October 2022 – Page 2 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Weight of Blood

Title: The Weight of Blood
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Contemporary
Publisher: HCC Frenzy
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Author Tiffany D. Jackson ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this YA novel following a biracial teenager as her Georgia high school hosts its first integrated prom.

When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation… Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she’s dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High’s racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school’s first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it’s possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren’t done with her just yet. And what they don’t know is that Maddy still has another secret… one that will cost them all their lives.

Review:

Maddie Washington has always been teased by her classmates for being different. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and has wears old-fashioned clothes. When she’s caught in the rain one day during gym class one day, they learn her biggest secret: she’s biracial. Her classmates bully her even more, making fun of her hair by throwing pencils at her. Some students put out viral videos, which show how deep the racial roots are in this small town. Wendy, the popular white cheer captain, decides to make a change so her racist friends don’t look so bad to the rest of the world. She organizes the town’s first interracial prom, and she asks her popular Black boyfriend to ask Maddie to the dance so that she fits in. However, Maddie has one more secret that will destroy the town.

The Weight of Blood is a retelling of Stephen King’s Carrie. That’s my favourite King novel so I was so excited to read this one. There were some Stephen King Easter eggs throughout the story. The ending of this book wasn’t exactly the same as Carrie, so I was surprised at the twists.

The racism in this story was disturbing. Maddie’s white father tried to make her appear white and kept her away from the Black community. Maddie’s classmates said and did horrible things to her, including dressing in blackface. They even had segregated proms. I find it shocking and disturbing that this kind of thing can happen today. Hopefully, books like this one will promote change in the future.

The Weight of Blood is a fantastic retelling of Carrie with an important message.

Thank you HCC Frenzy for giving me a copy of this book!

Review: The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)

Title: The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)
Author: Adam Silvera
Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this prequel to #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls.

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.

Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

Review:

2010: Death-Cast is a new service that will call you between 12 AM and 2 AM on the day you will die. On the first night that they’re open, no one is sure if it will work or not, because the creator of Death-Cast, Joaquin Rosa, hasn’t shared his secret of how he will know when someone will die. On that night, Orion Pagan has signed up for the service. He lost his parents in 9/11 and he has a heart condition, so he has accepted that he will die young. Valentino Prince has moved to New York City to pursue a career in modeling after his parents cut him out of their lives for being gay. Valentino’s twin sister had a near death experience in a car accident, so Valentino signs up for Death-Cast to be prepared for his own death. Orion and Valentino meet by chance on the opening night of Death-Cast, which forever changes their lives. One of them gets the call that night, but the other doesn’t. They decide to spend this End Day together, knowing it will only end in heartbreak.

This prequel completely blew me away. I knew it would be an emotional read, which I tend to avoid. I’m so glad I read this one because it was so beautifully crafted. There were cameos from characters from They Both Die at the End that were both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Every character had an important purpose that contributed to the ending of the story.

The First to Die at the End is one of my favourite books of the year, and probably of all time.

Thank you so much HCC Frenzy for sending me this copy!

Other books in the series:

They Both Die at the End

Have you read The First to Die at the End? What did you think of it?

Review: The Last Hope in Hopetown

Title: The Last Hope in Hopetown
Author: Maria Tureaud
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, LGBT
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Audiobook
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A debut novel about one girl’s dilemma over the decision to save her vampire parents or do what’s right for the greater good.

Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue.

After Sophie’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that’s thicker than blood.

Review:

Twelve-year-old Sophie Dawes lives in Hopetown with her adoptive vampire moms. Vampires have to follow a lot of rules to keep the humans safe in their town. When one law-abiding vampire goes rogue, the entire community is put on alert. No one knows what’s causing the vampires to turn on humans like that. Then, one of Sophie’s moms goes rogue, almost killing Sophie and her other mom. Sophie is joined by her best friend Delphine, a three-hundred-year-old vampire in a twelve-year-old’s body, and they hunt for the cure before Sophie’s mom goes out of control.

This was such a fun vampire story. The characters were so original. I loved Sophie’s moms, who were called Mama and The Duke. They were quite original and had fun stories from their long lives. Delphine was also a fun character since she had lived a long life but looked so young. She hated technology, so she wasn’t a typical twelve-year-old.

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this story. The story was clear and concise with lots of action. It was also fast paced, so it held my attention the whole time.

The Last Hope in Hopetown is a great middle grade vampire story!

Thank you Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this book.