Scan barcode
booksbytheglass's reviews
851 reviews
Sable Peak by Devney Perry
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I can't believe my journey into the lives of the edens is over!!! šš while I absolutely loved being back in the world of eden ranch, I wanted so much more out of mateo and vera's story, especially as both characters were probably the least characterized and fleshed out so far
after the turmoil of CRIMSON RIVER, I was super looking forward to getting into vera's head about the events of her past, and boy, I was not disappointed. her trauma was unlike any I've read about in thrillers and romance alike, and I just wanted to give her a huge hug okay š„¹
mateo, on the other hand, was barely even touched upon!! by having the first third of the book from only vera's POV, I feel like I was robbed from mateo's backstory. there was about one chapter that went into his life in alaska, and it wasn't enough! we were 100% robbed from seeing his emotions about finding out about his daughter too, and omg I need it from his POV so badly
and don't even get me started about his 180 feelings... š I loved seeing vera's infatuation with mateo grow and ebb over the two years since she joined the family, thanks to vance and lyla. but mateo seriously went from not even noticing that vera had feelings for him to being completely in love with her in seriously less than 24 hours... I had whiplash y'all š
despite the lack of mateo characterization, this novel was perfect in terms of spacing the plot out and giving real emotions to a girl who has lived through so much trauma. seeing her finally happy with the edens and starting a "normal" life made me tear up a lot
the double epilogue did make me cringe a bit, mostly because the large time skips never really make sense with the characters to me. and once again, it just shows that a family can't be complete without marriage and kids, which is super not true, so I would have liked to see at least one of the edens couples struggle with not having a perfect family. BUT I loved it all the same š«¶š¼
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley chardonnay
after the turmoil of CRIMSON RIVER, I was super looking forward to getting into vera's head about the events of her past, and boy, I was not disappointed. her trauma was unlike any I've read about in thrillers and romance alike, and I just wanted to give her a huge hug okay š„¹
mateo, on the other hand, was barely even touched upon!! by having the first third of the book from only vera's POV, I feel like I was robbed from mateo's backstory. there was about one chapter that went into his life in alaska, and it wasn't enough! we were 100% robbed from seeing his emotions about finding out about his daughter too, and omg I need it from his POV so badly
and don't even get me started about his 180 feelings... š I loved seeing vera's infatuation with mateo grow and ebb over the two years since she joined the family, thanks to vance and lyla. but mateo seriously went from not even noticing that vera had feelings for him to being completely in love with her in seriously less than 24 hours... I had whiplash y'all š
despite the lack of mateo characterization, this novel was perfect in terms of spacing the plot out and giving real emotions to a girl who has lived through so much trauma. seeing her finally happy with the edens and starting a "normal" life made me tear up a lot
the double epilogue did make me cringe a bit, mostly because the large time skips never really make sense with the characters to me. and once again, it just shows that a family can't be complete without marriage and kids, which is super not true, so I would have liked to see at least one of the edens couples struggle with not having a perfect family. BUT I loved it all the same š«¶š¼
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley chardonnay
Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
what a cutie christmas read!!! it was the perfect blend between hallmark fluff and an actual serious relationship that I would see in real life š„¹
Iām all for relationships of second chances (and third and fourth) when it makes sense with the storyline, more along the lines of āthe one who got awayā which is 100% the vibe of this and made it so adorable!!!
I loved andrew and molly and their friendship turned relationship a lot because of their realness behind it, their reluctance to get together in order to save their friendship, and their pen-pal like communication!! and of course, their irish culture!!! I wanted more of it, from one irish queen to another āļø
I still found a certain number of scenes to be unnecessary and drawn out, and the whole book itself definitely could have been shorter. however, it was a perfect holiday romance to get me in the spirit!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: mĆ³inĆ©ir blackberry wine
Iām all for relationships of second chances (and third and fourth) when it makes sense with the storyline, more along the lines of āthe one who got awayā which is 100% the vibe of this and made it so adorable!!!
I loved andrew and molly and their friendship turned relationship a lot because of their realness behind it, their reluctance to get together in order to save their friendship, and their pen-pal like communication!! and of course, their irish culture!!! I wanted more of it, from one irish queen to another āļø
I still found a certain number of scenes to be unnecessary and drawn out, and the whole book itself definitely could have been shorter. however, it was a perfect holiday romance to get me in the spirit!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: mĆ³inĆ©ir blackberry wine
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
finally!!!! my 4 star and above read of the month!!! š
is there such thing as a wholesome thriller? because this one was it š„² I loved the family dynamics of this one way more than I loved the mystery elements, and Iām so happy the author decided to focus on jack, lana and bethās story!!!
as I typically go into stories blind, I was convinced that this was going to be about a mother and a daughter serial killer š¤” donāt ask about my brain okay!!! was very pleased to find out that it was INSTEAD about a grandmother, mother and daughter trio solving a murder that the cops are just trying to solve quickly
each of the family memberās dynamics were so lovely and unique!! I really felt like this trio could be my neighbors - and while the mystery of the case got convoluted at times, they really kept the story grounded
and yes okay, I did guess who the true murderer was - but!!! it took me a while!!! so this is progress people!!!
tl;dr: a quick and bingeable thriller that will actually make you want to befriend the characters š„¹
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
is there such thing as a wholesome thriller? because this one was it š„² I loved the family dynamics of this one way more than I loved the mystery elements, and Iām so happy the author decided to focus on jack, lana and bethās story!!!
as I typically go into stories blind, I was convinced that this was going to be about a mother and a daughter serial killer š¤” donāt ask about my brain okay!!! was very pleased to find out that it was INSTEAD about a grandmother, mother and daughter trio solving a murder that the cops are just trying to solve quickly
each of the family memberās dynamics were so lovely and unique!! I really felt like this trio could be my neighbors - and while the mystery of the case got convoluted at times, they really kept the story grounded
and yes okay, I did guess who the true murderer was - but!!! it took me a while!!! so this is progress people!!!
tl;dr: a quick and bingeable thriller that will actually make you want to befriend the characters š„¹
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
DNF @ 50% - Iām calling this a not right now for the moment because I just could not get into the plot and all of the science elements. it was the longest of slow burns so much that it was a snooze fest for me š„± I really wanted to enjoy it more, more like blake crouchās novels, but this style of writing with the back and forth timelines just didnāt work for me. I might try again on audio since that came recommend by friends - but this is pass for me for now šš
The Beast by Katee Robert
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
GOD I AM IN SUCH A READING SLUMP!!! every book I pick up is entertaining enough but ends up being just okay for me š is it me yall? am I the problem?
I did enjoy this roller coaster of emotions between isabelle, gaeton, and the beast - but I wanted more!!! I felt like they made isabelle open up to all of her thoughts and emotions, but didnāt really reciprocate until the end š« I just want all of them to be happy!!!!
and I was super fooled into thinking beastās ex-boyfriend was going to play into this, as they mentioned it every other chapterā¦ like if youāre not going to use the plot point, why bring it up š¤”
I went into this not expecting a cuddly teddy bear relationship between them, so I think the vibes just really threw me for a loopā¦
also! I tend to enjoy this series more when thereās more drama and plot rather than just relying on the spice!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: alsace geurtztraimer
I did enjoy this roller coaster of emotions between isabelle, gaeton, and the beast - but I wanted more!!! I felt like they made isabelle open up to all of her thoughts and emotions, but didnāt really reciprocate until the end š« I just want all of them to be happy!!!!
and I was super fooled into thinking beastās ex-boyfriend was going to play into this, as they mentioned it every other chapterā¦ like if youāre not going to use the plot point, why bring it up š¤”
I went into this not expecting a cuddly teddy bear relationship between them, so I think the vibes just really threw me for a loopā¦
also! I tend to enjoy this series more when thereās more drama and plot rather than just relying on the spice!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: alsace geurtztraimer
The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this book was like a mash-up of every single other neighborhood thriller Iāve read combined š I just think it tried too hard to be mysterious when all of the characters were super two-dimensional
Iām usually a huge domestic / neighborhood thriller girlie so I was sad that this one played out pretty predictably š« I wanted more in depth POVs versus focusing on sophie (the girl from the past) and tash (the clueless reporter in present day). I felt that by switching up the character POVs (especially because there were so many of them!), it would have led the reader in opposite directions than the obvious conclusionā¦
AND WHY THE HECK WAS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH JEZ WTF
I think this plot line had all of the bones there, but sadly, it fell victim to overused thriller tropes (which I wonāt mention for spoiler reasons, but youāll absolutely know when you read them)
again, I mention that Iāve read so many mystery and thriller books in my life that this could totally be a me problem, and I do implore for others to read this one!!!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: california sparkling wine
Iām usually a huge domestic / neighborhood thriller girlie so I was sad that this one played out pretty predictably š« I wanted more in depth POVs versus focusing on sophie (the girl from the past) and tash (the clueless reporter in present day). I felt that by switching up the character POVs (especially because there were so many of them!), it would have led the reader in opposite directions than the obvious conclusionā¦
AND WHY THE HECK WAS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH JEZ WTF
I think this plot line had all of the bones there, but sadly, it fell victim to overused thriller tropes (which I wonāt mention for spoiler reasons, but youāll absolutely know when you read them)
again, I mention that Iāve read so many mystery and thriller books in my life that this could totally be a me problem, and I do implore for others to read this one!!!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: california sparkling wine
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
while this book CAN be read as a standalone, I definitely wouldnāt recommend it š there are SO many callbacks to the authorās first book, THE APPEAL, and it helps to know the characters and their motives when you also know their pastā¦
that being said, I found the story itself to be lacking a bit more mystery. it plays out predictably the same as THE APPEAL flipping back and forth between police evidence and interviews with notes and emails during the play itself. it was fun to follow along but lacking a sense of urgency and motive.
the final plot twist was arguably the best thing about this book - even if I guessed it from the beginning. it was super satisfying to finally solve the case, especially going through the same bouts of evidence as the detectives.
this was an easy holiday read to get through (just over 200 pages!) and perfect for those who want a sense of christmas and winter without the cheesy hallmark romances!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
that being said, I found the story itself to be lacking a bit more mystery. it plays out predictably the same as THE APPEAL flipping back and forth between police evidence and interviews with notes and emails during the play itself. it was fun to follow along but lacking a sense of urgency and motive.
the final plot twist was arguably the best thing about this book - even if I guessed it from the beginning. it was super satisfying to finally solve the case, especially going through the same bouts of evidence as the detectives.
this was an easy holiday read to get through (just over 200 pages!) and perfect for those who want a sense of christmas and winter without the cheesy hallmark romances!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
The Engagement Party by Darby Kane
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
as I was reading this, I seriously thought to myself ācan I really give this one star because this is just so badā š„“ and then the surprise ending plot twist bumped it up to two stars because that was literally the only good part of this storyā¦
I preface this review by saying that historically darby kane is usually not the author for me š„² so there may be others out there who can resonate with her kind of thrillers more than meā¦
but this one was just so poorly planned out yāall š I really should have DNFed, but I wanted to see how it ended and if there was any redemption for the lack of cohesive plot. as itās a good old fashioned revenge story focused on a murder from college times, it gave wannabe dark academia vibes mixed with unhinged narrators and characters (but not in a good way)
I think if the plot was a little more planned out with less obviously guilty characters, it would have been not a memorable but at least a likable thriller. instead, the storyline was all over the place with the characters each lying so terribly in their own way to protect themselves that the reader has absolutely no clue what the heck is even going onā¦
this just felt like one bad horror movie, with a slight improvement plot twist in the last chapter (a darby kane famous moment). and while I wish I could say there were more likable moments than that, this is supposed to be an honest review and Iām scathing today š¶š«
a big thank you to netgalley and william morrow for putting up with my critical self and sending me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: new zealand cabernet sauvignon
I preface this review by saying that historically darby kane is usually not the author for me š„² so there may be others out there who can resonate with her kind of thrillers more than meā¦
but this one was just so poorly planned out yāall š I really should have DNFed, but I wanted to see how it ended and if there was any redemption for the lack of cohesive plot. as itās a good old fashioned revenge story focused on a murder from college times, it gave wannabe dark academia vibes mixed with unhinged narrators and characters (but not in a good way)
I think if the plot was a little more planned out with less obviously guilty characters, it would have been not a memorable but at least a likable thriller. instead, the storyline was all over the place with the characters each lying so terribly in their own way to protect themselves that the reader has absolutely no clue what the heck is even going onā¦
this just felt like one bad horror movie, with a slight improvement plot twist in the last chapter (a darby kane famous moment). and while I wish I could say there were more likable moments than that, this is supposed to be an honest review and Iām scathing today š¶š«
a big thank you to netgalley and william morrow for putting up with my critical self and sending me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: new zealand cabernet sauvignon
The Ex by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
after picking up and putting down this one like 5 times, jordan finally got me to read it all the way through šš«¶š¼
and I would have loved this one so much more if I hadnāt read so many other similar thrillers!! sadly, I guessed the plot twist from a mile away due to the similarities to one of my favorite thrillers ever ā¦ (I will post at the end of this review to avoid spoilers)
I loved the intrigue of flipping back and forth between joelās present girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend without naming who exactly they are - and their stories were so equally interesting I wasnāt sure who I was rooting for more!!
it was a very quick entertaining thriller, and as I mentioned, it would have hit better if I hadnāt read a certain named thriller with an almost identical plot twist š„“š„“
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: rioja red blend
š©
š©
š©
š©
SPOILERS: the book that itās almost identical to is the wife between us by greer hendricks and sarah pekkanen!!!!
and I would have loved this one so much more if I hadnāt read so many other similar thrillers!! sadly, I guessed the plot twist from a mile away due to the similarities to one of my favorite thrillers ever ā¦ (I will post at the end of this review to avoid spoilers)
I loved the intrigue of flipping back and forth between joelās present girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend without naming who exactly they are - and their stories were so equally interesting I wasnāt sure who I was rooting for more!!
it was a very quick entertaining thriller, and as I mentioned, it would have hit better if I hadnāt read a certain named thriller with an almost identical plot twist š„“š„“
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: rioja red blend
š©
š©
š©
š©
SPOILERS: the book that itās almost identical to is the wife between us by greer hendricks and sarah pekkanen!!!!
The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I started this book over a year ago (because christmas spirit š«¶š¼) and then promptly was upset by the MCās friends treating her like crap because she hasnāt āmoved onā in the two years since her husband passed away tragically
and then christmas was over and I never finished so here we are!!! new season, new perspective!! and Iām glad I stuck this one out š¤
natalie is grieving during the holidays, and no one can understand her - until sheās unexpectedly matched with two male friends who start to get her more than anyone since russ died š„¹š„¹ and what a story it was!
there were moments of all emotions from rage to sadness to heart swooning - and I think the author did this effectively - but I wanted more!! I felt like the characters were very surface level, and I wanted to feel the grief a bit more like ashley postonās books (will I stop bringing up ashley poston every day? not likely)
however, I did absolutely love the magical vibes of this story!!! and while I wouldnāt consider it a āholidayā story, the setting was perfect for this time of year!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: willamette valley pinot noir
and then christmas was over and I never finished so here we are!!! new season, new perspective!! and Iām glad I stuck this one out š¤
natalie is grieving during the holidays, and no one can understand her - until sheās unexpectedly matched with two male friends who start to get her more than anyone since russ died š„¹š„¹ and what a story it was!
there were moments of all emotions from rage to sadness to heart swooning - and I think the author did this effectively - but I wanted more!! I felt like the characters were very surface level, and I wanted to feel the grief a bit more like ashley postonās books (will I stop bringing up ashley poston every day? not likely)
however, I did absolutely love the magical vibes of this story!!! and while I wouldnāt consider it a āholidayā story, the setting was perfect for this time of year!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: willamette valley pinot noir