Holiday Reads // Books Meet Fashion

Hi Friends,
It’s Bookmas Day 6! I thought it would be fun to create some outfits inspired by book covers. I loved the looks that I created and really were inspired by each book cover. Also, I think that all the outfits are prefect for the winter season.

It is always fun, yet challenging, doing these books meet fashion posts. Let me know in the comments, which outfit is your favorite. Mine is probably the ‘One Day In December’ look. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you leave.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Bookish Giveaway // Holiday 2022


Hi Friends,
Today is Bookmas Day 5! And, it is giveaway day. I am going to be doing a bookish giveaway because I want to give back to all my lovely readers. This giveaway will run from today December 5th up until December 18th at 11:59 pm Central Standard Time.

The Rules
Follow My Blog
Must Be 18+ Or Have Parental Permission
Must Love Books

Prize
A Book Off Your Amazon Wishlist (Not Exceeding $15)

How To Enter
Comment Below Your Favorite Book Of 2022

I know that this giveaway might seem small, but I hope that you appreciate it nonetheless. But, in honor of the holiday season I want to give another small gift to all my readers. Using the code: BOOKSWITHBUNNY you can get 10% off everything in my bookish Etsy Shop (But First Bunny).

If you would like to support my social media you can follow me on Instagram (@Books.With.Bunny), Twitter (@BooksWithBunny) and TikTok (@BooksWithBunny). And, don’t forget to follow the blog and comment to enter the giveaway.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Holiday Book Recommendations // Underrated Reads

Hi Friends,
In my Bookmas day 4 post, I’m going to be talking about some underrated holiday books. I always seem to see book lovers recommending the same old holiday reads, so these are some books that I think deserve more recognition.

What Light by Jay Asher
Honestly, I can’t remember a lot about this story, but I do know that it had a Christmas Tree farm setting. The plot follows a young girl that spends the holiday season helping run her Christmas tree lot in California. Although this is a sweet holiday romance, it’s really a story of forgiveness and redemption. I remember this being a slower read, but it is a great wintertime book.

My New Crush Gave To Me by Shani Petroff
Nobody ever talks about this book, which is crazy to me. This is an enemies-to-lovers Christmas story that is a jolly good time. The book follows Charlotte. who rigs the Secret Santa drawing, so that she draws her crush, Teo’s, name. However, she needs to enlist the help of her crush’s cousin J.D., who she can’t stand, in order to get Teo the perfect gift. This is a fun holiday romance with a fun Secret Santa plot.

Snow In Love by Various Authors
This is a collection of four holiday short stories by different different YA authors. The stories focus on the holiday season, and of course there is romance involved in every story. My personal favorite story was written by Kasie West, but she’s one of my favorite author. So, there’s no surprise I’d enjoy her story most. However, the book as a whole is a pretty decent holiday read.
Related Post: Snow In Love // Book Review

Whiteout by Various Authors
This is another holiday short story collection, which was released in November of 2022. I, myself, have yet to read this book but it sounds amazing. The story takes place in Atlanta, before the Christmas season, and is all about black teen love. I find that this book has flown completely under the radar, yet I can’t wait to give it a read.
Related Post: December 2022 // To Be Read

The Chaos of Standing Still by Jessica Brody
Although this isn’t exactly a Christmas book, it is still a holidays read in my opinion. The book follows a teenage girl trapped at an airport on New Years Eve, which happens to be the day before the anniversary of her best friend’s death. Sure, there is a romance plot, but the main focus is about letting go and the loss that goes along with it. It is a beautifully written and well done story. Also, every reader could use a good sad holiday read right?

There you have some of the holiday books that I think deserve more hype. And yes, they are all YA book recommendations, but that’s my go-to genre. Before you leave, give my little book blog some love by becoming a follower.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Merry Little Meet Cute // Book Review

About The Book
Cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone—a steamy plus-size holiday rom-com about an adult film star who is semi-accidentally cast as a lead in a family-friendly Christmas movie, and the former bad-boy pop star she falls in love with.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3UtRnNB

My Rating


After reading the plot of this book, I was a little unsure if I should pick it up. Not only is it an adult romance, but it has a bit of a smutty romance element to it. I am neither a big fan of adult romance or smutty books. However, I decided to give it a chance.

The plot is fairly straightforward with a plus-size adult pornstar, Bee, and former boy-band member Nolan cast as the leads in a new Hallmark like holiday film. But, things get complicated when Nolan is a fan of Bee’s adult work and Nolan happens to be Bee’s childhood crush.

Honestly, I loved how the book normalized the adult film industry. Bee besides being a porn star has a CloserDoor account (think OnlyFans). The book showcased that sex workers deserve to be treated as humans and shouldn’t be shamed for their careers.

There were also a lot of funny moments, since many of the characters worked in the adult film industry. And, all characters were fairly likeable. It was nice to have a plus-size main character, especially one that has a job that is typically associated with a certain type of figure.

The book does touch on the fact that you have to pretend a lot in Hollywood, and that the media twist a lot of things. Also, I like how the authors mentioned that internet hate is real. The internet has made it okay for people to say the most hateful things, which is really sad.

“The literal bed could have been on literal fire, and I still would have been there, pumping into my girl like a man possessed.”

Something that I found interesting and refreshing was that both main characters are bisexual, which I find to be pretty rare. I also liked how the subject of Bipolar disorder was handled. Nolan’s mother struggles with the disorder, and the topic was handled in a very real way. As someone that has Bipolar disorder, I truly appreciated the authors take on it.

Now for the smut side of things. This book was spicy. I am not a smut reader so take this with a grain of salt, but I found the book to have a 3/5 spice level. Truthfully, the more smutty scenes were a little weird for me to listen to.

Overall, the concept was unique, yet it worked well. The ending was cute, and everything wrapped up with a nice little bow. I did get the subtle message that everyone – not even ‘Hallmark’ movie watchers – are squeaky clean. And, perhaps those types of networks should broaden their views.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this holiday romance. What would your smut rating be? Before you go don’t forget to like this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2022 Bookish Holiday Gift Guide


Hi Friends,
It’s Bookmas Day 2! In this post, I’m going to be sharing with you bookish gift ideas. Some of these gift ideas can work as stocking stuffers, while others can be more of a traditional present. I, for one, would love to receive any of these gifts during the holidays.

Book Stamp
Custom book stamps have become so popular lately, and they’re a great way to tag your books. You can find multiple different personal book stamps for sale on Etsy. I recommend DelightfulStamps, who has the pretty book stamp designs. These stamps can range anywhere from $20 – $26, which might seem a little steep for a small gift, but the book lover in your life will surely love it.

Bookmarks
This is an obvious gift idea, since a reader can never have too many bookmarks. However, these days, bookmarks have become way more sophisticated. On Etsy, you can find traditional bookmarks, resin bookmarks and leather bookmarks. The prices for these types of bookmarks fall anywhere between $5 to $15.

Blind Date With A Book
Honestly, receiving a ‘Blind Date With A Book’ is so much fun. There are a ton of Etsy shops that sell them, and these days you can even find some at Barnes and Noble. The great thing is that they can cost anywhere from $8 to $30, which means they work for any budget. And, a lot of Etsy shops include little extras with the book.

Reading Journal
This gift is more on the expensive side, since normal these types of journals typically start at $25 and can cost up to $50. However, I myself would love one of these journals. Its a more fun and creative way of keeping track of your yearly reading. Also, Etsy has a ton of digital reading journals, as well as physical ones, if the person you’re buying it for is more into digital journaling.

Kindle
If you are looking to splurge on the book lover in your life, then a Kindle is the way to go. As I mentioned, they are a little expensive with the Kindle Paperwhite costing around $140, but would make a great bookish gift. Not only will it possibly introduce your reader to the world of ebooks, but pairing it with a Kindle Unlimited subscription ($9.99 a month) will set them up nicely for the upcoming year.

My Etsy Shop (But First Bunny)
I have to add a shameless self promo here and mention that I have my very own bookish Etsy shop. Currently, I am only selling bookish mugs, but I hope to expand to tumblers soon. My mugs are very affordable, and are perfect for book lovers like myself.

In the comments, feel free to leave any bookish gift ideas that you might have to share. And, don’t forget to hit that follow button because it really does help out my book blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Related Post: December 2022 // To Be Read (Bookmas Day 1)

December 2022 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
Today is the first day of Bookmas 2022! Bookmas was created by Hailey In Bookland, and is essentially where you post a bookish video, or blog post, everyday leading up until Christmas. I decided to start off Bookmas by sharing my December TBR. Since December is the last month of the year my TBR is very ambition. I have so many books that I would like to get to before the end of the year. I might take part in a holiday readathon, but I a not going to officially be joining any readathons this month. So, let’s get straight on to the books that I will be reading!


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ufEmfD

“Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.”


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3EJLXYQ

“A Jewish twist on the classic Christmas enemies-to-lovers story. With dog walking, fossils, and a relatable main character navigating her first year of university, this one has so much to love. Fans of Hallmark movies will not want to miss this entertaining holiday read.”


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3VD6Ewk

“Gwen Baker finds herself stuck in a Groundhog Day loop on Christmas Day with her family. “


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3gRFFyq

“A laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about three of the world’s most beloved C’s: Christmas, Coffee, and Cats.”


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3itzWiA

“Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. . . . Lemony Snicket meets Klaus in this cheeky, Christmas classic-in-the-making that sparkles with wit and warmth!”


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3H11hmK

“Dickens’s tale of a miserable miser who transforms into a kind and caring benefactor after three ghosts pay him a visit on Christmas Eve is one of the best-loved works in the English language and a true celebration of the Yuletide spirit.”


Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3uxE8AZ

“From international bestselling author Melissa Hill comes an adorable holiday romance about taking chances, falling in love, and trusting destiny. New York City at Christmas and a visit to Tiffany’s is a recipe to sweep a girl off her feet unless fate has other plans.”


Book Club Book
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ugNLna

“Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!”


Honestly, I’m not sure how many of these books I will actually get to, since the holidays take up a lot of time in December. But, I have high hopes that I will read some great festive books. In the comments, let me know what’s on your December TBR. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before your leave, because it really does help my blog out.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Summer’s Edge // Book Review

About The Book
Twisting back and forth through time and various perspectives, this edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of friends spending one last summer at the lake culminates in a shocking ending that will leave readers reeling.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AXutXK

My Rating

 


If you’re sole reason for reading this book is because it claims to be similar to ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, then pick another reason. Better yet, pick another book. The story started off pretty slow, and the writing style just wasn’t doing it for me. I decided to over-shoot my 30% rule to DNF, and give the book a chance to improve.

It didn’t get much better…

The book follows a group of friends that return to the beach house they spent most of their earlier summers at. However, the on the previous trip, something horrible happened. In the book, we follow Chelsea, who is an unreliable narrator. She thinks that she remember the previous summer, but in truth she has blocked a lot of things out. As you read, you can’t be sure if what she’s “remembering” is correct.

The book had so much promise, but a stunningly terrible execution. There was way too much going on. We had mediums, ghosts, and even time jumps. It was all over the place. It felt as though the author threw in a bunch of different spooky things to make the story more interesting. But for me, it was overwhelming to keep track of everything going on.

“Attics are places for secrets. Attics are places to hide. Attics are places to set traps for creatures that creep inside.”

However, there were some twists that were pretty shocking. Maybe a few too many twist, if you ask me. I will say one thing, it at least kept my attention. So, I guess I’m not too disappointed I stuck with it. I would say that this would probably do better as a movie, but only if the plot was more refined. I did like what the author did with ending and would pick up another book of theirs in the future.

Overall, I didn’t totally hate the story, especially since psychological thrillers are typically my favorite type of plot in books, movies, and shows. Yet, this one just wasn’t up to par. Also, please check out the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. And, what is your favorite psychological thriller you’ve read. Don’t forget to share this post and give my little book blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

The Distance Between Us // Book Review

About The Book
A humorous love story about a girl who has her lifelong disdain of the wealthy challenged by the son of a hotel mogul, whose attention and loyalty almost convince her that being rich isn’t a character flaw, until she finds out that money is a bigger part of their relationship than she realized.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AOS6St

My Rating


If you like a rich-meets-poor, not broke, romance with a Gilmore Girls mother/daughter relationship, then you will enjoy this book. The main character, Caymen, is funny, friendly, and close to her mother. And her internal monologue was one of my favorite things about the book.

However, I wasn’t a fan of the fact that she didn’t really have much of an identity. She didn’t know who she was as a person, and spent most of her time helping her mother. Also, why do most YA contemporary characters have only one friend?

In the book, Caymen’s single mother runs a doll shop, which is pretty weird and unique. I don’t think I have ever read a book that includes a doll shop. I wasn’t a fan of her mother; she was kind of judgemental. She kept things from her daughter, and didn’t like the rich so she expected Caymen to, as well.

In the first chapter, Caymen meets Xander, and yes I would call it a meet-cute. There was an instant attraction that neither of them tried to hide. It was a very instant love romance, but there was a sort of love triangle added into the plot.

Similar to Kasie West’s other male love interests, Xander was charming and confident. However, by the end of the book I did wonder if he truly liked Caymen for who she was despite not having a ton of money.

“Feelings can be the most costly thing in the universe.”

I liked that even money was a big issue between the two characters. It showcased that not all rich people are snobs. Some people are simply jerks, and money has nothing to do with it.

By the end of the book, there was a big secret reveal. Though I didn’t get the point of the secret, I understand that parents sometimes lie to protect us. Still, don’t people know that the truth will always come out, eventually? But trust can never really be repaired once it’s broken.

My biggest con with the story was that there is a mention of a baby being a mistake. As someone that wants kids, but is struggling to conceive, this upset me. A child is never a mistake. Having a baby might not be the right choice for you, but that doesn’t make it a mistake or a life-ruiner.

Overall, I loved all the witty batter that Kasie West put into this story. And, it was a sweet romance as well. Also, Gilmore Girls is my all-time favorite show, so any book that reminds me of that is likel ya 5-star to me.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others! And, as always, remember to hit the follow button to get post notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Fireworks // Book Review

About The Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love comes a stunning new contemporary novel—all about boy bands, girl bands, best friends, and first love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AOS6St

My Rating

 


At first, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked to be. I was on the fence about Katie Cotugno’s writing, but it did grow on me as time went on. The plot of this book is ‘Making the Band’ meets YA contemporary. The main character, Dana, is level headed and realistic about her future. She doesn’t have the best home life with her single mom, and college is a pipe dream. Her best friend, Olivia, is destined for stardom, so when they both get picked to be part of a new girl group, they’re shocked, but excited.

I don’t know about you, but if me and my best friend got the chance to be in a music group together I would be over the moon. But, you could tell that Olivia was jealous, and somewhat put Dana down, instead of lifting her up. Dana, on the other hand, was supportive of her best friend, never forgot her roots, and worked hard to become a better performer. She was scared of turning out like her alcoholic mother and living in their small town forever, but she wasn’t bitter.

However, I will say that sometimes staying in the town you grew up in and marrying the farm boy isn’t the end of the world. Everyone’s hopes and dreams look different. But, Olivia seemed to think she was better than her friends, which rubbed me (and eventually Dana) the wrong way throughout the story.

This really is a book about unexpected fame and being a fish out of water. Dana had to deal with the pressures of stardom, catty girls, and feeling like she’s not good enough. Also, there was the mention of how paying $40 for a shirt is insane, and I must agree. Money wasn’t a huge topic in the story, but there is the notion that being pretty doesn’t mean you get anything you want.

“Can you allow for the possibility that you’re more special than you give yourself credit for?”

There was a ton of drama within the story, which wasn’t my cup of tea. We get jealousy, a love triangle, and backstabbing all in one book. The plot showed how jealousy can turn even the best of friends against each other. And by the end of things, you being to realize you were never truly friends at all.

As I mentioned, the book features a short lived love triangle that did nothing but add more drama to the plot. In general, the romance was cute, but why does every YA male fall for the average girl!? Can this cliche die already?

Overall, the message of the story was that with hard work and determination you can succeed at anything. You have the power to change your life and choose who you want to be. I enjoyed how the author ended Dana’s story, because she ended up finding herself. The message was conveyed well, but the execution wasn’t my favorite.

The book touches on topics like alcoholism and anorexia, so please keep that in mind before diving into this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Winter Wonderland Tag // Toss-Up Tuesday

Hi Friends,
Since it is getting a lot colder here and the holidays have arrived I thought it would be fun to do a winter tag. This isn’t a bookish tag, but it does contain some fun wintery questions.

1.) What is your favorite winter /fall song?
This is a hard one, because I’m always listening to music. For fall song that would be ‘Safe and Sound’ by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars. The song gives me major fall vibes. I don’t have a go to winter song, because by the time winter comes I am mostly just listening to Christmas music.

2.) What is your favorite winter/fall pajamas?
Every year on Christmas eve I get a new pair of pjs, so my current favorite winter pajamas would have to be the ones I received last year. They are from Lauren Conrad’s Kohls fashion line and they are so cute. They are cozy, christmasy and not too warm, which is perfect for someone who is always hot, like me.

3.) What is your favorite winter/fall item that makes you happy?
This scarf is my absolute favorite fall/winter fashion piece. A few years back, I searched everywhere for a scarf like this and it is my go to scarf. The colors remind me of Thanksgiving and I love it.


4.) What is your favorite winter/fall thing to do?
Read holiday books and watch holiday movies! I love snuggling up in bed with a cute Christmas movie or book and a warm drink. It is the best way to spend a chilly winter night in.


5.) What is your favorite winter/fall drink?
I am going to branch out from the typical Starbucks drink answer even though their White Mocha is a forever favorite of mine. I am going to say a milkshake, and yes a milkshake counts as a drink. The peppermint milkshake at Chick-Fa-La is delicious and my favorite winter beverage. As weird as that might be.


6.) What is your favorite winter/fall movie?
‘The Princess Switch’ trilogy is the best trilogy of all time! I could watch these movies anytime of the year, but especially at winter time. Honestly, the first movie ‘The Princess Switch’ is my favorite movie ever!


7.) What changes during your winter/fall routine?
I sleep in a lot. For some reason, during the cold months I just don’t want to get out of bed in the mornings. This isn’t uncommon for me all year long, since I hate mornings, but something about winter makes me want to sleep in everyday of the week.


8.) What are you asking for, for Christmas or Hannukah / holidays?
A Tiffany’s Necklace! Just kidding, kind of. I don’t tend to ask for things, because I tend to buy myself things throughout the year. But, books are always appreciated. I normally just share my Amazon wishlist with my family.

In the comments, let me know your favorite fall/winter song, since I am always looking for new music. Don’t forget to like this post so that you get notified whenever there is a new post. I mainly post bookish content, but every now and then I do fun non-bookish posts too.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny