Hold on! What in the "HELL" did I just read?

Did I also read this is supposed to be Adam's debut novel?

There is no way this is the work of a newcomer; someone is pulling our leg. Adam's position is that of a true "WORDSMITH."

Jackal is an experience unsurpassed by any other you may have encountered.

Let us begin:

32-year-old Liz Rocher is returning to her hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for her best friend Mel's wedding. Liz has not returned to Johnstown in 15 years and had no intentions of ever returning. Then Mel called with her news that she was getting married and nothing could keep Liz from being there for Mel. Nor the chance to see her beautiful nine-year-old goddaughter Caroline, Mel's daughter.

To Liz's shock and dismay, Mel tells her that the wedding will be held outside, in the woods. Near to where the body of the girl they went to H.S. with years ago was found. It is also a place where Liz has gotten a deep scar on her wrist, and she can't fully recall precisely what happened. Liz is still apprehensive about the woods but has a pep talk with herself and proceeds to remind herself she's only there for 48 hours.

The wedding guests are in full swing when Liz is supposed to be watching Caroline but gets distracted by Chris (a guy she had a crush on in H.S.), who is working as the bartender. Chris is one of the few people that remember Liz and begins to converse with her until they are interrupted by his ex Lauren.

Liz excuses herself and goes back outside; when she looks for Caroline, she doesn't see her. Liz frantically looks all over, asking everyone, until she gets the courage to look where Caroline was last. (Playing near the woods.) It takes all of her strength to step foot into those woods, but for Caroline, she would do anything. When Liz goes in, at first, she sees nothing until she steps further in, and that's when she sees Caroline's torn dress with blood on it. Immediately the wedding is no longer a wedding but now a mother frantic looking for her child.

Liz is taken to the station, where she is swabbed for DNA and fingerprinted since she was the one who found Caroline's torn dress. While there, she befriends one of the officers named Doug, who becomes an invaluable source of information to her.

A couple of days go by, and the police have still not found any leads to Caroline's whereabouts when the knowledge sets in for Mel. Mel pulls Liz into the woods out of earshot of others and asks, "They aren't really looking for Caroline because she's a brown girl, are they?" Liz is stunned by Mel's question but knows she's probably right. Because had Caroline's father not been black, she probably would have been found already. But since Mel is her best friend, she doesn't want to let her know what she's thinking.
Liz vows to Mel that she will do everything possible to get her goddaughter back and bring her home.

The mother of their classmate Keisha, Denise, tells her that her daughter didn't die of an accident like they say she did.

That if Liz really wants to know what happened, she needs to meet the others. Liz is baffled, not knowing what Denise is talking about because it's daytime, and clearly, she's drunk. Denise tells her to meet her at the Church in the morning Downtown.

Doug, however, has news that Keisha didn't die from an accident, that whoever did this cut her in a certain way and removed her heart.

The next day Liz goes to the Church, and she is met with the most shocking revelation. Five women are there, each with a different story to tell.

However, they all share the same time frame, June, and the first day of the summer solstice. As the meeting ends,

Liz speaks to the youngest of the group, named Kylie.

Kylie tells Liz, "You ever just get that feeling like something bad is about to happen? Like you just know when it's the end?"

And that's where I must leave you, my fellow readers.

Believe me; there is so much that will BLOW YOUR MIND!!

Adam's inimitable writing style is astonishing. Her word-building is stellar, and her descriptive, spellbinding feel of the woods made you believe the warnings.

Adam's characters within the town felt true to life. You could feel the hostility exuding from them, especially Nick.

However, you could also feel a certain cowardice from Garret and Dr. Rocher. (With Dr. Rocher, I could understand because she was older, Garrett I could not.)

Adams shares a story rich in historical non-fiction but also in racism, classism, and, most importantly, the lack of attention when women of color go missing.

What if Caroline had been white? Do you think it would take over 48 hours to get the police to respond thoroughly?

How does a wild animal perfectly excise a heart in that fashion with Keisha? Yet it's ruled an accident because she's black?

Why is it that the police don't put any actual manpower into looking for women of color who go missing?

So what!

Do they think they just up and want to be missing?

These are just things to ponder.

Adam's afterword was incredibly informative, not only about her city but also about her life. Especially the part of a predominantly white neighborhood; however, mine wasn't like hers, and I was 5 hours away like Liz in NYC. Only this was in the '70s when you would have thought it would have been how she describes her time.

I went to Catholic School in the Bronx and was the only black child from pre-k to second grade. The funny thing is I never noticed it until I moved and looked at a picture of my communion years later.

That's how it should be. Who cares what color each other is?

Because when you're in the morgue, nobody gives a damn what color you are
.
We only have two ways to go, cremation or in the ground.

"SUPERB!!!!!"

JE NE SAIS QUAI

"SIMPLY BRILLIANT"

"BEST OF 2022"

"YOU DID THAT, GIRL!"

Thank you, NetGalley/Erin E. Adams/Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine.Bantam/ For this mesmerizing eArc for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

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

Jackal is an intense read. This books has little bits of multiple genres and the writing style felt very unique to me!

The pacing surrounding the events was strong, though during the first 50% I found it hard to get into the storyline. Once the second half of the story started, I found myself really intrigued in what was going to happen.

Jackal is a really compelling story with very complex characters. I felt my heart racing during some of the thrilling events and I liked seeing the pieces come together. The story had some heavy themes and explored important topics.

I was very interested in the mystery of figuring out who was taking the girls. The creepy thing was creepy enough when it was introduced, I just wasn’t scared of it so it fell sort of flat once we finally see what it was at the end. Other than that, I'm really impressed that this was a debut novel!

*Full review to be posted closer to publication!*

Wow, what a ride! Jackal is a incredibly intense, emotional read that I highly recommend. It's hard to classify this book as any one genre because it really has some bits of everything, which makes it really stand out as a reading experience for me.

The pacing was strong and mostly consistent throughout, though I found my attention wavering a bit more in the second half than the first, and I think that's because there were moments that I didn't feel flowed quite as well as they did in the first half. Despite this, however, I still found Jackal to be a really compelling and impressive horror/thriller that really had some heavy hitting themes and topics explored.

I'm really impressed that this was a debut novel and I see many great things coming from Erin E. Adams in the future.

I’m going with 3 1/2 stars rounded down. I’m not sure what I thought I was getting myself into, but it seemed to me that this couldn’t decided if it was a mystery/thriller or a horror novel. Which is fine, but for me it threw off the atmosphere. I had trouble getting into this one.

Liz is your bitter and scared main character who left their racist hometown for better pastures and never looked back and then comes back only to get tangled in a huge chain of kidnappings/murders.. My main problem is Liz isn’t very likable. And I don’t even want to get into her supposed best friend. The real horror story was how she was treated by Mel.

The bad creepy thing was creepy enough I guess, I just wasn’t scared of it. So as a mystery, I was very into figuring out who was taking the girls, but then there was this creature thing… So as a horror story, I wasn’t super into it. I’m more into Stephen King or Josh Malerman. So that may just be me.

I don’t feel like I can really recommend this one, but I’m sure there will be lots of people who will really enjoy this.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Erin Adams for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

“There is no going home for Black Americans, there is only claiming it.”

A fast-paced blend of suspense and the supernatural, Jackal is the perfect fall thriller. The story follows Liz, who has come home to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for her best friend’s wedding. The festivities are cut short, however, when the bride’s daughter suddenly goes missing. Plagued by guilt and an incessant sense of discomfort, Liz helps search for Caroline, but soon discovers that something much darker is at work in Johnstown, something that has been methodically killing young black girls for decades. Liz’s narration, the atmosphere of the town, and the shrewd discussion of anger in Black America kept me reading to the end. 4 stars

This book, in plot summary and execution, reminds me a lot of another book I read. I won't name it, but it dealt with similar aspects regarding young women and a legendary, possibly mythical predator. I'm not naming it because I just didn't think it was as satisfying as it could have been. Jackal, on the other hand, is far more successful in nailing the menace.

It also reminds me of the recent Say Her Name, which I also liked. That had less supernatural vibes, obviously, but if you liked that one, then you'll probably want to grab this one, too.

This is a combination of mystery, thriller and horror set in the forest surrounding Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small, mostly white town in which young black girls disappear or are found dead. Liz Rocher, who grew up in Johnstown, returns home for her best friend's wedding and while he is there discovers, among other things, that annually for years around the time of the summer solstice a black girl has disappeared or has been found dead.

This is a real page turner with lots of tension along the way. However, the ending was so unbelievable, confusing and over the top for me that it definitely lessened my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Nonetheless, I look forward to reading Erin Adams' next work.

I found Jackal to be a stunning debut novel. The story centers around Liz, a young black girl who is unable to save her friend from a monster lurking in the woods and preying on young, black girls like herself. She runs away to the big city and years later returns to the terrifying scene of her youth only to have the town’s horrible crimes pinned on her. This novel hits on so many relevant issues including racism, poverty and fear. This was an excellent and original thriller.

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.