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booksbytheglass's reviews
855 reviews
Shadows of You by Catherine Cowles
adventurous
dark
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? No
3.5
I was waiting very impatiently for roan’s story, and it was worth the wait!! him and aspen were such a cute match they really needed each other more than they knew 🥹🥹
except for roan’s pet names … I mean, if someone called me tender heart, I’d feel super cringe 🥴
while the romantic elements were super sweet, I didn’t feel super attached to the characters as much as I wanted to in this one! cady was the only one who captured my heart - and that’s because she’s so dang adorable and mature for her age!
it was, instead, the suspense elements that kept my true crime loving heart going!! I’m all for an unsolved mystery - but, sadly, this one felt very predictable and full of twists that didn’t make sense. I wanted to see more of the “event” in aspen’s past and less of her PTSD in current day. with her explaining what happened, it was more “telling” rather than “showing” 🫠🫠 which led the whodunnit to seem a lil out of left field
I think, to me, it was trying too hard to make a twist happen (which never works if it’s forced) 😬
I really think catherine cowles just isn’t for me because it has all of the elements that I normally love in a romantic suspense novel, but it just didn’t scratch that itch for me …
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
except for roan’s pet names … I mean, if someone called me tender heart, I’d feel super cringe 🥴
while the romantic elements were super sweet, I didn’t feel super attached to the characters as much as I wanted to in this one! cady was the only one who captured my heart - and that’s because she’s so dang adorable and mature for her age!
it was, instead, the suspense elements that kept my true crime loving heart going!! I’m all for an unsolved mystery - but, sadly, this one felt very predictable and full of twists that didn’t make sense. I wanted to see more of the “event” in aspen’s past and less of her PTSD in current day. with her explaining what happened, it was more “telling” rather than “showing” 🫠🫠 which led the whodunnit to seem a lil out of left field
I think, to me, it was trying too hard to make a twist happen (which never works if it’s forced) 😬
I really think catherine cowles just isn’t for me because it has all of the elements that I normally love in a romantic suspense novel, but it just didn’t scratch that itch for me …
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I told myself I was going to finish off october with one last paranormal spooky read, and then I didn’t - so I spent today decorating for christmas and finishing the spooky season with this one!! story of my life lately 👻🎃🎅🏻❄️
riley sager’s stories always have a tint of horror and/or supernatural - and I think what I love the most is trying to figure out how to disprove it (much like MC maggie does). and boy, was I having a hard time with this one 👻👻👻
the backdrop of a haunted house always seems to hit the spot with thrillers, and this was no exception! but alternating chapters with maggie in present day and excepts from her father’s fiction / non-fiction / no one really knows book was BRILLIANT! it kept me wondering what was real and what was fiction 👀
while I did guess the main twist at the end, there were a few along the way that played out very well. I would say that I actually would have dragged this one out a little more to suspend belief (aka this is code word for I WANTED MORE!), but overall an excellent read!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: mosel riesling
riley sager’s stories always have a tint of horror and/or supernatural - and I think what I love the most is trying to figure out how to disprove it (much like MC maggie does). and boy, was I having a hard time with this one 👻👻👻
the backdrop of a haunted house always seems to hit the spot with thrillers, and this was no exception! but alternating chapters with maggie in present day and excepts from her father’s fiction / non-fiction / no one really knows book was BRILLIANT! it kept me wondering what was real and what was fiction 👀
while I did guess the main twist at the end, there were a few along the way that played out very well. I would say that I actually would have dragged this one out a little more to suspend belief (aka this is code word for I WANTED MORE!), but overall an excellent read!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: mosel riesling
Glimmers of You by Catherine Cowles
emotional
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? No
3.5
hmmm okay, this series is still not my favorite, but I'm doing my best to push through and find cuteness in these couples regardless!! grae has always been one of my favorite characters from the first two books, and I loved seeing her journey in this one!
I was very intrigued in the mystery behind why grae and caden went from best friends to clear sexually frustrated enemies :)) and like wren and holt's big "falling out," it was an idiotic reason to hate each other. I swear, if any of the people in the town would take five minutes and just talk to each other about how they're feeling, there would be no need for any unhappiness...
while the romance wasn't my favorite, I was eternally grateful that there wasn't a third act breakup or any kind of miscommunication. instead, I just found them to go from enemies to lovers in about five seconds, and it really just didn't do it for me.
I definitely got sucked into the suspense elements of this one though! I love true crime and vengeful folks, so I was fully on board with figuring out who was stalking and torturing grae (I mean, what a sweet baby!!). from reading other romantic suspense novels like the edens series, I did see the culprit coming from a mile away, but I do think that's because I read so many thriller books oops
again, not my favorite romantic suspense, but I do think that's a me problem because everyone seems to love this series!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
I was very intrigued in the mystery behind why grae and caden went from best friends to clear sexually frustrated enemies :)) and like wren and holt's big "falling out," it was an idiotic reason to hate each other. I swear, if any of the people in the town would take five minutes and just talk to each other about how they're feeling, there would be no need for any unhappiness...
while the romance wasn't my favorite, I was eternally grateful that there wasn't a third act breakup or any kind of miscommunication. instead, I just found them to go from enemies to lovers in about five seconds, and it really just didn't do it for me.
I definitely got sucked into the suspense elements of this one though! I love true crime and vengeful folks, so I was fully on board with figuring out who was stalking and torturing grae (I mean, what a sweet baby!!). from reading other romantic suspense novels like the edens series, I did see the culprit coming from a mile away, but I do think that's because I read so many thriller books oops
again, not my favorite romantic suspense, but I do think that's a me problem because everyone seems to love this series!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this is a MODERN DAY CLASSIC, mark my words!! I could re-read this one several times over and still find something new to take away from it 😭 it was so heart wrenching and full of grey morals - I loved every single second of it!!!
as an english lit girlie, I loved the backdrop of shakespeare intertwining with the past, present and future of these characters. dark academia is such a comfort genre for me, and including that along with shakespeare’s tragedies? a recipe for success ⭐️
having knowledge of shakespeare, specifically macbeth, caesar, romeo & juliet, and king lear, definitely gives the reader an added layer in the story, but it is not necessary to enjoy this twisty plot! and boy, were there twists!! I would consider this more of a mystery drama rather than a thriller, but there is PLENTY of bloodshed 🙃
and I’m at a loss for words at how gorgeous this story was written! the effortless blend between shakespearean, dialogue and inner monologue was beautiful, and it allowed me to grasp who these characters were when you stripped them down to nothing 😮💨👌🏼
god I’m so upset this one is over because I immediately want to relive this for the first time again 😭😭 I feel so attached to these characters, despite only knowing them for 300 pages …
READ THIS BOOK THANKS!!! and an extra thanks to my lifelong irish bestie heather for forcing this one into my hands 😘
rating: 5 stars (and more!)
wine pairing: piedmont barolo red blend
as an english lit girlie, I loved the backdrop of shakespeare intertwining with the past, present and future of these characters. dark academia is such a comfort genre for me, and including that along with shakespeare’s tragedies? a recipe for success ⭐️
having knowledge of shakespeare, specifically macbeth, caesar, romeo & juliet, and king lear, definitely gives the reader an added layer in the story, but it is not necessary to enjoy this twisty plot! and boy, were there twists!! I would consider this more of a mystery drama rather than a thriller, but there is PLENTY of bloodshed 🙃
and I’m at a loss for words at how gorgeous this story was written! the effortless blend between shakespearean, dialogue and inner monologue was beautiful, and it allowed me to grasp who these characters were when you stripped them down to nothing 😮💨👌🏼
god I’m so upset this one is over because I immediately want to relive this for the first time again 😭😭 I feel so attached to these characters, despite only knowing them for 300 pages …
READ THIS BOOK THANKS!!! and an extra thanks to my lifelong irish bestie heather for forcing this one into my hands 😘
rating: 5 stars (and more!)
wine pairing: piedmont barolo red blend
King of Greed by Ana Huang
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
there’s nothing more I love in fictional men when they own up to their mistakes and actually change for the better!!!! and that’s also how I know they’re fictional 🤡
from the little bit we got to know dominic and alessandra from the previous books, I wanted so much groveling!!! and boy was I pleased 😌 for a self-made billionaire, dominic was so quick to turn on a dime (which normally okay 🚩🚩🚩), but to see him even attempt literally the bare minimum was quite satisfying
… and yet I wanted more!!! we want grand gestures!!!
this one definitely gave me all of the after I do vibes!! watching their relationship fall apart to put the pieces back together again 🥹🥹 - and while the side plots were lacking in content, I loved the immediate attention of all of the side characters and cameos!
I for sure want to see more of roman in the future, but I’m so content with everything in this story!!! it was exactly what I hoped for and more!!
this one is probably one of the most emo and less romantic of ana huang’s novels - but I loved it even more for that because she didn’t hold back one bit! I stand by my ana huang auto buy standing forever 👑
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: brazil cabernet sauvignon
from the little bit we got to know dominic and alessandra from the previous books, I wanted so much groveling!!! and boy was I pleased 😌 for a self-made billionaire, dominic was so quick to turn on a dime (which normally okay 🚩🚩🚩), but to see him even attempt literally the bare minimum was quite satisfying
… and yet I wanted more!!! we want grand gestures!!!
this one definitely gave me all of the after I do vibes!! watching their relationship fall apart to put the pieces back together again 🥹🥹 - and while the side plots were lacking in content, I loved the immediate attention of all of the side characters and cameos!
I for sure want to see more of roman in the future, but I’m so content with everything in this story!!! it was exactly what I hoped for and more!!
this one is probably one of the most emo and less romantic of ana huang’s novels - but I loved it even more for that because she didn’t hold back one bit! I stand by my ana huang auto buy standing forever 👑
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: brazil cabernet sauvignon
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
for someone who finished OUR VIOLENT ENDS a firm rosalind hater, I’m shocked as all of you that I absolutely devoured and loved this one!! even more than the previous duology 😮💨😍
picking up five years after the events of OUR VIOLENT ENDS, rosalind is an undercover agent for the nationalists with more secrets than I can count 😇 and she’s still fighting battles against the communists and now the japanese alike to save her city
the mystery and plot behind this story has only gotten twistier and better since chloe gong’s previous novels. she has perfected the art of misleading the reader and creating plot twists that have you screaming WTF but then realizing they totally make sense in the end 🤯 she got me good a few times!!!!
by combining some familiar faces with new characters, it was an easy transition from the life of juliette and roma to the life of orion and rosalind (and of course their own troops of friends). and I loved seeing each and every one of them adapt and harden throughout the brink of war!
I honestly want to go back and re-read it immediately, which is always a good sign, and see how I could have missed ALL of those twists 🤯🧐 I cannot wait for the next installment because that ending killed me!!!
also if I’m right about who JM is, I will scream!!!!!!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: junmai daiginjo sho une sake
picking up five years after the events of OUR VIOLENT ENDS, rosalind is an undercover agent for the nationalists with more secrets than I can count 😇 and she’s still fighting battles against the communists and now the japanese alike to save her city
the mystery and plot behind this story has only gotten twistier and better since chloe gong’s previous novels. she has perfected the art of misleading the reader and creating plot twists that have you screaming WTF but then realizing they totally make sense in the end 🤯 she got me good a few times!!!!
by combining some familiar faces with new characters, it was an easy transition from the life of juliette and roma to the life of orion and rosalind (and of course their own troops of friends). and I loved seeing each and every one of them adapt and harden throughout the brink of war!
I honestly want to go back and re-read it immediately, which is always a good sign, and see how I could have missed ALL of those twists 🤯🧐 I cannot wait for the next installment because that ending killed me!!!
also if I’m right about who JM is, I will scream!!!!!!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: junmai daiginjo sho une sake
Echoes of You by Catherine Cowles
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
okay listen I liked this one a lot more than the first one, but not enough to save the series for me 😅 I just feel like there’s so many other indie series that do romantic suspense better (I’m so sorry)
that being said, best friends to lovers always makes me emo 🥹 and for once, there wasn’t any miscommunication or third act breakup, so that was a win in my book!
I just found nash to be a little too possessive for me, even though I appreciate how open he was with his brothers and vice versa about giving her the space she needed. it just felt that he was not giving her enough space to heal and be herself not around her abusive ex.
I did love the suspense elements way more in this one!! it wasn’t so much a mystery but wondering when the next shoe would drop and cause chaos 🤯 the ending needed a bit more workshop because the back to back almost unaliving the same character was a little overkill in my opinion 🤷🏼♀️
yes, I will continue this series but it’s going to be a one off for me!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
that being said, best friends to lovers always makes me emo 🥹 and for once, there wasn’t any miscommunication or third act breakup, so that was a win in my book!
I just found nash to be a little too possessive for me, even though I appreciate how open he was with his brothers and vice versa about giving her the space she needed. it just felt that he was not giving her enough space to heal and be herself not around her abusive ex.
I did love the suspense elements way more in this one!! it wasn’t so much a mystery but wondering when the next shoe would drop and cause chaos 🤯 the ending needed a bit more workshop because the back to back almost unaliving the same character was a little overkill in my opinion 🤷🏼♀️
yes, I will continue this series but it’s going to be a one off for me!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
homies this is my first JLA book and it sure won’t be my last!! 😌😌 and to those of you who are constantly telling me to read from blood and ash, yeah yeah I’m working on it
but y’all, I see the hype!! JLA writes the absolute perfect blend between romance and fantasy, enticing the readers to keep diving deeper and deeper into the story! and of course, sending us lil clues throughout to build up to the shocking ending 🙃 the wait will actually ruin me I swear
the world building and plot was so slow in the beginning that I really didn’t think I was going to like this one as much as I did, but I was very happy that it picked up a lot towards the second half 😍 and while I’m still a bit confused on a few of the world building conflicts and settings, I feel as though a re-read or flip through my tabs will help
the characters are oh so intriguing, and I cannot wait to read more about lis and thorne!! the secrets kept building and building, getting revealed at the perfect point to create even more tension 🤌🏼 and of course, the spice was spicy hawt!!!!
I almost wished I had waited to read this one until the next installment is already out, because I need answers!!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend
but y’all, I see the hype!! JLA writes the absolute perfect blend between romance and fantasy, enticing the readers to keep diving deeper and deeper into the story! and of course, sending us lil clues throughout to build up to the shocking ending 🙃 the wait will actually ruin me I swear
the world building and plot was so slow in the beginning that I really didn’t think I was going to like this one as much as I did, but I was very happy that it picked up a lot towards the second half 😍 and while I’m still a bit confused on a few of the world building conflicts and settings, I feel as though a re-read or flip through my tabs will help
the characters are oh so intriguing, and I cannot wait to read more about lis and thorne!! the secrets kept building and building, getting revealed at the perfect point to create even more tension 🤌🏼 and of course, the spice was spicy hawt!!!!
I almost wished I had waited to read this one until the next installment is already out, because I need answers!!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend
The Dilemma by B.A. Paris
challenging
emotional
sad
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
this was the most misleading book in bookish history y’all 🤡 they really tried to market this as a thriller / mystery? fake news … at best, I would call this a slow burn family drama…
I was bamboozled 🙃🙃🙃
THE DILEMMA focuses on a husband-wife relationship as they struggle to keep their secrets while planning the party of the decade. and let me tell you, this book would be approximately 5 pages long if they just TALKED TO EACH OTHER 🥴 I just can’t excuse not sharing vital information with the person you’re supposed to trust most
while adam was a bit excusable due to grief and trauma, there was absolutely no reason for livia to be acting the way that she did 😑 especially at her reactions towards the end, it was super pot meet kettle vibes and I hated every second of it
I wasn’t expecting to read about loss and tragedy so much when I went into this one expecting a mystery, so I’ll be posting some minor spoiler trigger warnings at the end of this review for anyone who doesn’t want to be blindsided like I was … this was one instance where I probably shouldn’t have gone into the story blind…
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: languedoc merlot
I was bamboozled 🙃🙃🙃
THE DILEMMA focuses on a husband-wife relationship as they struggle to keep their secrets while planning the party of the decade. and let me tell you, this book would be approximately 5 pages long if they just TALKED TO EACH OTHER 🥴 I just can’t excuse not sharing vital information with the person you’re supposed to trust most
while adam was a bit excusable due to grief and trauma, there was absolutely no reason for livia to be acting the way that she did 😑 especially at her reactions towards the end, it was super pot meet kettle vibes and I hated every second of it
I wasn’t expecting to read about loss and tragedy so much when I went into this one expecting a mystery, so I’ll be posting some minor spoiler trigger warnings at the end of this review for anyone who doesn’t want to be blindsided like I was … this was one instance where I probably shouldn’t have gone into the story blind…
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: languedoc merlot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Pedophilia and Suicidal thoughts
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
it’s been exactly a year since I was last in the universe of KINGDOM OF THE WICKED, and it was like coming home to old friends 🥹 I beg kerri to keep writing more stories about the princes of hell because these are just too dang good!!!
while it’s not a necessity to read the KOTW trilogy before reading this one, it certainly gives a lot of background and elaborates on past events only hinted at in this one … I would recommend it!
focusing on envy this time and his quest to save his kingdom, this slow-burn romantasy did not disappoint! teaming up with mortal camilla, envy and camilla both refuse to act upon their desires for each other solely because envy is afraid (I know lil man child problems)
while the first 30% of the book moved glacier slow and had me questioning if this story really needed to be this long (the answer is still no), the second half was way more action packed and revealed countless secrets!! including ones I saw coming and ones that obliterated my mind 😅🤯
after getting to know envy in the KOTW series, it was refreshing to be in his thoughts and feelings 🥹 I just adore a man child sometimes who acts big and strong but really craves love and adoration
now … GIVE ME PRIDE’S STORY!!!! I need his and lucia’s book asap!!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: piedmont barolo
while it’s not a necessity to read the KOTW trilogy before reading this one, it certainly gives a lot of background and elaborates on past events only hinted at in this one … I would recommend it!
focusing on envy this time and his quest to save his kingdom, this slow-burn romantasy did not disappoint! teaming up with mortal camilla, envy and camilla both refuse to act upon their desires for each other solely because envy is afraid (I know lil man child problems)
while the first 30% of the book moved glacier slow and had me questioning if this story really needed to be this long (the answer is still no), the second half was way more action packed and revealed countless secrets!! including ones I saw coming and ones that obliterated my mind 😅🤯
after getting to know envy in the KOTW series, it was refreshing to be in his thoughts and feelings 🥹 I just adore a man child sometimes who acts big and strong but really craves love and adoration
now … GIVE ME PRIDE’S STORY!!!! I need his and lucia’s book asap!!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: piedmont barolo