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Hidden Pictures // Book Review

- Bunny 3 Comments

About The Book
From Edgar Award-finalist Jason Rekulak comes a wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, for fans of Stranger Things and Riley Sager, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets. Follow the story that he conjures up and you are guaranteed to lose yourself in the day and specifically, Hidden Pictures.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3EfByVE

My Rating

This book is amazing! Not only is it an intense thriller, but it covers some hard topics as well. The main character, Mallory, is a newly sober, former addict that is trying to get her life back on track. Hearing Mallory’s struggles with addiction wasn’t the biggest part of the story, but always lingered in the background. Her reasons for turning to drugs was saddening, and it was hard to see people judge her for her past.

In the book, Mallory becomes a nanny for a five-year-old boy named Teddy. It was nice to see Mallory and Teddy form a close bond. They developed a sort of sibling type of relationship, which isn’t unrealistic between a nanny and their charge.

There is a romance that forms between Mallory and a neighbor, but it isn’t a huge plot point. The book is all about the mystery, and boy was it intense. There is so much going on with the mystery that you don’t know which way things will go next.

“Hardest things about recovery is coming to terms with the fact that you can’t trust your brain.”

Honestly, this isn’t the type of book where you can figure out what’s going to happen. The author would lead you in one direction and than another. It made for a fantastic read. The ending was incredible! Everything came together, and it was jaw dropping. I will say that the last chapter was a bit sad. I might have cried a  little. But, I can’t rave enough about this book.

Overall, it read like a movie, if that makes any sense at all. If there ever happens to be a movie adaptation, please sign me up to play Mallory. Also, as I mentioned before, the book hits on some heavy topics, such as death, addiction, and racism. And, there was this gross scene between Mallory and Teddy’s dad.

Funny side note, Mallory mention a few time how Hallmark movies are comforting to her, and I can’t say that I disagree. But, I do wonder if Hallmark paid for the shoutout in the book. Probably not.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. If not, what are you waiting for? Before leaving, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new 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

End Of The Year // Book Tag

- Bunny Leave a comment

In this video, I talk about the books that I need to finish before the end of the year as well as the books that I am still waiting to be released.

QUESTIONS
1. Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
3. Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?
4. What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?
5. Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?
6. Have you already started making reading plans for next year?

Bookstagram: books.with.bunny
Twitter: bookswithbunny

So This Is Love // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Faced with questions of love and loyalty to the kingdom, Cinderella must find a way to stop the villains of past and present . . . before it’s too late. The 9th installment in the New York Times best-selling A TWISTED TALE series asks: What if Cinderella never tried on the glass slipper?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Sm0mjp

My Rating

I was wary going into this book, since I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. However, Cinderella reminds me a lot of my mom, so I have a special place in my heart for her.

Right off the bat, the writing style was wonderful. The author really brought the story to life, as well as adding a lot of interesting little tidbits into the story. Like creating a wonderful backstory behind Cinderella’s name.

In the retelling, the characters hold true to their original personalities. Cinderella is just as sweet, kind, and positive as she has always been. Yet, she is independent, and not a damsel in distress. She fight for herself, which makes sense considering the life she has had.

The evil stepmother and stepsisters didn’t play a huge role in the book, but were, for the most part, similar to the original characters.

However, the evil stepmother was a lot crueler this time around, and really hated Cinderella. In the book, I couldn’t believe the length her evil stepmother would go to get rid of her.

The prince was an okay character, but didn’t have much personality. There was the addition of the Prince’s aunt, which I enjoyed a lot. She was a strong willed women with a hidden soft side. They also gave Cinderella a human friend, however the mice and her dog were still included in the story.

“Women are always waiting on men- let it be the other way around for a change.”

The villain of the story was the king’s advisor, and he was a despicable villain. I despised him throughout the story, so the author did a great job at creating a truly unlikeable villain.

The story is slow moving, but there are many interesting pieces to the plot. Especially the fact that magic is forbidden in the land. That twist added such a cool element to the story, making it more fantastical and less of a simple love story.

Still, the love story side was sweet and romantic. And the notion that not everyone will love you, but that’s okay was also a nice added message to the story. Also, the fact that there was more to their love story, instead of them just living happily ever after, was very realistic.

Overall, the ending was good, and the story was well-executed. It isn’t my favorite retelling, but a good read nonetheless. I would have just preferred a more fast paced plot.

Let me know in the comments if you have read this twisted tale book. And before you go, check out my reviews of some of the other twisted tale books.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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The Fall Bucket List // Book Tag

- Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
September 22nd is the first official day of fall, which signifies the end of summer. Thus, I wanted to do a fall inspired book tag! And, ‘The Fall Bucket List’ tag seemed like the perfect one. The tag was created by Read By Tiffany, so go check out her posts as well! Also, you are supposed to tag seven people, but I decided to tag only three bloggers.


For me that is ‘Pumpkinheads’ by Rainbow Rowell, because it is a fun and lighthearted fall graphic novel. The book takes place on Halloween in a pumpkin patch. What is more fluffy and fall than that plot?


‘Séance Tea Party‘ by Reimena Yee has been on so many peoples fall book recommendations list, which has made me want to see what the hype is all about. I will be doing a whole post on my Fall TBR, and this will 100% be on the list.


I don’t ever talk about this, because I read it probably 10 year ago, but that is ‘Heist Society’ by Ally Carter. If you like the movie ‘Catch That Kid’, then you will enjoy this book. This is the first book in a trilogy, and the friend group in it is really fun.


‘Kiki’s Delivery Service‘ by Eiko Kadono is a very heartwarming and coming-of-age story about a tween witch. This wasn’t a five star read, but it is a cute story and perfect for the fall time.
Related: Kiki’s Delivery Service // Book Review


Lara Jean in the ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ trilogy! However, she is more of a baker, but I think that still counts. These books are perfect for all, and I love that she bakes, because who doesn’t love a story that mentions baked goods?


Obviously, ‘Long Live the Pumpkin Queen‘ by Shea Ernshaw is my answer for this question. This book wasn’t amazing, but it did live up to my expectations. It was a good retelling of sorts, and I would recommend it to others that enjoyed ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’.
Related: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen // Book Review

I hope that you liked this post, because I really have a good time doing tags. I have tagged a few people below, but I tag anyone reading this post to do it as well. And, don’t forget to hit that follow button before you leave.

I Tag
Books and Sensibility
Writing Rose Read
Enchanted Elfie

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Midnight In Everwood // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find here. The Nutcracker for adults, perfect for fans of Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval.

My Rating

 

All I knew about this book was that it’s a ‘Nutcracker’ retelling with a stunning cover. Since, I read ‘The Toymakers Apprentice’, which is also a ‘Nutcracker’ retelling, and loved it, I decided to give this one a  try.

The story is set in the 1900’s and follows an aspiring ballerina, Marietta. Throughout the book, Marietta expresses her desire to dance professionally, but her parents are more concerned with their social status, and getting Marietta married, to lend her dreams any consideration. Her parents were cruel and unfeeling, which worked well with the story the author was trying tell.

As for Marietta, I found her to be stubborn, but strong. Smart, yet childish. She reminded me of Belle, from ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Her goal in life wasn’t to be a wife and mother. She wanted to choose her own path.

Marietta’s brother, Frederick, was a much needed addition to the story. He wasn’t afraid to remind his sister of her privilege, while still supporting her dreams. Although, he followed his parents’ plans for his future, and kept his relationship a secret, he wasn’t bitter about the life he had.

When a new charming man arrives in town, Marietta wasn’t impressed by him. She wasn’t fooled by his façade, and knew there was more to him than met the eye. It felt as though people shrugged off her concerns because she was a woman, which is all too true for that time period.

At first, I found the story a little confusing, and my mind kept wandering. But once the magical realism aspect was introduced, I fell in love with the story. The author created a world that transported the reader into an enchanted, but scary land. It was easy to see how Marietta was fooled by the king, and also by Everwood’s beauty.

“Never dull your sparkle for anyone else, flame fiercely into your own glittering future.”

While in Everwood, Marietta meets two other girls who are trapped within the kingdom as well. They forge a bond that is strong, and somewhat sisterly. And, they start to fight back. The girls in the book are seen as something to be owned, and will bend to a man’s will.

In the book, Marietta starts to connect with the captain of the King’s Arm. Let’s just say that he was swoon-worthy. His and Marietta’s relationship felt real, even though Marietta didn’t belong there. It shows that you can find love in the most unexpected places.

The ending was amazing, and had a strong message of following your dreams, no matter the cost. Still, the ending was quite sad, yet it plays off the famous quote “’It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.”

Overall, the plot focuses on privilege, and if having money is worth sacrificing your dreams. As for the writing style, it was a slow paced story with poetic writing. Much like ‘The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein’ by Kiersten White, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

There are a lot of triggering topics in this book. To name a few, there’s sexism, violence, and stalking. Please do your research before reading it. You can visit the book’s StoryGraph page to see a full list of all the content warnings for the book.

Before you leave, give this review a like and share. And, hit that follow button!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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A Taste for Love // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
For fans of Jenny Han, Jane Austen, and The Great British Baking Show, A Taste for Love, is a delicious rom com about first love, familial expectations, and making the perfect bao. Both high school senior Liza Yang and her mother share a love and talent for baking but disagree on the subject of dating, especially when Mrs. Yang turns her annual baking contest into a matchmaking scheme.

My Rating

This book sounded like a cute YA contemporary with a baking element. The main character, Liza, is an Asian-American teenager that has been compared to her older sister Jeanie for years. Her sister is a New York model and college student, while Liza, on the other hand, is a typical teenage girl with dreams of being a baker.

Liza is a respectable main character that doesn’t want to be controlled by her parents, mainly her mother. I understood Liza’s annoyance with her mothers constant need to set her up with upstanding Asian boys, and slight digs at her appearance and choices. The books take on Asian parents is similar to how they are portrayed in Claire Ahn’s ‘I Guess I Live Here Now’, which I have also reviewed. Liza’s mother is constantly telling her that she needs to focus on school, and trying to find her a suitable Asian boy to marry. She even goes so far as to tell her daughter that ‘true love’, so to speak, is a work of fiction.

I wasn’t a fan of how her mother treated her. She put her daughter down, and had no real faith in her. She even body-shamed her, which is not acceptable for anyone, especially a parent, to do. However, she did this all under the pretense that she was just trying to help, and was worried about her daughter’s future. On the flip-side, Liza’s father was kind, and understood Liza’s desire to figure out her own path, which was a nice contrast to her mother.

Although Liza was the main focus of the story, there were many other characters that played a big part within the plot. Her sister, Jeanie, was her confidant, and had her own struggles that Liza was a bit too blind to see. Her best friend, Grace, was a find character, but I felt as though her relationship plot happened way too fast.

“Maybe because I don’t want the guy I date to sound like a walking college application.”

I liked the addition of Liza’s friend Sara, since she tended to put her foot in her mouth a lot. She said a lot of ignorant things about Asian culture, but she acknowledged her fault, and even made it a point to say that her words never come out right. It is a very honest portrayal of a person that might say insensitive things, but without malicious intentions.

There is a baking contest in the book, but I felt that not only did the contest happen rather far into the book, it was way too long. Truthfully, the contest wasn’t as engaging as I hoped it would be, but maybe I would have felt differently if it had been more of a focus from the start.

The romance was good, but not my favorite, since I was hoping for an enemies-to-lovers type of story. It was more of an accidental encounter turned more. And even though somebody leaves a bad first impression, they deserve a second chance. Although, I didn’t think Liza and James had the greatest chemistry, and he did some frustrating things throughout the book.

James claimed to like Liza, but was willing to turn on her without even an explanation, which rubbed me the wrong way. He was older than her, but immature, and should have had the guts to talk to her before walking away.

Overall, the plot was interesting enough, and the writing was nice. My biggest problem was that I didn’t have the urge to pick the book up. I can usually finish contemporaries fairly quick, but there was just something about this book that didn’t grip me. I found that I was having to force myself to read it, which doesn’t make for a good reading experience. The moral of the story, no pun intended, is that this book just wasn’t for me.

Let me know In the comments if you’ve ever read a book that you just didn’t care for. And after you comment, hit the follow button, because I would love to have you join my bookish community!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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What Once Was Mine // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
What Once Was Mine is the 12th book in the series. This book is focused on the story of Tangled. Instead of Rapunzel’s mother being given the Sundrop Flower, she is instead given the Moondrop Flower. Needless to say, Rapunzel’s story becomes a much different tale than the one that we all know and love.

My Rating

 

I had a feeling going into this book that I was going to enjoy it, and I wasn’t wrong. The plot was different than I imagined, but that wasn’t a bed thing. Right from the start, I got ‘The Princess Bride’ vibes, because there was a whole storytelling aspect thrown in. If you’ve seen the movie, or read the book, then you will know what I’m talking about.

As for the story, it was very original, yet it still kept the true the essence of the ‘Tangled’ movie. There were (of course) some differences, but they just made the story more interesting. It was truly a new, refreshing take on the story that, as a tangled fan, I found entertaining.

Unlike the movie, Mother Gothel was way more cruel and ruthless. Honestly, I felt bad for Rapunzel, because it was almost as if she was neglected, or even unloved. She was gaslighted, and possible had Stockholm syndrome. I might be overreacting, but Rapunzel and Mother Gothel’s relationship seemed darker in the book, as compared to the movie.

In the book, I found Rapunzel to be a bit annoying and childish at times, yet I can see that being locked in a tower can make you not able to grow up, so to speak. Also, she came off as boy crazy., which was irritating. However, even in the movie, I found her a tad annoying, so I guess the author kept true to her personality. She just isn’t my favorite Disney princess.

There was the addition of some new characters, which I loved. We got a strong female, an older witch, and of course Flynn Rider. Let me say, out of all the Disney princess’ love interests, Flynn is my favorite. He’s cocky, funny, and charming! Who isn’t in love with Flynn Rider?

“The truth about you is all tangled, like your braids, Rapunzel. Bound up unnaturally. It’s time to let it all down, to let it out, let it go.”

Of course, to keep true to the original story, Rapunzel and Flynn end up together, but to me it was an instant love romance. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I like a good insta-love plot, but only if they are done right. However, this one fell short, since I didn’t see a real connection between the two characters. At least, not the same connection they developed in the animated film.

The message within the story was that we must accept and forgive ourselves. And, we must look deep inside us to find what true love means to us. The plot had a lot to do with loving yourself, as well as love in general. It was a simple message that wasn’t shoved in the reader’s face. It existed more in the background, but was there all the same.

Overall, I liked the story, writing, and how everything was wrapped up at the end. However, the plot as a whole is darker than the original story, while still being tween and teen friendly. I would daresay that I liked the book slightly more than the movie, and the movie was good. The book does touch on the topic of cancer, specifically in teenagers, so that may be triggering to some readers.

In the comments, let me know which Disney princess is your favorite. Mine has always been Belle from ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Don’t forget to give this post a like and share! If you want to support my blog, and like bookish content like this, you can follow my blog to get post notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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Reading Wrap-Up // August 2022

- Bunny Leave a comment

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

Long Live The Pumpkin Queen // Book Review

- Bunny 3 Comments

About The Book
Nightmare Before Christmas fans rejoice! Long Live the Pumpkin Queen picks up where the beloved film left off, with Sally in her new role as the Queen of Halloween Town. This delightful return to The Nightmare Before Christmas universe is sure to appeal to fans old and new.

My Rating

If you are a lover of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, but have been dying for another story with these characters, then this book is for you. This time around, we follow Sally as she struggles to come to terms with her new role as the Pumpkin Queen.

It was interesting getting to know Sally a bit more. All we learned about her in the movie was that she was in with love with Jack, and created by the Professor. However, through this story, we discover, along with Sally herself, that she is strong, smart, and not simply a creation.

I don’t want spoil too much, but Sally’s discovery of something life changing was kind of cheesy in my opinion. The author literally flips the script on Sally’s whole backstory. So, it takes retelling to the max.

All I can say is that love and family are very important aspects in this story. I liked that the author showed that family is more than blood. Sally, despite her life before Jack, loved her home of Halloweentown. She would do anything for the monsters that lived there.

“I am now Sally Skellington. The Pumpkin Queen. And I’m certain I will never again be as happy as I am right now.”

The book takes our rag doll protagonist on a journey of self discovery, and I liked seeing her come into her own. She makes a great Pumpkin Queen. Also, the addition of the Sandman as an evil character was a nice touch. Especially since the Sandman is such an interesting fantasy character.

The other characters in the book were great! Jack and Zero were so similar to their movie counterparts. Shea Ernshaw captured the essence of Tim Burton’s film perfectly.

Overall, the book isn’t amazing, and something felt kind of ridiculous, yet I loved it! Honestly, if you have any love for ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, you need this book on your TBR. I would 100% recommend the audiobook, because the voices are nearly identical to the ones in the movie. It takes the reading experience to the next level.

In the comments, let me know your favorite Tim Burton film! Mine has to either be ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ or ‘Corpse Bride’. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish posts!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny