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booksbytheglass's reviews
883 reviews
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
if there’s one thing ruth ware knows how to do, it’s write a popcorn thriller!!! this one is perfect for a poolside binge or a fun vacay read!
… although like most popcorn thrillers, this one will be a bit forgettable in the future for me 😅
lyla, a scientist not a doctor iykyk, is coerced into a reality TV couples show with her aspiring actor boyfriend where she quickly realizes that she was kept in the dark about a majority of the details. and while there is a fairly broad cast of characters, having the book solely from lyla’s POV made it way easier to keep up!
I typically enjoy a locked door mystery, similar to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, but there was absolutely no mystery about this one! the “villain” was laid out from the beginning with a bully characteristic and not much motive other than being abusive and psychopathic. I definitely would have loved a reveal of a whodunnit here instead!!
while I did appreciate the randomness of characters being picked off or succumb to the elements of a deserted island, I again wanted more of a mystery behind it all! instead, the lack of a twist or reveal left the story dragging a bit for me with a quick and fizzled out ending 🥴
TLDR: a bingeable popcorn read for the summer but not one that’ll stick with me!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: new zealand pinot noir
… although like most popcorn thrillers, this one will be a bit forgettable in the future for me 😅
lyla, a scientist not a doctor iykyk, is coerced into a reality TV couples show with her aspiring actor boyfriend where she quickly realizes that she was kept in the dark about a majority of the details. and while there is a fairly broad cast of characters, having the book solely from lyla’s POV made it way easier to keep up!
I typically enjoy a locked door mystery, similar to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, but there was absolutely no mystery about this one! the “villain” was laid out from the beginning with a bully characteristic and not much motive other than being abusive and psychopathic. I definitely would have loved a reveal of a whodunnit here instead!!
while I did appreciate the randomness of characters being picked off or succumb to the elements of a deserted island, I again wanted more of a mystery behind it all! instead, the lack of a twist or reveal left the story dragging a bit for me with a quick and fizzled out ending 🥴
TLDR: a bingeable popcorn read for the summer but not one that’ll stick with me!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: new zealand pinot noir
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail
Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
oh lia louis you never let me down!!! she knows how to write the fluffiest lil romcoms that will simultaneously have you grinning and kicking your feet in the air … and clutching your heart and sobbing… 🤭
I immediately fell in love with the story from the first page - I mean, who doesn’t have a nightmare about their diary, unsent emails, deepest darkest thoughts coming out? 🫥 BUT in the case of millie, it actually happens… and her life is immediately thrown in chaos… which is when her hot boss jack comes to save the day 😲🤤
okay so it’s not as cut and dry as that - but I am firmly here for hot idgaf british attitude jack shurlock (I MEAN HIS LAST NAME IS BASICALLY SHERLOCK HOLMES 😮💨) he is my newest book boyfriend and I am claiming him so hard!!!! from his “so what” flippant attitude to “this time I couldn’t leave” at the end 😭 brb sobbing!!!
millie’s circle of family and friends are what made the story the greatest though. from her workplace family who actually treat her like dirt sometimes, to her actual family holding her to the highest of stakes, and her friends who may or may not be getting on her nerves, everything millie has ever wanted to say to them is out in the open and I loved seeing the reconciliation of that knowledge presenting differently in everyone!!!
this was such a wholesome story for those who are only holding themselves back… and for those with the worst ex in the world that deserves nothing less than trash…
thank you a million times to atria for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!!!! 🥰
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley rosé
I immediately fell in love with the story from the first page - I mean, who doesn’t have a nightmare about their diary, unsent emails, deepest darkest thoughts coming out? 🫥 BUT in the case of millie, it actually happens… and her life is immediately thrown in chaos… which is when her hot boss jack comes to save the day 😲🤤
okay so it’s not as cut and dry as that - but I am firmly here for hot idgaf british attitude jack shurlock (I MEAN HIS LAST NAME IS BASICALLY SHERLOCK HOLMES 😮💨) he is my newest book boyfriend and I am claiming him so hard!!!! from his “so what” flippant attitude to “this time I couldn’t leave” at the end 😭 brb sobbing!!!
millie’s circle of family and friends are what made the story the greatest though. from her workplace family who actually treat her like dirt sometimes, to her actual family holding her to the highest of stakes, and her friends who may or may not be getting on her nerves, everything millie has ever wanted to say to them is out in the open and I loved seeing the reconciliation of that knowledge presenting differently in everyone!!!
this was such a wholesome story for those who are only holding themselves back… and for those with the worst ex in the world that deserves nothing less than trash…
thank you a million times to atria for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!!!! 🥰
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley rosé
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I’m definitely in the minority of not liking this one 🫣 and I’m patiently awaiting the pitchforks
… but y’all I’m starting to think cheesy small town romcoms aren’t for me … I do love me an emo romance more as always but sometimes I crave a light and fluffy romance too!!! just not this time 😩
for me, the story was too drawn out and slow burn with not much really happening. I loved the chemistry between MCs sage and fisher - between the fake dating, the pining, the “do they actually like me or is it the moment” but it didn’t do anything to further the overall plot
the town of spunes was lovely and fun to meet all of the characters, but I almost wanted the town to take on its own life instead of being a backdrop. the side characters definitely deserve their own spin offs though 😮💨 they were the best part of the story by far
I just wanted more out of sage and fisher other than their obvious chemistry. yes, it was clear the universe was pushing them together, but in their lives, they didn’t seem to make an effort to make each other work together I don’t know I just felt like it was a slow burn for no reason 🤷🏼♀️ I wanted the satisfying pay off!!!!!
a huge thank you to netgalley and st martin’s for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out today!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: willamette valley pinot noir
… but y’all I’m starting to think cheesy small town romcoms aren’t for me … I do love me an emo romance more as always but sometimes I crave a light and fluffy romance too!!! just not this time 😩
for me, the story was too drawn out and slow burn with not much really happening. I loved the chemistry between MCs sage and fisher - between the fake dating, the pining, the “do they actually like me or is it the moment” but it didn’t do anything to further the overall plot
the town of spunes was lovely and fun to meet all of the characters, but I almost wanted the town to take on its own life instead of being a backdrop. the side characters definitely deserve their own spin offs though 😮💨 they were the best part of the story by far
I just wanted more out of sage and fisher other than their obvious chemistry. yes, it was clear the universe was pushing them together, but in their lives, they didn’t seem to make an effort to make each other work together I don’t know I just felt like it was a slow burn for no reason 🤷🏼♀️ I wanted the satisfying pay off!!!!!
a huge thank you to netgalley and st martin’s for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out today!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: willamette valley pinot noir
Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
wow I binged this one in a single day because I’m such a mythology girlie it’s unreal 🥹 and as much as I love greek and norse mythology the most, I absolutely crave learning about new cultures and lore!!
and THE GODDESS OF THE RIVER was no exception!
rooted in hinduism, this retelling was a retelling of birth, death, and life in between. for a mystical being, ganga is the realest and purest soul in this story, willing to do anything to protect herself and those she loves - and while the author’s writing style is so beautiful and prose-like, I found myself going glassy-eyed at some parts… as much as I love going into books blind, I was wildly unprepared for the in depth storytelling
I also feel like mothers who read this story will take away far more than I could ever imagine - as the story revolves around ganga and her love for her son devavrata, I definitely appreciated the timeless classic but wanted more out of the relationship rather than just obligation
TLDR: go into this one with a tolkien like POV and you’ll enjoy it a lot more 😅😅
thank you to netgalley and redhook for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: australian sauvignon blanc
and THE GODDESS OF THE RIVER was no exception!
rooted in hinduism, this retelling was a retelling of birth, death, and life in between. for a mystical being, ganga is the realest and purest soul in this story, willing to do anything to protect herself and those she loves - and while the author’s writing style is so beautiful and prose-like, I found myself going glassy-eyed at some parts… as much as I love going into books blind, I was wildly unprepared for the in depth storytelling
I also feel like mothers who read this story will take away far more than I could ever imagine - as the story revolves around ganga and her love for her son devavrata, I definitely appreciated the timeless classic but wanted more out of the relationship rather than just obligation
TLDR: go into this one with a tolkien like POV and you’ll enjoy it a lot more 😅😅
thank you to netgalley and redhook for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: australian sauvignon blanc
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
dark
mysterious
medium-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
perhaps it’s me (hi I’m the problem it’s me) who reads way too many thrillers, and perhaps it’s the domestic thriller market that’s so over saturated, but I was super bored by this one 😅😅
after reading THE LAST MRS PARRISH over four years ago (which is literally insane thanks) and not enjoying the style of writing, I didn’t have high hopes for this one. and sadly, it played out almost like a carbon copy of the original - this time with a brand new character, daisy ann. everyone is out to trick everyone and my faith in humanity drops even lower y’all 🥴
it takes a lot for a domestic thriller to surprise me these days, and this one was super predictable, especially for those who read the first of this series. jackson was just as manipulative and gaslighting as ever, and I seriously wonder why the heck doesn’t everyone set up voice memos and cameras around this guy because WHY
and heading back into the lion’s den all because your teenager is throwing a hissy fit? goodbye
all in all, it’s a twisty gut-wrenching gaslighting domestic thriller but I didn’t really find anything special about it 🤷🏼♀️
thank you to netgalley and random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes chardonnay
after reading THE LAST MRS PARRISH over four years ago (which is literally insane thanks) and not enjoying the style of writing, I didn’t have high hopes for this one. and sadly, it played out almost like a carbon copy of the original - this time with a brand new character, daisy ann. everyone is out to trick everyone and my faith in humanity drops even lower y’all 🥴
it takes a lot for a domestic thriller to surprise me these days, and this one was super predictable, especially for those who read the first of this series. jackson was just as manipulative and gaslighting as ever, and I seriously wonder why the heck doesn’t everyone set up voice memos and cameras around this guy because WHY
and heading back into the lion’s den all because your teenager is throwing a hissy fit? goodbye
all in all, it’s a twisty gut-wrenching gaslighting domestic thriller but I didn’t really find anything special about it 🤷🏼♀️
thank you to netgalley and random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes chardonnay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
dark
informative
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
now that I’ve sat on this for about a day, I can firmly say this one sits at around a 4 star rating for me 🥰 the vibes are all sci-fi blake crouch but at the center, it’s a story about humanity and its cruelty to repeat itself time and time again
after discovering time travel, the british government is enacting a plan to study our future by studying the past - which entails bringing figures from the past into present day… sounds like a recipe for disaster (and it almost is??) 🤔
similar to blake crouch’s stories, there are elements of thriller and suspense mixed in with government conspiracies and sci-fi, but what really threw me was the eventual romance between field agents and the past figures brought to present day that they are sworn to protect - it was a lot (but also kind of hot) 🫣
the conversation surrounding humanity, including racism, feminism, and governmental control, was by far my favorite parts of the story, however. the comparison between different time periods and present day was eye-opening and refreshingly stark to see on print. major applause for the author and her research to bring this to the readers’ attention - and as she says, “if you’re learning something new from this text, that’s on you” 👏🏼
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend
after discovering time travel, the british government is enacting a plan to study our future by studying the past - which entails bringing figures from the past into present day… sounds like a recipe for disaster (and it almost is??) 🤔
similar to blake crouch’s stories, there are elements of thriller and suspense mixed in with government conspiracies and sci-fi, but what really threw me was the eventual romance between field agents and the past figures brought to present day that they are sworn to protect - it was a lot (but also kind of hot) 🫣
the conversation surrounding humanity, including racism, feminism, and governmental control, was by far my favorite parts of the story, however. the comparison between different time periods and present day was eye-opening and refreshingly stark to see on print. major applause for the author and her research to bring this to the readers’ attention - and as she says, “if you’re learning something new from this text, that’s on you” 👏🏼
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Classism
The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
this was everything I wanted it to be and more! it gave the chestnut man vibes with the spooky creepy serial killer on the loose and the paranormal lore surrounding it 😳
while I’m not usually one for horror, this felt just the perfect amount of scary mixed in with a typical detective procedural! the “daughter of a murderer” trope is a bit overdone, in my opinion, but this one was written so well! I was fully invested in finding out the detective’s lost memories and what really was the truth about her childhood…
the length of the book was pretty heavy and dragged on at times, but I enjoyed it all the same. for a story with extremely gruesome detail, it read like a spooky halloween thriller and didn’t spend much time on the actual deaths of the victims (which my gentle soul appreciates)
I did guess the ultimate plot twist as I was able to figure it out based on the clues the author dropped, but it played out was fun and intriguing and kept my interest until the end. what a fabulous debut thriller!!!!!
thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
while I’m not usually one for horror, this felt just the perfect amount of scary mixed in with a typical detective procedural! the “daughter of a murderer” trope is a bit overdone, in my opinion, but this one was written so well! I was fully invested in finding out the detective’s lost memories and what really was the truth about her childhood…
the length of the book was pretty heavy and dragged on at times, but I enjoyed it all the same. for a story with extremely gruesome detail, it read like a spooky halloween thriller and didn’t spend much time on the actual deaths of the victims (which my gentle soul appreciates)
I did guess the ultimate plot twist as I was able to figure it out based on the clues the author dropped, but it played out was fun and intriguing and kept my interest until the end. what a fabulous debut thriller!!!!!
thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
dark
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
okay I liked it, but I didn’t love it?? I’m usually all in for detective thrillers, but I felt very disjointed and separated from the characters while reading this one!
this one definitely has the same vibes as THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS and THEN SHE WAS GONE - so I didn’t really felt the element of surprise and twists as I normally do! however, I definitely chalk that up to me reading so many thrillers oops 🫢
what starts as a cold missing child case morphs into a case bigger than any could imagine - and yes, I guessed that too oops 😇 I really did love the back and forth timeline script between detective chelsey and victim ellie to fill in the blanks for the reader, but I desperately was waiting for one last twist!
chelsey was a wonderful character as she navigates racism and sexism in the police force - and I will never get tired of seeing corrupt white men get what they deserve 👏🏼 and can we talk about how this is a debut thriller? so unreal!
I did enjoy bits and pieces of the plot line and 100% binged it to find out all of the secrets - but it doesn’t hold a top place in my thriller loving heart
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley pinot noir
this one definitely has the same vibes as THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS and THEN SHE WAS GONE - so I didn’t really felt the element of surprise and twists as I normally do! however, I definitely chalk that up to me reading so many thrillers oops 🫢
what starts as a cold missing child case morphs into a case bigger than any could imagine - and yes, I guessed that too oops 😇 I really did love the back and forth timeline script between detective chelsey and victim ellie to fill in the blanks for the reader, but I desperately was waiting for one last twist!
chelsey was a wonderful character as she navigates racism and sexism in the police force - and I will never get tired of seeing corrupt white men get what they deserve 👏🏼 and can we talk about how this is a debut thriller? so unreal!
I did enjoy bits and pieces of the plot line and 100% binged it to find out all of the secrets - but it doesn’t hold a top place in my thriller loving heart
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley pinot noir
The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
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
3.0
this was my least favorite of the housemaid series, and I think it mostly has to do with the fact that it was very unnecessary and felt disjointed from the first two…
millie and enzo are now married twenty years after the events of THE HOUSEMAID and THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET with two kids, and they feel like completely different people?? millie is now a straight laced mother while enzo seems like he doesn’t give a flying f- about anything (super out of character) 🤪
when they move into a new neighborhood, it definitely gives the same vibes as the original story with nosy annoying neighbors - and I 100% wanted to strangle every single character at the same time
however, millie and enzo’s children were the most interesting part for me as they were barely mentioned in the first half but took up a major portion of the second half in their growth and development 🫡 I was here for childhood trauma y’all
while I was SO SURE about the plot twist, in pure freida fashion, I was slightly off 🙃 but it still felt lacking comparing to her other novels… and the resolution of the entire story was way too neat for a messy thriller…
still, it was a fun bingeable read! was it necessary to develop the housemaid story? nope, but was it still super addicting to read? absolutely
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: southern california cabernet sauvignon
millie and enzo are now married twenty years after the events of THE HOUSEMAID and THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET with two kids, and they feel like completely different people?? millie is now a straight laced mother while enzo seems like he doesn’t give a flying f- about anything (super out of character) 🤪
when they move into a new neighborhood, it definitely gives the same vibes as the original story with nosy annoying neighbors - and I 100% wanted to strangle every single character at the same time
however, millie and enzo’s children were the most interesting part for me as they were barely mentioned in the first half but took up a major portion of the second half in their growth and development 🫡 I was here for childhood trauma y’all
while I was SO SURE about the plot twist, in pure freida fashion, I was slightly off 🙃 but it still felt lacking comparing to her other novels… and the resolution of the entire story was way too neat for a messy thriller…
still, it was a fun bingeable read! was it necessary to develop the housemaid story? nope, but was it still super addicting to read? absolutely
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: southern california cabernet sauvignon
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
adventurous
funny
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? Yes
4.0
this is the PERFECT summer romcom!!! christina lauren can absolutely do no wrong 🥳 their writing is always perfectly blended between sweet, spicy, and laugh out loud moments!!
starving artist (no really can we stop with this stereotype) anna agrees to a long con with former husband turned friend liam in order for him to get his inheritance, and yes, it’s as conceited and white people rich as it sounds 🥴 there was a lot of drama and not a lot of answers until the very end, which normally I love a bit of mystery but this felt rushed to me when everything finally came out
liam’s family is A LOT, and I loved seeing anna’s POV of the craziness (especially because it was what most of us were thinking anyway), even though her own arrogance and flippant attitude annoyed me at first. the family drama was one of those train wrecks that you can’t look away from, and seeing how liam and his siblings acted out against each other made them seem childish and just as shallow and naive as their parents.
liam and anna’s relationship, however, was the least memorable part for me in the story. they went from reluctant con partners to friends to hook up buddies to lovers in a matter of minutes 🤪 and their third act breakup felt insignificant since their reconciliation happened without any real conversation …
this gave all of the pretty woman vibes mixed with old money great gatsby elements - and I really did love the atmospheric setting 😍 the private island? say less
thank you to gallery and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!! 💚🩷
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend
starving artist (no really can we stop with this stereotype) anna agrees to a long con with former husband turned friend liam in order for him to get his inheritance, and yes, it’s as conceited and white people rich as it sounds 🥴 there was a lot of drama and not a lot of answers until the very end, which normally I love a bit of mystery but this felt rushed to me when everything finally came out
liam’s family is A LOT, and I loved seeing anna’s POV of the craziness (especially because it was what most of us were thinking anyway), even though her own arrogance and flippant attitude annoyed me at first. the family drama was one of those train wrecks that you can’t look away from, and seeing how liam and his siblings acted out against each other made them seem childish and just as shallow and naive as their parents.
liam and anna’s relationship, however, was the least memorable part for me in the story. they went from reluctant con partners to friends to hook up buddies to lovers in a matter of minutes 🤪 and their third act breakup felt insignificant since their reconciliation happened without any real conversation …
this gave all of the pretty woman vibes mixed with old money great gatsby elements - and I really did love the atmospheric setting 😍 the private island? say less
thank you to gallery and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!! 💚🩷
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: tuscany red blend