It is hard to top Stephen King’s “CARRIE.” It is a beloved classic in the horror genre after all, but then Tiffany D. Jackson came along and showed us how it’s done with her young adult reimagining THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD.

This retelling focuses on Maddy Washington, a bi-racial teen who has been passing for white in her small town of Springville, Georgia due to her father’s strict rules and abuse. Springville is still living in a racist past and when her bullies find out her secret, they are relentless. When they push too far they not only awaken a social justice movement in their community, but powers within Maddie as well.

If you’re familiar with the plot of Carrie then you’ll be familiar with how this turns out for the town. Jackson does an amazing job at honoring our favorite prom queen while still making it her own. It is reflective of our social justice movements and addresses themes surrounding colorism, microagressions, police brutality, and self-acceptance.

Half of the story is even told through a podcast investigation.

THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD is a thrilling and bloody time. An instant buy author.

Content Warnings

Lute by Jennifer Thorne

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emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

There was a lot about LUTE I enjoyed. I loved how atmospheric and mysterious it was. The marketing promised The Wicker Man meets Final Destination (and because you’re probably already thinking it - yes there is a bit of Midsommar in here too) and I definitely agree with those. I felt that the background of a World World 3 really helped feed the unsettled and nervous energy around the characters. However, it ended up being the characters themselves I didn’t like the most. We read from Nina’s point-of-view and I found her repetitiveness on thinking she was disliked or being “Lady Treadway” grating along with her messy relationships I didn’t really care about.

There were somethings I wish were expanding upon like the supernatural element of the story. I found that way more interesting than what actually ended up happening in the conclusion.

I think LUTE wasn’t the folk horror I wanted to be but that’s ok.

If you’re looking for an atmospheric folk horror to get you in the mood for spring and summer LUTE might be the book for you!

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

Infamous by Lex Croucher

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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aghoststory's reviews 310 reviews

aghoststory's reviews
310 reviews