Member Reviews
I was immediately drawn to this book by the beautiful cover! It looked like the perfect Summer read, and it did not disappoint! This was definitely a rich people behaving badly story about a bunch of PTA moms in Miami Beach. These people were totally out of control and I was here for the drama!
Poor Melody moves to Miami Beach from Kansas with her husband and daughter. All she wants to do is fit in, but this crew is certainly not very welcoming. What follows is some high level drama, back stabbing and a scandalous arrest of one of the elite in the group. For me this was a perfect fun, frothy Summer book. I was entertained the whole way through! I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to @netgalley, @williammorrow and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this a lot! A satirical take on over-the-top parents at a top elementary school in Miami. Told through multiple POVs, two moms vie for the coveted role of PTA president. There is also an air of mystery that lingers in the background throughout the book as the opening pages allude to a tragic event. I’ve seen lots of comparisons to Big Little Lies, but the only real similarities between the two is that both deal with moms at a wealthy school. Pink Glass Houses reminds me more of Real Housewives of Miami and Desperate Housewives.
Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
Pink Glass Houses by Asha Elias was utterly addicting!
A multiple POV narrative that made this read even more engaging.
The plot was cleverly woven and it just delivered all the right details at all the right times.
I loved the characters and story-line and I was guessing right up until the end.
Full of wonderful intriguing characters, lots of juicy entertaining drama, mystery and humor.
Thank You NetGalley and William Morrow for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
PINK GLASS HOUSES by Asha Elias was oh, so much fun! If you’re looking for some solid entertainment, look no further—this has oodles of it. It’s also the perfect book to get you into the back to school groove! It’s centered around a handful of wealthy PTA moms at an elite elementary school in Miami Beach. If you love reading about the lifestyles of the super rich and infamous, then this will have you reaching for an extra bag of popcorn. Get ready for some heated PTA meetings, extravagant school fundraisers, over-the-top birthday parties, and cocaine playdates. (Yes, you read that correctly.) PGH is full of juicy drama, social climbing, power-seeking, and reeks of privilege. I’d compare it to BIG LITTLE LIES, CLASS MOM, and THE GIFTED SCHOOL. It’s a super quick read too—just under 300 pages. PINK GLASS HOUSES is out this Tuesday, July 30th, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!
Well Asha Elias is a hell of a writer and in my opinion her debut book is one book that will be hard to top and I can't wait to see how she does it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't put this book down, it was so good!!!!
Welcome to the world of Pink Glass Houses - a satirical novel about the wealthy parents at an elite public elementary school in Miami Beach. It’s the story of a school year and drama centered around the parents and the PTA is told in alternating chapters primarily by five very different mothers. Most of the mothers are unlikable at one time or another (or throughout most of the book in a couple cases), and yet entertaining.
There are a few dramatic moments, once of which was totally predictable from early on in the book, but if you’re there for the parental and PTA drama, that won’t matter! I always like novels about wealthy people behaving badly and Pink Glass Houses fit the bill. Readers who have experience with PTAs may also find that storyline more entertaining/interesting.
Thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow and The Book Club Girl for the opportunity to read Pink Glass Houses in exchange for my review.
Out 7/30! 🌴This one is such a great beach read! If the following are your vibe, then pick this one up immediately!
✅Big Little Lies parallels ✅Characters you love to hate ✅Miami moms cutthroat PTA ✅Multiple points of view Thank you so much to @netgalley @asha.sue.elias @williammorrowbooks for the e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
When Melody’s husband gets a job transfer to Miami, she first thinks of the sun, palm trees, beaches and the vacation lifestyle 24/7. However, as she enters the scene of Sunset Academy, the most exclusive “public” school in Florida and the alpha moms at its helm, she realizes she is not in Kansas anymore! There are black tie fundraisers, cocaine and rose fueled playdates and you can even pay tens of thousands of dollars to have your own parking space at the front of the school for convenient parent drop off. If you don’t get your 6 year old daughter’s hair blown out before school picture day or hire a professional to do your child’s Halloween makeup, then you and your child will be cast away with yesterday’s trash. Enter Villa Rose. The pink glass house that screams, “Look at me! I’m rich!!!”, belonging to the power couple of Miami society. Although the houses and people seem transparent on the outside, what deep secrets are lurking below the surface? Sometimes pretty, shiny things are just a facade covering up a rotten core. Melody is about to find out just who she can trust as she takes on queen bee Charlotte Giordani for the coveted PTA president spot. Tensions will rise to a breaking point that you won’t see coming!
low stakes big little lies. very entertaining and so much fun on audio. the full cast narration made it feel like a season of real housewives if they were running for PTA president. So much drama and scandal. i just had a great time with it.
I’m a sucker for a ‘big little lies’ tropey thriller so I was really excited for this one. it was a fine binge read but nothing too special or memorable, we didn’t really get deep enough with any of these characters for me to get super invested in the story - a fine book but pretty run of the mill take on this trope. I’d recommend annie ward’s the lying game over this.
Pink Glass Houses, by Asha Elias, is such a fun read. Lots of Big Little Lies vibes, but a story that stands on its own. I can never get enough moms-behaving-badly novels, and this was one of the best I've read. And the cover, gorgeous!!! Highly recommend!!
I finished PINK GLASS HOUSES by Asha Elias this weekend. It definitely was not the calming summer beach read vibes that the cover gave off, but a fast-paced, socialite life of Miami’s wealthiest and even wealthier, and the elementary school their children attend and they rule over.
The book felt like if you took Gossip Girl, moved it to Miami, got rid of GG, aged the teens down to third graders, and made the adults the focus and had them narrate each episode, aka chapter, to hear their thoughts. I was addicted. Just like GG, the cast of characters, the setting (wealthy, socialite Miami = chef’s kiss!), and the thrill of what would happen next made this a fantastic read!
I switched between audio and physical books for this one, which was a great decision because there is a full cast audiobook! Asha Elias was blessed with an exceptional audiobook cast, including some of my favorite narrators, where every character has a voice, and they are used together in the chapters.
PINK GLASS HOUSES will be a book I recommend from now on - both in audio and physical book format! And I can’t wait to see what Asha Elias does next!
Thanks, William Morrow and Libro.FM, for my finished copy and ALC!
This was told in multiple perspectives as well as interview format. Charolette was obsessed with keeping up with the joneses, and wanted to look perfectly out together. Melody was down to earth, but then became gossipy, and a mean girl. Darcy was kind of the odd mom out, but I loved her snark and wit. Patrica and Don very pretentious, but acted humble. Carol was pretty level headed, but also enjoyed the gossip. None of these characters were particularly likable, but I found them to be entertaining.
Although they all had their faults, if I had to choose, I’d actually say that Charolette was my favorite. I felt she was genuine, but when she was crossed, I felt the ice coming from the pages. She also had more growth by the end, which I enjoyed. The way some of these women acted regarding PTA was hilarious. You get a glimpse into some of their rich and entitled lives, and I really enjoyed the catty, backstabbing mom drama. I felt strong Big Little Lies and Real Housewives vibes which made this book that more enjoyable. This book is perfect to read during a day at the pool or beach.
Pink Glass Houses by Asha Elias
Rating: 3.5 stars
Pub date: 7/30
Thank you so much to William Morrow for my ecopy and physical copy!
This is a juicy, fun read that dives into the world of Miami Beach's ultra-wealthy PTA moms. Think "Big Little Lies" meets "The Real Housewives" but with more diamonds, tans, and glasses of rosé.
The story centers around Sunset Academy, where moms like Charlotte Giordani, the queen bee, and Melody Howard, a newcomer from Kansas, battle it out for the PTA presidency. Charlotte’s polished charm contrasts with Melody’s small town vibe, making for some delicious drama. The plot thickens with a white-collar crime investigation stirred up by Judge Carol Lawson, adding even more intrigue.
What makes this book so enjoyable is the way it’s told. Each chapter switches between different characters’ perspectives, plus you get snippets of emails and interviews, which keep things fresh and interesting. Elias really shows off the cattiness and competition among the parents, showing both their inner motives and the ridiculousness of their actions.
There are a few downsides, though. Some of the secondary characters' perspectives feel unnecessary and slow down the story a bit. Also, the ending could have wrapped things up a little more neatly.
Overall, "Pink Glass Houses" is a quick, entertaining read that’s perfect for fans of social satire and drama. Elias shows a lot of promise, and I’m excited to see what she writes next!
This book was….not great. It wasn’t bad, necessarily, just a retread of other books I’ve read (The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger, Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman) that have done it better.
Pink Glass Houses tells the story of a Kansas transplant (how many times can they use the line “we aren’t in Kansas anymore?”) to the shores of Miami Beach and how she navigates the rich moms and PTA politics. This book should be something I would love but the story was pretty unoriginal and every single character was poorly sketched and unlikeable.
Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Vicious fun.
Good witch, bad witch PTA moms go head to head in their skimpiest Miami clothing (casting this would be a dream). Not one of these narcissistic, Birkin climbing moms is redeemable as a character but they all have their endearing moments. While they scheme and fight to be PTA president, the most prominent family (in the pink glass mansion) on the block is hiding a mystery that will rock the school and community.
Unlikeable narrators are my new favorite fiction, I get to loathe them but also sort of want to be them.
Multiple POV
Engaging
Beach Read
When Melody moves with her family from Kansas to Miami, she is in complete culture shock. Miami is one of the most glamourous and ostentatious cities in the country; everyone seems wealthy and perfect. When she drops her daughter off at elementary school and joins the PTA, she learns that Miami moms take it SERIOUSLY. Charlotte is the fundraising extraordinaire and throws lavish, over the top galas and expensive dinners all in the name of the children, isolating the parents with "regular" incomes. Melody decides to run for PTA president to change that, but is Miami changing her?
Pink Glass House was a very fast paced read. The chapters were short and told through multiple POVs and through newspaper articles so it was very easy to read. My one criticism would be that there was a lack of plot points, which gave the book a stagnant feel. The biggest events in the book happened to secondary characters, leaving me a little disappointed. I wanted more drama and back and forth between Melody and Charlotte and less about The Walkers.
I’ve never watched Real Housewives, but I imagine this is what Real Housewives of the Miami PTA would be like.
When Melody and her family are transplanted from Kansas to Miami, she finds herself in a new world when it comes to involving herself in her child’s school and finding herself a new social circle. Sort of a grown up version of Mean Girls, Pink Glass Houses rotates narrators from a selection of elementary school moms, dishing out all their mama-drama.
Loved this as a summer read!
I would like to thank NetGalley, William Morrow publishing, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
As a mom of young kids myself, I just adore a read centered on mothers. While I couldn’t relate to the absolute cattiness of these PTA moms, I had such a great time reading their story!
Melody is new to Miami Beach and Sunset Academy, but she is pushed to pursue the role of PTA President by a new friend. Her competition is Charlotte, the star fundraiser for the school who is fully enmeshed in the school drama and close with the school’s biggest donor. When a scandal erupts featuring one of the school’s most prominent families, the ripple effect touches both women and changes their lives.
This book felt like a glimpse into the lives of the 1%, showcasing the glittering events but also the grim downfall. A peek into the private lives of the elite is always captivating, and Elias writes multiple viewpoints of it with ease. From the wife of the man being taken down to the newbie in town to the queen bee to the dissatisfied lifer in town, she weaves the storyline through different eyes clearly and authentically. Each woman has a distinct tone and was well written, and my allegiance switched constantly, the mark of an author writing great sympathetic characters.
Read if you like:
⭐️ Rich people behaving badly
⭐️ Faux friends
⭐️ PTA drama
⭐️ A voyeuristic peek at the lives of the rich
⭐️ Interview transcripts and articles throughout
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own,
This satirical novel was just ok for me. It was a fast, easy read and while I enjoyed a peek behind the gates of the rich and famous, the character of Melody seemed underdeveloped. It was unclear how she allowed herself to get so caught up in the glitz of the pretentious PTA, and her change in drive and personality felt contrived.
I really liked this book and the way it was written. The story was so fast moving and I loved how close to reality it was. I read the whole book in one sitting and could not put it down.