I will read anything that comes out of the Mindy Book Studio.

The rules of Fortune is a dysfunctional family story following the billionaire Carter family.
When the family patriarch dies right before his 70th birthday the family scramble to save his legacy, and hide his past.

This is a dual timeline, multiple POV story following William Carter Junior, the family patriarch, his prim and proper wife, Jacqueline, and their two kids - Aspiring filmmaker Kennedy, and her stuck up brother Asher.

I really liked the writing and the flow of this story. I found the characters interesting and different, and annoying and infuriating and desperate and stuck and everything you want in a dysfunctional family read.

I love a multigenerational messy family and this one was filled with tension and secrets! I loved the writing and the multiple POV’s really added to the depth of the story. The ending was not my favorite and l almost wish that v the story was longer.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it!

The lives, and secrets, of a 1% family. Danielle Prescod’s The Rules of Fortune delves into the ruthless nature of capitalism, systemic racism, and the way many of the ultra-wealthy put the preservation of their lifestyle above all else. It’s a sharp, well-written book that really makes you think.

That said, it takes a while to get going. The first part is a bit slow, but once it picks up and you get more backstory from various points of view, it’s absorbing. Danielle Prescod knows how to hold a reader’s attention, and while it’s not a perfect read, it’s definitely one that sticks with you.

I listened to the audiobook version of this and the narrator, Soneela Nankani, did a brilliant job with the different characters. Rated 3.75 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the e-ARC!

"Rules of Fortune" by Danielle Prescod is a glamorous and fast-paced dive into the world of high-society influencers and the cutthroat competition that comes with it. The story follows a compelling protagonist navigating complex relationships, family secrets, and the pressures of maintaining a perfect online persona. Prescod's writing is sharp and witty, and she expertly captures the nuances of social media culture and the often-hidden realities behind seemingly perfect lives.

The book shines in its portrayal of the characters' internal struggles and the exploration of themes like identity, ambition, and the price of success. The pacing is excellent, keeping you hooked from beginning to end, and the plot twists are genuinely surprising. The glitzy setting is vividly described, making you feel like you're right there in the midst of the drama.

While the book is thoroughly entertaining, it occasionally leans into familiar tropes of the genre. Some of the character development felt slightly rushed, and a few plot points could have benefited from more depth. However, these minor flaws don't detract significantly from the overall enjoyment. "Rules of Fortune" is a fun, engaging read that offers a contemporary take on classic themes of wealth and ambition. It's a solid 4-star read for anyone looking for a stylish and thought-provoking escape.

Where there are billions 💸💰, there is power, secrets, and blood!

The Carter family is all set to celebrate the 70th birthday of their family’s head. But his sudden death throws a wrench into the handover of the multi-billion-dollar legacy he left behind. Strangely, a birthday surprise that Kennedy was planning for her father begins to unravel family secrets no one wanted uncovered. Her quest for the truth endangers her family, but her hunch won’t let her settle for anything less.

The book is narrated from a very practical angle. Don’t go into the story expecting something beautiful to happen or, as they say in my local tongue, "Satyameva Jayate"—that won’t happen here. It explores the harsh realities of the real world and how money is often used to bury the skeletons in the closets of the rich and powerful.

A few characters were very well-developed, but I was left wanting to know more about Kennedy’s and Asher’s futures. The book ended well, staying true to the theme of the plot, though I was left feeling a bit cold as I wrapped it up. I’d recommend this to readers looking for a break from their blissful paradise and craving something cold-blooded to shake them up.

I picked this up for my readalong organized by @tandemcollective @tandemcollectiveglobal

Thankyou @netgalley @brilliancepublishing for the Audiobook

The Rules of Fortune 🐍💰
By: Danielle Prescod
Story: ✨ ✨ 2/5
Narration: 🎧1 /5

When the matriarch of the family, William Carter, passes right before his birthday, it’s a shock to everyone. On the outside, some were devastated by this unexpected death. On the inside, others (or maybe even those same people) anticipated for the day this would happen.

For those who don't know me, my name is Chanel and I'm everyone's favorite self-proclaimed Book Tea Spiller.

What did I think of this book? See below for my Final Sip ☕️:

I’d like to thank Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. As a fashion girly, I knew I had to support Danielle on her first fiction book. The first two chapters had me completely hooked. It gave suspense, deceit and betrayal. It was the perfect formula for a great read. However, by the third chapter, I had started to check out. The plot that I had just become invested in had become completely lost. While some characters were depicted in almost too much depth, others were not fully explored at all. I hoped this would be a book that would eventually grow into a more addicting reads, but in actuality it was hard to finish. The narration also made it hard to listen to as an audiobook. The voices failed to match the characters they portrayed.

What a fantastic audiobook. The narration was top notch. I was so invested in the story and the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

“Everyone knew it wasn’t about being deserving. People don’t get rich because they deserve to. They get rich because they seize it.”

The audiobook was chefs kiss. The Narrator brought so much life to the characters it was like watching a movie while I was trying to do my homework. She was clear and enunciated well. Her accent changes from American to Ghanaian was seamless and noticeable. She was also able to differentiate between characters without confusions as well. I listened and read along with the book and she carried.

To be rich or never be poor again was William Carter Jr, was the only perorgative he had since his attendance of Galston School. Dirty business deals, family drama, secrets and lies. Poor Kennedy discovering the origins of how her family became one the elite and wealthiest families. Sudden deaths and rekindle relationships. Asher was an ass and cant wait until he has rude awakening, didnt like him. If you like Nollywood movies or tv shows like Greenleaf, this book will be a nice one for you. I gave it four stars because of there was a portion that seemed unnecessary and didnt contribute to the backstory or current position in the story. I loved this book and could not put it down. I had the audiobook and digital copy through NetGalley and Amazon First Reads.

This was a twisty family drama about race, power and privilege and the lengths that a wealthy Black family went to in order to build their empire. Inspired by the death of her father, Kennedy Carter starts an investigation into the dark secrets of her family's past leading her to make morally difficult decisions about her inheritance and her family's reputation. Good on audio narrated by Soneela Nankani and perfect for fans of books like Black cake by Charmaine Wilkerson or How the one-armed sister sweeps her house by Cherie Jones. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received an audio copy of this book through Net Galley and they miscategorized it as erotica. So this book was not in any way what I was expecting.

The book has a lot of povs and various timelines. On top of that, the female best friend had the same last name as the family? WHY!?!?!?! What was the reason for that other than adding another level of confusion. I don't have any beef with the story overall but it was just blah. The characters are unlikeable, nothing exhilarating happened and it was predictable. I wanted to love this book but I honestly should have DNFd it.

I actually also read the ARC version of this book, but I really wanted to see how this will be in audiobook format. And you know what? It didn't disappoint! Danielle Prescod pulls you in with the promise of glitz, power, and dark family secrets, and she delivers on that front. The Carter family is as messy as they come, and Kennedy? She’s the kind of protagonist you root for even when she’s making questionable decisions. For me, the book leans into that rich-people-problems territory, but with an underlying tension that keeps me hooked. I mean, a billionaire patriarch suddenly dies, and his daughter starts digging into his past? You know the skeletons in this family’s closet are about to come crashing down.

That being said, the pacing threw me off at times. Some parts of the book fly by especially when Kennedy starts unraveling the empire’s history but others drag under layers of introspection. It’s as if the novel can’t quite decide whether it wants to be a fast-paced thriller or a deep character study, and that imbalance left me frustrated. Prescod’s writing is sharp and biting, especially when she writes about wealth and privilege, but there were moments where I wanted more. More depth in some relationships, more confrontation in key moments. And the ending? Without giving too much away, I’ll just say it left me torn. It’s bold, but it also feels like it pulls back just when it should hit the hardest.

Overall, The Rules of Fortune is an absorbing, layered read that kept me turning the pages, even when it frustrated me. If you love messy family drama with a side of corporate intrigue, it’s worth picking up. I'll rate this a solid 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the audio-ARC.

This was so outside of my typical genre. At first the multiple timelines weren't making sense to me, but around halfway through, it really came together and I was enraptured. There are so many layers to this story and the message it sends.

Are billionaires every ethical? Do we hold all billionaires to the same standards or do we expect more from those that historically have been disenfranchised?

I loved the ending and the relationship between the mother and daughter, as they provided the only hope to change in this book.

This was such an interesting read with so many plot twists and moments where secrets were revealed. The povs confused me a little at first, but gave a better picture of the story. The ending was the perfect conclusion, and gave a lot of closure on the situation they were in. Overall, I think this was really well written and narrated

This book started out really interesting and ended nicely wrapped up! The middle was a blast from the past from the dad's perspective and a little of the mothers learning how they came to be The Carters asking and answering the question Is A Billion Dollars blood money? We have family drama and cooperate secrets, all surrounding being one of the first wealthy black families. Interesting read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. Unfortunately, this book did not do it for me. It was extremely slow after 20% of the book. A lot of filler dialogue and description that was not needed. The synopsis was so compelling which is why I was drawn to read it but I was not intrigued or impressed by the book at all.

The rules of fortune was a solid read. It had a good plot, hint of mystery, family drama and some suspense. The pacing could have been better. I feel like the first quarter of the story dragged a bit and only picked up slightly. The author’ did well articulating racial tension, classism, colorism, and generational differences. This was a good read. I would have liked to see something that really stood out in the story to make it more memorable. Overall this is a good 3.5 stars.

This is a tough read because the story is full of unlikeable characters and there are so many characters that the story jumps around a lot. I can appreciate a multicultural book but there’s a heavy emphasis on the injustice of race.