Contemporary

Recommended For You // Book Review

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About The Book
When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3NAvn3o

My Rating

This story follows Shoshanna, a teenage Jewish girl who works in a bookstore. However, during the Hanukkah season, she not only has to deal with a new rival employee, but her home life is also complicated. I found this book to be a surprising five-star. Shoshanna had a good her personality and found her to be very likable. Throughout the book, she dealt with her moms acting weird and ended up making many mistakes in her personal life.

However, it was also somewhat of a coming-of-age story, yet I did not find her to be as immature as people assumed she was being. Also, I love the main character with an entertaining inner monologue. Speaking of her parents, I liked how close she was to them. Her friends were likable, but the fact that one wanted to be a YouTube beauty influencer was somewhat annoying. However, I guess that everyone wants to be an influencer.

As for the romance, it was adorable! In the beginning, I did not like Jake at all, but in hindsight, some people do make a bad first impression. I liked seeing their relationship grow and develop feelings towards each other. I would say that it is an enemies-to-lovers and grumpy sunshine romance.

“Do you really not read books?”

Because they worked at a bookstore, there were many book references, including the mention of bookmas. There was even a fun, little book-selling competition element that I really enjoyed, and it helped fuel the whole enemies-to-lovers romance. And, it even ended up bringing them closer to each as well, which I loved!

Although the tone of the book is lighter, there are some heavier topics brought up. Shoshanna’s family goes through something and her world starts to spiral. However, the book notes that some people have it worse, and being grateful is important. Money is another factor in this book. The author does a good job showcasing that everyone has a different financial situation. Truthfully, money makes the world go around, and some of us struggle a lot more than others.

Overall, it was a sweet YA holiday contemporary, with some romance sprinkled into the plot. Therefore, if you are looking for a cute read for Hanukkah, I would 100% recommend this for you. Also, in the book, they mention that there are not enough Hanukkah holiday movies, but I love how that is starting to change.
Related Post: Eight Nights Of Flirting // Book Review

In the comments, leave a holiday book recommendation and let me know if you have read this book. Do not forget to like and share this post with others. If you enjoy bookish content, please hit the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Dark And Shallow Lies // Book Review

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About The Book
A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling debut supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and Rory Power. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent—and La Cachette’s dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3WGq05r

My Rating

This book is a very interesting take on the YA mystery genre, because it has a magical realism element to it. In the book, Grey returns to La Cachette, Louisiana to spend the summer in the same place that her best friend, Elora, disappeared from, 6 month earlier.

In La Cachette everyone has some kind of magical ability, from being a love psychic to an empath. However, Grey, just now seventeen years old, is learning to discover her own gift. As the protagonist of the story, Grey was just okay. She wasn’t horrible or unlikable, but I wouldn’t say I loved following her either.

In my opinion, this book is way more mystery based, because there were a lot of secrets going on. The mystery of Elora disappearance did keep me interested, but not enough to where I couldn’t put the book down.

“Welcome to La Cachette, Louisiana Elevation 3 Ft. Population 106 Living Souls.”

For me, the story as a whole just didn’t work. The psychic aspect of the story was a bit weird, and La Cachette was a very twisted place. There’s also another mystery from the past that somewhat ties into the current mystery. And, there’s a romance as well. It just had a lot going on.

My biggest con was the writing. I do understand that this is a debut novel, so I am trying not to judge it too heavily. But, the book didn’t come to life for me, and man, was it slow moving. I wanted the plot to pick up, but it never really did.

Overall, the ending was solid and I do think the author has the potential to write something really good. Nevertheless, I want to say the this book isn’t comparable to Karan M. McManus’ works (as it states on GoodReads), which might be a good thing for some people. Also, the story is pretty sad, and there are some triggering things talked about in this book. One being the murder of children.

Remember that StoryGraph is a great tool for finding trigger warnings for books. Don’t forget to show your support by giving the blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Moment Of Truth // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
At sixteen, Hadley Moore knows exactly who she is—a swimmer who will earn a scholarship to college. So when a guy dressed as Hollywood’s latest action hero, Heath Hall, crashes her swim meet, she isn’t amused. Instead, she’s determined to make sure he doesn’t bother her again. Only she’s not sure exactly who he is. She soon finds herself getting caught up in the mysterious world of the fake Heath Hall.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3BNLO5G

My Rating

This book is way more than your average YA contemporary romance, which I actually really enjoyed. In the book, we follow high schooler Hadley, who is all about swimming. She has two loving parents that support her, but she always feels as though she’s competing with her brother. The brother she never met because he passed away before she was born.

If you’ve read any of Kasie West’s books, then you know that they usually aren’t all about the romance, and have a more serious side plot to them as well. However, this book takes a different approach with the romance being the side plot.

As the synopsis states, there’s this mystery plot point involving someone in a Heath Hall mask. And, that aspect really tied everything together; from the romance, to the more serious topics together. This book definitely requires you to look into trigger warnings, yet I recommend doing this for all books.

“Just because you can’t see the future, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You don’t have to see everything clearly or know exactly where you’re going to move forward.”

The book tackles many different aspects of grief from not letting go, to feeling like a replacement child, to even being in competition with someone that’s not here anymore. It was interesting to see Hadley struggle with her feelings towards her late brother, and wonder if they’d be close if he were alive. The book begs explores the topic of how to fully grieve someone that we’ve never met, but have a connection with.

The romance was very cute, and young adult romance is something that Kasie West does a spectacular job of writing. I don’t know if I’d categorize this as an enemies to lovers, or opposites attract love story, since it falls somewhere in between. However, the love interest was funny and you could tell there were both catching feelings from early on.

Overall, if you want a more major romance contemporary then I’d give this a read. It also happens to be the last book in her ‘Love, Life, And The List’ companion trilogy. Although, the link to the first book was a very minor thing. Also, this author books are usually quick reads for me but this one, being a bit more serious, is a slower read, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s a con.

Before you go, leave me a comment and like this post. If you’d like to get post notifications, feel free to follow the blog.

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

Message Not Found // Book Review

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About The Book
An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project. This compelling puzzle of a story, filled with engrossing twists and turns, is written in alternating prose and text message formats. Teens will gobble up this fast-paced page-turner.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TrFEQH

My Rating

I’m not exactly sure how I feel about this book. The plot follows Bailey as she tries to cope with her best friend’s death. Bailey uses a program that lets her send messages to Vanessa’s phone and receive response that mimic ones Vanessa would send.

Throughout the book, we get insights to their relationship, and the accident that took Vanessa’s life. Grief, and letting go, is a very prominent theme in the book. However, I think it was done well. It showcases how, when someone you love passes away, you try everything to keep them alive.

Bailey does struggle with feeling guilty, and wonders if she could have done something to stop the accident. This is an issue that is touched on in a lot of YA books that deal with loss. Also, the story mentions how people only care about people once they’re gone. It’s not genuine grief.

“How devastating it is to miss her and hate her with the same breath.”

Throughout the story, we see that people aren’t perfect, and do make mistakes they can’t take back. Vanessa made some mistakes, and by the end of the book, I wasn’t sure if she would have been redeemable if she had lived. However, I liked the message that even if someone hurts you, you can still love them.

There is a romance that develops between Bailey and Vanessa’s boyfriend, which might seem weird, but in grief you connect with others that are grieving as well.Their relationship formed naturally, and didn’t seem like they were together just because of their shared grief.

Overall, I liked the way Bailey handled her grief. The story was a sad, but still a good read. So, if you are looking for a book that deals with loss, you should pick this one up!

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book. I would love to know your thoughts on it. Feel free to support my blog by giving it a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2023 YA Romances // Anticipated Releases

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I haven’t shared many of my anticipated book releases for 2023, so I thought I should talk about some of the romances that I can’t wait to read. Let’s face it I’m a YA contemporary romance girl at heart, which made it a little difficult to narrow this list down to only 5 books.

‘Never Vacation with Your Ex’ by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka (Released: April 4th)
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall meets Crazy Stupid Love in a YA second chance romance from fan-favorite author couple #Wibbroka!”

Not going to lie I have a love-hate, but mostly hate, relationship with this author duos books. They always seem to fall short for me, yet I still always find myself reading them.

‘Promposal’ by RaeChell Garrett (Released: April 4th)
“An overachiever must decide if risking her heart by working with her former crush turned enemy is worth the reward in this snappy rom-com, perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry.”

This is a new to me author, but the premise of this book sounds so cute. I’ve never went to high school, so I don’t get the whole promposal thing. Also, I love me some enemies-to-lovers.

‘Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl’ by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum (Released: May 2nd)
“This charming YA rom-com follows Margo, who suddenly realizes that she’s gay but has no clue how to express her identity, so she enlists out-and-proud Abbie to act as her tutor on everything “Queer 101”…and first love.”

By now you probably know that I love exchange of services plots. This one sounds a bit different than the ones I’ve read before and I’m excited to see how this story unfolds.

‘Borrow My Heart’ by Kasie West
(Released: June 13th)
“When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day–and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We’ve Never Been.”

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t mention Kasie West newest book on this list. Just like all her other books I’m sure that this one is going to be an amazing read!

‘The Borrow a Boyfriend Club’ by Page Powars
(Released: September 12th)
“A high school boy must master the art of romance to join his new school’s most illustrious (and secret) club to ensure his classmates see him as his true gender, and soon finds himself falling for the club’s prickly president.”

This story follows a trans main character, which I haven’t read about before. I love seeing diverse representation in books. And, this sounds like a grumpy, sunshine romance, which is going to be a lot of fun.

There you have some of the young adult romance books who releases I cannot wait for. In the comments, let me know what 2023 romance books you are greatly anticipating. Before you go hit the follow button so you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Better Than The Movies // Book Review

- Bunny 5 Comments


About The Book
Perfect for fans of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, this “sweet and funny” (Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks) teen rom-com follows a hopelessly romantic teen girl and her cute yet obnoxious neighbor as they scheme to get her noticed by her untouchable crush.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3js9G9h

My Rating

I think every YA contemporary lover should read this book! I seriously can’t think of one negative thing to say about it. I loved the enemies-to-lovers romance. The female main character, Liz, is very likable, and a hopeless romantic. Wes, the male lead, is super swoon-worthy.

I love the plot of these two enemies coming together because Liz needs Wes’ help to get a guy. Something about exchange of services plots always get me. And, the fact that there were romance movie quotes through out the book made it better.

As a main character, Liz was really likable to me. It was sweet that rom-coms, and being a romantic, made her feel closer to her late mom. But it did also show that she was still grieving for her mom. Also, I love that she made playlists for people. It was a small detail, but a very interesting aspect to her character.

Liz and Wes definitely had some great chemistry, and their feeling for each other developed naturally. Honestly, I liked Wes as well, and found him pretty charming. The other side characters were similarly likable, which made the story even more enjoyable.

“Love is patient, love is kind, love means slowly losing your mind.”

Now, there was declaration of love that I found to be cheesy, but still pretty cute, and it did leave me in tears. I think every YA contemporary has to have a little bit of cheesy, which I don’t mind at all.

Not only did I love the romance (like, it was seriously the best part of the entire book), but I also found that Liz’s character development was great. It was nice seeing her become her own person. She realized she can keep her mom’s memory alive without having to be just like her.

Overall, it was wonderfully written, made me laugh and even cry. I’m going to be recommending this book forever. I am for sure going to be rereading this book in years to come. Honestly, like the titles says it is 100% better than any teen romance movie.

In the comments, let me know if you loved this book as much as I did. If you like book reviews, then give this post a like, and follow my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Hot British Boyfriend // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


About The Book
This enchanting debut teen romance novel, which follows one girl across the Atlantic in a quest to find adventure, love (preferably with a guy with a cute accent), and maybe even herself, is perfect for fans of Kasie West and Stephanie Perkins.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3joJ2hz

My Rating

 

Get ready for a rant review! Typically, I’m not one to drag on books, because everyone’s bookish opinions and tastes are different. However, I cannot write this review without trashing this book, at least some. So please, as with all my reviews, take this with a grain of salt.

This books has to do with a teenage girl that, after suffering public humiliation, jets off to study abroad in the UK with the more elite students in her grade. Honestly, are high students as cruel as they are in movies and books? Because if so, I’m glad I was home schooled.

Ellie is the main protagonist of the story and probably one of the worst main characters ever: First off, she thinks being called Ellie is childish, which is ridiculous. She instantly starts flirting with the first British guy she meets and the lies fly so easily from her lips.

She doesn’t care that she’s not being herself as long as he likes her. So desperate! At one point she was going to get into a car with a literal stranger because he was cute and British. She was that naive and stupid.

Not only is her main priority some guy she just met; she wasn’t serious about the school at all. She didn’t know what she wanted in life, and was in need of some self discovery. Her solution to her problems was to runaway, which was completely immature.

“He brushes my hair from my face and I swear I’m in a romantic comedy. I can almost hear the music swelling.”

As for the side characters, Ellie did form a small friend group early on in the book. I liked her roommate, Sage, a lot. She was smart and driven, and not boy-crazy. Her other friends were good additions to the story as well. However, her crush, Will, was snobby, judgmental, and a jealous jerk.

There is the mention of fairy gardens in the book. I don’t know if they’re a real thing, but they should be. Also, I liked how the book showed that even if you don’t get straight A’s, or are good at school, it doesn’t mean you’re dumb. We are all smart in our own way.

Sadly, that one redeeming plot point didn’t make up for the entire rest of the book. Ellie’s character was way too childish, and her choices were horrible! She would drop her friends for a boy at any given moment. She was so unlikable. I seriously wrote in my notes that Ellie was stupid and annoying, which I think pretty much sums up my feelings regarding her as a person.

Overall, the book felt very young. I read a lot of YA, but the writing and characters were so immature that it drove me insane. While on GoodReads, I came across a review that said this book is irredeemable, and I 100% agree with that assessment.

In the comments, let me know your take on this book. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you are a fan of book reviews. I promise that most of them aren’t this negative.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

5 Star Predictions #4 // 2023

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I can’t remember the last time I did a 5 star predictions post, so I thought it was about time for one. These are some books that I think I’m going to love (if I ever get around to reading them). Honestly, I’m not sure how good I am at reading my 5 star predictions. I have 6 books on this list, with 3 of them being older titles, and 3 of them being new releases.

The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz
This book is being released at the end of February and is Melissa de la Cruz first YA thriller. It is compared to ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’, but it’s also giving me ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ vibes. I’m a fan of all three of those, so I know this is going to be an amazing read. I’ll be surprised if this isn’t a 5 star read.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover
In this YA contemporary, coming out in May, we get a fake dating meets ex-best friends to lovers story. I haven’t really read many ex-best friends second chance romance books, but that probably because friends-to-lovers and second chance romances aren’t my favorite tropes. Still, I love fake dating and the fact that the story has to do with a MASH inspired app sounds amazing. If the story is done right and as cute as I’m thinking it will be then it will for sure be a 5 star book.

One Of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus
This book will be released in August and I can not wait! Honestly, I’d love to have an ARC of the audiobook right now. This is the conclusion to her ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ series, which I loved. I did only give book one and two 4 stars, but I have high hopes this one will be a 5 star read.
Related Post: One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review
Related Post: One Of Us Is Next // Book Review

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
I don’t know much about this story, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a slow paced story. And, that the writing will be very lyrical. Does that make any sense? I’m not sure why I’m thinking this will be a 5 star read, but something is telling me that I’m really going to enjoy this story.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
I’m a big fan of Kiersten White’s writing style. There’s just something about her books that draw me in. I’ve been wanting to pick this book up for a long time now and just love the idea behind it. It’s King Arthur fantasy retelling, which doesn’t seem like something I’d typically gravitate to, but I think Kiersten White’s storytelling will make this a 5 star book.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
I’ve actually started this book already, but haven’t gotten that far into it. I feel like if I really dedicate some time to it, I’d love the story. It’s a heartbreaking YA Contemporary about a boy with bipolar disorder and a girl dealing with the loss of her sister. Heartbreaking contemporaries usually get 5 stars from me.

There you have my 5 star predictions! I’m sure I can think of more, and hopefully I’ll find some other 5 star reads this year. Because I’m really wanting a good reading year. Before you go, show your love for my blog by hitting the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny