georgiasbookescapes's reviews
421 reviews

One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

In the final instalment of the trilogy, we re-meet the crew one final time. People go missing, a new game is declared. Who’s behind it all? 

This book really comes full circle. But honestly the thriller aspects felt a bit much, which is saying something I guess after the first two as well. 🙊 I normally find if a trilogy drops for me at all, it’s often book 2, but this time it was book 3. Once again I didn’t fully see the end coming with the many twists and turns. The ending felt a bit overly dark as well in someways being a YA or maybe I just don’t have a proper grasp on what I used to read in the proper YA demographic. 

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

It’s senior year again at Bayview High and a new game has just begun… truth or dare. Pick truth and a secret will be revealed, pick a dare and get your 15 minutes of fame. But this is a deadlier game of truth or dare than usual. 

This time we get to better know a side character from last time and some other characters too. More twists and turns and oh does McManus do a solid plot twist! I loved that we got to continue with previous characters whilst meeting some new ones! I’m not normally a fan of sequels but this one did surprisingly well! I can’t wait for one last round of surprises and twists in book 3!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

Dylan Tang is juggling school, delivery take outs for his aunts struggling Chinese takeout shop in Brooklyn. Winning a mooncake competition for a popular TV show could help bring the publicity they need to stay afloat. Theo Somers, a charming and wealthy customer who strikes a deal with Dylan to be a fake date for a family wedding full of crazy rich drama. What starts as a showmance, turns into something more real. And can Dylan win this contest to save his family’s business?

OMG THIS IS SO DAMN CUTE! Want an easy high school aged crazy rich Asians style story?? Look no further! The romance, the crazy rich dramas, the cooking, it has it all! Simple and sweet this book will give you all the feels! 

Only and Forever by Chloe Liese

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

The final instalment of the Bergman Brothers series is here! Viggo, the ultimate family romantic finally gets his love story! When he has the chance to re-meet Tallulah the older sister of one of Ziggy’s close friends, Tallulah and Viggo, both in in between stages of life strike a deal to help each other out. Tallulah needing somewhere to live and help adding romance into her thriller novel, and Viggo needing some hands on help at his new bookstore agree to help each other out. But close proximity can seem to help the heart grow fonder in this story!

My heart! My heart! These two are SO SWEET TOGETHER! The animals, their blossoming love and relearning to define what love meant for each of them! Beautiful! Viggo was always easily a favourite Bergman sibling for me, intervening with his family’s love stories, doing all kinds of different jobs to keep his ADHD mind sustained and the ultimate romance lover! Honestly, kinda makes me want to try historical romance… maybe. We’ll see if someone can recommend one to hit the right mark for me. But overall, a perfect end to an amazing series!

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

In detention there’s 5 students and one of them is lying. There’s Bronwyn, the brain whose on track for Yale and abides all rules; Addy, the beauty and picture perfect homecoming queen; Nate the drug dealer whose already on probation; Cooper the picture perfect baseball school superstar; and Simon, the outcast and the person running the schools gossip sight. Too bad Simon never makes it out of detention. So whose the murderer? Only time will tell in this thriller. 

Wow, YA thriller/murder mystery’s are intense! This one was super clever in the whodunnit! I’m starting to find maybe like fantasy, YA is the space for me to enjoy it? Just that bit more accessible but still packs a strong punch! 

The Anti-Cool Girl by Rosie Waterland

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

In 2014 Rosie Waterland shot to internet fame with her Bachelor recaps on Mamamia. In 2015 at age 28 she published her memoir, “The Anti Cool Girl”. Waterland already at this point has had a big life. She grew up with a mother and father struggling with different substance difficulties. Mum with alcohol, her father with other substances. Waterland shares openly about both parents substance difficulties, including finding her father passed and being removed from custody of her mother along with her fellow sisters, including childhood sexual abuse. Later on Waterland shares further different personal mental health difficulties with spending time in an Australian mental health institution, difficulties with eating disorder, attempts on her life and more. 

In 2015 when this memoir was published was a clear 5 star to me. It hit all the feminist points - particularly the reference and some fun pointing at Cosmopolitan magazine and the discussions around weight. Nearly 10 years on I view this book differently to how I believe I would’ve viewed this book as myself in 2015 and how I likely expect Waterland would possibly view herself.

It’s always interesting in rereading books that show a reflection of society at its time in retrospect. In particular when you’ve lived through those certain time periods. Would I expect I would’ve viewed society similarly to then? Am I using a more modern and better critiqued lens? I’ll never know now reading this 2015 memoir in 2024. But overall, I think its ultimate perspective at the end stands above that of its time.

The View from the Top by Rachel Lacey

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

Diana works for her family company Delvin Hotels, and is currently working under the small hotels branch. Her most recent job taking her Vermont. On a hike that gets her lost, she meets local artist Emily. As happens in a small town, the two find each linked closer together than expected after what was meant to be a one off night of casual fun…

Lacey does it again! 😍 fun, sexy, sapphic with a bi lead included! Beautiful! The chemistry between Diana and Emily is off the charts! The anxiety rep? Beautifully done! The scenery in the town? Dreamyyyy! If you want a romance with steam, slightly older main characters than your average romance but realistically aged (read in their 30s), and a guaranteed happily ever after, Lacey will always hit the mark! 😍😍 

Thank you so much Rachel Lacey for letting be on your review team and giving me an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Love, Unleashed by Melanie Saward

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Brynn is a Bigambul woman based in Brisbane, whose determined to chase her New York dreams for a year. She imagines landing her dream job in a publishing house and acquire shelves of Louboutin shoes. Instead she’s working the job from hell in a doggy day care and living in a wardrobe from her nightmares. But with guidance from her mum, who created her NYC missions before she died, with the help of making great friends, Brynn is determined to see her dream year out. 

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! IT DESERVES ALL THE STARS!! 

This is written by Bigambul woman Melanie Saward, and I read it on Kaurna Country. 

 

Rom-com with an Aboriginal, fat, bisexual lead? Yes please! Written by the second ever published Aboriginal rom-com author in Australia? Incredible! The fact this is 80% of Sawards PhD submission? OMG! Be more incredible!!! The friendships in this are beautiful, the way grief and an emotionally abusive relationship were handled - amazing! This book makes ME want to go live out a year in New York and find my New York magic moment and make friends with all the people! This book is heartwarming, hilarious, spicy in all the right parts and just the perfect rom-com! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down! I could rave about this book for ever. Do yourself a favour - buy it now! 😍😍😍 and then go and get Burn which is totally different but also incredible!

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Clare and Aiden have been together for 2 years now. It’s the night before they’re both due to leave for college on opposite ends of the country and they’ve got 12 hours to make a decision finally - stay together, or break up. To help make a decision they go back through memory lane.

So when I first started this I did question if it was just to young YA for me, and then I was hooked. I picked this a while ago because I adore Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and saw this one was also made into a Netflix movie as well! And I adored the memory lane journey! And I’m grateful I was never in a position to question these things in a relationship - stay together or break up because of distance. And having read this I am determined that Smith is a writing genius for books set over tiny spans of time. And I need to double check she doesn’t have any other books! 😍

Business Casual by B.K. Borison

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

Nova and Charlie have been circling each other flirtatiously for a few years now. And finally tensions have gotten to much. With an agreement to have one night to get it out of their systems, a business casual arrangement is agreed too. Or is this going to be a case of friends to lovers? 

This is the final book in the Lovelight Farms series and I’m so sad it’s over now! 😭😭 now I’ll just have to binge the series all over again I guess! 🤪🤪 I binged this book and part of me wishes I savoured it. It’s always hard to decide with a book that you love! This series has been so easy and dreamy, set in small town Inglewild. It definitely gives off some Gilmore Girls vibes with a lot more spice. 😉 can’t wait to see what else Borison comes out with next!