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2023 Mid-Year Book Freakout // Book Tag

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today I’m doing the classic ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout’ Book Tag! This tag is a very popular one among the book community. If you’d like, you can check out my 2021 and 2022 editions of this tag.


I’m going to say ‘Belladonna’ by Adalyn Grace. This is a young adult fantasy that I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait for the sequel to be released! Other than that, I feel like my reading year hasn’t been the best.
Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review


Because I’m terrible at finishing series, I haven’t read too many sequel. So, there’s only one answer for this question and that would have to be ‘Finale’ by Stephanie Garber. It’s the conclusion to the ‘Caraval’ trilogy. I enjoyed how the ending, but it wasn’t my favorite book in the series.
Related Post: Finale // Book Review


‘You Shouldn’t Have Come Here’ by Jeneva Rose is an adult thriller about a woman that rents an Airbnb ad falls for the owner of it. But, their romance goes from sweet to obsessive. It was released back in April of 2023 and I still haven’t had the chance to pick it up. I haven’t read anything by this author, but I tend to have good luck with adult thrillers, so I have high hopes for this book.


This is a no brainer! It’s is, for sure, ‘One of Us Is Back’ by Karen M. McManus, which will be released on July 25th. I loved ‘One of Us is Lying’ and ‘One of Us is Next’, so I’m very excited for the next book in this YA thriller series of companion novels. Hopefully we get to see more of Knox and Phoebe relationship.
Related Post: One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review


Probably, ‘Five Survive’ by Holly Jackson. I’m a pretty big fan of the ‘Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy by this author, but this book was a fail. It was my first read of the year and put me in a reading slump. The whole premise behind the book was subpar and the writing wasn’t up to her usual standards.
Related Post: Five Survive // Book Review


I’m going to have to say my biggest reading surprise of the year, so far has been ‘With and Without You’ by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. I have read all of their YA novels, and only ever truly liked one of them. But, this book shocked me and was a 5 star read. It was such a cute YA contemporary romance that had a long distance relationship element, which isn’t something you typically see in YA books.


I’ve apparently been sleeping with regard to Kara Thomas’ young adult thrillers. I read ‘The Cheerleaders’ and it was a really captivating mystery. The writing was wonderful and it’s made me want to pick up all of her books.


I’ve got two answers for this question. The first being, Patrick from ‘With and Without You’, because if I was a teen girl, I would be swooning for this boy. And, the second is Four from ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth. What can I say I guess I have a thing for quiet, strong, serious guys.


Vera from ‘Shady Hollow’ by Juneau Black is a great main character. Yes, she is a fox, but I love her personality, and she’s become one of my new favorite characters.
Related Post: Shady Hollow // Book Review


So far, I actually haven’t read a book that has made me cry. But, I did find ‘Then She Was Gone’ by Lisa Jewell really sad. Honestly, for a mystery thriller, it’s pretty heartbreaking.
Related Post: Then She Was Gone // Book Review


‘The Stand-In’ by Lily Chu brought a smile to my face. It’s an adult romance that I adored. The entire plot and writing was great, and I had a really fun time reading it.


The special edition of ‘Daughter of the Pirate King‘ by Tricia Levenseller. I pre-ordered it, so it isn’t released until my birthday (June 27th). But, I’m still counting it as the most beautiful book I’ve bought this year. And, yes I did pre-order the rest of the series special editions as well. Before you ask, no, I haven’t read the series yet.


My TBR is far too long for this question. However, I’m really hoping to complete some book series that I’ve started. One that is high on my list is ‘Our Violent Ends’ by Chloe Gong, since I really enjoyed ‘These Violent Delights’. It should be easy to get a few duologies finished by the end of the year. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
Related Post: These Violent Delights // Book Review

In the comments, let me know if you have done this tag too. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Magician’s Elephant // Book Review

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About The Book
 What if? Why not? Could it be? When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3NnQVyy

My Rating

This book follows a young boy on a mission to find his sister. Honestly, I had no idea this book existed until I saw the trailer for the Netflix animated film adaptation for the movie. Than I discovered that it was written by the author of ‘Because Of Winn-Dixie’ and ‘The Tale of Despereaux’.

I’ve actually seen both of those movie adaptations and I read ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ book. Yet, I didn’t particularly love either of the stories. And, truthfully, ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ creeped me out a little. So, I didn’t have high hopes for this book.

There are a lot of different characters within the story, and most of them have sad backstories. I did find that there was a found family component with the book, which I really enjoyed.

“Magic is always impossible…. It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That is why it’s magic.”

Although the story wasn’t as magical or fantastical as I would have liked, I did enjoy it. I was just hoping for more of this adventure filled journey about this boy and an elephant looking for his sister.

However, the book is a quick read, and a simple children’s novel. I would say this is perfect for kids between the ages of 9 and 13. For me wasn’t anything that particularly stood out about the plot.

Overall, it is a book that you could read in one sitting, and I’m looking forward to seeing the film. But, I wouldn’t say you necessarily have to read it before watch the movie.

In the comments, let me know if you will be reading the book or watch the Netflix adaptation. Don’t forget to support my blog by giving it a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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

The Witches // Mini Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
 Witches are real, and they are very, very dangerous. They wear ordinary clothes and have ordinary jobs, living in ordinary towns all across the world — and there’s nothing they despise more than children. When an eight-year-old boy and his grandmother come face-to-face with the Grand High Witch herself, they may be the only ones who can stop the witches’ latest plot to stamp out every last child in the country!
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3PiRMU9

My Rating

This was such a cute and easy read that you could fly through. Since this is some what of a Flossie, it probably doesn’t need much of an explanation. Nevertheless, the story follows a young boy who recently lost his parents and his eccentric grandmother as they have to face off against witches.

Honestly, the fact that it deals with grief and loss is sad. But, make no mistakes it is in general a fun and slightly spooky children’s and even tween’s story. Yes, there is a sad beginning but it’s not the main focus of the book.

“Children are revolting!”

The plot was fast paced, and a bit sinister, and the writing was great. The characters were likable, and although we didn’t get to know them too well, I don’t think a lot of character depth or development was really needed in the story.

Overall, I found the plot of witches turning kids into rodents great, and the book was pretty funny. The ending was happy (and different), but I liked it. And, I will say the artwork style in the graphic novel was beautiful. There are a few movie adaptations of the book that I would probably enjoy as well.

In the comments, let me know if you have read the book, or seen one of the movie versions. I hear the one starting Anne Hathaway is a little spooky. Before you go, give my blog a follow so you can get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Kill Joy // Book Review

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About The Book
Pip is not in the mood for her friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920’s fancy dress and pretending that their town is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42vb4sg

My Rating

This is a prequel to Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. If you are a regular reader of the blog, then you know that I have a love/hate relationship with that series, and Holly Jackson’s books in general.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

In this book, we follow Pip, as she is a guest at a murder mystery party. I absolutely loved the concept of the book. It was such an easy and fun read. It felt like a true murder mystery game among friends.

The book might have not had all the suspenseful twists and turns as the other three books in the series, but I didn’t mind. The mystery was very straightforward and simple.
Related Post: Good Girl, Bad Blood // Book Review

I loved being inside Pip’s mind as she tries to put all the pieces of the murder together. Honestly, she’s every competitive person playing a game. Also, it was nice to see her in a more light hearted situation.

“It was almost like the town itself was defined by the murder of Andie Bell, both usually uttered in the same breath, inextricable from the other.”

The ending had a nice small twist that I found so realistic when it comes to the logical aspects of a game. Now I don’t know if I wouldn’t consider this a cozy mystery but I do think for some readers it could fall somewhere along those lines.

My favorite thing about this book is all the foreshadowing of the main trilogy. We got to see Pippa realize what her final year project should be. We saw characters from all the other books, and it was just a very full circle moment.
Related Post: As Good As Dead // Book Review

Overall, the book wasn’t anything spectacular, or the best story I’ve ever read. Yet, it is wonderfully written, and a fast-paced, good read. If you are looking for a mystery story that doesn’t require a lot of brain power, then I’d pick this one up.

If you’d like to share this post that would be amazing. And, giving my blog a follow would make my day!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

One True Loves // Book Review

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About The Book
From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life. Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly? Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3MZoR4H

My Rating

When I saw the trailer for the movie adaptation of this book, I knew I was not going to be able to wait and see how things were going to play out. I read the book in a day because I was very invested in the story. However, that isn’t to say that I enjoyed this book one bit. The story follows Emma, whose husband has passed away, but years later finds love again and is engaged. But, here’s the kicker; her husband is alive, and coming back to her.

This book was frustrating because the author took all of the guess work of who she was going to end up with out of the story. I knew where Emma’s heart lived, and I didn’t agree with it. And, the way she went about things in this book was just not right. If you have read this book you know what mean. Let’s just say cheating was a thing in this book, but I’m not even sure it can be called cheating. It was very confusing.

The whole situation was a mess. Because Emma loved her husband but so much time had past that she was an entirely different person than she when they were married. But, could she really marry her fiancé knowing she had been given a second chance with her not-so-departed husband?

“Just because something isn’t meant to last a lifetime doesn’t mean it wasn’t meant to be.”

The book does take the second chance romance trope and flip it on its head. Because, Emma has a second chance not only with her husband, but her new fiancé happens to be an old friend that asked her out back in high school. So, what do you do when you get two second chances at love? Who do you belong with? For me it’s not even a question, but it’s a unique situation one that I can happily say I’ve never been in.

The thing this book had going for it wasn’t the plot, the characters, or even the romance – it was the writing. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing style is very easy to read, bordering on addictive. I can see why so many people adore this author. I am interested in picking up some more of her more popular books, since I’m sure they are just as well written. And, hopefully the plots of those books are more up my alley.

Overall, this book is a super quick one day romance read that deals with grief, second chances, and PTSD. Also, be aware that you might be able to predict the ending early on as I did but I know that doesn’t bother some readers. As for me, I probably won’t be watching the movie adaptation, and I think that kind of says it all.

In the comments, let me know if you are planning on watching the film. Please like and share this post with other readers. And, if you don’t already know, you can get post notifications by following my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Five Total Strangers // Book Review

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About The Book
 Mira needs to get home for the holidays. Harper, Mira’s glamorous seatmate from her initial flight, offers her a ride. Harper and her three friends can drop Mira off on their way home. Soon, roads go from slippery to terrifying. People’s belongings are mysteriously disappearing. Someone in the car is clearly lying, and may even be sabotaging the trip—but why? And can Mira make it home alive, or will this nightmare drive turn fatal?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Nk0OPm

My Rating

My feelings about this book are very mixed. I think the plot was really good, but the story wasn’t as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. In the book, we follow Mira, who gets trapped at the airport during a blizzard. Instead of waiting for the storm to pass, she accepts a ride with 4 other teenagers.

Mira was an unlikable main character for many reasons, but the main one being that I found her to be so naive and clueless. She would willingly believe anything if they put the right amount of doubt in her mind. She never trusted her instincts, or stopped and thought before jumping to conclusions.

The rest of the characters were generic and didn’t have much depth to them. Sure, they played a part in the story, but the plot really does revolve around Mira. However, I didn’t hate any of the characters, which I’d say is a good thing.

My biggest complaint is that the book was very, very slow. I am a fan of fast paced mystery/thrillers, and this one just wasn’t one. I felt like nothing was really happening, and I just kept waiting for things to pick up.

“Six awkward hours in the car with strangers, and I’ll be home with my mom. It’s going to be fine.”

Now, the book did keep me guessing and reading, which is a good thing. But I just wanted more excitement, and more action! For it to be more thrilling. Maybe that’s just a me thing, but if I am reading a mystery/thriller type book, I want to be on the edge of my seat, and not know what to expect every chapter.

The outcome of the story was pretty good, and it did start picking up during the last couple chapters. Also, I was a fan of the writing. All in all, I just wished I liked the general plot and how things played out a little bit more.

Overall, I didn’t hate the book, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it either. However, if you’re looking for a middle of the road, very easy to read, slow thriller, you could give this one a read. Especially if you’re just getting into the YA thriller genre. In short, I would probably pick up more of this author’s books in the future.

In the comments, let me know if this book is on your TBR. Don’t forget to support my blog by hitting the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Flight 171 // Book Review

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About The Book
 In this edge-of-your-seat horror novel, a four-hour flight takes a nightmarish turn when a supernatural creature gives a group of high school students a sinister ultimatum. Choose one among them to sacrifice before the end of the flight. Or the plane will crash. As the clock ticks down, the creature slowly unearths the passengers’ deepest, darkest secrets. The students must agree on a sacrifice, or there won’t be any survivors.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3CdJKnM

My Rating

Honestly, when I think about the fact that I read this book, I think, “why?” And also, “what did I even read?” This book is crazy (to say the least). I have no idea what the author was thinking when they came up with this plot, but at least it was slightly entertaining.

Seriously, the whole time I was thinking “what am I doing?”, but I just couldn’t put it down. There was so much going on, and it was so weird! It was a murder trial, which we jump right into at the beginning. We learn about tons of different characters, but mostly we follow Devon, whose twin sister, Emily, was killed in a hit and run.

One of my biggest problem, besides the mess of a plot, was that none of the character were very likeable, and the MC especially drove me crazy. Even the romance side plot was a little bit off. However, romance had to be the last thing on the authors mind when writing this book.

Honestly, a big pet peeve of mine from reading stories where a family member (or a best friend) passes away, is the fact that our main character always carries some intense guilt because they said or did something regrettable right before they lost them. People say things out of anger, people get in fights. And, if we lose someone, it isn’t our fault. So, to say the least, Devon was not handling her sister’s death very well.

“Life is made of regret. You survive long enough and sometimes it’s all that’s left.”

I feel like I’m having such a hard time explaining this book, because it really is just all over the place. We have Devon trying to solve the mystery of who hit her sister. We have a bunch of kids trapped on an airplane with some supernatural creature that wants to inhabit one of their bodies. Yeah you can see how this book is hard to put into words

Maybe it’s just because I don’t read a lot of sci-fi, but I just didn’t enjoy the plot. It was strange, and all the characters made me so irrationally angry that they were willing to sacrifice one of their own to save themselves. I wanted to throw the book across the room, if I’d even had a copy (I am an audiobook reader, and was not angry enough to throw my phone). But it does show that grief really can make you do some unspeakable things.

The ending was OK. It was probably my favorite part of the entire book (and not just because it was finally over). I would say the last 20% really picked up, and it had an open-ended cliffhanger kind of ending. And, after all was said and done, it really did make me afraid to fly. Not exactly sure I’ll get on a plane, like ever again.

Overall, if you’re a fan of the Goosebumps, with a little bit of the twilight zone thrown in, you might end up enjoying this story. As for the writing, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it, so I’ll probably be willing to give the author another try. Still, this book just wasn’t for me. There was a lot going on, and I didn’t enjoy either of the plots.

In the comments, leave me your sci-fi book recommendations! If you like book reviews, and other bookish content, please like this post and follow my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

People Like Us // Book Review

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About The Book
Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she’s reinvented herself entirely. Now she’s a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl’s body is found in the lake, Kay’s carefully constructed life begins to topple. Debut author Dana Mele has written a taut, sophisticated suspense novel that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3N4GpgW

My Rating

I thought this book was going to be your typical prep school, mystery/thriller type of YA novel. I will say right up front that I haven’t loved many of the books I’ve read that follow this format. However, I am happy to say that I did actually enjoy this one!

The main character Kay is likable and interesting. She has a secret that she has kept hidden for years, but after discovering a body in the lake on Halloween, someone is threatening to expose her past. The skeleton in the closet aspect of the book reminded me a little of ‘There’s Someone Inside Your House’ by Stephanie Perkins, but it was done way better in this book.

This book was so intense! There was murder, blackmail, and it even touched on how the police are usually more concerned about closing a case than actually solving it. Racial profiling was mentioned, student teacher relationships, cheating, suicide, revenge porn, and the list goes on.

I for one couldn’t put the book down! I had to know what was going to happen next. The writing was so good, and the plot just kept getting better. I didn’t really feel like it was another prep school rehashed. Although Kay was the stereotypical non-rich girl on a scholarship, which is a running theme when it comes to the main characters in most private school mysteries.

“Does someone who does one bad thing, even one really bad thing,
deserve bad things to happen to them?”

I had my suspicions on who the killer was and I will admit that I was wrong at first. It was a slow build up to the reveal, but the reveal was done very well. The ending was amazing! By the end, you realize that there were many tiny hints throughout the book that lead you to the murders identity.

I will say that the ending was kind of sad, and had a lot to do with bullying and mental health. That being said, I liked how the story was wrapped up even though some people might guess the killer from early on. So, if you aren’t someone that minds a little predictability than you’ll enjoy this book.

Overall, this book gave me ‘Pretty Little Liars’ meets ‘Gossip Girl’ vibes. However, I did read a review calling it a ‘fucked up sapphic mean girls book’ and I think that describes it way better. But, it is a great read for spooky season, and I did get a kick out of the ‘A Christmas Story’ Ovaltine reference.

I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings —(find here)— before picking thing book up. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others. If you are a book lover (like me) hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

People Like Us by Dana Mele

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