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booksbytheglass's reviews
855 reviews
When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love a good thriller that keeps me up way past my bedtime & gets my brain going with theories 😮💨 and this one was right up my alley!!
we are BACK in black harbor (which seriously is the most ominous name ever, I’d move in a heartbeat)!! and of course, there’s another gruesome homicide to solve - which also would have me moving out of that town so fast 🥴
this time, the focus is on married couple axel (detective) and rowan (medical examiner) and their missing daughter 😅 and boy did this one take so many twists and turns!!
while I guessed the suspect almost right away, I found it didn’t really matter in the long run because I enjoyed watching how it all played out!! hannah morrisey’s writing is the perfect fast paced thriller vibe!!
and the small town setting was so perfect for this plot! it was a race against time to solve the case before anyone else was harmed
thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - this one is perfect for spooky season!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
we are BACK in black harbor (which seriously is the most ominous name ever, I’d move in a heartbeat)!! and of course, there’s another gruesome homicide to solve - which also would have me moving out of that town so fast 🥴
this time, the focus is on married couple axel (detective) and rowan (medical examiner) and their missing daughter 😅 and boy did this one take so many twists and turns!!
while I guessed the suspect almost right away, I found it didn’t really matter in the long run because I enjoyed watching how it all played out!! hannah morrisey’s writing is the perfect fast paced thriller vibe!!
and the small town setting was so perfect for this plot! it was a race against time to solve the case before anyone else was harmed
thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - this one is perfect for spooky season!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Kidnapping
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
this is the alex finlay I know and love!!!! I absolutely destroyed this one in a day 😅 the fast paced, heart pounding story had me SWEATING!
the gruesome crime story played out with dual timelines and dual POVs to give the readers glimpses of what really happened without giving too much away! aka my favorite super sleuth ideology 😮💨
and what a solution it was!!! it fit together a little too perfectly for my liking, and the final suspects came out of left field. it wasn’t completely unexpected, but I wanted to see a little more build up to the conclusion.
I loved seeing from the eyes of both matt, the main character, and the detective, sarah, to give both stories a worthy arc! I was invested from start to finish folks
alex finlay is an auto buy author for me, so I’m so happy I loved his debut too!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
the gruesome crime story played out with dual timelines and dual POVs to give the readers glimpses of what really happened without giving too much away! aka my favorite super sleuth ideology 😮💨
and what a solution it was!!! it fit together a little too perfectly for my liking, and the final suspects came out of left field. it wasn’t completely unexpected, but I wanted to see a little more build up to the conclusion.
I loved seeing from the eyes of both matt, the main character, and the detective, sarah, to give both stories a worthy arc! I was invested from start to finish folks
alex finlay is an auto buy author for me, so I’m so happy I loved his debut too!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Mixed Signals by B.K. Borison
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
this was probably my least favorite of the series so far, but that barely says anything because this one was WAY too cute to be legal!!! I’m talking cut the cheese with a knife, heart full of pastries and cakes cute 🥹🩷
layla has constantly been one of my favorite characters from this series, so to say I’ve been anxiously awaiting her story was an understatement. and I’m so sad that it didn’t live up to the hype for me!! 😭
for me, the fake dating plot didn’t work, especially since it was doused in miscommunication. if layla and caleb had spent 5 minutes talking about their true feelings instead of relying on their “arrangement” - this book would be 15 pages long … and it suspiciously felt like a repeat of stella and luka’s fake dating story. even when stella picks up on the similarities later, it was 😴🥴🫠 it was super copy and paste
however, caleb’s family and beatrice really stole the story for me. I was obsessed with the no nonsense abuela and the way beatrice was revealed to be a softie in the end 🥹
overall, a quick and easy romcom to cleanse my palate! thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: provence rosé
layla has constantly been one of my favorite characters from this series, so to say I’ve been anxiously awaiting her story was an understatement. and I’m so sad that it didn’t live up to the hype for me!! 😭
for me, the fake dating plot didn’t work, especially since it was doused in miscommunication. if layla and caleb had spent 5 minutes talking about their true feelings instead of relying on their “arrangement” - this book would be 15 pages long … and it suspiciously felt like a repeat of stella and luka’s fake dating story. even when stella picks up on the similarities later, it was 😴🥴🫠 it was super copy and paste
however, caleb’s family and beatrice really stole the story for me. I was obsessed with the no nonsense abuela and the way beatrice was revealed to be a softie in the end 🥹
overall, a quick and easy romcom to cleanse my palate! thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: provence rosé
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
angie kim is the QUEEN of representation!!! seeing an biracial Asian family actually talk about their life without white washing (a concept!!!) and a non-speaking autistic character who is a star …. it really got me in the feels from that alone 🥹🥹
while the premise leans into the mystery aspects, this is 100% a lit fic family drama with a minor missing person side plot (which was widely unsatisfying) 😅 and while I wished I had known that going in, it worked for the story as a whole. by focusing more on the science and communication behind the story, it really opened up a ton of discussions! I can see why this is a fabulous book club read!
of course, there’s a morality to this one - which I expected but would have loved to see wrapped up more. the ending was ambiguous as heck and left me feeling super unsatisfied… especially as the entire story shoved the missing person subplot aside and then gave a discontented ending to the neglected story.
another aspect that would have solved the problem in my book were alternating POVs!! I loved going through the story with mia’s POV, but it would have been fabulous to get a last minute POV from hannah or john to answer those needed questions!!! 😰😰
however, I absolutely will be going down a rabbit hole into research about new technology allowing advancement in non-speaking communication, as well as the idea behind a happiness baseline. mia’s footnotes were so fascinating!!!! 🤯😯
a huge thank you to netgalley and hogarth for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: south korean soju
while the premise leans into the mystery aspects, this is 100% a lit fic family drama with a minor missing person side plot (which was widely unsatisfying) 😅 and while I wished I had known that going in, it worked for the story as a whole. by focusing more on the science and communication behind the story, it really opened up a ton of discussions! I can see why this is a fabulous book club read!
of course, there’s a morality to this one - which I expected but would have loved to see wrapped up more. the ending was ambiguous as heck and left me feeling super unsatisfied… especially as the entire story shoved the missing person subplot aside and then gave a discontented ending to the neglected story.
another aspect that would have solved the problem in my book were alternating POVs!! I loved going through the story with mia’s POV, but it would have been fabulous to get a last minute POV from hannah or john to answer those needed questions!!! 😰😰
however, I absolutely will be going down a rabbit hole into research about new technology allowing advancement in non-speaking communication, as well as the idea behind a happiness baseline. mia’s footnotes were so fascinating!!!! 🤯😯
a huge thank you to netgalley and hogarth for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: south korean soju
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
okay okay okay listen y’all, the mixed reviews had me sweating going into this one, but!!! this was so addicting I binged in a single day!!!
if you give me a murder mystery in a creepy old house with an unsolved crime bleeding into a current crime, I AM 100% IN! it’s like riley sager knows the way to my thriller loving heart 🥹🫡
there were definitely elements from other common thrillers, but riley is the king of plot twists and fooled me into complacency 🤯 I was shook by the major twist at the end, even though it totally made sense in the long run
the ending did have a few plot holes that didn’t quite line up, leaving me a bit confused - BUT I didn’t linger on those concepts much since the bingeable, fast-paced plot really got me it was fantastic
the characters were so unlikable that it was perfect for the plot, even though the reveal of the last character had me going “huh????” because it still makes no sense to me but WHATEVER
riley sager is a king and I bow to him!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
if you give me a murder mystery in a creepy old house with an unsolved crime bleeding into a current crime, I AM 100% IN! it’s like riley sager knows the way to my thriller loving heart 🥹🫡
there were definitely elements from other common thrillers, but riley is the king of plot twists and fooled me into complacency 🤯 I was shook by the major twist at the end, even though it totally made sense in the long run
the ending did have a few plot holes that didn’t quite line up, leaving me a bit confused - BUT I didn’t linger on those concepts much since the bingeable, fast-paced plot really got me it was fantastic
the characters were so unlikable that it was perfect for the plot, even though the reveal of the last character had me going “huh????” because it still makes no sense to me but WHATEVER
riley sager is a king and I bow to him!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
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
5.0
wow this was a great series!!! word of the wise: don’t pull a shannon and wait years to pull this one off the shelf 😅 it was worth every minute of reading
kell and lila and rhy have my entire heart 🥹 while their self-sacrificing tendencies drove me constantly up the wall, their undoubting love and devotion to each other and to their world was unmatched!!! we stan a group of baddies trying to save everyone!!!
my fan favorite from the previous novel, alucard, returns with even more sass and wittiness to make him easily my favorite character 🥹🥹🥹 and of course, who doesn’t love a pirate with a heart of gold
the plot and story in this third installment was SO good y’all!! the first book focused a lot on world building and introductions, and the second book sure set up the overarching plot for this one - but this is where the writing really soars! it was captivating, action-packed and so damn emotional, aka the perfect blend of a fantasy novel!
my only complaint was the need to kill off so many people and for what? so someone else could sacrifice themselves too? ugh I just wanted everyone to live happily ever after kay thanks
and can we talk about how that ending had me SOBBING? who knew I would become so attached to these characters in a span of like a week 🫠 I’m a puddle of emotions thanks
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: argentina chardonnay
kell and lila and rhy have my entire heart 🥹 while their self-sacrificing tendencies drove me constantly up the wall, their undoubting love and devotion to each other and to their world was unmatched!!! we stan a group of baddies trying to save everyone!!!
my fan favorite from the previous novel, alucard, returns with even more sass and wittiness to make him easily my favorite character 🥹🥹🥹 and of course, who doesn’t love a pirate with a heart of gold
the plot and story in this third installment was SO good y’all!! the first book focused a lot on world building and introductions, and the second book sure set up the overarching plot for this one - but this is where the writing really soars! it was captivating, action-packed and so damn emotional, aka the perfect blend of a fantasy novel!
my only complaint was the need to kill off so many people and for what? so someone else could sacrifice themselves too? ugh I just wanted everyone to live happily ever after kay thanks
and can we talk about how that ending had me SOBBING? who knew I would become so attached to these characters in a span of like a week 🫠 I’m a puddle of emotions thanks
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: argentina chardonnay
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
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
4.0
second book slump who??? not this one!!! 😱🤯😭
this series is amazing and exactly the kind of fantasy book I was looking for! it has pirates, magic, mystery worlds, characters you would absolutely die for, and a cliffhanger that had me grabbing the next book immediately!
kell is back, his spirits dampened after the events of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC 🥺 and his determination to protect rhy and lila only increased his possessiveness and stubbornness. meanwhile, the king and queen officially SUCK and are blaming all of the chaos on kell, even though he literally saved rhy from dying but okay go off I guess 🙄
and of course, in all fantasy book fashion, there’s a goblet of fire style tournament! full of magic and duels, aka my dream!!! however, I appreciated that it wasn’t the main focus of the plot and instead only benefited the setting 🫡 it added to the hype of red london a lot
especially since literally nothing really happened in a long term scenario
and of course, those plot twists and cliffhangers kept coming which has me absolutely dying to read the finale
read this series!!! don’t be like me and ignore it for years!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: brazil chardonnay
this series is amazing and exactly the kind of fantasy book I was looking for! it has pirates, magic, mystery worlds, characters you would absolutely die for, and a cliffhanger that had me grabbing the next book immediately!
kell is back, his spirits dampened after the events of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC 🥺 and his determination to protect rhy and lila only increased his possessiveness and stubbornness. meanwhile, the king and queen officially SUCK and are blaming all of the chaos on kell, even though he literally saved rhy from dying but okay go off I guess 🙄
and of course, in all fantasy book fashion, there’s a goblet of fire style tournament! full of magic and duels, aka my dream!!! however, I appreciated that it wasn’t the main focus of the plot and instead only benefited the setting 🫡 it added to the hype of red london a lot
especially since literally nothing really happened in a long term scenario
and of course, those plot twists and cliffhangers kept coming which has me absolutely dying to read the finale
read this series!!! don’t be like me and ignore it for years!!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: brazil chardonnay
In the Weeds by B.K. Borison
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
why is this series so heart-warming? 🥹 I feel like I’ve been fed warmed baked goods and given a huge hug every time I step back into the lovelight universe wow
beckett was by far my favorite character from LOVELIGHT FARMS so I was ecstatic to learn that he and evie were getting their own book! the tension between the two of them was unmatched 😮💨 there’s something about a sexy down-to-earth farmer that gets me I swear
not that I would ever move out to a farm but hey, that’s why it’s fictional right
evie’s story barely scratched the surface in the last book, and I loved getting to know her better outside of her work! and she fit in so well with the lovelight gang, it was if she was made for them it was so cute 🥹🥹
and I’m now completely obsessed with nova, nessa and harper too! I could read endless books about beckett’s family and their different love languages! they were the perfect counterpart to beckett’s gruff self
the third act miscommunication was completely unnecessary, per usual, and I wanted to shake them both by the shoulders and scream to just friggin talk to each other!!!!! but we have to stan bumbling idiots in love too so 🤷🏼♀️
I cannot wait to continue my deep dive into lovelight farms because they’re just the cutest thanks!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
beckett was by far my favorite character from LOVELIGHT FARMS so I was ecstatic to learn that he and evie were getting their own book! the tension between the two of them was unmatched 😮💨 there’s something about a sexy down-to-earth farmer that gets me I swear
not that I would ever move out to a farm but hey, that’s why it’s fictional right
evie’s story barely scratched the surface in the last book, and I loved getting to know her better outside of her work! and she fit in so well with the lovelight gang, it was if she was made for them it was so cute 🥹🥹
and I’m now completely obsessed with nova, nessa and harper too! I could read endless books about beckett’s family and their different love languages! they were the perfect counterpart to beckett’s gruff self
the third act miscommunication was completely unnecessary, per usual, and I wanted to shake them both by the shoulders and scream to just friggin talk to each other!!!!! but we have to stan bumbling idiots in love too so 🤷🏼♀️
I cannot wait to continue my deep dive into lovelight farms because they’re just the cutest thanks!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
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? No
4.5
I was looking for another addicting fantasy series, and boy was this one it!!! I have no idea why I didn’t start this series earlier 😭😭
from the first chapter, I immediately got six of crows vibes (which is one of my favorite series of all time) - so naturally, I was sucked in by the mystery of the different londons and kell’s ability to shift between them. it gave the perfect multiverse vibes with a hint of world building, and the best part was that it was written so effortlessly and not hard to follow at all!
and can we talk about how kell and kaz are basically the same person? 😮💨
the supporting characters of this book, between headstrong lila and the royals of each london, were just as intriguing and developed as kell was. and how each different london felt like its own character in itself - and how human each of them were! it’s a great thing when the setting feels like a supporting character too 🥹
the plot was heart-pounding and twisty, right up my alley!! I don’t want to say too much about the plot for spoiler purposes, but if you love the grishaverse, multiverses and magic, this one is for you!
I never should have doubted ve schwab!!! completely obsessed already and cannot wait to start the next one!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: loire valley tourraine chinon
from the first chapter, I immediately got six of crows vibes (which is one of my favorite series of all time) - so naturally, I was sucked in by the mystery of the different londons and kell’s ability to shift between them. it gave the perfect multiverse vibes with a hint of world building, and the best part was that it was written so effortlessly and not hard to follow at all!
and can we talk about how kell and kaz are basically the same person? 😮💨
the supporting characters of this book, between headstrong lila and the royals of each london, were just as intriguing and developed as kell was. and how each different london felt like its own character in itself - and how human each of them were! it’s a great thing when the setting feels like a supporting character too 🥹
the plot was heart-pounding and twisty, right up my alley!! I don’t want to say too much about the plot for spoiler purposes, but if you love the grishaverse, multiverses and magic, this one is for you!
I never should have doubted ve schwab!!! completely obsessed already and cannot wait to start the next one!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: loire valley tourraine chinon
The Intern by Michele Campbell
dark
mysterious
fast-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
2.5
this book was wildly all over the place with characters capable of only making idiotic decisions 🥴 so naturally it made for a fantastic binge read!!!
from the start, I knew I was going to be disappointed from MC madison, a law student idolizing her teacher and refusing to believe that the law can be corrupt. and boy, was I right!!! not only was she so closed-minded but she constantly broke the law for the stupidest reasoning in her head!! like “it’s either jail or jail? okay, I guess I’ll choose jail” NO SIS THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS!!! 😶
also, the fact that it was over a single white lie, please I was really heated about that minute little fact turning into a huge debacle
and kathryn, the main judge, also made decisions that nowhere near benefited her in the long run. if I had to witness one more conversation with her and her “handlers” about her past, I was going to throw the book across the room.
I did really appreciate the fast-paced storytelling and the way that michele crafted the multiple timelines together effortlessly. however, I don’t think the plot itself was fleshed out enough to hold attention by itself.
I can’t even lie … I really just binge hate read this so I could be annoyed at something else other than my buffalo bills losing … 🤣🤣😭😭
thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! you can also get this one early through BOTM!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
from the start, I knew I was going to be disappointed from MC madison, a law student idolizing her teacher and refusing to believe that the law can be corrupt. and boy, was I right!!! not only was she so closed-minded but she constantly broke the law for the stupidest reasoning in her head!! like “it’s either jail or jail? okay, I guess I’ll choose jail” NO SIS THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS!!! 😶
also, the fact that it was over a single white lie, please I was really heated about that minute little fact turning into a huge debacle
and kathryn, the main judge, also made decisions that nowhere near benefited her in the long run. if I had to witness one more conversation with her and her “handlers” about her past, I was going to throw the book across the room.
I did really appreciate the fast-paced storytelling and the way that michele crafted the multiple timelines together effortlessly. however, I don’t think the plot itself was fleshed out enough to hold attention by itself.
I can’t even lie … I really just binge hate read this so I could be annoyed at something else other than my buffalo bills losing … 🤣🤣😭😭
thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! you can also get this one early through BOTM!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Death of parent