I finished this book two weeks ago, and its taken me that long to process the genius of it. This book tells the ongoing story of Anna Bonner, widow of best-selling author Jacob Finch Bonner, whose book took the world by storm. Anna herself becomes an author, and that's when the problems begin. The most unreliable of narrators, as readers of The Plot will know, Anna and her antics are completely unhinged. Jean Hanff Korelitz has me wanting a third novel in this series!

I would recommend that The Plot be read before, because it will make for a much more satisfying experience.

Not sure why I expected any thing from this book as I was not a fan of the first one. I honestly thought this one was worse than the first one and forced myself to finish it.

Thank You to NetGalley for the free e-ARC.

Sequels can be tricky and are either a hit or a miss. I loved this one and couldn't put it down. It adds a fresh and new perspective from Anna's viewpoint. Characters and plot are well developed. It was a quick and easy read.

Such an unlikable MC, but that’s half the fun I suppose. I was floored when I read The Plot, and honestly didn’t need more from this story. While I do think The Sequel was still a fun read (esp reading it years after The Plot), it almost takes away from The Plot’s impact by drawing out our girl Anna’s tale. The mystery wasn’t as fresh as it was in book one.

Love Korelitz’s writing though, so definitely no regrets picking this up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for the eARC!

Not sure how my review of this one slipped through the cracks, but quite enjoyed it. Thank you for the early read.

I finally read The Sequel, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it was, indeed, an excellent sequel to The Plot. If anything, the tone of The Sequel - as narrated by the widow of the narrator of The Plot, is funnier. I chuckled at her outlook on events numerous times.
The pacing was excellent, and there was suspense throughout, especially if one knows the plot of The Plot. However, I do think this book could stand alone, it just wouldn’t be as rich without The Plot.

After reading The Plot, I knew I needed to pick this book up as soon as possible. Jean Hanff Korelitz is a master at suspense! Anna Williams-Bonner returns as the widow of Jacob Finch Bonner, the morally-flawed character of The Plot. Anna has now written her own book, and while on tour, encounters someone who knows too much. Fast-paced, thrilling, and full of twists and turns, The Sequel is a must-read!

At the heart of the novel is a central character who grapples with the burdens of their past and the desire to forge a new path. As the narrative unfolds, readers witness the intricacies of relationships—both personal and professional—and how they influence the protagonist's journey. Korelitz's writing is characterized by its sharp wit and emotional depth, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences and the nature of their choices.

Korelitz also examines the nature of sequels themselves, playfully engaging with the idea of what it means to revisit a story or character. This meta-narrative layer adds an extra dimension to the reading experience, prompting readers to consider the expectations that come with sequels in literature and life.

a solid read. it picks up where THE PLOT left off- tough to share details w/o spoilers. Anna Bonner is not the most compelling villain- I’d enjoy greater depth of social commentary from a killer that we’re supposed to find compelling. details from publishing industry were my favorite part, & overall THE SEQUEL was a quick read via audio.

I am not sure how to even review The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I don’t want to give away any spoilers for this book and The Plot (of which The Sequel is, well, a sequel). I’ll just say a couple things. The Sequel is not a standalone novel. You absolutely cannot read this book without finishing The Plot (and it’s best to read the two books back to back). And not much happens in The Sequel that hasn’t already happened in The Plot. Honestly, I think the book was an unnecessary sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz!

When I read Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot a few years back, I was thrilled by the ending which was one of the best I’ve ever read. While there were some loose ends, I wasn’t clamoring for a sequel…the book was perfect! So I was VERY suspicious when The Plot’s sequel, The Sequel, was announced, and if I’m being honest, I had very low expectations…

While I maintain that The Plot didn’t need a sequel, what we got wasn’t half bad! It picks up pretty soon after the events of The Plot and through the exposition does a good job catching the reader up on what happened in the first book (though I 100% recommend reading The Plot before The Sequel). I’m not sure if it’s because I’m paying more attention to bookish news now compared to three years ago, but I felt like there were more allusions to real world publishing drama in The Sequel compared to its predecessor, which added a timely feel to the story.

The Sequel lands squarely in the literary thriller genre, but its pacing is much faster than most literary thrillers I’ve read. The story is captivating and quick and is easy to get lost in. The ending once again has an element of open-endedness and while I’m quick to say we don’t need another sequel, anything could happen these days!

The Sequel is out now. Thanks to Celadon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Smartly written and well executed dare I say I enjoyed the sequel more then book one? I loved how it wrapped up some thoughts and unanswered questions from book one in a realistic way

The Sequel is literally the sequel to the best-selling thriller The Plot. Not only does it answer all those unanswered questions, but we get a glimpse into what an actual psychopath's mind looks like. And honestly, her mind is pretty messed up! While picking up where The Plot left off, we now delve into the devious secret past of the late Jacob Finch Bonner's widow, and quite frankly her life as a mastermind. The story is smart and undeniably shocking!

Anna Williams-Bonner, the widow of best-selling author and perhaps plagiarist Jacob Finch Bonner whose own life included many demons, has decided she will now write her own book. Afterall, how hard could it be? Although living she is living off her late husband's royalites, she is quite bored.

And Anna does write a book called The Afterward and lucks out because her publisher is the same as her late husband's. They were, of course excited to have her.

As she begins her first book tour, some strange things begin to happen. A person comes to one of her book signings and is a bit off to say the least. He seems to know a bit too much about her. Coincidence? Maybe. But when she begins to receive excerpts from a story written long ago in which she thought she had purged every copy of and taken care of the person who wrote it, she realizes there is still a copy out there and she needs to find it and make it and whoever has it go away.

You see, if someone exposes her secret backstory her beloved lifestyle will cease to exist. And she can't have that! So, she goes on a hunt to find who this person is and make sure she destroys both them and the copy. She believes she has solved the problem, but when another excerpt is sent to her late husband's parents, well ...all bets are off!

Now she knows time is running out and after failing once, she decides she must revisit her sick disgusting past because clearly that's where the threat is coming from. She is not afraid of killing to keep her secrets ...never has been!

As the reader goes on the ride of a lifetime with a true psychopath who feels nothing and cares about no one but herself, we learn her jaw dropping backstory as she tries desperately to justify her life. Who has the last copy and why now are they trying to hurt her?

The Sequel is an entertaining, imaginative, off-putting psychological thriller with shocking turns of events in the life of one very flawed yet happy widow.

Thank you #NetGalley #CaladonBooks #JeanHanffKorelitz #TheSequel for the advanced copy.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a sharp and engaging exploration of ambition, secrets, and the unexpected consequences of literary fame. The novel follows Anna Williams-Bonner, who, after the death of her famous husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, has settled into a comfortable life, basking in his legacy and enjoying his royalties. But when Anna releases her own debut novel, The Afterword, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous game that threatens her carefully crafted existence.

What begins as a personal triumph quickly spirals into a thrilling mystery as Anna begins receiving excerpts from a novel she never expected to see again, one that brings up troubling connections to her late brother and husband. With suspense building around her, Anna must confront her past and the unsettling realization that someone knows far too much about her life. The stakes are high—her story, her identity, and her future are all on the line.

Korelitz deftly blends wit, suspense, and satire as she takes readers on a wild ride through the world of publishing and personal reinvention. Anna, a complex and sometimes unsympathetic protagonist, is a master storyteller in her own right, and readers can't help but root for her as she fights to control her narrative. The novel’s biting commentary on the literary world, combined with its page-turning plot, makes The Sequel a must-read for fans of both literary fiction and psychological thrillers.

TL;DR: I didn't love THE PLOT. I loved (LOVED) THE SEQUEL. It's a darkly twisted skewering of the publishing industry and a fantastic cat-and-mouse suspense story. I couldn't put it down.

This novel grew on me. The first 25% of the book was a trudge: I kept anticipating when it would capture my interest, it took a while but it was worth the wait.
Anna was a fascinating sociopathic character. The entitlement she felt that was due her was what kept her goal oriented. The fact that murder and deception was the path to her target didn't trouble her in the least: even if family members were involved.
The author gave her such interesting qualities: quick thinking, foresight, cleverness, physical strength: the job description of a spy. Did I like her persona or was I just admiring her adeptness to fulfill her ambition?
More interesting was the various other characters that were as shady and despicable as she was and their own personal greed and vendettas and how she handled them in her usual personal style.
A thought provoking ending leads the reader to wonder whether Anna is assured all the loose ends are tied up and can move on without looking back. She thought her old life was all the past before and was wrong.
An enjoyable story.

I was excited about The Sequel. I re-read The Plot in anticipation of this book. Although The Plot was a slow thriller, it was good and kept me interested throughout the book. The Sequel is also slow, but unlike The Plot, The Sequel was just boring; I waited until the end of this book for something exciting to happen, and it never did. If you are considering reading this book, read The Plot first since it gives insight into the characters mentioned in The Sequel.
Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.
#Netgalley #Celadonbooks #happilyaddictedtobooks #Thesequel #Jeanhanffkorelitz #Thriller

The Plot was an absolute banger for me. An easy 4 stars. The Sequel... not so much. I was pulled in pretty quickly, but then I lost steam at about 75% of the way in. To be fair, my city did catch on fire at right about that time, so perhaps that made it harder for me to read. The book moved along too slowly. Overall, it was too much of an echo of the first book for me. Too repetitive. Especially when you have such unlikable main characters, it's a tough sell to have two of this type of book in a series. Sorry to this book. Looking forward to her next.

THE SEQUEL by Jean Hanff Korelitz continues the story started in THE PLOT. Where THE PLOT was unique and surprising, THE SEQUEL faltered. I felt like this book relied too much on the same tricks as the first. It was entertaining, but less of a memorable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC - THE SEQUEL is out now!