Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett // The Horror Story That Went a Little Wrong

Monday 2 May 2016
Blood and Salt (Blood and Salt #1), by Kim Liggett
Publication: September 22, 2015, by G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Horror, Paranormal
Pages: 341
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror.
“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”
These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.
Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.
As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt.

My Thoughts:

Do you like horror stories that actually aren't so "scary" but come with that eerie mood? Do you like corn and cornfields? Do you like pretty covers? Do you like "a spinoff on Romeo and Juliet?" Hey, then welcome to my lovely review. Kim Liggett's Blood and Salt did not honestly impress me. Instead, this was simply a boring trihard horror story that I have been waiting to devour ever since it was announced that it would be at BEA 2015 in NYC. I actually did not get a chance to get it at BEA, and instead received a copy from the Canadian imprint of G.P. Putnam's Sons. This seriously was a bittersweet, salty story that was more on the bad side of things. I am all in for the horror, and for the endless amount of shaking under my sheets at night. This book was seriously not in my taste or liking, for that matter.



I would just call this a strange story. There is nothing goosebump-y about it or that makes me feel scared. But, there's a but. Kim Liggett introduces readers to two characters, brother and sister, who are solemnly independent and try to tackle their adventure, the spiritual commune one where they try to find their mother. We readers are struck with hallucinations, confusion about specific characters and messed up situations that can only happen in a book. What more can we possibly ask for? A LOT MORE, let me tell you.

The only things/characteristics that actually impressed me were Ash and Rhys, her brother. THESE CHARACTERS ARE KICK-BUTT AND PERFECT. Woo. I was not impressed by anything else, honestly. You call this a Romeo and Juliet romance? You call this scary? If you do, that's great. Fabulous. You need a medal. Seriously. I continuously rolled my eyes while reading this. The fact that the beginning portion was featured in my favourite city was the only good part of this all. 



Romance? Is that what you bloggers call real, juicy romance? Hell no. No. Dane and Ash seemed to have this unhealthy, insta-love-ish relationship that began from first sight. At most times, I was completely confused with Dane's character. He had this weirdo side of him that MADE ME WANT TO PUNCH HIM. What kind of girl would accept a guy's rudeness from first sight? Ash had the power and ability to say "fuck off" to this loser, and I really WANTED HER TO. The romance did not do any justice for me, even though in the end... well I cannot spoil that for you. Let us just say that it was a little heartbreaking for us on the other end. A teensy bit. Minority. 






Blood and Salt certainly was not the worst book I have ever read, but it obviously was not the best. IT TOOK ME A CRAZY LONG TIME TO FINISH, but I guess that school kind of interfered with that fact, too. Play some creepy ballet music in your ears as you read this, and you could seriously maybe enjoy the corn factors. Speaking of which, I would really like some peaches and cream corn for dinner tonight. I'll get back to you all on that factor.

*A big thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this novel for review!*


Okay. People. Are there any other R&J retellings out there? Tell me that there are. I love Romeo and Juliet!


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