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Something Kindred
Magical realism meets Southern Gothic in this commanding young adult debut from Ciera Burch about true love, the meaning of home, and the choices that haunt us.
Welcome to Coldwater. Come for the ghosts, stay for the drama.
Jericka Walker had planned to spend the summer before senior year soaking up the sun with her best friend on the Jersey Shore. Instead she finds herself in Coldwater, Maryland, a small town with a dark and complicated past where her estranged grandmother lives—someone she knows only two things her name and the fact that she left Jericka’s mother and uncle when they were children. But now Jericka's grandmother is dying, and her mother has dragged Jericka along to say goodbye.
As Jericka attempts to form a connection with a woman she's never known, and adjusts to life in a town where everything closes before dinner, she meets “ghost girl” Kat, a girl eager to leave Coldwater and more exciting than a person has any right to be. But Coldwater has a few unsettling secrets of its own. The more you try to leave, the stronger the town’s hold. As Jericka feels the chilling pull of her family’s past, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her mother, her childhood, and the lines between the living and the dead.
Welcome to Coldwater. Come for the ghosts, stay for the drama.
Jericka Walker had planned to spend the summer before senior year soaking up the sun with her best friend on the Jersey Shore. Instead she finds herself in Coldwater, Maryland, a small town with a dark and complicated past where her estranged grandmother lives—someone she knows only two things her name and the fact that she left Jericka’s mother and uncle when they were children. But now Jericka's grandmother is dying, and her mother has dragged Jericka along to say goodbye.
As Jericka attempts to form a connection with a woman she's never known, and adjusts to life in a town where everything closes before dinner, she meets “ghost girl” Kat, a girl eager to leave Coldwater and more exciting than a person has any right to be. But Coldwater has a few unsettling secrets of its own. The more you try to leave, the stronger the town’s hold. As Jericka feels the chilling pull of her family’s past, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her mother, her childhood, and the lines between the living and the dead.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
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5086 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
April 17, 2024
Not entirely what I expected, but I loved it. And to be fair, the "magical realism meets Southern gothic" tagline is relatively accurate. Something Kindred is a queer coming of age story about how how the past intersects with the present, whether through generational trauma, grief, reconciliation, and more. But it has a paranormal twist and a romantic subplot as well! It's a quieter, more thoughtful book than I anticipated and is at once a slow burn and a fairly quick read.
This follows Jericka, a bisexual young woman returning to her hometown for the first time since she was a young child. She's always been with her mother who flits from place to place, but now her grandmother is dying of cancer and they are returning to help care for her. But old hurts and old secrets rear their head in this haunted small town. Meanwhile, Jericka is working on a photography portfolio for art school, is uncertain if she wants a future with the boyfriend she left behind, and befriends a girl who is a bit of an outcast as a lesbian who says she can see ghosts.
I think I was expecting this to be more of a paranormal story than it was. Those elements are there, but they're really a vehicle for talking about grief, hurt from the past, and what it looks like to forgive and move forward in a healthy way. It's a deeply emotional and beautifully written book, filled with flawed characters who still have a lot of love to offer. I was a fan. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This follows Jericka, a bisexual young woman returning to her hometown for the first time since she was a young child. She's always been with her mother who flits from place to place, but now her grandmother is dying of cancer and they are returning to help care for her. But old hurts and old secrets rear their head in this haunted small town. Meanwhile, Jericka is working on a photography portfolio for art school, is uncertain if she wants a future with the boyfriend she left behind, and befriends a girl who is a bit of an outcast as a lesbian who says she can see ghosts.
I think I was expecting this to be more of a paranormal story than it was. Those elements are there, but they're really a vehicle for talking about grief, hurt from the past, and what it looks like to forgive and move forward in a healthy way. It's a deeply emotional and beautifully written book, filled with flawed characters who still have a lot of love to offer. I was a fan. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
November 21, 2023
So, this book wasn’t what I was expecting. The synopsis is way more ominous than the book is. I went into the book assuming there would be a curse on the town and vengeful spirits. There are spirits, but they aren’t the focus of the novel. I’d say the book is like 50% family story, 40% romance, and 10% ghosts. Which is not a bad thing at all and it was definitely a good book, I just wish it had been advertised correctly.
This novel was an emotional one full of abandonment, grief, love, and so much more. The family dynamic was very interesting. The family had lots of depth and conflicting feelings of love and immense hurt & betrayal. And I loved Kat, the love interest. She was such a fun and kind person, and honestly, she deserved better than the main character Jericka. I really disliked Jericka’s character. She was selfish, inconsiderate, and just straight up mean at times. I did enjoy a lot of the side characters though!
I definitely would’ve enjoyed this more if I knew that I was getting into more of a coming of age type of story rather than a ghost story. So if you’re looking for an emotional read with complex family dynamics and first love (with a few ghosts & a southern gothic feel) you’ll enjoy this one!
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: parental abandonment, cancer, domestic and child abuse, death, racism, hate crimes
This novel was an emotional one full of abandonment, grief, love, and so much more. The family dynamic was very interesting. The family had lots of depth and conflicting feelings of love and immense hurt & betrayal. And I loved Kat, the love interest. She was such a fun and kind person, and honestly, she deserved better than the main character Jericka. I really disliked Jericka’s character. She was selfish, inconsiderate, and just straight up mean at times. I did enjoy a lot of the side characters though!
I definitely would’ve enjoyed this more if I knew that I was getting into more of a coming of age type of story rather than a ghost story. So if you’re looking for an emotional read with complex family dynamics and first love (with a few ghosts & a southern gothic feel) you’ll enjoy this one!
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: parental abandonment, cancer, domestic and child abuse, death, racism, hate crimes
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April 13, 2024When I picked this up, I was expecting a horror novel. And that makes sense, because it does have a lot of ghosts in it. But the ghosts are more a part of the setting than the plot; while they’re literally present in the town, their significance in the story is on the metaphorical side. I think “Gothic” is more fitting as a genre categorization.
The strength of this story is in its characterization and relationships. The three generations of women in that house all have complicated relationships to each other—Jericka soon finds out some secrets about her own childhood that are hard to grapple with. There are no easy answers here.
Of course, this is also a story about grief and loss. Jericka is building a relationship with her grandmother knowing that soon Gram will be dead. Jericka decides that although this is extremely painful, and although she can’t forgive Gram for what she did, she doesn’t want to continue the family tradition of silence and disconnection. She’d rather reach out even with all of that history between them.
I wouldn’t recommend this for readers looking for a terrifying horror read, but if you are a fan of family sagas and coming of age stories set against a gothic backdrop—with a few creepy scenes—I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
The strength of this story is in its characterization and relationships. The three generations of women in that house all have complicated relationships to each other—Jericka soon finds out some secrets about her own childhood that are hard to grapple with. There are no easy answers here.
Of course, this is also a story about grief and loss. Jericka is building a relationship with her grandmother knowing that soon Gram will be dead. Jericka decides that although this is extremely painful, and although she can’t forgive Gram for what she did, she doesn’t want to continue the family tradition of silence and disconnection. She’d rather reach out even with all of that history between them.
I wouldn’t recommend this for readers looking for a terrifying horror read, but if you are a fan of family sagas and coming of age stories set against a gothic backdrop—with a few creepy scenes—I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
July 9, 2023
I think this is the best book I've read, and quite possibly will read, all year. I (mistakenly) thought this was going to be another "teen grudgingly reconnects with their small town familial roots over the summer, and also there's spooky stuff" novel, and while there *are* ghosts, and main character Jericka certainly *is* initially begrudging of her summer away from friends in a tiny Maryland town, this book is so, SO much more. Set in a town founded by formerly enslaved people, with a supernatural element rooted in the trauma of white supremacy and racist violence, this YA novel centers Black history and contemporary Black experiences in ways that (to me, at least) totally up-end the still-persistent publishing notion that white feelings, or white experiences, need to be anywhere at all in the story. Ciera Burch's writing is absolutely breathtaking and immersive, and the way the novel deals with forgiveness, family, belonging, betrayal, trauma, and growing up is so deep and nuanced. It takes a lot of plot beats that could be tedious, or at least stereotypical, and makes them something transcendent but still utterly quiet. And all of this is not the mention the budding sapphic relationship at the center. Just...this is a staggeringly good novel. Read it.
June 4, 2024
A beautiful and haunting coming-of-age meditation on grief, young love, and the complexities of family.
April 26, 2024
Ciera Burch has a delightful way of making a ton of different elements give off the same energy making this story really well rounded.
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Magical realism meet southern gothic about true love, the meaning of home, and the choices that haunt us? This sounds SO SO good!
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Magical realism meet southern gothic about true love, the meaning of home, and the choices that haunt us? This sounds SO SO good!
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May 25, 2024I didn’t realize Something Kindred was YA. I found it on a list of lesbian main character books. The story is well situated and fleshed out for its intended audience of teenagers and college enbies. Of course I wanted more: MORE coastal Maryland, MORE ghosts of failed Reconstruction, MORE lesbian stuff lol.
June 2, 2024
This is a haunting book. Trauma and ghosts both figurative and literal. I know that a lot of people were a bit disappointed that this wasn’t really a scary ominous ghost story. It’s softer and sadder than that. I enjoyed this as a southern gothic coming of age tale that happens to feature ghosts. There’s death and new beginnings. I also really liked the theme of forgiveness and understanding why people are the way they are.
Jericka is someone you want to feel bad for. Being dragged to a place you don’t remember to meet a woman you don’t know because she’s dying sounds like my own personal nightmare. The trauma that Jericka’s Mother and Uncle have held on to was so heartbreaking. I don’t know what was in that water but why was literally everyone running off on their kids? Is that like a normal thing that happens?
The side characters don’t really have that much screen time so I didn’t really feel too much for them, however. The only person I really felt bad for was James. I also always feel like romances that go so hard after a month or so are wild, but that’s life I guess.
Jericka is someone you want to feel bad for. Being dragged to a place you don’t remember to meet a woman you don’t know because she’s dying sounds like my own personal nightmare. The trauma that Jericka’s Mother and Uncle have held on to was so heartbreaking. I don’t know what was in that water but why was literally everyone running off on their kids? Is that like a normal thing that happens?
The side characters don’t really have that much screen time so I didn’t really feel too much for them, however. The only person I really felt bad for was James. I also always feel like romances that go so hard after a month or so are wild, but that’s life I guess.
February 16, 2024
First off, thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the e-arc!
This book, on the surface, is a contemporary, magical realism story, but it's also so much more than that. It held so much depth with the town's history, the intergenerational traumas and relationships, and the coming-of-age aspects of Jericka's story.
While this book technically includes a sapphic romance, it's definitely not the focus. Burch nailed each and every relationship written between Jericka and those in her life. She handled themes of family, forgiveness, and grief in such candid and beautiful ways.
There were times that the pacing and scene/chapter transitions felt choppy to me, but the emotional beats and prose were so well done that it didn't truly matter.
Overall, this book was beautiful and I just know it'll become something special for so many people ♡
This book, on the surface, is a contemporary, magical realism story, but it's also so much more than that. It held so much depth with the town's history, the intergenerational traumas and relationships, and the coming-of-age aspects of Jericka's story.
While this book technically includes a sapphic romance, it's definitely not the focus. Burch nailed each and every relationship written between Jericka and those in her life. She handled themes of family, forgiveness, and grief in such candid and beautiful ways.
There were times that the pacing and scene/chapter transitions felt choppy to me, but the emotional beats and prose were so well done that it didn't truly matter.
Overall, this book was beautiful and I just know it'll become something special for so many people ♡
April 16, 2024
Is this a ghost story? No. Not in the way people want a ghost story. This is a coming-of-age story about a young woman discovering her bisexuality and the meaning of home and family. Yet, the town is haunted with echoes, ghosts stuck in the town of Coldwater. Not everyone can see them. Only a few can, and those ghosts are filled with sadness, which makes others feel that sorrow and despair.
As Jericka prepares her photography portfolio for Parsons, she struggles with finding a topic to shoot until she decides to photograph the echoes.
But all of this is such a small part of the story. The main part is Jericka's relationships with her estranged grandmother, her father (whom she hasn't seen since she was 4), and his new family, her mother (who carries a secret that could destroy her relationship with her daughter), and her new friend Kat.
This book focuses mostly on family relationships and the need to run away, far away, from the people that hurt you. There are generations of people that leave Coldwater and the pain this small town causes. But this book also focuses on mending those past hurts and letting go of the past.
All in all, I think this is a great book to give to a young woman preparing to leave home for college or a new life, especially if they're running from a lot of pain. Speaking from experience, there are some rifts that can never be mended. Sometimes, the healing comes at the end of someone's life. There are even those instances where there is no forgiveness and the trauma shapes us and our decisions to stay away from the places that brought us our greatest despair.
Coldwater represents that pit of sadness that will never be fixed. But there are people who choose to make the best of things and create a home in that place because it's where they found their peace. A hometown is different for everyone.
The author did an excellent job diving into these themes, working out the suffering inside to find peace in the things that haunt them...the echoes.
As Jericka prepares her photography portfolio for Parsons, she struggles with finding a topic to shoot until she decides to photograph the echoes.
But all of this is such a small part of the story. The main part is Jericka's relationships with her estranged grandmother, her father (whom she hasn't seen since she was 4), and his new family, her mother (who carries a secret that could destroy her relationship with her daughter), and her new friend Kat.
This book focuses mostly on family relationships and the need to run away, far away, from the people that hurt you. There are generations of people that leave Coldwater and the pain this small town causes. But this book also focuses on mending those past hurts and letting go of the past.
All in all, I think this is a great book to give to a young woman preparing to leave home for college or a new life, especially if they're running from a lot of pain. Speaking from experience, there are some rifts that can never be mended. Sometimes, the healing comes at the end of someone's life. There are even those instances where there is no forgiveness and the trauma shapes us and our decisions to stay away from the places that brought us our greatest despair.
Coldwater represents that pit of sadness that will never be fixed. But there are people who choose to make the best of things and create a home in that place because it's where they found their peace. A hometown is different for everyone.
The author did an excellent job diving into these themes, working out the suffering inside to find peace in the things that haunt them...the echoes.
February 9, 2025
A really enjoyable read overall. I'm just glad I was in the mood for the story inside because wow, holy marketing/cover mismatch. This is NOT a horror book. It's not really southern gothic either. I wouldn't even call this magical realism. It's just some ghosts, kind of, except they don't really feel like ghosts either. I wouldn't have been surprised if there had been a rational/scientific explanation for them.
So, not horror, but a great story about complicated families and dealing with them as a teenager.
So, not horror, but a great story about complicated families and dealing with them as a teenager.
April 5, 2024
Come for the concept of Echoes and hauntings, stay for the well drawn characters, depth of family, and FINALLY a story about queer people where it never revolves around coming out! The one thing I’ve been tired of is coming out stories, and instead this is a story where a bisexual character is just living through the forms grief and home takes and transforms the meaning of haunting in ways only Ciera Burch can.
July 3, 2024
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5. Another case of mismarketing here--this is less ghost story than a coming-of-age novel/family drama with elements of magical realism--but it sets up Jericka to go on an introspective journey to figure out what love and acceptance means to her. I wish it were spookier and that Ciera Burch had gone into the history of the town even more, but, again, mismarketing.
3.5. Another case of mismarketing here--this is less ghost story than a coming-of-age novel/family drama with elements of magical realism--but it sets up Jericka to go on an introspective journey to figure out what love and acceptance means to her. I wish it were spookier and that Ciera Burch had gone into the history of the town even more, but, again, mismarketing.
April 2, 2024
{3.5 stars}
Thanks to Farrar, Straus & Giroux for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.
Jericka is about to be a high school senior and she is focused on building her photography portfolio for her college applications. Then her grandmother falls ill and she and her mother move to her small hometown to take care of her. There Jericka learns more about her family's past but also the ghosts that haunt the town. Through that process she finds herself, her voice and works to seek freedom from the chains keeping everyone in the small town.
Read this one if you enjoyed We Deserve Monuments but wish it had ghosts. But not a lot of ghosts, just a few mentions of them and only two scenes with them. It’s a good story about forgiveness, grief and finding your truth. Not as spooky or historically impactful as I was hoping for though.
Thanks to Farrar, Straus & Giroux for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.
Jericka is about to be a high school senior and she is focused on building her photography portfolio for her college applications. Then her grandmother falls ill and she and her mother move to her small hometown to take care of her. There Jericka learns more about her family's past but also the ghosts that haunt the town. Through that process she finds herself, her voice and works to seek freedom from the chains keeping everyone in the small town.
Read this one if you enjoyed We Deserve Monuments but wish it had ghosts. But not a lot of ghosts, just a few mentions of them and only two scenes with them. It’s a good story about forgiveness, grief and finding your truth. Not as spooky or historically impactful as I was hoping for though.
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June 5, 2024Review notes from PerpetualPages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpPNe...
- "Queer, paranormal, coming-of-age story described as magical realism meets Southern Gothic."
- "CW for explorations of child abandonment; explorations of death and grief, especially in relation to cancer; allusions to past child abuse and an alcoholic parent; some experiences of bullying and homophobia; some underage drinking; instances of infidelity; and some panic attacks."
- "I appreciate how the story pairs paranormal elements and eeriness with complex family drama. The same way Jericka fears the spirits haunting the town because she doesn't understand them, she also fears the truths her family has yet to face because those also can't be seen unless hit by a certain slant of light."
- "Through both the paranormal and familial elements, the story really explores the difference between merely recognizing that trauma has occurred versus actively contenting with that trauma and struggling to try and heal those wounds."
- Healing is active. Paranormal side of the story gets at the healing.
- Family dynamics are more prominent than paranormal elements.
Comps: We Deserve Monuments (for the premise, themes)
I was really excited to read a book comp'd to We Deserve Monuments. I didn't love this one nearly as much as I did that one, but I was still moved by several passages. I liked how the interactions with ghosts were used to bring trauma and emotions to light so that people could face their feelings (and either choose to address them or not). I shared a deep understanding with the protagonist in her desire for stability of place when it comes to home. More to come!
- "Queer, paranormal, coming-of-age story described as magical realism meets Southern Gothic."
- "CW for explorations of child abandonment; explorations of death and grief, especially in relation to cancer; allusions to past child abuse and an alcoholic parent; some experiences of bullying and homophobia; some underage drinking; instances of infidelity; and some panic attacks."
- "I appreciate how the story pairs paranormal elements and eeriness with complex family drama. The same way Jericka fears the spirits haunting the town because she doesn't understand them, she also fears the truths her family has yet to face because those also can't be seen unless hit by a certain slant of light."
- "Through both the paranormal and familial elements, the story really explores the difference between merely recognizing that trauma has occurred versus actively contenting with that trauma and struggling to try and heal those wounds."
- Healing is active. Paranormal side of the story gets at the healing.
- Family dynamics are more prominent than paranormal elements.
Comps: We Deserve Monuments (for the premise, themes)
I was really excited to read a book comp'd to We Deserve Monuments. I didn't love this one nearly as much as I did that one, but I was still moved by several passages. I liked how the interactions with ghosts were used to bring trauma and emotions to light so that people could face their feelings (and either choose to address them or not). I shared a deep understanding with the protagonist in her desire for stability of place when it comes to home. More to come!
February 12, 2024
I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.
Jerika isn't thrilled about being dragged to a small town in Maryland for the summer to help with a dying grandmother she's never met, but she hopes to find some inspiration for her photography portfolio. The break from her boyfriend James is welcome, too. Amidst the family drama, Jerika discovers an attraction to a local girl, Kat, as well as mysterious "echoes" - ghostlike entities that haunt the town.
From the cover I had thought this would be a horror novel, but this was a lot less about the echoes and a lot more about familial relationships. Jerika's grandmother had left her mother and uncle when they were young, and then when Jerika's mother had her, she also left Jerika for a few years. The theme of being trapped in the town was reflected by the echoes and in Jerika's relationship with Kat - wanting to stay, but also feeling trapped. I liked the photography aspect and the setting was wonderfully rendered, the relationships all nuanced and realistic. This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, yet it was lovely and a quick read.
Jerika isn't thrilled about being dragged to a small town in Maryland for the summer to help with a dying grandmother she's never met, but she hopes to find some inspiration for her photography portfolio. The break from her boyfriend James is welcome, too. Amidst the family drama, Jerika discovers an attraction to a local girl, Kat, as well as mysterious "echoes" - ghostlike entities that haunt the town.
From the cover I had thought this would be a horror novel, but this was a lot less about the echoes and a lot more about familial relationships. Jerika's grandmother had left her mother and uncle when they were young, and then when Jerika's mother had her, she also left Jerika for a few years. The theme of being trapped in the town was reflected by the echoes and in Jerika's relationship with Kat - wanting to stay, but also feeling trapped. I liked the photography aspect and the setting was wonderfully rendered, the relationships all nuanced and realistic. This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, yet it was lovely and a quick read.
Want to read
October 23, 2020From Publishers Weekly:
Pitched for fans of Nina LaCour and Jesmyn Ward, this debut YA contemporary novel follows a Black girl who is forced to meet her estranged dying grandmother one sweltering summer. Meanwhile, she grapples with ancestral ghosts, a girl who wants to be more than friends, and a trove of secrets. Publication is slated for winter 2023.
Pitched for fans of Nina LaCour and Jesmyn Ward, this debut YA contemporary novel follows a Black girl who is forced to meet her estranged dying grandmother one sweltering summer. Meanwhile, she grapples with ancestral ghosts, a girl who wants to be more than friends, and a trove of secrets. Publication is slated for winter 2023.
January 23, 2024
To start off this review I’d like to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warning: Homophobia
Something Kindred has found me at an interesting time. Our main character Jericka has moved around a lot. Her mother kept them bouncing from one apartment, one town, to the next. Now that her mother is ill, she’s moving them back to her hometown of Coldwater. A town that is heavy with its past and familial secrets.
Jericka loves photography, that’s what she wants to go to college for. She’s got a boyfriend who she’s in a weird spot in after having sex. So the move has given her time and distance to think. I actually really liked this part of the book. That she’s thinking over their relationship. And James is by no means a bad guy, and not the kind of guy who sees having sex as the end all be all in a relationship. Which was also refreshing to see due to so many books making a lot of male characters like that.
Now once in Coldwater, a town started by and for freed peoples, things are different. It’s hot and Jericka is living in a house with the woman who abandoned her mother and uncle when they were very young. And her own mother has never worked on how that makes her feel. So Jericka is angry and a little hostile to the woman. Her gram doesn’t judge her for how she feels.
Honestly, this book is just full of great characters. Jericka meets Kat at the hospital where she sells coffee and hot coco. It was endearing to me when Kat brought her a cup later in the book. It was just cute.
I’ll be talking about homophobia here so please proceed gently.
There is a point in the book where Jericka is hanging out with another girl and this girl is just rude. She seems to have it out for Kat and Kat says it’s because the girl has a crush on her brother and has since the 3rd grade or something. And this girl makes it known that she indeed doesn’t like her.
At one point she calls her a “big fat lesbian” and it’s said with derision. It’s brought up at least twice and always in a negative connotation.
Something that bothered me about it was that Jericka, who is bisexual, didn’t really put this girl in her place. She says she doesn’t care about Kat being a lesbian and tells the girl that it’s not ok for her to talk like that. But she doesn’t do enough. That needs to be shut down. And if Kat was able to have hostility for the old woman who abandoned her mother, she could have kept that same energy for the girl being homophobic to the girl she’s developing feelings for. Or as a member of the queer community herself.
Now, we all know homophobes exist, and they can be particularly bad in small towns. But I would have liked if the author had put a trigger warning or content warning at the beginning of the book. To just have it sprung on you is jarring. And with younger readers, they deserve to know what they’re getting into. It could be a bad day, a bad year, and it could be something that pushes them over the edge.
But with a trigger warning in place, they can make the informed decision about whether they’re in a place to continue the story. And reader safety is important.
That’s the end of the potentially triggering part!
Now, there is a supernatural element to the story. And while it’s important it isn’t the driving force behind the story. This is very much character driven and it’s very well done. I liked that supernatural element and what it added to the book and what it also helped to say about the town and the people. And the lives of people in general.
Wrapping up, this book gets a 5/5 from me. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Trigger Warning: Homophobia
Something Kindred has found me at an interesting time. Our main character Jericka has moved around a lot. Her mother kept them bouncing from one apartment, one town, to the next. Now that her mother is ill, she’s moving them back to her hometown of Coldwater. A town that is heavy with its past and familial secrets.
Jericka loves photography, that’s what she wants to go to college for. She’s got a boyfriend who she’s in a weird spot in after having sex. So the move has given her time and distance to think. I actually really liked this part of the book. That she’s thinking over their relationship. And James is by no means a bad guy, and not the kind of guy who sees having sex as the end all be all in a relationship. Which was also refreshing to see due to so many books making a lot of male characters like that.
Now once in Coldwater, a town started by and for freed peoples, things are different. It’s hot and Jericka is living in a house with the woman who abandoned her mother and uncle when they were very young. And her own mother has never worked on how that makes her feel. So Jericka is angry and a little hostile to the woman. Her gram doesn’t judge her for how she feels.
Honestly, this book is just full of great characters. Jericka meets Kat at the hospital where she sells coffee and hot coco. It was endearing to me when Kat brought her a cup later in the book. It was just cute.
I’ll be talking about homophobia here so please proceed gently.
There is a point in the book where Jericka is hanging out with another girl and this girl is just rude. She seems to have it out for Kat and Kat says it’s because the girl has a crush on her brother and has since the 3rd grade or something. And this girl makes it known that she indeed doesn’t like her.
At one point she calls her a “big fat lesbian” and it’s said with derision. It’s brought up at least twice and always in a negative connotation.
Something that bothered me about it was that Jericka, who is bisexual, didn’t really put this girl in her place. She says she doesn’t care about Kat being a lesbian and tells the girl that it’s not ok for her to talk like that. But she doesn’t do enough. That needs to be shut down. And if Kat was able to have hostility for the old woman who abandoned her mother, she could have kept that same energy for the girl being homophobic to the girl she’s developing feelings for. Or as a member of the queer community herself.
Now, we all know homophobes exist, and they can be particularly bad in small towns. But I would have liked if the author had put a trigger warning or content warning at the beginning of the book. To just have it sprung on you is jarring. And with younger readers, they deserve to know what they’re getting into. It could be a bad day, a bad year, and it could be something that pushes them over the edge.
But with a trigger warning in place, they can make the informed decision about whether they’re in a place to continue the story. And reader safety is important.
That’s the end of the potentially triggering part!
Now, there is a supernatural element to the story. And while it’s important it isn’t the driving force behind the story. This is very much character driven and it’s very well done. I liked that supernatural element and what it added to the book and what it also helped to say about the town and the people. And the lives of people in general.
Wrapping up, this book gets a 5/5 from me. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
October 16, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.25 out of 5 stars
I am a little late to reading and reviewing this book, as it came out in April, but I had to get around to it.
First, my gripe: (And this not something about the author or the publisher or even NetGalley) Goodreads has this first listed as horror. Currently, the genres, in order of shelving, are horror, young adult, LGBT, contemporary, gothic, lesbian, etc., etc.
Not horror. Also, while there may be some gothic vibes in a few places, it's not really gothic. I feel like the overall emotional weight of the book was confusion and curiosity, but not a heavy gloom that one would normally associate with gothic books.
But the confusion and curiosity is what made it good. I felt that Jericka's character was well fleshed out: her hurt over her father not being in her life (there is a surprise twist to this, so don't pin this too hard on the cliche donkey just yet), her anger when she discovers a part of her life that was kept from her, her back and forth between being angry at her grandmother for her mom and wanting to get to know her before she dies, the way she shoves her recent past under the bed and dives headfirst into her new relationships in this town she has ties to but has never known.
It ends up being more of a coming-of-age story than anything else. Even the magical realism feels like the background of the true meat of the story: Jericka getting to know and understand herself and her place in the world.
As I mentioned before, the character-building was great. I felt that every character, from Jericka to her mother to her grandmother (maiden, mother, crone, anyone?) to Kat to Uncle Miles all had their own unique voice, and none of them fell flat. Even the side characters felt real. I was thoroughly vested with Jericka, and the emotional "world-building" was stellar.
The "ghosts" in this book were what made the book less-than-perfect for me. I felt as though they were incorporated into the story solely for the genre push of gothic, but that is not what this book ended up being.
Still, the writing was captivating, and the characters... Well, I will not continue to wax poetic about Burch's character-building prowess.
I am waiting with bated breath for the next Ciera Burch novel.
4.25 out of 5 stars
I am a little late to reading and reviewing this book, as it came out in April, but I had to get around to it.
First, my gripe: (And this not something about the author or the publisher or even NetGalley) Goodreads has this first listed as horror. Currently, the genres, in order of shelving, are horror, young adult, LGBT, contemporary, gothic, lesbian, etc., etc.
Not horror. Also, while there may be some gothic vibes in a few places, it's not really gothic. I feel like the overall emotional weight of the book was confusion and curiosity, but not a heavy gloom that one would normally associate with gothic books.
But the confusion and curiosity is what made it good. I felt that Jericka's character was well fleshed out: her hurt over her father not being in her life (there is a surprise twist to this, so don't pin this too hard on the cliche donkey just yet), her anger when she discovers a part of her life that was kept from her, her back and forth between being angry at her grandmother for her mom and wanting to get to know her before she dies, the way she shoves her recent past under the bed and dives headfirst into her new relationships in this town she has ties to but has never known.
It ends up being more of a coming-of-age story than anything else. Even the magical realism feels like the background of the true meat of the story: Jericka getting to know and understand herself and her place in the world.
As I mentioned before, the character-building was great. I felt that every character, from Jericka to her mother to her grandmother (maiden, mother, crone, anyone?) to Kat to Uncle Miles all had their own unique voice, and none of them fell flat. Even the side characters felt real. I was thoroughly vested with Jericka, and the emotional "world-building" was stellar.
The "ghosts" in this book were what made the book less-than-perfect for me. I felt as though they were incorporated into the story solely for the genre push of gothic, but that is not what this book ended up being.
Still, the writing was captivating, and the characters... Well, I will not continue to wax poetic about Burch's character-building prowess.
I am waiting with bated breath for the next Ciera Burch novel.
June 16, 2025
Something Kindred is a thoughtful, introspective coming of age meets messy familial drama with touches of eerie in a subtle southern gothic backdrop. There are ghosts and cultural lore that come in to play. They are connected to our main characters initial creative passion, offering inspiration and later create a spark to get her to look inward in addressing her fears, grief, and thirst in life- but they really aren't the focus on this book. There's a paranormal presence here, but it's far different than what you would typically expect, especially since the graphics and taglines of the book lean into the implied horror element that really isn't there. It's still fair to call it a gothic, but at its core it's more of a complex familial bonds/ self-discovery drama with ample reflective layers on many facets of life and the concept of home.
I would have liked there to be just a bit more of exploration on the ghosts, even one in particular to then connect to our main character's journey, especially as I could relate to her fascination and curiosity with them and a unique form of macabre solace and understanding of the connections between the living and the dead. Even without this Something Kindred is a strong, connective story that offers great insight on generational trauma, complexities of loving those who hurt us, craving what we have never known, and the challenging, yet freeing power of addressing ones pain and past while creating a new chapter forward.
I enjoyed the romance angle overall, especially in it showcasing important reflection and discovery of personal journeys. There are sentiments about loving people in different ways at the same time, which I appreciated, but also would have loved to see this leaned into even more. The key romance came alive well, making us feel the pull and appreciate the emotional layers, while still putting higher importance on each person being true to their longings and different paths in life especially for two people very clearly still finding themselves.
Something Kindred is a quiet, yet stirring story with rich layers and a thoughtful, moving spirit.
I would have liked there to be just a bit more of exploration on the ghosts, even one in particular to then connect to our main character's journey, especially as I could relate to her fascination and curiosity with them and a unique form of macabre solace and understanding of the connections between the living and the dead. Even without this Something Kindred is a strong, connective story that offers great insight on generational trauma, complexities of loving those who hurt us, craving what we have never known, and the challenging, yet freeing power of addressing ones pain and past while creating a new chapter forward.
I enjoyed the romance angle overall, especially in it showcasing important reflection and discovery of personal journeys. There are sentiments about loving people in different ways at the same time, which I appreciated, but also would have loved to see this leaned into even more. The key romance came alive well, making us feel the pull and appreciate the emotional layers, while still putting higher importance on each person being true to their longings and different paths in life especially for two people very clearly still finding themselves.
Something Kindred is a quiet, yet stirring story with rich layers and a thoughtful, moving spirit.
Read
April 3, 2024 disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I really appreciated this coming-of-age story (that had a hint of a supernatural / surrealism aspect) about Jericka, who travels with her mom to Coldwater, Maryland in the summer before senior year, because her maternal grandmother's health is ailing. She leaves her romantic relationship status up in the air, as she only told her boyfriend that she was leaving for the summer the night before! Jericka meets Kat, who teaches her about the town's dark history, leaving echoes behind, who try to convince the women in the town to stay there forever. Jericka is confused as to why they even returned to Coldwater to take care of her grandma, when all she knows about her grandma is that she abandoned her mom and uncle when they were young, and never returned for them. They were left with an abusive father, so Jericka is curious as to this change of heart.
I thought Ciera Burch did such a fantastic job of highlighting how generational trauma continues when it's unchecked and unconfronted. Though the town's echoes attempt to keep the women in Coldwater, so many stories of abandonment remain the central focus of so many relationships here. It almost feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Jericka discovers so much about her childhood, her absent father (who also lives in Coldwater with his wife and two kids), and grows through it all.
This was a quieter coming-of-age story, but it was so well written, and I think it would translate well onscreen! I will continue to look out for CB's work in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Abandonment, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death
I really appreciated this coming-of-age story (that had a hint of a supernatural / surrealism aspect) about Jericka, who travels with her mom to Coldwater, Maryland in the summer before senior year, because her maternal grandmother's health is ailing. She leaves her romantic relationship status up in the air, as she only told her boyfriend that she was leaving for the summer the night before! Jericka meets Kat, who teaches her about the town's dark history, leaving echoes behind, who try to convince the women in the town to stay there forever. Jericka is confused as to why they even returned to Coldwater to take care of her grandma, when all she knows about her grandma is that she abandoned her mom and uncle when they were young, and never returned for them. They were left with an abusive father, so Jericka is curious as to this change of heart.
I thought Ciera Burch did such a fantastic job of highlighting how generational trauma continues when it's unchecked and unconfronted. Though the town's echoes attempt to keep the women in Coldwater, so many stories of abandonment remain the central focus of so many relationships here. It almost feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Jericka discovers so much about her childhood, her absent father (who also lives in Coldwater with his wife and two kids), and grows through it all.
This was a quieter coming-of-age story, but it was so well written, and I think it would translate well onscreen! I will continue to look out for CB's work in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Abandonment, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death
December 1, 2023
Let's get this out of the way first: yes, the hype is wrong. Something Kindred should not be described as a Southern Gothic. It's Magical Realism, at best. That said, if you like a coming of age story with side-serving of empathetic ghosts, you'll enjoy this book.
Jericka is the teenaged daughter of a restless mother. The pair are constantly on the move, leaving Jericka longing for home and security. Then her Gram gets cancer, and her mom takes them down to their hometown in Maryland. Jericka spends the summer getting to know Gram for the first time, learning about her family, and making friends or possibly more with a local girl. She's also trying to start a photography project that will help her get into art school.
This was nice. Sweet. It's a lot of Jericka trying to decide between the family tradition of doing an r-u-n-n-o-f-t, and staying put and making a home for herself. New girl or old boyfriend? Mother's way of life or father's?
There's an interesting back-story: ex-enslaved people built the town and were very proud of it, but the local government wasn't a fan so they sent someone to burn down the schoolhouse. It being after hours at the time, the majority of the dead were mothers who had been meeting at the school. These mothers became ghosts, or echoes, which wander the town and try to scare its living women into never leaving. As you can imagine this has the opposite effect, and it seems like a lot of children are left behind by their mothers. Cool history but it never really goes anywhere. It mostly just serves to amplify Jericka's feelings and indecision. I guess this would have been a short book without that storyline.
Jericka is the teenaged daughter of a restless mother. The pair are constantly on the move, leaving Jericka longing for home and security. Then her Gram gets cancer, and her mom takes them down to their hometown in Maryland. Jericka spends the summer getting to know Gram for the first time, learning about her family, and making friends or possibly more with a local girl. She's also trying to start a photography project that will help her get into art school.
This was nice. Sweet. It's a lot of Jericka trying to decide between the family tradition of doing an r-u-n-n-o-f-t, and staying put and making a home for herself. New girl or old boyfriend? Mother's way of life or father's?
There's an interesting back-story: ex-enslaved people built the town and were very proud of it, but the local government wasn't a fan so they sent someone to burn down the schoolhouse. It being after hours at the time, the majority of the dead were mothers who had been meeting at the school. These mothers became ghosts, or echoes, which wander the town and try to scare its living women into never leaving. As you can imagine this has the opposite effect, and it seems like a lot of children are left behind by their mothers. Cool history but it never really goes anywhere. It mostly just serves to amplify Jericka's feelings and indecision. I guess this would have been a short book without that storyline.
April 25, 2024
So different from what I expected! There's unsettling atmosphere, but it's by no means a scary book.
Where to even begin? The chapters are very short, giving the story a seemingly faster pace than it actually is. The prose are beautifully describtive and detailed. It's Jericka's coming of age journey - which is extra difficult because she has anxiety on top of everything else.
I loved all the themes, there are many. First and foremost, lack of control and agency. Fear of commitment, feeling uprooted and seeking something stable, something permanent. Then there's the generational trauma, acknowledging the past hurt, grief and grudges.
It's all about how the past influences the present and deals with the complex emotions around being related to people you don't know and the feeling of being an outsider. Photography is of high importance throughout it all.
The sapphic romance is truly sweet, their dynamic and chemistry was so good from the very start. The only negative thing I've got to say is that I hate the 'cheating bisexual' trope which is used here, however literally ALL the characters are messy as fuck so I'm not too upset really.
cw: death of a grandparent, cheating, mentions of child abuse, mentions of alcoholic parent, panic attacks, homophobia (aimed at a lesbian), bullying, mentions of slavery
Where to even begin? The chapters are very short, giving the story a seemingly faster pace than it actually is. The prose are beautifully describtive and detailed. It's Jericka's coming of age journey - which is extra difficult because she has anxiety on top of everything else.
I loved all the themes, there are many. First and foremost, lack of control and agency. Fear of commitment, feeling uprooted and seeking something stable, something permanent. Then there's the generational trauma, acknowledging the past hurt, grief and grudges.
It's all about how the past influences the present and deals with the complex emotions around being related to people you don't know and the feeling of being an outsider. Photography is of high importance throughout it all.
The sapphic romance is truly sweet, their dynamic and chemistry was so good from the very start. The only negative thing I've got to say is that I hate the 'cheating bisexual' trope which is used here, however literally ALL the characters are messy as fuck so I'm not too upset really.
cw: death of a grandparent, cheating, mentions of child abuse, mentions of alcoholic parent, panic attacks, homophobia (aimed at a lesbian), bullying, mentions of slavery
April 13, 2024
Magical realism within a small town mystery!
17yo Jericka travels with her mother to her hometown of Coldwater, Maryland to see her dying grandmother. Jericka’s grandmother left her children when they were young and her mom hasn’t seen her since; she’s still extremely hurt and angry but willing to help her own mother deal with her situation. Coldwater has a history, and a not-always-believed legend of Echoes; ghosts that project their grief onto the living that make women want to leave the town. These ghosts are from the schoolhouse for freed slaves being burned many years ago due to prejudice. While Jericka deals with her family, boyfriend, new friends and the mysterious town, she learns a lot about herself and what she wants in her future.
Likes/dislikes: I expected the book to be more spooky. Jericka wants others to be open, honest and straightforward but she isn’t that way with others. I enjoyed getting to know Jericka’s family. The mysterious echoes add an interesting element to the story.
Mature content: PG-13 for mention of sex, no details and underage drinking
Language: PG-13 for 32 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG for mention of domestic abuse.
Ethnicity: Jericka and her family are Black and the community of Coldwater is mixed with Black and white people.
17yo Jericka travels with her mother to her hometown of Coldwater, Maryland to see her dying grandmother. Jericka’s grandmother left her children when they were young and her mom hasn’t seen her since; she’s still extremely hurt and angry but willing to help her own mother deal with her situation. Coldwater has a history, and a not-always-believed legend of Echoes; ghosts that project their grief onto the living that make women want to leave the town. These ghosts are from the schoolhouse for freed slaves being burned many years ago due to prejudice. While Jericka deals with her family, boyfriend, new friends and the mysterious town, she learns a lot about herself and what she wants in her future.
Likes/dislikes: I expected the book to be more spooky. Jericka wants others to be open, honest and straightforward but she isn’t that way with others. I enjoyed getting to know Jericka’s family. The mysterious echoes add an interesting element to the story.
Mature content: PG-13 for mention of sex, no details and underage drinking
Language: PG-13 for 32 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG for mention of domestic abuse.
Ethnicity: Jericka and her family are Black and the community of Coldwater is mixed with Black and white people.
Read
April 1, 2024Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
SOMETHING KINDRED is a quiet coming-of-age novel that packs a powerful emotional punch. It's a bit of a love story, a bit of a ghost story, and a bit of a small-town story all rolled into a tale about three generations of strong women who tend to leave their families behind. They feel stuck in their hometown life--and the echoes of their past--and struggle to feel free and independent after choosing the road more traveled. A lot of modern authors like telling their stories with multiple POVs, but I'm glad SOMETHING KINDRED shunned that trend. As much as I'd have loved to read the story from the main character, Jericka's, mom and grandma's perspective in addition to Jericka's, keeping the novel in single POV made it a far more powerful bildungsroman novel. Go, Jericka, go!
SOMETHING KINDRED joins the ranks of great summer YA books like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY, THE ATLAS OF US, and ARISTOTLE AND DANTE that turn those lazy, sweaty days into memories and events of a lifetime. I highly recommend it for the teen in your life who is more into real-life drama and issues than dragons or magic.
SOMETHING KINDRED is a quiet coming-of-age novel that packs a powerful emotional punch. It's a bit of a love story, a bit of a ghost story, and a bit of a small-town story all rolled into a tale about three generations of strong women who tend to leave their families behind. They feel stuck in their hometown life--and the echoes of their past--and struggle to feel free and independent after choosing the road more traveled. A lot of modern authors like telling their stories with multiple POVs, but I'm glad SOMETHING KINDRED shunned that trend. As much as I'd have loved to read the story from the main character, Jericka's, mom and grandma's perspective in addition to Jericka's, keeping the novel in single POV made it a far more powerful bildungsroman novel. Go, Jericka, go!
SOMETHING KINDRED joins the ranks of great summer YA books like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY, THE ATLAS OF US, and ARISTOTLE AND DANTE that turn those lazy, sweaty days into memories and events of a lifetime. I highly recommend it for the teen in your life who is more into real-life drama and issues than dragons or magic.
January 29, 2024
4.5 stars rounded down.
this book will stick with me for a while. i woke up thinking about it still, about the town and the people and the ghosts.
if you liked *we deserve monuments* by jas hammonds (an INCREDIBLE book), this will probably work well for you. it's got similar elements of a prodigal daughter, her child, a sapphic love story, and the ways that the violence of white supremacy and its ghosts (in this case, literal ghosts) run through the town. it's a coming of age story, a time where people learn deeply about themselves and each other, and a meditation on the things that we do and don't talk about, the things we try to learn and the things we try to forget.
there is, of course, the octavia butler reference in the title and plot--i don't want to say it's only connected to this book from like 2022. like kindred, it's set in maryland and like kindred, it's in a town where the past literally grabs you. it's part of a legacy of Black feminist literature and it evokes all of it.
this book will stick with me for a while. i woke up thinking about it still, about the town and the people and the ghosts.
if you liked *we deserve monuments* by jas hammonds (an INCREDIBLE book), this will probably work well for you. it's got similar elements of a prodigal daughter, her child, a sapphic love story, and the ways that the violence of white supremacy and its ghosts (in this case, literal ghosts) run through the town. it's a coming of age story, a time where people learn deeply about themselves and each other, and a meditation on the things that we do and don't talk about, the things we try to learn and the things we try to forget.
there is, of course, the octavia butler reference in the title and plot--i don't want to say it's only connected to this book from like 2022. like kindred, it's set in maryland and like kindred, it's in a town where the past literally grabs you. it's part of a legacy of Black feminist literature and it evokes all of it.
March 23, 2024
*I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review
SOMETHING KINDRED is, first and foremost, a story of a girl and her family. Jericka and her mother move to Coldwater, Maryland to take care of her dying grandmother--the one who abandoned Jericka's mother thirty years ago. Thus ensues a strained relationship between the three women as more family secrets are revealed in the town of Jericka's birth. I really enjoyed seeing Jericka navigate this new experience, and it's lightened a bit by her romance with Kat, as well. The book is advertised as "Southern Gothic" and while there is a bit of a ghost story, I wish we'd seen a bit more of it. Like I said, this was mostly a family drama, but in the cover and the synopsis, I was expecting a bit more of the "gothic" element, especially because it is deeply rooted in the town's history. Overall, this was a solid read and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a quick but powerful coming-of-age story with a touch of a ghost story.
SOMETHING KINDRED is, first and foremost, a story of a girl and her family. Jericka and her mother move to Coldwater, Maryland to take care of her dying grandmother--the one who abandoned Jericka's mother thirty years ago. Thus ensues a strained relationship between the three women as more family secrets are revealed in the town of Jericka's birth. I really enjoyed seeing Jericka navigate this new experience, and it's lightened a bit by her romance with Kat, as well. The book is advertised as "Southern Gothic" and while there is a bit of a ghost story, I wish we'd seen a bit more of it. Like I said, this was mostly a family drama, but in the cover and the synopsis, I was expecting a bit more of the "gothic" element, especially because it is deeply rooted in the town's history. Overall, this was a solid read and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a quick but powerful coming-of-age story with a touch of a ghost story.
September 5, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was a really beautiful read and I cannot believe I am still not hearing many people talk about it. We discover the beauty of first love, what it means to be home, and how the weight of one's choices can be heavy on others (even when they think they're doing what is the best for all).
With Something Kindred, we get Southern Gothic/Magical Realism vibes all with an easy to digest writing style.
There were several golden quotes that really resonated with me as someone who has had to figure out the meaning of home and when it was time to stop running. The addition of the echoes and what hold they have over the women of Coldwater was hauntingly beautiful in their sadness and the journey of Jerika's photography portfolio was very intriguing.
I am a die hard for special editions and would LOVE to see one for this book showcasing her film after it was developed.
I really enjoyed this book very much and it will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.
This book was a really beautiful read and I cannot believe I am still not hearing many people talk about it. We discover the beauty of first love, what it means to be home, and how the weight of one's choices can be heavy on others (even when they think they're doing what is the best for all).
With Something Kindred, we get Southern Gothic/Magical Realism vibes all with an easy to digest writing style.
There were several golden quotes that really resonated with me as someone who has had to figure out the meaning of home and when it was time to stop running. The addition of the echoes and what hold they have over the women of Coldwater was hauntingly beautiful in their sadness and the journey of Jerika's photography portfolio was very intriguing.
I am a die hard for special editions and would LOVE to see one for this book showcasing her film after it was developed.
I really enjoyed this book very much and it will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.
December 7, 2023
Something Kindred is a Young Adult novel rich with magical realism. When Jericka Walker is brought by her mother to Coldwater, Maryland to spend time with her estranged and dying grandmother, she finds herself in a small town haunted by secrets and ghosts. The town settles over Jericka like cold water, chilling her with a pull toward the past that makes her question what she believed she knew about her own mother and the grandmother who abandoned their family.
Coldwater is a town founded by formerly enslaved people, and the novel explores the trauma rooted in the history of white supremacy. Burch centers Black experiences and sapphic romance in a way that adds to the Young Adult genre, and her story explores the pain of abandonment, grief, hurt, and betrayal. Overall, the book is a spellbinding look at the way history and family shape our lives and identities.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
Coldwater is a town founded by formerly enslaved people, and the novel explores the trauma rooted in the history of white supremacy. Burch centers Black experiences and sapphic romance in a way that adds to the Young Adult genre, and her story explores the pain of abandonment, grief, hurt, and betrayal. Overall, the book is a spellbinding look at the way history and family shape our lives and identities.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
September 18, 2024
This was really lovely. I have some critiques on stylistic choices, but the emotions in this are so clear and moving and nuanced that I mostly didn't mind.
I thought this was going to be ghostier, but the direction this book takes toward the end was so much more moving than I had anticipated, and Jericka's personal journey through anger, fear, and grief was beautiful. There were a lot of strong visuals, and the book nicely balances different types of painful history, ranging from broader racial trauma to more specific generational trauma that's specific to this family and town.
A solid and moving debut, and I look forward to seeing what the author does next. I did feel like the pacing was sometimes abrupt, and there were a number of places where more sensory detail would have helped me better understand what was happening, but the "reveal" at the end? Perfect. Exactly what needed to happen to make the metaphor of the echoes work.
I thought this was going to be ghostier, but the direction this book takes toward the end was so much more moving than I had anticipated, and Jericka's personal journey through anger, fear, and grief was beautiful. There were a lot of strong visuals, and the book nicely balances different types of painful history, ranging from broader racial trauma to more specific generational trauma that's specific to this family and town.
A solid and moving debut, and I look forward to seeing what the author does next. I did feel like the pacing was sometimes abrupt, and there were a number of places where more sensory detail would have helped me better understand what was happening, but the "reveal" at the end? Perfect. Exactly what needed to happen to make the metaphor of the echoes work.
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