Finally back with a book review (I have a huge backlog to post, so get ready for several at once), and I am glad I get to share a really unique story that releases TODAY! I have been in a bit of a slump, which is why I have been so MIA, so it was great to have a fun, quick page turner to start to pull me out of that.

Brielle Petitfour is constantly battling her desire to be the perfect daughter and her desire to be a chef, something she knows her mother wouldn’t be thrilled about. When she scams her way into an ideal internship that will allow her to help her mother, she is thrilled, but she’s still pursuing her passion for cooking on the side and attracting the attention of several wealthy individuals while she does it. It’s only a matter of time before they find out her secret ingredient…

I am pretty sure this was marketed as a horror book, and as someone who doesn’t like to be spooked or feel squeamish, I wasn’t bothered by this one at all. It’s a YA book, so it’s pretty light on the creepy, crawly, while still packing a mysterious edge. I love the element that culture plays in this story and Brielle’s Haitian background, too.

That being said, it IS young adult, so expect that level of writing. I think that helped make this one a page turner for me, but we’re not getting any level of literary genius. I found the ending to be a bit rushed to pull everything together. The last 10% was a mad dash to the finish line for closing all of the plot elements, and some of the details felt a little off to me.

Definitely don’t read this one while hungry – even with her secret ingredients, Brielle was making me crave her cooking!!

A Haitian American girl uses her zombie abilities to exact revenge on the wealthy elites who've caused her family pain...and its going to be one hell of a summer. Brielle dreams about making it in the culinary world but spends most of her time taking care of her chronically sick mother and paying bills than pursuing her dreams. Yet when her mother loses her job and Brielle uses her cooking skills to cook for the rich and host supper parties and make extra cash she starts to become popular.. and the secret ingredient to her dishes? Human flesh. Brielle also has magical abilities as she is half zombie/zonbi... and as the story progresses you get to delve into her mother's history and Brielle's own family drama. All the while Brielle finds herself with the phone of one of the wealthiest men... and using it for her own means... and then landing a job at his company where his son begins to fall for her... and so begins her revenge plan against the wealthy. This was definitely a unique zombie coming of age story mixed in with a family drama and with commentary on the socioeconomic and racial inequalities in our society. I guess I just feel a bit in the middle with this one because I was expecting a bit more gore, a bit more horror, a bit more female rage... but you find out that this is very much a teen girl who is barely 17 and it's just kind of meh. It's not a bad book by any means I guess I was just hoping for something more. I do think this will be a fun read for many YA readers but it definitely leans far from the horror and leans more toward family drama/coming of age story.

Release Date: April 22, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I seriously need more zombie books on my TBR. This one definitely made me start looking for similar vibes! The only thing "wrong" with this book is the title. It's a little misleading. The cover does go with the title perfectly, and I'm not going to lie, part of the reason I requested this book! I just came into it expecting something very different. Again, I'm not disappointed, just misled.

Brielle "Bri" Petitfour is a daughter of a Haitian immigrant, aspiring chef, oh, and a zombie. This was a unique plot and I admired how the authors sought to write a revenge novel against a corrupt pharamceutical company including its uber-rich CEO.

I went into this expecting the main character would be the one "eating the rich" but it goes further because as a chef for a new but quickly successful supper club, she feeds her wealthy patrons a mixture of crushed body parts. As part of her zonbi powers, when someone eats her special food, she can influence their thoughts and emotions, sometimes she can control them.

I loved learning about zonbis from Haitian culture and the authors did this really fun plot device of using a greek chorus to fill in some additional details for the reader. It was cool how the characters of this chorus actually end up being real people-- Bri's sisters in Haiti who we get to "meet in person" when Bri and her mom travel there. I do wish there was a more horror elements and I disliked the romance part of the book. The relationship felt superficial so I was really shocked with how the relationship progresses in the end.

I expected to absolutely love this book. A zombie eating the rich? Give me 14 of ‘em right now! Unfortunately, I think the plot was really misrepresented in the blurb and (incredible) title. There was no murder, gore, or any horror at all to be found.She did not, in fact, eat the rich.

I think the main struggle of this book is that it should’ve been about four separate books. It’s not that it’s too long - it’s that the authors were trying to squeeze too much into one story. Pick a plot, then stick with it! Because they were trying to work in too much, what we’re left with is a confusing, jumbled mess that doesn’t ultimately accomplish the critical examination of the one percent and the American healthcare system that they aimed for. The introduction of the Haitian zonbi was interesting, but did not actually add anything to the plot (it actually would have been better without it) and lacked a lot of needed context and lore that would’ve helped the reader better understand what some of what was happening.

Ultimately, I think this was a really great concept, but poor execution. This would’ve benefited from a lot of editing and someone helping the authors focus their energies on what they really wanted to say.

The best way to describe this book is as readable. The Moulite's are great storytellers who can develop a plot with likable characters that move quickly. Brielle's has big dreams with family drama that makes her relatable. The romance, while brief, was fun, with Preston being a good romantic lead. However, to me, the best part of the book was the integration of Haitian tradition into the story. It made an already fresh book feel even more original.

I was immediately drawn to this book by the title and the cover! The Summer I Ate the Rich? YA Horror? Yes please.

The premise of this book sounded so promising and very exciting to read. Unfortunately for me the execution and the story didn’t deliver. The writing was beautiful, almost poetic at times, and I enjoyed the conversation around poverty and racism. Those areas is where the book succeeds. The zombie take and Eat the Rich promise is where the book falls apart for me.

I’m not sure that I would really classify this book as horror, most of the scenes were very minor in nature and I honestly forgot that I was reading a horror book.

While a fun read at times, ultimately this didn’t give me what I was searching for.

Thank you NetGalley for the early Arc!

Brielle and her mother are about to fall into dire straights through no fault of their own as it is in the US with our for profit healthcare system, rapant wealth and income inequality, and so on, when one of Brielle's little mishaps gives her fam a second chance through a summer internship. Meanwhile, her culinary skills draw the eyes of the elites. This combination lends for a tale as old as time, one between the haves and the have nots, and has many wonderful moments where Bri's character shines.

My largest concern with the book was the promise of the premise at the beginning, where Brielle is cooking a dish with cow brains for her and her mother. This part of the story had me wanting for more horror elements, which I felt were few and far between, which had me disappointed.

I did however enjoy this story and the layout kept the story moving along and kept me reading more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes zombie lore and learning more about it as well as those who would like to read a compelling story of wealth inequality with a touch of horror.

The Summer I Ate the Rich ended up being a very different story than I expected based on the title and synopsis. I thought I was in for a horror-filled, scary zombie story, but that’s not what this was. The main character is a zombie, a Haitian American one, but there’s really no zombie action. The story felt more like a family drama, focused on a girl and her mom and the real-life challenges they faced. I did like the message the story conveyed about classism and racial inequity, but the overall plot just wasn’t what I was expecting.

I did enjoy the writing style, and the authors’ afterword explaining their inspiration for the book was really interesting. I’d definitely check out more from them in the future, but this story was just not for me.

The title alone hooks you from moment one - I mean, who doesn’t want to spend a summer eating the rich, especially in 2025? However I was so surprised at just how hooked I became - once I started I just could not put this down.

Brielle is a first-gen Haitian dealing with the worst of the lowlifes and scumbags of the world, AKA the rich and famous. It’s clear with each acerbic word and statement that the authors are well versed in dealing with those living in the upper echelons of society, and I giggled through every single minute of it.

I also found their descriptions of food masterful beyond compare, and I’m truly hoping this book takes off so we can get a cookbook… maybe with a few select ingredients left out, if you know what I mean. I most enjoyed reading the lore and history of Haitian culture and folklore, and can’t wait to dive in further on my own time.

If daily news has you down in the dumps realizing you’re not even able to buy all the books you want, let alone take unnecessary trips into outer space, this is absolutely the book for you - grab a snack and kick up your feet and prepare to feel the glee of Brielle making the decisions you wish you could make on a regular basis to bring the balance back into focus.

Thank you truly to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for the opportunity to read and review this title!!

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

Gleeful, powerful, smart and full of smartassery. Full of both literal and metaphorical eating of the rich. Don't worry too much about the eating part - it's a very covert part of all the cooking in this book. You wouldn't even notice...

Brielle is American and Haitian, the US-born youngest daughter, with six older sisters still in Haiti. It's just her and her mother, struggling to live the "american dream" [sarcasm.] They both work for the disgustingly rich while barely getting by - Brielle has dreams of being a chef but feels obligated to the expectations of her family, and her mother is dealing with being unable to afford medication for her chronic pain condition after an injury. Through a series of strange, terrible, and brave events - Brielle gets even further access to the elite, and gives in to the powers of her biggest secret: she's a zonbi. Human and not human, and she's done repressing the not human side.

Brielle explores both her human and inhuman abilities in this book, embracing every part of herself, for better and for worse. While she's an instrument of justice and vengeance, she's also still a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, and finding a way to make her desire for the world to be a better place a reality. She's got friendships, dreams, and an unexpected love story. There's just this thread of gleeful darkness through the whole book that gives it an indescribable energy. Like you are evil-laughing with Brielle every step of the way.

I also appreciated the way the authors handle the character of Preston - an unbelievably privileged white boy, but one that isn't written as irredeemable. He's shown that he can put in the work to do and be better, even if he has his own darkness to wrestle with.

Reading this felt like a sensory experience, and I loved having a character I could scream with support for. I also enjoyed the format - the asides from her sister (the Muses) who provided important generational context and outside perspective, as well as glimpses into povs that were not Brielle. This was delicious.

I really enjoyed this. The characters were really compelling, and I super enjoyed the Haitian folklore and history that was woven throughout this story. It was clear that tremendous effort and care was put into this story, and I really loved that. I also thought that the topics this story covered were also really well done, especially the discussion about being a first generation American and what that meant for Brielle.
I think where the story lost me a bit is that the plot of the book was trying to do too many different things. The concept of eating the rich, the horror aspect that didn't quite feel like horror, and the various other plot points, pulled the story in too many directions, but I also found it hard to suspend my belief after a while because implausible things just kept happening.
Overall, I think that while the story was crafted with a lot of passion and love, which is evident, the plot itself kept this from being a five-star read for me. Though I will say that I did like the characters, and the Haitian folklore was fascinating as someone who did not know much about the idea of a zonbi before reading this--super interesting.

Haitian-American sister-author duo Maritza Moulite and Maika Moulite are back with yet another exciting work: THE SUMMER I ATE THE RICH 🍽️💸*

Brielle Petitfour has a knack for cooking. She works her magic into every dish, both figuratively and literally as a Haitian American zombie. Her passion, however, is frowned upon by her mother who only wants for her daughter to have a life better than the one she’s had. Brielle doesn’t let the disapproval stop her and launches a supper club for wealthy Floridians to indulge in.

Things seemed to be going well for Brielle until she makes a decision (or two, three) in the name of bringing more balance between the haves and have-nots. As a way to make up for her “wrongdoings”, Brielle is presented an opportunity she quite literally cannot turn down.

THE SUMMER I ATE THE RICH is a deliciously creative commentary on wealth and income inequality, capitalism, and choosing to live life by your own standards. The plot’s twists and turns held me from start to finish. I also appreciated the intentional incorporation of Haitian culture and folklore. “Zombi” was a completely new concept to me and I felt I was growing closer to my Haitian heritage with each page.

Thank you, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

*Publish date: 04/22/2025

Thank you to Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite and Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the digital e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is creative YA fiction with tasting notes of horror. I really enjoyed the creativity of its premise and had a soft spot for Brielle as a main character: a Haitian-American girl who is part zombie/zonbi and dreams of a better life for her chronically ill mother facilitated by her culinary skills.

Brielle is endearing, and I appreciated how her narrative combined the American elements of brain-hungry zombies with Haitian folklore of the zonbi, a creature who became subhuman due to its tremendous fear of enslavement. I also really enjoyed how much this book was a tribute to Haitian culture. It’s clear that the authors - who are sisters - put a lot of care and love into celebrating Haiti, and this was my favorite part of this book.

Based on the book description, I was expecting The Summer I Ate The Rich to have a bit more of a culinary (albeit perhaps cannibalistic) focus.

While my stomach contents were content with not being threatened with being disturbed, this wasn’t really a horror story and it also wasn’t really about eating the rich, at least not as much in the literal sense as I was expecting.

While the concept of eating the rich is there, for me the plot got lost in the book trying to do too much. It felt like too many half-baked storylines got introduced too early on and only some of them were followed through to their conclusion.

It took a lot of suspending of disbelief, even for YA (internship health insurance and a particular romance plot at the end - IYKYK - stressed me out with how implausible each of these things were).

Parts of this were fun, and I did really appreciate the commentary it shared on the opioid crisis and how elements of it are based on the real-life Sackler family (the reason we have OxyContin and its “miracle” antidote).

I’d still recommend checking it out, it just wasn’t my favorite.

I know this book is marketed as YA but it felt written like a middle grade book (or younger) and I just couldn’t get into it.

OH THIS BOOOOOOK LIVED UP TO E V E R Y EXPECTATION I HADDDDDDDD. The authors VERY MUCH understood the assignment. The characters, the story development, the HISTORY? Chef’s kiss. Brielle’s character is one of my favorite FMC all year. There’s so much depth and development in her character. I loved seeing her go from cold and unfeeling (like a zombie) to loving her mom, sisters, and her man (🥹) out loud! I will say she was a lil slow for thinking Silas wouldn’t catch on to her messages…

My favorite favorite thing about this book was the deeper topics it touched on, specifically being first generation. Brielle was a first gen American, and while its way different, I found a lot of similarities being a first gen college student. The expectations to find something “worthy” as a career over your passion is super familiar to me. Brielle’s mom pushed that on her BAD. I’m happy she made room for what she loved though. Let’s talk about her mom being hip to everything with her job & setting it up 🤣 THAT?? That “let me do it cus I know best, but I won’t tell you I know” mess is sooo common in Black and Caribbean households (cue existential eyeroll)

Overall this book was 15/10. Brielle wanted to live to work, not work to live. She was tired of struggling and I 10/10 understand that. In the end, I’m happy she got what she was manifesting, even if she had to feed a lil human flesh to get it. 🌚

I was so excited for this book. I thought the concept was so intriguing. But I found it less than compelling in practice. I wanted more.

Mood: Equal parts delicious, devious, and deeply unhinged (I loved every second)

Okay, listen. This book? Absolute five-star madness with a side of social commentary and a sprinkle of “wtf did I just read but also give me more.” It's satisfyingly twisted in the best possible way.

Brielle Petitfour is a Haitian American girl just trying to keep her family afloat—working hard, cooking her heart out, and dreaming of something bigger. But when life comes crashing down (again), she taps into her family’s secret heritage… and let’s just say the rich folks she’s feeding? Yeah. They’re on the menu.

That’s right. The secret ingredient in Brielle’s mouth-watering, rave-review-gathering cuisine? Human. Flesh.
And I was out here like, “Yes chef!!” while nervously chewing on my fingernails.

The writing is smart, sharp, and soaked in Haitian zombie lore. It's darkly funny, eerily real, and way more satisfying than it has any right to be. Like if Get Out, Ratatouille, and Yellowjackets had a wild summer fling and left behind this book as a warning.

It’s a modern fable with bite—literally and metaphorically. It tackles classism, racial inequity, and the cost of survival with unapologetic teeth, all while asking the important question:
What’s for dinner?

Spoiler: It’s justice. Served hot.

First of all: I really enjoyed the narrator, and there were some aspects of this that were very powerful or thought-provoking. There were several occasions when I shouted aloud about plot twists or dramatic reveals.

I didn't feel like the premise of the story was fully delivered. This is billed as horror, but I would call it magical realism. Large chunks of this story take place in an office, and there were a lot of moving parts and subplots that never quite paid off. The title... isn't really true, and while some rich people do get partially consumed, I didn't feel like the zombie/zonbi element was used effectively.

I've taken a little time to think about this, because I don't think it's fair to rate a book against the book you WANTED it to be. There were so many parts that, taken on their own, were compelling. I found the narrator's voice to be one of the best parts of the book, and the 'Haitian chorus' of Brielle's estranged sisters (who she has never met in person) revealing the family backstory was such an interesting element. There's also the fact that, by virtue of her life circumstances, Brielle isn't a zonbi or a zombie, but somewhere in between.

Still, I don't think the story delivered on its core promises. Did I enjoy reading it? Yes. I just think it was trying to do too much, and there were several large plot elements that didn't make a whole lot of sense. I would recommend this one, especially if you support women's wrongs, but not if you're looking for horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

“You think I want to eat your brain just because. How foolish. I want to eat your brain because it’s delicious.”

Brielle Petitfour, a teenage Haitian American zombie, is passionate about cooking. Though, as the daughter of an immigrant, she's familiar with the expectations of finding a respectable career. It's challenging to balance being a chef with her familial duties and supporting her mother, especially in light of their struggling financial situation. Currently, they both work on Hunter Island, home to the affluent “top of the food chain.” Brielle’s mother, in particular, serves the Banks, a billionaire family that created one of the largest health conglomerates in the world: Banks Corps. When Brielle is compelled to accept a summer fellowship at Banks Corps and establishes her supper club business on the side to entice the wealthy, she infiltrates the sphere of the privileged few to exact revenge. Using her zombie powers, the wealthy succumb to Brielle’s influence through her mouth-watering dishes. While she loves cooking, it's not only love that makes her dishes so appetizing, but also a secret ingredient: human flesh.

While people typically imagine the mindless zombies of American pop culture, what’s more horrifying is the original mythology, the Haitian zonbi, a creature of unending servitude derived from the fear of becoming enslaved. In The Summer I Ate the Rich, the authors utilize the zombie's supernatural horror to analyze reality's horror: the struggles of the immigrant experience, socioeconomic inequalities, corrupt health care, and labor in America. With Brielle’s perspective on these themes, I grew to love her character. Her narration can be darkly humorous, and her inhuman hunger, compassionate anger in confronting injustice, and difficulty expressing emotions make her compelling. As a fan of Greek mythology, I found “the Muses'” chorus in the novel’s interludes especially intriguing. During these intermissions, Brielle’s sisters in Haiti discuss what's happening in the narrative. This narrative framing added interesting layers to the story’s complexity. Similarly, I enjoyed the bonds in this story, like those between Brielle and her mother, sisters, best friend, and even her surprising love interest. While imperfect, these meaningful relationships brought out the human in Brielle and nicely contrasted her disturbing, manipulative qualities. Still, some parts confused me while I was reading. Despite the title, Brielle doesn’t eat the rich. Only the wealthy clientele of her supper club events unknowingly eat human parts. Also, Brielle’s zombie powers were somewhat puzzling, given the few explanations. Even so, the book’s sharp social commentary outshined its flaws, and I was satisfied by the end.