2022 Anticipated Book Releases // July – December

- Bunny 9 Comments

Hi Friends,
Back in December of 2021, I posted my most anticipated releases from January to June of 2022. Now, I will be sharing my most anticipated book releases from July to December of 2022. As usual, I am not going to mention all the books that I am excited for (since that will make this post very long). With that in mind, I am only mentioning the books that I am the most excited for.


Frightmares by Eva V. Gibson (July 5th)
“In a Florida tourist trap, a summer acting job turns into a real-life horror show when a cast member turns up dead—then disappears. This nail-biting story is perfect for fans of Fear Street!”

A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy (A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy #1) by Jeff Bishop (July 12th)
“You’ve Reached Sam meets John Hughes in a funny and heartfelt debut about a boy’s delirious summertime quest with his ex-girlfriend.”

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw (Aug. 2nd)
In my Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag that I cannot wait for this book to be released. I don’t think there has ever been a ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ retelling, so this is going to be great. I have such high hopes for this book, which makes me a bit nervous.

12 To 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future! by Jen Calonita (Aug. 16th)
“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.”

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus (Aug. 30th)
“Four years ago someone got away with murder. The most terrifying part is that they never left.”

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (Sept. 13th)
“Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one wish, Myrthe would pay with her life. And if she tells them about the curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.”

Mere Mortals by Erin Jade Lange (Sept. 27th)
“This hilarious, fresh take on a classic vampire tale follows a pair of hundred-year-old teenage vampires who are turned mortal and must face the greatest nightmare of all—high school.”

Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne (Oct. 4th)
“Seaview High’s homecoming queen is dead . . . and she’s not the first. From the critically acclaimed author of The Ivies comes a nonstop thriller about a decades-old mystery, a copycat killing, and the teen who won’t stop until she discovers the truth.”

The Art of Insanity by Christine Webb (Oct. 11th)
“Written from experience, this contemporary YA is a heartfelt and candid exploration into the shame surrounding mental illness and offers an uplifting narrative where the protagonist doesn’t die at the end.”

Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez (Nov. 1st)
“Twisted secrets that will have readers guessing with every flip of the page. Perfect for fans of GONE GIRL, WE WERE LIARS and Karen M. McManus. An end-of-summer party. A prank gone wrong. A body on the beach. Who’s to blame?”

Whiteout by Various Authors (Nov. 8th)
“Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!”

Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield (Dec. 6th)
“On the reality show It’s Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?”

So, This Is Love (So, This Is Christmas #2) by Tracy Andreen (Dec. 20th)
“In the sequel to Tracy Andreen’s debut romantic comedy So, This Is Christmas, we follow Finley and Arthur back to Barrington Academy for a swoony semester.”

I always get overwhelmed talking about new book releases, since my TBR is already over 500 books! Reader problems, am I right? What are some new releases are you looking forward to? Don’t forget to follow my blog to get notified whenever I post. I am sure to be doing book reviews on at least some of these books.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Cover Fashion: Taylor Jenkins Reid // Toss-Up Tuesday

- Bunny 3 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today is going to be another “fashion inspired by books” post, which are always fun to create. I have never read any of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books, but I know they are widely popular. However, when I thought of doing a book cover fashion post, her books were the first that came to mind. I chose three of her most popular books, and created outfits inspired by each cover. I personally think these looks match these book covers perfectly.

Let me know your thoughts on these looks in the comments. Also, tell me which one is your favorite! If you like these types of posts, please like and share. And don’t forget to hit the follow button before you leave, so you can get notifications for new posts!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Holiday Swap // Book Review

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Synopsis
“A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas–perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December.”

Mark my words – this will be a Hallmark Christmas movie one day. I have seen many Hallmark, movies and this book follows the exact same format. Small town, unexpected romance, and the rest is history. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way complaining about the predictable plot. In fact, I found the book quiet enjoyable.

In the book, we follow two twin sisters – workaholic Charlie, and shy Cas. The sisters decide to trade places after an accident leaves Charlie unable to do her job as a food competition judge. I found the sisters to be likable, but I don’t think there was enough character development. Honestly, we learned more about Cas than Charlie, but still not enough to get super attached to the character.

As I mentioned, Charlie is a host and judge on a Food Network type competition show. She is competing as well – against her co-host, for a permanent position on the Network. There is talk about being a female in the TV food industry, and how we females aren’t taken seriously. Sometimes we are excepted to stand still and look pretty. I found this subject matter a nice addition to the book, but the competition itself didn’t play a big plot in the story.

Upon switching with Cas, Charlie must return home to her family bakery in her quaint mountain hometown. Why does it’s always have to be a small town? And, a bakery or bookshop. Anyways, I found that Charlie didn’t take her position as Cas very serious. While on the other hand Cas was doing everything she could to help Charlie keep her job.

As for the romance aspect, the love interests were very obvious. You could tell from early on how the romances were going to play out. There was some instant love at play, which I don’t generally care for, but that is typical in a Hallmark movie type of story. Both the love interests were nice characters, but I found myself liking Charlie’s love interest, Jake, more.

“Time heals all things. If time fails, try cake.”

The sisters kept wondering if the guys liked them for them or the role they were playing. They would go back and forth on whether or not to come clean, which was slightly annoying. It’s not like the guys could blow up their plan. Honestly, the switch idea as a whole was a bit immature. However, I found lying to someone while also getting close to them to be even more immature.

By the end of the book, you could see that Cas and Charlie had grown as people. Although, I do think the author put more thought into Cas’ character growth. Still, the twins ended up forming a strong sister bond that wasn’t really there before. Most of all, the story shows that it is never too late to change your life in a way that makes you truly happy.

Overall, I found the book to be a cute and cliché read, which is usually how I feel about any TV romance movie. This book is certainly not for everyone, because there really isn’t much depth to the story. You jump right into the plot and you can basically figure out how the book is going to play out right way.

Yet, I enjoyed not only the storyline, but the easy writing style as well. My only major con is that the book isn’t very Christmasey. You’d think a holiday book would have thrown in a little more of the holidays. Give me Christmas overload! Nevertheless, I did loved that there was a time jump epilogue. In the comments, let me know your thoughts on this book. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // Memeathon 2022

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
This is my July TBR, but more so my Memeathon TBR. If you missed my announcement post, then you wouldn’t know that I have created my own readathon! The readathon is a month long, and all the prompts are meme related.

Read All The Books!: Read The Next Book In A Series

Shut Up & Take My Money: Read The Last Book You Purchased

Wednesday Frog: Read A Book Containing And Over Used Trope (I Picked Enemies-To-Lovers)

Socially Awkward Penguin: Read An Overrated Book

Socially Awesome Penguin: Read An Underrated Book

Distracted Boyfriend: Finish A Book You DNFed

Success Kid: Read A 5 Star Prediction

Guess I’ll Die: Read A Murder Mystery or Thriller

Those are the books I’m planning to read during for this readathon, but I might not get to them all. However, I want to mention that this is a super chill readathon, which I hope takes some of the pressure off. Please comment below your TBR, and share this post with others. Also, stay up to date on when I post by hitting that follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

All Of Us Villains // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

Synopsis
“The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick. You fell in love with the victors of The Hunger Games. Now, prepare to meet the villains of the Blood Veil.”

When I read the synopsis, I assumed that I would be getting a ‘Hunger Games’ type of story. And, while there are similarities to ‘The Hunger Games’, the books differ dramatically when it comes to the main storyline. This book is all about magic and there was a lot of focus on world building. The authors went in-depth to explain the magic system, but I was still confused by the magic aspect.

In this book, we follow 4 characters: Briony, Alastair, Isobel, and Gavin. The characters are the chosen ones amongst their families to participate in this magical fight to the death. Honestly, I think the battle must be done because of some sort of curse. However, I don’t think the whole history behind this competition was explained well enough.

The main four are from different classes in society, and each have their reasons to win the battle. Obviously, they don’t want to die, but they also want to make their families proud. But I found their families to be rather cold and heartless. Alastair’s family is very well known in the magic world, and he has a lot of pressure to live up to his families reputation. He was my favorite character of all, and I found myself sympathizing with him.

Isobel was forced into the battle. You could tell that her family only cared if she won, despite knowing that she might end up dying. She was the typical ‘pretty girl’, which I didn’t care for. I could tell that she and Alastair were going to be romantically linked, but I found their relationship boring, and it didn’t add anything to the story. It would have been more interesting if they developed a brother/sister type of bond instead.

“What is happily ever after to the child is a nightmare to the monster.”

Briony’s character was strong and smart. I could compare her to Katniss in some ways. She was, to me, the most likeable of the characters. She did make some bad decisions, but was honored to be a part of the competition. You get to see her grow throughout the book, and a lot of her opinions changed. I think that she got a bad rap from the other characters, because of her past actions.

As for Gavin, I wanted to like him, but he was very whiny. He blamed Alastair for all his problems. He was cold and ruthless, which is what he accused other of being. I didn’t find his chapters to be all that interesting. Each of the characters made decisions that had dire consequences, and there was a lot of manipulation going on.

There weren’t many side characters, since the authors wanted to focus on those core four. I think there is a lot of things happening in the story, and because of that, they chose not to have any more characters that were developed in depth. Especially since the plot was heavily character driven.

One of the things the book lacked was action. We spent a good 60% of the book waiting for the competition to start. It left me bored and struggling to get through it. When the main plot is the magical battle, I want it not to take most of the book for it to start. I do, however, understand that we needed to get each character’s backstory in order to establish some sort of connection with them.

The ending mainly left me confused. I am completely unsure of what actually unfolded. Even going back and rereading the last chapter didn’t clear things up for me. Maybe this book went over my head, or there were just too many elements at play. For me, young adult fantasy is always a hit or miss type of genre.

Overall, this book isn’t something that I would read again. And, maybe should have DNF’ed it at the halfway mark. This is a duology, but I am unsure if I will be picking up the second book.

In the comments, leave me your YA fantasy book recommendations. The audiobook for this book is available on Everand, and you can get a free trial of the service by using my link (click here). Don’t forget to follow my blog for more of my book reviews!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2022 Mid-Year Book Freakout // Book Tag

- Bunny 3 Comments

Hi Friends,
It is once again time for the “Mid-Year Book Freakout” Tag! If you don’t know what this tag is all about, you can check out my ‘Book Freakout‘ tag post from last year. This year I also did the new “The Quarter Year Crisis” book tag that you should read as well. This tag should give you a little insight to how my reading year is going thus far.


100% ‘The Night Shift’ by Alex Finlay. So far this year I haven’t had a lot of 5 stars reads, so this book has continued to hold the spot as the best book that I read in 2022.


I have only finished one book series this year, which is the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. I won’t get into my thoughts on the final book in the series, but the second book, ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’, was really good. It was a solid second book, and was an enjoyable read.


Probably ‘Hide’ by Kiersten White! However, I have heard only negative things about the book since its release. Still, I am hoping to pick it up , but I am in no rush to read it.


I have so many anticipated releases coming out! But I am really excited for ‘Long Live the Pumpkin Queen‘ by Shea Ernshaw to be released. The book follows Sally from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, which sounds amazing. Also, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is special to me since me and my husband dressed up in Jack and Sally for our 2020 wedding on Halloween. Our wedding rings are even inspired by the movie!


I hate to say it, but that would be ‘As Good As Dead’ by Holly Jackson. That, and the third and final book in the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. Let’s just move on.


I am going to go with ‘Radio Silence’ by Alice Oseman. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I ended up enjoying it a lot! It had an interesting plot, and an honest portrayal of mental health struggles.


Emily Henry! I haven’t finished ‘Book Lovers’ yet, but right from the start I was in love. This storyline is great, the dialogue is great, and the writing style is, well, great!


Honestly, I can’t think of anyone that I have swooned over lately. Sure there are characters that I find adorable, but no new fictional crushes as of yet.


Ivy from ‘You’ll Be The Death Of Me’ by Karen M. McManus. She reminds me a little of myself, since she is type A and an overachiever. Also, she is petty which is something I use to be as a kid. Let me tell you there’s this one grudge I still hold until this day, just kidding. Kind of.


This year, I have read two books that made me sob. The first being ‘The Night Shift’, and the second was ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’. If you have read either of these books, then you might know why they gutted me.


Bunnicula! My husband desperately wanted me to read this collection, because he calls me Bunny (and sometimes Bunnicula). Reading this silly and cute book made me so happy!


‘Omens Bite‘ by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, which is the second book in the ‘Sisters Of Salem’ series. Do I own the first book? No. Was this a cover buy? Yes.


I don’t have any required reading to get done by the years end, but still, I would love to read ‘Darling Girl’ by Liz Michalski before 2022 is over. I don’t know why this book intrigues me so much, but the idea of a dark/adult retelling of ‘Peter Pan’ sounds so interesting.

This tag is always so much fun, so if you have done it, please let me know in the comments. Or, just feel free to tell me how your reading as been going. Have you met your reading goal? Don’t forget to follow my blog for all things bookish and more!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Over 30 // Book Tag

- Bunny 3 Comments

Hi Friends,
It’s my birthday, and I’ll cry if I want to? Wait, that doesn’t sound right. Feelin’ like I’m 22? I wish! Actually, I am “Thirty, Flirty and Thriving!” In honor of my 30th birthday, I thought that I would do the ‘Over 30 Book Tag’. Enjoy!


In the comments, I would love your birthday wishes. Also, I did a whole post on my birthday book wishlist, or you can check out my Amazon wishlist to see what books I would like to add to my bookshelves. As a birthday gift to me, please follow my blog!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Lucky List // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

SynopsisEmily’s always been lucky. Well, technically her mum was the lucky one, and since she died, Emily’s started to feel like her luck’s run out. So when Emily finds her mum’s senior-year bucket list, she finds twelve ways to feel close to her again. But if she wants to check everything off, she’ll need help – help in the form of Blake. As Blake and Emily work through the list, the girls’ bond deepens. Emily is starting to feel lucky again, but she’s faced with the question: can she accept this new part of herself, the part her mum never even knew existed?

This isn’t a story that captured me right from the start, but I could tell that it would only get better. The main character, Emily, is going through a lot. She’s still coping with the passing of her mother., and trying to understand her feelings about grief, while trying to fix a mistake she made because of that grief.

Emily embarks on this journey to complete this list she found in her mother’s stuff. The author made a story about grief, into a story about self discovery. It made the subject not quite so heavy, but without glossing over the struggles of losing someone.

In the book, Emily starts bonding with the new girl, Blake. As they get closer, their feelings for each being to grow. The female/female romance was simple and sweet. Their relationship developed organically, and wasn’t rushed. Blake never pressured Emily into anything, and only wanted her to be happy.

Self love was a big part of the story, as quite a few of Emily’s decisions were based on what she thought her mother wanted for her. But the bucket list, of sorts, really did help her realize that sometimes you have to let heart take charge.

There was some focus on how we all grieve differently, but I wasn’t too found of the aspect. Emily’s dad was quick to “erase” his wife from their lives and move on. However, it was explained,that to him, her memory is what was more important. Her clothes and other things were just a reminder of what was lost.

“We’re all lucky,not because every thing works out, but we get to wake up in the morning and take chances and make mistakes and keep trying not to.”

I understand and respect the writer’s decisions to add that with in the story, but it made me angry all the same. However, it is true that once you are gone, you don’t leave things behind. Just people. As long as they don’t forget you, then you will always be with them.

Nevertheless, the story was well done, but slow at parts. I was hoping for more from it, which left me a bit disappointed. As for the the writing style, it was reminiscent of Sarah Dessen, who isn’t necessarily a writer I enjoy reading. I liked the way this story played out, so the writing didn’t bother me that much.

Overall, the plot was wrapped up with a nice little bow, and even with the topic of grief, there wasn’t too many heartbreaking moments. I would, of course, still recommend you go into the book knowing that loss is a major plot point of the story. Most of the book centers around the aftermath of losing a loved one.

In the comments, give me your thoughts on the book. Or, let me know if you have it on your TBR. As always, follow my blog, because it really brightens my day!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Kiki’s Delivery Service // Book Review

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SynopsisThis is a charming and delightful tale that is reminiscent of children’s favorites The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy and Astrid Lindgren’s Adventures of Pippi Longstocking. Black and white line drawings sprinkled throughout reveal the humor and warmth in everything Kiki does.

I am not a big anime lover, but I have heard of the ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service‘ story before. When I discovered the book, I knew that I had to pick it up. The story follows a young witch named Kiki, who leaves her home to find her own path as a witch. I found Kiki to be a fairly typical young girl, aside from being a witch.

She is energetic, and excited to embark on this adventure. But, she has a tendency to think she is all grown up, and already has everything figured out. She is curious about normal tween things, like boys and love, and has big dreams. I see her being relatable for young girls.

Like most witches, she has a cat familiar named Gigi. I found Gigi to be entertaining and delightful. They balanced each other’s personalities, which was nice. Also, she adds a touch of humor to the story. I enjoyed those tiny funny parts a lot, and they added to my enjoyment of the book.

“How wonderful it is to have a place to return to.”

There weren’t a lot of side characters, but they were all very likable. That being said, they didn’t have a very large part in the story. As the title suggests, the book centers around Kiki, and follows her delivery adventures. Honestly, it felt like a collection of short stories. I didn’t mind this at all, since it made the book a quick read.

Overall, this is a cute witchy story that is perfect for younger readers. I would definitely classify it as a middle grade. There’s an underlying message, that some people pass judgement on others who they simply don’t understand. This is something that which holds very true in real life as well.

It was interesting to learn that the author’s inspiration for the story was a drawing her daughter made. She even loosely based Kiki off her daughter. I found that to be adorable. Reading the book made me want to watch the movie, because I hear that it closely follows the book. So, I think that I will enjoy it as well. Leave me a comment, letting me know if you have either read the book or seen the film. And hit that follow button to help grow my blog!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

30th Birthday Bookish Wishlist // Toss-Up Tuesday

- Bunny 9 Comments

Hi Friends,
June is my birth month, so I thought it would be fun to share my birthday wishlist. Although, getting gifts aren’t important to me at all there are some books that I would like to buy or receive for my birthday. Do I need more books? No. Does that stop me from wanting more? Absolutely no.

Honestly, those are all the books at the top of my wishlist as of now. However, I am probably missing quiet a few. If you would like to see my full Amazon book wishlist feel free to do so by clicking here. In the comments, tell me what is the number on thing on your wishlist bookish or otherwise. Please send me love by following my little book blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny