Characters & Costumes // Toss-Up Tuesday

Hi Friends,
Halloween is practically here, and I wanted to do a fun Halloween costume post! So I thought it would be fun to share what I think some bookish characters would be for Halloween.


Coraline‘ by Neil Gaiman
This one was a no brainer. She would simply go as a black cat. It is an easy and laid-back costume, especially for someone like Coraline, who does not typically like to get all dressed up. Also, cats are pretty significant to her, so I think she would be more than happy to celebrate Halloween as one.


A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ by Holly Jackson
Pip is the main character in this mystery book trilogy, and because of her love for solving crime, I believe she’d would go as a classic teen detective, Nancy Drew. Both girls are smart and driven, and always find themselves caught up in some sort of mystery.


A Merry Little Meet Cute’ by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
In this book, Bee, a plus-sized pornstar, and Nolan, a former boy band member, fall in love. I think that they’d do a couples costume, and what is more classic than Sandy and Danny from Grease? Not only is it a musical type of costume for Nolan, but Sandy’s bad girl look at the end of the film would be right up Bee’s alley because it is classic, yet sexy.


I am not sure everyone will agree on these costume choices, but I think they work well for the characters. This was a really fun post to put together, and I would love to know what you all think of it. Please share and like this post because it really does help my blog. Before you go, give the blog a quick follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

House Of Salt And Sorrows // Book Review

About The Book
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family–before it claims her next.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3PYe4sV

My Rating


I thought this book would be a five-star, because of its interesting plot, but it did not quite live up to my expectations. This is a young adult horror retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” Being someone who had never heard of the original version, I did not know exactly what to expect. However, after reading this book, I am curious about the original story.

In the book, we follow Annaleigh, she was one out of a family of 12 daughters, however, four of her sisters, along with her mother, passed away. Because of this, people assume that the family is cursed. However, when strange things start happening, Annaleigh begins to wonder if these deaths are not accidents.

This book is full of many twists and turns. Annaleigh was a very smart main character, and I loved how she was willing to believe in the impossible. However, grief clouds our judgment slightly, which could be why she was quick to believe in unusal and strange things going on.

“We are born of the Salt, we live by the Salt, and to the Salt we return.”

The plot was interesting, and it kept me engaged. There is even a romance that I did not see coming but loved. However, there were times when I thought the story lagged, and I did not want to pick up the book quite as much as I would have hoped. However, I never saw the ending coming, and it was amazing.

Overall, I enjoyed how the author brought this story to life, and it was almost a bit of a gothic haunted spin on ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ story. The last few chapters were fairly creepy, so I would say it is a true horror story, even if it is on the tamer side of things.

In the comments, let me know if you have read the “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and what you thought of this retelling. Do not forget to like and share this post with other book lovers. If you want to become part of my little bookish family, hit the follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Anticipated Releases // October 2023

Hi Friends,
I cannot believe that it is already October. Where has the year gone? But, I do love the last three months of the year the best! Not only for the holidays, but also all the seasonal book releases. So, let’s talk about the October releases that I’m most excited about this year.

Hatchet Girls by Diana Rodriguez Wallach (October 10th): This book sounds amazing! It’s essentially a retelling of Lizzie Borden and how a similar crime would be handled today. I would love to get to this as soon as it comes out, because the Lizzie Borden story has always fascinated me. That’s not weird, right?

The Fall of Whit Rivera (October 10th): This is a cozy autumn young adult romance that I think I’m going to really enjoy. The plot is about two high school enemies that have to work together to plan the fall dance. I’m always down to read an enemies-to-lovers romance, and one that takes place in the fall is even better.

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters (October 17th): This is a gothic young adult dark academia that sounds very creepy. In the book, a girl gets invited into a elite academic society, but starts to realize that it’s more of a nightmare than a dream come true. It seems like the perfect read for the spooky season.

Thin Air by Kellie M. Parker (October 17th): I’m very excited for this release because it’s a young adult mystery thriller which is one of my absolute favorite genres. From what I gather it’s about 12 contestants who end up on a deadly flight. But, I really don’t need to know much about it since it’s supposedly perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus, which basically means it’s meant for me.

People to Follow by Olivia Worley (October 31st): I heard about this book a while back, and I cannot wait to read it! This is an adult thriller about a bunch of influencers that get invited to a remote island and then the begin dying. Honestly, it sounds like a more adult version of ‘The Island’ by Natasha Preston that I read earlier this year but more up my alley.

The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed (October 31st): This is giving ‘The Inheritance Games’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes vibes. However, this plot sounds bit more intriguing to me. The book follows Lily Rosewood and three others on a treasure hunt for the Rosewood fortune left behind by Lily’s recently deceased grandmother. Although, ‘The Inheritance Games’ was a DNF for me, I have high hopes for this book.

There you have some of my most anticipated releases for October. Oddly enough, I’m typically the last to know about new book releases, so there are probably a ton that I’m forgetting. In the comments, let me know what is your most anticipated book release for the month. Don’t forget to follow the blog so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Selection Series – From Cover To Closet // Toss-Up Tuesday

Hi Friends,
It’s been a while since I have done a fashion post here on the blog, but they are some of my favorite posts to create. This time, I took inspiration from ‘The Selection‘ trilogy by Kiera Cass book covers. These covers are stunning, and I created outfits inspired by them. I have only read the first book in the series, but I do know that it is a classic young adult dystopian trilogy. Therefore, I hope that you find that these outfits embodied the covers as much as I thought they did.

In the comments, leave me with your thoughts on the book series. In addition, tell me which outfit is your favorite. Do not forget that you can follow me on Instagram (@books.with.bunny) and like my Facebook page. Before you leave, give this post a like and follow the blog, because your support really does mean a lot to me.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

As Sung By Taylor // Book Recommendations

Hi Friends,
You might not know this, but I am a Swiftie! And since I could not manage to get tickets to The Eras tour, I thought I would do the next best thing. Sure, to non-readers, this might not be the next best thing, but I thought it would be fun to share some book recommendations based on some Taylor songs.

Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review

“But you’re untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
Now that you’re close I feel like coming undone
In the middle of the night, when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You gotta come on, come on
Say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on
Oh, oh, oh”



“And it’s like snow at the beach
Weird but fuckin’ beautiful
Flying in a dream, stars by the pocketful
You wanting me tonight feels impossible
But it’s comin’ down, no sound, it’s all around
Like snow on the beach
Like snow on the beach
Like snow on the beach
Like snow, oh, oh oh”



“I’d be a fearless leader
I’d be an alpha type
When everyone believes ya
What’s that like?
I’m so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I’d get there quicker
If I was a man
And I’m so sick of them coming at me again
‘Cause if I was a man
Then I’d be the man
I’d be the man
I’d be the man”



“I’ve grown accustomed to sleepin’ alone
Still, I know that all it takes is to get it right
Just one time, just one time
All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life
Got a feelin’ your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life
And I want you now, wanna need you forever
In the heat of your electric touch”


Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, and I think that each of these songs compliments the book really well. In the comments, let me know which Taylor album is your favorite. I will forever be a Red girl! Do not forget to hit the follow, but before you leave.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Negative Book Reviews // Bunny Banter

Hi Friends,
Happy national book lovers day! In honor of this day, I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind recently. As you probably know, I spend a lot of my time in the book community on the Internet. And, lately, the subject of negative reviews has been coming up a lot. So, I wanted to give my take on writing or talking negatively about books.

First and foremost, let me start off by saying I am pro negative reviews. However, I do think that as readers/reviewers we should try to find at least one positive thing to say about a book. Even if that fact is still sometimes easier said than done. I review every book I read and finish, because I love sharing my thoughts positive or negative with others. If I happen to DNF a book than I will typically not mention it on the blog, except in passing.

The reason I write and read negative reviews, is because my bookish space is a place for me to share my opinions and thoughts on books. I am in no way saying that how I feel about a book is the way that you, or any other readers, will feel about it. And, I usually make a point of saying just that in all my book reviews.

Although, there is one caveat to writing negative reviews, and that is to understand that an author worked very hard on their book. We should never outright trash a book, because it’s just cruel. And, under no circumstance should a reviewer tag an author in a negative review. Would you want to read someones negative opinions on something you’re proud of?

I will continue sharing my thoughts on books, while letting others know that they should take my reviews with a grain of salt. The great thing about reading is that everyone has a different experience with each book. No two readers are alike. I will see a negative review on a book I’m looking forward to, but that doesn’t usually turn me off of reading it. Truthfully, I have loved a lot of books that others didn’t, and I have disliked some popular ones as well.

So, I say that writing negative reviews is perfectly fine, but spreading hate on a book is never okay. Besides, I would much rather talk about books that I loved, versus ones that I didn’t. In the comments, let me know your thoughts on negative book reviews, and if you think they should be a thing in the book community. Before you go, don’t forget to give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

July 2023 // Book Haul

Hi Friends,
July is coming to an end, so it’s time to share the books that I bought this month. I do have some super exciting pre-orders that haven’t come in yet, but these are the majority of the books that I purchased in July.

The Seven Year Slip: https://amzn.to/3QcTs1C
In The Weeds: https://amzn.to/43JEmEf
The Cheat Sheet: https://amzn.to/44ENv1T
Icebreakers: https://amzn.to/3O7LBjh
The Deal: https://amzn.to/3DtkxGf
The Fine Print: https://amzn.to/478cFaM
Violet Made Of Thorns: https://amzn.to/3q6BDXA
The Prince And The Apocalypse: https://amzn.to/3DwkFoM
Hollow Fires: https://amzn.to/3KgVgDc
The Naturals: https://amzn.to/3Q9IVV9

So, now I have even more books on my physical TBR, but who’s counting, right? Honestly, book buying is just as much as a hobby as reading is for a bookworm. In the comments, let me know which of these books I should make a priority. Don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified about all future posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Summerween 2023 // To Be Read


Hi Friends,
I know that I’ve just posted my July TBR, but July 7th was the start of Summerween! If you’d don’t know what Summerween is, you’re missing out. For all the details on the readathon, you can watch Gabby from GabbyReads announcement video on Youtube. Basically, this is just a week-long readathon that is all about bringing the spooky season into summer, hence the name: Summerween. There are only a few prompts, and I think my TBR is quite manageable to participate in a week long readathon.

Read A Thriller:
For this prompt I’m going to be reading ‘Every Last Fear’ by Alex Finlay, which, as you might know, is already on my July TBR. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Read A Book Set In Fall: –and– Read A Book With Orange Or Black On The Cover:
Now I could be completely wrong, but I think that ‘The Haunting of Aveline Jones’ by Phil Hickes takes place in the fall. There are even leaves on the cover, and the color orange. So, I’m going to be using the book for two prompts.

Read A Manga, Graphic Novel, Or Novellla:
Last month, I started the ‘Fence’ graphic novel series by C.S. Pacat. I’m on volume 2, so I’ll probably end up reading that during the readathon.

There is one more prompt, which is simply to read at night or in the dark. I didn’t pick a specific book for that because I’ll probably use one of my already picked books to complete that prompt.

In the comments, let me know if you are also participating in Summerween. What’s on your TBR? Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Anticipated Releases // Summer 2023

Hi Friends,
Today, I’m going to be talking about my summer anticipated book releases! This years has been full of amazing book releases. I cannot wait to read all of these books! I’m hopeful that I will get to at least some of these new releases this summer, because they all sound so good. But, I do want to preface that I only have limited knowledge of what each of these books are about. What can I say, I like to go into books a little blind.


Summer Rental by Rektok Ross (June 13th): This book is tag-lined as Mean Girls meets Scream, which is all I need to know. I believe that it’s a YA thriller about a group of friends trapped on an island with a serial killer. I’m thinking it’s going to be more of a campy thriller, which I can get behind.

The Only One Left by Riley Sager (June 20th): I’ve been wanting to get into Riley Sager books for a while now, and this one sounds amazing. The book takes place in the 80’s, where we’re following Kit. She is a home health aid for Lenora, an old woman that is unable to speak or move anything but her left hand, due to polio. Here’s the kicker, as a teenager Lenora was accused of killing her parents and sister, yet she was never charged with their murders. Soon Kit starts to suspect that Lenora might be more dangerous than she thinks. My interest is piqued!

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (June 27th): I’m not sure how I feel about this book, because it’s giving off serious ‘The Lake House’ vibes. If you have no clue what I’m talking about, ‘The Lake House’ is a movie starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, in which they both live in the same house, but in different timelines, and somehow they end up communicating with one another. This book follows what seems to be a similar plot. Although, I didn’t love the movie, I know that Poston’s adult romance ‘The Dead Romantics’ was a big hit last year, so I want to give this book a chance.

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon (July 4th): I’m actually very excited for this book, because the premise sounds really funny. This is an adult romance following a ghost writer and a C-list actor, who have a less-than-satisfactory one-night stand. Cue some “lessons in satisfaction” and it sounds like a winning plotline to me. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I’ve heard some good things about her books. Also, who doesn’t like mixing a little pleasure with business every now and again.

Ghosted: A Northanger Abbey by Amanda Quain (July 25th): As you can tell from the title, this is a Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin retelling. It is a young adult story about a high school senior, and there’s a ghost hunting element. That’s pretty much all I know about this book, which, according to GoodReads, has X-Files vibes to it.

One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus (July 25th): Why do I feel like I’ve talked about this book a lot? Probably, because it’s one of my most anticipated releases of the entire year. If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, then you know that Karen M. McManus is on of my favorite authors! She writes some of the best (at least, in my opinion) young adult mystery thrillers. This is the next, and possibly last, installment book is part of her ‘One of Us is Lying” series, and I could not be any more ready for it.

The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard (August 1st): This is a psychological thriller set in Ireland. It follows Lucy, who is trying to uncover what happened to her sister Nicki that disappeared a year ago. The book is inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances that took places in the 90’s. The fact that there’s a real world element to these books makes the plot even more exciting.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine (August 1st): I was stoked to find out that Danielle Valentine was coming out with another horror novel. Last year, I read her book ‘How To Survive Your Murder’ in about a day. It was such a fun, campy, slasher horror book. However, this book is an adult thriller, which I’m typically more of a fan of. I also heard that it is the basis for the next season of American Horror Story. And, as a reader, I have to read the book before watching the show. It’s practically a law.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney (August 3rd): I’ve only read ‘Rock Paper Scissors’, which I did really like. But, she is known as the queen of plot twists, so I’m looking forward to picking this book up. The book follows two crimes which, despite happening twenty years apart, are somehow linked. This book is said to have a lot of twists, and let’s face it, the twists are what make a good thriller.

Foxglove by Adalyn Grace (August 22nd): This is the sequel to ‘Belladonna’, which was a fantastic YA fantasy. The first book ended on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Honestly, ‘Belladonna’ shocked me with how good it was, so I’m hoping that the next installment doesn’t let me down. Other than the fact that it’s a sequel, I actually don’t know much about the plot, but I’m okay with that.

There you have my summer 2023 most anticipated book releases. of course there are a ton more releases I want to get to, but these are the ones at the top of my list. In the comments, share your most anticipated book release with me. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you leave.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

July 2023 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
Happy July! I am excited to be doing my July TBR, and yes I know I said I was going to stop doing TBRs, but the planner girl in me just can’t stop. But, I want to make my TBR a little more fun. I found a numbered list of prompts from Pinterest, and used a random number generator to pick my prompts. Also, I used a random number generator between 1 – 10 to see how many to pick. Here’s the catch – I can only pick books off my physical TBR or audiobooks I own via Kobo or Audible. First up the random number generator gave me 6, which means I’m picking 6 prompts and reading 6 books. But, to make things more interesting if I get the same prompt, twice I have to add a book. Let’s see how this goes.


This first number I got was 8, which is ‘A Book Set In The Decade You Were Born’! I’m very happy for this because I’m a nineties girl and I just bought ‘Throwback’ by Maurene Goo on audiobook. It’s about a teen girl that is sent back to the 90s to help her teenage mother. I can’t wait for all the 90s references.
Related Post: The Way You Make Me Feel // Book Review


Next up, I got the number 3 and the prompt is ‘A Book Outside Your Comfort Genres’.
I decided to go with ‘Talking as Fast as I Can’ by Lauren Graham. I barely read memoirs, or rather, nonfiction in general, but I own this book and I am probably the biggest Gilmore Girls fan ever. And, it’s read by Lauren Graham, which is amazing.


The next number was 9 giving me the prompt ‘A Book That’s Been On Your TBR For 2 Or More Years’. This was more difficult than I thought it would be, because I’m only picking from my owned books. But, I decided to go with ‘As Old As Time’ by Elizabeth J. Braswell. This is a part of the Twisted Tales series, which is essentially a book series of different middle-grade/young adult Disney retellings. From the title you can probably guess that this book is a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ retelling.
Related Post: Part Of Your World // Book Review


Thankfully we got the number 22, because the prompt was ‘A Book By An Auto-Buy Author’. There are so many authors that have become favorites of mine over the last year. Originally, I was going to pick ‘One Of Us Is Back’ by Karen M. Mc Manus, since I pre-ordered the book. But, since it doesn’t come out until the end of the month, I’m going to go with something else. So, my pick is ‘Every Last Fear’ by Alex Finlay, which is the author of ‘The Night Shift’, a book that I loved.
Related Post: The Night Shift // Book Review


Luck was on my side once again, by giving me the number 15. The prompt was ‘Read A Retelling’. If you know me than you know I love retellings, so my pick is ‘The Wicked Ones‘ by Robin Benway. This is a retellings following the evil stepsisters from Cinderella. It happens to be another one of my Kobo audiobooks.


Last, but certainly not least, I got the number 28, which was the prompt ’Read A YA’. Simple enough. I am going easy on myself here, and pick a book that I just started, which is ‘Kisses and Croissants‘ by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau. This is a YA contemporary set at a ballet school in Paris.


The only thing left is to talk about my Novellic book club pick, which is ‘The Summer of Broken Rules‘ by K. L. Walther. You can join my Reading Rabbits book club on the Novellic app!


I hope you liked this fun little TBR! In the comments, share your July TBR. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you enjoy bookish content like this.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny