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booksbytheglass's reviews
864 reviews
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
my expectations for this one were a little too high, based on the success and fun of the first two molly the maid novels! I was picturing a fun lil holiday mystery, and instead, it was more of a retelling of the gift of the magi š§š§
there was very little mystery as this novella focused completely on juan and mollyās relationship over the past few christmases, especially after losing her grandmother. it was more of a deep dive into their daily life and relationship, which felt a little unnecessary for me. I definitely feel that this book would have been a bit more successful as a mystery rather than a filler.
however, the ending with molly and her friends was adorable, I have to admit. even though it was extremely obvious and irritable that molly couldnāt see it and was doubting herselfā¦
thank you to netgalley and ballantine books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this was a cute one but overall without much of a pointā¦
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
there was very little mystery as this novella focused completely on juan and mollyās relationship over the past few christmases, especially after losing her grandmother. it was more of a deep dive into their daily life and relationship, which felt a little unnecessary for me. I definitely feel that this book would have been a bit more successful as a mystery rather than a filler.
however, the ending with molly and her friends was adorable, I have to admit. even though it was extremely obvious and irritable that molly couldnāt see it and was doubting herselfā¦
thank you to netgalley and ballantine books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this was a cute one but overall without much of a pointā¦
rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I immediately dropped all of my current reads to pick this one up when I received an ARC of it, because ashley winstead can do no wrong šš¼ Iām here for every thriller and every romance she writes!! heck, Iād read her laundry list!!
ashley proves yet again why sheās the queen of spooky thrillers with this installment of a campus killer told through the eyes of amateur sleuths!! her writing is so captivating and intriguing that you wonāt want to put the book down until itās over š± and it wonāt be over until the very last page!!!
after the sudden passing of her father, jane decides to throw herself into the true crime community to help solve crimes and get answers for the world that seems unanswerable in times of grief. while I didnāt take as drastic of a recluse as jane did after her fatherās death, her thoughts and depiction of grief was like opening a door to the inside of my brain š«¶š¼ grief is a fickle beast
what caught my attention from the first description of the campus murders was the similarity to the idaho killing that happened last year. the details were eerily similar, down to the roommates and location, and although the resolution was completely different, it did feel a bit copycat at times. that being said, it didnāt change my rating or perspective at all because there was so much else going on at the same time!
while I did guess the overall killer by the end, it was more of a āha I knew it!!ā satisfaction rather than it being obvious. ashleyās writing once again proves superior as she twists and turns the story over and over again until the very end!
a huge thank you to ashley herself and sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I canāt wait to promote the heck out of this one next year!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
ashley proves yet again why sheās the queen of spooky thrillers with this installment of a campus killer told through the eyes of amateur sleuths!! her writing is so captivating and intriguing that you wonāt want to put the book down until itās over š± and it wonāt be over until the very last page!!!
after the sudden passing of her father, jane decides to throw herself into the true crime community to help solve crimes and get answers for the world that seems unanswerable in times of grief. while I didnāt take as drastic of a recluse as jane did after her fatherās death, her thoughts and depiction of grief was like opening a door to the inside of my brain š«¶š¼ grief is a fickle beast
what caught my attention from the first description of the campus murders was the similarity to the idaho killing that happened last year. the details were eerily similar, down to the roommates and location, and although the resolution was completely different, it did feel a bit copycat at times. that being said, it didnāt change my rating or perspective at all because there was so much else going on at the same time!
while I did guess the overall killer by the end, it was more of a āha I knew it!!ā satisfaction rather than it being obvious. ashleyās writing once again proves superior as she twists and turns the story over and over again until the very end!
a huge thank you to ashley herself and sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I canāt wait to promote the heck out of this one next year!
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Stalking
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
first and foremost, I absolutely love this authorās storytelling!! her writing is so raw and open, and I about cried after reading her authorās note and knowing the baseline of this story is based on personal experience š„ŗš«¶š¼
the story is very character forward and surrounding eliot, the youngest in a very large family suffering from PTSD of her brotherās death when they were young as well as chronic OCD. the stereotypical OCD that you see in movies and books is not whatās featured here, and I applaud every sentence written, allowing the readers the privilege of being in eliotās head ā¤ļø
and as sad, beautiful, and tragic as eliotās story was, I wished there was more to hold the entire plot together. I wanted more from eliotās family, I wanted chapters from manuelās POV, I wanted a deep insight into how the family felt when eliot left them all high and dryā¦ and as much as I loved eliot alone, there needed to be more than just her telling the storyā¦
friends to lovers normally isnāt my favorite, but I absolutely loved how manuel and eliotās dynamic was perfect for each other š©· again, I just wanted more from manuelās side because from eliotās POV only, it was hard to tell what occasions were warped due to her own trauma and OCD.
a huge thank you to berkley and berkley romance for the advanced copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!! Iām glad I took my time with this one!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: niagara-on-the-lake sparkling vidal
the story is very character forward and surrounding eliot, the youngest in a very large family suffering from PTSD of her brotherās death when they were young as well as chronic OCD. the stereotypical OCD that you see in movies and books is not whatās featured here, and I applaud every sentence written, allowing the readers the privilege of being in eliotās head ā¤ļø
and as sad, beautiful, and tragic as eliotās story was, I wished there was more to hold the entire plot together. I wanted more from eliotās family, I wanted chapters from manuelās POV, I wanted a deep insight into how the family felt when eliot left them all high and dryā¦ and as much as I loved eliot alone, there needed to be more than just her telling the storyā¦
friends to lovers normally isnāt my favorite, but I absolutely loved how manuel and eliotās dynamic was perfect for each other š©· again, I just wanted more from manuelās side because from eliotās POV only, it was hard to tell what occasions were warped due to her own trauma and OCD.
a huge thank you to berkley and berkley romance for the advanced copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!! Iām glad I took my time with this one!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: niagara-on-the-lake sparkling vidal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Mental illness
Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
dark
mysterious
slow-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
this cast of characters is so fun & I immediately get sucked back into stevieās world of solving mysteries and crimes every time š®āšØ but sadly, this one didnāt live up to the hype for me!
this time, stevie and her friends are studying abroad in london (for only a week though? hmm okay), juggling spending time with her long-distance boyfriend david (who is literally the worst) and seeing the ācultureā of london - but in pure stevie fashion, she gets roped in to solve a cold caseā¦ yes, againā¦
from the beginning, the mystery gave AND THEN THERE WERE NONE vibes, but it was written as though only the reader and stevie could see that š¤ and while I love how maureen writes the slow burn realization in true sherlock holmes x nancy drew form, it was a little far-fetched for me. the reasoning behind the crime needed a bit more substance in order to feel justified!
and the personal drama? no thanks!! david and stevie couldnāt be more different from each other, and they both annoyed me to no end in this one! stevie actively lies to her friends and puts them in harmsā way because her sole focus in life is to solve mysteries without thinking of how that might affect her friendships, while david spends most of the book not spending time with stevie? and that ending? ugh hard pass š
I do really enjoy the old school YA detective style vibes of this series, and I need the next book immediately!!!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: mosel riesling
this time, stevie and her friends are studying abroad in london (for only a week though? hmm okay), juggling spending time with her long-distance boyfriend david (who is literally the worst) and seeing the ācultureā of london - but in pure stevie fashion, she gets roped in to solve a cold caseā¦ yes, againā¦
from the beginning, the mystery gave AND THEN THERE WERE NONE vibes, but it was written as though only the reader and stevie could see that š¤ and while I love how maureen writes the slow burn realization in true sherlock holmes x nancy drew form, it was a little far-fetched for me. the reasoning behind the crime needed a bit more substance in order to feel justified!
and the personal drama? no thanks!! david and stevie couldnāt be more different from each other, and they both annoyed me to no end in this one! stevie actively lies to her friends and puts them in harmsā way because her sole focus in life is to solve mysteries without thinking of how that might affect her friendships, while david spends most of the book not spending time with stevie? and that ending? ugh hard pass š
I do really enjoy the old school YA detective style vibes of this series, and I need the next book immediately!!!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: mosel riesling
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
there were so many things that I loved about this book!!! it gave THE MEASURE x MANIFEST vibes & I was invested in the character heavy story from start to finish! š«Ø
for a 500+ page literary fiction novel, it sure didnāt read like one! the short chapters & constant POV changes made the story seem so much shorter! and I loved meeting cherry, our āpsychicā telling everyone how theyāre going to die, and the passengers on the plane
stories focusing on choosing how to live & choosing how to accept fate always get me in a crossroadsā¦ it reminds me to live my life to the fullest and be grateful for the time on this planet that I have, but also gets me a little down when I think about losing everyone eventually in life š but also thatās a āØ trauma āØ trigger for me soā¦
while cherryās backstory felt a little mundane and odd at times, it all paid off in the end. I love the concept of picking up on little details in stories and in real life, and liane moriarty did an excellent job tying everything together!
definitely my favorite by this author so far!! thank you netgalley and crown / random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: tasmania sauvignon blanc
for a 500+ page literary fiction novel, it sure didnāt read like one! the short chapters & constant POV changes made the story seem so much shorter! and I loved meeting cherry, our āpsychicā telling everyone how theyāre going to die, and the passengers on the plane
stories focusing on choosing how to live & choosing how to accept fate always get me in a crossroadsā¦ it reminds me to live my life to the fullest and be grateful for the time on this planet that I have, but also gets me a little down when I think about losing everyone eventually in life š but also thatās a āØ trauma āØ trigger for me soā¦
while cherryās backstory felt a little mundane and odd at times, it all paid off in the end. I love the concept of picking up on little details in stories and in real life, and liane moriarty did an excellent job tying everything together!
definitely my favorite by this author so far!! thank you netgalley and crown / random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: tasmania sauvignon blanc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Terminal illness
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, and Infertility
Minor: Alcoholism
We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
wow!! I love going into books blind!! šØ thanks to a few reviews, I knew it was an unconventional thriller about vampires out for each otherās blood (literally and figuratively), however it was nothing like anything Iāve read before!!
following nicola and amber, two girlfriends turned vampires, itās a total cat and mouse game! amber wants out from under nicolaās thumb after she discovers that nicola is a bit more vicious and controlling than she signed up for, and nicola would rather unalive her than let her go š
while the story itself surrounds two vampires, it felt more like a thriller than a fantasy story, which let me down a bit. I wanted to learn more about the origins of vampires & how nicola went from a rich heiress in the 1800s to a bloodthirsty vampire in the night! and I definitely wanted more of the vampire culture in london!
however, my heart was pounding from start to finish to discover how amber was (or wasnāt) going to finally make her escape! there wasnāt much of mystery surrounding the story, which also disappointed me, but I still enjoyed binging this one!
that one plot twist towards the end had me gasping, but other than that, it felt like there was something missing to make this story really greatā¦
thank you to berkley for the gifted advanced and finished copies in exchange for an honest review! this oneās out now!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: LOL you already know what Iām going to say š©ø
following nicola and amber, two girlfriends turned vampires, itās a total cat and mouse game! amber wants out from under nicolaās thumb after she discovers that nicola is a bit more vicious and controlling than she signed up for, and nicola would rather unalive her than let her go š
while the story itself surrounds two vampires, it felt more like a thriller than a fantasy story, which let me down a bit. I wanted to learn more about the origins of vampires & how nicola went from a rich heiress in the 1800s to a bloodthirsty vampire in the night! and I definitely wanted more of the vampire culture in london!
however, my heart was pounding from start to finish to discover how amber was (or wasnāt) going to finally make her escape! there wasnāt much of mystery surrounding the story, which also disappointed me, but I still enjoyed binging this one!
that one plot twist towards the end had me gasping, but other than that, it felt like there was something missing to make this story really greatā¦
thank you to berkley for the gifted advanced and finished copies in exchange for an honest review! this oneās out now!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: LOL you already know what Iām going to say š©ø
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.5
I feel like I canāt avoid my honest opinion about this one without a few minor spoilers so watch out ahead yāall šāš¼
after being the only person in the world who enjoyed THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, I was super invested in this story from the first chapter. it started out more of the same concept, marketed as a mystery but involved more family drama and lit fic elements more than anything.
after the death of their father (#1 trigger for us in the dead dad club heyyy), liamās children are out to discover the truth behind who their dad was and what happened to him the night of his death. and while I loved the mystery air surrounding it, it was truly the bonding moments between nora and sam that made the story as raw and real as it was!!
what didnāt work for me were the flashbacks of liam growing up and his unique friendship with cory. it gave all of the emotional cheating vibes, and even a little bit of unrequited love, and thatās not the move for me š I just didnāt understand the reasoning why these two, if they were so truly in love with one another, couldnāt be together? like genuinely besties I have no clue
and Iām also a firm believer that choosing to replace someone or something in your heart when youāre not ready to move on is never the solution and only hurts everyone in the process (and thatās the tea šµ)
I really do love laura daveās writing style, and I flew through this one in a day to find out how the conflict resolved! thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
after being the only person in the world who enjoyed THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, I was super invested in this story from the first chapter. it started out more of the same concept, marketed as a mystery but involved more family drama and lit fic elements more than anything.
after the death of their father (#1 trigger for us in the dead dad club heyyy), liamās children are out to discover the truth behind who their dad was and what happened to him the night of his death. and while I loved the mystery air surrounding it, it was truly the bonding moments between nora and sam that made the story as raw and real as it was!!
what didnāt work for me were the flashbacks of liam growing up and his unique friendship with cory. it gave all of the emotional cheating vibes, and even a little bit of unrequited love, and thatās not the move for me š I just didnāt understand the reasoning why these two, if they were so truly in love with one another, couldnāt be together? like genuinely besties I have no clue
and Iām also a firm believer that choosing to replace someone or something in your heart when youāre not ready to move on is never the solution and only hurts everyone in the process (and thatās the tea šµ)
I really do love laura daveās writing style, and I flew through this one in a day to find out how the conflict resolved! thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Death of parent
The Last Party by A.R. Torre
dark
sad
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
3.5
wow! a.r. torre always knows how to write a fast-paced bingeable thriller & this one was no exception!! šØ
this was the perfect creepy thriller to start off spooky season for me, surrounding a woman obsessed with a decades-old murder & her desire to free the man who was āwrongfullyā convicted š and the multi-POV setting was the perfect way to do this!!
I was on the edge of my seat, watching the train wreck slowly unfold but simultaneously not looking away and cringing!! while I did guess the main plot twists as the story progressed, it was more of a satisfaction āI knew itā sense than the obviousā¦ even though the plot holes were definitely there tooā¦
and having the reveals come slowly throughout the plot and not dumped all at once was the perfect choice for this horror-esque novel! definitely a good one to binge around halloween!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
this was the perfect creepy thriller to start off spooky season for me, surrounding a woman obsessed with a decades-old murder & her desire to free the man who was āwrongfullyā convicted š and the multi-POV setting was the perfect way to do this!!
I was on the edge of my seat, watching the train wreck slowly unfold but simultaneously not looking away and cringing!! while I did guess the main plot twists as the story progressed, it was more of a satisfaction āI knew itā sense than the obviousā¦ even though the plot holes were definitely there tooā¦
and having the reveals come slowly throughout the plot and not dumped all at once was the perfect choice for this horror-esque novel! definitely a good one to binge around halloween!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
karen mcmanusās books are always so wild and off the rails bingeable - and Iām so happy to report this one felt the same way!!! she is the IT GIRL YA author for days!!!
I absolutely love a good heist story, and this one was no exception!! I was a little wary going into it focusing on high schoolers (because letās be real, you need to be oceanās eleven level skilled to pull off a jewelry heist), but kat and liam, our favorite step-siblings, were the perfect amounts of unhinged and lovable to tell this story!
as most con artist stories are, there were a few confusing plot holes & unbelievable moments, but I didnāt find them annoying enough to take away from the story itself. I just couldnāt wait to find out all of the plot twists karen is so well known for!! šš
and the way it all fit together at the end was wildly satisfying, even if it seemed a bit rushed!
this wasnāt my ultimate favorite by this author, but I highly recommend every single one of her books! nothing has been below 4 stars for me!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: rioja tempranillo
I absolutely love a good heist story, and this one was no exception!! I was a little wary going into it focusing on high schoolers (because letās be real, you need to be oceanās eleven level skilled to pull off a jewelry heist), but kat and liam, our favorite step-siblings, were the perfect amounts of unhinged and lovable to tell this story!
as most con artist stories are, there were a few confusing plot holes & unbelievable moments, but I didnāt find them annoying enough to take away from the story itself. I just couldnāt wait to find out all of the plot twists karen is so well known for!! šš
and the way it all fit together at the end was wildly satisfying, even if it seemed a bit rushed!
this wasnāt my ultimate favorite by this author, but I highly recommend every single one of her books! nothing has been below 4 stars for me!!!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: rioja tempranillo
This Spells Love by Kate Robb
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Iām in love with this book!!!! everything about magical realism in romance works for me, and this one was no exception!! š
entirely unsure why this has so many low ratings on goodreads because everything about this story was perfect! I mean, donāt we all want to cast a spell sometimes to forget that we ever met a person? or an event? and when the spells goes exactly as planned ā¦ gemma finds out that more than just one thing has changed in her alternate universe š
for me, the highlight was choosing to focus on the concept that the grass may be greener on the other side, but taking stock and notice of what you do have in the moment is more important š©µ I was getting a little worried that gemma would get too comfortable in her new reality & not focus on changing herself, but the ending more than made up for it!
and dax, our lovely pining best friend turned loverā¦ I was worried since friends to lovers usually isnāt my jam, but this went so much deeper than that š„¹ I loved watching them in alternate timelines and finding that common ground and overlap!!
I loved chatting about this one with ashley because for once, we actually both had similar thoughts on a romance!!!! what a concept!!! this one is perfect for witchy and magic season š®āØ
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: chinon red blend
entirely unsure why this has so many low ratings on goodreads because everything about this story was perfect! I mean, donāt we all want to cast a spell sometimes to forget that we ever met a person? or an event? and when the spells goes exactly as planned ā¦ gemma finds out that more than just one thing has changed in her alternate universe š
for me, the highlight was choosing to focus on the concept that the grass may be greener on the other side, but taking stock and notice of what you do have in the moment is more important š©µ I was getting a little worried that gemma would get too comfortable in her new reality & not focus on changing herself, but the ending more than made up for it!
and dax, our lovely pining best friend turned loverā¦ I was worried since friends to lovers usually isnāt my jam, but this went so much deeper than that š„¹ I loved watching them in alternate timelines and finding that common ground and overlap!!
I loved chatting about this one with ashley because for once, we actually both had similar thoughts on a romance!!!! what a concept!!! this one is perfect for witchy and magic season š®āØ
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: chinon red blend