White Smoke

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson has another book coming out this September: (Amazon affiliate link) White Smoke.

Marigold is running from the secrets and anxiety of her life. When her mother is given an opportunity for a fellowship which includes a free house, Marigold finds herself being moved across country with her faithful dog, younger brother, and new little stepsister. Thrown into a nightmarish block of burned houses which have sat empty for 30 years, secrets start coming to life. Mari will have to start facing them if she hopes to save her family.

Jackson does a superb job of weaving in information from Mari’s history, as well as the history of the area, into the main story line, giving readers a peak into the past without revealing everything at once. The twists in the plot are fun for middle school age readers. However, I wish the author had gone more into detail. I was left feeling that the story was a bit flat when she could have added in a lot more detail to fully round out the plot line, characters, and history. The book ends a bit abruptly, and there are many questions left unanswered.

Overall, this is a fun, suspenseful book for younger YA audiences looking for a light read with some highlights of important social issues.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of the book was provided by HaperCollins Children’s Books.