This book was amazing! I have never read/listened anything quite like this. Brielle loves cooking, but her mother wants more for her. Her mother is chronically ill and ends up losing her job. Brielle will do whatever she has to do to make sure her mother receives her medication and isn’t in pain. She ends up cooking for a lot of wealthy people and everyone has the question - what is in the food that makes it so good.
I loved the Haitian influence in this book and the Haitian zombie lore. I also loved that this book highlighted problems we have in society, such as racial and socioeconomic inequality. There really was never a dull moment in this book. I highly recommend it!

2.5/5 rounded up because maybe I am just not the right age demographic for this book (although I don't think that should matter necessarily, I think adults can still read YA and should still be able to get something from it but whatever).

This is supposed to be a story about a teen zombie chef who works for a very rich family, so I was expecting this to be action-packed and full of zombie moments (that could've been so funny too, her resisting or maybe not resisting, eating her employers). But no, this really didn't have much about eating people. Like, at all. It is mentioned once in the beginning and that's it.

I really wish she did eat the rich. The rich were the only ones that even really had that kind of mentality. It was weird and I left this book confused. And I do not think I was supposed to feel that way.

This had so much potential, I wanted young, female, BIPOC Hannibal. I did not get that. I think the advertising/marketing of this book is the biggest problem. If I knew what was to be expected, my expectations would have been in a better place and I wouldn't have been so disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I was so curious to see how this book would blend zombism (?) with Haitian folklore while tackling racial and socioeconomic inequality. I enjoyed that this story addressed serious themes in a way that was witty and had just the right amount of Gen Z self-righteousness that it didn't come across as cringe.

There’s a lot to unpack with the if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em vibe of the ending but a part of me is happy Birelle gets her way.

Would def reccommend if you're into family drama, dark humor and revenge.

I loved the premise of this book. It had a lot going for it, and in current times a book title 'The Summer I Ate the Rich' immediately drew me in to want to read. I liked the idea of the story and watching Brielle navigate quite a predicament that she got herself into. I liked her as an FMC, but that is kind of where my enjoyment ended.

I'm not sure if this genre just wasn't for me, but overall I felt like it wasn't really 'scary' or 'horror' in any way. Yes, she was a zombie. Yes it took the meaning of eat the Rich very literally, but I didn't have the sitting on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen next at all.

I wanted more about the Haitian folklore too. I feel like that was a missed opportunity to really dive deep there and give the reader information to learn and grow. Overall, I think the story had a good premise. I did enjoy it during the read, but I don't think it'll stay with me for long. There was a lot going on at the end that made me, as a reader, loose interest and want to find out what was happening to the characters.

Overall, definitely would recommend reading but I don't see it being good or bad. It was just fine.

I really enjoyed the narration. It was what kept me in the story. Definitely would recommend consuming via audiobook!

I…almost left <i>The Summer I Ate the Rich</i> feeling deeply confused. Despite what was a rather excellent character introduction, the plot was so convoluted and superfluous, as though somehow not a single editor advised the authors to trim down everything they were trying to overstuff into the story. But honestly? The author’s not cleared everything right up for me. When your story begins with such a personal beat, incorporating a vast array of commentary that the authors are deeply passionate about, it stands to reason that the plot gets lost along the way.

<i>The Summer I Ate the Rich</i> had all the makings of a unique and compelling horror novel, but instead of fully embracing its darker elements, it ultimately struggled to balance too many ideas, leaving much of the story underdeveloped. What should have been a simple and straightforward tale critiquing the greed of the rich via excellent characterization of zombie-fueled revenge ultimately couldn't find its footing amongst an overabundance of plot threads that ultimately did not come together fully by the last page.

The authors clearly wanted to tell a story about a mother-daughter relationship that highlights the injustices of the healthcare system and the mistreatment of poor in America. Their personal connection to the subject matter—rooted in their own mother’s struggles with the healthcare system—is meant to add emotional weight to the novel and Brielle's motivations. I respect the effort to weave these real-world issues into a speculative horror setting; I was excited for it, even. However, as Maika and Maritza Moulite try to tackle too many different types of social commentary while also weaving in Haitian zonbi mythology, the result is a story that feels scattered and hesitant. Rather than a thoughtful blend of horror and societal critique, the book struggles to commit fully to any one of its themes, leading to an underwhelming execution on all fronts.

The biggest issue for me is the novel never truly embraces the horror elements promised by its premise. The title suggests a bold, morally complex story where Brielle consumes the rich partially as a result of her bloodlust but primarily as revenge for their greed and crimes. To my dismay, the novel hesitates to go all the way with this idea. It feels as though the authors were afraid of making Brielle too morally ambiguous, softening the horror elements in an attempt to keep her sympathetic. And I cannot stress this enough: <b>we did not need this</b>.

Honestly, I would go as far as to say that we needed the exact opposite.

This cautious approach ultimately weakens the narrative, as Brielle’s ailment (or curse?) never carries the weight it should. I was incredibly excited for the incorporation of Haitian zonbi lore, so much so that I did a little further reading on the subject as I got further along in this novel. While I’m no expert (so, please feel free to correct me on this if I am misunderstanding), from what I understand of <a href="https://vodouinhaiti.wordpress.com/zonbi/">this article</a>, traditional zonbi mythology is rooted in the fear of enslavement and control rather than the Westernized version of zombies as flesh-eating monsters. This new information genuinely enhanced my excitement to see how all of this would be incorporated, only the problem came with the idea that Brielle’s zonbi status gives her a form of mind control when people eat the ground up human she's included in her cooking. I'm gonna be honest, it sort of felt like a misapplication of the themes behind the lore rather than a meaningful expansion, leaving me completely confused.

This, combined with the fact that Brielle’s mother calls her a monster for her “curse” further muddles the themes. If the book had leaned into the traditional zonbi lore as a metaphor for systemic oppression and the loss of agency, it could have been a powerful statement. Instead, the mythology is altered in ways that don’t seem to serve the story’s core message.

But, most disappointing of all the themes presented in the book comes from the overall main premise. The concept of “eating the rich” should have been a visceral, unsettling, and thematically rich horror element, but instead the book pulls back, resulting in a frustratingly half-formed execution. Readers should have left this book feeling pumped and vindicated, that karmic justice is finally being brought to those who have enriched themselves off the suffering of the poor. I spent so much of the novel waiting for the worst of the rich to be murdered and eaten and fed to the others and it <i>never happened</i>. In fact, <spoiler>the biggest death of the whole novel was an accidental hit and run. What's worse is that the reveal of the driver held so little emotional weight in the end, feeling more like a useless side plot than anything else.</spoiler>

The romance and <spoiler>marriage</spoiler> aspects felt unnecessary, detracting from the novel’s main themes as well. In a book that should have been about Brielle’s dark reaction to injustice, moral struggle, and the tension between her and her mother having a romance subplot felt like a pointless distraction. Preston's entire existence—outside of perhaps being murdered and eaten, which would have been cool—irritated me every step of the way, serving to detract from any promise the story had. Rather than deepening the narrative, it took valuable time away from developing the themes and horror elements that should have been at the forefront.

Again, I'm left feeling as though the authors were truly afraid to take risks in regard to Brielle's characterization. It's like if you condemn your dark, justice-seeking character to lackluster behavior, holding them back for the sake of keeping them likable. What is the point of Brielle craving human flesh, then? What is the point of her cooking people into her menus? It never felt like they fully committed to the zombie aspects, which ultimately took away from the immeasurably exciting aspects of the premise we were presented with. And thus the most important, bone-chilling aspects we were promised become a rather pitiful side plot.

And it's so disappointing because I can't help feeling that, if Brielle had just been given the freedom to be dark and not only give into her cravings enough to a) engage in murder, b) actually eat the rich, and c) do so in a specific targeted fashion this book would have been <i>so</i> much better. I mean, just think how amazing it would have been if the plot had involved Brielle hunting specific targets to cook into her meals? Imagine if she fed those specific targets to other specific targets? Think about the emotional impact that we could have had if monstrously greedy Silas had been forced to eat his own father? Or his son? Think about how satisfying it might have been to have Brielle reveal such a truth to him before murdering him for the next dish!

We all loved when Arya Stark took these risks. We wouldn't have hated Brielle had she done so as well. And yet it truly feels like that held the authors back so much.

Ultimately, <i>The Summer I Ate the Rich</i> had a fantastic premise but it never fully delivered on its potential. A bolder, more focused approach—one willing to embrace the horror and explore the deeper implications of its themes—would most certainly have made for a much more compelling read. Instead, the book feels like a collection of intriguing but underdeveloped ideas, held back by a reluctance to commit fully to its darker and more unsettling possibilities.

I don't have much to say about the narrator in the end. She did an excellent job, I think, and I enjoyed the experience of listening to her. Unfortunately, it's difficult to see any of this as standout when I was so disappointed with the main character and the overall story.

I really enjoyed this, but HATE that this is being marketed as YA horror, because it’s really not. This is a magical realism coming of age story that I think fans of Needy Little Things and A Good Girl’s Guide to murder would really enjoy!

Brielle is funny, she’s smart, and she’s ready to take down the 1%. I loved her voice and perspective, and found her to be a super compelling and interesting character! Her Haitian heritage is super important to her as a character, and I honestly thought it was incredibly well done. The zombie side of her is definitely played up in the marketing a lot more than it appears in the book—you could basically take that subplot out and it’d be almost the same story, which was a bummer.

Thematically it checks a lot of boxes and does so well—racism, micro aggressions, wealth inequality, immigration. It all ties together well and shows the importance of using an intersectional lens with talking about these things. And it does it in a very age appropriate way with the perfect amount of rage and frustration behind it.

I thought the narration on the audiobook was great too! The multi cast style worked for the way the story was told, particularly with the division of the “parts” and hearing the ancestors speak.

I was definitely expecting a different story based on the blurb and the marketing, but it was a really good book if you go into it thinking more YA thriller vs horror.

The synopsis, the cover and the title had me hooked from the very beginning and I thought I knew what sort of book I was getting into... but turns out I was incredibly wrong. While I was immediately captivated by the first few minutes of audio that described our FMC, Brielle, detailing how to prepare a cow's brain, chopping it to bits, seasoning it, cooking it--- I definitely thought it had a strong start and so much potential for this to develop into a very unique zombie story, with equal parts humor, horror and culinary flair. I loved and was intrigued at how the author weaved Haitian culture, cuisine and folklore into the story, sometimes wishing the book would delve more into those details. By not doing so, I was left with a lot of questions in regards to how zombie's were made, how certain people could gain the power to create zombies and what powers the zombie's themselves possessed.

To be honest I was expecting akin to iZombie meets 'Tender is the Flesh', but got something much milder.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This book was so interesting, and it did keep me engaged and excited the whole time! I loved the addition of Haitian chorus of sisters. Their interludes were a great way to break up the story and add needed information without it feeling like an info dump. I really enjoyed the glimpse into Haitian mythology.

I will say that this read as more of a magical realism coming of age story rather than a true horror like it is advertised as. Also I have read some dumb teenagers, but Bri might take the cake. Loved her, but goodness she made some poor decisions.

Overall, a super fun, quick read for the summer!

I received the audio narration of The Summer I Ate the rich. I liked the narrator voice , it brought the story to life. I did expect more horror. Overall it wasn't for me , but I'm sure the teens will like it .

This book was okay. It started off realllly strong. It was descriptive, gross, and I was set up for horror. I thought the cross of wealth inequality/racial issues is a perfect setup for some really good horror but it didn’t hit for me. Regardless, it was still interesting.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book.

This was so captivating - it opens with a girl describing herself cooking brains for breakfast and making an admission that she's a zombie. While this is very much not a brain eating zombie book, it is fascinating!

I adored following the story of this daughter of a Haitian immigrant with a passion for cooking and a whole lot of nerve navigating a number of complex and interwoven story lines.

I have no idea what creole accents should sound like, but it sounded great to me in the audiobook recording! I was engaged and interested from start to finish!

The Summer I Ate the Rich is a title with a synopsis that makes it sound like there would be a lot more eating the rich than there actually was.

Like other reviews have said, I was expecting something more along the lines of Hannibal, but at 60% in I made a note about how I expected a lot more cannibalism than we had gotten and that held true for the rest of the book. While the rich eating the rich would have been just as satisfying, it rarely went into detail and was barely mentioned as anything more than a means to an end.

I did really love getting to read about a zombi that was based on it's actual Haitian origins rather than the westernized version of zombies. I also enjoyed the alternating POV with Brielle and her sisters, the Muses.

In the end I think it just kind of...chickened out of committing to the horror aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the alc.

Unfortunately, this book was too disturbing for my taste. I was hoping given that the book was ya, it wouldn't be that dark. Unfortunately it was though. Despite this, I did enjoy the narrators voices.

Overall, this was a decent YA read. I enjoyed the themes of poverty the wealthy vs. the disadvantages, Haitian culture embedded. I was worried about this as labeled horror and how gruesome the cannibalism might be, but it was mild and more suspenseful and thriller.

I would read more from the author, but this one was just okay for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC.

READ IT IF YOU'RE INTEREST IN OR LIKED
- Cannibalism
- Hidden zombie abilities
- Haitian lore
- Socioeconomic and racial inequality
- Revenge
- Magical realism vibes
- Hidden secrets

BRIEF REVIEW
The first page of this book sucked me in but not the whole story. I loved the idea of a zombie ability versus an undead zombie that we're used to seeing. I wanted more BRAINS and body parts NOT love. I'm not sure the formula for young adult books, even horror, is to include a cheesy love story. It has it's place and time but in this one it did not add to it. I definitely still recommend giving it a read.

I love everything about this audiobook. I didn't want it to end. I love the mother daughter relationship, I love the weird romance. I love the information about Haiti. I love the sister and muses.
The narration was absolute perfection.

I enjoyed the narration on this audio which help bring the book to life. I was expecting more horror as the synopsis explains. I think if you go into this book with the right expectations, you will enjoy.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listeners copy
3.5 star

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

This was an interesting concept, but I didn’t love the execution. The Summer I Ate the Rich had a sharp, unique premise blending Haitian zombie lore with social commentary, which kept me intrigued. Brielle’s character was compelling, and I appreciated the deeper themes woven throughout the story. That being said, something about the pacing and overall flow felt a little off for me. There were moments where the story felt underdeveloped or rushed, making it hard to stay fully invested. Still, if you’re looking for something dark, satirical, and a little unhinged, this could be worth picking up.

his novel revolves around Brielle, whose mother loses her job working for a wealthy family. Brielle ends up befriending the family members and serves them a most unexpected dish.

This book transcends the typical zombie narrative, delving deep into themes of culture, social norms, and power dynamics. It addresses a variety of topics, making it more than just an entertaining read. The ending of the book was particularly satisfying, enhanced by personal insights from the authors that added depth and context to the story. "The Summer I Ate the Rich" was a compelling and easy read, rich with cultural commentary and critical observations on society.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 Stars (Good)
Setting: Miami, Florida (Little Haiti District), Paris, and Haiti
Genre: Psychological Thriller; Horror

I went into The Summer I Ate the Rich expecting a darkly humorous thriller with a unique culinary twist, but while the premise is undeniably creative, the execution didn’t fully work for me.

Brielle Petitfour is a gifted cook struggling to support her sick mother, and when desperation strikes, she begins catering for the wealthy—secretly serving them dishes with a horrifying secret ingredient. The novel leans heavily into Haitian folklore, horror, and satire, but its social commentary on class and privilege felt repetitive and heavy-handed. While I appreciate books that tackle current issues, this one drove the message home so forcefully that it sometimes overshadowed the storytelling.

Another challenge for me was the level of gore. I expected dark humor and satire, but the cannibalism was described in a way that felt more gruesome than thought-provoking. Instead of being a sharp, clever critique, some moments felt like shock value for its own sake.

That said, the writing is strong, and the authors create an undeniably original story with some witty moments. I can see why others might enjoy it, but for me, the balance between horror, humor, and commentary felt off. If you love socially conscious horror and don’t mind graphic content, this might be your next favorite read. However, if you’re looking for something more subtle, this may not be the book for you. #netgalley #thesummeriatetherich #booked_this_weekend