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booksbytheglass's reviews
855 reviews
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.0
ruth ware is a firmly a hit or miss author for me - and sadly, this one was just okay š„“ it dragged on for an insanely long time, and even for a 350 page book, I felt about half of it could have been cut
this definitely gave death on the nile vibes, which I loved, and the characters were just the right amounts of secretive. however, I saw the whodunnit from miles away (and again, I fully chalk this up to the fact that I live and breathe thrillers) š« š« the signs just all pointed to the one person
and MC lauren was dumber than a bag of rocks I swearā¦ she was so quick to leave everything and everyone for this job opportunity on the cruise, and then all of a sudden was ready to ditch her jobā¦ her motives just didnāt make the most sense to me
I just wished this was a little more fast-paced and heart-pounding, rather than āletās analyze every single detail of this mystery and talk it outā
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: greek assyrtiko
this definitely gave death on the nile vibes, which I loved, and the characters were just the right amounts of secretive. however, I saw the whodunnit from miles away (and again, I fully chalk this up to the fact that I live and breathe thrillers) š« š« the signs just all pointed to the one person
and MC lauren was dumber than a bag of rocks I swearā¦ she was so quick to leave everything and everyone for this job opportunity on the cruise, and then all of a sudden was ready to ditch her jobā¦ her motives just didnāt make the most sense to me
I just wished this was a little more fast-paced and heart-pounding, rather than āletās analyze every single detail of this mystery and talk it outā
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: greek assyrtiko
The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
everyoneās mediocre reviews had me SO nervous going into this one! the inheritance games is such a great YA mystery series - and I was satisfied with the way it ended - so of course, I was a little wary when JLB decided to continue the seriesā¦
but in JLB we trust!!! this one was just as good (if not better) than the original trilogy š„°š«”
my biggest complaint about the inheritance games was the āpick meā attitude of avery, especially between the love triangle of her, grayson and jameson š so I was elated that she was not the main focus of this one
AND INSTEAD: my four hawthorne siblings are finally getting what they deserve!! weāre talking flashbacks, men with emotions, mysteries about their fathers, and so many shenanigans!! and I loved every second of it
by dividing the POVs between jameson and grayson, we got two completely separate stories that were equally as engaging and entertaining! I could read about these brothers all day long š„¹š«”
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: california sparkling wine
but in JLB we trust!!! this one was just as good (if not better) than the original trilogy š„°š«”
my biggest complaint about the inheritance games was the āpick meā attitude of avery, especially between the love triangle of her, grayson and jameson š so I was elated that she was not the main focus of this one
AND INSTEAD: my four hawthorne siblings are finally getting what they deserve!! weāre talking flashbacks, men with emotions, mysteries about their fathers, and so many shenanigans!! and I loved every second of it
by dividing the POVs between jameson and grayson, we got two completely separate stories that were equally as engaging and entertaining! I could read about these brothers all day long š„¹š«”
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: california sparkling wine
Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
2.5
I was super engrossed in this one from the start! it gave me designated survivor vibes with the government conspiracy and race again time to stop it!
however, it got progressively slower and more boring as the plot continued. instead of intensity, the storyline was repetitive and predictable š¤·š¼āāļø and maybe thatās because Iāve read so many thriller books and watched so many spy moviesā¦
BUT, other than gina (who was the backbone of this entire story), I would have liked to see more likable characters. I didnāt feel invested in them at all, and the ones that I felt a pull to (like danny) were quickly shoved to the side and never mentioned again.
this book could definitely have used some editing when it came to the details of the science and technology, making the dialogue seem more ātellingā rather than āshowingā
thank you to minotaur books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this oneās out in february!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
however, it got progressively slower and more boring as the plot continued. instead of intensity, the storyline was repetitive and predictable š¤·š¼āāļø and maybe thatās because Iāve read so many thriller books and watched so many spy moviesā¦
BUT, other than gina (who was the backbone of this entire story), I would have liked to see more likable characters. I didnāt feel invested in them at all, and the ones that I felt a pull to (like danny) were quickly shoved to the side and never mentioned again.
this book could definitely have used some editing when it came to the details of the science and technology, making the dialogue seem more ātellingā rather than āshowingā
thank you to minotaur books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this oneās out in february!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
crying in h mart? more like crying in my jeep renegade
I listened to this in the span of like two days because I couldnāt stop listening to her riveting story and voice okay š„¹
as someone who lost a parent recently, this memoir actually made me smile and laugh at the things that may seem weird or silly to someone not going through trauma or grief - but were 100% relatable to me. it was healing, perfect, and so eye opening to not only other cultures and differences, but at the end of the day, how grief makes us all similar together ā¤ļø
if youāve lost someone close to you, this oneās for you!!
I listened to this in the span of like two days because I couldnāt stop listening to her riveting story and voice okay š„¹
as someone who lost a parent recently, this memoir actually made me smile and laugh at the things that may seem weird or silly to someone not going through trauma or grief - but were 100% relatable to me. it was healing, perfect, and so eye opening to not only other cultures and differences, but at the end of the day, how grief makes us all similar together ā¤ļø
if youāve lost someone close to you, this oneās for you!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
this was SUCH a cute read! it felt like stepping into a childrenās book like hardy boys š„¹ the whimsical characters and feel were everything!!!
THE WISHING GAME is 100% a feel good read - no mystery or drama - and it accomplished that! four misfit young adults are invited to clock island, home of the clock island book series author jack, to compete in a puzzle and riddle contest to win the rights to his latest book! and each and every one of them has something at stake - from saving their bookstore, finding a kidney donor for their father, to adopting a child, I wanted to hear so much more about their lives outside of the contest š„¹š„¹
since the main focus was on lucy, the reader couldnāt help but root for her over the other three contestants, but Iām a firm believer that if this book was written in a multi-POV format, I would have a really hard time choosing my favorite!!
and for a book thatās all about this contest, only about 5% of the plot involved the actual contest which was a shame because I would have loved to figure out the puzzles alongside the characters
if you go in expecting a riveting life-changing experience, youāll be disappointed, but to keep your mind open and get ready for a cute feel good read, youāll love every whimsical second š„°
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: burgundy pinot noir
THE WISHING GAME is 100% a feel good read - no mystery or drama - and it accomplished that! four misfit young adults are invited to clock island, home of the clock island book series author jack, to compete in a puzzle and riddle contest to win the rights to his latest book! and each and every one of them has something at stake - from saving their bookstore, finding a kidney donor for their father, to adopting a child, I wanted to hear so much more about their lives outside of the contest š„¹š„¹
since the main focus was on lucy, the reader couldnāt help but root for her over the other three contestants, but Iām a firm believer that if this book was written in a multi-POV format, I would have a really hard time choosing my favorite!!
and for a book thatās all about this contest, only about 5% of the plot involved the actual contest which was a shame because I would have loved to figure out the puzzles alongside the characters
if you go in expecting a riveting life-changing experience, youāll be disappointed, but to keep your mind open and get ready for a cute feel good read, youāll love every whimsical second š„°
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: burgundy pinot noir
Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
dark
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
2.0
yeah ā¦ I know this series is absolutely beloved, but it was a firm nope from me. Iām all about dark romance, and honestly those were the best parts, but the characters were just so two-dimensional I found myself not even caring what happened to them š
erika is the stereotypical girl who has grown up always following the rules and suddenly breaks them all in one go when she decides to follow along the four horsemen (her neighborsā and friends) on a trip to terrorize and prank on devilās night. but she gets way more than she bargained for š
I was so into the plot when it was a revenge story, and I loved how each of them (michael, kai, damon, will) had conflicting morals. but, when I found out the real story behind what happened that devilās night, it was ā¦ disappointing and sort of a letdown š„“ especially because I predicted that erika was not as involved as alluded to begin with
and to go about this giant quest (multiple times) because someone turned you down? because you want what you canāt have? seems really childish to me & creates the idea that if you canāt get what you want, you should burn down and terrorize them insteadā¦
overall, I loved the spicy scenes and the forbidden romance, but the plot itself was just too muchā¦
a huge thank you to netgalley and berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - Iām sad this one missed the mark for me, but Iām certain others will love it!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
erika is the stereotypical girl who has grown up always following the rules and suddenly breaks them all in one go when she decides to follow along the four horsemen (her neighborsā and friends) on a trip to terrorize and prank on devilās night. but she gets way more than she bargained for š
I was so into the plot when it was a revenge story, and I loved how each of them (michael, kai, damon, will) had conflicting morals. but, when I found out the real story behind what happened that devilās night, it was ā¦ disappointing and sort of a letdown š„“ especially because I predicted that erika was not as involved as alluded to begin with
and to go about this giant quest (multiple times) because someone turned you down? because you want what you canāt have? seems really childish to me & creates the idea that if you canāt get what you want, you should burn down and terrorize them insteadā¦
overall, I loved the spicy scenes and the forbidden romance, but the plot itself was just too muchā¦
a huge thank you to netgalley and berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - Iām sad this one missed the mark for me, but Iām certain others will love it!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
4.5
okay I admit it, I wasnāt super into this one when I started - mallory was way too in her own head to actually see the world around her and that annoyed me to no end. however, I was so happy to be proven wrong the more and more I read š„¹š„¹
to be honest, it was really the side characters that drew me in. malloryās younger sisters were equal parts hysterical and adorable, defne (malloryās mentor) was a badass woman who takes no shizz from sexist men, and nolanās squad of seconds were exactly what you would expect from the coolest chess players around.
while mallory grew on me more and more, nolan was every bit the golden retriever I was hoping for š„¹š„¹ we got enemies to lovers, he falls first, grumpy sunshine, and so much cuteness!!
and mallory definitely did come around, especially after a few stern talking tos to realize she didnāt need to have the world on her shoulder all the time š¤” I just really canāt believe I went from feeling āehā about this book to absolutely loving it at the end!! I cannot recommend sticking this one out, especially if youāre a YA romance fan and was as obsessed with queenās gambit as I was!
thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: champagne brut
to be honest, it was really the side characters that drew me in. malloryās younger sisters were equal parts hysterical and adorable, defne (malloryās mentor) was a badass woman who takes no shizz from sexist men, and nolanās squad of seconds were exactly what you would expect from the coolest chess players around.
while mallory grew on me more and more, nolan was every bit the golden retriever I was hoping for š„¹š„¹ we got enemies to lovers, he falls first, grumpy sunshine, and so much cuteness!!
and mallory definitely did come around, especially after a few stern talking tos to realize she didnāt need to have the world on her shoulder all the time š¤” I just really canāt believe I went from feeling āehā about this book to absolutely loving it at the end!! I cannot recommend sticking this one out, especially if youāre a YA romance fan and was as obsessed with queenās gambit as I was!
thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: champagne brut
Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
I love these characters so much, Iām literally beyond sad itās over š every single mention and cameo had me squealing I could live in this universe forever
chloe gong does it again and again and again, seamlessly blending together historical fiction (with true events of the chinese-japanese conflict) and fantasy (with super soldiers and immortality) š®āšØ I have no idea how she does it, but itās a gift to bookish kind!!!
after the super rude cliffhanger of FOUL LADY FORTUNE, I was desperate to see what happens next - and I was relieved that it picked up almost immediately! rosalind working together with celia was the sisterhood I never knew I needed to see again, and I loved their banters about their brothers in arms!! I would risk it all for orion and oliver to get a happy ending š„¹
and can we talk about my badass favorite ladies alisa and phoebe? š„° they are the real heroes of this story!!!
while the pacing of this book was slow-paced, I found it added more details and events to the overall plot so I didnāt mind as much as I thought it would. I definitely could have done 100 pages shorter thoughā¦
DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS SERIES!! and make sure you read these violent delights duology first!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: bordeaux entre-deux-mers cabernet sauvignon
chloe gong does it again and again and again, seamlessly blending together historical fiction (with true events of the chinese-japanese conflict) and fantasy (with super soldiers and immortality) š®āšØ I have no idea how she does it, but itās a gift to bookish kind!!!
after the super rude cliffhanger of FOUL LADY FORTUNE, I was desperate to see what happens next - and I was relieved that it picked up almost immediately! rosalind working together with celia was the sisterhood I never knew I needed to see again, and I loved their banters about their brothers in arms!! I would risk it all for orion and oliver to get a happy ending š„¹
and can we talk about my badass favorite ladies alisa and phoebe? š„° they are the real heroes of this story!!!
while the pacing of this book was slow-paced, I found it added more details and events to the overall plot so I didnāt mind as much as I thought it would. I definitely could have done 100 pages shorter thoughā¦
DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS SERIES!! and make sure you read these violent delights duology first!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: bordeaux entre-deux-mers cabernet sauvignon
Heartless by Elsie Silver
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
this was ALMOST the perfect cowboy romance š„¹š„¹ it had pretty much everything I could have asked for!! I loved cade and willa so so much please
ā¦ until THAT TROPE happened at the end ā¦ it was completely unnecessary, in my opinion, and just existed to create some third-act tension when there didnāt need to be any š„“š„“
BUT cade was the hottest cowboy and my new book boyfriend please š„µ like willa, Iām super into older men so this satisfied pretty much all of my fantasies. and the slow burn paid off so well my goodness I was blushing
and my heart completely melted at luke š„¹ he was the cutest little kid with absolutely the best one-liners! I tabbed pretty much every conversation in the book with him in it
we just have to stan a single dad!!!! and the nanny trope? ugh gave me all of the sound of music vibes I was here for it!!!!
I just love getting more invested in this eaton family and I cannot wait for the next installment!!! they are all so cute in their own ways I WANT THEM ALL OKAY save a horse ride a cowboy š¤
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
ā¦ until THAT TROPE happened at the end ā¦ it was completely unnecessary, in my opinion, and just existed to create some third-act tension when there didnāt need to be any š„“š„“
BUT cade was the hottest cowboy and my new book boyfriend please š„µ like willa, Iām super into older men so this satisfied pretty much all of my fantasies. and the slow burn paid off so well my goodness I was blushing
and my heart completely melted at luke š„¹ he was the cutest little kid with absolutely the best one-liners! I tabbed pretty much every conversation in the book with him in it
we just have to stan a single dad!!!! and the nanny trope? ugh gave me all of the sound of music vibes I was here for it!!!!
I just love getting more invested in this eaton family and I cannot wait for the next installment!!! they are all so cute in their own ways I WANT THEM ALL OKAY save a horse ride a cowboy š¤
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this was good but not great, and Iām 100% chalking that up to the fact that Iāve read and watched so many spy thrillers in my life š
with predictable set-ups, as most spy thrillers have a similar beginning and plot, I really need a shocking twist or revelation to keep me going, and I didnāt get that from this oneā¦
in fact, I had a fantastic theory, only to be disappointed when the actual conclusion wasnāt as good as the one I came up with š¬
that being said, this was a bingeable story!! once a spy, always a spy, is such a great premise - especially when the spies are keeping way more secrets than manageable. and while maggie is comfortable living out her days on her farm, someone definitely wants her to pay for what happened on her last mission. which was pretty damn exciting to see play out!
I loved all of the characters in the āmartini clubā as well as bella and maggieās neighbors - except I thought having jo as a āmainā character was a waste and didnāt really add to the story at all. the characters were 100% kept me going when I was bored š„²
a quick and easy read for me - and definitely could be a winner for those on the newer side of spy thrillers!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: sonoma bourbon-barreled chardonnay
in fact, I had a fantastic theory, only to be disappointed when the actual conclusion wasnāt as good as the one I came up with š¬
that being said, this was a bingeable story!! once a spy, always a spy, is such a great premise - especially when the spies are keeping way more secrets than manageable. and while maggie is comfortable living out her days on her farm, someone definitely wants her to pay for what happened on her last mission. which was pretty damn exciting to see play out!
I loved all of the characters in the āmartini clubā as well as bella and maggieās neighbors - except I thought having jo as a āmainā character was a waste and didnāt really add to the story at all. the characters were 100% kept me going when I was bored š„²
a quick and easy read for me - and definitely could be a winner for those on the newer side of spy thrillers!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: sonoma bourbon-barreled chardonnay