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chaptersofchase's Reviews (1.13k)
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Thank you, Forever Books, for gifting me a copy of Part of Your World partner}
Genre: Romance
Pub Date: 4.19.2021
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Genre: Romance
Pub Date: 4.19.2021
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“There is a peace in knowing the one thing you can’t live without. It simplifies all things. There was her, and then there was everything and everyone else. And only she really mattered.”
Every year, I read an Abby Jimenez book, and every year I think, “there is no way she can top this book,” and then the following year, she goes and does just that. But, for some reason, I feel like it’s going to be incredibly difficult for her top Part of Your World. The love exuded from Daniel, Alexis, Brie, and the whole town of Wakan is the type of love that everyone deserves.
A point in the book had me in tears because Daniel’s love for Alexis poured from the pages. It was heartbreaking and honest. I’m lucky enough to have a Daniel in my life, and I felt like Part of Your World emphasized that for me on so many levels.
In true Abby Jimenez style, she had me rolling with laughter picturing baby goats in pajamas and dogs running around knocking things over. There were plenty of moments of hilarious, laugh-out-loud dialogue as well.
“I’d follow a clown into a storm drain if he had a baby goat in pajamas.”
Abby Jimenez tackled some tough topics within the pages of this book, but she did so with respect and love. It was never overwhelming, but it felt natural, and it is something that far too many people have survived — domestic violence. If you have any questions about what is depicted in this story, please reach out to me.
“Love follows you. It goes where you go. It doesn’t know about social divides or distance, or common sense. It doesn’t even stop when the person you love dies. It does what it wants.”
There was truly nothing that I didn’t love about this book. It was perfection, and as soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to start again immediately.
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emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you, Penguin Random House, for the gifted copy of Black Cake! {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Trope: Multi-Generational Story
Pub Date: 2.1.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Genre: Fiction
Trope: Multi-Generational Story
Pub Date: 2.1.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
"Sometimes, the stories we don't tell people about ourselves matter even more than the things we do say."
What an incredible debut novel! Charmaine Wilkerson should be so proud of herself and the hard work/love that she poured into each chapter of this novel. Black Cake is full of one family's exploration of their mother's secrets hidden from them until after her death.
"Everything is connected to everything else if you only go far enough back in time."
I was floored by all of the research and Wilkerson's characters while telling this story. At first, I was a little overwhelmed — there were a lot of characters to keep track of and different storylines to follow, but as I read more, the easier it became to follow.
Eleanor Bennett's story is a multi-generational tale that will likely resonate with many immigrants and their families as they struggle to find their footing in a world that could be very unforgiving.
Overall, Black Cake was an incredible debut filled with stories of sorrow, hope, determination, forgiveness, and lots of love. I recommend it to all of you who love an excellent multi-generational tale.
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emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
“For believers in true, epic, soul-shattering love. This one’s for you.”
Genre: YA
Trope: Romance
Pub Date: 3.15.16
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“I didn’t know why, but capturing moments, fascinated me. Maybe it was because all we get are moments. There are no do-overs; whatever happens in a moment defines a life — perhaps it is life.”
For those of you who are going to add A Thousand Boy Kisses to your reading list after reading this review, remember - I warned you, you will cry a lot. A Thousand Boy Kisses will leave you in a puddle of tears on more than just one occasion, and the ending? Yeah, the ending is going to hurt a lot.
I decided to read this book listening to three of my friends talk about how heartbreakingly beautiful it is, and they were correct. Everyone deserves a lot like Rune and Poppy. It’s a love that will outlast all other loves and lifetimes.
I usually stray away from YA romances as they can be a little mushy-gushy, and while A Thousand Boy Kisses has those moments, I never felt like it wasn’t genuine. I would love to see this story made into a movie/tv series, but I also know that I would need to watch it alone because my sobbing will likely ruin it for everyone else.
I have so many more things I wanted to say about this story, but I’m worried I’ll end up giving too much away. Just know that I am so glad I read this book and that Poppy and Rune’s love will stay with me for a long, long time.
I recommend you read A Thousand Boy Kisses if you enjoyed crying for hours during The Notebook, Fault in Our Stars, and A Walk to Remember.
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challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
BOOK REVIEW ✨
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 1.29.2018
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 1.29.2018
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
"But home isn't where you land; home is where you launch. You can't pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you get five cards. Three of them you can swap out, but two are yours to keep: family and native land."
I've had An American Marriage on my reading list for some time now, but I kept pushing it farther back on my reading list. I decided to pick it up for February and read/listen to it through my library.
I want to tell you that I loved this book. On some level, I did. I think what I loved most was the absolute, brutal honesty portrayed by every character. In the beginning, it felt like all of the characters (mainly Roy and Celestial) were tripping over one another, hiding feelings, trying to bury them beneath some facade that they needed to keep.
But, when real-life hit, honesty was the only thing they could give one another. I'm not going to lie; I found myself incredibly frustrated with Celestial and the decision she made after her and Roy's lives were turned upside down. But, once the story was over, I understood her more. I understood all of them - Roy, Celestial, Andre... every one of them.
"Much of life is timing and circumstance, I see that now."
An American Marriage was not a happy story. But, I knew that going in. However, it was an honest one, and sometimes, that's the only thing you can hope for when reading a story.
If you haven't had a chance to pick this one up, I highly recommend doing so; the audiobook was excellent as the narrators portrayed all of the emotions so well.
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dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you, Minotaur Books, for gifting me a copy of The Night Shift {partner}
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Trope: Serial Killer
Pub Date: 3.1.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Trope: Serial Killer
Pub Date: 3.1.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5
"All these years, he was a monster in plain sight."
How could I pass up reading the opportunity to read a book about a serial killer set during the '90s in a video store? I mean, come on? It has slasher films written all over it. The concept for the story might not be original, but I've always found these types of books to be fun and a relatively quick read.
The Night Shift was a quick read — when paired with the short chapters and multiple perspectives, I was constantly finding myself wanting to know more.
However, there were some aspects to the story that I didn't necessarily love. One of the main characters, Agent Keller, was desperate to find the person (or persons) responsible for the heinous crime in the video store and then the ice cream shop. However, Agent Keller was eight months pregnant… with twins. Now, I'm not saying that someone pregnant isn't capable of tracking down a serial killer, but Agent Keller put herself in harm's way a few too many times. There is absolutely nothing about this part of the story that felt genuine or believable. It made her chapters a little harder to enjoy.
🩸 Serial killer
🔪 90's slasher-movie-vibes
📖 Short chapters
🕵🏽♀️ Multiple perspectives
🔁 Character connections
😕 Epilogue was a letdown
I recommend reading The Night Shift if you enjoyed Final Girls by Riley Sager.
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dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Thank you, Atria Books, for gifting me a copy of Beneath the Stairs {partner}
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Pub Date: 2.22.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆
I started this book before bed one night, and as soon as the Octagon House made its appearance, I had to shut the book and pick it up in the daylight. The beginning was challenging as it was a lot slower than I anticipated, but that was mainly due to the author setting the backstory for the house and its previous occupants. While it took me a bit to get into the story, I anxiously awaited the chapters centered around the Octagon House as they were terrifying.
There were aspects to the story that I didn’t love: The ‘mean girl’ vibe from the chapters from 1998 was over the top and made me roll my eyes, but they were a relatively accurate representation of just how terrible girls can be. Then there was the storyline involving the main character Clare and her husband Josh — in my opinion, it’s a backstory that I see too often in thrillers.
🕰 Multiple timelines (1936, 1965, 1998, present)
🏚 Terrifying house with all kinds of secrets
🐌 Slow to start
🙃 Predictable, but interesting ending
❌- Domestic violence, cancer, graphic miscarriage (probably one of the worst I’ve read)
Overall, it was an exciting story that kept my attention and gave me lots of goosebumps - especially when it came to the creepy Octagon House.
If you discovered a sealed door in an abandoned house, would you try to open it? Absolutely not; Beneath the Stairs is precisely why I wouldn’t. In fact, I think I’d leave the whole house alone and never come back.
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Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Pub Date: 2.22.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆
I started this book before bed one night, and as soon as the Octagon House made its appearance, I had to shut the book and pick it up in the daylight. The beginning was challenging as it was a lot slower than I anticipated, but that was mainly due to the author setting the backstory for the house and its previous occupants. While it took me a bit to get into the story, I anxiously awaited the chapters centered around the Octagon House as they were terrifying.
There were aspects to the story that I didn’t love: The ‘mean girl’ vibe from the chapters from 1998 was over the top and made me roll my eyes, but they were a relatively accurate representation of just how terrible girls can be. Then there was the storyline involving the main character Clare and her husband Josh — in my opinion, it’s a backstory that I see too often in thrillers.
🕰 Multiple timelines (1936, 1965, 1998, present)
🏚 Terrifying house with all kinds of secrets
🐌 Slow to start
🙃 Predictable, but interesting ending
❌- Domestic violence, cancer, graphic miscarriage (probably one of the worst I’ve read)
Overall, it was an exciting story that kept my attention and gave me lots of goosebumps - especially when it came to the creepy Octagon House.
If you discovered a sealed door in an abandoned house, would you try to open it? Absolutely not; Beneath the Stairs is precisely why I wouldn’t. In fact, I think I’d leave the whole house alone and never come back.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookend.diner/
Follow my blog: https://thebookenddiner.com/
Follow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/thebookenddiner
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you, Berkley Pub, for gifting me a copy of Weather Girl ⚡️ {partner}
Genre: Romance
Trope: Office Romance
Pub Date: 1.11.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5
Genre: Romance
Trope: Office Romance
Pub Date: 1.11.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5
"That's the thing about depression. You can know it's there, know it's part of you, but you can go ages without seeing it. It lives with you, an invisible roommate."
Do you ever read a book and not feel much for the characters themselves but appreciate the message in the story?
That's me, with the Weather Girl. I didn't feel much for the characters, but the story's underlying message about mental health is what made the book for me. The main character, Ari Abrams, is so many people who struggle with depression and don't let the world know what's going on beneath the surface.
In the author's note, Rachel Lynn Solomon said that Weather Girl was a deeply personal story for her, and I can see that after finishing the story.
🧠 Mental Health awareness
✡️ Jewish Representation
🌩🏈 Unique Rom-Com (my first office romance?)
🥴 Open Door Romance
💙 Love for all body types
I usually try to compare the book I'm reviewing to a book I've already read, but Weather Girl is a unique one.
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alright, it's time for a not-so-popular opinion of a book.
Genre: Romance
Pub Date: 1.25.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆
Before I begin, I have to tell you that I LOVED the Simple Wild series. Jonah is (and always will be) one of my favorite book boyfriends. When the series ended, I was disappointed, but I also understood why it needed to end.
And then K.A. Tucker announced that she would be writing about a different character — one that I had become familiar with in the first books, Marie Lehr. Sure, I thought, let's give it a try.
Running Wild focuses on Marie trying to find herself and, in my opinion, her Jonah replacement. The first chapters start with her pursuit of Jonah and her jealousy of Calla. I think that this got the story off on the wrong foot; it automatically made me feel sorry for Marie in a not-so-good way.
From that point on, I was overwhelmed with moments that made me think, "what the heck is going on." While I liked Tyler's character, and I loved how much Marie/Tyler cared for animals, I liked absolutely nothing about their relationship. It seemed to be more of a rebound story than a love story. And that bar parking lot scene? Talk about cringe.
But, for me, the biggest problem that I have with this book is that there is this underlying tone that if you are single, in your late 30's, and without children, then you are doing something wrong, and you need to get it together and find a spouse soon. Why do female authors have to write stories this way? Why must they write stories that follow a successful and beautiful woman and make her seem desperate and sad, simply because she doesn't have a spouse or children?
For once, I would love it if an author could write a story and not have the main character settled down and pregnant by the end of the book. But, that did not happen, and the whole thing felt like one big cliche.
So, as you can tell, I didn't love this book. I know that I am definitely in the minority here, but oh well. If you choose to read Running Wild, I hope you enjoy the story.
Genre: Romance
Pub Date: 1.25.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆
Before I begin, I have to tell you that I LOVED the Simple Wild series. Jonah is (and always will be) one of my favorite book boyfriends. When the series ended, I was disappointed, but I also understood why it needed to end.
And then K.A. Tucker announced that she would be writing about a different character — one that I had become familiar with in the first books, Marie Lehr. Sure, I thought, let's give it a try.
Running Wild focuses on Marie trying to find herself and, in my opinion, her Jonah replacement. The first chapters start with her pursuit of Jonah and her jealousy of Calla. I think that this got the story off on the wrong foot; it automatically made me feel sorry for Marie in a not-so-good way.
From that point on, I was overwhelmed with moments that made me think, "what the heck is going on." While I liked Tyler's character, and I loved how much Marie/Tyler cared for animals, I liked absolutely nothing about their relationship. It seemed to be more of a rebound story than a love story. And that bar parking lot scene? Talk about cringe.
But, for me, the biggest problem that I have with this book is that there is this underlying tone that if you are single, in your late 30's, and without children, then you are doing something wrong, and you need to get it together and find a spouse soon. Why do female authors have to write stories this way? Why must they write stories that follow a successful and beautiful woman and make her seem desperate and sad, simply because she doesn't have a spouse or children?
For once, I would love it if an author could write a story and not have the main character settled down and pregnant by the end of the book. But, that did not happen, and the whole thing felt like one big cliche.
So, as you can tell, I didn't love this book. I know that I am definitely in the minority here, but oh well. If you choose to read Running Wild, I hope you enjoy the story.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Thank you, Harper Books, for gifting me a copy of Find Me {partner}
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: 1.11.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Find Me is my first book by Alafair Burke, and I plan to go back and read more from her/add her upcoming books to my reading list!
The story took off from the first chapter and kept a steady pace throughout the book's entirety. One of my favorite aspects came from earlier in the book when Burke dropped connections between the characters; things the characters didn’t know were coming their way. It felt like breadcrumbs leading me down a trail.
The only downside to this story is that I started to feel like too much going on? I knew that the stories and cases were connected somehow, but it did overwhelm me trying to keep track of everything. When it was finally revealed, it made more sense and gave me an “ah-ha” moment.
The ending was one that I had suspected, but I enjoyed seeing it play out!
👮🏽 Police procedural element
🧠 Amnesia
🔪 Serial Killer
🕵🏽♀️ Multiple case connections
📖 Page-turner
🙃 Expected, but appreciated ending
❌ - sexual assault
I recommend you read Find Me if you’re a fan of books like Local Woman Missing and Don’t Look For Me.
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: 1.11.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Find Me is my first book by Alafair Burke, and I plan to go back and read more from her/add her upcoming books to my reading list!
The story took off from the first chapter and kept a steady pace throughout the book's entirety. One of my favorite aspects came from earlier in the book when Burke dropped connections between the characters; things the characters didn’t know were coming their way. It felt like breadcrumbs leading me down a trail.
The only downside to this story is that I started to feel like too much going on? I knew that the stories and cases were connected somehow, but it did overwhelm me trying to keep track of everything. When it was finally revealed, it made more sense and gave me an “ah-ha” moment.
The ending was one that I had suspected, but I enjoyed seeing it play out!
👮🏽 Police procedural element
🧠 Amnesia
🔪 Serial Killer
🕵🏽♀️ Multiple case connections
📖 Page-turner
🙃 Expected, but appreciated ending
❌ - sexual assault
I recommend you read Find Me if you’re a fan of books like Local Woman Missing and Don’t Look For Me.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Thank you, William Morrow Books, for gifting me a copy of Shadows of Pecan Hollow {partner}
Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1970’s & 1990’s
Pub Date: 2.8.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1970’s & 1990’s
Pub Date: 2.8.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
“There is no reason to run except that deep inside, she knew she was not free, that had always been the choice, between freedom and longing. He had saved her life, and she belonged to him.”
Shadows of Pecan Hollow is one of those books that I love, but I also have difficulty putting together my thoughts because it made me so uncomfortable. I knew from the beginning that it would not be an easy read, but I don’t think I was prepared for the journey that it would take me on.
There were several very intense and uncomfortable scenes involving the MC. Some scenes were so challenging to read that I felt like I needed to close the book and step away for a moment. Some chapters left me wanting to scream at the unfairness of the situation. I felt like countless scenes had me holding my breath, and they all involved Manny. He made me disgusted, uncomfortable and angry — which are all signs that Caroline Frost is a talented writer, but how could I “enjoy” a story like this?
I’m in awe of all of the details that Frost packed into her story and the characters she created that were full of good and evil.
Instead of my “quick takes,” I feel like aspects of the book that I should warn you about. There are two reasonably graphic depictions of animal cruelty that result in the death of the animals. There is a fairly graphic scene involving an assault of one of the characters. There are also many scenes involving Manny and Kit that depict her mistreatment (grooming, gaslighting, violence). DM me, and I can provide some page numbers if you need more info.
Again, not an easy read, and I can’t say that it left me feeling happy at the end.. maybe hopeful. But, it was an incredible debut from the author, and I look forward to reading what she writes next.
I recommend you read Shadows of Pecan Hollow if you enjoyed reading The Great Alone and Where the Crawdads Sing.