Finding the perfect book to fit a reading challenge can sometimes be tricky, but if you're searching for books beginning with G, you're in the right place! As part of my A to Z Reading Challenge, I’ve been curating a list of books that start with each letter of the alphabet. Some letters have been harder than others, but today, I’m sharing the fantastic G books I’ve read so far. Whether you're looking for gripping fiction, heartfelt stories, or intriguing narratives, there's something here for every reader.
Here are the books beginning with G that I’ve read so far:
📖 The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay
📖 The Group by Sigge Eklund
📖 Good Things by Kate MacDougall
📖 The Giveaway Girl by Chrissie Bradshaw
📖 Goodbye Stranger by Blake Rudman
Each of these books brought something unique to my reading journey, and I will add to the post as I read more so save the post and keep returning f you want to see more.
📖 The Giveaway Girl by Chrissie Bradshaw – A compelling contemporary novel about self-discovery, second chances, and the courage to embrace change.
Title: The Giveaway Girl
Author: Chrissie Bradshaw
Genre: Saga Romance
Series: The Kelly Family book 3 of 3
Publisher: Vallum Publishing
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 328
Format: Paperback supplied by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it a lot, and recommend
About Book: Joy’s world is turned upside down when she discovers she was given away as a newborn. She runs away from her home in Australia to go in search of her birth family in Northumberland, England. Coming face-to-face with the Kelly family ignites Joy’s envy of her sister, Rose, and she plunges into a tailspin of mistakes and heartache. Joy’s trouble-strewn journey is set in the sixties, a time of freedom and promise. She sees that popular culture and attitudes are changing, yet she still hides the shame of being the giveaway girl. What will it take for her to accept the events of the past, come to understand the meaning of love and discover her true worth?
My Thoughts: The Giveaway Girl by Chrissie Bradshaw is a romance book about a young girl who finds out she was given away as a newborn. This is the third book in the Kelly family series, and is the first book I have read, it can be read as a standalone as I wasn’t confused by anything that may have been written prior. Bradshaw delicately crafts a narrative that looks at families, secrets and the journey of Joy to find out where she comes from and understand why this has happened to her.
The emotional journey for Joy is raw and draws you in, although at times I did not like her. However, the complexity of the situation was brought to life and the twists and turns of love, burdens and misunderstanding became an emotional roller-coaster.
The one thing that was not truly clear for me was that if I had not been told the story took place in the 1960’s I would not have known that, there were a couple of clear references but it didn’t always ring true for me and I would have loved to see more.
With all that said this for me is still a 4**** read with Bradshaws ability to tell a story make The Giveaway Girl a compelling read for those of you who love books about family and romance.
📖 Goodbye Stranger by Blake Rudman – A fast-paced psychological thriller packed with suspense, twists, and a shocking web of deception.
Title: Goodbye Stranger
Author: Blake Rudman
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Hellbound Books
Date Published: 2023
Book Length: 373
Format: E book supplied by Henri ROI in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it a lot, and recommend
About Book: Danielle Harrington has the life many women envy: She’s beautiful, rich, has two wonderful children, and is married to the Preston Harrington - the handsome, charismatic, retired quarterback who won two Super Bowls. Unfortunately, something is very wrong with Preston. Having suffered more than his fair share of injuries and concussions, he becomes quiet, withdrawn, and distant. As Preston spends more time away from his family, Danielle begins to suspect an affair without realizing her husband is involved in something much, much worse…Following a series of tragic incidents and the return of an old nemesis from the past, things begin to spiral out of control for Danielle as Preston’s dark side puts her and their children in terrible danger.
My Thoughts: Goodbye Stranger by Blake Rudman is the 2nd book I have read by this author and is a thriller. The book follows different points of view which added an interesting dimension. The main characters feel well thought through and their secrets unfold chapter by chapter.
The writing shows a distinctive style, though not entirely unique. As the story developed, you knew who the killer is, while those around them gradually begin to suspect which added tension to the storyline. Blake Rudman’s Goodbye Stranger delves into the dynamics of truth and betrayal within the confines of marriage and family which kept me on the edge of my seat.
In conclusion, Goodbye Stranger is a compelling read and a must if you love a psychological thriller.
📖 Good Things by Kate MacDougall – A charming and uplifting memoir about new beginnings, personal growth, and finding joy in life’s unexpected twists.
Title: Good Things
Author: Kate MacDougall
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Zaffre
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 320
Format: Hardback supplied by Love Books Tours ii return for an honest review
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it and recommend
About Book: Two sisters, one absent father and a grand inheritance . . .Maggie and Liz may be sisters (and yes, named after a pair of much more famous siblings), but that's about all they have in common. Maggie is a free spirit - travelling the world, flitting through life and relationships without ever really having to connect. Liz, meanwhile, is the lynchpin of Little Martin village society and determined to be the perfect wife, mother and homemaker - even if she does live in a new build. When Liz and Maggie's beloved grandmother, Queen Vic, dies in a characteristically dramatic fashion, they are left to deal with the aftermath - inheriting the family Manor, as well as full responsibility for their profligate father, a notorious womaniser who causes trouble wherever he goes. Maggie and Liz have been living separate lives for years - but now might finally be the time to put their differences behind them.
My Thoughts: Good Things by Kate MacDougall is a contemporary fiction book about two very different sisters who have been living tow very different lives, one absent father and an inheritance. I found the book an easy and fairly quick read. I was able to pick it up and read a new chapter without losing the thread. I warmed to the characters, even the errant George Addison. I especially loved Albert. MacDougall has a way with words making the characters quirks, foibles and everything that makes them unique, ring on the page. They felt real, sharing the little intricacies of life.
Good Things was funny, witty and sometimes a little sad. I thought many times while reading the book ‘how true’.
In conclusion is about family dynamics, relationships and the intricacies of what life throws at us. It is a well observed, look at life and a must read for those of you who love reading about the funny nuances of life.
📖 The Group by Sigge Eklund – A gripping psychological drama that delves into the complexities of friendships, secrets, and betrayal.
Title: The Group
Author: Sigge Eklund
Genre: Mystery, thriller
Publisher: Ithaka
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 299
Format: Hardback supplied by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 3 *** I liked it it’s OK
About Book: When Hanna moves to Spain for an internship at the prestigious Prado gallery, she finds herself spending her days buried in the museum's stifling archives, and her nights alone in a tiny rented flat. Then one day she sees them; Tom, Samuel, and Leah. Glamorous and elegant, they are also foreigners in the city. But unlike her they are fabulously wealthy, their lives an endless whirl of creativity and hedonism. And when Hanna discovers an uncatalogued 17th century etching in the archive, she makes a decision which changes everything . . .From the sultry streets of Madrid to the gleaming world of Mediterranean luxury villas and exclusive art world parties, as Hanna gets closer to her deepest desire, the stakes mount ever higher. Intoxicating and unputdownable, The Group is a timeless story of hidden identity and obsession.
My Thoughts: The Group by Sigge Eklund is a mystery thriller but feels completely different from the usual mystery, thriller books I have read. It is about longing, greed, over indulgence and excess to the highest level. But it is also about wanting to fit in.
The main protagonist, Hanna, has a secret she is hiding, but it also feels that all of the people in the group have their own secrets as well. How far will Hanna go to fit in, the books prose at times is exciting, but I must say at times it felt a little laborious and I found myself speed reading to get through those periods.
The book is separated into months and takes you through the groups journey together, the chapters are short and that normally adds to the tension for me but in this instance it didn’t. Although the words on paper seem to express a joyous time the group are having the under lying feeling I got was the opposite which made the book feel sad.
In conclusion some exciting prose, although a little too long for me. This book is worth a read of you want something different to the usual mystery thriller books
📖 The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay – A heartfelt story exploring fate, choices, and the unexpected connections that shape our lives. Title: The Grand Scheme of Things
Title: The Grand Scheme of Things
Author: Warona Jay
Genre: Literary Humour
Publisher: Footnote Press
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 273
Format: Paperback provided by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
About Book: Two unlikely friends hatch an extraordinary scheme to expose the theatre world in this wildly entertaining and sharply observed debut novel exploring perception, redemption, and how success shapes us all. Meet Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo. Or, for short, Eddie: an aspiring playwright who dreams of making it big in London's theatre world. But after repeated rejections from white talent agents, Eddie suspects her non-white sounding name might be the problem. Enter Hugo Lawrence Smith: good looking, well-connected, charismatic and . . . very white. Stifled by his law degree and looking for a way out of the corporate world, he finds a kindred spirit in Eddie after a chance encounter at a cafe. Together they devise a plan, one which will see Eddie's play on stage and Hugo's name in lights. They send out her script under his name and vow to keep the play's origins a secret until it reaches critical levels of success. Then they can expose the theatre world for its racism and hollow clout-chasing. But as their plan spins wildly out of control, Eddie and Hugo find themselves wondering if their reputations, and their friendship, can survive.
My Thoughts The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay falls under the Literary Humour genre. From the moment I started reading, I felt as if the weight of the world rested on the shoulders of Eddie, the main protagonist. One of my favourite quotes from the book comes early on: “Being the first child in my mother’s family to be raised outside the country meant that every return was like Neil Armstrong bringing remnants of the moon back with him.” This perfectly encapsulated the sense of pressure and expectation that Eddie carried with her throughout the book.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, but the writing was eloquent and flowed effortlessly. The prose is graceful, as if it dances off the page. Warona Jay skilfully explored complex subjects in a way that drew you in and made me want to learn and understand more.
The friendship between Eddie (Naledi) and Hugo stands out as particularly authentic. Their bond felt genuine and rooted in a shared desire to change their lives through the play Eddie wrote. Despite coming from distinct backgrounds and having different personalities, they complement each other perfectly. Their interactions are filled with honest conversations and moments of tension, along with disagreements and arguments which only add to the believability of their relationship.
This book is full of twists, turns, and emotion, making it hard to put down. I thoroughly recommend The Grand Scheme of Things – it’s a captivating read that didn’t disappoint me.
What’s Your Favourite G Book?
I love hearing your recommendations!
For me, so far, The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay has been a standout, but every book on this list is worth picking up! Let me know your thoughts in the comments or over on Instagram and TikTok.
Happy reading!
Alis x
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