Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury is an enthralling young adult read that had me hooked from start to finish. Despite its classification as a young adult novel, the horror elements are tastefully restrained yet effectively executed. This chilling and atmospheric tale delves into the intertwining lives of two teenage Black girls, Daisy and Brittney, across two different timelines.

Daisy, burdened with the ability to see the departed, finds herself relocating with her overbearing mother to an eerie, secluded mansion with a dark history, following the end of a toxic relationship. Meanwhile, ten years later, Brittney is determined to carve out a successful haunted house series to break free from her own abusive mother. Her list includes the very mansion that had altered her own mother's life.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is the author's portrayal of Daisy and Brittney's raw, unfiltered emotions as they grapple with the enduring trauma inflicted by their mothers. The characters are allowed to be messy, brimming with anger and resistance, as they navigate their paths to survival. Witnessing their struggles, particularly Daisy's, evoked an urge within me to intervene, a testament to the authenticity of the narrative.

If you haven't yet considered adding this gem to your reading list, I urge you to do so. My review merely scratches the surface of the brilliance captured within these pages. With hopes for more thrilling works from the author in the same vein, I encourage you to explore this captivating piece. Head to your preferred bookseller or online platform to embark on this haunting journey alongside Daisy and Brittney. ( )

This isn’t my type of book. It focuses a lot on abuse - emotional, sexual, and physical. I finished the book, but I strongly considered not doing so. ( )

It is incredibly difficult to avoid ghosts in Toronto, a skill Daisy is well versed in. However, she was not prepared for a breakup. Her grief is like a beacon for ghosts, creating even more discomfort in her life. Maybe, just maybe the House her mother inherits will offer the opportunity to escape. Ten years later, Brittney receives an anonymous tip suggesting the very same House be investigated for the show Haunted. The progression of the investigation leaves more questions than answers.

Delicious Monsters bewitches readers with the rhythms of horror, suspense, and paranormal. Liselle Sambury has produced an invigorating young adult read filled with friends, food, and ghosts. This standalone book reaches a magnitude of character development with its curated themes of mortality, identity, and forgiveness.

Delicious Monsters starts with an authors note which doubles as a trigger warning (child abuse, child molestation, and rape to name a few). Some resources include:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline- text/ call 988 or online at https://988lifeline.org/
National Domestic Violence Hotline call 800-799-7233, text “Start” to 88788, or online at https://www.thehotline.org/
Michigan Sexual Assault- call 855-864-2374, text 866-238-1454, or https://www.thehotline.org/ ( )

I was talking to a co-worker and described this book as "a book about a house that is attracting ghosts, psychic neighbours, and a teenage girl that only wants to find out why her mother won't let her go in the house but brought them to the property to live in the guest house. So, you know, it is a paranormal mystery with some weird stuff going down in a freaky house, written by a Canadian author, and the story takes place in Toronto and Timmins." My co-worker was very excited and will be looking to borrow this book in the future. This is the third book of Liselle's that I have read and they have all been great reads. I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the future. ( )

"People love the trauma. They adore a chance to tell a Black woman how strong she is. More than that, she represents an out. A way for people to cleanse themselves of their past and come out shiny and new."

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury is out 2/28/2023 and I highly recommend you pre-order or pick up a copy on pub day!. This book is a thick one but I devoured it in two days. Sambury's blending of horror and the supernatural with true crime, suspense and social issues was brilliant. I could not put this one down even when I stayed up late at night and had goosebumps from terror and dread. I was invested in the mystery and ghosts from the first page.

Sambury captured my attention with the ways that she wove relevant themes into the horror and mystery. Both protagonists' perspectives showcased how media capitalizes on Black female trauma despite there being an epidemic of forgotten Black girls. The theme of monsters is prevalent throughout, both real and metaphorical. Sambury also touches on grooming, sexual assault, childhood abuse, fatphobia and the scars of other traumatic events that span generations and shape futures. Sambury shows through this book how whitewashed forms of media scream for diverse stories and engage in performative allyship.

The writing style is atmospheric and the fast pace will have your heart pounding. The ghosts will have you question what you think you know and you'll be glued to the pages until everything unravels. There are so many spine tingling moments and the moments of terror feel so realistic.

If you're looking for a fresh, new style of telling a ghost story with gripping storytelling that will have you on the edge of your seat, then look no further. Someone give Liselle Sambury her flowers because this one is a banger from start to finish.
Thanks to @simonteen and @hearourvoicestours for the gifted copy. ( )