Book

These Books Will Self Destruct // 2024 Challenge

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
Today, I am going to talk about 12 books that I have to read before the end of the year. Okay, I do not have to read these books, but I would like to make a conscious effort to read them. So, to hold myself accountable, if I do not read these books, I will unhaul them next year. Truthfully, I have tried this before and I do not think it went too well for me, so we will see how it goes this time around.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
I have had this book since its release in 2021. Sadly, I never had the desire to pick it up. However, I recently heard one of my favorite BookTubers talk about the synopsis of the third book in this companion book series ‘Love, Theoretically,’ and that book sounds like a potential five-star read for me. So, now, I am very hyped to read this book.

River of Dreams by Jan Nash
I remember getting this book from BookOutlet, and the synopsis sounded original. It is a magical realism young adult novel. However, I have lost interest in the young adult genre. Don’t get me wrong I still read YA books, but I do not find myself gravitating towards them anymore. I would like to at least attempt to read this book because the premise still seems interesting to me.

The Troop by Nick Cutter
This was a completely accidental buy, so I decided that it had to be read this year. All I know is that it’s a ‘Lord Of The Flies’ esc horror novel. However, please do not quote me on this because I could be totally mistaken for the plot. I know that this author is pretty popular in the horror genre, which makes me slightly more eager to read the book.

Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman
This is a fluffy, lighthearted, young adult contemporary. I know that my teenage and even my early twenties self would have adored this book. However, I am skeptical of reading it. I have had it on my shelf for way to long now simply because I am afraid it might fall into the cheesy side of young adult books for me. Still, I am hoping that I can read it this year and perhaps even enjoy it.

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
I have been saying that I was going to read this book for many years. Sadly, it has just been collecting dust on my bookshelf. I believe this is because I am not a huge fan of short story collections. This book contains stories that follow different black teens, but are all interconnected. I am still very interested in the book, and I have heard that it is being adapted into a movie, so I would like to read it before the adaptation is released. Otherwise, I should probably let it go to a new home.

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
I bought this book because I had seen a few bookish creators talk about it, but the length of this book absolutely frightens me. It is a young adult paranormal thriller released in early 2023. So it has not been on my TBR for too long, but I feel like if I do not make the effort to read it this year I probably will not ever get around to it.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
This book was a gift to me years ago when I started getting back into reading. All I know is that this is a Queen of Hearts retelling and a fairly popular book. Honestly, this is one of the oldest books on my shelf, and as a fan of retelling, I do not know why I have not read it yet. I am making this book a major priority this year. However, I will not be terribly disappointed if I have unhaul it.

Hunted by Meagan Spooner
This is another retelling I have had for a long time. I think that I have been hesitant to read this because I have not heard the best things about it. However, it’s a ‘Beauty And The Beast’ inspired retelling, which happens to be my favorite Disney Princess movie. Thruthgully, it is really up in the air when it comes to whether I will actually read it within the next eleven months.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
When it comes to reading the book, I am very on the fence because I had picked it up before. Something about the story wasn’t working for me, but I do own another book by this author. I would really like to read this one first, since I have had it longer. In addition, I know that many people enjoy this book. I hope that my second attempt at reading it will be a success.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
I bought this book on a whim because I heard positive things about this authors book ‘The Good Sister.’ I do not know much about the plot, except that it is an adult thriller. This is a book that could most likely stay on my bookshelf unread for years if I do not, I hate to say force, but force myself to read it.

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
I should not be left at Barnes and Noble unsupervised because I sometimes buy books in genres that I seldom read. This is the first in a middle series, and if you have been following my blog for quite some time, you know that I do not typically read middle grade. However, I decided that if I do not read it soon, I should just unhaul it and a few other middle grades that I own.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
As the author of the poetry collection, Convenient Interruptions, you think I would be more inclined to pick up poetry books. Sadly, this is not the case. I own two poetry books by this author, and I would like to read one if not both this year. I believe that this is their best-known release, so I would like to start with it.

In the comments, let me know if there is one or a few books that you have to read in 2024. I don’t know how this challenge is going to go but I like to push myself when it comes to my yearly reading. Don’t forget that it is completely free to follow my blog and helps it grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Birthday Bookish Wishlist // My 31st Birthday

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
My 31st birthday is on June 27th, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the books that are on my wishlist this year. Like most people, I typically don’t ask for anything for my birthday, but my family loves to spoil each other on our birthdays.

In the comments, let me know if you are a June baby too! And, click here to view my complete book wishlist. Before you go, celebrate my birthday by hitting the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Christmas Clash // Book Review

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About The Book
Sworn enemies from rival families, Chloe Kwon and Peter Li have always hated each other. But when their local mall is put up for auction right before Christmas, they band together to help save it, along with their families’ food court restaurants. This fun read will leave you nostalgic for that magical feeling of the mall at Christmastime.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3hekMNY

My Rating

If you like a YA enemies-to-lovers, with a slight Romeo and Juliet aspect, then you should give this book a read. In the book, we follow two teens, Chloe and Peter, who’s parents run restaurants at the local mall. However, their parents are sworn enemies.

Chloe and and Peter are meant to be seen as enemies throughout the book, but I got more of a frenemies vibe from them. We hear a lot about how they dislike each other, yet their interactions during the story are fairly civil. And I could definitely see something developing pretty early on between them.

I found Peter and Chloe yo be likable characters. It was nice that they could be honest with each other. There were times that they would be snarky, or snap at one another, but they were mature enough to apologize for their attitudes.

The dialog between the two was funny and real. I could tell from the beginning that I was going to enjoy the story. Although the writing was good, it did feel very YA. But, not necessarily in a bad way, if that makes any sense.

“I was just thinking about us. And how I didn’t really know you just two months ago, and now I can’t picture life without you. It’s truly a Christmas miracle.”

There were a few heavy topic touched on in the book, one being that parenting is hard. Children don’t always see the struggles that parents have to go through. Things aren’t always easy when it comes to being a parent.

The other major subject that the book focused on was racism. First and foremost this is a YA romance, but it did showcase that racism is still a big part of the world we live in today. I think that the race issue was handled well, but not sure it fit with the story. I wanted a more light and fluffy Christmas read, yet it is still a serious issue, so it is good when books shed light on real world topics.

Overall, the story was cute, enjoyable, and a quick read. However, I did find the ending a little far-fetched. It was one of those cheesy, happy, everyone wins kind of endings that can be a little too much for me at times. Nevertheless, it was a good reading experience, and there was a subtle nod to food delivery apps that was a nice bonus.

In the comments, let me know if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers. I myself cannot get enough of them. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

How To Survive Your Murder // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween morning a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3V0uZvQ

My Rating

In the book, Alice witnesses her sister’s murder on Halloween night. One year later, she gets the chance to go back in time to stop her sister from being killed. Let me just say, that this book is a fun, campy mystery/thriller.

I found the main character, Alice, to be likable, but also irritating at times. The fact that she was a horror movie Stan was great, because all the nods to final girls were fun. But she was also very naive at times. However, her actions and attitude felt very real. I’d probably be just like Alice if this happened to me.

There were a lot of twist and turns throughout the book that I loved. Some moments were jaw-dropping. and others I saw coming. The author did a great job of dropping bread crumbs throughout the story. Although, there were a lot of shocking moments, I guessed the killer and ending. But that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.

“I once heard about how the movie Saw was inspired by a news report about a man who broke into people’s houses to tickle the feet of sleeping children.”

The book does have a romance plot, but it is a minor one, because the main as aspect of the story is trying to stop a killer. But remember – the boyfriend is always the killer! The book begs the question if one life is worth millions. And it made me wonder if I would sacrifice the lives of others for my sister. Also, there’s the subtle message that everything happens for a reason.

Overall, the only con I have is that there was one cheesy aspect to the story, but I can’t really say it without spoiling the book. Still, I understand why the author added a particular plot point. So, needless to say I devoured this book within a day! However, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything particularly amazing about this book, but if you are a horror movie fangirl like me, then you will enjoy it.

In the comments, let me know if you enjoy scary movies. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Cousins // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

SynopsisMilly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious. Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option.
Synopsis from Amazon

My Rating

My Thoughts
I don’t know how Karen M. McManus does it, but her books seem to have a way of pulling me in right from the start. This story was no different, I was immediately intrigued by the story and characters. In this book, we follow three teenage cousins from the Story family: Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah, who barely know each other. They are all very different from one another, but somehow their personalities worked well together. Each of them must drop everything to spend the summer working at their estranged grandmother’s resort. As the three get to know each other, you can see a bond forming between them while they try to uncover family’s secrets.

They were all likable characters, but didn’t stray too much from the author’s typical character personas. They are each facing issues at home, and even though the book was a crazy mystery/thriller, there was definitely some character growth, which was a nice added touch. The Story cousins aren’t clueless, and were immediately suspicious of their grandmother’s sudden invitation. Personally, I enjoy a mystery when the characters aren’t oblivious to things that seem fishy.

As perusal, we have dual perspectives throughout this book, but we don’t just alternate from Story cousin to cousin. There are chapters that take place in the past, which I found very interesting since it helps you piece together the mystery. In the past, you get a glimpse of the cousins’ parents as teenagers, and find out just how different they are from their kids. Let’s just say that money can’t buy you humility. I mean, the word ‘townie’ was used. More than once.

Besides the characters, the plot and mystery was amazing, intense and a roller-coaster ride. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, because there were so many twists, each just as shocking as the last. There were tons of jaw-dropping moments, making it impossible to put the book down. The story is addictive, and I couldn’t wait until everything came together. However, I will say that I figured things out right before the big reveal. Still, I was pretty stunned by the ending.

“Leave the past where it is.”

Of course, there was a romance which I found to be predictable. And truthfully, I wanted it to go another way. Although, I understand that sometimes the most obvious route is the easiest one to take. But make no mistake, the romance is minor, since the book is truly all about the mystery. And, the ending proved that Karen M. McManus is a queen when it comes to YA thrillers.

Overall, I found the story to be incredible, which you have probably already gathered. And, the newfound sibling type of bond amongst the cousins was charming. The Story family were a very dysfunctional bunch, so it was nice to see that not all of them were heartless. If you’re looking for an amazing thriller, with many surprises, then this is a must read! However, I think that all of McManus’ books are must reads. If you want to know my thoughts on her other books view my reviews here.

Leave me a comment letting me know your thoughts on this book. Did you love it as much as me? Did you hate it? Or, maybe you thought it was sub-par? Before you go, give my blog a follow, so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Seven Dirty Secrets // Book Review

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SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Five Total Strangers and “master of suspense” (BCCB), Natalie D. Richards, comes a pulse-pounding YA thriller about a girl who goes on a mysterious scavenger hunt, only to discover that someone knows her worst secret…and is out for blood. I know seven dirty secrets: One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all. One didn’t care. One used their head. One played the hero. One was left for dead.
Synopsis from Barnes And Noble

My Rating

My Thoughts
Right off the bat, I was unsure of the writing style, and kind of scared it wasn’t going to be for me. However, the first few chapters where intriguing enough for me to keep reading. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered, which makes for an interesting story. In the first chapter we’re introduce to Cleo, the main protagonist of the story, on her eighteen birthday. There isn’t much personality to her character, but you can tell that she has been through a lot. Throughout the book, we follow Cleo as she embarks on this scavenger hunt of sorts – and if she doesn’t finish the hunt, a secret will be revealed.

The scavenger hunt element was cool, but I was longing for a prologue. It was obvious that something happened on a rafting trip a year ago. Something that involved Cleo, and her scum of an ex. But the author made us wait awhile before finding out what occurred. However, there were a few chapters that took place in the past, giving insight into Cleo and her ex-relationship. And it was a very toxic relationship, at that. But, since her ex-boyfriend was such a horrible boyfriend, I really didn’t care about what caused his death.

There weren’t a whole lot of side characters that we got to know, since Cleo’s friend group was pretty small. But, the characters that we did meet didn’t have much screen time, so to speak making it hard to get to know them. The two characters, in-addition to Cleo, that played a prominent role in the story was her brother, Connor, and best friend, Hope. I loved Hope, because she was really Cleo’s ride-or-die.

“Love doesn’t make us do stupid shit, Cleo. Fear does that.”

I had a lot of theories about who was the one behind the scavenger hunt, but kept second guessing myself. As someone that loves thrillers and horror movies, it irks me that I couldn’t figure out who was messing with Cleo earlier. I seriously realized who it was right before the big reveal. Still, I wouldn’t necessarily file this under a mystery, but it isn’t really a thriller either. The idea was good, but the execution wasn’t what I was hoping for. However, the book ended without any lingering questions, which was nice.

Overall, the moral of the story is that tragedy can tear even the closest people apart. And, no matter what your reasons are for lying, the truth will always come out. As someone with siblings, I liked how they posed the question of what you would do for your sibling. Would you cover up a crime for them? Or perhaps kill for them?

I want to note that this book hits on some hard topics, such as drugs and domestic violence. A few of the scenes could possibly be hard to read for some people. I always try to mention any trigger warnings a book might have, but please still do your own research into the book. In the comments, let me know if you would say this is a thriller. And to get notifications for my posts, follow the blog!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

I Guess I Live Here Now // Book Review

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Synopsis
“A journey to the place where trends are born–Seoul, Korea–where Melody Lee unwillingly moves with her family and must start a new life, a new school…and maybe a new romance.”

This was a book that had been on my radar since I first heard about it. However, I am not generally interested in found family type of stories, but I decided it was worth a try. The main character is Melody Lee, and she is in for a culture shock when she must pack up and move from New York City to Seoul, Korea.

For the most part I liked Melody’s character. She was strong, funny, and opinionated, which to me are pretty good traits. However, like all characters, she had some bad qualities as well. She put her foot in her mouth a lot of the time, and thought she was so different from everyone else. Honestly, she wasn’t that special.

There was some self discovery on Melody’s part, and, by the end of the book, she had learned to embrace her Korean heritage. The story was very character driven, so it was nice that we learned a lot about who Melody was as a person, as well as all the side characters.

However, the characters names all sounded similar, so I had a hard time keeping up with who was who. But I did appreciate that there was some LGBT representation in the book,which I wasn’t expecting.

It was interesting to see how the parents in the book treated their kids. I am not sure if this is how Koren parents are, but they expected a lot from their kids. They acted like school should be your number one priority, your dreams should be realistic and marriage, in a sense, should be arranged.

From the moment Melody arrived in Seoul, her father was introducing her to boys that came from good families. Her dad was strict and uptight, and her mother was very passive throughout most of the book. I could never sit back and conform to these type of rules – especially since most of the parents set such high expectations for their children.

“Oh boy, kiddo. You’ll be changing until the day you die, and not just from moving across the globe, but from smaller things—like a new home or growing older—and from bigger things—like having a family of your own one day or losing loved ones.”

There was a romance within the story that I found to be cute. Yet, I didn’t like how Melody was so hot and cold with her crush. Give the poor boy a break! Still, I did see the chemistry between the two characters.

Also, I loved how the author described Seoul. It made me want to visit it for myself one day! The author’s writing as a whole was great, so I am looking forward to reading more from them.

For me, the moral of the story was that it is okay to dream, and that change is good. Sometimes, we discover a new side to ourselves, but that doesn’t mean we are an entirely new person. A lot of the time in books, characters are so afraid of change, but this book showed that we should welcome change, at least if it’s a change for the better, of course.

Overall, if you are looking for a YA contemporary that is essentially ‘The Princess Diaries’ with a twist, then you’ve found it. In the comments, leave me your thoughts on this book. Please feel free to follow my blog, and share this post too!

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

Beach Reads // Book Recommendations

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Summer is approaching, and that means it beach read season! I have a few books already picked out to read this summer, and I can’t wait to dive into them. So, I thought I would give you all some books to add to your summer TBR.

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty‘ by Jenny Han
Yep, I am jumping on the bandwagon, and recommending this trilogy to you all. Although I don’t find it nearly as good as Jenny Han’s ‘To All The Boys’ trilogy, it is still a decent summer read. The book follows a girl named Belly (short for Isobel) who spend every summer at a beach house with her mom and brother, along with her mom’s best friend and her two sons, Jerome and Conrad. This summer, Belly isn’t the little girl she once was, and finds herself in a love triangle with Jerome and Conrad. It is a classic YA contemporary about growing up and first love. But I just could never get behind the nickname Belly. It is being turned into an Amazon Prime series, set to be released on June 17th, so now would be the perfect time to read the books.

‘Sunkissed‘ by Kasie West
If you know anything about me, than you know that I am an avid Kasie West reader. In my opinion, she writes some of the best young adult contemporaries. However, this book wasn’t my favorite. I do still think it is a good summer read, though. The book follows Avery, who is forced to spend the summer with her parents and sister at a family fun camp. Throughout the summer, Avery starts to connect with the camp staff, notably Brooks. As she and Brooks grow closer through their shared love of music, Avery beings a journey of self discovery. The story was cute, but I did have some issues with it. Still I do think a lot of people will enjoy this book. I mean with a title like ‘Sunkissed’ you instantly think beach read.

‘Butterfly Sisters‘ by Jenny Hale
This is an adult romance and sisterhood book. If you’re fans of second chance romances, small towns, and family relationships, then this is the book for you. The story follows Leigh as she must return to her family cabin, at her mother’s request. Being back at the cabin floods Leigh with the memories of her late grandmother. To make matters worse, she runs into the boy who she let got away, Colton. As if that wasn’t enough, on top of everything else, she is dealing with a strained relationship with her younger sister Meredith. Everything, from the lake side setting to the romance, gives you all those summer romance feels. Although, the romantic side to the story was sweet, the book focus more on family. It is a story about a family bond, and rebuilding some of those relationships.

‘Cool For The Summer‘ by Dahlia Adler
This book is perfect for those looking for a sapphic teen romance. Lara’s return to school becomes complicated when her longtime crush starts to take an interest in her. Right when Jasmine, whom she had a summer romance with, becomes her new classmate. The book alternates between Lara’s summer with Jasmine, and the present day. We get to see the two girls grow closer, as well as the reason for their now strained relationship. It was a simple and sweet YA contemporary, with not too much spice. It’s also an easy read, that you could probably finish in one day. Also, ‘Cool For The Summer’ is the title of a Demi Lovato song, which some have said is her version of ‘I Kissed A Girl’ by Katy Perry.

These are my summer book recommendations, but I am sure there are plenty more great summer reads out there. In the comments, let me know what you will be reading in the coming months. If you want to help my blog grow, hit that follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Memeathon // 2022 Readathon

- Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
I am super excited to announce the Memeathon! This a readathon that I have created that focuses on popular memes and reading. I owe this idea to my husband, who is all about that meme life. I don’t believe anyone has ever created a readathon like this before. But, I don’t really know for sure.

Dates: July 1st – 31st
Prompts:
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 An Over-Used Trope
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

I will obviously be doing a TBR post for the readathon, and I hope that you share your TBR too! This is a super chill readathon, so feel free to double on the prompts. If you can find one book that fulfills all the prompts, then go for it. There is a Twitter account for the readathon that I will try to keep up with as well. Please let me know in the comments if you will be participating. And follow the blog so you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny