chaptersofchase's Reviews (1.12k)

The Business Trip

2.0

slow-paced

The Business Trip
Thank you, St Martin's Press, for the gifted e-copy of The Business Trip {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 1.14.2025
Pages: 352
Star Rating: ☆☆

Y'all… I don't know where to begin with this book. It had SO much potential. The first 30% of the book was full of intrigue, mystery, and just enough uncertainty that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

But then the story changed, and we were privy to a different perspective of one of the characters, and the whole thing fell flat.

I felt like the author just repeated everything from the book's first section, added a few quick (obvious) twists, and then plastered one of those cheap dollar-store plastic bows to the top and said, "Ta-da!".

It was a complete letdown, and my only hope is that the book has quite a bit of time before the actual publication, so maybe (hopefully) a few changes can be made to the storyline that would give it some redeeming qualities. Because, if I'm being honest, I think two stars are generous.

_____


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By Any Other Name

Jodi Picoult

5.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

FIVE 🌸 STARS

Thank you, Random House and PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of By Any Other Name {partner}

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 8.20.2024

Pages: 528

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"There was such magic in language. It could bring you to tears, pull you to the edge of your seat, make you sigh with relief."

Time after time, Jodi Picot reminds me why she is my auto-buy author. Her eye for detail and ability to craft the perfect novel amaze me. With every new book she writes, I'm left speechless by her talent.

By Any Other Name is the first historical fiction novel I've read by Picoult, and I marveled at the way she brought her characters to life. Typically, I find myself gravitating toward the more modern character in this genre, but with BAON, I couldn't get enough of Emilia Bassano. I was full of many emotions while reading her story — love, compassion, outrage, heartache. And yet, I still wasn't ready for her story to end. But it did, and boy, did I cry at the end.

It was an incredible life to have lived, and it made me think about all the incredible women who have come before us but have been forced to stand in the shadows because, after all," history," she said, is written by those in power.

Also, I highly recommend reading the author's note at the end. I was completely blown away by the research Picoult put into this book, which really awakened my interest in the theories surrounding Shakespeare's history as a playwright.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

By Any Other Name was narrated by Billie Fulford (Northwoods, Babel) and Laura Benanti (House of Glass, Drowning), plus an entire cast for the scenes involving the play. The narration was perfect, and I found myself completely lost in their voices as I followed the story.

Read if you enjoy:

🤔 Stories that make you think

✌🏼 Dual timeline & narration

🎭 Theater history

I recommend reading By Any Other Name if you enjoy learning about the women behind the men in history.

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Content Warnings

The Love of My Afterlife

Kirsty Greenwood

3.5

medium-paced

Thank you, PRH Audio, for my gifted audiobook of Love of My Afterlife {partner}

Genre: Romance

Trope: Magical Realism/Fantasy

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 7.2.2024

Pages: 384

Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

"The problem with so many people you encounter in life is that they're being the version of themselves they think they should be rather than the person they actually are."

I know I'm going to be in the unpopular opinion group for this, but The Love of My Afterlife wasn't what I expected it to be. I've seen countless glowing reviews for this love story, but to me, there wasn't much of a love story to love. I really enjoyed Cooper's character, and I did like him and Delphie together, but there weren't enough sparks to leave me swooning.

What I did love was the found family element and the remainder that life is too short to stay inside eating microwaveable hamburgers. It's important to get out there and take advantage of what's right before you.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆.5

Sofia Oxenham narrates The Love of My Afterlife and she did a fabulous job bringing Delphie's character to life.

Read if you enjoy:

😊 Delightful humor

📝 Unique storylines

🫶🏼 Found family

👏🏼 Quirky characters

I recommend The Love of My Afterlife to my fellow found-family lovers but not necessarily to my rom-com lovers.

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The Lake of Lost Girls

Katherine Greene

3.0

slow-paced

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books, for the e-galley of The Lake of Lost Girls {partner}

Genre: Mystery

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 11.5.2024

Pages: 320

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

I’m always drawn to an entertaining true crime story - I can’t read the real true crime stories, but I’m such a sucker for a fictionalized story. What I enjoyed the most about The Lake of Lost Girls is that all the “suspects” really could’ve done it. They all offered something that made me genuinely doubt their innocence. It wasn’t until the last 20% that it all clicked into place, and I figured it out.

My biggest hiccup with the book is that I typically love a mystery that includes the mixed media formatting, but for some reason, it all seemed like an afterthought to the book. The photos, transcripts, podcasts, etc didn’t add anything to the unraveling of the mystery itself. I started skimming the podcast transcripts because they never gave me anything substantial to grasp. The mixed media format in books can be done well, but it takes careful planning.

Truthfully, I would’ve rated the book much higher had the author's writing style not taken on a repetitive, almost juvenile nature. The main character did not seem like an adult but more like a young girl trying to solve a murder.

Read if you enjoy:

✌🏼 Dual timeline

📈 Escalating suspense

😅 Chapter cliffhangers

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but not necessarily something I would recommend to my true mystery/thriller book lovers. It would be the perfect book to dip your toe in if you’re more comfortable with the cozy mystery genre.

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Bad Tourists: A Novel

Caro Carver

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you, Avid Reader Press, for the gifted copy of Bad Tourists by Caro Carver {partner}

Genre: Mystery

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 7.9.2024

Pages: 336

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

“How difficult it can be to tell innocent and villain apart.”

I decided to sample a few chapters of Bad Tourists because I was in the mood for a mystery, and the beautiful cover drew me right in. Before I knew it, I was 100 pages in and completely hooked on this propulsive vacation thriller. There seemed to be a lot going on between the characters (past and present), and I was worried that it wouldn’t come together in the end, but it came together perfectly (minus a few over-the-top moments), and I was so surprised by a few of the twists at the end. Usually, I can spot a twist from the beginning, but Bad Tourists kept me guessing until the end.

Read if you enjoy:

🤔 Locked room mystery

🏝️ Vacation thrillers

🤯 Twists you don’t see coming

🗣️ Alternating POVs

I recommend reading Bad Tourists if you’re in the mood for an eccentric, fast-paced mystery.

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Content Warnings

Butcher & Blackbird

Brynne Weaver

5.0

dark funny tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

This is absolutely the result of one of my friends telling me to read this book, and now I will never look at Cookes & Cream ice cream the same way again 🤪

Genre: Romance

Trope: Dark / Grumpy x sunshine

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 8.15.2023

Pages: 360

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“Maybe I was right. We’re not normal people. We are monsters. But if we’re monsters, we’ll thrive in the dark. Together.”

Okay, who knew that a book that starts with a very long list of disturbing/off-the-wall triggers would become one of my favorite romances of the year. But here we are. And yes, I am serious when I say that the trigger list had me questioning what I was about to read (don’t worry, there’s not any actual cannibalism, just accidental), but bravo to Brynne Weaver for putting it out there at the beginning of the book.

The chemistry between Rowan and Stone felt perfect, and despite their odd pastime, everything about them felt real. They’re just the type of couple you want to see get together and stick together because everything about them makes perfect sense. Speaking of them getting together, Butcher and Blackbird are among my top five steamiest reads. I mean… good grief - at one point, I thought I might combust into flames because my cheeks were burning 🥵

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

Butcher and Blackbird was narrated by Joe Arden (who has also narrated the Flock series) and Lucy Rivers. It was indeed one of the BEST audiobooks I have ever listened to. It was a perfectly synchronized performance, and I didn’t know I needed it in my romance audiobooks, but I do. I could listen to Arden and Rivers narrate audiobooks all day and be perfectly happy for the rest of my life.

Read if you enjoy:

🔥Character chemistry

😳 Horror elements

🤭 Comedic relief

🥵 Doors wide open

I recommend reading Butcher and Blackbird if you’re in the mood for a dark romance that will provide you with lots of entertainment.

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A Short Walk Through a Wide World

Douglas Westerbeke

3.0

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Thank you, Avid Reader Press, for the gifted copy of A Short Walk Through a Wide World {partner}

Genre: Fantasy

Sub-Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 4.2.2024

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

"There was no retracing her steps. Once she had been, there was no way back. Every departure is irreversible."

I had such a hard time formulating my review for this story because, on the one hand, it was an incredible saga and true storytelling. But on the other hand, I felt like nothing actually happened in this book. I am always so hesitant to read a book that is compared to a beloved book (in this case, Addie Larue) because I go in with such high expectations.

The author has incredible promise as a debut novelist because the story's bones were there. I especially loved the supporting characters that Aubry encountered on her journeys—they brought a sparkle to the story. But there was just something about the book that did not keep my attention. I have friends who read and loved A Short Walk Through a Wide World, and that makes me so happy because it's just another reminder that not every book is for every reader. I will be keeping an eye out for the author's future titles!

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

Saskia Maarleveld narrated A Short Walk Through a Wide World, and she is truly the queen of historical fiction. I love how she brought all the characters to life and kept me captivated even when the story was at a lull.

Read if you enjoy:

🐢 Slow burn adventures

🗣️ Storytelling

📖 Debut novels

✨ Magical realism

I recommend reading A Short Walk Through a Wide World if you're searching for a more immersive story experience and are prepared for it to move at a slower pace than you usually read.

___

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Under Your Spell

Laura Wood

4.5

funny lighthearted 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

Laura Wood absolutely has me under her spell ✨

Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of Under Your Spell {partner}

Genre: Romance

Trope: Forced Proximity

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 6.24.2024

Pages: 352

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

"Sometimes, you have to take a risk, follow a fork in the road you didn't see coming, and end up where you belong."

Well, this book was an absolute treat! I devoured Under Your Spell in less than 24 hours because I couldn't put it down.

For starters, even though the FMC is the daughter of a rock god (who I hilariously kept picturing as Mick Jager), she was genuinely relatable because she was trying to get her life together — and aren't we all? Then, there were her sisters. Those two were an absolute hoot, and I would love to see them have their own books — wink wink hint hint. And finally, Theo?? The absolutely biggest cinnamon roll, golden retriever, green flag boyfriend there ever was (and he's an incredibly famous celebrity). The whole cast of characters was a delight, and I loved them all.

Read if you enjoy:

😊 Charming characters

😂 British humor

🔥 Character chemistry

🫶🏼 Cinnamon roll MMC

🎤 Celebrity romance

PS. The only reason I took off half a star is that I was expecting way more magic. So, if magic isn't your cup of tea, then Under Your Spell is likely to be your book.

I recommend reading Under Your Spell if you liked The Idea of You, but this book doesn't have the age gap romance, and there's a happier ending 😉

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Real Americans

Rachel Khong

5.0

emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

F I V E 🏆 S T A R S

Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Real Americans by Rachel Khong {partner}

Genre: Fiction

Trope: Multi-generational

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 4.30.2024

Pages: 416

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"Time passes, indifferent to me. So much of my life I have let slip by because I have not attended to it. All this while, instead of seeking more time, I could have been paying attention."

I can't believe it took me this long to read Real Americans. I had no idea what to expect, but Rachel Khong's exceptional storytelling swept me off my feet. I love that we, as the reader, were able to hear from Lily (mother), Nick (son), and May (grandmother) throughout the book.

But what stuck out to me is the way the story unfolds. Instead of hearing from May first (chronologically), we hear from Lily first. We learn her story and see how her life was shaped before she became a mother and daughter and how her mother and son's choices impacted her. Because of this format, Lily was my favorite character—she tried hard to shield her son from the life (or lives) she left behind.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

If audiobooks are your thing, then I recommend reading Real Americans with your ears. Louisa Zhu, Eric Yang, and Eunice Wong brought this story to life. They did a phenomenal job of representing all of the emotions depicted by the characters they narrated.

Read if you enjoy:

📖 Multigenerational stories

🩶 Explorations of race and identity

🗣️ Multiple POV

🫶🏼 Phenomenal storytelling

❤️ Chinese representation

Real Americas reminded me why multi-generational stores are some of my favorite books. They're packed with so much life that I forget I'm reading something "fictional." If you haven't already, I recommend adding it to your reading list for 2024.

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Worst Case Scenario

T.J. Newman

4.0

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Another explosive (see what I did there) thriller from TJ Newman 🤩

Thank you, Little Brown and Company for the gifted copy of Worst Case Scenario {partner}

Genre: Thriller

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 8.13.2024

Pages: 336

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

TJ Newman never ceases to amaze me. How can someone pack that much action into a story and still find a way to make me feel so many emotions that I start crying? Every single book of hers has me an emotional mess at the end… and I love it.

While Worst Case Scenario is a bit different from her other books, we spend some time inside the airplane right before impact, but most of the book takes place on the ground, inside the town lines of Waketa, Minnesota. It added a completely new spin on the “locked room trope.”

There was a lot seethed into this 336-page roller coaster of a book, but my favorite storyline involved Connor. The whole situation involving this kid made me a nervous, emotional mess, and I left crying, biting off what very few nails I had left, and hoping Newman didn’t do the unthinkable.

Needless to say, when I finished Worst Case Scenario, I needed a nap.

Read if you enjoy:

💨 Face paced

💥 Action-packed

🧩 Problem-solving

🥺 Emotional stories

I recommend reading The Worst Case Scenario when you have an entire day free. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop.

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