georgiasbookescapes's reviews
421 reviews

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Tori Spring is 16, a blogger and depressed. When a new blogger Solitaire begins blogging things in life begin to get out of control. When she meets Michael Holden things change as well in other totally different ways. 

This is Oseman’s debut novel! Written and published long before their beloved Heartstopper graphic novel series. So for fans of Heartstopper who may want to read this - beware this is a much much darker tone, and was adjusted slightly in 2020 from 2012 to fit more in line with the graphic novel series. But overall, it was good in a completely different way to Heartstopper. It was dark, absolutely and sometimes didn’t quite connect if I focused too much on it being aligned fully with Heartstopper. Tori makes sense in this book, depressed and wanting to unalive at times as she does. 🙊

Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

emotional 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? No

4.0

Alice has her summer perfectly planned out to balance work at the library, time with her best friends, good food and even better tv show binges. But things change course a bit when her girlfriend breaks up with her who ends things with Alice when she shares she’s asexual. Alice decides dating isnt worth the difficulty after this. So when Takumi starts at the library and she gets rom-com butterflies she begins to wonder - is she willing to risk her friendship for a love that may not be reciprocated? 

Ooh this is so cuteeeee!! I’m obsessed with Alice’s Cutie Code and the romance is very swoony! The friendships are so loyal and gorgeous. I did find some jumps between chapters a bit clunky at times, but I promise if you find that early on it’s worth sticking out the entire heartwarming read! I’d seen this book around for a while and I’m so glad I finally read it!

Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Tommy has been working at Sunset Estates for the past few years as a way to save for culinary college. In his final summer a boy Gabe who was his first crush from summer camp 4 years ago and a close friend at the time, reappears to work at Sunset Estates. Time is going to show if this is really fate and if this is finally his chance with Gabe. 

This book was beautiful! The friendships - stunning! The grief story line from Tommy losing his dad a few years earlier - beautiful! The questions around fate and following a certain plan in life - incredible! This book tackled big questions we all asked ourselves during school and still ask ourselves now - if it goes right - is it fate? If it goes differently was I holding the wrong dream? Beautiful! Chefs kiss! 

TW: kitchen accident with amputation; homophobia; grief; loss; loss of parents

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed in a positive way. She’s largely gone unnoticed due to her selective mutism as an autistic person despite her bold fashion. So when popular boy Luis pays attention, Ari finally feels seen. But quickly Luis’s attention turns wrong at a party where he takes advantage of her. Before she can decide how she feels the school rumours start flying, likely thanks to Luis’s ex-girlfriend Shawni bringing even more unwanted attention. When Ari finds a mysterious note in her locker that leads to a group of students determined to expose Luis for his predatory behaviours and actions. As time progresses friendships blossom and feelings develop for the last girl she expects. 

This book was incredible as expected by Reyes! Although once again much heavier than I initially anticipated for a YA. Which I’m beginning to feel is a theme with me and I don’t seem to have memory of the heavy topic books I’m sure I read whilst in the actual YA age brackets??? Nonetheless, this book is sweetly done despite the heavy topic of sexual assaults. The way the friendships and romance blossomed was heartwarming, the representation was much and the impact was superb. If only justice was this easy every time! 

Who Could Love You, Astor Price? by Amy Jane Lehan

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? It's complicated

5.0

Astor Price is a 16 year old Australian girl whose home life is abusive.

Her mothers an alcoholic and Astor’s a recovering self-harmer. But she’s great at faking normal. When she meets Matty she hopes some of her luck may turn around finally. But as her first date with him goes to show, not everything goes how we hope. With her mother promising rehab and her best friend keeping a secret, Astor has to keep finding new ways to cope. 

This book is EVERYTHING! It’s so beautifully done showing the realities of abuse and the impact it can have on a person. The friends and gorgeous and help add to possible realities. Please look into the trigger warnings as many are needed in this heavy but powerful read! I had this on my radar for a while thanks to @lazylesbianreads love for it and I can see why! This is definitely a new favourite for me!!!

Also despite the protagonists age - please be mindful this is appropriate for more mature audiences 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

TW: physical abuse; parental physical and emotional abuse; death threats; sexual assault; descriptive self-harm; descriptive abuse scenes 

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.5

There are four Blue sisters. Avery, the eldest who now lives in London as the “perfect” sister after a brief stint of addiction in her 20s. Bonnie, the stoic boxing champion. Nicky, the meant to be mother, teacher. Lucky, the model and wild youngest sister. When Nicky dies the sisters lives begin to fall apart. A year later they re-meet in New York and finally learn to grieve, live and face life once more.

This book is a beautiful story of love, family and grief. With some similarities to Cleopatra and Frankenstein, with characters having some unlikeable traits, these characters are ones you find yourself able to forgive and love much faster. This book is different in many ways despite that beautiful writing style of Mellors. If you weren’t a fan of Cleopatra and Frankenstein because of the characters, I suggest you give this one a go instead as the characters are actually likeable this time! And the story is just heart-warming as well as heart-wrenching!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC

Chef's Kiss by TJ Alexander

emotional funny hopeful 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

Simone is a dedicated pastry chef working for The Discerning Chef (TDC). TDC is predominately a print media and with the new kitchen manager Ray things change in media form. Things change up even more with TDC once Ray shares that they are non-binary at work as now Simone has to choose between her job and her heart.

This was so adorable!! If you want a novel that makes you hungry AF this book will do it with all its food descriptions. 🤤🤤 the romance is super slow burn and adorable grumpy x sunshine which was gorgeous. Huge TW for misgendering and deadnaming!! The general comoradery  built amongst the team is the greatest as well! It’s a slow start, but a worth while build up!

Another Day in the Colony by Chelsea Watego

dark emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

Chelsea Watego is a Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman born and raised on Yuggera Country. I read this book on Kaurna Country and Karta Pintingga. Chelsea Watego shares 6 powerful essays on her experiences as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman. Some of the essays speak of her growing up, her work as an Aboriginal health worker and as an academic, and ways she’s been pushed back. But overall, she shows the power that is held within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples every day for living in lands that us colonisers have stolen. If you want a powerful read - this is a must! 

Dancing Barefoot by Alice Boyle

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? Yes

4.5

Patch Smith is the uncool girl at school, fluffy hair and on a scholarship at one of the most expensive schools in Melbourne. Oh,

and she’s not yet publicly come out as a lesbian yet. She’s been crushing on popular girl Evie since starting at high school and recently fallen into not great bestie habits with actually checking in with her bestie Edwin especially on things like his medical transitions. School camp in the wilderness is around the corner and sometimes growing up isn’t so bad… 

Written on unceded Wurundjeri land and read on Karta Pintingga. This book was so delightfully heartwarming! Growing up and coming out is never easy but this book does it beautifully! A heart warming story, of my favourite kind, with a young girl living with a dad who owns a record store! The dream! If you want a new favourite Aussie YA queer book - look no further! Boyle knows just how to capture your heart!

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Ada is a troubled child. They struggle with emotion. Their parents prayed them into existence and brought other things with them into this life. As life continues and events occur altered states begin to arise.

This was an incredible book as per usual by Emezi! I finally read their debut book!!! The writing is incredibly done as someone who didn’t know of any Nigerian spiritual culture before, I feel like I learned a lot through this incredible read! Slow paced, things move and grow long before you can understand where it’s all going. And once again this book solidifies Emezi as one of my favourite authors! The diversity of their books is just incredible and something I always love!