Official Review: Death by Chaos by Renaii West

[shannonkate8]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Death by Chaos" by Renaii West.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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In Death by Chaos by Renaii West, Tasha Goldberg enters college at Parnassus Canyon University with a bang. Despite her wishes, she moves into Hesperus Hall, Room 407, with three other girls—Elizabeth, Dawn, and Miranda. Yet, it seems the fates decided this pairing early on, as the four become fast friends. They become the "Goddesses of 407," each claiming a "realm" of the college.

However, life changes drastically for all of them when a fellow student is found dead, and one of their own is the main suspect. They become entrenched in a web of lies and secrets. Still, as always, life moves on whether you are ready or not. Tasha is determined to learn the truth, even though years have passed. You'll need to pick up the book to learn how a college incident wreaks havoc decades later and see what Tasha discovers.

I'll begin by saying that I was immediately pulled into the book. I found the writing superb, if a bit lengthy, even on the first page. I wanted to know what was going to happen. Immediately following this, I was slightly put off as readers learn more about Tasha, one of the main characters. She has a sarcastic and narcissistic personality. While I love some good wit and diverse characters, she was a bit much for me. That said, she is far different from many main characters I have come across in books, making her unique and fascinating.

From there, I found the book to go way too fast. In a few chapters, college is over. In the next few breaths, readers find themselves finished with a decade, then two. I felt like much was glossed over. On the other hand, the author did elaborate on some important aspects, such as the four girls meeting and the mysterious death. Personally, I feel that the book could have been formatted differently. That said, others may like this approach.

Overall, I have to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I thought the book was an intriguing murder mystery. The characters were unique and fresh. The story kept me reading, and the writing was well done. I only found a few grammatical errors. However, the pace of the book was one of the main aspects holding me back from giving it a full four stars. In addition, I thought the use of Greek mythology references was redundant, bordering on excessive. Again, this is a personal preference and may not hinder the enjoyment of this book to others.

Overall, I would recommend this book to lovers of a good murder mystery. That said, I need to warn readers of potential triggers. These include, but are not limited to, discussion of rape, death, and some slurs. These were minor, in my opinion, but are helpful to those considering picking up this book.

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Death by Chaos
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[nwaobifrancesca]

This book sounds interesting. It reminds me of a movie series I once saw. A very interesting piece. Thanks for a wonderful and honest review.

[Mtibza eM]

Thank you for this review. I wonder what was the author's aim when they made it to run at this pace that was too fast for you.

[shannonkate8]

Thank you for this review. I wonder what was the author's aim when they made it to run at this pace that was too fast for you.

I think they were trying to cover a lot of time and events. That said, they didn't end the chapter and do the typical "ten years later" that other authors do. By not doing this, I felt that the author tried to squeeze everything in to show the passage of time.

[Michael Jerry_]

This is a book that Would keep me hooked but I’d quickly get tired of being hooked if it drags for too long, such can detract from the overall experience of the book however if you don’t mind reading for very long then I guess this would be a good read.

[Michael Jerry_]

Thank you for this review. I wonder what was the author's aim when they made it to run at this pace that was too fast for you.

I think they were trying to cover a lot of time and events. That said, they didn't end the chapter and do the typical "ten years later" that other authors do. By not doing this, I felt that the author tried to squeeze everything in to show the passage of time.

I think I prefer this authors approach to the Regular 10 years later however I feel that, because the author is just trying to show passage of time, that part won’t be as well written as other more important parts of the book that make up the totality of the books storyline.

[Albaou Amira]

I love murder mystery books and I would love to read this book someday. Good review.

[Smmwallace]

This book sounds mysterious and intriguing. The fast pace is off-putting, but your great review has me wanting to read it!

[Leen282]

Sometimes, a book appeals just from the title and the cover. This is one of them. I like a good murder mystery, I love settings in college/student environment, I enjoy references to Greek mythologie even if others may find it redundant. I will add this book now to my reading list.

[ashley griffin 7]

This isn't my normal go to book, but after reading your review and the description of the book, I have now added it to my bookshelf and actually downloaded it. With the school setting and murder mystery aspect it kinda reminds of pretty little liars... however I am a little hesitant to start reading as you have said the main character can be a bit much. Thank for your review!

[Liam Patel]

Thanks for your honest review and for warning readers about sensitive topics. It's helpful for us to know what to expect. Your feedback will help others decide if they want to read this murder mystery.

[Grace Olushola Bayode]

Murder mysteries are always my top pick, but I prefer shorter reads. Anyways congratulations on becoming BOTD!

[Rebecca De Figueiredo]

An enjoyable book, featuring enthusiastic and motivated characters. This book would appeal to young adults, I feel, mainly because of the plot. Greek mythology was an interesting aspect. Thank you for an informative review.

[Smrithi Arun]

Pacing issues aside, "Death by Chaos" sounds like an incredible murder mystery! Even though I'm not familiar enough with Greek mythology to get the references, I hope they don't hinder my reading experience much. Congrats on the BOTD!

[Saloni Gautam]

The review quite successfully captures the attention of the readers without spoiling the book for them and gives just enough details to get them hooked. Pairing it with the ebook available for free makes the perfect trap to capture the attention of readers.