Tiffany D. Jackson can keep her crown as Empress Supreme of Plot Twists. Everything you have heard about this book is true. In true Jackson fashion, you have an unreliable narrator, a “fresh” start, and a twisty, windy plot where you question everything and everyone. No one is safe from speculation in this paranormal thrill ride. Jackson’s transition from thriller to horror is seamless.

I loved the writing style that Tiffany used, it was easy to follow along and I had no problem wanting to read to see where the story was leading. Every chapter the reader would learn a big detail or secret that added to the plot line so much.
Tiffany Jackson continues to write compelling stories that are filled with hard topics and exposes the truth on sensitive subjects, this novel explores themes of gentrification, criminalization, ostracism of marijuana user, and specific targeting of Black people. The sub plot was by far my favourite part of this story, I loved that it was the mystery that our main character (Mari) was solving while discovering her own truth.

The ending of this novel was the most disappointing ending that I think I have read in a very long time. I thought I was missing a chapter or two, it felt like it ended in the middle of a chapter. So many unanswered questions that was just introduced in the last few chapters, I was very confused. I needed to read other reviews to see if it was just my copy and it turns out that is the ending of the novel. There was no epilogue, no wrap up of any kind to let the reader feel like we knew what happened. I couldn’t even believe there wasn’t a wrap up or closure for what happened that night.
The pacing of the plot was odd, there’s a very long setup for a plot reveal that didn’t reveal much, the ending was very abrupt with no satisfying conclusion of any kind. The part of the plot that has the reader believing it is a haunted house

“Change is good. Change is necessary. Change is needed”

A very unique story. Well paced and fun to follow. Will definitely be buying for the library and putting it in the hands of patrons.

Tiffany D. Jackson dropped a bomb with this one. White Smoke kept me up at night and filled me with so much anxiety I never experienced before with a book. This is what I imagined horror to be like. It is a perfect mix of contemporary, with a lot of social problems woven with psychological torture. I usually warn the kids I recommend this book to because it is HEAVY.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Definitely, needed for every library! If you like a creeping horror read that also deals with real life issues then you gotta read this book. I can't wait to see what Tiffany D. Jackson will write next.

I haven’t been the same since I read my first book by Tiffany D. Jackson - Allegedly. Shooketh. Mindblowing. I threw the book. Picked it up and read some more. Whew, It was good.

Then I had to go and read another. White Smoke. Luckily, it was a buddy read selection because we all need emotional support to process any of Tiffany’s books.

I know this book has been compared to Alyssa Cole’s When No One is Watching, but I haven’t read that one so don’t know but both cover the horrors of gentrification from a fictional view. Seriously, it’s a real life horror.

Although this story was not perfect it was really good. I was creeped out from the first chapter to the finish. I don’t even know how to describe Mari, but the phobias she deals with will creep you out in another way. The story is a quick read and perfect addition to #spookyszn . Get your snacks (got my Spooky frap from SB) and get to reading!

I am a giant chicken when it comes to scary things. I don’t usually like to be scared, but sometimes I do enjoy a spooky story. So a YA ghost story is pretty perfect for me.

White Smoke is about Mari who has just moved with her family from California to a Midwestern town called Cedarville for a fresh start.

They move into a newly renovated house surrounded by dilapidated homes. They’re told there is a rejuvenation project where The Sterling Foundation is looking to “update” Cedarville.

Not long after Mari and her family get settled, they begin hearing strange noises and things begin to go missing. Mari starts to see things and wonders if her past she hoped she left behind has caught up to her, or if it’s something more sinister.
She begins to research the house and surrounding town’s history and starts to think there is more than meets the eye with Cedarville.

I saw this book compared as a cross between Get Out and The Haunting of Hill House and it’s a perfect description. This book is what When No One Is Watching wanted to be.

This was my first Tiffany D. Jackson book and it won’t be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it exclusively at night for maximum creepiness. I also love a book a little bit more when there are Veronica Mars references. Plus it has one of the most gorgeous covers EVER!
This was a fun and creepy book with heavier race themes tied in perfectly. I would definitely recommend this book - 4/5 stars

Thank you to @hccfrenzy for my gifted copy!!

TW: Bed bug phobia, recreational and medicinal marijuana use, drug addiction, overdose.

This was such a great spooky read and it was way darker than I thought it would be. This satisfied my spooky cravings on so many levels. If you need a book to read on Halloween, this is it. This book covers everything from racism, classism, white privilege, mob mentality, trauma, mental health, all the way to multiracial marriage and families. You will feel so many emotions towards the characters, especially Mari. One thing I really liked about this book was that Mari is held accountable for her actions and her friends call her out when she's treating other people badly because she doesn't see things from their perspective. The author really finds a way to justify everyone's actions and show how some of them are just how people express hurt and grief or trauma. it also really goes to show that you can never know what someone could be dealing with at the time. The history of the town and the corporation was so captivating and fascinating. One thing I wish was included was an epilogue because the book ended so abruptly and I was left wanting more of a conclusion. Overall it's a great book and I'll just say it again, but BEWARE OF THE BED BUGS. If you weren't scared of them before, you will be now!

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. White Smoke was perfect for the Spooky season. This is a quick read that gave me the Heebeejeebees! It kept me guessing. When I thought I had it figured out I was wrong. I liked the characters, especially Yusef. It also deals with anxiety, panic attacks, fear of bed bugs that leads to the afore mentioned, and Mari's recovery from drug use. Our family is a blended family that has just moved to a new town that its being revitalized. Then crazy things start happening. Definitely a quick read. I will be purchasing this for our library.

I was really really excited for this book, but ultimately it didn’t do it for me. I’ve enjoyed every Tiffany Jackson book until this one. Though I stayed intrigued, I found myself often dazing out from the storyline and the ending kind of took away from the whole story in my opinion. I do think that the side characters were the best part of this book, but it wasn’t enough to make me love it like I wanted to

I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just couldn't get into this book. I haven't read any Tiffany D. Jackson before, but I had heard good things. The writing style wasn't for me, and it felt like nothing happened for a good third of the book. I wanted more focus on the ghosts and less on moving-to-a-new-school drama. The relationships between the main family were very interesting, however, even if I couldn't entirely buy into it.

Solid haunted house story with a Psycho twist and an urban setting! Mari and her blended family move into a house in a neighborhood that’s possibly on its way to gentrification, after decades of riots, neglect, and now corporate interest. The community has been hard hit by incarceration for profit and the residents are skeptical of the “improvements” being made. Lots of social commentary about the legalization of marijuana, about anxiety and phobias, about racial discrimination. But overall a great, modern, spooky, scary story!!

Started slow but really careened towards the end to then just....fizzle out. I liked that this was a departure from her other books but she took on so many big themes (gentrification, Get Out specific racist town plot, anxiety & mental health, mass incarceration, decriminalizing weed, televangelism scams) that it ended up a little messy with a lot of hanging and/or underdeveloped plot threads. Some good scares and twists but could use a tighter edit with the themes.

Thank you HCC Frenzy for sending me an eARC via netgalley for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Oh my gosh this book was so good. Such a perfectly creepy and unsettling thriller. And the ending has me rethinking everything that happened and also hoping for more because I need more answers.
Mari was such an intriguing character. She was complex and had flaws, but I felt like she had really good growth throughout the book. Her selfishness was annoying at times, but I was still rooting for her to get answers. I thought that how Jackson handled her anxiety and her addiction was well done, and how Mari was constantly thinking about either weed and bedbugs showed just how consuming these things could be. All the bedbug facts definitely freaked me out as well.
The family relationship in the book was good, and I really liked Sammy and Mari. I didn’t like Piper, but I liked how she added to the family dynamics of a blended family.
I thought the pacing was good, and that while it felt a bit repetitive at times, I was still on the edge of my seat when strange things were happening.

Loved this story! It had my heart racing during some spots and the story just felt so real. I hated almost all of the character but I think that’s an accurate depiction of how some families work. I will recommend this to any lovers of suspense or thrillers. I took of one star because the ending was so rushed.

This book was so spooky and horrific! I don’t usually like scary books but I absolutely could not put this one down. It was gripping until the very last page!!

Marigold and her family (mom, brother, stepdad, and evil spoiled stepsister) move to a Midwestern town from their beach town in California after her mom wins an art fellowship prize: live rent-free in a refurbished home in an effort to repopulate the deserted area. This is a great fresh start for her family, but especially for Marigold who is running from past mistakes. Yet, the deal seems to good to be true. And it is... When items in the home go missing, bumps in the night, and sleep paralysis, Marigold learns that her new house is rumored to be haunted.

I SO wanted to love this book...California girl moving to the Mid-West, uh hi, that's me...
But I found myself having to read and re-read the ending because it ended to abruptly. Marigold as a MC was kind of annoying in that she kept disregarding what was going on in the house and so were her parents. This was less of a thriller and more of a really dark Friday mixed with How High, but without the buddy-flick aspect... However, I did enjoy the twist and the relating of some of the family dynamics that are so realistic and tenuous in a blended family! I also liked how Tiffany Jackson included themes of gentrification and the prison pipeline that affect communities. But the ending was just not it for me...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially interested in this book when I learned that it was about a haunted house and was being compared to The Haunting of Hill House. I’ve never read the book, but the television show is possibly my favorite show, so I was intrigued. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was an interesting premise, and the town that this family moves to was intriguing. I liked all of the different topics brought up in the book. The themes of anxiety and mental health were important, as well and added to the suspense quite a bit. I did think the book was a bit slow throughout the beginning portion, and then the ending felt kind of rushed and abrupt. Readers looking for a suspenseful, spooky book, especially for the fall, will likely enjoy this book.

I'll read anything Tiffany D. Jackson writes. Her writing is so smart and fresh. Her stories ALWAYS surprise me, but in a good way. I think her books are great to read in the classroom. Students will love them and there is great discussion to be had of the underlying themes she works into her work.

The pacing of the novel started weirdly slow for a TDJ novel but, without surprise, the action kicked into high gear and didn't stop, even at the end. The novel has so many striking horror elements that my students have loved so far. Mixed with the commentary on racism and gentrification, I really liked this book a great deal. I would NOT read it before bed, though!