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A Thousand Boy Kisses // Book Review

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About The Book
This gut-wrenching story of friendship, first love and, of course, heartbreak is a must-read for fans of If He Had Been With Me and is best read beside a box of tissues. One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4aEbMID

My Rating

The book gained significant attention online, primarily through BookTok, which piqued my curiosity and led me to pick it up, despite knowing it promised a tragic love story. The novel follows the dual perspectives of teenagers Poppy and Rune as they navigate the tumultuous journey of love, loss, reunion, and so much more. From their initial meeting to the challenges they face, including being torn apart and coming back together to facing their toughest battle, the story is a poignant exploration of young love.

Poppy emerges as a standout character with her maturity, positivity, and adventurous spirit, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist. However, Rune’s actions sometimes left me feeling conflicted; while his devotion to Poppy is evident, his treatment of his family left me sympathizing with them. Nonetheless, his character development throughout the narrative is commendable, adding depth to the story.

At its core, “A Thousand Boy Kisses” delves into themes of love, grief, and peace, highlighting the profound impact of young love and the challenges of coping with loss. However, the novel falls short in addressing the importance of moving on and finding love again after experiencing profound heartache, which may leave readers wanting more depth in its exploration of grief. As well, it seems to send the wrong message to young readers.

“Live hard, love harder. Chase dreams, seek adventures … capture moments. Live beautifully.”

While the writing style is solid, it is clearly tailored to a younger demographic. In my opinion, there are moments where the narrative and phases veer into cringeworthy territory. Additionally, while the story is engaging and can be devoured in a day, it lacks the special something that would make it truly memorable, and standout among similar novels.

Overall, this is a character-driven book with a somber plot, but it didn’t fully live up to the hype for me. The ending, in particular, left me feeling unsettled and lowered my overall opinion of the book. While I can understand its appeal to a teenage audience, as an adult reader, I felt that it didn’t evoke the level of emotion and heartbreak I had anticipated.

In the comments, let me know if you think that this book is worthy of all the attention it has received. Don’t forget that you can hit the follow button, so that you never miss out on a bookish post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Reading Wrap-Up // Summerween 2023

- Bunny Leave a comment


Hi Friends,
The Summerween readathon is over, and if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you should go read my Sunmerween TBR post. But, for the week of Summerween, I ended up reading 3 books, and completing all the prompts.

‘Lying in the Deep’ by Diana Urban
I was originally going to read ‘Every Last Fear’ by Alex Finlay for the ‘Read a Thriller’ prompt, but I had this audiobook on my Libby, so I decided to pick this one up. It’s a YA thriller/mystery, more mystery than thriller, but it is categorized as a thriller, so it counts. I did end up finishing this book, but it wasn’t my favorite read.

‘Fence’ Vol. 2 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
I have become a big fan of this graphic novel series, so for the ‘Read a Graphic Novel, Manga, or Novella’ prompt I knew that I had to read volume 2. I finished this quickly, and enjoyed it.

‘The Haunting of Aveline Jones’ by Phil Hickes
This book filled two prompts: ‘Read a Book That Takes Place in the Fall’ and ‘Read a Book With Black and/or Orange on the Cover’. I really like this spooky middle-grade, and I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

On the last day of the readathon, I ended up starting ‘Every Last Fear’. I only got about 20% into the audiobook, but so far it has me intrigued.

Let me know in the comments, if you participated in Summerween. Also, I vlogged each day of the readathon over on my TikTok account (@BooksWithBunny). Before you go hit the follow button, so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

If He Had Been With Me // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


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

My Rating

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Spring 2023 // To Be Read

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Today, I’m going to be doing my Spring TBR! I’ve decided to start doing more seasonal TBRs, since I’m a huge mood readers. However, I’ve been super active on Bookstagram and Booktok. And, on Booktok I’ve started doing a TBR jar, so each month I’ll pick out four books from that jar. If you want to see my picks for April go follow me on TikTok (@BooksWithBunny). Anyways, let’s get on to the books I hope to read this spring!

Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter: I have become a huge Lynn Painter fan, so I have decided to dive into her adult romances. I hear that this is a really funny and cute romance.

Love Wager by Lynn Painter: This is the second book in her ‘Mr. Wrong Number’ series. I don’t know much about it but the color is yellow, which makes me think of spring.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: I’ve read some of the authors YA work before, and admittedly, didn’t love them. However, I’ve heard only good things about this book. It’s a romance with a main character that falls in love with a ghost. It’s giving off major ‘Just Like Heaven’ vibes.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon: I have absolutely no idea what this book is about, but it follows a weather girl, so I’m sold. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I’m obsessed with the weather, so this book is perfect for me.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: This is an adult romance that has to do with a women that is infertile. I’m excited to read this because Abby Jimenez is a very popular author, but, as I’m struggling to conceive as well, it might be a very hard read for me.

With And Without You by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: I have a love hate relationship with this author duo. I loved their book ‘If I’m Being Honest’ but have hated nearly all of their other books. However, I’m going to give this one a read, and see if they can prove they’re not just a one hit wonder in my book.

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott: All I know is that this is a queer love story, and it’s written by one of the authors of ‘Five Feet Apart’. Enough said.

Promposal by RaeChell Garrett: This was on my most anticipated romance releases of 2023. As you can tell from the title it’s a young adult contemporary about prom. So, I have to read it around prom seasons.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti: I know nothing about this book, except for the fact that it’s a YA mystery/thriller, but leans more toward the mystery side of things. The cool thing is that it’s told mostly through police interviews.

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran: Honestly, I can’t remember what this book is about, but I know that it’s a YA thriller. And, it is said to be perfect for fans of ‘Mexican Gothic’. While I didn’t love that book, I remember being intrigued by this one’s plot.

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager: I’ve been wanting to pick up a Riley Sager book for sometime and this is the one I’ve chosen to read first. I believe it’s about a woman that thinks she witnessed a murder. However, I’m pretty sure she’s an unreliable narrator.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins: This book has mixed reviews, but I still want to read it for myself. It is a ‘locked island’ thriller, which sounds unlike anything I’ve read before.

There you have my somewhat big spring TBR! Let me know what you are hoping to read this spring in the comments. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Reading Wrap-Up // August 2022

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Below is my August wrap-up! I show all the books that I read in the month of August and my ratings for them. August was a great reading month, since I was able to read 13 books. My ratings were all over the place and I had my first 1 star read of the year. In the comments, let me know if you are excited to see my reviews for each of these books. And, feel free to follow not only my blog but my booktok (@bookswithbunny) and bookstagram (@books.with.bunny).

My Bookish Reels // Bookstagram

- Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
Lately, I have been having so much fun posting bookish reels on Instagram. On the social media platform, I am part of the community called ‘Bookstagram’. It is a place for book lovers to share bookish photos, reels (90 second video clips), and stories. I love posting photos displaying books, and even stories (I do some polls as well). However, my favorite thing to post has become reels. I have posted a few recently that I wanted to share with you all.

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A post shared by Bunny (@books.with.bunny)

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A post shared by Bunny (@books.with.bunny)

I am pretty proud of the reels and photos that I create, and I even share a few personal photos every once in a while. If you aren’t following my Bookstagram feel free to do so. As perusal, my username is Books.With.Bunny. Don’t forget to follow my blog for everything bookish and more.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Quarter Year Crisis // Book Tag

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
I have been seeing ‘The Quarter Year Crisis’ book tag making its way around the bookish community. This tag is similar to the ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout‘ tag. Since I love doing the mid-year tag I decided that it would be fun to do the quarter year one as well. The tag was created by Booktuber Roisin’s Reading, and I recommend you check out her channel.

How many books have you read so far?

I have only read 21 books, which I think is pretty good. I have never actually read more than two books a month, so I am proud of myself for reading more than I every thought I could in a month.

Have you already found a book you think might be a 2022 favorite?

I am not going to lie, but most of the books I have read thus far have been 3 star reads. However, ‘You’ll Be the Death of Me‘ by Karen M. McManus will most likely make it on to my favorites of the year list. This doesn’t really come as a surprise, since her book ‘One Of Us Is Lying‘ was a 2021 favorite of mine.

What was your favorite book you read that wasn’t quite five stars?

Probably, going to have to go with ‘Radio Silence‘ by Alice Oseman, yes she is author of the widely popular graphic novel series ‘Heartstopper‘. This book was really good and the message was amazing. I gave the book 4.5 stars, so it was just barely a 5 star read for me. If you want more of my thoughts on the book you can read my review of it.

Any 1 star books / least favorite book of the year?

I have had a few disappointing reads in the past few months, but the one that stands out the most is ‘You’ve Reached Sam‘ by Dustin Thao. I have also done a review of this book, so I don’t want to talk to much about it. But, this book was such a letdown.

Most read genre so far?

100% contemporary! This doesn’t come as a shock since YA contemporary has always been my most read genre. Yet, I think as the year progresses YA horrors and thrillers might beat out contemporary books.

A book that surprised you?

This would have to be ‘Horrid‘ by Katrina Leno. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting going into this book, but I really enjoyed it. For some reason I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

Book that’s come out in 2022 already that you want to read but haven’t yet?

This is an easy one for me, but that would be ‘Blaine for the Win‘ by Robbie Couch. Technically the book was released on April 12th, yet the audiobook isn’t out until May 10th. As most of you know, I am an audiobook addict which is why I have already pre-ordered my copy of the audiobook. I cannot wait to dive into this book.

One goal you’ve made that you’re succeeding at?

This isn’t a bookish goal, but a blogging one. In my 2022 goal post I talked about how I wanted to broaden my blog content. I think that I have been doing pretty good on posting some lifestyle content in addition to bookish posts. I do ‘Toss-Up Tuesday‘, which is when I usually post my non-book content. I have been liking doing those posts and hope to make them more of a regular things.

One goal you made that you need to focus on?

This is a bookish goal, and it is to read the books that I own. I have been very inconsistent with reading from my bookshelves. There are so many new releases that I want to get to that I forget to read the books I already own. I hope to make my owned TBR more of a priority as the year goes on.

New to you Booktubers/bookstagrammers/booktokers for 2022 that you recommend?

I have just started Booktok so I don’t really have any recommendations there (unless you count myself @bookswithbunny). I do have a bookstagram, but don’t really have any account recommendations since I mainly going on Instagram to see cute comics. As for Booktube, I recommend Julie Janis Books and LiterallyLo. They always make great bookish content.

I hope that you enjoyed this tag. If you like this kind of tag, follow my blog so you don’t miss out on when I post my ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout’ tag. I want to tag all my fellow book bloggers, so leave a comment letting me know if you do the tag.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny