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booksbytheglass's reviews
855 reviews
A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
ahhhh this one redeemed this series for me!! I absolutely loved jafar and jasmine’s story, but hades’ saga didn’t do it for me 🥴 but reading tink and hook’s story was everything I didn’t know I needed!!!
it was spicy, it was sweet, and it was the enemies to lovers we all know and adore 🥲🥹❤️
hook is perhaps one of my favorite bad boys ever, so anytime I see a story with him, I’m immediately excited (and picture colin o’donoghue of course)! this one painted hook in a similar light with a classic katee robert twist - and having peter as the villain? say less 😮💨
I just love tink’s personality and energy and ability to overcome basically anything 🤭 I relate to her and wish to be her in the worst way
I’m super looking forward to gaeton and the beast’s stories after being hinted at what’s to come in the future!! these stories need to be longer!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: caribbean rum-spiced wine
it was spicy, it was sweet, and it was the enemies to lovers we all know and adore 🥲🥹❤️
hook is perhaps one of my favorite bad boys ever, so anytime I see a story with him, I’m immediately excited (and picture colin o’donoghue of course)! this one painted hook in a similar light with a classic katee robert twist - and having peter as the villain? say less 😮💨
I just love tink’s personality and energy and ability to overcome basically anything 🤭 I relate to her and wish to be her in the worst way
I’m super looking forward to gaeton and the beast’s stories after being hinted at what’s to come in the future!! these stories need to be longer!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: caribbean rum-spiced wine
Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
wow wow wow!! just when I thought my expectations exploded with the first book, they got even bigger and better!!!
I said it many times & I will say it again and again: chloe gong’s writing style is one for the ages! she knows the perfect blend between fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery … aka all of the elements that are a key to my heart 🥹 and of course, her effortless blend between dialogue and text!
the turmoil of THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS played right into this plot and kept running until the very end! the stakes felt much higher than the first and turned way more political and historical rather than relying on the monster to add thriller elements.
and of course, the romance was so enhanced compared to the first novel! this was what I was expecting from the beginning, and I’m so glad it played out exactly how I wanted it to - sprinkling in key elements of romeo and juliet tropes while making the romance its own.
once again, I completely fell in love with the side characters!! I’m so glad we’re getting more stories from them because I never want this universe to come to an end… 😅😅
other than that ending (but also I mean, what did I really expect from a romeo and juliet retelling), this was key fantasy for me and I loved every second of it!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: helan qingxue jiabeilan grand reserve
I said it many times & I will say it again and again: chloe gong’s writing style is one for the ages! she knows the perfect blend between fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery … aka all of the elements that are a key to my heart 🥹 and of course, her effortless blend between dialogue and text!
the turmoil of THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS played right into this plot and kept running until the very end! the stakes felt much higher than the first and turned way more political and historical rather than relying on the monster to add thriller elements.
and of course, the romance was so enhanced compared to the first novel! this was what I was expecting from the beginning, and I’m so glad it played out exactly how I wanted it to - sprinkling in key elements of romeo and juliet tropes while making the romance its own.
once again, I completely fell in love with the side characters!! I’m so glad we’re getting more stories from them because I never want this universe to come to an end… 😅😅
other than that ending (but also I mean, what did I really expect from a romeo and juliet retelling), this was key fantasy for me and I loved every second of it!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: helan qingxue jiabeilan grand reserve
Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.0
I’m glad all of the mediocre reviews lead me to go into this one with low hopes … and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought because of that!! especially going into it knowing it’s more of a mystery drama rather than a thriller….
alice feeney’s writing style is intriguing per usual!! she always knows how to add just the right amount of details to suck the reader in without giving anything away. however, this time, it was severely lacking her signature “wtf” plot twist at the end 🙃 it was laid out very predictably
the cast of characters all were super unlikable, which added to the mystery of how they would all connect at the end! but, I wanted more from their characterization and motives instead of feeling carbon-copied and 2D 🥴
I felt like patience as a character was the most interesting, mostly because her backstory was shrouded in mystery almost the entire time. even though I did guess all of her secrets from almost the beginning …
I was disappointed in the lack of wow factor moments for me, usually an alice feeney signature. however, it was an easy bingeable read with a surprisingly happy ending!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: beaujolais red blend
alice feeney’s writing style is intriguing per usual!! she always knows how to add just the right amount of details to suck the reader in without giving anything away. however, this time, it was severely lacking her signature “wtf” plot twist at the end 🙃 it was laid out very predictably
the cast of characters all were super unlikable, which added to the mystery of how they would all connect at the end! but, I wanted more from their characterization and motives instead of feeling carbon-copied and 2D 🥴
I felt like patience as a character was the most interesting, mostly because her backstory was shrouded in mystery almost the entire time. even though I did guess all of her secrets from almost the beginning …
I was disappointed in the lack of wow factor moments for me, usually an alice feeney signature. however, it was an easy bingeable read with a surprisingly happy ending!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: beaujolais red blend
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I went in completely blind for this one, and I couldn’t recommend it more!! I had absolutely no idea that this was about a murder mystery spanning years and based off of real events in the bay area around that time!! and it only gets more intense from there 🤯
a tragic accident from over ten years ago is unexplainably linked to a homicide of a well-known politician in present day, all surrounding the current events of san francisco in the mid-1940s. after reading amy’s background research in her author’s note, I was so impressed at the amount of research and detail that went into the background of this story.
I was absolutely sucked into the plot, flipping back and forth between the detective assigned to solve the case and the grandmother’s deposition of events from her family’s past. the way that it all linked together slowly but surely was excellently written and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!!!
the story unfolds definitely on a slower pace, but the details and historic elements kept me intrigued. while I appreciated and loved the historical elements, the way that they were written into the story felt more like a history lesson textbook rather than a systematic intertwining. it felt like the detective was constantly trying to lecture 🫠🥴
I definitely enjoyed this one a lot, but the ending was a pile of “how many plot twists can happen in a span of a few chapters” 🙄
thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
a tragic accident from over ten years ago is unexplainably linked to a homicide of a well-known politician in present day, all surrounding the current events of san francisco in the mid-1940s. after reading amy’s background research in her author’s note, I was so impressed at the amount of research and detail that went into the background of this story.
I was absolutely sucked into the plot, flipping back and forth between the detective assigned to solve the case and the grandmother’s deposition of events from her family’s past. the way that it all linked together slowly but surely was excellently written and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!!!
the story unfolds definitely on a slower pace, but the details and historic elements kept me intrigued. while I appreciated and loved the historical elements, the way that they were written into the story felt more like a history lesson textbook rather than a systematic intertwining. it felt like the detective was constantly trying to lecture 🫠🥴
I definitely enjoyed this one a lot, but the ending was a pile of “how many plot twists can happen in a span of a few chapters” 🙄
thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
Fire & Fate by Serena Valentino
adventurous
challenging
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
2.5
this was definitely more of a recap told by hades rather than an entirely new story 🫤 I wished I had more stories involving hades, who is one of my favorite villains, rather than just inserting himself into the stories already told in this series
if this was a huge wrap up to end the series, then I would say that the author achieved the goal - however, it was still a letdown for me
the hades storyline involved way too much backstory, in my opinion. after knowing the plot from hercules, I wanted more of his relationship with zeus and poisedon rather than how he came to meet the odd sisters in the middle of their stories with maleficent and gothel.
STILL, these stories are super quick reads for any disney lover!!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: greece agiorgitiko
if this was a huge wrap up to end the series, then I would say that the author achieved the goal - however, it was still a letdown for me
the hades storyline involved way too much backstory, in my opinion. after knowing the plot from hercules, I wanted more of his relationship with zeus and poisedon rather than how he came to meet the odd sisters in the middle of their stories with maleficent and gothel.
STILL, these stories are super quick reads for any disney lover!!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: greece agiorgitiko
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
wow! I have no idea what I was expecting from this story, but this was not it 🤯 chloe gong writes the perfect blend between fantasy and historical fiction - and it’s absolutely gorgeous!!!
I’m firmly in the anti-bugs category so this particular storyline wasn’t it for me 🤢 but I was so invested in the characters that I pushed through
while marketed as a romeo and juliet retelling, the romance subplot was few and far between. I appreciated the rival gangs and little easter eggs that made me become the leonardo dicaprio pointing at the TV meme 🤣 it flowed so easily - but I wouldn’t call this a romance novel in the slightest
for me, what made the story were the side characters. I want to know so much more about rosalind, kathleen, benedikt and marshall 🥹 I just want everyone to let along and become a found family, is that too much to ask for please
I can’t believe it took me so long to get invested in this series - it sucked me in from the first page and 100% made me want to travel to 1920s shanghai … without the infestation of bugs of course …
I’m starting the next one ASAP because that cliffhanger was no joke!!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: ao yun cabernet sauvignon
I’m firmly in the anti-bugs category so this particular storyline wasn’t it for me 🤢 but I was so invested in the characters that I pushed through
while marketed as a romeo and juliet retelling, the romance subplot was few and far between. I appreciated the rival gangs and little easter eggs that made me become the leonardo dicaprio pointing at the TV meme 🤣 it flowed so easily - but I wouldn’t call this a romance novel in the slightest
for me, what made the story were the side characters. I want to know so much more about rosalind, kathleen, benedikt and marshall 🥹 I just want everyone to let along and become a found family, is that too much to ask for please
I can’t believe it took me so long to get invested in this series - it sucked me in from the first page and 100% made me want to travel to 1920s shanghai … without the infestation of bugs of course …
I’m starting the next one ASAP because that cliffhanger was no joke!!!!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: ao yun cabernet sauvignon
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
challenging
dark
sad
slow-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
3.5
sally hepworth knows how to write the scariest, creepiest and skin crawling thrillers!! this time, it’s involving an abusive foster family relationship and boy the gaslighting was so extreme!! I wanted to throw myself into that house to save the kiddos 🥹
I loved learning about the dual POVs of all three foster sisters, between jessica and norah and alicia and their ways of coping that were definitely ✨ trauma unhealthy ✨ and how each of them were so different but here for each other thick and thin
it was a fast-paced heart-pounding story from start to finish, leaving out key details until the very end to fool you all 🤯 and that last chapter? had me screaming
the plot itself could have used some reshaping to avoid repetition, especially in dialogue - but I couldn’t put it down regardless
I think this may be my new favorite sally hepworth novel!! I can’t wait for the world to read this one!
a huge thank you to netgalley and st martins press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
I loved learning about the dual POVs of all three foster sisters, between jessica and norah and alicia and their ways of coping that were definitely ✨ trauma unhealthy ✨ and how each of them were so different but here for each other thick and thin
it was a fast-paced heart-pounding story from start to finish, leaving out key details until the very end to fool you all 🤯 and that last chapter? had me screaming
the plot itself could have used some reshaping to avoid repetition, especially in dialogue - but I couldn’t put it down regardless
I think this may be my new favorite sally hepworth novel!! I can’t wait for the world to read this one!
a huge thank you to netgalley and st martins press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug abuse and Suicidal thoughts
The Lies We Told by Camilla Way
dark
sad
tense
fast-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
2.0
do you ever get that feeling where you know you’ve read almost an exact story before but not the one you’re currently reading? that’s how I felt this entire book 🫠🥴😪
it was a mash up of every thriller trope ever, confusingly combined into one to give the illusion of “plot twists” but really the entire plot is in shambles 🫢
I just … cannot fathom the concept of stealing children to pass them off as your own and then getting upset when the child finds out 🧐 and that’s not even a spoiler!! I’m all for a good revenge plot but this one did not hit the mark for me
I think if the characters were a tad more likable and believable, perhaps I would have been inclined to root for them, but I just didn’t care at all what happened 🥴 and even the innocent girlfriend clara was full of idiotic moments that had me questioning why I was reading this in the first place
the good news is that I binged this one in about two hours!! it has short chapters, tons of dialogue, and alternating timelines to make for a speedy read!
this was definitely a miss for me, but if you’re new to the thriller genre and looking for something predictable, give it a go!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
it was a mash up of every thriller trope ever, confusingly combined into one to give the illusion of “plot twists” but really the entire plot is in shambles 🫢
I just … cannot fathom the concept of stealing children to pass them off as your own and then getting upset when the child finds out 🧐 and that’s not even a spoiler!! I’m all for a good revenge plot but this one did not hit the mark for me
I think if the characters were a tad more likable and believable, perhaps I would have been inclined to root for them, but I just didn’t care at all what happened 🥴 and even the innocent girlfriend clara was full of idiotic moments that had me questioning why I was reading this in the first place
the good news is that I binged this one in about two hours!! it has short chapters, tons of dialogue, and alternating timelines to make for a speedy read!
this was definitely a miss for me, but if you’re new to the thriller genre and looking for something predictable, give it a go!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infertility, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
I’ve been looking forward to lucian and sloane’s story since the very beginning - sloane has always been my favorite with her take-no-shit attitude but introverted bookish lover friendship with her crew 🥹 and suit daddy lucien? do I need to say anything else?
what I loved most about their journey was seeing how their friendship (and fallout) originated when they were both kids! and what they say about the sunshine characters having the worst backstories is so true 😭 I just wanted to give teen sloane and lucien the biggest hugs
that being said, the twenty plus year grudge based on miscommunication was 🥴🥴 especially because I understood both sides of the argument! childhood trauma is not worth bringing with you to adulthood - I’ve been through enough therapy for that 😌🫡
I think I relate to sloane the most because I’m holding out for the perfect spouse and family …. and feeling guilty for being jealous of my friends with their perfect boyfriends and girlfriends 😅 BUT I loved seeing her take control of her life so much
the mystery elements in this story were severely lacking, and while there was a slight backstory continuing from the previous book, it didn’t live up to the lucien, mr dark and mysterious, hype for me
I wish I could stay in the lil town of knockmeout forever I love these characters to death so much I actively cried in the epilogues wrapping up their stories thanks
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: british columbia riesling
what I loved most about their journey was seeing how their friendship (and fallout) originated when they were both kids! and what they say about the sunshine characters having the worst backstories is so true 😭 I just wanted to give teen sloane and lucien the biggest hugs
that being said, the twenty plus year grudge based on miscommunication was 🥴🥴 especially because I understood both sides of the argument! childhood trauma is not worth bringing with you to adulthood - I’ve been through enough therapy for that 😌🫡
I think I relate to sloane the most because I’m holding out for the perfect spouse and family …. and feeling guilty for being jealous of my friends with their perfect boyfriends and girlfriends 😅 BUT I loved seeing her take control of her life so much
the mystery elements in this story were severely lacking, and while there was a slight backstory continuing from the previous book, it didn’t live up to the lucien, mr dark and mysterious, hype for me
I wish I could stay in the lil town of knockmeout forever I love these characters to death so much I actively cried in the epilogues wrapping up their stories thanks
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: british columbia riesling
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
okay wow!!! this one took me forever to get through - it really had no business being 600+ pages 😧
it started off super slow and confusing (as all fantasy novels tend to be), but seeing as how I binged the darker shades of magic series earlier this month, the world building and characters came back to me pretty easily. if not, I would definitely refresh because there’s no recap 😬 I think for me, the jarring time jump combined with all new characters for the first 20% of the story really didn’t capture my interest
however, once the old and new characters started blending together, I definitely found my groove again and relished in ve schwab’s excellent storytelling writing! 😇 all of the faves are back and living their (best? worst?) lives seven years later - and I have to admit, it made me a little sad seeing them all grown up 🥲
nonetheless, newcomer tes is a force to be reckoned with and I’m obsessed with her!!! she’s smart and witty without being over the top like lila constantly is … I said what I said …
while the story definitely took a while to get moving (I really meant it when I said it was glacier slow), knowing that this is going to be a trilogy helps to pace accordingly. the action and adventures weren’t as hard hitting as the original three books, but I have a feeling shit is about to hit the fan in the next installments!!!
I still prefer the original series to this one, but it was so good to be back in this world! thank you to netgalley and tor books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: morocco spiced red wine
it started off super slow and confusing (as all fantasy novels tend to be), but seeing as how I binged the darker shades of magic series earlier this month, the world building and characters came back to me pretty easily. if not, I would definitely refresh because there’s no recap 😬 I think for me, the jarring time jump combined with all new characters for the first 20% of the story really didn’t capture my interest
however, once the old and new characters started blending together, I definitely found my groove again and relished in ve schwab’s excellent storytelling writing! 😇 all of the faves are back and living their (best? worst?) lives seven years later - and I have to admit, it made me a little sad seeing them all grown up 🥲
nonetheless, newcomer tes is a force to be reckoned with and I’m obsessed with her!!! she’s smart and witty without being over the top like lila constantly is … I said what I said …
while the story definitely took a while to get moving (I really meant it when I said it was glacier slow), knowing that this is going to be a trilogy helps to pace accordingly. the action and adventures weren’t as hard hitting as the original three books, but I have a feeling shit is about to hit the fan in the next installments!!!
I still prefer the original series to this one, but it was so good to be back in this world! thank you to netgalley and tor books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: morocco spiced red wine