I was unable to remain interested in this book so I just slogged through. The beginning was probably the most interesting part of the story but it really wasn't my cup of tea.

Brianna Labuskes have been an Amazon bestseller. I have previously read "It Ends With Her". I feel it is important to read and talk about authors that are not big household names yet. Labuskes writes mysteries hat may appeal to a big audience. In "Girls of Glass" a girl disappears. She is the granddaughter of one of Florida`s most powerful judges. Detective Alice Garner is tasked to investigate the incident, something that evokes painful memories for her.

"Girls of Glass" is a suspenseful story from an author that has a good pen. I love her voice, the way she paces the story. When I read a thriller, I want to be surprised and Labuskes managed to do that. "Girls of Glass" is a psychological thriller about dark secrets and female rages. The story did have some flaws, I agree with some of the reviewers who have said that she sometimes takes a bit convenient solutions. But still, I recommend trying out her books. Labuskes is an author with lots of potential.

This started promisingly, but I could not get into it. I found the characters two dimensional, and the plot uninspiring.

It's seven days after Ruby's kidnapping in August 2018. Charlotte is surrounded by blood and has a gun. The cops come to arrest Charlotte . I liked the action at the beginning but then I lost interest.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author, Brianna Labuskes, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Girls of Glass in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such an intricately detailed book. The storyline was well thought out and written with compelling characters. It certainly keeps you guessing until the very end.
Worth a read.

This was a slow build to a past paced ending type of book. The chapters are told in alternating points of view from a few different characters and the timeline moves between before and after the kidnapping. You're getting backstory and history as the case moves forward. This is one messed up family with a lot of dark and disturbing secrets. The last 15% of the book was action packed, characters you thought you knew were doing a complete about face and showing sides I couldn't have predicted. How the story ends is a far cry from how it started and it had me guessing until the very end!

So many secrets and lies in the Burke Family. Right from the start you could tell something was just off with them. The twists and turns are unreal, but so realistic. It's hard to put into words. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending was so unexpected.

Wow! This is exactly the kind of book I love. I did not know where the story was taking me from page to page. It kept me guessing right up to the end. Loved it and highly recommend it for thriller and mystery lovers!

“Girls of Glass” was truly a page-turning thriller!

The character creation by the author, Brianna Labuskes, was second-to-none, as was the style of writing. The story was told from multiple perspectives, moving back and forth in time. Themes of deceit and betrayal were constant throughout the story and, for me, the ending was totally unexpected.

I think “Girls of Glass” deserves a huge thumbs up and I know this nerve-racking and scary novel won’t be my last from Brianna Labuskes.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Unfortunately wasn't a fan of this book. I couldn't get into it was to slow . I'm trying to think of anything I liked about the book and the only thing I liked was the author going back and forth from past to present in the book. Don't waste your time.

“Emotions, as always, were the enemy, dangerous and deceptive. They clouded judgments, they altered reality, they directed focus from what was important.”

Girls of Glass was fantastic and nothing like I expected it to be, rather, the story turned out to be quite unpredictable, It was gritty and even uncomfortable to a certain extent. In short, everything I like in a psychological thriller.

The story begins when the body of five-year old Ruby Burke is found on the beach after she was kidnapped four days ago. The Burkes are a very reputed family with the Patriarch Sterling Burke, being one of the most important man in town but under the given circumstances nobody is above suspicion especially the family members including Ruby's mother, Charlotte and like each family, this one too has secrets of his own. Alice Garner, the detective assigned to Ruby's case has lost her only daughter to kidnapping and murder and has ever since not been in a correct frame of mind, therefore this case is not only her chance to prove that she isn't erratic or emotional but also a way to find closure and bring justice to Ruby that she couldn't bring to her daughter.

Like I said, this book is super uncomfortable at times and really made my skin crawl. Told through, Charlotte, Alice and Charlotte's niece, Trudy's POV, the narration switches back and forth to past and present aligning all the events that lead to the kidnapping of Ruby and the on-going investigation of her murder. I love stories with multiple POV's and I really enjoyed the writing of this book, it was such a slow burn and even though the story sort of felt drawn out and stretchy at times, I was hooked. The best thing about this story is the fact that, I kept guessing until the very end and boy! I did not see that ending coming.

As for the characters, they are all a very unlikeable bunch which kind of make sense, this being a thriller and all but I really expected some more effort from Charlotte, I understood where she was coming from and her mental state and all but I didn't like her completely helpless attitude. I somewhat liked Alice and Trudy's character because somewhere in their own twisted ways they did take charge of their lives and I thought their attempt was applaudable.

Overall, It took me a while to really get invested in the story but once I was in, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat, it had the perfect amount of intense drama, mystery, secrets and a shocking yet very satisfactory ending.

This book was slow to start and dragged a bit throughout. There were times I wanted to stop reading. I’m glad I stuck it out, as I was surprised by the ending. A solid 3 stars - good, not great.

Albeit it well written, I found this book difficult to get into at the beginning. The plot was well thought out but I just did not feel for any of the characters which made it difficult to be emotionally moved/driven to finish by the twist. I was unable to finish this book. However, I would read more books from this author in the future.

Thank you #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #GirlsofGlass!

Wow! The ending of this book I never saw coming. I have to admit at first the book dragged just a little. I was waiting for something big to happen which came more towards the end of the book, but when it did come, wow! This story is about Detective Alice Garner investigating the death of a local 5-year old who is part of the prestigious and powerful Burke family. But like every family, the Burke’s have a lot of secrets. Going back and forth between Charlotte’s, Trudy’s and Alice’s points of view you learn the secrets of the family as well as secrets from Alice’s past. Believe me when I tell you, you will most likely not guess who the killer of 5-year old Ruby is!

My thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

The overall story is a solid 5 stars, as it's unlike anything else I've ever read. That it was set in Tampa and St. Petersburg, the bay area where I've lived for the past twenty-three years, had me from the start.

Too many places, though, especially in the latter part of the book when a reader expects the pace to pick up, went on and on and on. Thoughts and reflections were overly drawn-out. But that totally surprise twist at the end nearly made up for its faults. Not your typical detective crime mystery. At. All.

And to those who complain about the ending? The key to loving the ending is to go back to the prologue and read it when you finish the book. Sheer genius. I got goosebumps when I discovered that special gem. Highly recommend.

Ruby Burke is gone, without a trace! Detectives Alice Garner and Joe Nakamura learn the Burke family secrets while trying to find the adorable and very much loved Ruby. Who could have taken her? With no ransom note, the possibilities are endless... but is Detective Alice Garner up to the task at hand? After all, she has secrets of her own. This is an intriguing tale, that will keep you guessing! Well done Brianna Labuskes!

Detective Alice Garner, originally from D.C, finds herself investigating a murdered, kidnapped child in St Petersburg, Florida, which has faint echoes of her own daughter's kidnapping and murder five years ago in D.C. She proves to her peers that she is able to take the lead on this case despite her personal history.
The kidnapped girl, Ruby Burke, comes from a seemingly perfect, wealthy family but one which seems to have so many secrets hidden behind the doors of their mansion.
The story moves between days and weeks before the kidnapping and days after the kidnapping, giving you as reader an inside view on the Burke's and hinting at their secrets. You are also privy to the police investigation and Alice's thoughts amidst the investigation and reflecting back to her daughter's case.
As the secrets come tumbling out, you start to view members of the Burke family differently and realise that desperate circumstances call for even desperate measures.
When I realized the deeper topic of what was going on behind the shut doors of the mansion, my heart was sore for the innocents, the voiceless.It is such a sensitive topic that I had to take physical breaks away from the book at times as it was so hard to process what was happening.
As the case progresses it has a major impact on Alice and her memories of her daughter, being a mother and the kidnapping which I believe all play a role in her actions working this case.
Towards the end all I could say was "Oh my!" as I never in a million years could have seen THAT plot twist coming!
The jumping around in the timeline near the end became a bit confusing - ie seven days after kidnapping, then jumping to six days after kidnapping - but on hindsight it works, adding a bit more confusion to the unreality of events unfolding before your eyes.
A great read. Very sad as in effect no-one emerges as the "winner" - everyone lost something along the way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

Girls Of Glass was a wonderful read. It was not full of gore, but it does have the element of horror in it. What the author, Brianna Labuskes does best is to bring your attention to detail. And when you think you have guessed the culprit, she takes you down a road that makes you question yourself.

Wow! This book was so good. There were twists and turns I never expected. I really enjoyed reading this and looked forward to reading it every day. Here’s a synopsis:

Set in my home, the Tampa Bay Area, this book revolves around a St. Petersburg police detective named Alice, who along with her partner detective Nakamura are working on the case of a missing little girl. The little girl “Ruby” comes from a prominent family in St. Petersburg, where her grandfather is a judge. The family seems to have it all together, but as the story unfiolds you see there are a lot of secrets in their home, and the eyes of the law are on Ruby’s mother Charlotte as the potential kidnapper. Throughout the book you question whether Charlotte could have really harmed her daughter, or if she is truly a mother in turmoil over her missing child. Or did someone else in the dysfunctional family harm Ruby. You will be guessing until the very end. This book was very well written, and I would definitely recommend it to any book lovers who like the psychological thriller genre.

Girls of Glass started in seven days after Ruby Burke’s kidnapping. Charlotte is struggling to catch up to what was happening around her. The plot has different turn of events from before and after the kidnapping and it kind of confused me at first. Fortunately, I got used to it throughout the ending.

Just pure WOW. The ending got me off balance! I did not see it coming and to think that this is my first time reading Brianna Labuskes’ novel. It already made me love her!

Lastly, this is a good book for people who love reading mystery & thrillers. I’ll be looking forward into reading Labuskes’ novels in the future!