The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Brielle Petitfour did not grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth. Lately, she has been watching those who did eat the food she has labored over without much appreciation. For years, she has watched those with silver spoons take her chronically sick mother's caretaking and emotional labor for granted without bothering to even learn how to pronounce her name.
When a tragedy strikes the family that Brielle's mother works for (which then leads to her mother losing her job), Brielle feels it is up to her to get them on the right path.
However, Brielle is part zonbi (somewhat similar to what you may know as a zombie).
Did I not mention that yet?
Yes, Brielle is part zonbi, but don't let your preconceived notions of what a zombie is cloud your view of her. The skilled author duo of Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite will artfully explain how and what Brielle exactly is, if you give them a chance.
While I will say that the cover blurb is a bit misleading as I had read it as saying that readers would witness Brielle being a serial killer-esque anti-hero who took the phrase "eat the rich" literally. While I do see the depth that the authors were getting at as well as their messaging about the waste that is excess wealth (among other things), I would strongly encourage a rewrite of the cover text to better convey the strengths of this novel.
The other critique I would offer is that these massive and impactful themes ultimately crash together quite quickly with not all getting equal weight, excitement, or satisfactory ends. That said though, The Summer I Ate the Rich is still well worth a read. The authors are immensely creative and somehow manage to achieve real-world-realistic worldbuilding (sorry I couldn't think of a better way to phrase that in this moment) that still features a being that is more than just human. Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite additionally are able to add in dashes of humor that help alleviate the book's tension when necessary. Finally, the end is a perfect horror-genre-worthy end where things a wrapped up (or are they?).
Overall, The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite is a fun YA read that will have you curious to learn more about Haitian beliefs and folklore, rooting for Brielle whether she's a skilled chef, an accidental intern, a curious teen experiencing romance, a loyal daughter, a righteous Robin Hood, or a part-zonbi seeking her identity, and eager to "eat the rich" (metaphorically, of course).
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