chaptersofchase's reviews
994 reviews

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline

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dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

Stella stole the show ✨

Genre: Fantasy

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 2.7.2023

Pages: 400

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

“What’s the point of a safe landing when you never leave the ground?”

Venco is perfect for those who need a reminder that we are capable of much more than we think.

However, the book overall let me down a bit as it didn’t feel nearly as witchy as I had hoped it would be. I loved the concept of the coven coming together with each new woman that was added, but still, there seemed to be very little magic and a lot of drama. The overall pacing of the book seemed to be off, making it hard to immerse in the book entirely.

While I completely understand that this was intentional, I found the chapters from Jay Christos's perspective to be icky and unnerving—by the end of the book, I ended up skipping them because they were just disturbing.

Read if you enjoy:

💪🏼Strong female protagonists

🔍Mystery

👏🏼Found family

🖤Atmospheric destinations

While I would love to recommend Venco, it just didn’t live up to the hype I had for it. Ultimately, I would recommend reading The Change instead of this one.

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Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

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dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Dark Society + Princeton

Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Society of Lies! {partner}

Genre: Mystery

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 10.1

Pages: 384

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

“How often in the world is silence what allows horrible people to get away with their crimes?”

Society of Lies is one of those perfectly layered mysteries—everything presented to the reader helps to add to the overall air of mystery surrounding what happened to Naomi and just what Maya was involved in all those years ago. It felt perfectly paced, and everything came together for one (or maybe two) big reveal in the end. There were a few over-the-top/unrealistic moments, but overall, it was a hit.

It’s not too often that I find myself attached to a character (especially one we know is dead), but there was something I loved about Naomi’s character. I can’t tell you how many times I hoped she wasn’t dead. The chapters counting down to her last days broke my heart.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

Brie Carter and Chandler Gregoire narrate Society of Lies. Both voice actors are fairly new to the audiobook world, and they absolutely knocked this book out of the park. They did an incredible job bringing the characters to life and adding to the pacing of the story. I can’t wait to listen to more from them!

Read if you enjoy:

🖤 Dark Academia

📖 Debut novels

🗣️ Dual POV

🫣 Cliffhanger Chapters

I recommend reading Society of Lies if you enjoyed reading Ace of Spades.

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The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Somehow, I’ve signed myself up for a trilogy BEFORE all the books have been published 🤩

Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy of The House at Watch Hill {partner}

Genre: Fantasy

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 10.1.2024

Pages: 384

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

“There are things we grow up believing because we’ve been taught to believe, things we thought were impossible because we’ve been told they are. Then there are those things we feel in our bones; despite the lies heard by our ears, our bones know the truth.”

The House of Watch Hill is one of those books that I think is best to start reading without much context - know it’s about a young woman who loses her mother in a fire and finds out that she’s the long lost relative of a very influential woman that has a lot of secrets. Then, dive right in and start reading.

Karen Marie Moning did an incredible job creating the most atmospheric read. The eerie home and the family secrets inside add so much to the overall mystery of the story, and you’ll want to keep eagerly reading to discover more.

I’d caution you not to go into this one, thinking you’ll have all the answers at the end. Because, as with any trilogy, the ending will you with more questions than you started with, and you’ll be begging for book two.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

The House at Watch Hill is narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb (Court of Wings and Ruin) and Tim Campbell. Both voice actors did a marvelous job adding to the eerieness of the story, and I hope they’ll continue the series!

Read if you enjoy:

🫣 Gothic horror-ish

🤫 Family secrets

✨ Witchy vibes

💪🏼 Female empowerment

I recommend reading The House at Watch Hill if you enjoyed Discovery of Witches!

______

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Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Haunted Ever After

Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Haunted Ever After {partner}

Genre: Romance

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 8.13.2024

Pages: 326

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

I saved this one for the fall, and it was an absolute delight! The characters were all refreshing, fun, and witty, and one of them, in particular, reminded me of Luke Danes (Gilmore Girls). I’m always more critical of books that have ghosts as supporting characters because they can get a bit cheesy, but Haunted Ever After was just the ghost story I needed for this season.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

Haunted Ever After was narrated by Jeannie Sheneman, a new author to me. She did a marvelous job bringing the book to life, and I look forward to listening to more books from her in the future.

Read if you enjoy:

🔥 Semi-open door romance

👻 Friendly ghosts

🥰 Quirky characters

✨ Small town charm

I recommend reading Haunted Ever After if you enjoyed Happy Medium by Sarah Adler.

___

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Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

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mysterious fast-paced

4.5

Another win from one of my favs!

Thank you, William Morrow Books, for the gifted copy of Famous Last Words {partner}

Genre: Mystery

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 2.27.2024

Pages: 336

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

I don’t think I’ve ever hit ‘read now’ as fast as I did when this gem popped into my inbox. It was THE book I had been waiting for, and it came at the perfect time - a vacation in the mountains with nothing to do but read. I devoured this book - it was addicting in all the best ways and had me eagerly flipping through the pages, trying to figure out the truth behind what happened to Luke.

Like McAllister’s last titles, Famous Last Words was perfectly paced — the tension kept building and building with every chapter. I felt like I could see all the puzzle pieces start to come together the closer I got to the end. I had theories on what might happen but could not figure it out. But Gillian McAllister knew what she was doing, and I finished the last page, blown away by the path she had paved.

This book has a little something for everyone, and I just know Famous Last Words will be a hit in 2025.

Read if you enjoy:

🕰️ Multiple timeline

✌🏼 Dual narration

💨 Fast-paced

😵‍💫 Complex Family Dynamics

👏🏼 Perfect Pacing

I recommend reading Famous Last Words if you enjoyed reading The Last Thing He Told Me.

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The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

A Dark, Witchy Read to add to your TBR

Thank you, St Martin’s Press, for the gifted e-copy of The Bane Witch {partner}

Genre: Fantasy

Trope: Witches

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 3.18.2025

Pages: 384

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

When I started The Bane Witch, I was prepared for the typical, predictable witchy story that would likely follow a plot that ultimately ends with a HEAP. Instead, I found a thought-provoking novel that revealed my inner female rage.

The Bane Witch was a gripping story of a woman fleeing the abuse she endured at her husband’s hands. There wasn’t a dull moment in the entire story, and it kept my attention from the very first to the last page (90% of the book, I sat on the edge of my seat). It was precisely how I pictured a dark, witchy novel to be written, and I never felt like it was over the top or hard to believe. Every character felt real to me, and Ava Morgan should be so proud of how she brought this novel to life.

Though, there’s no way around it - when I tell you parts of this book made my blood boil. I mean it. I recommend going into The Bane Witch, understanding that it does cover dark subject matter, but it’s, unfortunately, something that many women endure every day.

Read if you enjoy:

📝 Character development

💪🏼 Female empowerment/rage

🔍 Mystery/Suspense

👏🏼 Complex plot

I recommend reading The Bane Witch if you liked The Change by Kirsten Miller. It could also be compared to Practical Magic but with a dark undertone.

______

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Content Warnings

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt

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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? Yes

3.0

Tarah Dewitt, you're the best!

Thank you, St Martin’s Press, for the gifted copy of The Co-Op {partner}

Genre: Romance

Trope: Second Chance

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 10.20.2022

Pages: 352

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

“Because when I’m not what works for people at that time in their lives, when I’m not a convenient version of me, I always manage to lose them.”

While this slow-burn romance was not for me, I will instead focus on what did👇🏼

I love LaRynn’s character and related to all of her internal battles on so many levels. She desperately wants to be loved and accepted for who she is but has been left disappointed by so many people in her past when she finally lets the walls down on who she is. It’s always nice to find characters in books that you relate to on a personal level and I’ve found that in Dewitt’s last two novels.

Also, as someone who has experienced the grief that comes with losing a grandmother and then losing her grandmother’s home - I was brought to tears as LaRynn recalled hearing her grandmothers voice or seeing her standing at the garden gate when she came to visit. Those are memories that you hope to hold onto for forever.

Read if you enjoy:

💍 Marriage of convenience

🏠 Forced proximity

🫶🏼 Navigating grief

🌊 Small, costal town

😄 Fun banter

While The Co-Op was not the romance I had hoped to experience (like in Savor it). There were still some really good takeaways from the story and, without a doubt, I will continue to read whatever Tarah DeWitt writes.

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An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

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dark slow-paced

3.0

The cover art for this book 🤩

Thank you , PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Academy of Liars {partner}

Genre: Fantasy

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 9.17.2024

Pages: 464

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

“Lennon's,life is falling apart when she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic. With nothing to keep her from saying no she goes to find out she has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion”

I think that An Academy of Liars is the perfect example of the right book but with the wrong reader. And that wrong reader was me 🫠

I typically love dark academia and when I paired it with the start of spooky season, I thought I would be in for a treat. But, there was just something that missed the mark for me.

Alexis Henderson is the queen of atmosphere and she absolutely created the perfect setting for a magic school. It’s dark, hidden and nestled in the historic city of Savannah. I was SO invested in the first half of the book - I couldn’t stop listening and I really loved learning about the school, students, professors and the history.

But, somewhere around the 40-50% mark, I got lost. I had trouble figuring out what was going and where the book was headed. And that’s what I mean about the right book in the wrong hands - I genuinely think An Academy of Liars will be perfect for the more nuanced fantasy lover!

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆

An Academy for Liars is narrated by Tracie Frank and (I think) it’s my first book from the narrator. Frank did a phenomenal job of narrating each character in their own unique way. I can’t wait to read more book narrated by her.

Read if you enjoy:

🖤 Atmospheric

🐌 Slow burn

🪄 Magical school

🤏🏼 A little romance

I recommend reading An Academy of Liars if you also enjoyed reading Ninth House.

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Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

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slow-paced

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

3.0

🔹 Blue Sisters 🔹

Thank you, Ballantine Books & PRH audio, for the gifted copy of this book {partner}

Genre: Literary Fiction

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 5.23.2024

Pages: 352

Star Rating: ☆☆☆

"Once you get to my age, you will learn that you can take a lot of wrong turns and still end up in the right place."

I loved the author's eye for intense detail in each sister's story—they came to life with every page I read, and I started to think of them as very real, very flawed people. I was instantly enamored with Lucky's story, but I enjoyed Bonnie's the most.

But Blue Sisters was not for me. The same attention to detail I loved initially became tedious and challenging to follow. The most mundane moments were drawn out of pages, and I never felt like anything happened until the last 20 percent of the book. I struggled with the choices each sister made.

Audiobook Review: ☆☆

I chose to read and listen to Blue Sisters, and I do not recommend the audiobook. The cadence that the narrator, Kit Griffiths, used ruined the story. I actually thought that they may have chosen to use an AI voice for the book. I constantly had to readjust the narration speed because Griffiths couldn't keep a steady pace—I couldn't imagine being behind someone on the highway who doesn't understand how to use cruise control.

Read if you enjoy:

👩🏽‍🏫 Character studies

🫠 Complex relationships

😢 Emotional stories

🎭 Family dramas

I recommend reading Blue Sisters if you enjoyed reading Hello, Beautiful.

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Content Warnings

The Examiner by Janice Hallett

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medium-paced

3.5

A twisty story told in through Janice Hallett's signature format 🙌🏼

Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of The Examiner {partner}

Genre: Mystery

Format: 🎧📖

Pub Date: 8.29.2024

Pages: 480

Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

"A mystery unfolds through email, letters, essays, and online correspondence. Six students begin a one-year master's degree program in multimedia art at a British university that has recently been forced to cut many of its fine art programs and redesign the degree with an eye toward art's business relevancy."

Hallett has an incredible talent for putting together a multi-layered plot with a full cast of characters, but what's truly jaw-dropping is the format that her books are all written in. Each book is written in an epistolary format, so we are privy to emails, texts, discussion boards, journals, letters, etc. And Hallett is still able to paint the perfect picture of what is happening within the pages of the book.

While The Examiner is not my favorite, I was still blown away by how everything came together.

My biggest complaint is that The Examiner felt a bit too drawn out. It really took me a while to get into the bones of the story. There was also an added element to the plot that did feel a bit over my head, as it was very tech-heavy in places.

Read if you enjoy:

📝 Mixed media format

👏🏼 Well developed characters

🖤 Dark academia vibes

⁉️ Red herrings galore

🔀 Lots of twists

My appreciation for this book stems from Hallett's incredible storytelling capabilities, and I highly recommend checking out her previous titles.

chaptersofchase's reviews 994 reviews

chaptersofchase's reviews
994 reviews