February 2024 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
It’s TBR time again! Is it just me or did it feel like January lasted forever? Before we get into this month’s Bookopoly TBR, let us go over January’s TBR. I believe that I had 11 books on that TBR, out of which I read six, which I think is quite good. Unfortunately, I DNFed two books in January. I have changed some of the spaces on the board to different prompts. Now, it is time to talk about the month’s rolls. As always, I started off with eight rolls, but add a roll if I got doubles.


This first space I landed on was just bought, which is great because I have a book-buying problem. This month I got ‘Game On’ by Seressia Glass which is an adult romcom. The great thing is that it has to do with video games, and as the wife of a gamer, I knew that I had to read it during the month of Valentine’s Day. Also, I got doubles, so I had to add a roll.


The next roll took me to the pretty cover space, which is a prompt I love since I have some beautiful books. I decided to use this prompt to finish a duology I have been putting off for a while. So, ‘Our Violent Ends’ by Chloe Gong will, hopefully, be read in February.


I am not sure how I feel about getting the outside genre (out-of-comfort zone) space because they are usually books I am not super excited to read. Therefore, I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to read ‘The Witchlings’ by Claribel A. Ortega, the first book in a middle-grade series. This book is on my self-destruct TBR for the year.


The fourth roll landed on the sequel space. Well, it just so happens that in January I read ‘One Dark Window’ by Rachel Gillig. I fear that if I wait too long to read the sequel, I might forget about the first book. All this is to say that I will read ‘Two Twisted Crowns’ as my sequel. Sadly, the first book put me in a bit of a reading slump, so I am hoping that it does not happen again.


My next roll got me into a chance space, which was a random prompt. The prompt I received was Published In 2021. The book I went with is Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis. I was hesitant to put this on my TBR because I am unsure if I will enjoy it. However, this is another book on my self-destruct TBR, so I decided that I might as well read it sooner rather than later.


Fortunately, my six roll landed me on the favorite author spot, which was perfect since Lynn Painter had a book released last November. I can’t wait to read ‘Betting On You!’ This is a young adult contemporary, and I believe the trope is enemies-to-lover.


I screamed when I landed on the favorite trope space, because one of my favorite tropes is the exchange of services, or at least that is how I describe it. Well, ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ by Sarah Adams has just that type of plot, and the good girl meets the bad boy trope. This book is one of my five star predictions for the year, so I am more than ready to read it.


The eighth roll landed me on just bought again. I decided that if I land on the same spot twice in one game, I would have to draw a random prompt and combine the two if that makes sense. Thus, the book not only had to be a recent purchase, but also a retelling. The book I selected was ‘Never’ by Jessa Hastings. I am excited to read this ‘Peter Pan’ retelling but also nervous because I have not heard the best things about it.


The last roll took me to the sequel space again, so I selected a random prompt, Fanro. And, I’m happy to say the book I’ll be reading is ‘Ruthless Vows’ by Rebecca Ross which is the sequel to ’Divine Rivals.’ I anticipate this as a favorite book.


I hope that you have enjoyed this post. Doing Bookopoly has been so much fun, and I have been loving sharing my TBR. Don’t forget to follow the blog so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The January Book Tag // 2024

Hi Friends,
Today, I am doing ‘The January’ book tag, which I have done previously. This book tag helps you reflect on your last year’s reading and your reading plans for the year ahead. I am happy to continue my tradition of doing this tag every January.



Funny enough, I remember many, if not all, of my January reading in 2023. The book that I started the year reading was ‘Five Survive’ by Holly Jackson, who is the author of the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder‘ trilogy. For some reason, I could not remember the last book I read. Let me say that it was a crazy end of the year. After looking at my GoodReads I saw that my final read of 2023 was ‘Secret Santa’ by Andrew Shaffer, which is a short Christmas horror.
Related Post: Five Survive // Book Review
Related Post: Secret Santa // Book Review



In 2024, the first book I ended up finishing was actually one I started in 2023, which was ‘Lovelight Farms’ by B.K. Borison. I had initially DNFed the book but decided to go ahead and finish it on January 1st. I probably will not be posting my review until November or December of this year, but spoiler alert I was not a fan of it.



I have a whole post on my 2024 reading goals, but my top three are to read my owned TBR, read outside my comfort zone, and one that I did not mention in that post is to finish a few book series. I think that these goals are typical and that I can accomplish them.
Related Post: 2024 Anticipated Releases // January To June



Well, I just so happen to also have a post on my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2024. But, my three most anticipated releases for the entire year would have to be ‘Happily Never After’ by Lynn Painter (March 2024), ‘Wisteria’ by Adalyn Grace (August 2024) and ‘Spectacular’ by Stephanie Garber (October 2024). These are all favorite authors of mine, so naturally, I cannot wait to read their new releases.
Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review
Related Post: Caraval // Book Review



I reached my reading goal last year, which I believe is always an accomplishment. Unfortunately, I did not read much of my physical TBR. However, graphic novels were a pretty big part of my reading last year, and I do not normally read them, so I would call reading out of my comfort zone a success.



Honestly, the first book that came to mind was ‘House of Flame and Shadow’ by Sarah J. Maas (January 2024), which is the third book in her ‘Crescent City’ series. I have no desire to read the book, or anything else written by the author. Her books seem so long, and there are #7 or #8 books in some of her series. This is just too much for me. Needless to say, I will not pick this book up when it is released, and I am okay with that.



I am not sure if I have any reading habits or red flags so to speak that I would like to change this year. I know that is such a lame answer, and I think it’s one I have given in the past to this question. I try not to take reading too seriously because it is some I love to do and makes me happy.



I am not ashamed to admit that I do not keep up with book adaptations. So, I have no idea what is being adapted in 2024. Except for ‘It Ends With Us,’ which will star Blake Lively. However, I am not necessarily excited about that since I probably will not be watching it, because I have never read the book and do not plan to.



Probably joining Bookthreads! I have become so active there and Bookstagram. It has been so fun, and I am glad I discovered it last year. I hope to connect with more bookish people this year and do more buddy reading.



If you are talking about books, I started last year and still need to finish that would be ‘Furyborn’ by Claire Legrand and ‘Book Lovers’ by Emily Henry. But, if you mean 2023 releases I still need to read than the list is probably too long to mention.


Hope that you enjoyed this tag! If you have done it on your blog, let me know in the comments below, so that I can read your post. Feel free to leave a comment with your answers as well. Do not forget to share this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Borrow My Heart // Book Review

About The Book
When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We’ve Never Been.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Scapc5

My Rating


I’m a big fan of Kassie West, and a young adult contemporary about a catfishing story just seemed super cute. However, this one sadly missed the mark. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and the ending made me quite angry.

In the book, we follow Warren, an animal-loving control freak that decides to do a ‘good deed’ by helping out Asher when she overhears his friend teasing him about being catfished. This sparks a cute little romance between Warren and Asher, but it does all start off as a lie, which makes things complicated.

I loved Warren, and found her to be such a great main character. Asher was a really good love interest, too. Even the side characters were likable, as well. Kasie West knows how to write really good characters. Teens that aren’t annoying, stereotypical, or immature. However, this didn’t have that same witty banter that her books normally do.

“That’s what good people with big hearts do.”

As usual, they are more to her plots than just romance. Warren has a broken home life, because her mother left her to go off and do her own thing. The fact that there are more serious elements to her stories, rather than just teen love, make them more impactful. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good straight forward teen romance, but I love the fact that her books have more substance, as well.

My biggest con for this book, and the reason that it isn’t a four or five star, is the ending conflict. There’s always some conflict in romance novels where the love interests pull away from each other, but this one made me so mad and I didn’t like the resolution. Maybe I’m petty, and I hold a grudge.

Overall, I enjoy Kasie West’s writing, and her books are such fast reads. And, I do like how she focused on social media, but how social media can negatively impact someone’s life, and affect them. Although this story wasn’t my favorite, and the ending still drives me nuts, I will continue to read any book she puts out.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve ever been catfished. Is catfishing even a thing anymore? Don’t forget to check out my Facebook page for more bookish updates. And, you’ll never miss a post if you follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

5 Star Predictions #5 // 2024

Hi Friends,
I have done some 5 star prediction posts in the past, and a lot of the time I do not actually get around to reading those books. However, this time around, I have picked out 10 books that I believe will be read this year. If you are not readers, a five-star is the highest rating a reader will typically give a book, meaning that I predict these books will be new favorites of mine.

The Comeback by Lily Chu
Last year, I read ‘The Stand-In’ by this author, which was a five-star read for me. Therefore, I hope that I will also enjoy this book. I do not particularly know much if anything about the plot, but since I have given this author a high rating, it is a pretty safe bet that I will again.
Related Post: 2023 Lucky 13 // Best Books

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
I have heard a lot of great things about this book and the premise reminds me of ‘The Night Shift’ by Alex Finlay, which I loved. It is an adult thriller that involves a serial killer and possibly a false conviction. I feel that this book will be full of twists and turns, and I cannot wait for it. It sounds like a book that I will love.
Related Post: The Night Shift // Book Review

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
If this is not a five-star book or possibly a favorite book of the year, I will be completely shocked. I am almost certain that I will love this book. Although I did not love my first read by Sarah Adams, this book contains two of my favorite tropes: exchange of services and bad boy, good girl. I know that it is going to be a fun read.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
I have been highly anticipating this adult thriller, and I am hoping that I have not built it up too much in my head. The plot follows a blogger and two cold cases, but the awesome things is that Simone St. James thrillers have a paranormal aspect to them. I am a lover of the ‘The Conjuring’ movies, so I am always down for an interesting and fast-paced paranormal thriller.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
I am a huge fan of stories with magic and witches, and I have been loving plots that have a historical fiction feel to them. Therefore, this book sounds like it is going to be an engaging read. Henderson is the author of ‘House of Hunger,’ which I found to be such a compelling read. I have no doubt that this book, which I have heard is their most popular, is going to be fantastic.
Related Post: House Of Hunger // Book Review

Maybe Meant to Be by K. L. Walther
This is a contemporary young adult story that sounds like it is going to be a lighthearted romance. The plot follows two teenagers and best friends who everyone believes are destined to fall in love, but they are both interested in different people. This is another author that I have read from and given four stars previously, so I would like to think that their books will keep improving in my opinion.
Related Post: The Summer Of Broken Rules // Book Review

Gilded by Marissa Meyer
This is a YA adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin, which I cannot wait to read. Truthfully, I have not heard many people talking about this book, but as someone who loves a retelling and the story of Rumpelstiltskin, it sounds like something I will devour. I am going into this book completely blind, but with the mindset that it will be an amazing read.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
There are many mixed opinions on this book. You either love it or find it okay. I am all about cozy fantasies lately, so I think that if I was going to rate it a five-star, this would be the year. I have heard that the romance is not the best, but the plot sounds interesting, and I could really see myself having such a good reading experience.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of ‘Legends and Lattes, ’ since the plot was not as enticing as I would have liked. However, I think it had to do more with the writing style than with the story. Nevertheless, I think this prequel novel will be much more for me. It still has a cozy fantasy feel, but with a more highstake plot. I would love it to be a five-star read for me, yet I am still unsure about it.
Related Post: Legends and Lattes // Book Review

The Deal by Elle Kennedy
I hear that this book not only has the exchange of service trope, but also a spicy hockey romance. Need I say more. This is the first book in a series of companion novels set on the same college campus, and I have heard that all of the books are great. However, this one sounds like it will be my favorite and most likely to be a five-star. The plot sounds great and I am always up for a steamy romance.

In the comments, let me know if you have read any of these books. In addition, share some of your five-star predictions for the year. Do not forget to like and share this blog with other bookworms. If you enjoy my content, please follow the blog before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

These Books Will Self Destruct // 2024 Challenge

Hi Friends,
Today, I am going to talk about 12 books that I have to read before the end of the year. Okay, I do not have to read these books, but I would like to make a conscious effort to read them. So, to hold myself accountable, if I do not read these books, I will unhaul them next year. Truthfully, I have tried this before and I do not think it went too well for me, so we will see how it goes this time around.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
I have had this book since its release in 2021. Sadly, I never had the desire to pick it up. However, I recently heard one of my favorite BookTubers talk about the synopsis of the third book in this companion book series ‘Love, Theoretically,’ and that book sounds like a potential five-star read for me. So, now, I am very hyped to read this book.

River of Dreams by Jan Nash
I remember getting this book from BookOutlet, and the synopsis sounded original. It is a magical realism young adult novel. However, I have lost interest in the young adult genre. Don’t get me wrong I still read YA books, but I do not find myself gravitating towards them anymore. I would like to at least attempt to read this book because the premise still seems interesting to me.

The Troop by Nick Cutter
This was a completely accidental buy, so I decided that it had to be read this year. All I know is that it’s a ‘Lord Of The Flies’ esc horror novel. However, please do not quote me on this because I could be totally mistaken for the plot. I know that this author is pretty popular in the horror genre, which makes me slightly more eager to read the book.

Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman
This is a fluffy, lighthearted, young adult contemporary. I know that my teenage and even my early twenties self would have adored this book. However, I am skeptical of reading it. I have had it on my shelf for way to long now simply because I am afraid it might fall into the cheesy side of young adult books for me. Still, I am hoping that I can read it this year and perhaps even enjoy it.

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
I have been saying that I was going to read this book for many years. Sadly, it has just been collecting dust on my bookshelf. I believe this is because I am not a huge fan of short story collections. This book contains stories that follow different black teens, but are all interconnected. I am still very interested in the book, and I have heard that it is being adapted into a movie, so I would like to read it before the adaptation is released. Otherwise, I should probably let it go to a new home.

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
I bought this book because I had seen a few bookish creators talk about it, but the length of this book absolutely frightens me. It is a young adult paranormal thriller released in early 2023. So it has not been on my TBR for too long, but I feel like if I do not make the effort to read it this year I probably will not ever get around to it.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
This book was a gift to me years ago when I started getting back into reading. All I know is that this is a Queen of Hearts retelling and a fairly popular book. Honestly, this is one of the oldest books on my shelf, and as a fan of retelling, I do not know why I have not read it yet. I am making this book a major priority this year. However, I will not be terribly disappointed if I have unhaul it.

Hunted by Meagan Spooner
This is another retelling I have had for a long time. I think that I have been hesitant to read this because I have not heard the best things about it. However, it’s a ‘Beauty And The Beast’ inspired retelling, which happens to be my favorite Disney Princess movie. Thruthgully, it is really up in the air when it comes to whether I will actually read it within the next eleven months.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
When it comes to reading the book, I am very on the fence because I had picked it up before. Something about the story wasn’t working for me, but I do own another book by this author. I would really like to read this one first, since I have had it longer. In addition, I know that many people enjoy this book. I hope that my second attempt at reading it will be a success.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
I bought this book on a whim because I heard positive things about this authors book ‘The Good Sister.’ I do not know much about the plot, except that it is an adult thriller. This is a book that could most likely stay on my bookshelf unread for years if I do not, I hate to say force, but force myself to read it.

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
I should not be left at Barnes and Noble unsupervised because I sometimes buy books in genres that I seldom read. This is the first in a middle series, and if you have been following my blog for quite some time, you know that I do not typically read middle grade. However, I decided that if I do not read it soon, I should just unhaul it and a few other middle grades that I own.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
As the author of the poetry collection, Convenient Interruptions, you think I would be more inclined to pick up poetry books. Sadly, this is not the case. I own two poetry books by this author, and I would like to read one if not both this year. I believe that this is their best-known release, so I would like to start with it.

In the comments, let me know if there is one or a few books that you have to read in 2024. I don’t know how this challenge is going to go but I like to push myself when it comes to my yearly reading. Don’t forget that it is completely free to follow my blog and helps it grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2024 Anticipated Releases // January To June

Hi Friends,
Today, I am going to talk about my most anticipated 2024 book releases. I will only mention books released in the first half of the year, so from January to June. If I mentioned every new release that I want to read in this post, it would be far too long. So,I decided to narrow it down to two books per month.

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (Jan. 24, 2024)
I read every young adult novel written by this author duo. However, I did DNF their first adult book and did not even attempt to read their second one. This adult romance was clearly inspired by Taylor Swift. And, being a Swiftie, I know that I must give it a chance.

Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday (Jan. 30, 2024)
This is an adult romance with a fairly original plot. It takes the fake dating trope to a new level. In addition, it is a hockey and a single dad romance that should make for a pretty good time. Although I do not know how much I love the single-parent trope, I look forward to reading it.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Feb. 6, 2024)
This is Ali Hazelwood’s first paranormal romance, which apparently contains vampires and werewolves. So, essentially it’s an adult version of ‘Twilight.’ I own all of Hazelwood’s books but have yet to read any. However, this is the most interesting to me.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang (Feb. 6, 2024)
I had been seeing this cover for a while, and after reading the synopsis, I became very excited about this release. Truthfully, young adult books haven’t been hitting the way they used to for me, but this one is bring me back to my ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ roots – and I could not be more happy about it.

Murder Road by Simone St. James (Mar. 5, 2024)
I have read only one book by this author, but it was a fantastic paranormal thriller. This book takes place in the 90’s, when a young married couple finds themselves suspects in a string of murders that occur on the Atticus Line. However, while trying to clear their name, they found that there might be a more supernatural cause for the killings.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter (Mar. 12, 2024)
I’m a Lynn Painter stan! I seem to rate her young adult novels highly. In my opinion, she has some of the best plots and characters. Although I did not love the only adult romance I have read by her so far, I am still very interested in picking up this book. Honestly, I will most likely read anything that she releases.

The Reappearance Of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (April 2, 2024)
Unfortunately, ‘Five Survive’, which was this author’s 2022 book release, was a total letdown for me. But, I hope that she will redeem herself with this book. The story contains many amazing parts. There is an unsolved mystery, a true crime documentary, and the reappearance of the long missing and presumed dead Rachel Price.

Funny Story by Emily Henry (April 23, 2024)
I want to be an Emily Henry girlie, and I feel that this might be the book to make me one. The plot is about two jilted exes that find themselves not only roommates but also hatch a plan to mislead people about their relationship. In particular, they’re exes, who happen to be engaged.

The Dare by Natasha Preston (May 7, 2024)
I have a complex relationship with this author, but I will say that her book plots continue to improve each year. This is a YA thriller about a game of truth or dare that turns deadly. I hope that it will be full of twists and turns that have me on the edge of my seat.

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell (May 21, 2024)
This is a gothic fantasy with a captivating premise. It’s giving me ‘Stalking Jack The Ripper’ vibes and I’m very intrigued if it lives up to the hype I have created for it. I have been loving gothic fantasies lately, and the synopsis mentioning a lamplighter and monsters had me immediately add it to my TBR. I hope to pick up this soon after its release.

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (June 4, 2024)
I love how this book takes revenge plots in a new direction. This book is giving me ‘Catch That Kid’ meets ‘Heist Society’ by Ally Cater. I am all for a young adult action adventure about a sneaky and badass former heiress. Will this be the most insightful read? No. Am I going to love every second of this book? Hopefully.

Two Sides To Every Murder by Danielle Valentine (June 4, 2024)
I am going to be 100% honest and say that I know absolutely nothing about this book besides the fact that it is a YA thriller. However, I binge every one of Danielle Valentine’s books. I am sure that this is going to be a super-fast-paced and possibly a campy thriller, and I am going to read it the minute it is released.

In the comments, let me know what your most anticipated book releases are for the first half of the year. Don’t forget to like and share this post with other readers. Feel free to follow the blog before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Read In The New Year // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
I have been in a weird funk lately, and my loving husband thought that a Readathon might just be the cure to getting me out of it. Thus, I am doing the ‘Read In The New Year’ Readathon, which is a readathon hosted on Booktube. The readathon takes place from January 14th through the 22nd, and is inspired by New Year’s resolutions. There are 7 prompts, but I will be using books for more than one prompt.



I picked ‘What Moves The Dead’ by T. Kingfisher, since it’s a horror retelling that is under 200 pages. The plot sounds very intriguing, and I’m in the mood for a quick horror read.



After doing a little digging I came across the graphic novel ‘Chef’s Kiss’ written by Jarrett Melendez. This is a queer love story about a newly graduated young adult man that ends up working at a restaurant. Luckily, I didn’t have to pay for it because it’s on both Libby and KU.



I have a whole list of books that I need to read before the end of the year, or I’ll have to unhaul them. And, I do plan to do a post sharing them all, but one book that I have owned for a while is ‘River Of Dreams’ by Jan Nash. Obviously a river is a body of water so I think that counts. This is a young adult book with magical realism elements. I’m not sure if it’s going to be for me, but I want to give it a chance since the audiobook is fairly short.



I was lucky to be able to use one of the book that is already on my January Bookopoly TBR for these prompts. ‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah happens to be a historical fiction novel by an author I’ve never read before.



For this prompt, I’m going with ‘Icebreaker’ by Hannah Grace, which is another book of my Bookopoly TBR for the month. Some people might not count this as a series, but it is technically the first book is a series of companion novels, so to me that counts.


I have five books on this TBR, so I don’t know how successful I will actually be in completing it. Especially since this is only a week long readathon. However, two of the books are short, so I’m pretty confident I will get to most of them. In the comments, let me know if you plan on taking part in this readathon to kick off a new year of reading. Don’t forget to follow the blog, because your support really does help the blog grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2023 Lucky 13 // Best Books

Hi Friends,
Here, we have my best books for 2023! I had such a hard time narrowing down my best books, and 12 was not going to cut it. Therefore, I decided that 13 books deserve to be on this list. However, there is probably more that I could have added. Thus, without further ado, let us talk about my favorite books from last year.


Buy Book
Originally, I gave this book four stars, but the story was stuck in my mind for weeks. For that reason, I knew that I had to bump it up to five stars. This is a young adult romance about a long-distance relationship, which is something that is not written about much. I loved how the story went, and the character development was one of the best things in the book.


Buy Book
I did not expect a cozy fantasy to make this list, but this one really pulled at my heartstrings. No, I do not think it resembles Gilmore Girls or Practically Magic, but nevertheless, I loved the characters and story. A small town, family of witches, and mystery all make for a wonderful read. However, you might also shed a few tears at the end of the book because I certainly did.


Buy Book
I never thought that I was a pirate girl, but this book had me thinking I might be. This story was so action packed, and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved our female main character, and despite the romance being very typical of a young adult book, I found it enjoyable to read.


Buy Book
I do not hear anyone talking about this book, which is such a shame. Although this story is probably not anything to write home about, I had such a great experience reading this book. It was a fast-paced adult romcom with a happily ever after ending. Personally, I sometimes need a feel-good love story, which is exactly what this book was for me.


Buy Book
I am so happy that I was finally able to read the first book in this mystery series because it was brilliant. I loved how we followed a cast of animal characters in a small town. The mystery was fun, although predictable. However, the slight romance plot is unexpected and entertaining. This is both an easy and enjoyable read.


Buy Book
This is one, if not the best, queer romance I have read. What makes this even better is that it is a YA story. I found that the book provides a real look at different sexualities and what it is like to struggle with one’s own sexual identity. And let me just mention that an open door spicy scene was very unexpected for a young adult novel, but I did not mind it one bit.


Buy Book
Honestly, I cannot say why this book sticks out in my mind, besides the fact that the plot was so well-done. I thought that this was going to be a simple psychological thriller, but there was so much more to it. The story was surprisingly more twisted than I expected. Still, I liked how the author showed the darker and more horrifying side of the publishing world.


Buy Book
In my opinion, this book is underrated in the thriller genre. I have heard some negative things about it, but I loved the slower character-driven plot. Although there were not many twists and turns, I found the story very engaging. I found myself unable to put the book down, which made my reading experience even better.


Buy Book
At first, I thought that this was going to be a thriller involving vampires, but I was actually very wrong. This is a difficult book to describe, but I loved the writing style, the found family element to be a nice touch, and the plot incredibly unique. The story I was so captivating that I read it in a day.


Buy Book
I knew from the synopsis that I was going to love this book, but I did not expect it to become a new favorite romcom. Everything about this book from the story to the spice is perfection. I think it is a great book for readers who do not typically love the friends-to-lovers romance trope.


Buy Book
This book has such an interesting plot and is a wonderful start for the series. I had never read anything by this author before and picked up this book because of its title alone. However, I am so glad that I read it because it was an enjoyable experience. The love story is original, and the magical aspect is fascinating.


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I was truly surprised by how much I loved the book. This is similar to the Hunger Games but with vampires and magic elements. The world building was amazing and the characters were very interesting. However, the last few chapters take this book the extra mile and really cement it as a standout read, in my opinion.


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Right from the first chapter, I felt that this was going to be my favorite book of the year. I loved it even more than the first book (Belladonna), and the ending has anxiously awaiting the release of what I believe is the final book in this series. I am in love with this story, the world, and characters.


I hope that you enjoyed if not all some of these books. Feel free to share your favorite books of 2023 in the comments. If you weren’t a fan of one of these books I mentioned, that’s okay too, because I still adore all of these books. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others. It would be great if you could follow the blog before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

12 Letdowns From 2023 // Worst Books

Hi Friends,
Today I’m talking about my worst reads of 2023. Now this year, it is more disappointments than worst books, because 2023 was a fairly good reading year for me. I had mostly 3 and 4 stars, and I don’t consider a 3 star to be a bad book. So, with all that out of the way, let’s jump into my top 10 most disappointing reads of 2023.


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I thought that this was going to be such an interesting YA thriller, but it was fairly confusing. I am still not sure of the plot. The book was very weird, and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. And, for a thriller, it wasn’t necessarily a thrilling book. You see what I did there?


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Frankly this isn’t a huge disappointment since I didn’t really have high expectations going into this book. I hadn’t heard anything about it, but as someone that grew up watching ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’, I wanted to get similar vibes from the show. But, for a book based on Spike, the character wasn’t very reminiscent of his television counterpart.


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This book frustrated me to no end. Besides the writing, it has no redeeming qualities. I wouldn’t even call it a romance story. Well, it might be a romance, but a messy one (that isn’t exactly romantic). Also, anyone can see where the plot is going to go? The ending was crystal clear, making me wonder what the point to the story was. Needless to say, I wasn’t a fan.


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I wish that I loved more from this author, but I just can’t seem to enjoy much that I read from her. Although, I can’t seem to stop reading her books either. This plot was very generic, and I’m not a fan of books based on snobby rich kids. This is like Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars, which might appeal to some, but for me it didn’t work at all.


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I was so disappointed in this book, because I was hoping for a cute supernatural romance but it was very slow paced and cringy. The storyline wasn’t very engaging, and the characters barely had any chemistry.


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I have a love/hate relationship with the Disney Twisted Tales books, but this one was low on the totem pole for me. I didn’t get ‘The Little Mermaid’ vibes, and truthfully, I was barely making it through reading the book. It could be that the ‘What If’ storyline didn’t work for me this time around, but the story wasn’t captivating as other books in this series have been.


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In my opinion, this book was not good at all. It completely read like a middle grade, and the story was not compelling at all. I wasn’t a big fan of the characters or the supernatural elements. But the book cover was so pretty that I wished I liked the inside more.


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This book sounded so appealing, but it was a struggle to get through it. The magic aspect felt weird in the story, which isn’t good when it’s the basis for the plot. And, it’s never good when you have a dual timeline story but only one of the timelines is actually interesting.


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I don’t know if it’s the fact that adult are writing teenagers but the main character in this book was so unrelated and immature. The biggest problem with this book is that it was boring. I know that’s a bit harsh but I can honestly say that I was bored throughout the whole book. That’s not exactly the reading experience I was looking for.


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The main character drove me insane throughout the whole book. Also, I like books where things are actually happening. However, I wasn’t aware that this is a ‘Death On The Nile’ retelling, which I have heard struggles with a slow moving plot as well. Still, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book to anyone.


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I can’t believe that I even read this book considering I had such a distaste for the first book, ‘So, This Is Christmas,’ in this companion series. Hopefully, this will be the last book because I can’t get behind the characters, the romance or the writing. It feels like I’m reading about two middle schoolers. That’s all I’m going to say.


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I cannot begin to tell you how sad I am that this is most disappointing read of 2023. I am still a Holly Jackson fan, but this book was a major flop. It could be that she wrote it fairly quickly, but every part, from the plot to the character, was bad. I know that it might be for some people, but I am not one of those people.


In the comments, let me know what some of your disappointing reads for 2023. Remember that nobody’s reading experience is the same, so if you liked any of these books that is great! They did not work for me. Before you go, please follow my blog, so that it continues to grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

January 2024 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
I am going to be doing my first Bookopoly TBR ever! If you know me, then you know that I have had a lot of ups and downs when it comes to TBRs and sticking with them. I have gone back and forth on actually setting books I want to read for the month, since I am a mood reader. However, in 2024 I would like to try and stick to a TBR this year. So, I created my own digital Bookopoly board. Bookopoly is a TBR game created by Becca on YouTube, where you use a Monopoly board, but make the spaces bookish. I will post a picture of my board below, if you would like to use it for yourself. I decided to do 8 rolls but there is an add an extra roll spot and if I roll doubles I will have to add an extra roll as well.


My first roll was a 4 and 6 giving me a 10. I landed on the TBR steal space, which means is that I have to take a book from another creator ‘s January TBR. This was easy, because about half the bookish creators I watch have put ‘Powerless’ by Lauren Roberts on their TBR for the month. Although, it isn’t on my physical TBR, it is a 2023 fantasy release that I’ve been wanting to read.


Next I rolled a 4 and 4, giving me a 8, which is a scroll space. Not only does this mean I have to add a book, because I rolled doubles, but I don’t get control of what I read. The scroll spaces means that I have to scroll on Instagram (Bookstagram) until I see a photo containing a book that is on my physical TBR. I first came across a photo with the first book in ‘The School For Good and Evil’ series by Soman Chainani and ‘One Dark Window’ by Rachel Gillig, both I own and haven’t read. I decided to go with ‘One Dark Window,’ which is a popular gothic fantasy.


For my third roll, I got 4 and 5, giving me a 9! This was highest rated on GoodReads, which is ‘The Nightingale‘ by Kristin Hannah. I am super nervous because I am not the biggest historical fiction fan, but I guess we will see if Kristin Hannah lives up to the hype.


Then I rolled a 2 and a 3, so a 5, and I was excited because it was the favorite author space. One of my favorite authors that I discovered last year was Katee Robert. I decided to go with ‘Court of the Vampire Queen‘ because I am actually 30% into it already and loving it,


My next roll was a 6 and 3, giving me a 9, which was lowest rated. I decided to choose from my owned books only and the lowest rated book on my shelf according to Goodreads is ‘Even If We Break‘ By Marieke Nijkamp. This is a young adult thriller, and I am curious to see if I agree with the low rating.


For roll number 6, we got a 2 and 3, making a 5. This took us to the 1/2/3 Title spot. This means I put the numbers 1 to 3 in a random number generator and whichever I get, I need to find book which title is that many numbers long. I got the number 3, which is a 3 word title. I am choosing ‘First Lie Wins’ by Ashley Elston, because I was lucky enough to get the audiobook on Libby. I haven’t read anything from this author, but I’m excited to give them a shot.


Roll number 7 gave me doubles meaning we are doing 10 rolls. I got two 4’s, which make an 8. Luckily, the prompt is YA so it should be a relatively short read. I decided to pick ‘Eclipse’ by Stephenie Meyer because it is the next book in the ‘Twilight’ saga that I am on. I would love to get this series completed soon.


For roll number 8, I got a 2 and 6, giving me an 8. This is a Chance space, which essentially means I pull a random prompt from my prompt cup. I got a book by an LGTBQ+ author. I have gone with ‘Mistakes Were Made’ by Meryl Wilsner, which is a book I have been dying to read.


Next was roll number 9, I got a 2 and 3, giving me a 5. This brought me back to highest rated. The book that I got was ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I am not going to lie. I am so nervous about this book, and I hope it is worth the hype.


The final roll was not the last roll because I got doubles. So, roll number 10 gave me a one and a one making 2. The space I landed was dual POV, which is easy since a lot of books are dual POV’s. I didn’t think that I had enough romance on this list so I decided to pick ‘Icebreaker’ by Hannah Grace. I knew that this was a book I wanted to get to in winter, so I am excited to read it.


Finally, the last roll was a 3 and 1, giving me a 4. But, of course it was another Chance space. I got most recent purchase as my prompt, and that would have to be ‘The Stranger Upstairs’ by Lisa M. Matlin. This is a thriller, and totally giving me ‘The September House’ vibes.


Needless to say my first month playing Bookopoly was rough, but I am still very excited for the month ahead. Let me know in the comments what you plan on reading this month. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny