Coffee Meets Books // Holiday Edition

Hi Friends,
Do you love coffee? And the holidays? Then you’re in luck! Starbucks holiday drinks were released on November 4th! I’m not sure if they launched worldwide, but let me know in the comments if they did. Seeing as I am a holiday, coffee, and book lover, I thought I would recommend books based on some Starbucks holiday drinks.

Peppermint Mocha
For this drink, I wanted to recommend a classic story, since peppermint is a timeless holiday flavor. The Nutcracker is a classic children’s holiday story that tells the tale of a little girl who journeys to the Land of Sweets on Christmas Eve. This story, like this drink, can be enjoyed by everyone. Peppermint is a flavor that never gets old, and neither does The Nutcracker.

Caramel Brulée Latte
This drink is sweet, without being to sugary. It made me think of a collection of holiday short stories; ‘My True Love Gave To Me’, edited by Stephanie Perkins. When we think of holiday movies and books, we instantly think of cheesy, lovey-dovey stories. However, this book contains a mix of both love and other unique stories. Just like this drink, these stories aren’t all sugar.

Toasted White Mocha
This drink reminds me of Christmas! It has a subtle sweetness, with all the flavors of the holidays. For this reason, I paired (in my opinion) the best holiday book with it. I chose ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. I believe I’ve mentioned before that this is my favorite book ever. You probably already know the plot, so I won’t even bother explaining it. But it is also the quintessential holiday story. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend it to everyone, even non-classic readers.

This post was so much fun to put together, and a bit challenging. If you have any book recommendations based on holiday drinks, or cocktails leave them in the comments. Please like, share and follow the blog for all things bookish.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // November 2021

Hi Friends,
It is tbr time again! I am very excited for this month of reading, since it is holiday themed. I wanted to keep my tbr short of sweet. I only have 4 books picked out for the month, which is plenty.


I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”
I have been wanting to read this holiday YA contemporary since 2013, so I am excited to finally get to it.


Two rival coworkers with two very big secrets.”
I don’t know much about the plot to this book, but it seems like a young adult holiday enemies-to-lovers. I am always down to read a good friends-to-lovers story.


“Let It Snow meets Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares in this new small-town Christmas romance.”
This holiday story takes place in Christmas, Oklahoma, which may or may not hit close to home for me.


“A feel-good, holiday rom-com about identical twins who swap lives twelve days before Christmas.”
I am obsessed with twin/look-a-likes swapping places stories, so a Christmas one is music to my ears.


There you have my November tbr! I know it is short, but this month I wanted to focus more on spending time with family. It is the holiday season after all. Let me know what you will be reading in the comments below?

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Beginners Guide To Thrillers & Horrors

Hi Friends,
This year, I have gotten into reading thriller books. I don’t know why I have never been interested in them before, since I am a fan of horror movies. It could be the fact that the horror/thriller genre is mainly geared more towards adult books.

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, than you know I generally only read young adult and some middle-grade books. This isn’t to say I won’t pick up an adult horror, but they aren’t my first reading choice. Still, I thought I’d share my tips for getting into this widely popular book genre. Keep in mind this is from a newbie’s perspective.

It might be tempting to read something along the lines of ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ by Alvin Schwartz, but that book might freaky you out enough to not give the genre a chance. I would suggest reading an easier thriller, since you are simply dipping your toes in this genre pool. I recommend starting with something like Fear Street: The Beginning by R.L. Stine or They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman.


‘It’ by Stephen King maybe the ultimate scary book, I mean what Stephen King novel isn’t creepy. However, many of King’s novels are huge commitments. Give yourself sometime to work up to the longer books and keep your first couple of reads short. A lot of Neil Gaiman and Gillian Flynn books are under 400 pages. Also, they aren’t going to keep you awake all night.


This tip doesn’t only apply to thriller/horror newbies in my opinion, but to all readers. Don’t just read one genre. Once you get the urge to read thrillers, you may not want to take a break from them. However, that could lead to a reading burnout. Try spacing out your thriller reads, and including other genres, too. Perhaps only reading one thriller a month might be a good idea. It is always nice to have a contemporary and fantasy book on your TBR. If you still want something in the paranormal realm (with, of course, a romance element) you could always go for the ‘Twilight’ books. Yep, I did just recommend them.

So those are my tips for a getting into this ever-growing genre. I know there aren’t a lot of tips, but I think the are main ones that are important to keep in mind. Leave any tips you might have in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and share this post! Finally, if you’d be so kind as to follow my blog as well, it really does help!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Last Minute Bookish Halloween Costumes

Hi Friends,
I know that choosing the perfect Halloween costume can be tough, and sometimes we wait until the last minute to make a decision. As a book lover, I thought it would be fun to share some bookish costumes that you can prepare at the last minute.


She is a classic book character that has a knack for solving mysteries. Her look is fairly simple to create, though you might not have all these pieces in your closet. Also, The CW’s Nancy Drew series has made the character surge in popularity.


This would be such a fun costume since you can go all out with different patterns. There are so many versions of the character, so there are a lot of ways to go about this costume. I decided to mix all the Mad Hatters from different movies to create this look. A lot of the items are easy to find, but the most important aspect is the hat, of course. What is a mad hatter without a hat?


If you are a book lover, like myself, why not go as a reader. This is certainly the most chill and easiest costume to put together. Honestly, I think that this one might be my favorite costume idea. All you have to do is wear your most comfy attire or whatever you like to read in. It is that effortless. Add some books to help complete your look. For books, I would pick horror and thriller novels since it is Halloween. The Starbucks cup is optional, but I find most readers love a good cup of coffee or tea.

Let me know if you liked these costume ideas, and tell me in the comments what you’re dressing up as this Halloween. Please like and share this post since it helps out my blog. Don’t forget to give the blog a follow as well.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

If You Like This // Halloween Edition

Hi Friends,
I wanted to do an ‘If You Like This…’ post, since I’m a fan of them myself. In this post, I recommend three spooky movies for you to watch if you’re a fan of three different (also spooky) books. I hope that made some sort of sense.

‘The Final Girls Support Group’ and ‘Final Destination’
This comparison might seem a bit odd, but it works, in a weird way. In ‘The Final Girls Support Group’ by Grady Hendrix, the last girls standing from mass murders start getting targeted once again. It seems like death has come back to get them.

Final Destination has that same aspect of death coming back around. A bunch of high school students avoid a plane crash, but soon enough they each start dying in the order they were sitting on the plane. They might not be a perfect match, but there is a similar theme between them.

‘These Witches Don’t Burn’ and ‘The Wicker Man’
I have to admit, I got some help from my husband with this one. However, I can see the comparison between the two. In ‘These Witches Don’t Burn’ by Isabel Sterling, two exes (who happen to belong to the same witch coven) come face to face with someone that is out to destroy them and their lives.

‘The Wicker Man’ follows Edward, who is drawn by his ex-fiancee to an all-female society of Neo-pagans. Unknown to Edward, he is in danger of being burned alive. These two don’t follow the same story-line, but both share a mystery element and other plot points.

‘Living Dead Girl’ and ‘The Quiet’
I think the main reason I put these two together was that they are both hard to take in. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott follows a 15-year-old girl who was kidnapped by a sexual predator at the age of ten. She refers to herself as the living dead girl, and anxiously waits for the day when her abuser finally kills her.

In ‘The Quiet’, teenage Dot is sent to live with her godparents, Paul and Olivia, after her father dies. She learns that Paul has been having a sexual relationship with his teenage daughter, Nina. Dot learns that Nina hates that her father takes advantage of her and plans to kill him. The book and movie are both psychological thrillers that have a sexual abuse theme. Also, they both chill my bones to this day.

I hope that you have somewhat understood why I paired these books and movies together. Let me know if you would like me to do more of these kinds of posts. Give this post a like and share, and please follow to show your support!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Halloween Book Tag

Hi Friends,
In honor of the spooky season, and Spooktober Day 2, I wanted to do a Halloween-inspired book tag. I found the ‘Halloween Book Tag’ which seemed like a perfect fit. There are only a few questions, but it was a good tag to get me in the Halloween mood, since it is getting closer.

1) Carving pumpkins- what book would you carve up and light on fire?
This was a hard one, since I don’t normally hate a ton of books. But one that comes to mind was There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins. I talked about this in my adaptions post, but I really didn’t care for this book. It probably isn’t my least favorite book, yet I thought it would be a good pick being that it’s a YA horror.

2) Trick or treat- what character is a treat, what character is a trick?
I like Jacob a lot from the ‘Cassidy Blake’ series. I think her would be a entertaining best friends and not just because he’s a ghost. As for the trick, I would go with Leda from ‘The Thousandth Floor’ she’s kind of a loose cannon and unpredictable.

3) Candy corn- what book is always sweet?
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West! This book make me happy. It is a lighthearted enemies-to-lovers contemporary story that was done perfectly. Kasie West is a queen when it comes to YA contemporaries. I really need to reread it soon.

4) Ghosts- what character would you love to visit you as a ghost?
I don’t want any of my favorite characters to die, but I’m going to say Bet from ‘Little Women.’ This might be a cop-out since she passes away in the book, but she’s so sweet and kind. I think she’d be excellent company even in ghost form.

5) Dressing up in costume- what character would you want to be for a day?
Probably, Bonnie McCullough from ‘The Vampire Diaries’, yep, it was a book series first. Bonnie is a psychic and witch, which is pretty awesome. Also, who doesn’t want to be around hotties like Damon and Stefan.

6) Wizards and witches- what is your favorite Harry Potter moment?
I don’t support J. K. Rowling in any shape of form, but I will go ahead and answer the question. I have only read the first two books, but my favorite moment would have to be in ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ when professor Lockhart lost his memory. That whole scene was funny.

7) Blood and gore- what book was so creepy that you had to take a break from it for awhile?
‘The Project’ by Courtney Summers. I think I mentioned before, or in my review, that this book was haunting. It isn’t a horror book by any means, but it creeped me out.

There you have the ‘Halloween Book Tag’! I tag all of my fellow book lovers to do this tag. If you do it please let me know in the comments below. Before you go share and like this post, and give the blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

3 Books // 3 Adaptions

Hi Friends,
Lately, there have been many book adaptations released. I have seen the trailers for each of them and wanted to share my thoughts. My opinion is from a readers standpoint, since I have read each of these books.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (Peacock)

This is a series coming to the streaming service of Peacock. I was very excited for this adaptation, since I was a fan of the book. However, I noticed many changes. Of course, most adaptations are modified, but something felt off about this one. There were a lot of character differences, which could turn out to be a good thing. However, throughout the book none of the main characters suspected each other. Sure, they had their doubts at times, but they stuck by one another for the most part. From the looks of the trailer, they aren’t as united. Still, I will probably be giving the first couple episodes a chance. Here’s hoping it surprises me.

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins (Netflix)

If you read my review of this book than you know I didn’t enjoy it. Although, I wanted to give the movie version the benefit of the doubt. Yet the trailer looks as dull as the book. No offense to anyone who liked the book, because I know a lot of people did. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. Netflix does a lot of book-to-movie adaptations, but sadly I haven’t cared for many of them. But I might watch the film at one point since I do love my horror movies. And, I am genuinely curious to see if the story works better as a film.

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan (Amazon Prime)

This is another series release, and after seeing the trailer I am highly disappointed in the direction of the show. I loved the original movies, because they were scary without being gruesome. But, I guess Amazon saw the attention the Gossip Girl reboot was getting, and decided to go the sexualized, glamorized route. It seems like some weird Gen-Z version of a horror series. I am not into it at all. Out of all the adaptations, this is the one I am least likely to watch.

Keep in mind that these are solely my thoughts on the adaptations. If you want to hear my opinions after watching them, please check out my Twitter. Lastly, you know the drill follow, like and share the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Lucky In Love // Book Review

Title: Lucky In Love
Author: Kasie West
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Rating:Full, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on Iconfinder

Synopsis
Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment — She wins! In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun… until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.


Nothing is better than reading a young adult contemporary with a sweet story. I had low expectations going into the book, since the plot didn’t pique my interest much. But I did enjoy my reading experience, and liked the approach the author took on the story. I haven’t read a ton of ‘lottery winning’ contemporaries, but this one has definitely made my favorites list.

The main character, Maddie, was a solid female lead, but also more than a bit naive. She and I are similar in a lot of ways, like how she wanted to share the money with the ones she loved. She didn’t want people treating her differently because of the money. Most of all, she tried to fix things that weren’t really her problems to solve.

The one thing we for sure have in common is our need to plan literally everything. Like me, Maddie was trying to plan out every detail of her life. However, I think we have both learned that not everything in life can, or even should, be planned. We are also both major worriers, which can be very stressful. But by the end of the book you could see that she was growing and changing for the better, though she didn’t have to completely alter herself to learn from this experience.

Some of the characters made questionable choices and mistakes, but the situations were handled well, and resolved easily. Maddie’s family was being held together by duct tape and glue, but (realistically) money didn’t make their problems magically disappear. It did help some, but it also caused a few problems. It’s easy to think that money can erase all your troubles, but life is filled with struggles. Sometimes, money can make things worse, which the book addressed well.

“Weird is the new cool.”

One of the most important messages to take away from the story is that money can change everything. Maddie’s life was turned upside down, and she didn’t know who to trust. Once people know that you hold the keys to a fortune, suddenly everyone wants to be your best friend.

Truthfully, not all people will be responsible with a huge amount of money. Money just burns a hole in some people’s pockets. Maddie’s older brother was extremely grateful when she shared her wealth, but he was no financial genius. As much as Maddie wanted to save him from himself, she eventually realized that he needed to clean up his own messes.

The romance was so sweet. I don’t know if I can classify it as friends-to-lovers, but it felt natural. They got to know each other prior to the lottery winning, and it didn’t change their feelings for one another. I enjoyed seeing the love interest, Seth, help Maddie break out of her bubble and try new things. There were some bumps along the way, but I liked how things turned out.

This is another Kasie West book that didn’t disappoint. If you are looking for a quick read, or something to pick up when you feel a reading slump coming on then give this one a chance.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Dazzling Heights // Book Review

Title: The Dazzling Heights (Thousandth Floor, 2)
Author: Katharine McGee
Published: 2017
Genre: YA/Sci-Fi
Rating:Full, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on Iconfinder

Synopsis
New York City, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amid high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…


*This review contains information that might be seen as spoilers.*

After reading ‘The Thousandth Floor’, I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going to go. This trilogy follows multiple perspectives, and each character is hiding something. After book one’s insane ending, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, the events that occurred in the first book weren’t a major plot point. It seemed that most of the characters were fine sweeping everything under the rug and moving on with their lives. Sure they were being blackmailed, but the fact that nobody considered going to the police didn’t sit well with me.

The plot of ‘The Thousandth Floor’ was incredible, and the characters’ story lines were engaging. This time around, they had far less depth. Avery was a favorite character of mine, but her love story went way too far. She borders on being possessive of her brother/boyfriend. Wyatt is one of my favorite characters, but I wasn’t a fan of him being paired with Leda. How was he was falling for her after everything she had done?

I did enjoy the addition of the character Calliope. She and her mother are con-artists, but you get to see the real Calliope behind the facade. Honestly, I would read a whole book just about her, and I’m genuinely curious to see where her story goes from here. Also, I liked that Avery had many sweet moments with Cord throughout the story and wish we could see that relationship develop more. What can I say, I love a good friends-to-lovers story.

The biggest problem with the plot was that the author wanted us to sympathize with a killer. I know it was an accident, but her blackmailing people and lying to the cops was her own doing. The character might have felt remorse for her actions, but didn’t want to take responsibility for them. The characters were way to quick too forgive and forget. In my book, they all have blood on their hands.

“Rich girls never left something expensive on the ground, unless they’d been the one to toss it there.”

Unlike the first book, a lot of the story was about how if you’re rich or have the right friends you can get away with anything, including murder. This time around no one seems to have any kind of moral compass. The characters are willing to commit crimes indiscriminately, provided it doesn’t ruin their lives, and that makes me dislike them all.

The story kind of let me down, which is probably why it took me forever to get through. I was hoping for more excitement, definitely more consequences. There was a cliffhanger ending, which is probably the only reason I’ll pick up the final installment. Things can only go up from here, right?

Leave your thoughts on this book in the comments below. Don’t forget to share and like this post, and show your support by following the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Bridge Of Souls // Book Review

Title: Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3)
Author: Victoria Schwab
Published: 2021
Genre: Middle-Grade/Paranormal
Rating:Full, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on IconfinderFull, star, bookmark, favorite, favourite, like, rating icon - Download on Iconfinder

Synopsis
Nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city’s biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.
Credit: GoodReads


I was sad to finish off this trilogy, but excited to see how things would end. In my opinion, the previous books were slightly different from each other, but followed a similar format. The first book was spooky and interesting. While the second book was gripping, it was quite sad as well. I was curious to see where this book would fall.

For me, the story was a bit underwhelming. As the reader, you could tell that the author was trying hard to make the story spine-chilling and exhilarating, but something about it didn’t work. I wasn’t as invested in the plot, and characters like with the other books. In this book, we aren’t following a ghost mystery, but being chased by a soul eater. Personally, I missed the simple story of helping a ghost move on.

One of my major issues with the book was Cassidy’s personality. In the earlier books I had nothing against her, but this time around she thoroughly annoyed me. It is possible that I was more critical this time around, with it being the final book. But she acted reckless and immature throughout the book. She wouldn’t listen to anyone putting others lives in danger.

“Once, I stole from Death. I’m ready to do it again.”

I was glad to see that Lara was back, since she is my favorite character. Not only do I love her accent, but her intellect as well. As always, Jacob is a treat and adds the much needed comic relief. I did feel as if we didn’t see many of the side characters in this book. Cassidy and Jacob were alone a lot of the story until Lara joined them. I could be wrong, but I remember Cassidy’s parents being more prominent in the other books.

One thing’s for sure Schwab had a way of bringing each city to life. This time around we are in New Orleans, yet the author didn’t utilities the city as she did with Scotland and Paris. The only thing that was talked about was New Orleans cuisine.

Don’t get me wrong, the book wasn’t all bad. I do enjoy Schwab’s writing and storytelling. However, the energy in the story was off, and it didn’t read like the first and second book. The ending to the series was satisfying, but there was something missing in the plot.

These are good middle-grade ghost stories that I can see fans of Neil Gaiman enjoying. The author left the series somewhat open-ended, so she might revisit these characters in the future. If you asked me to name my favorite book out of all three, I’d pick ‘Tunnel of Bones.’

Let me know if you have read the Cassidy Blake trilogy. Did you like the final book? Please like and share this review. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny