White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

My latest read is White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson.  If you have ever read my reviews before, you probably know about my feelings for Jackson's writing.  The author of such incredible books as Allegedly and Monday's Not Coming, Jackson is one of the best YA authors of the time.  With her newest novel, she does something new, taking a dive into the world of horror.  In doing that, she is also able to keep some of the psychological thriller elements that often make her novels so memorable.  If you are a fan of hers like I am, White Smoke will not disappoint.  

Mari has a troubled past and is all set up for a fresh start.  Her mom is recently remarried, has accepted a new job in a new town, and has even been given a home to live in free of charge as she completes her job.  But Mari's new little sister isn't the easiest to live with and the new home isn't what it is cracked up to be.  Renovated in a run down part of Cedarville, the new house seems to take on a life of its own.  Mari eventually discovers that the city of Cederville and the house itself has a dark history.  While trying to keep her sanity amid the growing chaos that surrounds her, Mari starts to understand that the Sterling Foundation, her mom and step-dad's new employer, isn't the generous and well-meaning group that it appears to be on the outside.  The house itself is closing in on Mari and her family and she must find a way to survive when it seems like the odds are increasingly growing against her.  

This one continues to build the suspense and creepiness as the novel progresses.  It culminates in a twist that Tiffany D. Jackson has come to perfect.  If you are a fan of Jackson's or just a fan of horror, this novel should be right up your alley.   

 

From Amazon: 

The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.