The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
Narrated by JD Jackson, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, Joy Nash, Christopher Salazar, Karen Malina White
Imprint / Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books | HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Publication Date: 9/6/2022
ISBN: 9780063029170
Prom ended in flames and chaos. All the few survivors could say was “Maddy did it.” But how? Why? Despite being bullied by her classmates her entire life, Maddy believed she had a second chance at happiness once everyone knew her closely-kept secret – that she is biracial- and was looking forward to going to prom. But, her dream quickly turned into a nightmare when some of her classmates saw the school’s first integrated prom as a chance to further humiliate Maddy. Little did they know, Maddy had another secret she’d been hiding-one that would change the small town of Springville, Georgia forever.
This thriller develops through the alternating first-person narratives of Maddy, Kenny (a Black superstar football player), and his popular white girlfriend, Wendy, in combination with the broadcast of a true crime podcast attempting to unravel the tragic events. The talented full cast of narrators draw the listener into Jackson’s already riveting story by adding suspense through their entertaining performance. At times, it is difficult to tell which narrators are reading multiple characters thanks to the depth of variations in their voice, tone, and delivery. This is an audiobook performance which enhances the text to bring a deeper level of enjoyment to those who listen.
Jackson’s readers who enjoyed White Smoke will not be disappointed by her latest foray into the horror genre and readers of Stephen King’s Carrie will enjoy Jackson’s modern read-alike.. Likewise, listeners who enjoyed the podcast-style narration and mystery/thriller genre of Courtney Summers’ Sadie will delight in the podcast story-telling style.
-Jennifer Sutton
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.