Sometimes running a business can cost you an arm and a leg... or more than that...
I just read an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of Chop Shop by Andrew Post and i'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical after reading the synopsis on the back. As I started to read, however, I became so fascinated and intrigued that I couldn't really put it down.
The novel follows the story of Amber Hawthorne and Jolene Morris, who are business partners and roomates at Hawthorne Funeral Home and are drowning in debt. They both have a hard time keeping their partying habits under control, so they start to sell body parts on the black market to keep their business alive.
Their new buyers, or "business partners" if you will, seem nice and friendly at first. That is, until, the dead gangster they have recently "worked on" seems to have been full of disease. Now, the buyers want Amber and Jolene to find something else to make up for profits, which teaches the lesson that running your own business can cost an arm and a leg... literally.
Post seems to write with a very laid back style. He uses modern language and everything is very easy to understand. I also thought that the concept of the novel was really interesting because I haven't heard about anything similar to it.
While the book is filled with a lot deep and heavy topics, like organ trafficking, one main theme really stuck out to me. The relationship between Amber and Jolene is very prominent and very meaningful. As the novel progresses, we, of course, come to learn a little about their history and how they got to where they are, but their affection and appreciation really shines through as we approach the last few chapters. Jolene ends up making the biggest sacrifice of her life for Amber, which says a lot about the kind of people they are. Yes, they have problems, but who doesn't?
In the last chapter, we see Amber make somewhat of a speech and she really explains the importance of her friendship with Jolene. She says:"I just want to say if you have people in your life who have stuck with you as you tried to make yourself better or helped you see that you needed to make a change you owe them everything." (p 228) Reading this, not only opened up this new view of Amber, but also displayed an undeniable bond between two young women. It's inspiring and intense all at the same time.
Going in, I had my doubts, but ultimately, I ended up really enjoying the book. If you enjoy horror or crime fiction, this is definitely the book for you. However, it does get pretty graphic and gruesome at times, so just be aware of that if you decide to pick it up.
The book is expected to be released on June 13th of this year, so make sure you grab a copy, my lovelies. You absolutely will not regret it.
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