chaptersofchase's Reviews (1.12k)

Marple: Twelve New Mysteries

4.0

mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Loveable characters: Yes

Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy of Marple. {partner}

Genre: Short Stories
Trope: Mystery
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 9.13.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

“Revenge and settling of scores. That’s another thing one finds a great deal of in a small, out-of-the-way places.”

Are you looking for a new mystery to read this fall but don’t have much time to devote to reading? Then you’ll want to check out this new collection of short stories written by 12 sleuth-savvy authors!

For someone who hasn’t read many short stories, I enjoyed picking a new mystery to read each night before bed. Most in this collection come in around 35-ish pages and offer the same whip-smart Mrs. Marple that Agatha Christie created years ago. My favorite from this book has to be ‘The Jade Express’ from Jean Kwok 🤩

My only complaint is for personal reasons: I can’t get into short stories, especially when it comes from an Agatha Christie-Esque writing style — she pacts a myriad of characters into her stories. I need more character development and time spent putting together puzzle pieces in my stories.

However, I still marveled at how this collection of authors crafted their stories so that it felt like Ms. Christie was the author. On several occasions, I had to remind myself that this was not written by her but by several different authors. Marple deserves a round of applause for that.

🕵🏽‍♀️ Brilliant introduction to the world of Agatha Christie
✍🏼 Written by 12 phenomenal mystery authors
📖 Each story is 35ish pages
🍂 Perfect for Fall mystery reading

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The Hotel Nantucket

Elin Hilderbrand

4.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Hotel Nantucket 🔑

Genre: Fiction
Trope: Chick lit
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.14.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy on not fighting the old, but building the new."

Hotel Nantucket is my first official Elin Hilderbrand book, and if all of her books are like this one, then I need to get reading! It was the perfect book to end my summer.

I fell head over heels for this beautiful hotel and all of its occupants (even the ones I tried so hard not to like). But, the one character that truly captured my heart was Grace. I know, shocking, I'm attached to the story's ghost. But I can't help it (as long as the spirit is friendly). Did anyone else read Hotel Nantucket and love Grace? I loved the omniscient presence that she added to the story.

I relished all of the descriptions EH provided of the hotel; I could practically see it coming to life on the pages. I'd love to know if the hotel is based on an actual hotel the author has visited.

I was set on this being an easy 5-star read, but the last 10% of the book is why I dropped it half a star. Some unnecessary drama erupted between the characters; yes, one thing I did see coming, but other drama just felt like it was added for drama's sake. Besides this one hiccup, Hotel Nantucket was a delight to read!

🤩 Likable characters (even those you don't want to like)
😍 Beautiful descriptions of an exquisite hotel
👻 Grace the Ghost
💨 Rushed ending
🎭 Lots of drama
🏝 Perfect book to finish out your summer!

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A Shoe Story

Jane L. Rosen

4.5

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the gifted copy of A Shoe Story by Jane L Rosen. {partner} 👠

Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 6.8.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

“Every pair of shoes tells a story.”

I most definitely binged this book in 5 hours and 45 minutes! I chose to listen to the audio as I had a lot of things I needed to accomplish, but A Shoe Story gave me just the motivation needed to get it all done (and then some)!

I truly felt like I was listening to a friend tell me her story. I loved Esme, Sy, and Zach. They were all such lovable characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them on a different level. Sy added such a unique aspect to the story - it almost gave it a historical fiction vibe as he recounted his time during the war to Esme.

This story may have centered around the potential for a second chance with the previous love of Esme's life, but it also gave me a front-row seat to watching her friendship with Zach bloom into something more.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a tried and true friends to lovers story, but this was it for me. The purity of their appreciation for one another radiated off the pages.

But, the undertone of the book was undoubtedly Esme taking back control over her life after years of giving everything up for her family. The ending of A Shoe Story was precisely what I wanted for Esme.

🗽NYC setting
🫶🏼 Second Chance with Friends to Lovers
❤️ Sy
💯 Audiobook
🥰 Feel good story

I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the author, Jane L Rosen, for sending me an autographed (and personalized) copy of A Shoe Story along with some incredible treats from NYC. 😘

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Heard It in a Love Song: A Novel

Tracey Garvis Graves

4.0

emotional inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for the gifted copy of Heard it in a Love Song. {partner}

Genre: Romance
Trope: Friends to Lovers
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 11.9.2021
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

"As women, when we start hiding our truth from other people, especially the people who should be aware of it the most, that's when we give them the power to diminish it."

For some reason, it's taken me almost a year to read this book, and I'm so glad I did! Heard it in a Love Song might be listed as a 'romance', but in my opinion, it's more about learning to let go. While there is a focus on the relationship between Layla and Josh, there is a focus on their previous marriages and the ways they went wrong. Oddly, it made me appreciate the story even more.

Speaking of, I chose to listen to this book over reading it, and I did enjoy the audiobook, but I struggled with the transitions from past to present. For some reason, it wasn't made abundantly clear to me. Several times, I had to rewind the audio because I was confused about whether we were in the past or present. However, when the characters reminisce in the book, it is indicated through italicized front. When listening to an audiobook, do you need a clear indicator of when the storyline is flipping from past to present, or is that just me?

Heard it in a Love Song is a slow-burn story. By the 40% mark, I didn't feel like much had happened besides a retelling of their pasts. Again, maybe that was the point of the book. I saw that the song Landslide inspired this book, and I can see that.

✌🏼 Told in third person with alternating perspectives
⏳ Past & Present
🫶🏼 More about learning to let go
🎶 Musical references
🐌 Slowww burn
🥰 Both characters are lovable

Overall, I did enjoy reading Heard it in a Love Song. I especially loved the references to some of my favorite music - it helped to bring the story to life.

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The Making of Her

Bernadette Jiwa

3.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you, Dutton Books, for the gifted copy of The Making of Her. {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 8.9.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

“Words alone change nothing. Promises were broken as easily as they were made.”

This debut novel from Bernadette Jiwa focuses primarily on Joan Egan as she comes to terms with the decisions that she’s made and the path that her life has taken.

I fell right into step with the Jiwa’s effortless writing style, and before I knew it, I’d read 120 pages of The Making of Her. I was taken aback by the story and the authentic history that came from 1960s Ireland.

I carried right along with the book until the last 40% of the book, when the storyline began to slow. It might have been that I felt it was a bit too predictable - I had a feeling as to the direction the book would go, and I think I just needed a little more.

While I was happy to see that some amends could be made, I struggled with the wishy-washy feelings of one of the characters (not giving anything away). I understand that there had been past hurt and resentment, but it seemed cruel to continue to blame someone for a mistake that wasn’t entirely their fault. This lack of reconciliation left me wanting as I closed the book's last page.

💪🏼 Strength of mother/daughter relationships
🇮🇪 Set in Ireland
✨ Debut Novel
🗣 Character-driven
✌🏼 Dual Narrative & Dual Timeline

Overall, I would say that The Making of Her is the perfect book for those of you who love historical fiction who aren’t necessarily looking for a historical fiction story to read but rather a book that focuses heavily on relationships. I’m looking forward to reading the next book that Bernadette Jiwa writes!

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Wrong Place Wrong Time

Gillian McAllister

5.0

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Thank you, William Morrow Books, for the gifted copy of Wrong Place, Wrong Time {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 8.2.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Y'all, Wrong Place, Wrong Time was an absolute THRILL RIDE!

I'm not kidding when I tell you that this book had me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing or speculating what was going to happen, and I was wrong, so so so wrong. I started with reading Wrong Place, Wrong until I got the hang of the story, but then I picked up the audio (thank you, @harperaudio 🎧 ) so I could listen while working around the house. When I got to the last 20 minutes of the book, I was lying in bed while my husband slept, listening as everything was revealed.

Time travel in books can be complicated, but going backward in time each chapter? So much more complex, and McAllister executed it all seamlessly. I would love to go back and reread the book, so I can fully appreciate her writing.

Gillian McAllister did a spectacular job dropping clues throughout the story. As the reader, we were privy to more information and clues than the characters, making the book that much more enjoyable.

😱 Thrill ride
🎧 Addicting audiobook
🤩 Part mystery, science-fiction & family drama
⏳ Time travel perfection
🔎 The clues provided were phenomenal
🤯 Gasp out loud moments

If you didn't realize it, I highly recommend reading/listening to this book. Wrong Place, Wrong Time was chosen as an August Reeses Book Club pick, and it may end up being my favorite 2022 pick from her.

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Us Against You

Fredrik Backman

4.5

emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Us Against You Review 🏒

Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 6.15.2018
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"Deep down inside most of us would like all stories to be simple, because we want real life to be like that, too. But communities are like ice, not water. They don't suddenly flow in new directions because you ask them to, they change inch by inch, like glaciers."

I went from Beartown and dove straight into Us Against You. Both books I chose to listen to, and both books left me with varying impressions. While I didn’t love the second book as much as the first, it was still enjoyable.

So, let's talk about what I liked about the second installment of the Beartown series and what I didn't love 👇🏼

I thought it was easy to pick back up after Beartown; I think Us Against You started 2 months after the first book finished? So, not much time had passed. All of the same characters were present (minus one family), and there were some new additions, but I didn't struggle with who was who as much as I did in the first book.

Us Against You is more about what happens to the town after the first book's events and how the cracks are still forming among the people who have called Beartown home. Many moments throughout this book left me more emotional than the first one, as I could see how one event changed an entire town, but to go into details about this would give some of the plot away.

One issue I did have with the beginning of this book is that I felt I was kicked around a lot between different characters and their perspectives. One paragraph was from Kira's POV, while the following might've been from Benji's. But, by the 100th page, everything felt like an even pace.

🏘 Small town corruption
👥 Same characters from Beartown (with a few additions)
🏒 Less hockey centered
🥺 A more emotional read
😭 Aftermath of an event

If you enjoy character-rich books, then I recommend Us Against You. But, you need to read Beartown first, or you will be all kinds of confused.

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Content Warnings

Daisy Darker

Alice Feeney

4.0

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Book Review || Daisy Darker

Genre: Mystery
Trope: Isolated/Locked Room
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 8.30.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

"Fear is something we have to feel to learn and learn to feel."

Wow! I did not anticipate the end of this book. I was stunned, and after going back to read certain pages, I am still kicking myself for not noticing what was going on.

I spent most of this one feeling disinterested and slightly miffed because I knew the story's direction. There was a point when I debated just putting it down and picking up something else. Why?

Daisy Darker seemed to be one I've read 50 times - a family is stranded on their family estate due to hazardous weather, and slowly, one by one, they die. Leaving the reader and characters guessing who the killer might be. I also didn't love the flashback chapters as they were sometimes dull and didn't always go with the book. But, I kept reading because Feeney is one of my favorite mystery authors, and I refused to give up.

When the twist was revealed, I was shocked and happy that I had kept reading and finished the book. I also vowed to be a little more invested in the next mystery I read.

🗺 Map of the house
🧐Unreliable characters
😤 Unlikeable characters (bratty, entitled, rude)
⏮ Flashback chapters
🤯 Surprising twist

❌ - death of horses (page 126-129)

I recommend adding this to your reading list; it makes for a perfect rainy day read where you can get lost in the pages and be surprised with twisty endings.

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Content Warnings

Beartown

Fredrik Backman

5.0

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Let's talk about Beartown 👇🏼

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖🎧
Pub Date: 4.25.2017
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"The only thing the sport gives us are moments. But, what the hell is life apart from moments?"

Beartown- you either love it, or you don't.

Up until recently, I was in the latter category. In 2020, I started the book and then quickly DNF. The hockey references were too much, and good grief, there were too many characters. But, after a classic case of FOMO, I decided to give the book another try this year, and now I'm officially in the category of 'love it.'

I got over the hockey references fairly quickly this round and made a character cheat sheet that I referenced whenever I was confused. Creating the character key helped me better understand who was who and their relation to one another, allowing me to appreciate the story.

Let me be clear; this book is not as hockey centered as the first 50 pages lead me to believe. The heart of this story is about the decisions we make, the people we love, and the influences (good and bad) people can have on our lives.

Through Backman's incredible writing and character development, I became attached to these fictional people and wanted nothing but the best for their lives. I was angry at the town for allowing the events to occur and for not standing up for one of their own.

Once the story's turning point occurs, the book becomes impossible to put down.

💯 Character development
🏒 A hockey-obsessed town but not all about hockey
👌🏼 Audiobook
🗣 Third person omniscient narrator

Don't be fooled; this story is heavy. There are a lot of triggers throughout the novel - suicide, rape (graphic, imo), alcohol abuse, and victim blaming.

______

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Content Warnings

Some of It Was Real

Nan Fischer

4.5

emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the gifted copy of Some of It Was Real. 🔮 {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Trope: Romance/Mystery
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 7.26.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

"If someone you loved met a violent end or suffered an illness before passing, that wasn't their life. It was all the years before then - every joy, celebration, adventure, and love. Death is only a moment."

I went into Some of It Was Real thinking it would mainly be a romance — I was very wrong. The first 100 pages of this book had an exceptional tense undertone. I kept telling myself, 'one more chapter, one more chapter,' until I finally had to force myself to put the book down. But, once I had set the book down, I wanted to pick it up again and see where the story would take me.

Psychics and mediums have always been an interest of mine. Do I know that there are fakes out there who scam people? Yes. But, I think there are people out there who are authentic. So, amongst all the drama of this story, I was still cheering for Sylvie.

As for the characters, I loved Sylvie. I knew she came with a lot of baggage (her parents treat her terribly), but I still liked her. I didn't love Thomas; he was too wishy-washy for me. I wanted him to either get on with it or get over it. But, the stars of the show? They were Moose and Chris (dog and cat). They were my favorites, and I was a mess reading the chapters that focused on Chris' health decline.

🔎 Tense - more of a mystery than I expected
😤🥰 Enemies to lovers romance
📖 One more chapter.. one more chapter
🐕🐈 Chris & Moose

❌ - This story deals with death (of all kinds), but the most brutal chapter for me was losing Chris (no spoiler, you know it's coming from the first encounter). The death of an animal is never easy, especially when that animal has been with us for almost our whole life.

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Content Warnings

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