White Smoke

Marigold moves with her blended family to Cedarville, a run-down Midwestern city where her new stepfather has taken a job. The family's historic home seems like a fresh start, but strange occurrences begin to plague them from the moment they arrive. Mari struggles with anxiety, addiction recovery, and adjusting to life with her new stepsiblings. The empty houses and abandoned blocks of Cedarville create an unsettling backdrop as Mari begins to witness inexplicable events that no one else seems to notice. When Mari's young stepsister starts behaving oddly and reporting frightening encounters, Mari must confront both supernatural and real-world threats. The line between paranoia and genuine danger becomes increasingly unclear as the family's situation grows more dire. This haunting story combines elements of psychological suspense with social commentary on gentrification, mental health, and the complexities of building trust in newly formed families. The novel explores how trauma and fear can manifest in both supernatural and everyday forms.

Readers describe White Smoke as a slow-burning horror story that builds tension gradually. Many note it effectively captures themes of addiction, mental health, and blended family dynamics. Liked: - Authentic portrayal of anxiety and PTSD - Strong sense of atmosphere in Detroit setting - Clear parallels between haunting elements and real-world gentrification - Representation of stepfamily relationships Disliked: - Pacing drags in middle sections - Some found the ending rushed and unsatisfying - Several readers wanted more development of side characters - Horror elements feel predictable to genre fans Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (22,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.75/5 (2,800+ ratings) Notable reader comment: "The psychological elements were more unsettling than the supernatural ones. Mari's anxiety attacks felt painfully real." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 White Smoke is inspired by real events in Detroit, where thousands of homes have been abandoned and left to decay, creating eerily empty neighborhoods. 🏠 The author drew from her own experiences with anxiety and heightened awareness of surroundings to create the main character Marigold's sense of paranoia and fear. 👻 The book combines elements of both supernatural horror and gentrification commentary, addressing social issues while delivering genuine scares. 🎬 Before becoming an author, Tiffany D. Jackson worked as a TV executive and has produced shows for channels like Nickelodeon and TV Land. 🏆 The book received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was named one of the Best Books of 2021 by School Library Journal and New York Public Library.