I really really loved The Plot! I loved how the plot unfolded while reading and kept me on the hook the entire time. It was masterfully done! The Sequel not so much.

I was so excited to get this ARC copy from Net Galley, but it was a big miss for me. I struggled to finish. The writing was good, but never connected with Anna and first half of the book really dragged for me. Maybe I just had too high expectations coming in after The Plot. I seem to be in the minority, so give it a try! I would definitely read The Plot for context and more retelling early on would’ve been helpful as a recap.

And WHAT A SEQUEL!

Literally the sequel to THE PLOT, we meet up with Anna Williams-Bonner as she begins to write her own novel. Jacob Finch Bonner, is still a household name and the elephant in every room she enters. But when Anna's book takes off and she begins a literary tour she begins to receive
excerpts from a novel...her brother's novel.

Now Anna has entered into her own cat and mouse game with an unknown assailant that can clearly bring down her entire life. Who is it? One of Jacob's students? Someone Anna knows? She certainly isn't likeable but she is so HER that it's hard not to root for her as she begins the hard work of ferreting out her tormenter. Hanff Korelitz has written an exciting and twisty story while shedding light on the workings of the literary world. If you are a Highsmith fan, a Hitch fan or just an fan of fantastic plots, this is the story for you!
#celadon #jeanhaniffkorelitz #thesequel

I reads the synopsis and was stoked for this. The more I started reading the more I loved it. Thank you so much Netgalley.

I couldn't stop reading The Squel, because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I had the same experience with this book's predecessor, The Plot. While I don't need to like or relate to the characters in the books I read, Anna was a difficult character to spend a book with. However, it was a fun ride and I enjoyed the twists and turns.

Korelitz does it again with this sly and engaging novel about how the sausage is made in the literary world. The meta fictional humor of this sequel to The Plot works on every level--as a straight-forward thriller, as a satire of the literary industrial complex, and as a knowing wink to the secret strivings and longings of artists everywhere.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me an advance copy of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s latest novel, The Sequel, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheSequel is the follow-up to the enthralling first installment in The Book Series, The Plot. I absolutely adored #ThePlot, but was a bit surprised and concerned to learn that it received a follow-up, much for the same reason as the protagonist proffers to her agent in the novel. Fortunately, for both the actual author and readers, The Sequel is just as compelling as its predecessor. I highly recommend reading this series in order if not for context, then definitely to avoid spoiling some unhinged and well-executed twists in the first novel.

Unlike The Plot, which is more of a slow burn, The Sequel dives headfirst into the action and doesn’t let up until the last page. The pacing is ultimately what makes this second installment successful. There is some rehashing of the original story and a few excerpts from the plagiarized manuscript that serve as a refresher, provide context for readers unfamiliar, and help drive the plot; all of which could have bogged down the story if not for the pace.

The Sequel is divided into two parts and contains chapter titles that reference sequels to other popular fiction works. This is yet another nod to the satirization of the publishing realm, which the reader receives in large doses through Anna’s novel writing experience, describing her late husband and amateur writers’ ‘literary’ perspectives, and the conversations with her agent, publisher, and editor. Though the satire falters quicker than the first novel and devolves into more of an explanation. For instance, the disdain for self-published authors is as palpable as the fear writers must experience when targeted in a smear campaign.

Similar to The Plot, the novel is otherwise nicely and accurately summarized by its book blurb, without giving away any of the points that make this is an enticing fall read. I intend to follow suit by wrapping up this review and offering three predictions for a potential trilogy: her old boss Randy will somehow lead to her downfall, Anna’s sophomore novel subconsciously contains clues to her previous crimes that some #truecrime podcast sleuths will discover, and Matilda and Wendy are already aware of Anna’s extracurricular activities and will try to protect their beloved cash cow.

We jump right into it with the Sequel where the plot left off. Identifying the wickedness here was insane fun. Extreme suspense, maybe a touch of surrealism. I thought The Plot was tightly written, just wait as you finish this novel. Wicked good

This delightfully devious satire picks up where The Plot left off. I’m sorry to say: this is a winner, but you MUSt read The Plot first!

Another crazy and bizarre ride to follow up The Plot! It is hard to say much without giving away any spoilers, to be honest. This next installment follows the unlikely main character that we are left with at the end of the first book. Some of the plot points felt similar to the first book, but I was still kept on my toes to figure out what in the world was going on. The main character is not the most likable, to say the least, but somehow that manages not to get too much in the way of the reading experience. Enjoyed this page turner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC of this novel!

Ok I can already tell that I am going to be in the minority for this one. I know that writing a book is a long, arduous task and takes a lot of blood and sweat. And I never give books a low rating, but in this case I requested a book in exchange for writing a review and I feel compelled to be honest.

This book was absolutely not for me.

I read the first one and even though I found the characters despicable, the pacing and the plot of the first book made it so that it was not possible to put it down.

Not so much with this one. The plot feels like a rerun. The characters are just as despicable if not more and the pacing was just not there for me. I know others will love it so please do not make your decision based on my review. And I've read other books by this author and loved them so I will read whatever comes next.

with gratitude to netgalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

The Sequel is as much fun for voracious readers as The Plot. Sprinkled throughout a solid mystery thriller, Hanff Korelitz slyly winks to the peculiarities of the book business. She saves her sharpest knives for book signings, the idea of sequels, agents and editors, book festivals, and those deluded souls who read the Goldfinch and decided they too can write a novel about a boy who was in a museum explosion and hung onto a priceless painting. But this is only back drop to the real mystery - which is how is Anna, the widow of author Jacob Finch Bonner, going to extricate herself from clutches of someone (or someones) who know her real identify and deepest darkest secrets.

Remarkably, Hanff Korelitz (sort of) makes you root for Anna, despite the body count piling up in this novel. This is not a spoiler. If you read The Sequel as a sequel to The Plot, you know you are in for some dastardly and unexpected twists and turns. The Sequel does not necessarily have to be read after The Plot because Hanff Korelitz gives us lots of sign posts and information and reminders about how Anna has found herself the widow of a famous author in the first place, but it is a much better book read as a sequel. Highly recommend and thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

It was very slow to get through and didn't really pick up until the halfway point. It just felt like not much happened before then, so even when the reveal happened and the earlier stuff became relevant, I pretty much forgot about it. But after that, it definitely had a lot more punch to it and was more interesting. I appreciate the way it ended and all the allusions to being a writer as well as some fun little meta aspects.

The Sequel is just as clever as The Plot. Loved all the sequel book references. I love a good pun. And if it has been awhile and like me you forget stuff shockingly easily, read a plot summary of the first book before you start the sequel. I started this one without doing that and I just kept feeling like I was missing something (and I was definitely missing something!) I went from "poor sweet hearted widow Anna" to a knowingly wide eyed, "ohhhhh Annnnnnnnnnnnna," very quickly.

I raced through it, almost as quickly as these victims hit the floor or ground or landing. Bam, bam, BAM. Another one bites the dust and yikes, was I rooting for her in the end? Okay okay I was, but I could not help it so credit must be given to the writer because if there was ever a non-redeemable, sociopath, Anna's author page photograph would be there, smiling like a freaking lunatic.

I received an e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ok! Wow! It had been over 3 years since I read The Plot and it all came back to me!
This book was so good - so many twists and turns! Certainly kept me on my toes and I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley- excellent job, Jean! Look forward to your next book!

Another excellent literary/suspense by Jean Hanff Korelitz. This is a sequel to the Plot. Anna is a widow and coming to terms with the death of her author husband. At the same time, she has become an author in her own right. However, someone from her past knows her secrets and is clearly out to get her. This is a complexly written page-turner that will keep readers guessing right up to the shocking conclusion.

I was a big fan of The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz's best seller from a few years ago, and when I learned she had written a sequel, called appropriately The Sequel, naturally I had to read it. It's hard to say much about this book without revealing spoilers from the first novel, and I strongly suggest reading them in order if you want it to make sense. I was fuzzy on some of the details from the original novel because it had been a few years since I'd read it. I had to read some of the reviews on Goodreads to refresh my memory; otherwise, The Sequel wouldn't have made any sense to me. But I'm certainly glad to have read this book. It's part thriller, part satire on the publishing and writing industry, and part character study about a sociopath who isn't entirely unsympathetic. Anna is a survivor, first and foremost. And she'll do anything to protect herself. Now that her husband, the famous novelist Jake Robson is dead, she's a wealthy widow living on the royalties of his famous book. When she writes a book of her own, she think she has it made. But then she gets a letter, not unlike the letter her husband got before he died, threatening to reveal a secret that she'll do anything to keep buried.

Like most thrillers, this one has some over-the-top moments. But one of the tropes about sequels is they have to be even bigger and bolder than their first installment. This one is no exception, and is all the more fun for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my opinions.

It takes a talented writer to make you strongly dislike a character in one book, then turn around and make you root for them in another - and Jean Hanff Korelitz is highly talented, to say the least. What a great antihero she's created in Anna.

As Anna says in the first few pages, not many sequels are better than the originals - but of course she says this with full confidence that her story is better than Jake's. I really, really disliked Anna in <i>The Plot</i>, but I have to admit that she was right about <i>The Sequel</i> - it really is even better. Not only that, but I'd even say that <i>The Sequel</i> serves to elevate the story in <i>The Plot</i> (the two books together are even better than either one as a standalone novel).

Thank you to Netgalley, and to the publisher, for an advanced copy in exchange for review.

I was super excited for this one after loving 'The Plot,' and it was a great follow-up, considering sequels are often disappointing. It has plenty of twists, and while it does require a bit of suspension of disbelief — yes, perhaps even more than The Plot — it was still a satisfying read.

A very interesting and candid take on the publishing world. Throw in a little blackmail and murder and you have a very entertaining read.

Thank you for allowing me to review this novel. I will post on my social meffia accounts few days before the drop.


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Scott Lovelace
33 Lovelace Ln
Humboldt TN 38343

3.5 rounded up

Thank you to celadon and Netgalley.

I loved The Plot. So I was kind of shocked to see a sequel, but was also thrilled to get an early read.

There were parts of this book I loved and there were some that I just couldn’t let go of that much belief. At times the writing just felt like unlimited inner dialogue from Anna.

Overall, I flew through thjs one. And I def recommend for those who enjoyed The Plot! I do think you must read that one first.