Reviews

A Thousand Miles to Graceland by Kristen Mei Chase

sagedotzoe's review against another edition

2.0

DNF @ 51%, counting it towards my books read list. Anyway. I wanted to like this but couldn't enjoy it for a few reasons. I just didn't connect with the characters at all. Like did not care what was going on with them. I found both mom and daughter to be immature and unrealistic. Like the daughter is in her 40s and acts so much younger. I know there's some PTSD themes here, but I just feel like she's so stunted. I also was not a fan of the narrator. Idk this just did not do it for me

keniasbookshelf's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

slicciardi's review

4.0

this was kooky! fun despite the grave undertone

fairyhag's review

3.0

This was a quick and breezy read that was quite enjoyable and fun. I think the side characters are more grasping than the main character herself.

kd_reading's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

swestlake's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

notanaubergine's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

scottonreads's review

4.0

Big thanks to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC to read and review.

I really, really enjoyed this one. It was a bit deeper than I expected, but a beautiful story.

Grace Johnson has been coasting. She is a CPA and likes her job fine. She is married and her marriage is fine. Her mother is back in Texas and she talks to her once a month. Then everything turns sideways. She decides to join her mother, an Elvis oficianado, on a roadtrip to Graceland for her 70th birthday.

She and her mother have never been close. And through the coure of their roadtrip, we start to understand why. It is a beautiful story of growth, reflection and second chances.

Will post this review on goodreads, retail sites and my bookstagram @scottonreads

casey_m_25's review

fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

smalltownbookmom's review

4.0

This was an emotional debut that gave me all the feels and had a perfect balance of humor and heart.

A mother-daughter roadtrip story that sees recently separated lawyer Grace taking her mother on the trip of a lifetime for her 70th birthday to visit all sorts of historic Elvis landmarks (in a pink convertible of all things!)

Together these two repair their relationship, deal with past family trauma (alcoholic, abusive father) while sharing some long-held secrets.

Be prepared to cry with this one but also enjoy all the kookiness of Grace’s Elvis-obsesssed mother.

I loved the anxiety rep in this book (Grace) and the way the story deals with familial trauma and terminal illness. There’s even some romance in the form of a childhood friend.

Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of Jesse Q Sutanto, Roselle Lim or Rachel Gibson’s How Lulu lost her mind (another mother-daughter road trip story).

Much thanks to @readforeverpub for a beautiful finished copy!! This is one debut you don’t want to miss and I’m excited to read more from Kristen!