I read this book because Jackson wrote it. I am not a fan of horror and I had no idea that this was a horror book. This story about Maddy, a high school girl who lives alone with her dad and has no friends at her high school, sucked me in from the start. The gory-type horror was fairly minimal in the book. For me the real horror in the book is how Maddy is treated by her classmates and her dad as well as how awful the town they live in is. Jackson was able to deftly take what she is truly gifted at - writing about teens who face terrible lives - and mix it with horror to make a book that will appeal to fans of both gritty realistic fiction and horror. I liked this story much better than her previous horror book, <i>White Smoke</i>.

This updated retelling of Carrie has a biracial protagonist, Maddy, who is raised by a white father. He idolizes the "good old days" of the 50s. Maddie goes to tortuous and torturous lengths to pass as white, but when an unanticipated rainstorm outs her, it's open season on Maddie. She's always been considered odd, but now she's considered to have been posing as something she's not. The bullies are out in force.

Told in part as interviews for a retrospective podcast called "Maddy Did It", this book follows Maddy through the horrors she faces, after a morning rainstorm, through the horrors that occurred at the town's prom(s). Jackson deftly weaves examinations of segregation, allyship, and identity into a neatly done plot that has more relevance and resonance than did the original. It's not didactic, though. This is a fast-paced and thrilling YA horror novel that says what it needs to say and tells a great story at the same time. And despite its trauma and political charge, this book manages to inject a note of hope into an ending that was, in Stephen King's version, utterly bleak.

This should find a wide audience among not just horror aficionados, but thriller, mystery, and true crime readers as well. Adult King fans would do well to pick it up, too.

A perfect blend of character development, gore, and unique formatting with the podcast transcript, book excerpts, and gore and thrills in the climax. A brilliant retelling of Carrie that requires no knowledge of the source material. I'll be buying this for my personal collection and my library's collection.

A racially-charged reboot of Carrie? YES PLEASE.

Tiffany Jackson just has a way of telling a story. And even though this is a story we've heard before...I could not put it down. I know "fast-paced" is par for the course when it comes to mystery and horror, but this one really did move at breakneck speed. Even the "down" time seemed to successfully build tension.

I didn't love the back-and-forth between the past event and present-day True Crime show, but it wasn't horrible. It was also hard not to imagine this segregation story being set in the 60s...whenever someone pulled out a cell phone or slang I was like...wait. And the fact that towns like this STILL EXIST is even more jarring.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I will read anything TDJ writes and this Carrie reboot was no exception. The author gave you the horror and tension of old-school Carrie, but wove in a whole lot about racism, white privilege, “passing”, violent policing, bullying, etc. No one writes YA fiction like Jackson and I’m a fan for life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured this book and have to say it almost single-handedly got me out of a reading slump.

When asked what I was reading while reading this book, I described it to students and co-workers as “Carrie, if it were directed by Jordan Peele” (which, sidenote: I would love to watch).

This book is not for people who see the world in shades of black and white, good and evil, right and wrong, for it lies firmly in the middle, in that shade of gray. Possible spoiler: There is no easy, happy solution and the reader is left to guess what wanted to our protagonist at the end, but I kind of loved that about it.

I also really enjoyed the true crime podcast framing story, which gave context and glimpses of the aftermath.

As is typical for me when I read Tiffany D. Jackson, I read The Weight of Blood is less than 24 hours.

I have never read Carrie, or any of its retellings,, but it is hard for me to imagine that it is better than this. The Weight of Blood was a difficult read, which is why I think it's an important one. You are supposed to feel angry, frustrated, and uncomfortable! I thought that Maddy was one of Tiffany D Jackson's most compelling characters and it was interesting to see her journey of self identity and coming into her abilities. The podcast elements were a nice touch and made me think I will have to listen to the audiobook when this comes out!

As someone who loves CARRIE and loves the works of Tiffany D. Jackson, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD is right up my alley and I really loved it. Jackson does a great job of paying homage to the source material while also subverting it and building upon it, with a focus on race and racism that still thrives in this country no matter how much we don't want to believe it. I loved how we got twists on original characters and plot points to fit the greater narrative (Maddy's initial trauma being a racist incident involving her hair when she's outed as biracial; Maddy's fanatical father not only worshiping an abusive Evangelism but also whiteness itself, etc), and it works so well and is very powerful on top of it. I am also a person who has always been a huge sucker for the Carrie White/Tommy Ross dynamic, so imagine how ecstatic I was when Jackson takes that dynamic and decides to actually actively explore the romance potential (also, really liked how Kenny's girlfriend Wendy, the Sue Snell stand it, is actually called out for this so called good deed being more about assuaging her guilt and culpability than what is good for Maddy; Sue could have used that kind of dressing down). Throw in examinations of systemic racism and small towns resisting progress against inequity and how that can all lead to severe consequences, even beyond a tragic Prom night, and you have yourself a great, GREAT CARRIE reimagining.

THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD should be on every horror fan's 2022 reading list. Especially if you love CARRIE. Even if you don't.

I mean Tiffany can truly do no wrong and this is clearly her at the top of her game. This book gives. This book is really true to her writing and her style, but everything has been taken to the next level. For the first time, Jackson is tackling things she's only danced around in past novels, and it totally works.

You can tell the book is inspired by Carrie but it feels very original at the same time, and of course, there is a great twist at the end that I did not see coming. Additionally, Jackson did a great job at updating the news coverage sections into the modern world with podcasts. I bet the audiobook for this one will be phenomenal!

I cannot wait to have this one on my shelves and to read the bonus epilogue that's being sent as a preorder incentive because I need to know what happened next!

I have a lot I want to say about this book and how it takes the frame work of Carrie and turns it into so much more but I am a white woman and because of that I don't want to take up to much space here.
What I will say is that I have read and loved all of Jackson's books but this one is by far my favorite. Its probably the hardest to read as it does deal with some incredibly heavy subjects. Jackson does not shy away from what she is trying to say in this book and that makes it a very visceral thing.
This book was one I had to take my time to read because I had to take breaks to just digest what was happening and honestly face myself and some of the way I interact with people. I especially had to face the idea of the "white savior" and how even if its well meaning its not my place.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Of course please check trigger warning cause like I said there is some heavy stuff in here but if you can handle it please give this a read. Especially if like me you enjoy that classic horror movie narrative because you get that here but you will also learn and be faced with so much.

What a uniquely dark and nuanced story, a must-read YA horror book. The inspiration of Stephen King's Carrie is on each page, yet Jackson still manages to make this Maddie’s story while addressing systemic racism head on. Maddie was such a sympathetic character and her backstory, particularly explored via her horrific father, were engrossing. Admittedly, it did take me some time to get into the story. At first I didn’t love the clips from the podcast throughout as I felt it took away from the rhythm of the story, but ultimately I appreciated the distanced perspective on events and using it to further investigate and make sense of the way the world would have questioned the events with Maddie. Also, initially I was surprised that the story felt like it was just as much if not more of Wendy and Kenny’s, but in the end I think this worked incredibly well. Watching the climax play out from perspectives other than Maddie worked really well for both the story and the horror genre. Highly recommend.

Wow.

This book is absolutely a must read, and is what Carrie WISHES it could be.

The Weight of Blood feels extremely relevant right now and it's not an accident. The descriptions of Maddy's bullying and the subsequent actions made me gasp, and that's a testament to the writing. I found myself gasping at each turn with just how outrageous the actions of Maddy's peers were and utterly angry at the lack of action taken to address the racism and bullying happening at that school.

Unfortunately, though I was angry, it was not surprising. This book may be a work of fiction, but it's grounded in truths about an ugly, racist past that needs to be addressed, and finally is in The Weight of Blood.

Tiffany D. Jackson has cemented herself as an absolute powerhouse in the YA genre and in horror, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

She did it again y’all! The Weight of Blood might actually be my favorite Tiffany D. Jackson book so far. It is a modern retelling of Carrie by Stephen King, with a racial twist. It follows a small town in Georgia as they host their first integrated prom (in 2014!), and the massacre that occurs during that prom. The story is told mostly through the point of view of various students and town citizens during the lead up to and the evening of prom, but it is also interspersed with articles, book excerpts, witness testimonies, and podcast episodes about the prom massacre.

Madison Washington has always been unusual to her classmates. Know one even knew she existed until she was forced to enroll in middle school, and now she keeps to herself and spends as little time as possible at her high school. Maddie dresses in strange clothes, straight out of the 1950s, and seems exceptionally naïve about certain things. Then, one day during her senior year, Maddie gets caught in a rainstorm during gym class, and her carefully straightened hair frizzes out into an afro. When her classmates see her hair, they immediately know that Maddie has been lying; she is biracial and has been passing for white at her father’s command. Maddie had always been a victim of the bullies in her class, but after the rainstorm things get far worse, and they awaken in her a power that feels like a gift.

The structure was a nice change in this book. We begin the story knowing that there was a massacre at prom and that “Maddy Did It,” thanks to the aptly named podcast that is investigating what happened on prom night. Jackson knew she was adapting a story that most people already know, especially those most interested in this book, and she played into the fact that we would already know what happens. It made for a reading where we weren’t looking for what happens, but why it happens. And the why it happens is what makes the book such a powerful one.

Having the story told from multiple perspectives was also very impactful. It allowed for exploration of the way systemic racism has affected so many. There are the straight up racist characters, the ones who just go along with things because they are oblivious, there are the black characters who have internalized racism, and of course Maddy’s father who has so much fear of how the people in his town (and the world) treat black people that he keeps his biracial daughter hidden at home, and when she is discovered and forced into public school forces her to pretend that she is white (the reasoning still doesn’t make anything this abusive prick did justifiable, just to clarify). The novel is an amazing commentary on the way systemic racism effects everyone, and how even the most minor acts can lead to horrifying consequences. It is a direct call out to the town still holding onto their racist backgrounds, and a reminder that everyone has power, most especially the people who have been most victimized. It doesn't end with everything tied up in a nice tidy bow, but that's life isn't it? The worst of the offenders aren't always the ones to experience justice, and the ones who do the right thing don't always get their happy ending.

BURN IT ALL DOWN MADDY! You do not want to miss The Weight of Blood, an absolute must read.

The Weight of Blood is like a new updated and improved version of the Stephen King novel, Carrie. I loved the way the different characters were written. I never suspected the twist at the end.

All her life, Maddy Washington has been the victim of bullying in her hometown of Springville. However, until a fateful rainstorm, it wasn’t because of her race. It was just because of her upbringing. But when rain reveals that Maddy is biracial, everything changes.

A video of Springville students bullying Maddy goes viral, forcing them to rethink their separate proms. So, they come up with a plan to host the school’s first integrated prom. After getting asked to prom by the quarterback, Maddy thinks things could be normal. But her classmates have other plans. Little do they know, Maddy has more power than meets the surface…

Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Weight of Blood to review! Tiffany D. Jackson is a favorite author of mine, and I was immediately pulled in by the cover of this book. I mean, look at it! Pulls you into the story just from that image.

This is a retelling of Carrie by Stephen King, which I actually haven’t read. But from what I know, I enjoyed the way that Jackson played with the original story. Like in most of her novels, she takes the story and puts a social justice spin on it. A large part of this book is about the ways that white people perpetuate racism. In fact, the segregated prom thing is actually something that’s happened recently in the United States (sadly). Jackson doesn’t flinch away from the difficult topics, and will leave you thinking long after you finish the book.

Throughout the book, there are also excerpts from news outles and podcasts that add to the mystery of the overall story. My only complaint about them is I wish they occured at the beginning and ends of chapters, instead of in the middle. Sometimes it took me out of the story. But these sections also helped to flesh out some of the characters, and I appreciated them for that!

All in all, if you’re looking for a new horror book to read this fall, I’d definitely recommend this one!

I mean, absolute brilliance. I read this entire book over one weekend, mostly straight through a flight; it absolutely hooked me. As someone who actually has not seen Carrie, I did not know what to expect going into this, but now I'm like... there's no way the OG Carrie is as good as this book. Truly an array of emotions as to how I felt about these characters - I loved some, hated others, felt empathy, disgust, wanted retribution, wanted a redemption arc, etc. and the very important nature, theme, and education of the book, especially in our country's climate right now - it's all a true testament to TDJ's descriptions, character investment and development, writing style, and emotional draw. I also loved the format of the book, with narrative form but also the podcast, testimony, and news clippings overlay. This is absolutely a must read!!

Why Tiffany Jackson got me up all night reading this book like I don’t have work in the morning? Why is this lady ruining my life, making me feel all the feelings with this book? As always, Jackson gives us fully-fleshed out characters, a tightly-woven plot, and edge-of-your-seat storytelling. Jackson does an excellent job of building the tension and suspense. This is more than a Carrie retelling…this is horror mixed with history. The real scare is the persistent and constant racism that permeates the characters lives in this book. The real scare is that it is based on true, modern events. 5 freaking stars!

A tremendous retelling of King's Carrie, set in modern day Georgia amongst a group of young, privileged, white high schoolers who grew up in a small racist town. I will read everything Jackson writes without hesitation.

Madison Washington has been passing as white her entire life, under the watchful eye of her father with little understanding of the world she lives in. Her father's overprotective nature and distrust of the people in his town comes from his own upbringing we learn much later on in the novel.

When Maddie is picked on at school for her hair, she learns that her identity as a loner has become so ingrained that it is near impossible to be seen in any other light. Until Kendrick follows through on a promise to his girlfriend Wendy. From there the story unfolds into Maddie's identity, the racism of the town, and all of the main characters learning how they treat others is so much more important than who they are friends with.

Absolutely 5 stars, and so important in the current cultural climate of the world. This book should be talked about and read over and over

The Weight of Blood is Tiffany D Jackson’s version of the infamous Carrie by Stephen King. Maddie is a teenage black girl who is passing as something she is not. When her school finds out she is not actually white, they make her torment worse than before. This story is leading up to prom night and the secret Maddie will reveal to all.

This novel is driven by the racism that is still happening in a small town during 2014. It focuses on “What if Carrie was black?” and how that story would of been told. It was so hard to read this novel and not move the timeline years behind us. It’s appalling to see this racism still in a time like 2014. This novel even made me cry, and I really mean sobbing. The violence in a particular scene made me so disgusted that this is how it really is. This novel was such a good read and opens discussion for many important topics.

Also I always find it so satisfying when Carrie/Maddy gets to pop off. I know some people were innocent but still.

This book is stunning, and Jackson reinterprets Stephen King's 'Carrie' is timely and really astute ways. It was super hard to read at times, because this book goes hard with the racism, misogynoir, patriarchal Christian convservatism, and bullying, but the ending was that much sweeter to read because of the horrifying journey.