I loved the cover of the book but felt the story was lacking. There was a few parts that just didnt line up with the plot but overall I thought it was an entertaining read

I had SUCH high hopes for this one based on the cover, but I was left disappointed....nothing was suspenseful and I just left just really bored.

This book showed a lot of promise but ultimately fell apart about halfway through. I liked how quirky this book was, but the story was so convoluted. I would read from this author again, but she needs to reel it back. Less is more.

This was unlike anything I'd ever read. I don't know much about Tarot cards. I thought this was fast paced and kept me guessing. This whodunit with likeable characters was lovely.

*Arc provided by Random House Publishing/Ballentine Books in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was a cute mystery/thriller that was just a fun read. There's something about a fake fortune teller trope that gets sucked into solving a crime that just feels comforting. Maybe it's just my household but that little bit of superstition that feels like too much of a coincidence makes it feel a bit more real even though you know practically that this is not real life.

I would read this book again in the fall just for the spooky vibes.

I would like to thank Random House for providing a digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. Play the Fool tells the story of Katie, who is determined to find he culprit of her friend's demise. The beginning chapters set up this main premise as well as delving into how they became friends. In order to find the culprit, Katie attempts to explore why someone would want her friend gone. She goes into her friend's past digging for answers. As a result, she discovers she didn't know her friend as well as she previously thought. Helping her along is a police officer she becomes attached to. He plays an important role in the resolution of the case. The story is pretty lighthearted despite the premise of a murder mystery. It was well paced and a fun read.
3.5/5

The main character of this novel, Katie, is a sort of aimless underachiever, back in her hometown in her 20s, and working one dead end job after another while also being a tarot card reader. At the start of the book, she discovers that Marley, a friend she has made working at her mall job, is dead, and she gets caught up trying to investigate it herself while also developing a bit of a flirtatious friendship with a police officer also investigating.

I really enjoyed this one - lots of quirky characters including not just Katie but the people around her, and I enjoyed both the amateur sleuth angle and how her tarot card skills (whether her ability to suss out people or perhaps a touch of something more) helped. If you enjoy the Finlay Donovan series, I think you might enjoy this one too. I finished it thinking I hoped there would be a sequel, and indeed looks like there is going to be one in fall of 2024!

I have a soft spot for books that seem like straight reality until they take a turn into the magical and mystical, and this one fits right into that subgenre. Centered around tarot and things that aren't as they seem, this is the story of two new friends, until it takes a turn into the seemingly supernatural. A great debut from Chern, this was surprising, suspenseful and satisfying.

I loved this cover and the premise of the book. I was hooked at the beginning of the book but it slowed down toward the second half of the book

I know virtually nothing about tarot, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy this sparky debut. Katie True is flailing a bit career-wise and feels like the outlier in her high-achieving family, but that matters less when she ends up embroiled in a murder that she seems to be the only person who believes happened. There are great character dynamics and relationships built in this story (I was very happy to discover that there's a sequel in the works), and Katie's dogged pursuit of information leads to situations that range from dangerous to madcap. This isn't quite a cozy mystery, but there's definite crossover appeal.

A fun read! Felt a little lost in some places and you do need to suspend belief a bit, but overall a quick, enjoyable read. I love the tarot component of the story and how Katie visualizes the wheels of cards in her mind whenever we meet a new character and how she describes their demeanor and energy as it relates to the cards

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for the eARC of Play the Fool! All opinions in this review are my own.

I really liked the tarot card aspect of this mystery because it made the inclusion of the main character in the search for her friend make more sense. Katie doesn't know what she is doing but she uses her cards to help her make decisions and her ability to read people to find out more about her friend Marley. The ending was insane and I did not see that twist coming!

I really love this cover! This was an enjoyable whodunit and I liked the take on it using tarot cards. I think this would
Make a super fun tv series!
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Thank you #randomhouse and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Although the premise sounded interesting, the execution didn't work for me. I DNF'd around 25%. I tried this book twice before, starting from the beginning both times, before deciding to DNF it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This is outside of my comfort zone, and unfortunately I could not get into it. I had to DNF less then halfway through.

Play the Fool was a fun and quick read. I quite enjoyed how the author used tarot cards within the story and liked how it played out.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, but it just didn’t draw me in. I used to be a major mystery lover and the concept of tarot as part of the mystery solving seemed right up my alley, but in the end I wasn’t invested.

Unfortunately this one fell flat for me. I didn’t connect with the characters and therefore it was challenging for me to get into any aspect of the story.

As w most amateur detective stories, police play a prominent role in this book as a foil - but it’s a presence to be aware of going in considering how closely the main character interacts w them and works w one detective in particular.