Contemporary

Did I Read My 2022 Anticipated Releases?

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For Bookmas day 11, I’m going to be talking about if I read the books I talked about in my most anticipated book releases of 2022 post. Let me just say that I didn’t do so well.
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Releases // January – June
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Book Releases // July – December

In January, I was looking forward to reading ‘Echoes and Empires’ by Morgan Rhodes and ‘The Bone Spindle’ by Leslie Vedder, but these books haven’t crossed my mind all year. Actually, I don’t even remember what they’re about. The Sam goes for ‘League of Liars’ by Astrid Scholte, which was a February anticipated release. However, I did happen to read ‘Finding Her Edge’ by Jennifer Iacopelli.

In March, ‘Remember Me Gone’ by Stacy Stokes and ‘Live, Laugh, Kidnap’ by Gabby Noone came out. I’m not sure I’m still interested in these two books, anymore. I was anticipating the release of ‘Hotel Magnifique’ by Emily J. Taylor, as well as ‘With and Without You’ by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka in April. Although, I’m not surprised I didn’t get to ‘Hotel Magnifique’, I’m shocked that I still haven’t read ‘With and Without You’.

And, sadly I didn’t read my May or June anticipated releases. However, I am still looking forward to reading ‘The Noh Family’ by Grace Shim, ‘Beauty and the Besharam’ by Lillie Vale, ‘TJ Powar Has Something to Prove’ by Jesmeen Kaur Deo, and ‘A Secret Princess’ by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.

I also didn’t read my most anticipated books for July. Mainly because it was hard to get a hold of the audiobook for ‘Frightmares’ by Eva V. Gibson. And. I really forgot about ‘A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy’ by Jeff Bishop.

However, I did however read all of my August anticipated book releases! Yay me! And, luckily, I really enjoyed ‘Long Live The Pumpkin Queen’ by Shea Ernshaw, ‘12 To 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future!’ by Jen Calonita, and ‘Nothing More to Tell’ by Karen M. McManus.
Related Post: Long Live The Pumpkin Queen // Book Review

Unfortunately, I did bad on reading my September anticipated releases ‘Wishtress’ by Nadine Brandes and ‘Mere Mortals’ by Erin Jade Lange, which is a bummer since they both sound so interesting. I did manage to read one of my October anticipated releases, ‘Pretty Dead Queens’ by Alexa Donne, but didn’t find the time to read the other October release want to ‘The Art of Insanity’ by Christine Webb.

My November anticipated releases were ‘Friends Like These’ by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez and ‘Whiteout’ by Various Authors. I haven’t read either of them, but I will be picking up ‘Whiteout’ soon seeing that it’s my December 2022 book club read.

As for December, one of my anticipated releases hasn’t come out yet. Still, it is safe to say that I won’t be reading ‘Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are’ by Kathryn Foxfield and ‘So, This Is Love’ by Tracy Andreen before 2022 comes to an end.

So, I only read 5 of the books off my most anticipated book releases lists. There is just not enough time to read backlist titles as well as new release in the year. Hopefully, I can get to some of these books in 2023.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any of these books. Which ones should I make a priority to read soon? If you want to support my book blog, please give this post a like and a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Fireworks // Book Review

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About The Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love comes a stunning new contemporary novel—all about boy bands, girl bands, best friends, and first love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AOS6St

My Rating

 

At first, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked to be. I was on the fence about Katie Cotugno’s writing, but it did grow on me as time went on. The plot of this book is ‘Making the Band’ meets YA contemporary. The main character, Dana, is level headed and realistic about her future. She doesn’t have the best home life with her single mom, and college is a pipe dream. Her best friend, Olivia, is destined for stardom, so when they both get picked to be part of a new girl group, they’re shocked, but excited.

I don’t know about you, but if me and my best friend got the chance to be in a music group together I would be over the moon. But, you could tell that Olivia was jealous, and somewhat put Dana down, instead of lifting her up. Dana, on the other hand, was supportive of her best friend, never forgot her roots, and worked hard to become a better performer. She was scared of turning out like her alcoholic mother and living in their small town forever, but she wasn’t bitter.

However, I will say that sometimes staying in the town you grew up in and marrying the farm boy isn’t the end of the world. Everyone’s hopes and dreams look different. But, Olivia seemed to think she was better than her friends, which rubbed me (and eventually Dana) the wrong way throughout the story.

This really is a book about unexpected fame and being a fish out of water. Dana had to deal with the pressures of stardom, catty girls, and feeling like she’s not good enough. Also, there was the mention of how paying $40 for a shirt is insane, and I must agree. Money wasn’t a huge topic in the story, but there is the notion that being pretty doesn’t mean you get anything you want.

“Can you allow for the possibility that you’re more special than you give yourself credit for?”

There was a ton of drama within the story, which wasn’t my cup of tea. We get jealousy, a love triangle, and backstabbing all in one book. The plot showed how jealousy can turn even the best of friends against each other. And by the end of things, you being to realize you were never truly friends at all.

As I mentioned, the book features a short lived love triangle that did nothing but add more drama to the plot. In general, the romance was cute, but why does every YA male fall for the average girl!? Can this cliche die already?

Overall, the message of the story was that with hard work and determination you can succeed at anything. You have the power to change your life and choose who you want to be. I enjoyed how the author ended Dana’s story, because she ended up finding herself. The message was conveyed well, but the execution wasn’t my favorite.

The book touches on topics like alcoholism and anorexia, so please keep that in mind before diving into this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Places We’ve Never Been // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
A sweet and swoony contemporary Young Adult novel about a cross-country family road trip that puts one girl and her childhood best friend on an unexpected road to romance! Kasie West delivers another romantic and heartfelt story of family, first love, and how expanding your horizons can take you places you’ve never dreamed of.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TW7QtF

My Rating

I don’t know how Kasie West creates such amazing YA contemporaries, but I’m happy to read all of them! This book is a second chance romance, which isn’t my favorite, however I did enjoy West’s take on the trope. The main character Norah is a bit naive and weird, but being normal is vastly overrated. She wants to be a video game animator, which I loved. It is a career field that isn’t talked about a lot in books, so it was a cool addition to the story.

The plot follows Norah as she, and her family, embark on a 3 week road trip with some old friends. One being Skyler, who happens to be Norah’s former best friend. I found Skyler’s attitude towards Norah less than favorable. Some of the things he did rubbed me the wrong way, and were kind of cold. It goes to show that reconnecting with people isn’t easy.

In my opinion, he isn’t a fully developed character and is very wishy-washy. As I mentioned before, it was annoying how unfair to Norah he was throughout the book. She was nothing but nice to him, and still had a chip on his shoulder.

However, I liked that Norah called Skyler out on all his anger towards her. And, made him see that he changed as much as she did. The book touched on the topic of how sometimes we don’t show our true selves. That a lot of the time we forget who we are and change for others rather than for ourselves.

“Maybe we were our truest selves as children, before we let the expectations of everyone else dictate who we should be.”

But truthfully, the romance isn’t a huge part of the story. I know that is weird since it is a YA contemporary, yet I found it refreshing. Honestly, Norah and Skyler’s relationship developed naturally and they were immature teens.

I liked the sibling dynamic throughout the book. Norah and her brother acted like true siblings, and Skyler’s brother and sisters were likable characters as well. I loved Norah’s best friend Willow, because she was funny and understanding. Also, there is a lot of fun video game references in the story.

Nevertheless, there were some things I didn’t much care for. Like Skyler’s character and all his secrets. There was a lot of hiding things, and secrets coming out by the end of the book. And none of the twists were all that surprising.

Overall, the book was enjoyable, just as I expected. Still, I would classify this as my least favorite of Kasie West’s books. It isn’t as memorable-able as some of her other work. But for me, it was a cute story with wonderful writing.

Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go, and leave a comment on this post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Fame, Fate and the First Kiss // Book Review

- Bunny 4 Comments

About The Book
Lacey Barnes has dreamed of being an actress for as long as she can remember. So when she gets the opportunity to star in a movie alongside one of Hollywood’s hottest actors, she doesn’t hesitate to accept the part. But Lacey quickly learns that life in the spotlight isn’t as picture perfect as she imagined.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3DCtxsn

My Rating

This is a companion story to Kasie West’s  ‘Love, Life and the List,’ but this time we follow Lacey. In the first book, we learned that Lacey was an actress at the high school and by the end of the book just book her biggest role yet. In this book, we follow Lacey as she is taking on that breakout role.

Lacey was a good main character, and it was interesting reading about a newbie actress. Her character was outgoing and friendly, and super dedicated to her craft. However, she did get offended quite easily especially when it came to the subject of her career choice. Also, I struggle with the fact that her dad wasn’t very supportive of her career, yet I did understand that he was just trying to protect her. In all honesty, actors don’t have the best job security.

As for the romance, when Lacey meets her tutor, Donavan, she thinks he’s uptight. But, there are more sides of Donavan that we get to see, in time. We learned that he loved to write, and didn’t care for fame or social status. The chemistry between them was instant, and their relationship formed naturally. It was a bit of an opposite track type romance though.

“I love stories. I love watching them play out and trying to guess the endings. I love being surprised and learning new things about people or about myself.”

Within the story, we get to see Lacey struggle with feeling replaced in her life back at home. It isn’t a huge part of the story, but the sentiment that coming home isn’t always easy was a nice addition to the more lighthearted story. Lacey learned that going after your dreams means having to make sacrifices and if your passion is worth everything you have to give up.

There is this funny twist involving Donavan and another actor, which I did predict. But I liked how it was added to the story. It was a small touch that connected Donavan to Lacey’s world a little more. Also, there is a ton of witty batter in this book! Kasie West always writes the most charming characters with some of the best dialog.

Overall, this is a cute YA contemporary that is easy to read in one sitting. The story was well throughout and the romance was sweet. Although, I don’t know if I see Lacey and Donavan lasting long-term, but I have high hopes they’ll stay together.

Let me know in the comments below if you enjoy the opposite track trope. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Related Post: Love, Life and The List // Book Review

The Survival List // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
From author Courtney Sheinmel comes an emotional, page-turning novel about the bonds of sisterhood, the imprecision of memory, and the incomparable value of finding something to live for. Fans of I Was Here by Gayle Forman and Far from the Tree by Robin Benway will be floored by this heartbreaking yet uplifting teen novel about a grieving girl who follows a mysterious list across the country after her older sister’s death.

My Rating

I’m going to be completely honest, and admit that when I think back on this book, I could barely remember it. So that should speak for itself. The book follows Sloane as she struggles to cope with her older sister Talley’s suicide. Once Sloane finds a mysterious list that Talley left behind, she is hell-bent on figuring out what it means. She thinks that the list holds all the answers to why her sister chose to the take her own life.

The book shows Sloane going through a lot of guilt over Talley’s death, believing that she could have prevented her sister’s suicide. This made her very obsessed with the list. I haven’t experienced what Sloane was going through, but I found that her obsession with finding a reason behind her sisters death unhealthy.

In the book, the list takes Sloane to California, where she reconnects with her estranged aunt. And where she meets a boy named Adam, who might be a piece to the puzzle that is her sister.  But the thing is, suicide doesn’t always have an answer. It isn’t always so black and white. I wanted Sloane to give in to her grief, and try to start healing. She needed to start focusing on keeping her sister’s memory alive, instead of chasing her ghost.

Sloane’s aunt didn’t add much to the story, but gave Sloane new insight to  her sister, as well as her mother. As for Adam, him and Sloane’s friendship felt random and cringy. Honestly, I didn’t like how Sloane would lash out at him for keeping secrets. He barely even knew her, but she excepted him to be an open book. I get that she was lashing out because of grief, but he didn’t owe her anything.

Personally, all the characters in the book fell short, since they were bland. Not one of them stood out to me. Except perhaps Sloane’s best friend, but only because her name was Juno. Also, the book had very weird wording that was a bit on the juvenile side. I am a big YA fan but the author was trying way to hard using phrases such as ‘shit slammer’ and ‘up in my grill.’

“When you try to keep a secret, even if you convinced yourself that it’s for someone else’s own good, it often backfires.”

There was a twist at the end that some people might find offensive. Specifically people that know firsthand the difficulty of having cancer. It was a very unique twist that I found unsettling and wrong. It seemed as though the book was trying to create a reason behind suicide. As if it ran in families. Sometimes that might be the case, but most of the time, there’s no reason to why someone takes their life. Or, at least, you will never truly know why they made such a choice.

You never really know someone, even if they’re family. In the end, we are all fighting our own battles, and depression doesn’t discriminate. The smartest person, with a happy life, could actually be the one that’s hurting most of all. The fact remains that suicide doesn’t end the pain, it just passes it on to someone else.

It was nice that the author made it a priority to mention that the people you get close to will change your life forever. Even after they have passed on. People always leave their mark on the hearts they touch. I did find it funny that the book stated the whole ‘don’t ask permission, but ask forgiveness’ opinion. Because I know first hand, that isn’t true. Don’t believe me? Ask my mom.

Overall, the book was about showing the aftermath of suicide, and how it effects the people you leave behind. However, the story didn’t pack that emotional punch that it needed to make me feel something. I found myself to be pretty bored throughout the book, and I didn’t shed a tear. Still, it was interesting to learn that suicide is illegal in Minnesota. Yet, I don’t know if that still the case today. Remember to research all the trigger warnings for the book, but a few of them are suicide, underage drinking, depression, and overdose.

I’m the comments, let me know if this book is on your TBR. Don’t forget to like and share his review. You can always support my blog by giving it a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Upside of Falling // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

Synopsis
Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?

My Rating

My Thoughts
This is a sweet, simple, and short young adult contemporary that I enjoyed right from the start. The plot unfolds quickly, and we learn a lot about the characters early on. However, the quick start was a minor con, since by the have way point the story started to lag a little.

In the book we follow Becca, a romance book lover, who is still dealing with the scars her father left when he walked out on her mom and her. You could tell that her father’s choice deeply affected her, and that she was, in a way, damaged by it. I liked seeing a character that had a lot issues, but not necessarily a mental illness.

Opposite Becca, we have Brett, who seems to be the typical jock. But, like Becca, there’s a lot more to his character. Sure he is the popular, hunky high-school athlete, but he desperately wants his parents to be proud of him. He puts his dad, as well as his parents’ marriage, on a pedestal, which ultimately leads to disappointment.

In the story, Becca and Brett start up a fake relationship, because of some snotty comments made by Becca’s ex-best friend. Personally, I loved how Brett started the fake dating, and was such a sweetheart the whole time. Becca annoyed me at first, since she was not being a very good fake girlfriend. Yet it did fit with her personality, and her history with relationships.

However, at times, Becca was somewhat rude to Brett, because he was different than her. Why is it that girls in books tend to be more judgmental than the guys? But, the romance was cute and it progressed naturally. They might have started off fake, but took time to get to know one another for real. Becca and Brett were cute together fake or not.

“People always talk about falling in love but no one ever talks about falling out of it.”

Although, I wouldn’t say their relationship was ‘To All The Boys’ level good; I didn’t mind the love story being mid-range. Honestly, the book showcased some other important topics that were almost more interesting than the fake dating plot. Something major happens to Brett’s family life, and although it wasn’t shocking (I saw it coming miles away), it was an interesting turn of events.

The side characters were all fleshed out, good characters, and it was nice to see Becca clear the air with her former BFF. The two have this whole moment, and it was a big “aha” moment for Becca. As readers, we fall so in love with books and their stories, that we sometimes forget that they are still just a work of fiction. They can always be our comfort zone, but will never be our reality.

Also, there were a lot of little things added in to the story that I liked, such as Becca’s need for pro/cons lists, and Brett’s funny one-liners. There was even a mention of buying 4 books for $36.00, which is a steal in my opinion. And, I don’t think they were even secondhand books.

Overall, the book was an easy read, with a good plot and writing style. I already know that I will be reading more of this author’s works. Also, there is a part in the story where Becca tells Brett that she categorizes things in her mind. Labeling things as ones that are worth remembering, and the ones that aren’t. Now, it isn’t a way to live life, but it was fascinating to think about which moments or days I’d say are worth remembering.

Please know that divorce is a major subject in the book as well as another type of relationship issue in the book that I won’t mention as not to spoil anything. Nevertheless, some people might not like the way such topics are handled in the book. I for one, am not a fan of the outcome, since it is something that is unforgivable in my eyes. Even so, I was generally happy with the story.

Quick PSA, there is a scene that showcases a murder (of books), but it’s okay, you will get through it. Don’t forget to hit that like, and follow my little book blog for more reviews.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Love And Gelato // Book Review

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Synopsis
A summer in Italy turns into a road trip across Tuscany in this sweeping New York Times bestseller filled with romance, mystery, and adventure. Kirkus Reviews called Love & Gelato “a sure bet for fans of romance fiction,” while VOYA said readers “will find it difficult to put this book down.” Readers are about to discover a new place, a new romance, and a new talent.
Synopsis from Amazon

My Rating

My Thoughts
In the book, we follow sixteen year old Lina, who is dealing with the passing of her single mother. However, her mom’s dying wish is for her to move to Italy and get to know her estranged father, Howard. I could understand Lina’s frustration about the prospect of moving all the way to to Italy, and leaving behind her friends and loved ones. Her mother just died, and now she has to say goodbye to the people she’s known for years.

At first, Lina took out her frustration and grief on Howard. Sure, he wasn’t around for years, but you could tell right away that it wasn’t his choice. Also, you could instantly tell that there was more to her mother and Howard’s story. As a main character, Lina frustrated me, because she seemed completely clueless about Italy. Actually, she just seemed clueless in general.

A big part of the story is that Lina is given her mother’s old journal, which helps her see who her mother was before she had Lina. We learned a lot about her late mom, since she was almost like a second main character. It was interesting to see Lina discover a new side of her, and find out about her secret college romance.

“I thought I wanted caprice and fire, but it turns out that what I really want is someone who will wake me up early so I don’t miss a sunrise.”

There weren’t many other characters, at least not ones we got to know. There is Howard, and his co-workers, Sonia as well as Ren, who is Lina’s love interest. Honestly, Lina and Ren’s romance wasn’t a major part of the story, since it focused more on her mom’s life, and Lina trying to piece together her mom’s past in Italy.

Actually, the story focused a lot more on her mother’s love life, which I found to be way more interesting. I want to note that there are a few minor characters, such as Ren’s friends, Lina’s mom’s college friends, plus her mothers stuck-up ex-boyfriend that all play small parts in the story.

The ending was nice, and wrapped things up well, but there was still a slight twist, albeit one that was very easy to figure out. Still, I liked that Lina started to trust Howard more, and realized that her mother wanted to share all her secrets with him as well. But, I did think the outcome of her and Ren’s romance was a little too intense for teenagers.

A con was that being in Italy wasn’t a huge part in the book. There were some moments showcasing different places in Italy, and a lot of talk about gelato, but, I wish the author described the beauty of the country more. I wanted to feel like I was in Italy, and the book didn’t do that for me.

Overall, the writing was fine, and the story was well done. It isn’t my favorite contemporary – especially since the plot was fairly slow moving. I wouldn’t read it again, but it wasn’t a disappointing read.

In the comments, let more know what your thoughts on the book are, because I’d love to hear your opinions. Don’t forget that following the blog lets you know about new posts!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Defining Life // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

Please be aware that this is a novella of about 30,000 words.

Synopsis
This is the story of two teenage cancer survivors on the quest to define life, because if they don’t, they might as well fail their class project entirely.
Synopsis from Amazon

My Rating

*I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of the book for review.*

My Thoughts
This is a short, but sweet second chance romance about learning to live life to it’s fullest. The book follows Heather, who is a junior in high school and cancer survivor. She is thrown for a loop when she is paired with golden boy Aaron for a class assignment. Aaron is also a cancer survivor, and Heather’s ex-best friend. I found Heather and Aaron to be pretty bland characters. There wasn’t much depth to them, and we didn’t get to know them very well. It made me unable to form a connection with them, so I wasn’t too invested in their story.

Heather and Aaron had a bad falling out as kids, and I’m still unsure of how I feel about the whole situation. After going into remission, Aaron was forced by his mother to no longer see Heather, who was still a cancer patient at the time. Heather felt abandoned by Aaron, but he was just a child just following his parents orders.

Honestly, I felt like Aaron didn’t own up to his actions when they got to high school. Instead of making amends with Heather, he completely ignored the elephant in the room. However, my husband pointed out that there are three sides to every story. His, hers, and the truth. Sometimes, it can be hard to say sorry when so much time has passed.

“At the end of it all, life’s ending story is death.”

Still, it was clear that Heather had been deeply hurt by his actions, so I don’t understand why she never brought it up before their forced proximity. I understand that they’re just in high school, but they handled the whole situation poorly. At least they cleared the air relatively early on in the story.

The plot is very straightforward and easy to follow, with a simple writing style. The story is a quick read, too. Every chapter title is a word followed by it’s definition. I am not sure if I liked that format, but I think it fit with the story, since the book centers around defining the word life. So it does make sense why the author added that small detail.

Overall, the plot felt rushed, and the romance was predictable, but still cute. The moral of the story was that sometimes people are dealt a bad hand in live. And, we will have to face grief and loss in our lives. A lot of the time, it isn’t fair when it comes to who gets to live and who gets to die. This is why we should live each day like it’s our last, while being thankful that wake up everyday and get to live life.

I wouldn’t call the book anything special or overly memorable, but if you are looking for a simple and fast read to bump up your reading goal for the year, then give it a read! Before you go, make me smile by hitting that follow button!

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

The Holiday Swap // Book Review

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Synopsis
“A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas–perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December.”

Mark my words – this will be a Hallmark Christmas movie one day. I have seen many Hallmark, movies and this book follows the exact same format. Small town, unexpected romance, and the rest is history. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way complaining about the predictable plot. In fact, I found the book quiet enjoyable.

In the book, we follow two twin sisters – workaholic Charlie, and shy Cas. The sisters decide to trade places after an accident leaves Charlie unable to do her job as a food competition judge. I found the sisters to be likable, but I don’t think there was enough character development. Honestly, we learned more about Cas than Charlie, but still not enough to get super attached to the character.

As I mentioned, Charlie is a host and judge on a Food Network type competition show. She is competing as well – against her co-host, for a permanent position on the Network. There is talk about being a female in the TV food industry, and how we females aren’t taken seriously. Sometimes we are excepted to stand still and look pretty. I found this subject matter a nice addition to the book, but the competition itself didn’t play a big plot in the story.

Upon switching with Cas, Charlie must return home to her family bakery in her quaint mountain hometown. Why does it’s always have to be a small town? And, a bakery or bookshop. Anyways, I found that Charlie didn’t take her position as Cas very serious. While on the other hand Cas was doing everything she could to help Charlie keep her job.

As for the romance aspect, the love interests were very obvious. You could tell from early on how the romances were going to play out. There was some instant love at play, which I don’t generally care for, but that is typical in a Hallmark movie type of story. Both the love interests were nice characters, but I found myself liking Charlie’s love interest, Jake, more.

“Time heals all things. If time fails, try cake.”

The sisters kept wondering if the guys liked them for them or the role they were playing. They would go back and forth on whether or not to come clean, which was slightly annoying. It’s not like the guys could blow up their plan. Honestly, the switch idea as a whole was a bit immature. However, I found lying to someone while also getting close to them to be even more immature.

By the end of the book, you could see that Cas and Charlie had grown as people. Although, I do think the author put more thought into Cas’ character growth. Still, the twins ended up forming a strong sister bond that wasn’t really there before. Most of all, the story shows that it is never too late to change your life in a way that makes you truly happy.

Overall, I found the book to be a cute and cliché read, which is usually how I feel about any TV romance movie. This book is certainly not for everyone, because there really isn’t much depth to the story. You jump right into the plot and you can basically figure out how the book is going to play out right way.

Yet, I enjoyed not only the storyline, but the easy writing style as well. My only major con is that the book isn’t very Christmasey. You’d think a holiday book would have thrown in a little more of the holidays. Give me Christmas overload! Nevertheless, I did loved that there was a time jump epilogue. In the comments, let me know your thoughts on this book. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny