Re-Reading Books // Let’s Talk

Hi Friends,
Today we are going to have a decision on re-reading books. There are a lot of opposing opinions when it comes to re-reading. Some people re-read their favorite books multiple times throughout the years. While others are a one and done type of reader.

I don’t think that you necessarily have to consistently re-read your books to justify buying them. But, there are some books that warrant a re-read. You should 100% re-read the previous books in a series before picking up the next installment. If you are anything like me then you would have forgotten a whole lot about the series while waiting to read the next book.

I find that when you re-read books in a series it gives you a fresh start and gets you more excited to continue on with the story. As for non-series books, re-reading books can change your opinion of a book. Maybe you will enjoy the book better the second time around. Or, you could actually end up lowering your rating for the book.

In 2021, I re-read ‘The Afterlife of Holly Chase’ by Cynthia Hand for the first time in three years. I had originally given the book 3 stars, but after my re-read I bumped the book up to 5 stars. So, re-reading can help show how much your reading taste has changed. Personally, I’m trying to get more into re-reading and being captivated once again by my favorite stories. I would like to re-read some books that I didn’t enjoy, and see how I’ll feel about them years later.

I might be wrong, but I think re-reading is becoming less and less common. There are so many new books being released that readers forget about previously loved books. In the bookish community we are always talking about the books we’d like to read, which typically doesn’t include a re-read.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think we should focus just as much on re-reading as we do on reading new books. Most of us can watch are favorite shows and movies a million times, or listen to a song on repeat than why not re-read a book.

I have a list of some books that I would like to eventually re-read. Hopefully I can make them more of a priority. What are your thoughts on re-reading? Do you re-read books? Remember not to leave before following the blog to get posts notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // April 2022

Hi Friends,
It’s time for my small April TBR. If you don’t remember, last month I mentioned that I won’t be doing huge TBR posts anymore. I only pick books for three categories, so that I have a lot of room to mood read.


Previous TBR: I put this on my September 2021 TBR. I have read two other books that Rachel Lippincott co-wrote, one being an all time favorite book of mine. I am excited to read one of her solo works. 

“From the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Five Feet Apart comes a gripping new romance, perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.”


Sequel: I need to finish the series even if I am afraid that it will put me in a reading slump. This is the final book, and I am more than ready to complete this trilogy. 

“The final book in Katharine McGee’s epic New York Times bestselling Thousandth Floor series. When you have everything, you have everything to lose.”


Owned TBR: I have this book both physically, and on audiobook, so I am really hoping to enjoy it. However, I am scared that it might read a bit more on the younger side of YA contemporary.

“Friday Night Lights meets Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything in this contemporary debut where swoonworthy romance meets underdog sports story.”


I wanted to mention that you can join my Novellic book club, The Reading Rabbits. In the month of April, we will be reading ‘All of Us Villains’ by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman. Please like and share this post with other book lovers. And, before you go, don’t forget to follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

How Not To Fall In Love // Book Review

Author: Jacqueline Firkins
Published: 2021
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
Harper thinks romance is a marketing tool. Nothing more. Her best friend Theo is her opposite. One date and he’s already dreaming of happily-ever-afters. He also plays the accordion, makes chain mail for Ren Festers, hangs out in a windmill-shaped tree house, cries over rocm-coms, and takes his word-of-the-day calendar very seriously. When Theo’s shocked to find himself nursing his umpteenth heartbreak, Harper offers to teach him how not to fall in love. Theo agrees to the lessons, as long as Harper proves she can date without falling in love. As the lessons progress and Theo takes them to heart, Harper has a harder time upholding her end of the bargain. She’s also checking out her window to see if Theo’s home from his latest date yet. She’s even watching rom-coms. If she confesses her feelings, she’ll undermine everything she’s taught him. Or was he the one teaching her?


After reading the synopsis, I could tell that I was going to love this book! I might not be the biggest fan of friends-to-lovers stories, but I do love a cute, well written young adult contemporary. The main character, Harper, is both cynical and practical. She had a negative outlook on love because her first relationship ended in heartbreak. Harper’s reaction to getting her heart broken was pretty realistic, since a lot of young people are scared to put themselves back out there after a breakup.

Harper’s best friend, Theo, represented the other side of the romance spectrum. He is a hopeless romantic who is looking for his ride-or-die, so to speak. I liked that the other showed two different types of people, and how they feel about falling in love. I related more to Theo, since I would risk getting my hear tbroken a million times over, if it got me closer to finding the one.

The great thing about this book was how it showcased that opposites really do attract. And, unless you are open to the possibility of love, you tend to ignore your feelings for someone. You also sometimes dismiss all the signs that someone is clearly into you. Harper was not clueless, but she was so guarded that she couldn’t see Theo’s feelings for her.

“I want to love boldly and bravely or not at all.”

The characters were trying to figure out what being in love meant, while being afraid to go all-in with someone. The story focused on how complex teenage love and relationships can be, at times. Although, the plot was fully friends-to-lover there was the underlining message that love is unavoidable. No matter how hard you try to fight an attraction, hormones always win in the end.

I think that, like Harper and Theo, we can all can probably attest to that love – especially young love. It can be hard, scary, and a roller-coaster. But at the end of the day, it really is all worth it. There were a few mature scenes, but they weren’t super steamy. This is a young adult book, after-all. However, I felt obligated to mention it to my readers.

Honestly, this book made me want to read more friends-to-lovers books, which is surprising, I was a fan of the author’s writing style, and as I already mentioned, that plot captured my heart. I managed to read it in just one day, and that’s rare for me. Let me know in the comments if you have read this book! I think it is pretty underrated, which, in my opinion, is a shame. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

You’d Be Mine | Book Review

Author: Erin Hahn
Published: 2019
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 Iconfinder

Synopsis
Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen. Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.


If you are a fan of the  television series ‘Nashville’, or the movie ‘Country Strong’, then I have a feeling you will like this book. I, for one, am a huge country music fan. for the most part. Also, I enjoyed the series Nashville. But there was something about this book that just didn’t work for me.

Honestly, I found the plot rather boring. I became uninterested in the story somewhere around the halfway mark. The book covered a lot of different topics, starting with how one deals with the pressures of fame. The female lead, Annie, was carrying the burden of being the daughter of two big time superstars. She felt a huge weight on her shoulders to be as talented and amazing as her late parents were.

Clay, on the other hand, was the typically rebellious celebrity that kept all his emotions bottled up. Honestly, I have never cared for the brooding bad boy type, i.e. Jess from Gilmore Girls.

“If I had to choose my favorite, you’d be mine.”

As for Annie and Clay’s relationship, some might classify it as enemies-to-lovers, but it was more like first love and a growing bond between ‘co-workers’. I’d guess you could say they had chemistry, but the romance wasn’t a huge element of the story.

The main message was about finding yourself and facing your demons. It was about letting go of your grief, and feeling all the emotions that come with being human. Even the hard ones. Struggles with addiction play a role within the story, and the author tried to shows two different sides of addicts. The ones that let their addictions consume them, and those that realize they’ve gone too far, and come out on the other side.

The book contains many triggering topics, such as tragic loss, suicide, overdose, drugs, alcoholism and more. In all my reviews with books that have major triggers, I recommend the site ‘Book Trigger Warnings. Assuming, of course, that they have the book on the site.

If you like bookish content, then follow the blog for more posts, and do give this review a like. Share and comment too!

Until The Next Chapter,

Bunny

Friday Reads #4

Hi Friends,
I am here to do another Friday reads post. I didn’t do so well last weekend, so I’m hoping to make up for lost time. For some reason I have been in a huge reading slump, but maybe my weekend reading plans will pull me out of it.



“From the author of You Must Not Miss comes a haunting contemporary horror novel that explores themes of mental illness, rage, and grief, twisted with spine-chilling elements of Stephen King and Agatha Christie.”



“#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.”



“They were cowriting literary darlings until they hit a plot hole that turned their lives upside down.”



“The highly anticipated sequel to the international bestseller, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder! More dark secrets are exposed in this addictive, true-crime fueled mystery.”


Those are my overly ambitious reading plans that may or may not work out. However, if all I do is kick this reading slump then I will call this weekend a win. What are you reading this weekend?

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Intimidating TBR // Book Tag

Hi Friends,
I saw this tag BookTubber LiterallyLo channel, and wanted to do it for myself. I feel like most readers always have some intimidating books on their TBR, and I am no exception. As always, let’s jump right into the questions.


For me that would be ‘Long May She Reign’ by Rhiannon Thomas. I bought this book on a whim. Truthfully, it was a cover buy. I read about 40%, but for some reason I put it down and picked the book up again. I might eventually like to finish it, still it could go either way.

I would have to say ‘It’ by Stephen King since it is extremely long. I’d like to see what the hype is all about, and I have seen both versions of the movie. However, the audiobook being 45 hours is quite intimidating.


I don’t really get this question, because it should be obvious that you can’t read a sequel without reading the first book in the series. I guess some series I would like to start, and at least get to the sequel this year are ‘The Hawthorne Legacy’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and ‘Meg and Jo’ (The March Sisters #1) by Virginia Kantra.


Emma Lord’s ‘When You Get the Chance’ that came out in January 2022. It is a Young Adult Mama Mia style retelling. I mostly listen to audiobooks using the Libby app, but with it being a newer release there is a long wait to read it.


This question is easy for me to answer ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston. I read ‘One Last Stop’ by Casey McQuiston, which was a pretty disappointing read. I have heard great things about this book, yet I don’t want to be disappointed again.


The third book in the ‘The Thousandth Floor’ series ‘The Towering Sky’ by Katharine McGee. I fell into a slight reading slump after the second book, so I have been hesitant to pick up the last book in the trilogy.


Honestly, I could say Stephen King’s ‘It’ again, yet I think I shouldn’t repeat answers. So, I will go with ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ by Sarah J. Maas, because not only is the first book pretty big but the books get longer as the series progresses. Also, I kind of think that SJM is overrated.


I am not normally a cover buyer, but I am guilty of doing it every once in a while. My most recent cover buy was ‘We Are the Wildcats’ by Siobhan Vivian. Now I’m unsure if other will find this cover all to enticing, yet I find the cover pretty. The sad part is I am unsure whether I’m going to actually enjoy the book, since it isn’t a story I would typically gravitate too.


It would 100% be ‘The Love Hypothesis’ by Ali Hazelwood. This book is probably one of the most raved about books of 2021, and it is still getting attention to date. However, I am just starting to read more adult romances so I am so scared that I am not going to love the book as much as others. The hype is super intimidating making me not want to risk giving it a chance.

I want to tag so awesome book bloggers! I would like to see Becky’s Book Blog, The Midnight Book Blog and Comfort Reads do this tag. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow because it honestly makes my day. As well as reading your comments.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

10 Random Questions // Toss-Up Tuesday

Hi Friends,
I thought it might be fun to do a little get to know me personally tag. However, these questions aren’t super personal. Perhaps later on if you guys want I will do a post were I answer some of your questions. Anyhow, I found these questions randomly online and on YouTube. I picked out the questions I thought would be most fun answering for all.

How Old Are You? I am 29 years old

When Were You Born? I was born in June on the 27th to be exact, which makes me a cancer baby.

Do You Have Any Pets? Yep, I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. All of them are girls.

Are You In A Relationship? I have been with my hubby for 9 years. We will celebrate of second wedding anniversary in October.

Do You Suffer From Any Mental Health Issues? I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.

Favorite Makeup Brand? This is hard but I think I would have to say Clinique and Makeup Revolution.

Favorite Clothing Store? Walmart for sure!

Favorite Color? Pink, which is a pretty basic answer.

Favorite Candy? Probably any kind of gummy candy and Reese’s.

Go To Starbucks Order? On most days it’s a hot tall non-fat white chocolate mocha with whip. But, on hot days I go for an iced non-fat white mocha with no whip and vanilla sweet cream foam.

Those are all the questions I am going to answer in this post. If you want to stay up to date with my life and random thoughts follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Please follow the blog, and comment below with any post questions you might have for me.

Ciao,
Bunny

Friday Reads #3

Hi Friends,
It’s time for another Friday reads post. In these posts I will share what I plan on reading throughout the weekend. I usually have some ambitions reading plans especially since I am 4 books behind in my reading goal.



“Fans of I Was Here by Gayle Forman and Far from the Tree by Robin Benway will be floored by this heartbreaking yet uplifting teen novel about a grieving girl who follows a mysterious list across the country after her older sister’s death.”



“What’s better than one deliciously cozy, swoon-worthy holiday story? Four of them, from some of today’s bestselling authors.”



“Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A modern classic, this stunning debut marked #1 bestselling author John Green’s arrival as a groundbreaking new voice in contemporary fiction.”



“In this New York Times bestselling sequel to Kerri Maniscalco’s haunting #1 debut Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer . . . or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?”



“From the author of You Must Not Miss comes a haunting contemporary horror novel that explores themes of mental illness, rage, and grief, twisted with spine-chilling elements of Stephen King and Agatha Christie.”


Yep, I most likely will not get to all these books but I am sure as hell going to try. I have been wanting to get some of these books for a while, and what better time than the present. Let me know what you are reading this weekend in the comments. And, give my blog a follow to get notifications for all my bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

I Wish Was A Movie // Thriller Books

Hi Friends,
I love books as much as the next reader, but sometimes I read a book that I wish had been a movie instead. This might sound odd since there are movie adaptions of books. However, if I read the book before seeing the movie I cannot help but compare the two. And, usually the book wins. These are some thriller/horror books that I’ve read and haven’t read that I would preferr being a film.

The Violent Season by Sara Walters: I was lucky enough to get approved for an audiobook ARC copy from Netgalley. Unfortunately, I got 30% of the way through it and had to DNF the book. There wasn’t anything particularly horrible about the plot or characters. But the whole time I was listening to it I could only imagine it as a film. The plot was a bit all over the place, so I think seeing it would have been easier seeing the story play out on screen.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power: This is a feminist retelling of ‘Lord Of The Flies’ by William Golding. It is a sapphic horror that is said to be pretty dark at times. The plot follows a group of girls that must quarantine inside their school due to a deadly toxicson. This straight up seems like a thriller film. It’s like ‘The Faculty’ meets the Hulu Original series ‘Freakish’. I would totally watch this movie, but I’m not necessarily inclined to read the book.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson: I can already see these books as Netflix original movies. I started the first book, but put it down before even making a dent in the story. The pacing was slow and didn’t grip me. I think that if these books were films or a mini series the drawn-out plot wouldn’t be so bad. Granted I didn’t get very far into story before setting it aside, so it could get better. However, I still think the this book series would be perfect to adapt for film or TV.

There you have the three books I would chose to be films over books. I want to note that these author are all incredible, which their work proves. It isn’t so much the writing, but the plot that screams movie. Before you go do all the fun things like, share and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Caraval | Book Review

About The Book
Scarlett’s dreams of seeing Caraval seem lost after her father arranges her marriage—until an invitation arrives. With a mysterious sailor’s help, her sister Tella brings Scarlett to Caraval, only to be kidnapped by its enigmatic master, Legend. Now, Scarlett must race through the elaborate game to find Tella before the five nights end and she vanishes forever.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4eXaiLx

My Rating


This book was captivating from the start, and the plot never slowed down. The concept of a magical carnival was fantastic, as I find carnival-centered stories fascinating—though I haven’t read many others yet, so my opinion might change in the future.

Scarlett, the main character, often second-guesses herself and is afraid to break rules, which is understandable given her tough home life. Still, I found her likable and didn’t mind her more cautious traits, though I could see how others might find her frustrating. Her sister, Tella, is a bit reckless and immature, yet I understood her desire for a better life for both of them. She came across as stronger and smarter than the book might show at first.

The story kept me guessing constantly, never quite knowing who to trust. At one point, I thought I’d figured everything out—but then something happened, and I was back to having no idea what to expect. I tend to enjoy books with unpredictable plots, which I think resonates with most readers.

The world-building was outstanding. The author brought Caraval to life, making me feel like I was playing the game alongside the characters. Without lengthy descriptions, the author gave enough vivid details to make the Caraval feel real.

“Hope is a powerful thing. Some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether.”

The book explores themes of sisterhood and relationships, though more as a subtle backdrop. It’s dark and whimsical, with the whimsical elements helping keep the story light. The plot ultimately shows that everyone has an agenda and that everything comes at a price.

Another major theme of the book is control, and being controlled. It seemed like almost everyone wanted to control Scarlett—even Tella. I didn’t like how Tella pressured Scarlett into things she was against, even if it was out of love and a desire to protect her. It still felt underhanded. By the end, I really felt for Scarlett. Speaking of the ending, there’s a minor cliffhanger that has me intrigued, and I’m curious to see what comes next!

Despite all the positives, the story didn’t quite make it to a 5-star rating for me. However, Julian, the love interest, was definitely a highlight—he was very swoon-worthy. One thing to know about this book is that, while it’s essentially a fantasy story, it does address some heavy topics. You can check the book’s page on Book Trigger Warnings for more details.

Please share this post with other fantasy readers, and comment with your thoughts on the book if you’ve read it. I love interacting with my readers in the comments! And don’t forget to follow my blog—it truly makes my day!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny