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The Babysitter’s Coven // Book Review

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About The Book
Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AJbksb

My Rating

 

I found this book to be very entertaining. It is totally ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ meets ‘The Babysitter’s Club’. The main character is Esme, who has a single dad, and runs a babysitting business with her best friend.

However, she soon discovers that she, along with the new girl, Cassandra, are basically superheroes. Complete with magic powers and everything. It gave me such ‘Secret Circle’ and ‘The Craft’ vibes.

As a main character Esme was smart and had good instincts. She’s the Buffy of the story, which I guess makes Cassandra the Faith. It did annoy me that Esme swooned over Cassandra’s brother because he was hot and cool. However, Esme’s best friend was great, and was truly her ride or die.

“I’m too far down the rabbit hole to turn back now. This night is too insane to ever be scary.”

The writing was great, and the story kept me interested. There were some funny moments throughout the story and I’d compare it to ‘Undead Girl Gang’ by Lily Anderson. And, seeing as I enjoyed that book, it’s no surprise that I was a fan of this one as well.

The last half of the book was crazy and super good. I loved all the twist and turns. It really focused on how jealousy and grief are powerful motivators. They can make you blind to evil actions.

Overall, I will likely be picking up the sequel. However, the ending was a little cheesy and I didn’t 100% love the last chapter, which is why it isn’t a five star. But, if you’re looking for a funny Buffy-esque book, then I’d for sure give this a read. Still, be aware that this is a YA book, and it does read like one.

In the comments, let me know if you plan on starting this series. As always, like and share this post. Also, you can follow the blog for more posts like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Part Of Your World // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment


About The Book
It’s been five years since the infamous sea witch defeated the little mermaid… and took King Triton’s life in the process. Ariel is now the voiceless queen of Atlantica, while Ursula runs Prince Eric’s kingdom on land. But when Ariel discovers that her father might still be alive, she finds herself returning to a world–and a prince–she never imagined she would see again.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42ddbBn

My Rating

This Twisted Tales book takes the story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ and flips it upside down. We find out that Ariel didn’t defeat Ursula, and is now living under the sea as a mermaid once again, and the ruler of Atlantica. And, she still has no voice.

Ursula, still pretending to be Vanessa, has married Eric and is using Ariel’s voice. Also, she has King Trident as her prisoner. Although, she has no magic on land she has managed to make everyone forget about Ariel and her being an evil sea witch.

I didn’t really care for this story one bit. The characters didn’t match their original personalities, except maybe Ursula. True, it is mentioned many times that as queen, Ariel has had to grow up, and has changed a lot. And, admittedly, Eric didn’t really have much of a personality in the Disney film.

“There is always magic. Even if you can’t see it.”

Yet, the story just fell flat for me. Everything happened super fast from them realizing Trident was still alive to Ariel getting her voice back. Also, Erica was supposedly so “in love” with Vanessa that he married her but still didn’t really like her. And, he never truly forgot Ariel.

I really struggled to get through this book, but I thought to myself that if I pushed through reading ‘Unbirthday’ (another Twisted Tale book) I can make it through this one. Not so sure if that’s a good reason to finish a book, but it worked for me.

Overall, the writing was good, and I do like seeing these classic Disney stores retold. But, I still wouldn’t recommend this book to other Twisted Tales fans.

In the comments, let me know if you enjoyed this ‘Little Mermaid’ retelling. Don’t forget to like this post, and follow my blog for more book reviews.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

If He Had Been With Me // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


About The Book
An achingly authentic and raw portrait of love, regret, and the life-altering impact of the relationships we hold closest to us, this YA romance bestseller is perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Jenny Han, and You’ve Reached Sam.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3LpL6Rs

My Rating

 

This book has been blowing up on Booktok, which is half the reason I wanted to read it. The other reason is that I heard it was a heartbreaking YA contemporary, and I have been in the mood for a story like ‘Five Feet Apart’.

The story follows Autumn as she details her high school experience and complicated relationship with long time friend Finn. The book is completely character driven. We get to learn a lot about Autumn her inner thoughts and feelings.

The writing was really good, and I was generally interested in the story. However, I can see how a lot of the characters and situations are very immature. I understand that they are teenagers, and generally teenagers aren’t the most mature people. I know that I certainly wasn’t mature at sixteen.

However, the immaturity did hinder my enjoyment of the story. I wanted to shake Autumn for her ignorance and desperation. And, even when she makes big realizations, she still doesn’t do anything about them. A lot of things could have been a avoided if she was just open and honest with people. It was frustrating, to say the least.

“I love him in a way I cannot define, as if my love were an organ within my body that I could not live without yet could not pick out of an anatomy book.”

There are mentions of depression throughout the story and how it has affects people. Also, it touches on toxic relationships. Honestly, I appreciated how it showed a different side to a toxic relationships. Not all of them need to have an element of abuse to still be considered toxic.

Sex, and the pressure to have sex, is a big topic in the book. There is even mention of teen pregnancy. I’m sure sex is a topic that is on a lot of teenagers minds, but in YA novels the main protagonist is always the one to want to wait. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but remember wanting, or having, sex in high school doesn’t make you a slut.

A lot of the plot was predictable and it felt like I was reading Autumn’s diary. Everything that happens seems very relatable, but not in a teen movie way. I’m sure that a lot of teenagers could really relate to the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but wasn’t wowed by it. Autumn wasn’t my favorite main character, but I did like the story as a whole. The ending did make me sad in a heartbreaking kind of way. It was kind of depressing, and I’m not sure if the book lives up to the hype. I guess it doesn’t truly depict how intense young love can be.

In the comments, let me know if you think this book deserves all the attention it has been getting. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Choices: To The Hills And Back Again // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment


About The Book
From the star of MTV’s The Hills and The Hills: New Beginnings, a candid and insightful reflection on aughts tabloid fame, the powerlessness and loss of self in toxic situations, and the life-changing power of even our smallest choices.
Buy The Book: https://a.co/d/i4YlCgJ

My Rating

I’m a die hard Laguna Beach and The Hills fan, so when I heard Audrina was releasing a “tell-all” book, I knew I had to read it. She offers an inside look at being a reality TV star, her strained friendship with Lauren Conrad and ex Justin Bobby.

The one thing I try to keep in mind when reading memoir type books is that this one person’s experiences. In the book, she describes what it was like becoming a celebrity at just 19 years old. However, I felt as though she complained about her experience while still talking about how great it was to be a celebrity.

Although, I understand that some things can be bittersweet and that’s what it seems like being in The Hills was for her. She liked all the opportunities she was given, but not being on camera 24/7. And, she even mentioned how the producers would edit a lot of scenes and try to create drama.

She describes how she felt like she was playing a character. There was her true self and then there was Audrina from The Hills. I can understand that sometimes it’s easier to just give in and play the part.

There was a complete chapter on her relationship with Justin. I think she handled that topic very well, and didn’t throw a ton of shade at him. She mentioned how he changed a bit throughout filming the show, and fame can really do that to a person. She even mentioned where their relationship stands today.

One thing that was interesting was how she described Lauren Conrad, in the book. Audrina seemed a bit salty towards her. She stated that Lauren was a controlling friend, almost bordering on “Mean Girls” territory. She talk about how they aren’t friends anymore, but friendly to each other. Yet, she also threw shade at Stephanie Pratt as well, calling her a drama seeker and untrustworthy.

“I believe that if you don’t learn your lesson, you’re going to keep circling back to it until you do, going through versions of the same events with different people until you can finally open your eyes to what to do differently.”

However, she has mostly nice things to say about Heidi Pratt and Kristin Cavallari. So, it begs the question if her opinions are skewed towards who her friends are. Remember, there are two sides to every story.

Audrina did touch on her toxic relationship with ex-husband Corey Bohan. From the moment she detailed their relationship you could tell the red flags. But, even she herself admits that she tried to ignore his jealousy and anger. She also talks about being in therapy to help her understand why she accepted the abuse and stayed in the relationship.

The majority of the book was about her time with Corey and all the trauma she went through. I can see how it must have been a form of closure for her to tell her truth. It isn’t easy to share intimate details of one’s private life, even more so the darker parts.

I throughly enjoyed hearing about her experiences and how she’s still working through things. She didn’t play the victim, but instead shared what was going on in her mind at the time. And, she never made excuses for Corey’s bad behavior towards her, or his lack of parenting of their daughter.

Overall, it’s so hard to rate memoirs since they’re so personal. This was an okay read and it made me remember her short lived reality show ‘Audrina’. I can’t believe I watched that. Although, this book would be great for anyone that has gone through or is in a toxic relationship. It was, at it’s core, a letter from Audrina to her daughter Keira, which I found to be incredibly sweet.

In the comments, let me know if you were a bigger fan of ‘Laguna Beach’ or ‘The Hills’. I’m going to say that Laguna will always have my heart, but ‘The Hills’ was where the drama was at.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Coraline // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


About The Book
When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.But there’s another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AiAgGx

My Rating

I am a big fan of the Coraline animated film adaptation. It has become a staple October movie for me. I had read the book years ago, but wanted to give it a reread. And, I can say that I will probably reread it every October from now on.

The book was very fast paced, and I loved the setting. It is told in second person, but honestly I don’t really care how a book is told. First person, second person or even third person it is all the same to me.

The story follows Coraline, who moves into a new apartment building with her parents. The parents in this book are kind of neglectful, but by the end of the book, Coraline learns to appreciate her family.

“You’re going to stay here for ever and always.”

I enjoyed the character of Coraline, because I found her to be smart for her age, and not immature. However, she was a bit judgmental at times, but I chalked that up to her still being a kid. Also, who doesn’t love a sarcastic talking cat?

Overall, I liked the book equally as much as the film adaptation. The story was simple, but spooky. The writing made the plot come to life and I had a good time reading it.

In the comments, let me know your thoughts on the book. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow before you go!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Accident Season // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment


About The Book
For fans of We Were Liars and The Ocean at the End of the Lane comes a haunting magically realistic debut about a family caught between a violent history, a taboo romance, and the mysteries lurking in their own backyard.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ZQ6pjq

My Rating

From the very beginning, I could tell that the plot was going to be interesting. It had my full attention in the first chapter, and I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going to go. In the book, we follow a family that is pledged with the ‘accident season’ which turns accidents into tragedies.

Our main character is seventeen-year-old Cara. She’s close to her older sister, and ex-stepbrother, who still lives with her family. She also happens to have a bestie that is very into tarot cards and magic. Although, most of the characters were decent, I didn’t really feel connected to them.

As the book went on, I noticed the writing slowing down a lot. The plot became very strange, because it got very off message. A lot. For me, there was just too much going on, and minimum of three different plots to follow.

There was a Halloween party scene and a forgotten girl. There were a lot of metaphors throughout the story that made it very confusing to follow. But, that’s not to say the story was entirely bad.

“Accidents happen. Our bones shatter, our skin splits, our hearts break. We burn, we drown, we stay alive.”

Be aware that this story features many taboo subjects. One being the fact that underage drinking was approved by Cara’s mom. For me that’s was a little extreme. There was also underage smoking and a seriously abusive relationship.

For me the toxic relationship aspect was handled very well, but I can see how it could be triggering to some readers. As well as the sexual abuse aspect in the book. And don’t even get me started on the sort of weird incest relationship that developed as the story progressed.

I felt that the plot’s main focus was to show that once you deal with what’s haunting you, it has less power over your life. Also, are accidents simply accidents? Or is there something’s more magical behind them?

Overall, the book wasn’t horrible, and it was a fairly quick read. If you’re looking for a witchy story with a lot of heavy topics, and don’t mind a plot that jumps around a lot, then I’d give this book a read. I just felt the story wasn’t my cup of tea.

Make sure to look at the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up. In the comments, tell me your favorite witchy book. If you want to make my day, please give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

12 to 22 // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


About The Book
A smart and funny modern day 13 Going on 30 from New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita! A tween girl finds out it is like to be 22 when she jumps in time with the help of a mysterious TikTok filter.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3JXcm9s

My Rating

This book had me at its synopsis. It is essentially a ‘13 Going On 30’ retelling, but in book form. My inner 12 year old was doing a happy dance. One fun little fact about me is that I use to be a lover of all romantic comedies, and anything starring Jennifer Garner.

In the book, we follow tween Harper, who is dying to be a social media star and loves Taylor Swift. Harper as a character reflected a tween growing up in a society where being an influencer is all the rage. And everyone is online. I’m very glad that I wasn’t as obsessive about fitting in as Harper was throughout the majority of the story.

Harper wants to grow up so fast, which I can relate to, because I’m pretty sure all of us wanted to skip to adulthood at 12 years old. However, Harper was not ready to grow up at all, and was a bit immature, which was partly the reason her parents didn’t take her seriously.

There were also some interesting side characters in the story, like Harper’s young sister’s future self, her best friend and her other best friend/crush. And, of course we have the mean queen bee, Lucy Wyman. But are popular, clique girls even a thing anymore?

“I’d love to get more followers. I barely have a thousand.”

I found the story to be very enjoyable and fast-paced. The writing was fun and light. Although I would classify its genre somewhere between middle grade and young adult, the writing didn’t feel too immature. One of the great things is that I got all of those ‘13 Going On 30’ vibes that I was so desperately hoping for.

The only con I have is that I’m not a fan of characters with the desire to fit in and be like everyone else. Also, characters that can’t speak up for themselves drive me crazy as well. I like me some confident, badass bitches in books. But, that might just be a me thing and not really a problem with the book.

Overall, Harper had good characters development and the ending was cute. The book shows that you can’t run away from your problems, but have to face them head on. Also, it made me realize that I’d never want to go back to being 12 years old again. I’m happy to have moved out of my tweens and teens.

In the comments, let me know what age you’d go back to if you could. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow to get notified whenever there’s a new post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Message Not Found // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment


About The Book
An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project. This compelling puzzle of a story, filled with engrossing twists and turns, is written in alternating prose and text message formats. Teens will gobble up this fast-paced page-turner.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TrFEQH

My Rating

I’m not exactly sure how I feel about this book. The plot follows Bailey as she tries to cope with her best friend’s death. Bailey uses a program that lets her send messages to Vanessa’s phone and receive response that mimic ones Vanessa would send.

Throughout the book, we get insights to their relationship, and the accident that took Vanessa’s life. Grief, and letting go, is a very prominent theme in the book. However, I think it was done well. It showcases how, when someone you love passes away, you try everything to keep them alive.

Bailey does struggle with feeling guilty, and wonders if she could have done something to stop the accident. This is an issue that is touched on in a lot of YA books that deal with loss. Also, the story mentions how people only care about people once they’re gone. It’s not genuine grief.

“How devastating it is to miss her and hate her with the same breath.”

Throughout the story, we see that people aren’t perfect, and do make mistakes they can’t take back. Vanessa made some mistakes, and by the end of the book, I wasn’t sure if she would have been redeemable if she had lived. However, I liked the message that even if someone hurts you, you can still love them.

There is a romance that develops between Bailey and Vanessa’s boyfriend, which might seem weird, but in grief you connect with others that are grieving as well.Their relationship formed naturally, and didn’t seem like they were together just because of their shared grief.

Overall, I liked the way Bailey handled her grief. The story was a sad, but still a good read. So, if you are looking for a book that deals with loss, you should pick this one up!

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book. I would love to know your thoughts on it. Feel free to support my blog by giving it a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Took: A Ghost Story // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment


About The Book
Daniel doesn’t believe the woods behind his new home are haunted by an evil witch and her terrifying beast. But then his little sister disappears and it’s up to him to find her. This chilling graphic-novel version of Mary Downing Hahn’s popular page-turner will thrill readers who love spooky stories.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3LsAVvY

My Rating

This is a middle grade graphic novel/ghost story, of sorts. It focuses on 13 year old Daniel, who moves with his family to a new town, into a house near the woods. There are rumors that kids are taken by an evil witch, and her man eating razorback hog. One day, Daniel’s sister, Erica, goes missing, and the prime suspect is the old witch.

The plot was very slow moving. I don’t know if that was a plot problem or a writing one, but I just wasn’t as interested in the plot as I would have hoped. I thought this was going to be a spooky ghost story, like the Goosebumps series.

However, the novel was pretty creepy. The witch was very evil, so I’d say it is a good October time read. And, the artwork was really beautiful, and brought the story to life. Honestly, the artwork made the story a lot more enjoyable.

The characters in the book were fairly basic. Daniel and Erica were simple, ordinary kids. Also, their parents were fairly unlikable. I found them to be cold, and not loving to their kids.

“People were so fragile, so easily broken, so hard to put back together.”

The biggest issues I had with the story was the mature content. I believe that the book is intended for tweens, but I wouldn’t recommend it for them. There is a lot of focus on child abuse, and some intense seems about it.

Now it’s not a super horrifying abuse story, but it isn’t something I’d say is appropriate for middle schoolers. The abuse aspect made the story less spooky and more sad, which was just weird.

Overall, I don’t think it is a successful “ghost story”. It felt like a middle grade graphic novel that wanted to pull in more mature readers. But, for me child abuse is a bit of a trigger.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book, and don’t forget to follow my blog for more book reviews.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Five Survive // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


About The Book
Red and her friends are on a road trip. When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ZN2zI9

My Rating

Honestly, I had such high hopes for this book after reading the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy (even though I wasn’t a fan of the last book). But, I thought this would be a fast-paced thriller. However, I didn’t find it to be engaging. I’d even say it was a bit boring.

I didn’t like any of the characters, and I hate when authors try to make us feel sympathy for the main character. I kept hoping that the plot would pick up, but I was sadly disappointed.

It didn’t feel like a mystery/thriller at all. I wasn’t excited to pick it up, but I’m not disappointed that I finished it. Although, I would have been better off DNFing it.

I didn’t like being in the main character’s mind at all. She was such a plain, boring, and depressing character. And, I wondered why any of the characters were even friends. I personally wouldn’t have been friends with any of them. Especially Oliver, whom I despised.

“This is turning into Lord of the Fucking Flies. We’re going to end up killing each other, forget about the sniper.”

There were a few twists in the book. Some I saw coming, and others I didn’t. But, the twists weren’t enough to make up for the slow and uninteresting plot. In my opinion, there has to be more to a story than a few good twists.

The book reminded me a lot of ‘The Woods Are Always Watching’ by Stephanie Perkins, which I did DNF. Truthfully, I finished for the author. But sadly, the writing just wasn’t on the same level as her previous trilogy.

I did hear that the author wrote this book in somewhere between 6-8 weeks, and it shows. Perhaps if it wasn’t so rushed and she took more time, the book would have been more developed. However, I’m not sure if more time would have help make the plot more interesting, or the characters more likable.

Overall, if you are looking for an interesting mystery/thriller, look somewhere else. Better yet, just pick up Holly Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ books, because they better showcase the authors talent.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

In the comments, please tell me I’m not alone in my distaste for this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and hit the follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny