BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett

"BLOOD AND SALT belongs on lists of 2015 must-buys."

Blood And Salt

Genres: Fantasy | Young Adult Paranormal | Young Adult Romance

Posted: September 8, 2015

When Ash Larkin's mother returns to the mysterious spiritual commune she left years ago, Ash know she must follow her. Once she and her twin brother arrive at the mysterious Quivira, Kansas 'utopia' surrounded by corn that almost seems deadly, Ash must not only search for her mother but also unravel the strange memories of her ancestor, Katia, that continue to haunt her.

BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett is nearly impossible to describe well enough to do the story justice. The mix of thrills, creeps, swoons, and heartbreaking sighs make the story intensely absorbing, and readers shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves reading far into the night. The cult-type premise brings out a perfect setting, ripe for scenes of horror, paranormal mysteries, and ultimately, of discovering the light, dark, and everything-in-between-sides to people.

One of the biggest drives of BLOOD AND SALT is the question of the benevolent, or perhaps not, ancestor/spirit/immortal Katia. Who is she really, and what lengths will she go to get what she wants? The mystery of her, her daughter, the men who love them, and the current village leader is richly layered with intrigue, pain, and love. Watching Ash try to unravel it all without getting attacked or lost herself will make you root for her all the way through, hoping perhaps beyond all hope that despair isn't the only outcome available.

BLOOD AND SALT belongs on lists of 2015 must-buys. I have rarely read a story with so much originality, bitter sweetness, and depth. I can't recommend this title enough, and I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for more from Kim Liggett.

Book Summary

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.