This felt like four different stories that, if they’d been separated, would’ve been awesome. I loved the storytelling through the sisters, I was so intrigued by Valentine’s story, but then we got back to Brielle and… yeah, we just didn’t eat the rich, did we? The rich all lived except that one guy and I was kinda expecting a lot more violent cannibalism and bloodshed considering this is a zombie book?

After reading 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦 I was excited to read this one.. plus anything about Haitians or Haitian Americans I'm ready to devour. However, I don't know what to really make of this book.

The blurb makes it seem like this will be some type of horror book, in which the main character may stalk rich people, kill them and use them as ingredients. However, that was not the case & the title feels more figurative than literal (as I took it).

Main character Brielle is a teen living in Little Haiti (Miami) with her chronically ill mother. After an unfortunate incident that causes Brielle's mom to lose her job, Brielle must find a way to support them. A lucky chance involving a cellphone brings that opportunity about. From there, Brielle begins to live her dream.

So it's a bit hard to write a synopsis or review without giving away the whole book. The ending had me scratching my head because.. .huh?
Brielle is a zonbi, not zombie like in American culture, but a zonbi. She does have urges for raw meat but not human meat and in Haitian culture a zonbi is not someone undead but someone who is forced into labor by someone else by that other person's power (sorry if that is a bit confusing). Now with that context, this is not a horror book at all and I wouldn't classify it as such. It's more so young adult realistic romantasy; so if you are looking for a horror book this is not it.

However, I did enjoy the writing because there are interspersed narratives from Brielle's 5 sisters in Haiti that give context to Brielle's life and why her mother moved them to America.

In case you haven't noticed, there's a cabal of millionaires and billionaires trying to ruin the planet, and make everyone of its denizens as miserable a possible, so as far as I'm concerned, there aren't enough AWFUL THINGS in the universe that can befall these people. Eating them would be doing the world a favor, though I suspect Elon would taste worse than lutefisk left to rot three weeks in the trunk of a Cybertruck. Trump, however, roasted slowly on a rotating spit, might prove to be quite succulent. (And, yes, he WILL have a golden apple in his mouth.)

This is not, in my opinion, a horror novel. Our heroine Brielle is not out there slicing, dicing, and sauteing the one percent, though she does manage to get revenge on them that done 'er mother (and multitude of others) wrong. I was not a fan of the extremely implausible romance, nor of the Haitian muses. On the plus side, I liked all of the characters who actually had to work for a living, AND the food sounds AMAZING, though the recipe for Brielle's "special ingredient" is the only one included

I'll give this one four stars even though it was not the book I wanted it to be. The writing is strong, and the authors show promise of even better things to come. I can't wait to see what they cook up next.

Boiled Bezos with a julienne of vegetables might hit the spot . . .

This was an intriguing story definitely a plot I could get behind! Brielle and her mother Valentin are Haitian immigrants struggling to make it. The American Dream is far from their reach as they struggle to make ends meet. Valentin struggles with chronic pain after an on the job injury at her affluent employers home causing her to have to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. This novel shines a light on the immigrant experience, the role race, class, socioeconomic status shape our lives and experiences. Very much the haves vs the have nots. Valentin's backstory and the Muses were parts I looked forward to. I loved Brielle's character. She kept me on edge wondering what she would do next. She was such a wild card. I was deeply invested in the story of her being a zombie and her literal eat the rich supper clubs as a way to exercise her zombie power. I really enjoyed the Haitian zombie folklore. I had no idea zombies likely originated in Haiti during the colonial period, influenced by West African spiritual beliefs and the horrors of slavery.

"Brielle was a zombie but not just any zombie. A Haitian American zombie a combination of the duality of the immigrant experience manifest in the meeting of two cultures. A mixture of the American undead who crave brains and guts and the powerful zombie of Haitian myth rooted in the fear of eternal forced servitude even in death that sprouted from the nightmares of the enslaved."

Overall I thought this was a solid YA novel. It wasn't so much horror like I thought it would be. I wish they would have leaned more into the zombie backstory and Brielle's zombie abilities. A fantastic premise but it felt incomplete.

Thank you netgalley and to the publisher for the ARC, this has been an anticipated read for me.

I really enjoyed the plot and characters in the story. I thought it was a good pace and kept me engaged. The twists were twisty and I didn’t expect the ending.

I was not expecting to like this the way I did, I will not look at food the same hahaha.

What an incredibly interesting story! I find myself thinking back to this book constantly. It's great for people who want a lit fic book that moves QUICKLY and has a really cool point of view.

I read this book while traveling and it was the perfect plane read.

In this story, our main character is a zombie- but she isn't a zombie in a "The Walking Dead" kind of way, but in a Haitian folklore kind of way. She and her mom work on this SUPER rich island off the coast of Miami, and one day Brielle's entire life changes when she has to stop working at a restaurant because she scored an internship with one of the richest families on the island...but not is all as bright and good as it seems. Brielle is also running a supper club for some of the "who's who" on the island and uses some of her "zombie powers" to mind control the rich...and "encourages" them to do the right thing....

This is a book all about morally gray characters but is lit fic through such an interesting lens....finding yourself, working through difficult or strained relationships, coming into one's own, coming of age, moving on from trauma, etc. This book really has everything.

So so good.

Brielle Petitfour loves to cook. With a chronically sick mother and bills to pay, becoming a chef isn’t exactly a realistic career path though. Brielle has created a secret supper club, hoping to make some money and further her attempts at a career. Her clients are super rich families, like the one her Mom works for. That family is particularly nasty. The supper club guests aren't any better which is why Brielle has no problem infusing her creations with a secret ingredient. Because Brielle is a zonbi, half human/half zombie and the ingredient is human flesh.

The premise for this sounded so good and after reading the authors' previous book I was super excited to read this one. The opening chapter is very dark and promising. Unfortunately everything after that is different. The story went in a completely different direction than I was expecting.

The zombie part of Brielle wasn't explained or utilized well. I think I can see what the authors had in mind but it never got there as there were too many ideas going on.

I also had a very hard time since the beginning incident that started Brielle on her path in this book. It was too unbelievable for me how things concerning Silas transpired. While it would be fun in theory if someone did what Brielle did with the phone it's completely implausible as shown. It just could never happen that way. It was therefore hard for me to get invested in what happened next.

I loved The Summer I Ate the Rich so much. It was a little gory, but also funny and with a lot of heart. Brielle was such a strong character. The glimpse into Haitian culture, food and folklore was both interesting and educational. The key themes: family, racism, food, grief, chronic illness, romance and money were all handled so well and added a lot of depth to the plot. I will highly recommend this to my older teens, especially to those who enjoy horror.

3.5 stars

This one was hard for me. It has a pretty gruesome opening with cow brains that seemed to promise the horror it was to deliver. I didn't really get that. It is more a social horror. There were a bunch of interesting elements to that, in creative ways, but some things just took me out of the story (and not the zombie parts!). The internship and how it came about, along with it somehow giving health insurance to her mother just wouldn't happen. I wish we got more of the physical horror later on. The sort of myth interludes took me out of the fast paced plot I was really enjoying. I wanted to see her EAT THE RICH. So I was disappointed a bit, especially as I think some of the execution struggle against the themes. The romance was so not needed. It is on a whole a really interesting book, but I was looking for this book to really GO THERE; it had all the ingredients.

Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form opinions from.

While I really appreciated the unique concept and the incorporation of Haitian lore and social commentary, I ultimately found that the book did not align with my expectations. Based on the description, I anticipated a story more focused on traditional zombie themes, and as a result, I struggled to connect with the narrative and characters. I reached about 25% before deciding to step away.

That said, the writing is fresh and the premise is highly original. I believe readers who enjoy modern fables with sharp, satirical undertones will find a lot to appreciate here. Unfortunately, this particular story was not the right fit for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

There were a lot of holes in the story and the title didn’t match the story line. She was a zombie but she wasn’t eating people. And the last dinner party wasn’t clear. What was it that she fed Ainsley? Why did she get married to Preston with no proposal written and the wedding never played out in the funeral home. Why did she party Preston what was the plan. The sisters telling their story all song songy could be confusing. The setup was good but the ending wasn’t. It felt rushed.

While The Summer I Ate the Rich did turn out to be a lot of fun to read (which was what I had hoped for), it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for when I requested the book and ended up being kind of scattershot in what worked and what didn’t.

What worked: The main storyline, told from Brielle’s first-person POV. This is a coming-of-age story told through the lens of a true member of the Haitian-American diaspora. Stuck solidly between two worlds and as she grows older feeling that tug from her mother’s homeland and yet the need to stay where she is. The feeling of being seventeen in America and wanting to grow and expand but also of needing the feel of your mom’s hugs. All of the rage and pain and emotional upheaval that comes with the latter stages of female adolescence.

What didn’t work (for me): The chapters from the muses’ POV. These were distracting, out of tune with the rest of the book, and no explanation was ever given as to what was going on with them. It was giving Disney’s Hercules cartoon and I didn’t like it.

What could’ve been done better but didn’t bother me too much: The sections about Brielle’s mom’s life in Haiti.

I absolutely loved the idea behind the book and I loved the overall plot. The parts I did enjoy were a lot of fun.


I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars and under will not appear on my social media. Thank you.

The Summer I Ate the Rich" by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite is an absolute gem! This book takes you on a wild ride with Brielle Petitfour, a Haitian American girl with a serious passion for cooking—and a seriously dark secret. When her mom loses her job, Brielle steps up to help, cooking a storm for the wealthy elite. But here's the twist: her secret ingredient is human flesh!

The authors' brilliant blend of Haitian zombie lore with a sharp critique of social issues makes Brielle such a relatable character. She juggles her love for cooking, family responsibilities, and the moral dilemmas that come with her revenge plot against the rich who have hurt her family.

The writing is engaging and humorous, making it a fun read while also packing a punch. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts while also reflecting on the deeper messages about privilege and exploitation.

This book is a unique mix of culinary delight and social commentary, and it makes you think about what’s going on beneath the surface of wealth and success. Pick this one up if you're looking for something fresh, funny, and thought-provoking! You won't regret it!

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for an eArc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Usually, I try to give a summary in my own words for my reviews, but one of my complaints about this book is how fragmented it was. The Summer I Ate the Rich is about Brielle who is Haitian, a zombie, and poor. She wants to become a successful chef and her mother works for a billionaire whose patriarch dies in a hit and run, and she falls in love with the great grandson of said patriarch, and she takes a summer internship to try and get closer to those in power while also trying to get health insurance for her mother because of her mother’s health issues.

The book ties these concepts together a little better than my explanation, but there doesn’t seem to be one plot that is the focus, besides “eating the rich”. This book is advertised as Horror and Brielle’s zombie background is practically non-existent. Oh and she has powers? Which are also not really explained or explored. She uses her powers to influence the rich folk around her to do her bidding I think? Because there was only a brief explanation toward the end.

I like the idea of this book and the concept is incredible, but the execution was too disjointed for me to really enjoy the story. I convinced myself to continue to read by telling myself it was a YA contemporary.

If the main plot was getting revenge on the rich, I feel one or two subplots should have been focused on and thoroughly explored throughout the rest of the book and the story would have come together better. I also feel this could have potentially been a duology or trilogy was the focus being on Brielle and her zombie/Haitian background. Exploring her struggles growing up in poverty, some of her mother’s experience at her job. And then in the next book continue to explain her zombie background while she plans her revenge and integrates herself into the world of the affluent.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and I was really excited for the idea of this book. I would try another book by this author in the future, but this book just didn’t work for me.

I didn't have time to check this one out before it hit shelves, but I love the authors and can't wait to dive in!

Brielle Petifour is a 17-year-old second generation Haitian American. Coming from an immigrant family, Brielle and her mother have struggled to make ends meet. When the opportunity presents itself, Brielle finds a way to use her Haitian zombie abilities and cooking skills to navigate the wealthy white world to help her mother and herself.

The positives:
- The book was beautifully written. The Moulite sisters have a wonderful and clear way of writing and always keep you on your toes.
- There is a lot of talk about food, and it all sounds wonderful and enticing. You can feel the passion of the MC and authors.
- I love learning new cultures, and Haitian culture is not one I have really dove into. There was some background on voodoo and cuisine, as well as language and cultural/immigrant relations. Although not a lot was present (this wasn’t meant to teach you), it inspired me to do a lot of research on topics that come up.

The negatives:
- Unfortunately the book presents itself as something it is not, which is probably more on the publishers/editors than the author. The book is described as a horror. It is not. The descriptions make you think there will be more monsters, other than the rich. There is not. Fortunately, the book was a good read, even after being misled.
- I wanted so much for there to be a little more background to voodoo and the culture. I found myself slightly confused on what a zombie was in the context of the book, as what I read, how the characters speak of one another, and what I had to learn on google, were all just slightly different that it was hard to paint a clear picture on what the authors wanted you to take from the story.
- The book could have used another round of editing. While it was all fun to read, there were a lot of different things happening, and editing down different plot lines could have strengthened other areas. The ending got a little messy and some parts felt rushed.

Overall, this was a fun read! If you are looking for a horror book, this is not it. But if you want a beautiful coming of age story, as well as class and racial inequality, with some cute laughs and good friends, this is the right story for you.

Thank you truly to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely could not wait for this one! So excited it's out! I devoured this book,. Fair warning cancell your plans, this book is gonna take over your whole life? Got kids? Not now you don't you won't have time for anything but this book! Wow! Just WOW!

This was a smart, thoughtful, and at times chaotic YA novel that leans heavily into eat-the-rich themes while spotlighting Haitian culture, mother-daughter dynamics, and class disparities. It wasn’t quite what I expected based on the title and pitch (I went in hoping for horror or at least some mildly nauseating cannibalism), and instead got something much more grounded. I think if it had been pitched more accurately, it could have been a five star read.

Brielle is a seventeen-year-old aspiring chef, devoted daughter, and zonbi. Her powers barely factor into the first half of the novel, which threw off the pacing a bit (although the gnarly brain and egg scramble scene the book started with was, ahem, visceral). But I really appreciated how much care went into making her a full character outside of that. Her bond with her mother, who suffers from chronic illness, was the core of the story.

The writing shined most when it leaned into interpersonal moments and cultural texture. That said, the socioeconomic critique, while important, felt a little surface level and contrived, and certain plot points broke my immersion a little bit. I’m also a little confused about why it ended the way it did, and what lesson we were supposed to be walking away with.

Still, I was entertained very much, and appreciated the uniqueness of this story. It didn’t deliver on every promise, but what it does deliver is original and meaningful. Overall, four stars for ambition and writing craft.

I wanted so much more horror from this storyline.

The title had me wanting something that this book did not bring.

Brielle is a Haitian American who looks in Miami. She is the daughter of Immigrants and is trying to become a chef. Brielle starts a supper club for the rich with a little special ingredients.

This book was not a horror as I wanted it. There was little three small scenes that actually go with the title. This book is more a coming of age story about a girl trying to reconnect with her Haitian heritage while also trying to grow into herself.

There were also some Haitian Zonbi lore but I wish there was more so I didn’t understand who what the actual purpose.

Other then that the storyline was easy to follow. I loved the main character and I never felt bored.

Genre: YA Horror
APK: Ebook
Pages: 384
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

Thank you McMillian for sending me a copy of The Summer I Ate The Rich for an honest review.

Not quite what I expected, but not disappointed with what I got. Great commentary on wealth inequality. I'm a sucker for a good zombie story. The first few chapters were my favorite.