A very eerie thriller that will leave you guessing until the end. Lovers of Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey will love this book! Perfect fall read for your October TBR.

Jackal by Erin E. Adams follows Liz Rocher who is reluctantly coming home to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of her hometown, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

While I enjoyed the dark atmosphere and the way this book tackled racial tensions in a small town, I had a hard time investing in the characters and the plot. I think the dream sequences throughout the novel were overly repetitive and didn't add enough new insights to the "monster" hiding in the forest. I also had a hard time keeping track of all the characters and connecting to them.

First off, thank you so much to #Netgalley, the publisher and especially the author for this ARC!

This book literally had a little bit of everything; horror, sci-fi, thriller, fantasy…..I sat down and read this book in one sitting and I didn’t mean to, I just couldn’t put it down. If you liked ring shout you’ll enjoy this book a lot! I also loved the commentary about the problems todays society has with poc that underscored this whole book; do yourself a favor and pick this up and go into it knowing as little as possible and make sure you buckle up for a ride!

I try to avoid murder mysteries typically. I can usually tell who did it by little hints halfway through the book and the rest of the book is spent on the main character hysterically trying to piece clues together, so I commend the author for this one being surprisingly fast paced and having so many angles to it that are unique. This is not only a shocking mystery and a gory horror but also a timely and involving commentary on the state of mind of the country over the years towards minorities and how they struggle to achieve justice in a system that primarily favors the whatever and the privileged. Very well done and thought evoking. The loss of so many daughters and sisters is painfully transcendent and helps the reader not only grieve for the fictional characters, but for all the unsolved deaths of young ladies that exist in our world that were never given the priority they deserved simply because of the color of their skin. The supernatural entity was very interesting and creative and I wish he had had a bit more time focused on his origins but otherwise an excellent read.

“A man and his shadow live in the trees.
When they walk in time, both are pleased.
If one calls your name, or the other tempts you off the path,
You must ignore both, or face their wrath.”

Where do I start with Jackal besides saying I absolutely loved it? This book was a waking nightmare. We follow Liz as she goes home for the first time in years for her best friend’s wedding where something tragic happens. From there, Liz is on a mission not only to find out what happened that night but also what happened years before at a high school party in the woods.

I loved following Liz throughout this story and witnessing her growth. There’s a constant battle for her to be who she’s made herself into and the teenage wants that resurface now that she’s home, among old friends. As if that wasn’t hard enough, there’s a focus on power. Is she really powerful or is she weak? (Spoiler alert: she is strong af)

The horror aspect comes at you in all different directions. From social commentary to a being in the woods, we’re constantly facing something terrifying. The chapters flip between different timeframes and there was this moment as I was reading a chapter set in the past where something just clicked and it made it even more terrifying. I wish I could explain that better but doing so would spoil it and I can’t do that.

Jackal is a book I feel like I could reread and constantly find something new to take in. In fact, the moment I finished it, I wanted to start it again. Erin E. Adams writing is very cinematic which means you may have nightmares as you’re reading this 😂 But, that’s half the fun right?

Jackal is out October 8th and if you don’t have this on your #spookyseasontbr, truly what are you doing???

In her debut novel, Jackal, author Erin Adams tries to bring together three ingredients you don't often see in one book. Her character, Liz Rocher, is a black woman who feels uncomfortable returning to her hometown of Johnstown PA. The history of Johnstown, dominated by the floods, mixed with the current racial tensions provide a tense background to a suspenseful plot that involves missing girls, reconciling relationships and a bit of the supernatural.
This mixture really worked for me. Upon reflection there were a few jumps that weren't necessarily logical, but they don't take away from my enjoyment of this book. Liz is a complex character, the plot was suspenseful and I had trouble putting it down.
I highly recommend this book and I thank NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a strange book.

I just finished and still not sure what the hell I read.

Is this a mystery? Suspense? Horror? Modern fairy tale?

I don't know.

Did I like it?

I don't know.

I chose this as my next read based solely on the cover.

This is the debut novel by Erin E. Adams, so the writing style was also new to me.

This may have been one of those books where I would have benefited from reading the blurb.

Update - I just read the blurb and, no. I'd probably be more annoyed had I read it.

The premise behind this book is 💯. It was intense and atmospheric at times, but IMO, the book suffered from poor organization that left all the characters and timelines extremely disjointed.

I won't give away spoilers, but the end didn't work, either. Way too out there.

It's a no from me.

⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC.

Available - 10.4.22

This wasn't something I personally enjoyed, but I can see the appeal and it will be easy to hand sell to Jordan Peele fans. The main character was weirdly obsessed with ageing and evidently being over thirty is old. I will now go check myself into a retirement community, as I am thirty-five and therefore a crone.

I devoured Jackal in a single sitting and think that other fans of magical realism as social commentary. Dominant themes are the construction of "home" in all its meanings, the violence of white fragility, erasure of Black experience, classism as a defence against racism, and generational vs. individual trauma. Plus it's a damn good mystery.

If you liked RING SHOUT, EMPIRE OF WILD, and LAKEWOOD, you'll want to pick this up too.

I really enjoyed the first half and the anticipation leading up to events. I liked the flashbacks and getting to know all the girls that disappeared. It was intriguing how they all were different but synced. I felt the author did a great job of developing Caroline before she went missing too. It made the reader actually care about her and what happened to her. After the first half, it took a way different turn that I was not expecting. It wasn't really for me, but I don't love abstract or strange stories. I need to know and understand exactly what is going on. I know many enjoy the abstract, so they would enjoy the latter half as well.

"Finally, I listen to what my body has been trying to tell me. I'm home. Home. Coming back home was a huge mistake".

Jackal comes out 10/4.

Holy moly. I admittedly don’t read many thrillers, but this is easily my favorite so far this year. It yanked me in from the first few pages and it still hasn’t let me go! I can’t stop thinking about it.

To start, this is a gripping mystery. I felt like I was reading it while cowering behind the main character Liz. I could see myself, partially covering my eyes and hiding behind her like she was my own human shield as she fiercely led us through the story! I loved how she took the reigns— uncovering details and keeping her wits about her. Liz is not the typical horror story MC, running up the stairs when she should be going out the front door. She’s uncovering the answers in real time, yet the author still keeps us guessing at every turn.

Beyond the surface level, there is so much metaphor— deeper themes of Black people living in white America, of their legitimate fears and the stories behind that fear. I’m still untangling the ending and am not sure I understand all its nuances— but I’m happy to let it live rent free in my mind while I try to figure it all out. Let’s just say, this is certainly not a book you’ll move on from quickly, so get ready for that #bookhangover now.

I highly recommend adding this to your spooky season TBR

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!

I had a feeling that this would be incredible and it was even better than I expected! This book brings direct attention to racism, class differences and hatred, and takes place in the author's hometown but it's the story that connects all these characters that makes this book so thrilling.

Liz grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and has returned for her best friend's, Mel's, wedding. When Mel's daughter goes missing, Liz is determined to find her. However, she doesn't expect what she will come to learn of this town and it's history of missing girl's.

I really enjoyed this horror. It has a very dark storyline and is a fast-paced read. I also feel like this tale is important.

Out October 4, 2022!

Content warnings for violence, gore, animal violence, death.

A young professional returns to her hometown for her best friend's wedding which turns into a nightmare when her goddaughter goes missing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for an early release of Jackal by Erin E. Adams. This is a mystery that takes place in Johnstown, PA. Black teenage girls have been going missing for years around the summer solstice, but no one has bothered to connect the missing children to a serial kidnapper/killer, until Liz returns home. 15 years ago, Liz was in the woods when Keisha went missing, she witnessed something, but she cannot grasp what it is that she witnessed.

Now she has returned home for her best friend’s wedding. During the wedding, Caroline, her best friend’s black daughter goes missing. A search begins, but Liz does not believe anyone is showing any motivation to locate Caroline, so she starts to investigate herself, she connects the years of missing girls, she begins to suspect everyone of being involved. The story ends with the mystery being solved and the author did throw me, but I found the ending a little farfetched. I think she could have ended differently, but do not want to say here, as it could be a spoiler.

The book starts off slow, but quickly begins to take off. The author weaves in historical facts from Johnstown Pa., which was interesting and helped to highlight the racism that still exists in pockets of the U.S. Overall, it is a good story and I will try the author again, as the writing was good.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early. I finished the book but it felt like a rushed version of a book/idea you've already read.

Definitely not what I expected going into it.
Liz, our main character, goes back home to small town Johnstown. A predominantly white town that seems to be home to missing, runaway girls. Girls who just happen to be black like Liz. She only returns for her best friends wedding. During the wedding her God-daughter, Caroline goes missing into the woods.
Everyone knows the woods are not to be in alone, even if it calls to you.
Liz feels responsible for looking away while on duty to keep an eye on Caroline. Liz can't leave until she finds Caroline, in doing so she becomes a target.

I enjoyed reading from the perspective of a character that I can not relate to. Meaning, I can not relate to treatment she receives and feels being black. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Liz has reluctantly returned to her hometown for the wedding of her best friend Mel. When she takes her eye off Mel's daughter, Caroline goes missing and Liz is wracked with remorse. Determined to do what the police seem incapable of, Liz starts her own search and uncovers many disturbing facts about this town along the way. For too many years, every summer one black girl has gone missing. Sometimes bodies are found, and sometimes families get absolutely no closure. Terrible accidents and runaway girls have been law enforcement's only contribution, but Liz knows that there is more going on here.
This is not a straightforward missing girl story. Liz is, well, broken in many ways. Some date back to when she was a child, and some are much more recent. She discovers the very dark history of this town, things that she never knew, or somehow forgot. But everything is coming to the surface now, but will it be enough to find Caroline?
Most of the story is told from Liz's perspective, with some chapters providing additional background from some of the missing girls. There is mystery, abduction, murder, racism, history, and a bit of supernatural/sci-fi overtures in this book. The more I got to know Liz, the more I wondered if she was an unreliable narrator or the only one who could fit the puzzle pieces together to get to the truth.
I haven't had much time to read lately, but I found myself squeezing in a chapter or two whenever I could. I didn't love the ending, but the journey was quite good.

Jackal defies genre. Part horror, part thriller, part mystery, part fantasy - and fully engrossing.

Liz Rocher returns to her small Pennsylvania town for her best friend's wedding, but when her goddaughter goes missing during the ceremony she’s thrust into the folklore of the woods and the mystery of the Black girls who have gone missing in them for the last 30 years.

I really loved the first 70% of this book and struggled to put it down. As the threads started coming together at the end, it lost me a little, but I think that has more to do with it being outside my usual, preferred genres. For me, the metaphor of the monster was interesting, but the literal manifestations of the monster were confusing.
Still, it's an impressive debut and if you’re someone who regularly reads horror, I highly recommend it!

2.5 stars, rounded down
This mystery about black girls going missing in Johnstown, a small mostly white city in western Pennsylvania started strong. But it went off the tracks for me, maybe because I expected one thing and got another. This started off as a four star book and ended at two stars.
Liz Rocher is returning home to Johnstown for the wedding of a friend. One of the few black girls in her class, she had fled Johnstown and rarely returned. Something had happened to her in the woods as well, leaving her leery of the forest. When her friend’s mixed race daughter goes missing at the wedding, Liz begins her own investigation. And finds that young black girls have been going missing for a while.
Adams creates a dark, tension filled background. She paints a vivid picture of the racism embedded in the town’s culture. Half way through the story, it begins to veer towards a horror vibe. And then the ending was so over the top for me, I lost all interest. This might work for fans of Stephen King, but it just didn’t work for me. I hate horror stories. I expected this to just be a mystery, but it’s a supernatural convoluted nightmare. I was totally confused by the ending.
Warning - there are graphic scenes of violence.
My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

***

I find it difficult to pin this book down. It doesn't fit neatly into any one genre. What happens is horrifying, a string of missing and/or murdered young black girls.

Liz, our main character, comes home for the wedding of her best friend. Her hometown holds the memory of a school mate who went missing and almost immediately after she's returned, her friend's daughter also goes missing.

What follows is a mystery/thriller which brushes the edge of the speculative and is deeply rooted in trauma and systemic race and class issues.

I loved that the book drew you in and had you guessing. There are some surprises, but I'm not sure how I feel about some of the latter events or reveals.

I found the random inclusion of articles/stories a bit distracting as a whole.

Erin E. Adams writes skilled prose. I would certainly pick up another of her books.