I really enjoyed this book! I listened to this audio book right after listening to "The Plot". I highly recommend doing it this way if possible. Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and she did an excellent job with this one! I recommend this to anyone who enjoys twisty mystery books!

Thank you to NetGally and McMillon Audio for the arc!

To Start, I think it would have been better to read, The Plot by the same author prior to reading The Sequel. It is not necessary to do this, but I feel it would give more depth and information to the story. After Anna's husband (a bestselling novelist) dies, she writes her own book. She lives off the pay cheques of her dead husband's best selling books, while writing her book. I found the audio book to be excellent recorded and read, but I felt the story didn't catch me like I wanted it to. 2/5

I've read other books by Jean Haniff Korelitz, but I didn't read The Plot before reading The Sequel, and I really wish I had; not because it was entirely necessary, but because I missed out on reading it with a clear head, not knowing how it ends. I will definitely go back and read or listen to The Plot after some time passes.

I loved The Sequel. I don't know that I've read a book like this ever before. The protagonist/antagonist is so dislikeable and at the same time, the reader can't help but hope for the best for her. The writing is skillful and the story is fresh and gripping. I listened to the book and that made it even better because it is narrated by Julia Whelan, the very best narrator out there. I will listen to almost anything that she records.

I recommend this book without reservation. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

This book felt redundant. The whole first half of the book was the same as what happened in The Plot even though it was told from a different perspective. This is ironic since The Plot spent so much time focusing on author pit falls in the book industry. I did love Julia Whelan as the narrator and that is probably why I stuck with the book until it picked up in the second half.

The Plot was one of the most interesting and unique plot lines. When I heard there was a sequel to the book, I was flabbergast. Without spoilers, how? Why?
I will say, while I don't think I loved it quite as much as the first book, this was still a plot driven, subversive suspense novel. But, I don't know how to write a review without giving away the thing. Also, it's not a stand alone--it's truly a sequel. The Plot must be read first.
As a whole, I don't love thrillers. But, this series has such a fresh and unique experience, I definitely wholeheartedly recommend the series.

Anna Williams-Bonner, a successful literary widow, is living a contented life until her own debut novel, "The Afterword," is published. Unexpectedly, she receives excerpts of a novel that shouldn't exist, revealing personal secrets. Someone seems to know too much about her past and is determined to take control of her story. Anna must fight to protect her own narrative and uncover the truth behind the mysterious novel.

I typically avoid reading series because it can be challenging to acquire all the books at once. However, I recently had the fortunate opportunity to read book one yesterday and complete book two today.

Creating a series can be a daunting task as it requires maintaining the reader's interest without becoming repetitive or overly verbose. It is crucial to keep the storyline engaging and fresh to captivate the audience.

This series is an exciting project brimming with intricate storylines, twisted plots, and a deep appreciation for literature and book culture. The deliberate chapter titles and innovative writing techniques used by the author make it a heartfelt tribute to readers and book enthusiasts alike. Although this is the second book in a series, it can be enjoyed on its own, but readers may miss out on connections to the first story. It is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that will have you eagerly turning pages well into the night. I highly recommend it for all book lovers out there!

I absolutely loved how each book had a different narrator! It really allowed me to immerse myself in the story and follow along with ease. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me engaged and eager to learn more about the events unfolding.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for audio ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Sequel is such a dark and twisty adventure! While it was a little bit hard on audio to keep track of the different names and storylines as it bounces from reality to pieces of the novel that keep showing up, it was quite a ride following Anna and her quest for vengeance and to cover her own tracks. I would definitely recommend reading The Plot before diving in to this one. I really loved that the title of every chapter is a sequel novel, too. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed The Plot so when I was offered the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of The Sequel I was excited to download the listen! But....The Sequel started slow. I almost stopped listening to the audiobook after the first 30-45 minutes, but I am SO GLAD I didn't. The widow of Jacob Finch Bonner is living a life of leisure now that her husband is out of the picture. Anna thought she was done worrying about the accusations of plagiarism, in fact, she has her debut novel to promote! She's off on a tour of book signings until she starts receiving threats related to Jacob's book. Who's responsible and what will Anna do to stop this person or people before it goes too far?

According to one of the characters in the book, the sequel is never as good as the first book. This is definitely not the case with this sequel. You will dislike Anna, as you are supposed to, but you will rapidly turn pages to see what she does next. I loved all of the references to books, authors (be sure and notice the chapter titles) and the publishing industry. If you haven’t read The Plot yet and want to, you should definitely read it first. The Sequel can be read as a stand-alone because the back story is very well explained, but it would then spoil your enjoyment of The Plot.

It is not often when the second book in a series is better than the first, but "The Sequel" is one of those rare exceptions. This book was a so good. I love where this story went with all of it's twists and turns. It could be read as a stand-alone, but I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series "The Plot" first. Having the background makes "The Sequel" storyline so much easier to pick up on and much more enjoyable.

My recommendation - if you haven't read "The Plot" already - read it and then grab this one next. If you have read "The Plot" - even if you didn't love it, pick this one up because it is better! If you loved the first book, then this one is a definite can't miss!

The audio narration was excellent, the characters were well developed. This was a super enjoyable, sucked me right in book. I couldn't wait to see how it all played out and I can't wait for the hopefully, third book in this series?!?!

Just as captivating as The Plot, The Sequel hooks you in and doesn't let you go. Great buildup and misdirection with satisfying exposition. Our main character is wonderfully vicious, keeping the reader on their toes about the fine line between revenge.

I really enjoyed this sequel, especially with its focus on Anna's perspective. Delving into her psyche and exploring her reactions to past events and her current circumstances was both fascinating and intense. Truly appalled at how much she has done in her past. The way the narrative unravels, revealing how she continuously hides from her past, is so intriguing. The intricate plot and numerous twists kept me on edge, and I was genuinely surprised by the ending. The end came as a shock to me, and I was uncertain about who would ultimately prevail. Such a fun read trying to figure out who was messing with her and what truly happened all those years ago. Can she truly be this evil?

Thank you to NetGalley, Jean Hanff Korelitz, and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

I loved The Plot, even though the narrator was less than stellar, because the story was so engrossing, I was excited to see The Sequel, and I knew the narrator wouldn’t be an issue, because Julia Whelan is one of the absolute best audiobook narrators. However, even Whelan’s superb narration couldn’t save the weakness of this story line. Jean Hanff Korelitz is an amazing writer, and I will always read her work, but in this instance, I would skip the sequel and just read The Plot.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A sequel with a far less stellar plot...

“Sequels can be very enticing when the initial book has done well. Readers want to know what happens to a character they’ve connected with. But they’re never as good as the first book, are they?”

"The Sequel" is the follow-up novel to the 2021 standout book "The Plot", which I very much enjoyed and which you should definitely read first. But like the above-mentioned quote from this follow-up correctly states, the sequel is never as good. Sadly, this is also the case here.

While there are still some snarky cultural references and fun, snide remarks that contributed so much to the previous installment's enjoyment, "The Sequel"'s focus on Anna - widow of "The Plot"'s main protagonist, Jacob Finch Bonner - just didn't really work for me. She seemed so much more interesting in the first book, and giving her her own book just cheapened the character. As an anti-heroine/villain, her POV might have been interesting, but it felt like her character was all over the place; on the one hand, we learn more of her backstory, which seemed as though it was added solely to humanize her / make the reader feel sorry for her, but on the other hand, she is just so unlikeable (and, let's face it, such a cold-blooded killer) that it is really hard to care for her at all. Either approach would have worked on its own; both don't.

Moreover, the fact that Anna - without even trying very hard, unlike her late husband - becomes a successful writer in her own right who then, too, is blackmailed using a copy of Evan Parker's manuscript felt very much like a repetition of the plot in the first book. Not only was it therefore no longer very original, but the book also took way too long to get there. Finally, the reveal of the blackmailer also seemed... almost random? In fact, not much really happened until the very end, and then everything happened all at once in a very excessive way, except by then I had stopped caring.

In the plus side, the writing was just as great and enjoyable as in the first book, and I would gladly read any other book by Jean Hanff Korelitz (and judging by the reviews so far, I might be an outlier with my lukewarm reception of this sequel). In addition, the narration of the audiobook was outstanding. All in all, this had all the makings of a great book, but the plot itself would have been better left alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Sequel" is slated to be released on October 1, 2024.

What a fitting title for a book that is exactly what it claims, a sequel. Jacob Finch Bonner is dead, the result of suicide. His wife, Anna Williams-Bonner is overseeing his estate, especially his last book, Crib, which was a success. Then, she writes her own book, The Afterword, which also becomes a success.
The book is a slow burn at the start. Anna is forced out onto a book tour, which is as tedious for the reader as the writer. On her stop in Denver, there’s a book to be signed with a post-it note “For Evan Parker, not forgotten”. Then when she gets home, in her mail is a copy of a chapter from a manuscript she thought she’d never see again. Her dead brother’s. And additional chapters keep showing up.
Anna is not a nice person and as the story goes along, we see exactly how unlikeable she is. Still, she is engaging. It’s a fine art for a writer to create an unlikeable character that you still want to spend time with. I was really torn over whether I wanted there to be justice.
I enjoyed the back and forth between Anna’s take on things and the manuscript’s. Korelitz slowly ramps up the tension with each new chapter sent. Anna is not going to let anyone disrupt the life she’s worked so hard to obtain.
This should not be read as a stand-alone. It will make much better sense if you have read The Plot beforehand. In fact, I had to go back and refresh my memory of The Plot.
I was lucky to have both the e-book and the audio for this story. Julia Whelan did a great job as the narrator. But I appreciated having the book to go back over some key points in the book.
Also, I wouldn’t have cottoned to the use of other sequels as chapter headings if not for the e-book (and the list in the back). I never knew there was a sequel to Catch-22.
My thanks to Netgalley, Celadon Book and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies.

What is good and what is bad? What is fiction? When do the ends justify the means? In The Sequel, which continues to follow Anna Williams-Bonner, whom we met in The Plot, Korelitz confronts those questions and more in this twisty and totally captivating sequel. Finding herself at writing colony, arranged by her late husband's editor and agent, Anna experiences a rare burst of inspiration and energy and writes what becomes a best-selling book, But her past continues to haunt her and she sets out to right what she perceives are the wrongs she is experiencing. Most readers will not anticipate all that happens but they will find the book hard to put down. the audio version is enhanced by Julia Whelan's expert narration. Korelitz has another winner on her hands.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a wild ride of a thriller, packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing. The main character, Anna Williams-Bonner, with her murderous past, is someone you love to hate. Even without having read the first book, The Plot, this was still a fantastic read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz in exchange for an honest review.

The Sequel picks up where its precursor, The Plot, left off, with Anna Williams Bonner, widow of writer Jacob Finch Bonner, touring the country representing her late husband’s literary estate, turning his runaway bestseller into a film, and writing her own book to boot. Unfortunately for Anna, the charges of plagiarism that dogged Jacob haven’t gone away - and now, she’s at risk of being exposed for past misdeeds as well.

Korelitz’ second book in this series is as witty and cutting as the first, and I couldn’t help but root for Anna, despite her villainous persona. And the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Julia Whelan, is terrific.

Four stars for the book; five for the audio narration.

Anne’s husband of just a year had passed unexpectedly, that is to say he “unalived himself”. At least that’s what the world knows of it. She does her duty as a literary widow and continues his book tour, with so many asking what’s next for you, Anne? The natural answer is “I’m thinking of writing my own novel.” Her response came so often that she had to make it true. She was able to skip the journey of most writers and publish her first book quickly. It was well received. She had made her own success out of her tragedy.

But every few months, pieces of the novel her brother had been writing before his (also untimely) passing start arriving in the mail. She thought she had eradicated all of the copies of his book about her. Should this come to light, it would ruin her. She must find who is sending these bits of her past before it’s too late.
As always, Julia Whalen keeps her listeners engaged and on the edge of their seats.
I can’t help but wonder if there will be an epilogue next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jean Hanff Korelitz, MacMillan Audio and Julia Whalen for the arc of this novel!

I liked this book. It was twisty and interesting. I read it so fast. If you like psychological thrillers/women's fiction, this is a good mix of both.