Bookmas

These Books Will Self Destruct | 2025 Challenge

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Thirteen! Writing that seriously shocked me—I can’t believe we’re almost two weeks into December. Today, I’m doing a post I tend to write around this time every year, where I choose books from my shelves that I either need to read next year or unhaul. As a huge reader and book hoarding addict, there are always books I never seem to get around to, and end up completely ignoring for years. This little challenge helps me prioritize those neglected books and declutter my bookshelves.

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
This is a mystery retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I bought it on a whim without knowing much about the plot, and I still haven’t picked it up. Honestly, I don’t have much desire to read it, so it’s going on this list. If I don’t get to it, I’ll unhaul it. I believe it’s part of a Jane Austen retelling mystery series, so if I do end up reading it, I might inadvertently start a new series.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett
I found this for three dollars at Half Price Books, and at the time, the plot sounded somewhat interesting. However, I’m not sure it’s my kind of book, which is probably why I’ve been avoiding it. That said, I still want to give it a chance. If I end up unhauling it, I won’t be too upset.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power
I believe this is a YA version of Lord of the Flies with female characters. It’s set in isolation and involves a pandemic—possibly a horror story as well. I’ve owned it for a while but completely forgot about it, so it’s officially on my self-destruct TBR.

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed
I only bought this book because Karen M. McManus blurbed it—she’s one of my favorite YA thriller authors. However, I’m not particularly excited to read it. It’s a chunky book, and the plot doesn’t sound all that intriguing. Hopefully, it will pleasantly surprise me.

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
I’ve tried to unhaul this book so many times, yet something keeps telling me I’ll actually enjoy it. I think it’s a retelling, though I could be wrong. I do know it’s a fantasy, and the premise seems promising. Fingers crossed that I’ll finally get to it in 2025.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
I remember being excited about this book because it sounded like an interesting YA horror. However, the cover screams springtime, and since I’m a seasonal reader, I haven’t picked it up yet. I’ll likely get to it next year, but don’t hold me to that.

The Midnight Game by Cynthia Murphy
I haven’t had much luck with YA mystery thrillers lately, but I want to give this author’s books a try. I own three of them, but haven’t read a single one, so I decided to start with this one, as it sounds the most interesting. If I don’t read or like this book, I’ll unhaul all three.

They’re Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso
This is another YA thriller, but I don’t have high hopes for it. I previously tried a book by this author and DNF’ed it, because I didn’t enjoy the story or writing style. Still, I want to give the author another chance. If I don’t like it, I’ll unhaul it without any hesitation.

The Witch, the Sword, and the Cursed Knights by Alexandria Rogers
This is a middle-grade book, and possibly the start of a series. The premise sounds compelling and fun, but I’m not a big middle-grade reader. I have several middle-grade books on my shelves, and this challenge is the push I need to read at least one of them.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
I tried to read this earlier this year but DNF’d it because I couldn’t focus on the audiobook. I’m hoping it was just bad timing. If I don’t pick it up next year, I’ll say goodbye and pass it along to someone else.

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
I’ve heard this series is terrible but also a lot of fun. It’s an alien smut series, which intimidates me because I’ve never read anything like that before. I’ve heard they’re quick reads, and since I like spicy books and enjoy light, mindless reads between heavier novels, I want to give it a try. But if I don’t read it next year, I’ll accept that it’s not for me and unhaul it.

Sanctuary of Shadows by Aurora Ascher
Truthfully, I don’t even remember what this book is about. I bought it secondhand because it has beautiful sprayed edges. But it’s been sitting on my shelf untouched. If I’m not going to read it, I have no reason to keep it—no matter how pretty it is.

Do you have a self-destruct TBR? I don’t usually do well with this challenge, but I’m hoping to make a real dent in it next year. I’ve been pretty good about unhauling books lately, but I’d like to read some of them before letting them go.

In the comments, let me know which book from this list you think I should prioritize in 2025. And before you go, don’t forget to follow the blog so you never miss a new post!

Until the next chapter,
Bunny

Books I Wish I Read In 2024!

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Eleven! Twenty-twenty-four was one of my best reading years. I read so many good books this year and pretty much stayed on track with my reading goal. However, there are only so many hours in the day to read, which means I didn’t get to every book I would have liked to. For this Bookmas post, I decided to talk about 10 books I wish I had read this year.

Quicksilver by Callie Hart
I’m going to be real and admit that I didn’t actually know about this book until closer to the end of the year. Also, the audiobook just recently came out, so there was a slim chance I would have read it sooner. But I hear this is one of the best adult romantasy books, and there’s a movie adaptation coming next year. I wish I had made it more of a priority in December, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to get to it until 2025.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
I’ve been wanting to read this book since it was released, but something always seemed to get in the way. I know the sequel is coming out early next year, so I have to move this up my TBR. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews, which is probably why I didn’t push myself to read it this year. But it’s definitely one I really want to get to.

Hooked by Emily McIntire
Everyone always recommends this book to me, and I’ve put it on so many TBRs this year. I think my fear is that I won’t love the series as much as others. Sometimes, when a book or series is very popular, it doesn’t tend to live up to the hype for me. However, I really want to love this series, and I’ll be so sad if I don’t. But I won’t know unless I try!

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
I’m going to be honest here and admit that I know nothing about this book, but it was very hyped up, and it has dragons, so I wanted to read it this year. It was another one of those very popular romantasies that everyone was talking about. Did I get to it? No. But in my defense, this book is very long.

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
This was a Book of the Month pick for me, and yes, I am still heartbroken that I didn’t get the copy with the beautiful silver book edges. I know some people loved it and some didn’t like it at all, but as you can probably tell, a theme with most of these books is that I’ve become a romantasy girlie, so I needed to read all the romantasies. Somehow, though, this one just never made it onto my TBR, which is really unfortunate.

Reckless by Lauren Roberts
I’m only adding this one to the list because it’s the last book in the series that I need to read. If I had read it this year, I’d be caught up on the series. I’m not exactly sure when the next book comes out, but I know it’s sometime in early 2025. The problem with this one is that I didn’t actually love the first book, Powerless, but I was still hoping to read the sequel before the year’s end. I just don’t think that’s going to happen.

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
This is another book I didn’t find out about until closer to the end of the year, so it makes sense why I didn’t pick it up. Still, everyone is loving this book, so I wish I’d known about it a little sooner. I’m getting major FOMO hearing about how good it is. It’s definitely going on my TBR for early 2025.

Bloodguard by Cecy Robson
I actually haven’t heard many things about this book, and what I have heard isn’t great. I pre-ordered it back when its original release date was March 2024, then it got pushed back to summer, but it didn’t actually come out until the fall. I thought I’d get a chance to read it as soon as it arrived, but that didn’t happen. I’m still looking forward to it, but I’m a little hesitant now.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
I’ve had this book on my “want to read” list since it came out in 2022. I know it’s a clean romance where the girl is the bodyguard for a famous celebrity. I really think I’m going to love Katherine Center’s writing, and for the life of me, I don’t know why I didn’t read it. I kept telling myself I’d get to it this year, but I just never did.

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
I’m so upset that I didn’t read—or even attempt to start—this interconnected standalone romcom series this year. I thought 2024 was going to be the year I became an Abby Jimenez girlie, but that didn’t happen. I own all of her books, and I haven’t read a single one. If I don’t start my Abby Jimenez journey next year, can I even call myself a romance reader?

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any of these books and which ones I should make a big priority next year. Don’t forget that you can like this post—your likes really help me understand the type of content you want to see. And hitting the follow button ensures you never miss out on a new post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Best Book Covers Of 2024!

- Bunny 3 Comments

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Ten! I can’t believe how fast Bookmas is flying by—it’s crazy! In this post, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite book covers of 2024. As you might know by now, I’m a huge cover buyer, so if I see a beautiful book, chances are I’m going to buy it. Whether I actually read it is another story. I tried to keep this list short, so here are eight 2024 book releases that I think have absolutely stunning covers.

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3D7HvpI

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4iuwuyJ
Related Post: Belladonna | Book Review

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Bpw38j

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4gqMn7M

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4it7esD

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4faIm64

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4iuCdoj

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3OM5Gwf

In the comments, share your favorite book cover of the year! Don’t forget you can also follow me on Instagram and TikTok. Plus, if you subscribe to the blog, you’ll get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Candy Cain Kills | Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
When Austin’s family retreats to a remote cottage for Christmas, he’s dreading the forced holiday bonding. But the cabin’s dark history brings a chilling twist, as a legendary killer named Candy Cain emerges with a deadly agenda. Now, surviving the season means staying off her sinister naughty list.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4fenRFM

My Rating

This book might not be for everyone because it is a bit cheesy; however, I found it to be a really fun, classic ‘90s and early 2000s horror story. If you’re a lover of horror movies, I think you’ll really enjoy this book. I love how it ties in the holiday aspect, and it was such a quick read.

In the book, we follow a family spending Christmas at a rental home in a small town. But once they arrive, they learn that the house has a gruesome history. Years ago, a family died in a fire there, although some townsfolk believe the family was actually murdered.

The plot is so engaging, and there’s never a slow moment, even though this isn’t the most intense horror story, nor is it an example of elevated horror. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters—they felt like a real family with struggles and issues but still loved each other. Their reactions to everything that was happening was very normal.

“Why don’t we have one more cup of cocoa. . . then go to church and raise some hell?”

There was a twist that I didn’t see coming, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the nostalgic feel of the book, and the writing style was also a highlight for me. It wasn’t too gruesome or scary. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the horror genre, I think you should give this one a try.

Overall, this is an easy and creepy read that’s perfect for readers who want a holiday story that isn’t your classic Christmas romcom. You can easily finish it in a day! It has made me want to pick up more books from this author, especially since I know this book is part of a horror holiday novella series. It may not be the most original or intense horror I’ve ever read, but I would still recommend it to other horror lovers like me.

In the comments, let me know if this book has been on your radar. If you enjoy book reviews and other bookish content, go ahead and hit the follow button so you never miss out on a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Books I Couldn’t Finish | 2024 DNFs

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Seven! I can’t believe we’re already a week into Bookmas. Today, I’m talking about the books I DNFed this year. Honestly, I didn’t DNF many books this year, which I’m very happy about! Still, there were a few that I just couldn’t get through.


Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
I got about halfway through this book before I had to stop reading. It’s an adult queer romance where a divorced woman falls for one of her daughter’s college friends. The plot sounded interesting, but I wasn’t a fan of the characters. Also, the way they both handled the situation wasn’t great. Both the friend and the mom seemed to show little care for how the daughter might feel about their relationship.


Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
This is a mystery thriller that I’ve heard nothing but good things about. However, I didn’t know before starting it that it comes with a trigger warning for child abuse. Let me just say—that’s a hard no for me. I can handle mentions, but I can’t deal with scenes where it’s described or a central part of the story. Unfortunately, the first few chapters were just too much for me, and I had to DNF for that reason alone.


Never by Jessa Hastings
I’ll be completely honest—this was a cover buy. Let me keep this short and to the point: the chapters were too long, the story was boring, and I was totally wrong in thinking this book would be spicy. Also, I hate Peter Pan, so why I thought I’d enjoy a retelling is beyond me!


A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
I had such high hopes for this book because it sounded so good. But calling it a romantasy is a bit of a stretch. I would categorize it as a fantasy with some mystery thrown in. I got 40% in and was still waiting for the romance. Unfortunately, the mystery wasn’t compelling, and the story as a whole just didn’t hold my interest.


The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
This one hurt to DNF because it’s so popular. However, I felt like the story dragged and just wasn’t capturing my attention. I was going to push through it, but that plan went out the window when the main character’s jerk of an ex referred to her as “Bunny.” Maybe hearing it once would’ve been okay, but every time she thought of him, that nickname came up. I couldn’t handle it—for obvious reasons (my amazing husband calls me Bunny, hence Book With Bunny).
Related Post: The Seven Year Slip | Book Review

So, there you have it—my DNFs of 2024! Even though I didn’t DNF many books this year, there are still a lot of books I’ve started but haven’t yet finished. Leave me a comment and let me know: are you pro- or anti-DNFing? Don’t forget to come back every day for more Bookmas content, or hit the follow button so you never miss a post!

Leaving Goodreads In 2025!

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Six! Today, I’ll be sharing why I’m officially leaving Goodreads in 2025—or at least, mostly leaving. There are several reasons behind my decision to step away from the popular reading tracker and personal library site, but here are the main ones.

Amazon
I don’t love that Goodreads is owned by Amazon. There’s so much about the company that I don’t agree with. While I can’t completely cut ties with Amazon (it’s often the only viable option for many indie authors), this felt like one small way for me to show less support for the company.

Outdated Features
Compared to other book-tracking platforms, Goodreads feels outdated. Its interface looks clunky, and the features are limited. Forums aren’t widely utilized, the giveaways don’t appeal to me, and aside from adding books to your shelves and tracking your reading, there’s not much else to do. It just doesn’t feel engaging.

Recommendations
I’ve found Goodreads’ recommendations underwhelming and heavily skewed toward popular titles. Their “Most Read” lists and personalized recommendations almost always spotlight the same mainstream books. And don’t even get me started on the Goodreads Choice Awards! It’s purely a popularity contest. I’ve even heard some readers speculate that publishers pay to get their books nominated. Some winners and nominees just don’t make sense to me.


So, what’s next? Moving forward, I’ll be using StoryGraph to track my reading—and I’ve been loving it so far! Not only is it women-owned, but it also offers so many fantastic features. You can still set a reading goal and join an interactive challenges. Plus, when you add a book, you can mark whether or not you own it. One of my favorite features is half-star ratings, which Goodreads still doesn’t support.

StoryGraph also provides amazing stats, like your most-read authors and fun pie charts about your reading habits. The only downside is that its database isn’t as extensive as Goodreads’. That said, I haven’t run into a single book I couldn’t find yet!

Let me know in the comments how you track your reading! If you’re on StoryGraph, feel free to friend me—my username is BooksWithBunny. The only thing I’ll keep up with on Goodreads is their yearly Goodreads Choice Awards, purely because if I didn’t, I’d probably have major FOMO! And before you go, don’t forget to follow the blog so you’ll be notified whenever I post something new.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Holiday Books | KU Edition

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Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Four! Today, I’m sharing a post all about new holiday book releases! I could easily tell you about the many amazing traditionally published holiday books that have recently come out. Or, I could tell you about just as many that are set to be released this winter. But today, I want to focus on supporting indie authors, instead. So, here are some holiday releases I’m excited to dive into this winter—all of which are available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Let’s show our love for indie authors!


Santa’s Coming by Serena Pier
Released: October 24, 2024
This is the first book in a series of novellas, and it’s a single mom romance—definitely not something I usually read. It features an instant-connection, strangers-to-lovers holiday romance with playful banter and plenty of Santa role-playing. And yes, it’s spicy! I think this will be a quick, steamy read that I’ll absolutely love.


Pine Creek Lodge by Lynette McCornan
Released: November 10, 2024
First off, the cover of this book is stunning, which immediately caught my attention. But when I found out it’s a sapphic Christmas romance, I knew I had to add it to my TBR. The tropes include rich-meets-poor, forced proximity, and (I believe) grumpy-sunshine vibes. I can’t wait to dive into this one!


When the Fake Snow Falls by Heather Garvin
Released: November 15, 2024
I love a good old-fashioned fake dating story, and when you add winter magic into the mix, you’ve got the makings of an amazing read. In this book, Chase enlists Candace to be his fake girlfriend for the holidays. There’s witty banter, an open-door romance, and while it’s a slow burn (not my favorite), it ticks off so many of my favorite romance trope boxes that I’m sure I’ll enjoy it!


Naughty Or Nice by Sophie Snow
Released: November 19, 2024
This holiday novella was one I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of! It features some of my favorite tropes, including age gap, small-town romance, and—yes—a Santa kink. At under 200 pages, it’s quick and spicy. Oh, and the male love interest? He’s her best friend’s uncle. Could this plot get any better?

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any of these books, or if you’ve downloaded any of them to your Kindle library. There are so many more indie/KU romances I could recommend, so like this post if you want to see a part two. Don’t forget to show your support for my blog by hitting the follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My Christmas Wishlist | Holiday 2024

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
It’s Bookmas Day Three! I thought it would be fun to share my holiday wishlist. While I do have many books on my wishlist, I also have a few bookish items as well. Keep in mind, this isn’t a comprehensive list—it’s just the highest-priority items.

Also, I know this goes without saying, but I am incredibly grateful for every gift I receive and feel so blessed to get anything at all.


Shop My List
Fourth Wing Bag:
https://amzn.to/49kYKzZ
Kindle Page Turn:
https://amzn.to/3ZjkAPr
Hexed (Never After, 6) by Emily McIntire:
https://amzn.to/49nHD0b
The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars, 1) by Thea Guanzon:
https://amzn.to/4eU49Py
Forgive Me Father by Katerina St Clair:
https://amzn.to/3D5YmJf
A Pirate’s Life for Tea (Tomes & Tea, 2) by Rebecca Thorne:
https://amzn.to/4eYrEa3
Given Our History by Kristyn JJ Miller:
https://amzn.to/3Zg3ORw
Off to the Races (Gold Rush Ranch, 1) by Elsie Silver:
https://amzn.to/4f1NdGX
The Complete Briar U Series Set by Elle Kennedy:
https://amzn.to/4ijcEGU

There you have it—my holiday wishlist! I’d love to know what you’re asking for this holiday season. Do you write a Christmas list every year, or are you like me and just share your Amazon wishlist with family and friends? Let me know in the comments! Before you go, don’t forget to click the follow button so you’ll be notified whenever there’s a new Bookmas post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Happy Holidays | Bookmas 2024

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I’m excited to announce Bookmas 2024! I’ve participated in this fun blogging challenge for the past two years. So, this will be my third year of creating Bookmas content. Starting December 1st, you’ll get a new blog post from me every day for the next 24 days!

The tradition of Bookmas started on YouTube and, from what I know, was created by the BookTuber Hailey in Bookland. Over time, many bookish creators have joined in and put their own spin on it. I’d love it if you left me some post suggestions in the comments below—I always enjoy creating content my readers request!

Before you go, don’t forget to hit the follow button so you never miss a Bookmas post. You can also share this post with other book lovers and follow my Facebook page, where I post updates whenever new content is live.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Winter Essentials // Book Tag

- Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
I feel like I have done so many tags this Bookmas. But does that mean I’m going to stop? Nope. Thus, on Bookmas, day 22, I am doing another winter inspired book tag. I saw someone do the ‘Winter Essentials’ book tag on YouTube and thought I should do it as well.

Hear me out, but Holly Chase from ‘The Afterlife of Holly Chase’ by Cynthia Hand isn’t the warmest character at first. This is a young adult retelling of ‘A Christmas Carol’ and let’s just say that Holly can be a real Scrooge. But, her ending character development was fantastic.

I had to think about this for a moment, but in the end I realized that ‘Legends and Lattes’ by Travis Baldree has such unique characters. I have never read a cozy fantasy before, let alone one that follows an orc. It is a great story, with a fun cast of characters.

Honestly, I think that the March family from ‘Little Women’ is amazing. I would love to spend the holidays with them and be one of the March girls. Although, their story is quite sad in some aspects, I still think that they are a wonderful fictional family.

This is easy. ‘Flight 171’ by Amy Christina Parker is simply mind boggling. No hate to you if you enjoyed this book, but I just thought it was so weird. By the end of the book I was left shocked as to what I had read. It’s an interesting story to say the least.

Well two of my sweet bookish friends gifted me books this year. Ashley from OfFictionandFantasy sent me ‘Flawless’ by Elsie Silver and Kathlin sent me ‘Starling House’ by Alix E. Harrow. I feel so blessed to get any gifts, and it was so kind of them both to send me a gift.

The biggest book I have ever read is ‘New Moon’ by Stephanie Meyer, which is the second book in the ‘Twilight’ saga. The book has a total of 563 pages. Personally, I think that is insane, since the plot wasn’t particularly all that fast moving or compelling.

I have no idea, because I try my hardest to keep my books in great condition. But, probably one of my editions of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. Sometimes my mom will find them secondhand and gift them to me, so the condition will vary.

I recently got ‘The Bodyguard’ by Katherine Center, which has a ton of colors on it. I am very excited to read this adult romance, and the cover screams spring time.

The first book that came to mind was ‘The Accident Season’ by Moïra Fowley-Doyle. This book was trying to do too much, and it didn’t work for me. There was magic, mystery, ghosts, and romance. The plot wasn’t fleshed out enough to make the story work.

I don’t feel like I can answer this question, because I have way too many favorite characters. However, I will say that one of my favorites is Blythe Hawthorne from the ‘Belladonna’ series, by Adalyn Grace. I was a big fan of hers in the first book, but I fell even more in love with her character in book two.

I don’t reread many books every year, but one that I always reread is ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. I feel like a broken record since I have mentioned this book a lot, but it’s one of the only books that I reread every year.

Lastly, you can tag anyone to this post, so I want to tag all my fellow book lovers. You can leave your answers in the comments, or do this tag on your own bookish platform. Don’t forget to follow the blog, so that you never miss a post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny