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booksbytheglass's reviews
855 reviews
No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
yes I totally binged this in one night because kate alice marshall’s books are addicting as hell!!!! I was 100% into the story the entire time, which is saying something since thrillers typically have a slow section, so that alone was a win in my book 🎉
opening the story with a double homicide was the perfect way to draw readers in!! it gave us just enough information to be suspicious, but not enough to give anything away. and it introduced us to the three sisters, emma, juliette and daphne, in a big way.
the mystery surrounding what happened to the sisters in the past unfolded at a fantastic pace. the flashbacks gave us just another tidbit of information to keep the reader guessing before immediately switching back to present day to jolt the reader out of thinking too much!
the main twists, yes there’s multiple, at the end, however, ended up being slightly predictable. the problem with a small town setting is that the number of suspects is smaller than most - and because of that, I was able to narrow down who the culprit was pretty easily.
nonetheless, this story was so fast-paced and addicting!! 🫡 I seriously could not put it down even though it was 2am and I really needed sleep lol
thank you to netgalley and flat iron books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: virginia rosé
opening the story with a double homicide was the perfect way to draw readers in!! it gave us just enough information to be suspicious, but not enough to give anything away. and it introduced us to the three sisters, emma, juliette and daphne, in a big way.
the mystery surrounding what happened to the sisters in the past unfolded at a fantastic pace. the flashbacks gave us just another tidbit of information to keep the reader guessing before immediately switching back to present day to jolt the reader out of thinking too much!
the main twists, yes there’s multiple, at the end, however, ended up being slightly predictable. the problem with a small town setting is that the number of suspects is smaller than most - and because of that, I was able to narrow down who the culprit was pretty easily.
nonetheless, this story was so fast-paced and addicting!! 🫡 I seriously could not put it down even though it was 2am and I really needed sleep lol
thank you to netgalley and flat iron books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: virginia rosé
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Flawless by Elsie Silver
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
okay listen, I loved it but I didn’t LOVE it, you know! I think it was so overhyped to me that I was expecting a cross between yellowstone and the eden’s series - which it had hints of, but I was definitely expecting a bit suspense 😅 that’s my own bad folks
summer was the perfect FMC for this story!! a city gal with a cowgirl heart, loving the drama and suspense of rodeos and ranch life 🥹 she’s basically me every time I watch yellowstone and google how expensive it is to live on a ranch
rhett was the sexy rodeo bad cowboy with a reputation, and boy, did he live up to the hype!! however, I do think he has a lot to work on emotionally and not a lot of admission and work was done to earn summer’s trust 😶 I think there was a lot of miscommunication due to ✨ trauma ✨ and inability to place 100% responsibility on oneself, which frankly made me super angry
rhett’s actions towards the end of the book were unforgivable and a bit possessive, and I wish summer had stuck to her guns with holding him accountable 🥴 that being said, they really were super cute together
I cannot wait to read more about this family because I just want to insert myself in it thank you very much!!!
thank you to netgalley and bloom books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
summer was the perfect FMC for this story!! a city gal with a cowgirl heart, loving the drama and suspense of rodeos and ranch life 🥹 she’s basically me every time I watch yellowstone and google how expensive it is to live on a ranch
rhett was the sexy rodeo bad cowboy with a reputation, and boy, did he live up to the hype!! however, I do think he has a lot to work on emotionally and not a lot of admission and work was done to earn summer’s trust 😶 I think there was a lot of miscommunication due to ✨ trauma ✨ and inability to place 100% responsibility on oneself, which frankly made me super angry
rhett’s actions towards the end of the book were unforgivable and a bit possessive, and I wish summer had stuck to her guns with holding him accountable 🥴 that being said, they really were super cute together
I cannot wait to read more about this family because I just want to insert myself in it thank you very much!!!
thank you to netgalley and bloom books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
Crossed by Emily McIntire
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’m really quite sad that I wasn’t as into this one as emily’s other books, especially because I love a good forbidden romance AND hunchback of notre dame!!
for me, the pacing itself was just too all over. it was the slowest of slow burns between MCs cade and amaya - and yes, the payoff was worth it, but then it went from 0 to 100 so fast I got whiplash 😅 and the whole arc with parker was hot and cold too
I loved amaya’s fiery spirit, and I wish we got to see more of that rather than the constant self-doubt and bullying she received at the hands of others. when she finally stood up for herself, I was pumping my fists in the air!! but then she immediately resorted to extreme measures which felt super unhealthy and out of character …
and cade, as much as I love a good sexy conflicted man, was boring. his chapters were an endless cycle over and over again of being obsessed with amaya, giving into his feelings for her, immediately regretting it, self harming himself to “repent” and then starting all over again the next day.
the chapters with quinten were by far my favorite - and I love how emily’s creative mind is able to adapt and change these known characters into a completely new story but keeping the same vibes 👌🏼
the main conflict with parker wasn’t my cup of tea either, especially because it could have been avoided altogether if everyone just talked to each other 🙃 but overall, the storytelling was just as beautiful as ever, and I’m looking forward to the next installment!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: beaujolais nouveau red blend
for me, the pacing itself was just too all over. it was the slowest of slow burns between MCs cade and amaya - and yes, the payoff was worth it, but then it went from 0 to 100 so fast I got whiplash 😅 and the whole arc with parker was hot and cold too
I loved amaya’s fiery spirit, and I wish we got to see more of that rather than the constant self-doubt and bullying she received at the hands of others. when she finally stood up for herself, I was pumping my fists in the air!! but then she immediately resorted to extreme measures which felt super unhealthy and out of character …
and cade, as much as I love a good sexy conflicted man, was boring. his chapters were an endless cycle over and over again of being obsessed with amaya, giving into his feelings for her, immediately regretting it, self harming himself to “repent” and then starting all over again the next day.
the chapters with quinten were by far my favorite - and I love how emily’s creative mind is able to adapt and change these known characters into a completely new story but keeping the same vibes 👌🏼
the main conflict with parker wasn’t my cup of tea either, especially because it could have been avoided altogether if everyone just talked to each other 🙃 but overall, the storytelling was just as beautiful as ever, and I’m looking forward to the next installment!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: beaujolais nouveau red blend
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
after having the unpopular opinion of the decade on WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME (spoiler, I wasn’t a fan), I’m so happy that this one was a win in my book!!
the story surrounds julia, a detective in the middle of a mental breakdown, and her case to find a missing women. while the plot, unfortunately, sounds familiar, I promise you, nothing about this story is! it’s full of twists and turns, and I swear, the ending had me pumping my fist in the air!!!
gillian’s writing is so dang clever - I would absolutely love to see her spreadsheets and post-it walls to figure out how she’s able to craft such an intrigue timeline!!
there’s one plot twist towards the middle of the book that I did not see coming, and I’m equal parts mad and impressed that I didn’t 🤣 I actually had to put the book down, scream into the void, and then go back and tab to see what the heck I missed the first time
however, the remaining twists in the plot seemed not to pay out as I would have liked to see. there were a few unbelievable moments when it came to the publicity of missing women as well as the ability to effectively lie to the police so easily … and I definitely wanted more from the ending!! it felt super rushed 😭
overall, this was such a bingeable thriller to start off spooky season! I’m so happy I was able to snag a copy of this one through BOTM!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: rioja red blend
the story surrounds julia, a detective in the middle of a mental breakdown, and her case to find a missing women. while the plot, unfortunately, sounds familiar, I promise you, nothing about this story is! it’s full of twists and turns, and I swear, the ending had me pumping my fist in the air!!!
gillian’s writing is so dang clever - I would absolutely love to see her spreadsheets and post-it walls to figure out how she’s able to craft such an intrigue timeline!!
there’s one plot twist towards the middle of the book that I did not see coming, and I’m equal parts mad and impressed that I didn’t 🤣 I actually had to put the book down, scream into the void, and then go back and tab to see what the heck I missed the first time
however, the remaining twists in the plot seemed not to pay out as I would have liked to see. there were a few unbelievable moments when it came to the publicity of missing women as well as the ability to effectively lie to the police so easily … and I definitely wanted more from the ending!! it felt super rushed 😭
overall, this was such a bingeable thriller to start off spooky season! I’m so happy I was able to snag a copy of this one through BOTM!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: rioja red blend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Minor: Infidelity
Twisted Lies by Ana Huang
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
this series has a chokehold over me & I will absolutely never be over it!!! I was beyond ready for stella and christian’s story, and it did not disappoint 👏🏼
christian is my favorite allusive morally grey character (and in my head he’s ben barnes okay 🥵)! I know he gets a lot of hate for being overprotective and literally willing to unalive people for looking at those he cares about the wrong way … BUT he has a heart of gold and he can do no wrong in my book
I’m whipped it’s fine
just like my queen stella!! she’s an inspiration, an icon, and she deserves to feel like the legend that she is! dealing with concepts of being an influencer, I loved that ideas such as creating fake content and “asking for it” just because your profile is public were a huge part of the plot. it’s important to treat everyone like a human being!!!
however, I think my favorite scenes were those with jules, ava, and bridget (and their boyfriends of course) ☺️ AND with dante and vivian! having already read KING OF WRATH, I appreciated how it all tied together but also set up the plot for those who haven’t read it yet!
the suspense wasn’t as intense or shocking as I would have liked, but it certainly kept my intrigue up for 500+ pages
ana huang has solidified herself as an auto buy author for me, and I need her to write more ASAP!!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: chile cabernet sauvignon
christian is my favorite allusive morally grey character (and in my head he’s ben barnes okay 🥵)! I know he gets a lot of hate for being overprotective and literally willing to unalive people for looking at those he cares about the wrong way … BUT he has a heart of gold and he can do no wrong in my book
I’m whipped it’s fine
just like my queen stella!! she’s an inspiration, an icon, and she deserves to feel like the legend that she is! dealing with concepts of being an influencer, I loved that ideas such as creating fake content and “asking for it” just because your profile is public were a huge part of the plot. it’s important to treat everyone like a human being!!!
however, I think my favorite scenes were those with jules, ava, and bridget (and their boyfriends of course) ☺️ AND with dante and vivian! having already read KING OF WRATH, I appreciated how it all tied together but also set up the plot for those who haven’t read it yet!
the suspense wasn’t as intense or shocking as I would have liked, but it certainly kept my intrigue up for 500+ pages
ana huang has solidified herself as an auto buy author for me, and I need her to write more ASAP!!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: chile cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Moderate: Dementia
Dream Town by Lee Goldberg
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
this series will forever be a guilty pleasure binge-worthy one for me!!! I just love eve ronin’s take no prisoners attitude, and the cheesy way the detectives are written are perfect fodder 😮💨
in this installment, eve and duncan are turning another cheek as they attempt to get back to crime solving without the added drama and contingencies that come with being a celebrity detective 😅 of course that lasts all of five seconds, but that’s what makes these stories so great and unreal
what I also love about this series is that it follows a very similar script where it’s not over until the very last chapter!! so when one of the suspects actually turned out to be the killer this time, I knew there had to be another twist coming - and boy was I right!
this one I was able to guess but I felt very content of this satisfactory conclusion & I’m so so looking forward to the next one! I always forget how much I love to binge these!!!!
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
in this installment, eve and duncan are turning another cheek as they attempt to get back to crime solving without the added drama and contingencies that come with being a celebrity detective 😅 of course that lasts all of five seconds, but that’s what makes these stories so great and unreal
what I also love about this series is that it follows a very similar script where it’s not over until the very last chapter!! so when one of the suspects actually turned out to be the killer this time, I knew there had to be another twist coming - and boy was I right!
this one I was able to guess but I felt very content of this satisfactory conclusion & I’m so so looking forward to the next one! I always forget how much I love to binge these!!!!
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
The Guest by B.A. Paris
challenging
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? It's complicated
3.5
b.a. paris books are either hit or miss for me, and I’m so happy to say that this was a firm … in between? my thoughts are still jumbled around in my head from finishing this at like 3am 😅
the initial mystery and plot didn’t pull me in like b.a. paris’ other novels, and while the plot twist TOTALLY shocked me, it came too late in the story for me to feel any satisfaction 🥴
I think the unlikable characters were a bit too annoying for my taste, but I get why the author wrote them this way. laure was the worst house guest ever (I mean, I would have shipped her ass back to paris in a fedex box so fast 😅), and the reasons iris and gabriel had for allowing her to stay were very random and not convincing at all.
the characters I enjoyed most, however, were hugh and esme. they were so integral to the story without really causing damage or being the MC. I wanted to know more about their relationship and why they bought this creepy gothic house!!!!
I sped through this one in one go because I simply could not put it down!! so that automatically is a win in my book ☺️
thank you to st martins press and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: loire valley cabernet franc
the initial mystery and plot didn’t pull me in like b.a. paris’ other novels, and while the plot twist TOTALLY shocked me, it came too late in the story for me to feel any satisfaction 🥴
I think the unlikable characters were a bit too annoying for my taste, but I get why the author wrote them this way. laure was the worst house guest ever (I mean, I would have shipped her ass back to paris in a fedex box so fast 😅), and the reasons iris and gabriel had for allowing her to stay were very random and not convincing at all.
the characters I enjoyed most, however, were hugh and esme. they were so integral to the story without really causing damage or being the MC. I wanted to know more about their relationship and why they bought this creepy gothic house!!!!
I sped through this one in one go because I simply could not put it down!! so that automatically is a win in my book ☺️
thank you to st martins press and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: loire valley cabernet franc
Some Shall Break by Ellie Marney
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
how are these books so dang bingeable?? I practically flew through this one in a matter of HOURS! 😱 the writing is so captivating, I could not put it down!
set three years after NONE SHALL SLEEP, emma and bell’s story continues as they’re brought back together in a copycat case 😳 I was rooting for them the whole time although they absolutely loved to give everyone a heart attack when they refused to follow any professional advice!!!!!
as far as the case and plot went, it was pretty identical to the way that the first book played out, so I didn’t really feel as shocked or invested as I was the first time. however, I love the way that simon and kristin were brought back into the folds 😰 had me mf sweating out here
I’m glad we got to see more into emma’s past and in her mind, as I felt ROBBED last time! but overall I don’t think this added too much to the overarching story
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: argentina malbec
set three years after NONE SHALL SLEEP, emma and bell’s story continues as they’re brought back together in a copycat case 😳 I was rooting for them the whole time although they absolutely loved to give everyone a heart attack when they refused to follow any professional advice!!!!!
as far as the case and plot went, it was pretty identical to the way that the first book played out, so I didn’t really feel as shocked or invested as I was the first time. however, I love the way that simon and kristin were brought back into the folds 😰 had me mf sweating out here
I’m glad we got to see more into emma’s past and in her mind, as I felt ROBBED last time! but overall I don’t think this added too much to the overarching story
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: argentina malbec
Twisted Hate by Ana Huang
emotional
tense
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
4.0
I have no idea why this took me SO long to finish, but I’m very happy I took my time with josh and jules’ enemies to lovers story!!!
a lot of the time, enemies to lovers is more “oh we argued once and now we’re in love,” but this was a TRUE enemies relationship!!! I mean, the hate 🌶️ alone was too hot for me to handle 🥵
while I think josh and jules are my least favorite of the couples so far, I have to admit that their lives were beyond interesting and I was so invested! although it was severely lacking the suspense of the previous two novels, in my opinion …
the conflict with jules’ past and her relationship with max was very underwhelming. I loved seeing him finally get what he deserved, but it all happened rather anticlimactically.
my favorite parts of this entire long ass book, however, were alex and josh’s bromance. I loved seeing them work through their issues healthily, and go back to the “I’ll never admit it but you’re my bff” friendship they so deserve!!!! they are perfect for each other 😭😭
all in all, I’m super looking forward to stella’s story because the clues leading up to this one are UNREAL, and I’ve heard it’s the best one 🤭
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
a lot of the time, enemies to lovers is more “oh we argued once and now we’re in love,” but this was a TRUE enemies relationship!!! I mean, the hate 🌶️ alone was too hot for me to handle 🥵
while I think josh and jules are my least favorite of the couples so far, I have to admit that their lives were beyond interesting and I was so invested! although it was severely lacking the suspense of the previous two novels, in my opinion …
the conflict with jules’ past and her relationship with max was very underwhelming. I loved seeing him finally get what he deserved, but it all happened rather anticlimactically.
my favorite parts of this entire long ass book, however, were alex and josh’s bromance. I loved seeing them work through their issues healthily, and go back to the “I’ll never admit it but you’re my bff” friendship they so deserve!!!! they are perfect for each other 😭😭
all in all, I’m super looking forward to stella’s story because the clues leading up to this one are UNREAL, and I’ve heard it’s the best one 🤭
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Death of parent
The Coworker by Freida McFadden
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the way I absolutely FLEW through freida’s latest!! her writing style and addicting love-to-hate characters were on point per usual! freida has the heart-pounding genre down pat I swear 😮💨
while her writing was bingeable per usual, I found myself wondering what the point of it all was … the story itself was a bit too satire for me, and the characters’ actions were super odd and idiotic in the face of a murder investigation…
and the plot twists, which I usually never guess with freida, were very predictable, in my opinion. and that ending was completely out of left field and left me saying … what was the point” 🫠 it was one of those weird HEA endings in a thriller which did not fit the vibe of the rest of the story at all
and while I loved that dawn was neurodivergent, I wanted to see more of her actual character with her coworkers rather than conflicting emails and stories 🥴
this definitely wasn’t my favorite freida book, but I will continue to read every single thing she writes 🫡
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
while her writing was bingeable per usual, I found myself wondering what the point of it all was … the story itself was a bit too satire for me, and the characters’ actions were super odd and idiotic in the face of a murder investigation…
and the plot twists, which I usually never guess with freida, were very predictable, in my opinion. and that ending was completely out of left field and left me saying … what was the point” 🫠 it was one of those weird HEA endings in a thriller which did not fit the vibe of the rest of the story at all
and while I loved that dawn was neurodivergent, I wanted to see more of her actual character with her coworkers rather than conflicting emails and stories 🥴
this definitely wasn’t my favorite freida book, but I will continue to read every single thing she writes 🫡
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Suicide
Moderate: Suicide attempt