to read this advanced copy of #WhiteSmoke. This book does not disappoint.--I cannot recommend it enough! On the surface, it is an excellent horror novel. But it's also *more than* a horror novel. Jackson weaves together a YA storyline of a young girl whose family/step-family has relocated due to some situations in her past alongside trying to navigate a new school and new friends.. But there are also historical explanations of modern day Detroit, a main character itself in the novel, as well as real life social criticisms, all culminating in the end, which I promise you will not see coming. Many thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for this advanced copy!