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chaptersofchase's Reviews (1.12k)
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We're back with GUP! Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of The Guncle Abroad. {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโโ
Pub Date: 5.21.2024
Star Rating: โโโโ
"If you have good dishes, use those dishes for a meal with someone you care about. If you have nice shoes, but are afraid to get them dirty, wear the good shoes and complete your outfit. Finer things. Don't save them for a day that may never come. Enjoy them with someone you love now."
There's not much to say about this one that has yet to be said. Steven Rowley is a master at showing the ways that grief changes our lives for years to come and what it looks like for all those who have lost someone they loved dearly. Rowley does so with care and manages to make his readers' lives even while they have tears in their eyes.
While The Guncle Abroad hit differently than The Guncle, it was still just as special a story, and I'm glad Patrick O'Hara got to have his own happy ending.
If you have the opportunity, I strongly recommend experiencing 'The Guncle Abroad' through the audiobook. There's a certain magic in hearing an author narrate their own work. Patrick O'Hard's voice brings the characters to life, and his delivery is filled with genuine emotion. It's as if you're reading the story exactly as the author intended, adding a whole new layer of depth to the experience.
_
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dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Thank you, Flatiron Books, for the gifted copy of When We Were Silent {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: ๐ง๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ.5
Pub Date: 5.21.2024
Star Rating: โโโ
"We all have them, our secrets and half-truths, the memories that rage in the delirium of night. Some of us will take them to our graves. Some of us already have."
I can't say I didn't know what I was getting into when I picked up When We Were Silent, but I must remember that these stories are not for me. I understand the importance of sharing them with the world, but they aren't for me.
There was so much about this book that made it difficult to pick upโfrom the unsettling storyline to the overall pacing. I'm so thankful I received When We Were Silent in audio as well as the physical book because the narrator, India Mullen, made the story easier to read.
If you do decide to read When We Were Silent, please know that the premise of the story is about a school covering up their coach's grooming, sexually assaulting, and raping their athletes.
๐๐ผ Debut novel
โ๐ผ Dual timelines
๐ Pacing was off
๐๐ผ Audiobook narration
I recommend reading When We Were Silent if you enjoyed reading My Dark Vanessa.
_
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Letโs jet set to paradise โ๏ธ_
Thank you, Gallery Books, for the gifted copy of The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren {partner}
Genre: Romance
Trope: Marriage of Convenience/Forced Proximity
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.14.2024
Star Rating: โโโโ
โI realize, just before we touch, that heโs about to erase everything I know about the act of kissing.โ
Itโs been a minute since I read a Christina Lauren book, but Iโve been seeing glowing reviews for The Paradise Problem, so I decided to give it a shot! It was definitely an entertaining relief and provided a bit of an escape from reality.
Initially, I wasnโt sure if the FMC, Anna, would ever grow on me. She was giving me secondhand embarrassment at first, but she quickly grew on me, and I ended up loving the realness she added to the story. Anna is one of those people that Iโd love to have for support when things go sideways because she always seems to have the back of those she loves.
The only thing that kept me from absolutely loving this book was the plot, which was a little over the top and hard to believe. There were also a handful of very unlikable characters (but I know thatโs just part of the story). Otherwise, it was enjoyable and would make a great summer binge-read!
๐คฉ Fun banter
๐ง Audiobook made me love it
๐ซ OTT plot
๐
๐ฝโโ๏ธ Toxic, unlikable family
I recommend reading The Paradise Problem if you want to escape from your backyard and travel somewhere fun!
-
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emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
And my sports romance era continues with The Dixon Rule ๐
Genre: Romance
Trope: enemies to lovers
Format: ๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.14.2024
Star Rating: โโโโโ
โDiana and I have a love-hate relationship. As in, she hates me, and I love to annoy her.โ
I love a romance that provides a couple to cheer on from the very beginning. Shane and Diana had the chemistry you hope for in a relationship - sure, they bickered and were โenemiesโ at first, but the writing was on the wall that they would be a perfect fit. They both showed so much character growth throughout the book that the ending left me feeling like I had watched as two people grew into exactly who they were meant to be. And a huge plus to this book? There is no third-act break-up, but a couple working together to get through a difficult situation.
What I was not prepared for in The Dixon Rule were the side stories that Elle Kennedy wrote for Diane and Shane involving Dianaโs ex-boyfriend and then the one involving Shaneโs father. Both stories took my heart and broke it right in half. Crying was not on my Elle Kennedy Bingo Card, but it happened.
๐ข A roller coaster ride of emotions
๐ฅ Chemistry
๐ Dance competition
๐ฅต Open door romance
I recommend reading The Graham Effect and then the Dixon Rule. Technically, you could just read TDR as a standalone, but I think youโd miss a lot of the backstory involving Diana/Shane and their friends.
_
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Death of parent
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Wellโฆ I just read my first Elle Kennedy book and it was not what I expected.
It was better. So much better. ๐คฉ
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโโ
Pub Date: 10.31.2023
Star Rating: โโโโโ
โI donโt love change, personally. I prefer stability. Once I feel comfortable with somethingโa place, a person, a routineโI want it to last forever. I hate that it never does.โ
Why hasnโt anyone put an Elle Kennedy in my hands and said, โread this right nowโ?? I mean, seriously. I devoured this book. I loved the characters, their chemistry, and all of the open-door romance. I was definitely not prepared for what Kennedy had in store for me, but goodness, was it fun.
Not only was it full of some very steamy scenes, but it was also full of so much heart. The character development was ๐๐ผ I was completely floored by Ryder and all he endured in his life, but what I loved more was how supportive Gigi was of the Prom King. They had fun and picked on one another, but the respect they showed was unmatched, and everyone deserves that type of relationship.
๐ฅต Doors wide open romance
๐ฏ Character development
๐ The chemistry
๐ฅน Viva Las Vegas
I recommend reading The Graham Effect if you are fully prepared to be immersed in Elle Kennedyโs writing. As soon as I finished, I immediately preordered The Dixon Rule and may have already started reading it ๐
_
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It was better. So much better. ๐คฉ
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโโ
Pub Date: 10.31.2023
Star Rating: โโโโโ
โI donโt love change, personally. I prefer stability. Once I feel comfortable with somethingโa place, a person, a routineโI want it to last forever. I hate that it never does.โ
Why hasnโt anyone put an Elle Kennedy in my hands and said, โread this right nowโ?? I mean, seriously. I devoured this book. I loved the characters, their chemistry, and all of the open-door romance. I was definitely not prepared for what Kennedy had in store for me, but goodness, was it fun.
Not only was it full of some very steamy scenes, but it was also full of so much heart. The character development was ๐๐ผ I was completely floored by Ryder and all he endured in his life, but what I loved more was how supportive Gigi was of the Prom King. They had fun and picked on one another, but the respect they showed was unmatched, and everyone deserves that type of relationship.
๐ฅต Doors wide open romance
๐ฏ Character development
๐ The chemistry
๐ฅน Viva Las Vegas
I recommend reading The Graham Effect if you are fully prepared to be immersed in Elle Kennedyโs writing. As soon as I finished, I immediately preordered The Dixon Rule and may have already started reading it ๐
_
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Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
โญ๏ธFIVE STARS โญ๏ธ
Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Summer Romance {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration:โโโโโ
Pub Date: 6.4.2024
Star Rating: โโโโโ
I was unprepared to cry while reading a book called' Summer Romance' with a bright, beautiful cover โ but there I was crying. Several times. What's the last book that made you cry?
Summer Romance truly surprised me in all the best possible ways, and it was precisely what I needed to read. I love a story that manages to pull on your heart but also makes you laugh. These are the types of stories that feel the most real.
Ali was such a relatable character. She was trying to climb what seemed to be a never-ending mountain of change (the death of her mother and a divorce); she was trying to show the world that she could put on her hard pants and do the hard things. I cheered her on from that very first paragraph. Ethan's character also felt so real. I loved the kindness and respect he showed Ali (and her three children). Ali and Ethan's chemistry was perfect, and I didn't want the book to end.
๐ง๐ฝโโ๏ธSingle, newly divorced mom
๐น Skater boy + attorney
๐ซถ๐ผ Comfort read
๐ฅน Be prepared to cry
๐ค๐ผ Read the author's note
I wholeheartedly recommend adding Summer Romance to your summer reading list. But just be prepared: Once you start reading, you better be very comfortable because you won't want to move until you've devoured the whole book.
_
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Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Summer Romance {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration:โโโโโ
Pub Date: 6.4.2024
Star Rating: โโโโโ
I was unprepared to cry while reading a book called' Summer Romance' with a bright, beautiful cover โ but there I was crying. Several times. What's the last book that made you cry?
Summer Romance truly surprised me in all the best possible ways, and it was precisely what I needed to read. I love a story that manages to pull on your heart but also makes you laugh. These are the types of stories that feel the most real.
Ali was such a relatable character. She was trying to climb what seemed to be a never-ending mountain of change (the death of her mother and a divorce); she was trying to show the world that she could put on her hard pants and do the hard things. I cheered her on from that very first paragraph. Ethan's character also felt so real. I loved the kindness and respect he showed Ali (and her three children). Ali and Ethan's chemistry was perfect, and I didn't want the book to end.
๐ง๐ฝโโ๏ธSingle, newly divorced mom
๐น Skater boy + attorney
๐ซถ๐ผ Comfort read
๐ฅน Be prepared to cry
๐ค๐ผ Read the author's note
I wholeheartedly recommend adding Summer Romance to your summer reading list. But just be prepared: Once you start reading, you better be very comfortable because you won't want to move until you've devoured the whole book.
_
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mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Thank you, Macmillan Audio + Minotaur Books, for the gifted copy of If Something Happens to Me {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Trope: Missing Girl
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.8.2024
Star Rating: โโโ
Dang it! I desperately wanted to like this one. I started it on my Kindle and was feeling meh about the storyline, so I started the audio. While the audio was entertaining, there was just too much going on. It was fast-paced and twisty, but it almost pulled me in too many directions, ultimately making the plot too far-fetched and unbelievable. Because I am who I am, I figured out where the story was headed from a fairly early point, but I didn't enjoy the path the author took to get there.
๐จ Fast-paced
๐ Multi-layer story
๐ Twisty plot
๐ฃ๏ธ Multiple POV
โ ๏ธ Torture and extreme bullying of a teenager
My opinion on this book might not be popular, but that's the beauty of reading, not every book is meant for everyone. If you're a fan of high-octane, action-packed stories, then If Something Happens to Me might be your cup of tea.
_
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Genre: Mystery
Trope: Missing Girl
Format: ๐ง
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.8.2024
Star Rating: โโโ
Dang it! I desperately wanted to like this one. I started it on my Kindle and was feeling meh about the storyline, so I started the audio. While the audio was entertaining, there was just too much going on. It was fast-paced and twisty, but it almost pulled me in too many directions, ultimately making the plot too far-fetched and unbelievable. Because I am who I am, I figured out where the story was headed from a fairly early point, but I didn't enjoy the path the author took to get there.
๐จ Fast-paced
๐ Multi-layer story
๐ Twisty plot
๐ฃ๏ธ Multiple POV
โ ๏ธ Torture and extreme bullying of a teenager
My opinion on this book might not be popular, but that's the beauty of reading, not every book is meant for everyone. If you're a fan of high-octane, action-packed stories, then If Something Happens to Me might be your cup of tea.
_
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Torture
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hereโs some Sage Advice - read this book ๐ซถ๐ผ
Thank you, St Martins Press, for the gifted copy of Savor It {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐
Pub Date: 5.21.2024
Star Rating: โโโโโ
Savor It is one of those books that I know my review wonโt be able to capture how much I loved it.
But just listen to me when I say that itโs a must-read because it was absolute perfection. I canโt tell you how many times I laughed and criedโsometimes both at the same time. I donโt know how Tarah Dewitt managed to do it, but she created the PERFECT romance. I usually save a few quotes while reading, but in Savor It, I saved entire paragraphs so I could go back and savor (yes) the words later.
I loved how fiercely Sage lived her life, and I recognized myself (and also the ways I hope to be) within her chapter. Sheโs literally living my dreamโsmall town, big garden, flower patch, animal rescue. I just need to convince my husband to start fixing five-course meals, and Iโll be set. Oh! I also need a rescued Goose, a mini donkey, and two Nigerian Dwarf Goats.
๐ฅฐ Fisher
๐๏ธ Small town
๐คฉ All the animals
๐ฅน The emotions
๐ Sagebyrd
I highly recommend adding Savor It to your reading list; you wonโt regret it.
_
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Thank you, St Martins Press, for the gifted copy of Savor It {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: ๐
Pub Date: 5.21.2024
Star Rating: โโโโโ
Savor It is one of those books that I know my review wonโt be able to capture how much I loved it.
But just listen to me when I say that itโs a must-read because it was absolute perfection. I canโt tell you how many times I laughed and criedโsometimes both at the same time. I donโt know how Tarah Dewitt managed to do it, but she created the PERFECT romance. I usually save a few quotes while reading, but in Savor It, I saved entire paragraphs so I could go back and savor (yes) the words later.
I loved how fiercely Sage lived her life, and I recognized myself (and also the ways I hope to be) within her chapter. Sheโs literally living my dreamโsmall town, big garden, flower patch, animal rescue. I just need to convince my husband to start fixing five-course meals, and Iโll be set. Oh! I also need a rescued Goose, a mini donkey, and two Nigerian Dwarf Goats.
๐ฅฐ Fisher
๐๏ธ Small town
๐คฉ All the animals
๐ฅน The emotions
๐ Sagebyrd
I highly recommend adding Savor It to your reading list; you wonโt regret it.
_
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fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one is for all of those who have had truly terrible bosses... ๐
Thank you, Macmillan Audio + Flatiron Books, for the gifted copy of Very Bad Company {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: ๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.14.2024
Star Rating: โโ.5
There is something to be said for an author who can create unlikeable and entertaining characters. However, for this reader, it's also essential for the author to give their readers someone to root for. The balance of the unlikeable and likable usually makes up for a character's bad behavior. Unfortunately, for Very Bad Company, a character to root for did not exist. I had one that I semi-liked, but then she let me down in the end.
However, the author did an incredible job of combining my three worst bosses into one character ๐๐ผ I believe the author, Emma Rosenblum, is talented and can craft an entertaining story. Still, this one just left me wanting somethingโฆ more.
๐ค Characters behaving badly
๐ฃ๏ธ Multiple POV
๐คท๐ฝโโ๏ธ Entertaining but predictable
๐ฅด Cringe-worthy moments
๐ฏ January Lavoy narration
I say this lightly (because it's one of my favorite movies), but I recommend reading Very Bad Company if you enjoyed watching The Glass Onion. Remember, there's no Detective Benoit Blanc or Andi Brand to root for ๐
______
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Thank you, Macmillan Audio + Flatiron Books, for the gifted copy of Very Bad Company {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: ๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 5.14.2024
Star Rating: โโ.5
There is something to be said for an author who can create unlikeable and entertaining characters. However, for this reader, it's also essential for the author to give their readers someone to root for. The balance of the unlikeable and likable usually makes up for a character's bad behavior. Unfortunately, for Very Bad Company, a character to root for did not exist. I had one that I semi-liked, but then she let me down in the end.
However, the author did an incredible job of combining my three worst bosses into one character ๐๐ผ I believe the author, Emma Rosenblum, is talented and can craft an entertaining story. Still, this one just left me wanting somethingโฆ more.
๐ค Characters behaving badly
๐ฃ๏ธ Multiple POV
๐คท๐ฝโโ๏ธ Entertaining but predictable
๐ฅด Cringe-worthy moments
๐ฏ January Lavoy narration
I say this lightly (because it's one of my favorite movies), but I recommend reading Very Bad Company if you enjoyed watching The Glass Onion. Remember, there's no Detective Benoit Blanc or Andi Brand to root for ๐
______
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medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the gifted copy of Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies. {partner}
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Setting: Italy
Format: ๐ง๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 4.30.2024
Star Rating: โโโ
I wanted to love this book - a cozy mystery set in Italy? Sign me up! But, unfortunately, it fell flat.
To begin with, I started it on my Kindle, and the footnotes made it almost impossible to read. Footnotes in historical books provide interesting details or source information, but footnotes in a cozy mystery? They just offered unnecessary commentary. So, I decided to switch to the audio. Sure, the footnotes were more bearable as they seemed like babbling interruptions to the story. But that was the issue; they were interruptions. So many times, something exciting was about to happen, and the FMC would interrupt the scene with idle chat, and then we would never return to the excitement. Some of the added dialogue was funny, so that's a plus.
Then the characters? The only one who was likable was Oliver. The others grated on my last nerve - they felt so elitist that I spent most of the book rolling my eyes at their ridiculous and immature antics. If that was what the author was aiming for, then bravo. But they didnโt work for me.
๐๐ผ Unlikable characters
๐ Footnotes
๐ Funny
๐ฃ๏ธ Breaks the fourth wall
๐ฎ๐น Setting
I believe this will end up being a series, and will I continue reading? You bet I will because maybe the next book will be better. Plus, everyone deserves a second chance.
_
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Genre: Cozy Mystery
Setting: Italy
Format: ๐ง๐
Audiobook Narration: โโโโ
Pub Date: 4.30.2024
Star Rating: โโโ
I wanted to love this book - a cozy mystery set in Italy? Sign me up! But, unfortunately, it fell flat.
To begin with, I started it on my Kindle, and the footnotes made it almost impossible to read. Footnotes in historical books provide interesting details or source information, but footnotes in a cozy mystery? They just offered unnecessary commentary. So, I decided to switch to the audio. Sure, the footnotes were more bearable as they seemed like babbling interruptions to the story. But that was the issue; they were interruptions. So many times, something exciting was about to happen, and the FMC would interrupt the scene with idle chat, and then we would never return to the excitement. Some of the added dialogue was funny, so that's a plus.
Then the characters? The only one who was likable was Oliver. The others grated on my last nerve - they felt so elitist that I spent most of the book rolling my eyes at their ridiculous and immature antics. If that was what the author was aiming for, then bravo. But they didnโt work for me.
๐๐ผ Unlikable characters
๐ Footnotes
๐ Funny
๐ฃ๏ธ Breaks the fourth wall
๐ฎ๐น Setting
I believe this will end up being a series, and will I continue reading? You bet I will because maybe the next book will be better. Plus, everyone deserves a second chance.
_
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