georgiasbookescapes's reviews
421 reviews

Shake Things Up by Skye Kilaen

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Noelle moved to Austin for work, but she’s just been made redundant and upon returning home finds her boyfriend is now her ex-boyfriend after attempting to cheat on her with ethically non-monogamous Allie. After Noelle’s ex-boyfriend getting the kicked to the curb, Allie invites Noelle to stay temporarily with her and her life partner Matt. With a planned music festival trip in place, Noelle agrees to join the couple for their trip. But what starts as a kind offer, starts to include some sparks that begin to fly between all three.

So I’ve done something, I’ve never done before - I read this book outside of its series order. 🤣 although I may go back and read books 1 & 3 after this? This is a cute story about bisexual leads and exploring a couple of different forms of polyamory within one relationships dynamic. Was it my favourite rom-com? No, it was missing some elements somehow, but did it bring me joy? Absolutely! I’m loving delving into more queer stories lately and felt very seen with a character realising their bisexual in their 30s in what feels an unexpected manner having done the same only a few months ago. 🤣 so if you’re keen on something short, sweet and a little steamy - give this one a go! 🥰

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

2.0

Set on the backdrop of 1950s of the outskirts of Naples, Italy two best friends Elena and Lina have their story shared. From children, through adolescence how these two young women navigated life is explored and their friendship, at times tested.

This is very much a character novel and one that unfortunately didn’t really do it for me. A vast majority of it discussed their school work in essence. Character dense, and the title apt, with Lina largely telling the story of her best friend Elena’s brilliance. I found myself wanting to DNF but as it was a book club book, basically skimming the second half to see it out. In saying that, I can see why it’s popular and beloved. If you love classic literature and or historical fiction, you will likely love this book! With lots of detail I can see how many would be entranced and having been recommended it in a bookstore that no longer exists, from years ago, I’m glad to have finally read it.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

At a peaceful retirement village, four friends, Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim get together every Thursday so solve old murder cases. But when someone gets murdered in their village, these four unlikely friends take the chance to solve a murder in real time. 

Man this book has a lot of points of view and interlinking storyline’s 😮‍💨 although it reminds me greatly of Only Murders In The Building aka one of my all time favourite shows, the multiple layers could get a bit much for me. I had moments struggling to remember the stories being told or understanding clearly whose POV I was reading. But also the four main characters were adorable ??? So many conflicting emotions. I honestly nearly DNF’d this a few times towards the end of part one it was getting so convoluted for me. But we read it, and I’m glad because there will be a movie adaption and I hope it’s done as well as it should be!

Something Bad is Going to Happen by Jessie Stephens

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.5

Adella is about to reach the end of her 20s and she’s in a psychiatric unit. Looking back over the last decade, her 20s tell how a young woman who was anticipating great things for herself ends up somewhere she never expected for herself. Throughout this journey is her best friend Jake. They know the future must hold something better, so why does it always feel like something bad is going to happen?

This is a really relatable view in pieces for this white now 30 year old when she looks back at pieces of her 20s. It reminds you how not everything is happening in someone’s world the way you might think it is. It’s an interesting view as well on the way we discuss in which mental health can be seen at times only for certain people because “I didn’t have it that bad though” but this story shows it didn’t need to be “that bad though” for it to affect you. Some of the timeline felt a bit disjointed but overall, another valuable story on mental health. 

I'll Be Waiting For You by Mariko Turk

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Last year, Natalie’s best friend Imogen dies from an undiagnosed heart condition. The two best friends were always different, Imogen was always humble and intelligent, Natalie brave and happy to jumper into danger, but they shared a strong love of horror. So when the opportunity arises for Natalie to complete her project at Harlow House, the most haunted place in Boulder where the best friends spent their holidays together every year, Natalie jumps at the chance. Too bad Natalie’s arch rival Leander from school is also completing his project at the Harlow Hotel. But will these enemies turn to lovers?

What a beautifully done YA story about grief!! My favourite topic in all the world! Horrible and complicated to feel, but the beauty of the connection it represents is unreal. Looking at psychics these two teens unpacked what their perceived reality about it, but for this reader, something I do believe in, even if I don’t really speak about it. I loved the mix of looking at grief and adding in a gentle romance in a way that can only be done so well in a YA for me. If you’re looking for something beautiful and a bit different, this is the perfect book for that. 😍😍

The Vintners Muse by Jennifer Westgarth

emotional funny relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

When Shannon’s freshly dumped and then made redundant at work by the same man she uses it as an excuse to go stay with her best friend Ally who’d recently moved to the Clare Valley in South Australia from their home town in Perth, Western Australia. Too bad Ally’s boyfriend Mark is the brother of Shannon’s fling from the previous year - Ethan. But close proximity can change feelings pretty quickly, especially when you’re living on a stunning winery…

What a cute lil romance for this SA gal! It’s always fun reading novels from fellow locals! The romance and the spice was served perfectly in this book for me! And I loved the perspective on a character with dementia and focusing on the moments eliciting joy rather than staying stuck in the memories. 🥰 ya gal loves some positive reframing! 

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Dev and Willow grew up together. Dev’s now a F1 driver and thanks to a spiteful ex-employee is in a bit of a celebrity scandal. Willow loves sports but thanks to chronic pain can’t engage in it how she wanted growing up. So when the right job opportunity strikes to work in F1 she takes it. But it’s not just cars that are racing, it’ll be hearts too!

So I never expected I would get into a book about F1 driving but holy smokes did this one do it for me! And the diversity was beautifully added in and omg I want Dev to sing Bollywood song to me 😍😍😍 this was about to be a 4.5⭐️ but a homophonic quip at the end dropped it for me. I’m delighted knowing this is part of a series so I can get more of this 😍😍😍

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-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

Yara’s been cursed by the Evil Eye. She’s married to a man who provides for his family, she has two beautiful daughters, she’s freer than most American Palestinian women she knows being able to have gone to college and later work. But she still feels restricted in life. 

This was a beautiful and moving story about trauma and the effects of intergenerational trauma. The writing it beautiful, the reflections on discovering yourself when you’ve always felt trapped are beautifully done. This book flooded my feed when it first came out, but little since, and I’d love to see it popping up more again as it deserves the praise it’s received. 

Always Isn't Forever by J.C. Cervantes

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Ruby and Hart have loved each other since they were children. But in a bid to make more money for their sailboat, Hart dies in a tragic accident. But due to divine intervention Hart gets a second chance in the body of bad boy Jameson. Now Hart has little time to find his way back to Ruby. 

Younger me as a teen would honestly have frothed this book about soul mates who met as children! And I think many people will LOVE this book. But unfortunately for me I think I was the wrong age for this youthful soulmates story and found it too young for my preferred taste. If you love YA and soulmates you’ll love this!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC! 

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Calla’s and her mother left Alaska 24 years ago. Calla hasn’t spoken to her Alaskan bush pilot father in 12 years. And now he’s sick and she has a chance to reconnect. Her mother warned her about falling in love with Alaskan bush pilots, or as she prefers to refer to them as “sky cowboys”. But sometimes people surprise you, and for Calla that person is the yeti Jonah.

So finding this book was thanks to a book bingo I chose to do, and the prompt was “set in the arctic”. Which let me tell you, finding a book that felt like my jam, that was set in the arctic with what was meant to be help from Google was hard. And when I started this book I wasn’t too sure if I’d even enjoy it, especially the first time “sky cowboys was referenced” 🤣 but man, the way Tucker writes about the scenes of Alaska in this book… I think I need to book my own trip asap!