Book Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Title: Geekerella
Author: Ashley Poston
Published: 2017
Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Synopsis: Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield,

the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.
Source: GoodReads

When I picked up this book I didn’t know much about it besides that it was a Cinderella retelling. I am not the biggest Cinderella fan, but I had heard good things about this book. Also, I am a sucker for retellings of all kinds. This is the first in a series of companion books, which means each book follows different characters that are connected. I was obsessed with this story from the start and couldn’t put it down, which makes for a great reading.

I liked reading about Elle and how she felt out-of-place within her family after her father’s death. She wasn’t a brat or negative despite her circumstances. I understand that she had a hard time letting people in since she has been hurt before. It was nice to see her passion for Starfield and the connection she had with it because of her parents. Also, Her being a blogger made me smile.

“Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.”

The love interest of Darien was great, and he was probably my favorite character. He was so naïve and kind, yet charming at the same time. He didn’t let his fame consume him and had his own personal struggles. It found his text messaging relationship with Elle very cute, because they got to know each other on a deeper level. Honestly, it reminded me a little of how I met my husband, thank you Tumblr.

I enjoyed the side characters in the book as well, and I liked the friendship that blossomed between Elle and her co-worker, Sage. The story showed that people shouldn’t be judge by who they are, and we are never really alone even if it feels that way sometimes.

I wouldn’t call this one of my new favorite books, but I did enjoy it and looking forward to reading the author’s other works. Let me know if you are have read this book and your rating in the comments below. Please support my blog by liking and sharing this post. As always you can follow the blog to get notified when I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Mid-Month Reading Update

Hello bookish friends.
This is a quick little mid-month reading, watching and listening update.I thought it would be fun to let you know how my reading has been going. Also, I thought I would throw in what I have been watching and listening too lately. I plan to do this type of post each month, so I hope you guys like it.

Reading
I have read three books this month, which isn’t bad in my opinion. I am hoping to finish two more books before the end of the month. I know my original goal was 9 books, still I am very happy with how my reading is going. I am sticking to my monthly tbr as well.

Movies
Netflix’s Prom The Musical (8.0/10.00 Stars): This was such a cute and fun musical. It is based on a Broadway musical, and stars some amazing actors. All the songs were great, yet my favorites has to be “Love Thy Neighbor.”

The Live Action Tom and Jerry Movie (4.0/10.0 Stars): I have never been a Tom and Jerry fan, so I might not be the target audience for this movie. I can appreciate the modern day take on the classic cartoon, but I felt it lack something. It was slow at times and not very funny.

Legally Blonde (9.0/10.0 Stars): Yep! We watched this 2000s gem. It was a good time and I fell in love with this movie all over again. Need I say more.

Valley Girl (5.0/10.0 Stars): This movie was a 2020 release, and is a musical with a Romeo and Juliet type plot. The songs where covers of classic 80s hits, still the over all story was a bit mundane. However, despite my low rating I would watch this movie again. Yeah I am strange.

TV
Me and my husband are making our way through a few shows right now. Below are the shows we are watching and the episode we are on.
Avatar the Last Airbender (Season 1, Episode 3)
Fringe (Season 1, Episode 1)
Nip/Tuck (Season 1, Episode 3)
House MD (Season 1, Episode 6)
Gilmore Girls (Season 3, Episode 8)
Pretty Little Liars (Season 1, Episode 1)

Listening
I have only been listening to the Prom: The Musical soundtrack and Willow by Taylor Swift. I need some knew music recommendations.

There is my mid-month update! Let me know what you have been reading, watching and listening too. Please support my book blog by liking and sharing this post. You can follow the blog to get notified when I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My 2021 Must Reads

Hello bookish friends,
I wanted to do a post about my must reads of the year. There are so many books from past years that I have never gotten too, so this year I am making a yearly tbr, of sorts, for myself. These are the books that are my top priority of the year, but I am not putting in pressure on myself. I find that I read better when I am doing it for fun instead of need. However, I would be very proud if I got to all of these books by the end of the year. I want to quickly note that the last two on this list are authors and not specific books that I want to get too.

Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao: This trilogy is about Anastacya Mikhailov, a crown princess, who has the ability to control blood, a power she has kept secret for years. However, her lifes turns upside down when she becomes the prime suspect in her father’s murder. She must turn to a crime lord, Ramson Quicktongue, to help clear her name.

This series is completely out of my comfort zone, but the cover has me sold. The first book, in the series, was released in 2019 while the second was released early this month. I haven’t heard practically anyone talk about these books, so I will be going into them pretty blind. I will for sure do a review on each book or the trilogy as a whole once I read them all. I would really like to start this series soon.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: This is the story of the March sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. We follow the girls as they grow-up, fall in love and face tragedy. I don’t think this book needs much of a description since it is a classic and has had countless movie adaptions released. I am a big fan of the Little Women story and movies, but I have never read the actually novel. I am not the biggest classic books fan, yet I hope to get to this one. I am giving myself a break if I don’t complete the book by the end of the year, still I would like to have started it.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig: This is a dark retelling of the twelve dancing princess. The main character, Annaleigh, grows suspensions when four of her sisters lives are tragically cut short. Each of their deaths written off as an accident and the villagers think that the family is cursed. Once Annaleigh meets a mysterious stranger she decides to uncover the truths about these death before her life is taken as well.

Honestly, I know nothing about the twelve dancing princess story, so I am not really looking at this book like a retelling. I have been intrigued by this novel since it’s release. It is a dark, twisted tale that I don’t typically pick up, but I want to get into horror and thrillers this year. I will probably be reading this in October for Halloween, yet I might get to it sooner if I am in a spooky mood.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan: This trilogy follows Lei chosen as one of the king’s Paper Girls. Each year, 8 girls are selected to serve the king, but this year is different because there is a ninth girl, made of fire. This series is all about secrets, revenge and forbidden love.

I am mix of emotions when it comes to starting this trilogy. I haven’t heard a lot of good things about it, still the synopsis sounds interesting. However, I feel like the plot could be a bit slower and not as fast paced as I would like in fantasies. I haven’t read anything from this author before, so I am willing to give it a chance. Also, there is supposedly LGBT representation in the book, which is awesome.

Kasie West: I have been a fan of hers for the last few years and usually love all her books. She has quickly become one of my favorite YA contemporary authors to read. I know for some people her books fall short, but for me they are fast, lighthearted reads that I enjoy. I have read three of her books, yet there are so many more that I haven’t had a chance to get too. I would love to pick up some of her older titles this year. She is mostly known for her contemporaries, but she does have a fantasy duology out that I am interested in reading. I am not sure how many of her books I will be able to get to by the end of the year, still I am going to try to catch up on her works.

Jenn Bennett: This is another author I am hoping to get to in 2021. As you probably know by now my love for contemporaries run deep, and people rave about Jenn Bennett’s contemporaries. I am a slightly nervous to read one of her book, because she gives me Sarah Dessen vibes, which is an author I don’t typically enjoy. However, people tend to hype up her books so I am going to try to give her a chance. I am unsure of what book I will read by her, yet I was leaning towards “Serious Moonlight” since it is a contemporary with a mystery element to it. I would love suggestions from other readers about which of her books I should pick up first.

Those are all the books on my yearly tbr, but don’t worry I will still be doing my monthly tbrs. I have so many other books that I am hoping to read this year and plan to have a very fun year of reading. Please support my blog by liking and sharing this post. You can follow the blog to get notified when I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Review: You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson

Title: You Should See Me In A Crown
Author: Leah Johnson
Published: 2020
Rating: 5.0/5.0 Stars

Synopsis: Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black,
too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay—Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down, until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
Source: GoodReads

I am a huge fan of YA contemporaries. I would go as far as to say they are my favorite genre to read, so when I heard about this book from multiple Booktubers and book bloggers I knew I had to pick it up. The main character of Liz is not only POC, but part of the LGBTQ community. She has overcome the death of her mother, her brother’s chronic illness and anxiety all while living with her loving grandparents who are struggling to get by paycheck to paycheck.

Liz’s life was very relatable, and though I don’t deal with all her struggles I understand her anxiety and fears about not affording college. The main character has such amazing growth, which didn’t happen all at once, but progressed naturally throughout the the book. She ran for prom queen with the hopes of getting a scholarship and nothing more, yet it turned into something greater. She set free a part of herself that she was too sacred to show and learned to stand up for her rights. I feel that the anxiety representation was done well and I connected with her fear of other’s opinions.

“I’m so tired of the way this place treats people who are different, tired of feeling like I exist in the margins of my own life. I deserve better than that.”

She did face friendship struggles, which was probably my least favorite aspect of the story. I enjoyed the fact that she reconnected with an old friend, still I wish that it showed how friends change and grow apart especially at a young age. Instead it went another route, which was completely fine just not my favorite. Also, there was some major conflict between Liz and her best friend that was mended by the end of the book. However, I feel as though it was resolved rather quickly and there wasn’t much closure to it.

The romance was one of my favorite aspects of the book. It was so cute! Of course the girls go through some ups and downs, but you cannot deny how adorable they are together. I will say that the romance had an instant love feel, but probably very relatable to high-schoolers. I have never been to high school, home schooler here, still in every teen movie there is an instant crush. The love interest was a perfect contrast to Liz since she was outspoken and quirky, and helped Liz come out of her shell.

Someone compared this book to a 90s teen movie and I completely agree. I got all those classic teen romances flick feels that I love so much. If you are in the mood for a super cute contemporary than I recommend you give this one a chance. I hope that you liked this review and please let me know your thoughts on this book. If you want to support me please share and like this post. Also, follow the blog to get notified when I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Taylor Swift Album Book Tag

Hello bookish friends,
In honor, of the Tis the Damn Readathon I thought I would do a fun Taylor Swift inspired book tag. This is my first book tag on the blog and of 2021, so I am ready to get into the questions. I wasn’t tagged by anyone, but I still wanted to take part in doing this tag. This tag was created by the lovely Maria @ A Daughter of Parchment and Paper. I used Maria’s graphics because they are amazing.

At the start of 2021, I read one of my new favorite YA Christmas romances, 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston. Now this book did have some flaws, but it was such a cute young adult contemporary that made me fall in love with Ashley Elston’s writing. The book follows a high-school girl who gets her heartbroken by her longtime boyfriend. Thus her over the top and caring family decided to take it upon themselves to help mend her broken heart leading them to set her up on 10 very interesting blind dates. Honestly, the love story was very predictable yet I enjoyed it and the Christmas season setting.

I don’t think I have ever read a novella before. There are some that I would like to get too, but sadly I have to skip this question. Sorry.

This one is easy since I talked about it in my “Book Blogging Newbie Tag” post. I discovered my love for reading with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares. I know these books seems cheesy and I will admit looking back at them they don’t have the greatest plot. However, the series captivated me in such a way that made me want to keep reading forever. If you haven’t read the books, they follow four best friends that, over the course of the summer, share a pair of jeans that fit each of their differently shaped bodies perfectly. I would give the series 3.5 stars, but I completely recommend the first book which is my personal favorite.

This is a classic that I don’t find a lot of people, including my husband, enjoy. I happened to really like The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Yes, there wasn’t much of a plot to it and Holden Caulfield was a tad whiny at times, still it was an eye-opening read to me. My lovely husband contributes this to the fact that I was a good girl growing up without much raw life experience, but I just think I get Holden on another level.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is my pick for this question. I don’t know if most people would consider this a heart-stopping story, but it is for me. I read this book in about two days and it is a tough, yet important read. It deals with the after math of being raped, losing yourself and finding your voice. Honestly, stories like this are some of the hardest to get through still I found it an incredible read.

This book is a lot like Speak, but taken to the extreme. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott is a story I will never forget and still gives me chills. The plot surrounds a girl called Alice who was abducted by a man name Ray at the age of ten. The story is told by Alice’s present self, now fifteen, and has lived a nightmare for the past five years. I will probably never read this story again, since it makes the pit of my stomach hurt just thinking about it. It is a very powerful read that has stuck with me for years.

I had to think about this one for a minute, but after doing some digging I chose Starr from The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. The book is about police brutality of POC (People of Color) and much more. The main character Starr lives in a poor black popularity neighborhood, yet attends prestigious predominantly white school. Starr tries hard to separate her school and home life, but after witnessing the shooting and killing of a friend at the hands of the police she must speak out for what is right. Starr is use to shrugging off her friends ignorant, racist comments, yet we see her standing up for herself and not taking the hate in silence anymore. I loved seeing Starr come into her own and let go of the toxicity she had been ignoring for so long.

So….I don’t think I have answer for this question. Don’t hate me, but after going through the books I have read I cannot think of any morally grey characters. Oops! I don’t read a lot of fantasy, which might be why. I have instead decided to talk about a book series I’m interested in that I have heard has a morally grey character. The series is The Folk of the Air by Holly Black! I have the first book in the series The Cruel Prince on audiobook, but haven’t been in the mood to give it a chance. I know that this is a fantasy series about fairies, and you either love it or hate it. I have only attempted a Holly Black book once, which was a DNF, so I am nervous to pick this one up. Should I give this series a try?

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan! I don’t remember this book much, but I have a lot of nostalgia for it. This is one of my mom’s favorite classic children’s books. I remember going to the book fair in elementary school and using my reading points to get this book for my mom. It is such a cute story about a widowed man that sends for a mail-ordered-bride to help care for his two children, Caleb and Anna. Thus Sarah, described as plain and tall, answers his call. This is an adorable story of love and family that will warm your heart.

Duh! A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens need I say more. I will probably mention this story multiple times on the blog since it is my all time favorite book. I love the writing in this beloved and classic story. Sure some parts are a bit slow, but there are many amazing passages from this story that I love rereading. My all time favorite being “It is required of every man,” the Ghost returned, “that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world — oh, woe is me! — and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!”

I am going with The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, which might seem weird since I haven’t read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan but hear me out. I have heard only good thing about these two companion series. They are both middle grade books and Greek mythology aspect to them. Percy Jackson is the main series, followed by the Heroes of Olympus books. However, I heard that the series don’t directly connect so they can be read as stand alones. I want to read these books very badly and embarrassed I still haven’t started either of these series.

Woo! Those were all the questions and I had a blast answering them. I am supposed to tag any book loving Taylor Swift fan, although I am still fairly new to the book blogging community so I am going to do the general tagging everyone thing. In the comments, leave your answers or let me know if you did this tag on your blog as well. Don’t forget to visit Maria’s blog and like this post. You can follow the blog to get notified when I post and I would love your support.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Most Anticipated Spring 2021 Book Releases

Hello bookish friends,
I am always looking for new book releases to add to my wish list. This post is going to be about the spring book releases I am most excited for this year. I know that the books on this list are solely YA contemporaries, but what can I say it is my favorite genre. There are other books being released this spring that I am looking forward too, yet I thought I would narrow the list down to six books only.

The Secret Recipe For Moving On by Karen Bishcher (March 23rd): This is a YA debut about breaking up, making new friends and moving on. I think that this is going to be a really quick, fluffy contemporary. It is going to be a very classic traditional story that I am going to love. It is always hard when it comes to debut authors, because I don’t have much to go on when it comes to their writing style, still I have high hopes for this book.

 

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (April 6th): This book is compared to All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, which is an all time favorite of mine. However, I get serious Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins vibes from this. The story is set in Paris and follows an American ballerina. If I am correct, she falls for a charming french boy while attending an elite summer ballet program. For some reason, story centered around ballerinas have been very in lately, and I am not mad about it. Now I am not sure if this will be a five star read for me, but I do really want to pick it up.

What’s Not to Love by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (April 20th): Yay! I am so excited for this book that I could scream. I have only read one other book from this duo, yet I want to get to their others before this release. Their newest book is a young adult contemporary enemies-to-lovers story. I am a huge hate to love fan, so this is right up my alley. The book is set in high school, which means there is bound to be a lot of drama, romance and possibly some heartbreak.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli (April 20th): I am not the biggest fan of Becky Albertalli writing, yet this story intrigues me. Most of the contemporaries I read are mere love story, don’t get me wrong I love that aspect, but every now and again it is good to change it up. This book follows two long time best friends that have always been there for one another. Although, things get complicated when they both start crushing on the same guy. Not only will this set their friendship, but it could also ruin it. I am all for more contemporaries about best friends, and hopefully they remember “Hoes of Bros.”

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson (May 4th): I have never picked up a Matson book, ever! This is shocking since I am a lover of all YA contemporaries, and she is like the queen of that genre. I guess I am very intimated by peoples love for her books. This new release might be my first taste of her writing. It takes place in New York City, which is a great backdrop if I do say so myself. To best friends, Kat and Stevie, perfect night in the Big Apple gets derailed when they are forced to come face to face with exes, family drama, their friendship and future. After reading the synopsis a lot seems to be going on in this book, but I am ready for it.

Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey (May 18th): This is a “You Got Mail” type of retail that seems so cute. The main characters both own competing bookshops and most likely fall for one another. Yep. This is another enemies-to-lovers story. What can I say I am an addict. I have heard that this book has some trigger warnings for child abandonment and absent parents, so keep that in mind when going into the story. From what I can tell this is going to be the type of book you either love or hate, so I am interested to see where I fall.

There you have the book releases I am most excited for this spring. I promise to try and an add some fantasy picks in my summer and fall 2021 book releases post. Also, keep in mind that there are other books coming out in the next three months that I will be adding to my tbr as well. Let me know in the comments what books you cannot wait to buy this month. You can comment if you want me to do a review on any of these books once I have heard them. Please like and share this post with all your book loving friends.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

March TBR Feat. Tis The Damn Readathon

Hello bookish friends,
I am very excited to be doing my March tbr (To Be Read)! I have been in a bit of a reading slump and my mental health has been a bit all over the place, but I am hoping this month will kick my reading into gear. I decided it would be fun to join in on a Readathon this month, because I think they are a lot fun and I have yet to do one this year. If you are unaware of what a Readathon is please visit my Glossary. There were many readathons to choose from, but I knew that the one I participated in had to be a month long. Thus I chose the “Tis The Damn” readathon, which is a Taylor Swift inspired readathon.

For the readathon, there are 3 prompts for each of Taylor’s nine albums. Two of the prompts are book related with one being a fun random prompt. This is a very chill readathon with the ability to use one book for multiple prompts. I will be trying to complete one promote from each album and use a different book for each prompts.

Taylor Swift: Our Song – Read a book about music: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Fearless: Fifteen – Read a book that is YA in genre: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Speak Now: If This Was a Movie – Read a book that has a movie adaptation: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Red: Red – Read a book with red on the cover: Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab

1989: 1989 – Read a book with a number in the title: The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

Reputation: Look What You Made Me Do – Read a book that’s recommended to you: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Lover: Lover – Read a five star prediction: 10 Truths and a Dare by Ashley Elston

Folklore: Folklore – Read a book based on mythology, folk tales, or a retelling: The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston

Evermore: No Body No Crime – Read a mystery or thriller book: Influence by Lilia Buckingham and Sara Shepard

Attempting to read nine books in a month will be a challenge, still I am committed to trying. I am looking forward to all the books on this list and I think this will be a good month of reading. Let me know what your reading in March and if you are doing the “Tis The Damn” readathon as well. Please like and share this post, and follow the blog via email to get notified whenever I post.

Until The Next Chaper,
Bunny

The Book Blogger Newbie Tag

Hello bookish friends,
I thought that I would do the classic “Book Blogger Newbie” tag post. I know that this tag is a time long tradition when becoming a book blogger. I hope that these question help you to get to know me and my little blog better.

Why did you start this blog?
I had a booktube channel, but I just didn’t love the video format. I have always been a writer so I thought a blog is much more my style. I want this to be a place where I can share my love of books as well as other things. I want to talk about TV shows and maybe even some first time mommy content in the future.

What are some fun and unique things you can bring to book blogging?
I know that there are so many blogs out there and you want your blog to stand out. However, I don’t know how fun or unique my content will be. I guess something different is that I haven’t read a lot of the popular books from the 2000s. Currently, I am reading the Harry Potter series for the first time and I haven’t read anything by Sarah J. Maas. Also, this blog will be 75% bookish, yet I want to talk about other topics on this blog too.

What are you most excited for about this blog?
Mostly writing content and sharing my bookish thoughts. I love connecting with others in the book and blogging community.

Why do you love reading?
It let’s me escape into different land. This quote by George R.R. Martinup sums up why I love reading perfectly “A reader lives a thousand lives.”

What series got you into reading?
I fell in love with the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books by Ann Brashares, which is a very underrated series in my opinion. After reading all of those books I never wanted to stop reading.

What questions would you ask your favorite authors?
I would love to know what they hope a reader gets from their books. Why do they continue write stories? Also, I read somewhere if author think their characters know about them. I think it would be interesting to know if author do think their characters know about them. As if the world they created is some alternate realm of sorts.

What challenges do you think starting a blog will be the hardest to overcome?
Probably staying consistent. Live has many ups and downs, so it is hard to stay on top of blogging. However, I have a lot of post planned and I will be trying to blog as much as I can each week.

When did you start reading?
I was not a reader as a kid at all. I was more of a television watching, Barbie playing kind of girl. It wasn’t until 2005, I was a huge Gilmore Girls fan and my brother mentioned that Alexis Bledel was going to be starring in the film adaption of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I decided I would read the book first, and I never stopped reading. From that day on I was a reader.

Where do you read?
I usually read at home in my bed. I cannot read in cars be I get motion sickness and I never really read when I am out. I just like being cozy in bed with a book or audiobook.

What kind of books do you like to read?
I am a huge YA fan! I will try to read a lot of different YA genres, but my favorite is contemporary. I am a fan of middle grade books, yet I haven’t read as many of them. I want to expand my reading taste this year, still I am kind of set in my ways when it comes to the books I read.

Wow! Does doing this mean I am an official book blogger? If you are a blogger of any kind let me know in the comments. I want to connect with blogger and just readers in general.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny