White Smoke is a novel absolutely worth your time. This novel brings a new voice to the genre through the character of Marigold; a powerful and complex protagonist that makes the story a must-read.

I personally picked up this novel with hesitancy because the premise sounded like another typical YA read where the protagonist finds a man and immediately falls in love type of gambit and no, there is nothing in this novel like that. Of course there are moments that play into common tropes of the YA genre, it is inherently a YA, but they work well with the rest of the story creating something enjoyable and absolutely readable. If you want a light-horror YA with a spritely protagonist, read White Smoke.

What happens when a new family moves into a new house with ominous vibes? What happens when that story is told from a teenager's point of view, a teenager that is not trusted by the family, and yet still insists she is hearing and experiencing terrifying things despite her reputation? That is what the plot of White Smoke is and it is a plot worth reading.

The characters are a shining light in this novel. Marigold is one of the most complex characters I have read in a YA for quite a while. She expresses a wide variety of emotions and her decisions do not all have the right motive behind them making for an interesting and authentic read. She is flawed and her flaws were properly written! They helped demonstrate growth or lack-there-of in Marigold and her dimension made the novel worth reading. Who doesn't love when a character is written like a real person? Because Marigold is and as the protagonist, she takes the novel by storm and is a great character for you to read.

The novel fits well within the world of White Smoke. It is one you will be able to anticipate and yet, it isn't a big deal because the build-up to the ending is well-written making the predictable ending still exciting to read. If you are hesitant to read White Smoke like I was, I say go for it because it is fun and you won't be disappointed.

White Smoke was much better than I anticipated. I thought it was going to be a lacklustre and improbable YA but truly, it was complex with a splash of improbability. I found Marigold to be a wonderfully complex character who portrayed a teenager going through some serious stuff. She is in recovery, her parents recently divorced, her mother met a new man who brought with him a petulant child (wonder why), and they have recently relocated to a new home which although Marigold is happy about, is something she believes is her fault.

Marigold is having a rough time and the novel reflects that. All of her emotions are reflective of a teenager growing during a confusing and troubling time. I loved Marigold and although there were moments of "cringe," I didn't care because her development throughout the novel made her worth reading. I don't have anything else to say.

The plot was well-through out and the characters were great. Honestly, what they all needed was family therapy and family dinner to become a more cohesive unit. I mean, Piper was the worst at the beginning. She grated my every nerve and I kept on agreeing with Marigold's perspective of her until the end when Marigold had a shift of perspective and realised she had been kind of a horrible person to Piper. Piper then transformed from a bratty child into a lonely and heartbroken one who was also confused but emoting her confusion differently than Marigold.

White Smoke did a great job transforming my emotions throughout the novel adding to the complexity and enjoyment of the piece. Even if I knew where the ending was going, I really didn't care, because this was a good story and honestly such a good audiobook, definitely a novel I am glad I took a chance on.