Fashion Inspiration

July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 - Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
This post might be a bit different, but I thought it would be fun to do fashion inspiration inspired by book characters. I decided to start with Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games books.

It was a lot of fun coming up with her looks. She isn’t a girly girl, and I picture her style to be very simple. The looks that I did were her everyday fashion, and wedding attire. We never saw her get married, so I thought it would be interesting to do my own take on what she would have worn.

Sweater: 1 2
Tank: 1 2
Jeans: 1 2
Shoes: 1 2

Dress: 1 2
Flats: 1 2
Ring: 1 2

Those outfits were a blast to put together. I hope that you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don’t forget to like and share it with all your bookish friends. If you would like to support me, please follow my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Coffee Break // Problematic Authors

July 16, 2021July 13, 2021 - Bunny 2 Comments

Credit: Bill Watterson

Hi Friends,
I don’t know if this is still a touchy subject, but I am going to be talking about reading problematic authors. I have wanted to do a post on this topic but never knew how to address it. These are only my thoughts on problematic authors, and certainly don’t want to speak for the whole book community. Cancel culture is a large part of the world today in hopes of stopping hate speech.

I am not going to touch on cancel culture in this post because I do have some strong feelings about it. However, problematic authors aren’t a new thing yet they weren’t really called out for their behavior. Partly because society was used to brushing things under the rug, and partly because nobody wanted to go against the majority. But most of it was that authors only really ever spoke through their works. Social media wasn’t always a thing. Shocker, right?

Two of the biggest names in teen literature that have been called out as being problematic are J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas. Maas is a well-known young adult author whose books are seen as controversial. She has also been accused of being racist. As for Rowling, not many people take issue with her books, but she has been called out for other things more than once. She is a known supporter of anti-transgender organizations, and has no respect for the trans community.

I don’t intend on picking up Sarah J. Maas’ work, but not because of her problematic behavior, but simply for the fact they don’t interest me. Now, I would be lying if I said that hearing about the controversy surrounding her hasn’t solidified this. However, I am not sad about never putting a dime into her pocket. As for J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter books are a work of, well, magic. I have never been a major fan of the series, but started my first read of them about two years ago. My husband and I own all the movies. I own all the books. Does that make us problematic? I hope not.

I will continue reading the series, but if I ever speak about them, I will let it be known that I am not a supporter of her, or anything she stands for. Not only were we gifted the movies, but all of my copies of the books were bought secondhand. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe the author gets anything if their books were bought used. I know that we want to separate the artist from the work, but this is usually easier said than done.

It seems to be a more natural to ignore a problematic author who is deceased. Many people love Agatha Christie books since she helped build the mystery genre. We still read Dr. Seuss to kids, even with his work being racist. However, these authors aren’t making money when someone buys their work. I was always a fan of Dr. Seuss’ work, but as I’ve gotten older, I do find it necessary to make others aware that I don’t condone his behavior.

The first step is to acknowledge that the author is problematic. We shouldn’t read with rose-tinted glasses. We need to make others in the community aware that this author is problematic. Next, remember to make your own views clear! I hope it is obvious that I don’t support hate speech or racism of any kind. I am a supporter of communities such as LGBT+ and mental illness. After all, that, is it okay to read work from a problematic author? Yes! Cue the pitchforks…

If you are getting that work from the library, or buying it secondhand – basically not benefiting the author themselves – then I don’t believe that it is the worst possible injustice in the world. But I do believe the steps I mentioned above are important when doing anything regarding problematic authors. I am not here to tell you to throw out all your Harry Potter books and merchandise, and never talk about the series again. Honestly, if it is, or was, a big part of your life, then talk about it. Just remember that behind every work of art there is an artist.

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” – JFK

Before you go, here are some awesome charities that would love your support: TransLifeline, The Loveland Foundation, and Children of Persia. There are many other charities out there that you can donate to as well. Please leave your thoughts on this taboo subject in the comments. No hate, only love.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

10 Truths And A Dare // Book Review

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021 - Bunny Leave a comment

Title: 10 Truths And A Dare
Author: Ashley Elston
Published: 2021
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

It’s Senior Week! That magical in-between time after classes have ended, but before graduation, that’s filled with gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn’t be more ready. Class salutatorian, and confident in her future at LSU, she’s poised to sail through to the next phase of her life. But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned, off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family.
Source: GoodReads

Last year, I read “10 Blind Dates” by this author. It was a charming YA contemporary set during the Christmas season. I was excited to pickup her newest read, which follows one of the minor characters from that story. This time around, we follow Olivia, who is a straight-A student, salutatorian, and bound for LSU. However, she must complete her required off-campus P.E. course in only a week, or she can kiss graduation goodbye. Sounds like the making of a great contemporary, right? Maybe not.

I wanted to like this book; and believe me, I tried. I felt very disconnected with both the lead character and the plot. I have noticed a trend in YA contemporary females; they are all portrayed as perfect students and planners. Basically extreme versions of Rory Gilmore. Olivia was also an academic perfectionist, but one who couldn’t handle fulfilling a simple P.E. requirement. I understand that someone with a workload of all AP classes might not put much effort into P.E., but why wouldn’t she want a good grade? She is an overachiever, after all.

One plot point that didn’t make sense to me was Olivia’s overbearing mother. The fact that her mother texts her multiple times in an hour, and installed a tracker app on her high-school senior daughter’s phone is a bit much. I don’t know if that was supposed to seem funny, but it was more weird. Also, the title suggests there be more of a truth-or-dare aspect to this story. But the question of truth or dare, was more of a way to get the plot moving, than an actual feature in the story.

A disappointment for me, was that there wasn’t many characters besides Olivia. We did have moments with other characters, like her cousins and love interest, but I wanted more of her extended family. One of the best parts of “10 Blind Dates” was the family relationships, which this book woefully lacked. As for the ending, everything was wrapped up with a nice little bow, but was a bit too convenient and predictable. Also, books about golf, unless they are super original, always bore me.

I am not by any means writing Ashley Elston off, but this book was a letdown. Let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below. You can follow the blog via email to get notified whenever I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny And Meghan Rienks // 2-In-1 Book Review

July 12, 2021 - Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
There are some books that I read, but don’t have enough thoughts to dedicate a whole review to. I decided that, in those cases, I would do mini review posts. So, I will be doing shorter reviews for multiple books in this post. Here, I will be reviewing a middle-grade and and a sort-of-memoir. I hope you enjoy!

“The Everything I Have Lost” by Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny
2.5/5.0 Stars
*I received an ARC of the audiobook from Netgalley*This is a hard-hitting contemporary middle-grade, told through a young girl’s diary entries. I found this to be a very impactful story that deals with some serious topics. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the main character to life, and I felt all of her emotions. I knew going into the story that it would be sad and touching. It gave a look at the differences between living in Juarez, as compared to El Paso, which was interesting to hear about.

However, there were some plot points that left me feeling uneasy. There was an incest incident that was unsettling and glossed-over. Also, one of the characters was shamed for being plus-sized, called Fat Nelly. However, the book is told from the perspective of a 12-year-old, so I tried to ignore the stereotyping. I wouldn’t exactly call this a middle-grade read, since the subject matter is heavy. But if you are looking for a bridge between tween and young adult, you might want to give this one a try.

“You’re Not Special” by Meghan Rienks
2.5/5.0 StarsA person has to be pretty awesome for me to want to pick up their memoir. The life of YouTuber Meghan Rienks wouldn’t exactly be one I would usually care to read. However, I heard a rumor that it talked about her falling out with her mother, so it piqued my interest. This is mainly because I used to see her mom in her vlogmas videos, and they seemed to have a good relationship. First, I want to note that I never really watched Meghan’s YouTube channel, but I have seen some of her vlogs. No shade to her, I just always found her personality to be over-the-top and unauthentic. I think she overacts in her videos.

Anyhow, the book is tagged as sort-of-memoir, where she tells stories and gives real advice. I found the deeper parts of the book engaging and interesting. Learning about her struggles with alcohol and strained parental relationship were the best parts of the book. They were the most honest and unfiltered chapters as well. However, most of the book was filled with random, silly anecdotes with pop-culture references. This could be her inner YouTuber coming forth. In my opinion, much of the book could have been a story-time video. I got the impression that she was trying too hard to keep the reader engaged with her tips and witty one-liners. My biggest issues with the book was that it blurred the lines between memoir and self-help book. It was too all-over-the-place for me to truly enjoy.

I can’t wait to do more of these 2-in-1 mini book reviews. Don’t worry, though – I will still be doing solo reviews as well. I would love to know if any of you have read either on these books. If you have, leave your thoughts in the comments. Please like and share this post with all your bookish friends.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Summer Bucket List // Book Tag

July 10, 2021 - Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
I wanted to do a bookish summer tag post, and after doing a little research, I decided that the “The Summer Bucket List” book tag would be the perfect choice.

1) Hit the Beach: a book set by the water?
I don’t believe I have read many books that take place by the water. The only one that comes to mind is “Listen To Your Heart” by Kasie West. I could be completely wrong about this taking place near water, but I am going to go with it anyways. This is a YA contemporary that has elements of romance, podcasting, and a love triangle of sorts. I usually enjoy Kasie West books, and this one was no exception.

2) Watch Fireworks: a book with a fiery romance?
I don’t know if this counts as a fiery romance, but recently I read “Cool For The Summer” by Dahlia Adlier. The characters started as friends and an unexpected romance grew from there. I think the romance was pretty intense. Some might even call it fiery.

3) Go for a Road Trip: a book that involves a journey?
I haven’t read a lot of books that involve a journey, yet I read “Time Of Our Lives” by Emily Webberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka. It follows two high school seniors that cross-paths during their college tour road trips. I have a review on the book that you can read if you’d like.

4) Camp Under the Stars: a book that left you starstruck?
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee! This is a YA contemporary with dystopian and sci-fi elements. The whole plot, including the twist at the end, left me 100% star-struck. This is another book that I have reviewed.

5) Marathon some Movies: a book you couldn’t put down?
This is an easy pick for me, If I’m Being Honest by Emily Webberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka. I was going to DNF it, but I am very happy I didn’t. After the fifth chapter, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in two days, which is unusual for me.

6) Go Out for Ice Cream: a book with a sweet romance?
I chose “Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda” by Becky Albertalli. Sure, most of the romance took place through emails and the two didn’t know each others identities. But I loved how sweet and real their relationship was from the start. Simon and Blue fell in love in such an innocent and adorable way that you cannot help but love their relationship.

7) Picnic in the Park: a book that was a breath of fresh air?
This is an odd pick, but still, I have my reasons for choosing it. The book id “It’s Kind Of A Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini. The book deals with anxiety and mental health in a way that I haven’t seen before. I don’t know if I can classify it as YA, though it isn’t Adult, either. The story follows a teenage boy as he admits himself into the hospital psych ward. It talks about serious topics that a lot of books shy away of, which was very refreshing.

8) Go for a Hike: a character who conquered an obstacle?
How can I not go with Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games” by Susan Collins. She, willing, volunteered to enter a game of life and death. Although she was fighting for her life instead of being ruthless, she was smart. She faced many challenges, all for the ones she loved. Also, she is badass.

9) Grill some BBQ: a book featuring delicious food?
Again, I haven’t read many books about food. But I am going with “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han. The main Character, Lara-Jean Song-Covey, loves to bake. She makes tons of delicious sweets throughout the trilogy.

10) Watch the Sunrise: a book that inspired you?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott! The relationship between the March sisters was inspiring. They supported each other always, even though they all chose different paths for their lives. It shows that not everyone has the same dreams and that is okay. It proves that there are more important things in life than money mainly family and love.

Those were all the questions in this bookish tag. I hope that you all will do the tag as well. Please check out the creator of the tag Read by Tiffany’s original post. Don’t forget to support my blog by liking and sharing this post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

What’s Not To Love // Book Review

July 8, 2021 - Bunny 2 Comments

Title: What’s Not To Love
Author: Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Published: 2021
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Since high school began, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed on almost everything. AP classes, the school paper, community service, it never ends. If Alison could avoid Ethan until graduation, she would. Except, naturally, for two over-achieving seniors with their sights on valedictorian and Harvard, they share all the same classes and extracurriculars. So when their school’s principal assigns them the task of co-planning a previous class’s ten-year reunion, with the promise of a recommendation for Harvard if they do, Ethan and Alison are willing to endure one more activity together if it means beating the other out of the lead.
Source: GoodReads

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story, if it’s done right. Unfortunately, this one fell short for me. The lead characters argued all the time, and had no chemistry. For the first half of the book, they bickered the whole time, which annoyed everyone around them. Honestly, there wasn’t a point where I, as the reader, could see them becoming more than rivals. It was irritating that these two had absolutely no reason to dislike each other, except for the fact that they wanted to out-do the other. The whole meaning behind their rivalry was very juvenile.

The lead male, Ethan, isn’t a horrible character, but he was trying to find himself in this feud he has going on. As for the female lead, Alison, she was one of the major downfalls of this book. I understand not wanting to be treated like a child, but she was immature, snobbish, and self-centered. The way she treated her friends was one thing, but how she acted towards her family was unbelievable. She was downright rude and offensive to her older sister because her life wasn’t they way Alison thought it should be. She had no right to judge her or talk the way she did to her family. Honestly, for someone that wanted to be seen as a grown-up, her attitude was very immature.

The plot seemed random, since I don’t believe a high-school principal would care about two students’ petty feud. If it was such a big problem, you’d think it would have been dealt with sooner than their senior year. They could have put them in different classes, or set up a meeting with their parents. The whole main plot was just off. There was a nice throwback to “Time Of Our Lives” which is another novel by this duo. Two of the characters from the book did show up in this one, but since I wasn’t a fan of “Time Of Our Lives” it didn’t mean much to me.

I want to like this author duo, but I am starting to think that “If I’m Being Honest” was a fluke. I might pick up their next release, but go into it with low expectations. Please give this post a like and share, and follow my little book blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Blogger Myths & Blogging Tips

July 5, 2021May 9, 2022 - Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today, I am going to be shattering those myths of being a book blogger. I think these are Booktube myths as well, but I could be wrong. I am including a few blogger tips for all you new bloggers, or those of you thinking of starting a blog.

No Books Necessary A lot of people think that book blogging is all about having a huge personal library. We see bloggers posting their rainbow bookshelves on Bookstagram, and we think the first step to being a book blogger is to buy books. This is completely untrue. Many book bloggers use the library and borrow books from friends. You can even use apps such as Libby and Overdrive to get audiobook and ebook copies of books from your local library. You can still share your love of books without owning a single book.

Book Hauls Aren’t A RequirementThis is piggybacking off the last myth, but book hauls don’t matter. Yes, it is cool to see the book people buy or receive, still, there are tons of minimalist book bloggers out there. Also, a lot of book bloggers go on book buying bans until the clear their tbrs. I don’t typically buy books, so most of my collection is books I’ve received as gifts. Library hauls are a great option, or buying discounted books from a local thrift shop is an inexpensive way to grow your collection as well.

Reading, Reading, ReadingI used to think that I couldn’t be part of the book community because I was an extremely slow reader. Luckily, that isn’t a problem anymore, but truthfully, it doesn’t matter how many books you read a month. There are tons of people in the book community that only manage to read one or two books a month. You are not alone in your struggles to read, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t hit your GoodReads goal. As long as you have a passion for books, and you engage in the community, you are golden.

What Everyone Else Is ReadingThis might shock you, but you’d have to read the same books as all the other book bloggers. It is a common mistake that all book bloggers have to read the same books and genres. At times, I am guilty of trying to read what’s popular. I’m not saying it isn’t nice to read multiple opinions on the same story, but people, including myself, read book blogs to discover new, underrated books. Don’t be scared to read for yourself, and not what people except you to read.

Want An ARCI am sorry to break this to you, but if you want to become a book blogger just to get arcs, you’re wasting your time. Yes, sometimes book bloggers are fortunate enough to receive ACRS of books. But this rarely happens, especially for physical copies. Publishing companions are very selective about sending out review copies. Most of authors and publishers are turning to Netgalley for ARC releases. I have been using the platform for a while, and I can say that getting approved for some ACRS aren’t easy. Don’t start a book blog for money or gifts.

Tech Savvy The last myth I want to shatter is that you have to be some web design wizard to start a blog. True, there is a learning curve when starting any kind of blog. But a lot of sites, such as Squarespace or WordPress, are pretty straight forward. Also, there are tons of articles and YouTube videos on how to navigate just about any platform.

As for my tips, I only have a few, so don’t stop reading yet.1) Write Before Publishing: This is something I wish I had done before publishing my blog. I think you should write at least 10 to 20 blog posts before launching your blog. This way, you have a lot of posts that will go up so that you don’t have to worry about writing a new post every week. You can focus on reading and writing as you go.

2) Set Schedule: Some people might say this is due to my need to plan everything, but I think having a posting schedule is important. Whether you post once a week, month or even once a year, you should pick one day for your post to go up. This way, your readers know which day to visit your site for a new post. I don’t think a set time is as necessary as a regular day, but having both couldn’t hurt.

3) Always Edit: I didn’t do this with my earlier posts, but I found that editing and proof reading is a must. You should read over your post at least twice before publishing it. Also, if you suck at grammar like myself, it couldn’t hurt to use an editing software or subscription. I hear that Grammarly is a great resource for bloggers. But keep in mind their subscription is quite expensive.

I hope that you liked this original post. It was fun exposing book blogger myths and sharing some of my blogger tips. Please support my little book blog by liking and sharing this post. If you want to join my mailing list, you can subscribe via email.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

29th Birthday Haul // Non-Bookish

July 3, 2021June 30, 2021 - Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
You might have saw my birthday book haul already, but some of you wanted to see the non-bookish gifts I received. However, I got two books from family members that I didn’t feature in my book haul. Simply because I will be returning those books, because I already own them.

ColourPop Lizzie McGuire Collection

ColourPop Hocus Pocus Palette
Macaron Candle Gift Set

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Backpack Purse

Light-Up Picture Hanging Decor
Hocus Pocus Game Board

I am extremely grateful for everything I received. My family is truly amazing and I can not say thank you enough.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // July 2021

July 2, 2021July 1, 2021 - Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
In July, I wanted to participate in a readathon. But I didn’t think I would be doing two in one month, but I’m not mad about it. First up, I will be doing the Summerween, which takes place from July 2 – July 8. I have been wanting to read my horror/thriller books, making this readathon the perfect choice. I have picked out one book that fills all the promotes, but I do have another book that I can read if I did up having the time.

Challenges:
1) Bake or make a drink with your spooky read

2) Read a book in the dark

3) Read a paranormal book

4) Read a horror book

5) Read a book with black or orange on the cover (or both)

I was going to pick Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, since it’s a paranormal horror story. But the audiobook won’t be available at my library until four weeks. Instead, I found a graphic novel that easily fulfills all the promotes. Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, and Miquel Muerto is a horror and paranormal story about missing children, monsters and a monster hunter. I heard that it is compared to Netflix’s Stranger Things, which I haven’t seen, but I know it is popular. I don’t know if the this book has enough Halloween colors on the cover, but the authors names are in orange, so I’m counting it.

The second readathon I will be doing is the Buddy Readathon. Joining this readathon was a very last-minute decision. I have been wanting to meet others in the book community, and this seemed like the perfect way to do so. If you’re interested in participating in the Buddy Readathon, please watch the announcement video. For the readathon, I was paired with Jazz! We got together and decided that we would try to get a bingo, and read one of the group books. Below are the prompts and books we will be reading.

Published Before 2016: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Group Read: Legendborn (Legendborn, #1) by Tracy Deonn

One Word Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

I already have a lot of required reading for the month, yet I’m adding more books to my July tbr. I am a big supporter of Christmas in July, so I have to try and fit in a Christmas read.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel CohnThis book follows two teens that send each other on a holiday adventure across New York. I have tried to read this YA Christmas story twice. I can never seem to get pass the first chapter. But I am on my reading game this year, so I believe I can finally cross this one of my tbr. Also this winter, I want to watch the Netflix series adaptation of the book.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia HandI have been wanting to reread this book for a while, and July seems like the perfect month for it. This is a YA Christmas Carol retelling that is pretty imaginative. I don’t remember my thoughts on the book the first time I read it, but Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” so I know this one had to have been a favorite.

On average, I have been reading 4 to five books per month. I will be prioritizing my readathon reads, but I am hoping to get to all the books on my tbr. I am over-estimating how much time I’ll have to read in July, still, a girl can dream. Let me know what is on your July tbr in the comments below. Please the support the blog by sharing and liking this post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My 29th Birthday Book Haul

July 1, 2021July 1, 2021 - Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
If you saw my birthday wishlist post, you’d know my 29th birthday was a few days ago. I was blessed enough to receive gifts from all my loved ones. My amazing spouse got me some books that I have been eyeing. I usually only buy books I have read, but a lot of the time I ask for books that I assume I would like. If you are a book blogger, booktuber, or book lover, you understand this struggle.