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Fireworks // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

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

How To Survive Your Murder // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween morning a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3V0uZvQ

My Rating

In the book, Alice witnesses her sister’s murder on Halloween night. One year later, she gets the chance to go back in time to stop her sister from being killed. Let me just say, that this book is a fun, campy mystery/thriller.

I found the main character, Alice, to be likable, but also irritating at times. The fact that she was a horror movie Stan was great, because all the nods to final girls were fun. But she was also very naive at times. However, her actions and attitude felt very real. I’d probably be just like Alice if this happened to me.

There were a lot of twist and turns throughout the book that I loved. Some moments were jaw-dropping. and others I saw coming. The author did a great job of dropping bread crumbs throughout the story. Although, there were a lot of shocking moments, I guessed the killer and ending. But that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.

“I once heard about how the movie Saw was inspired by a news report about a man who broke into people’s houses to tickle the feet of sleeping children.”

The book does have a romance plot, but it is a minor one, because the main as aspect of the story is trying to stop a killer. But remember – the boyfriend is always the killer! The book begs the question if one life is worth millions. And it made me wonder if I would sacrifice the lives of others for my sister. Also, there’s the subtle message that everything happens for a reason.

Overall, the only con I have is that there was one cheesy aspect to the story, but I can’t really say it without spoiling the book. Still, I understand why the author added a particular plot point. So, needless to say I devoured this book within a day! However, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything particularly amazing about this book, but if you are a horror movie fangirl like me, then you will enjoy it.

In the comments, let me know if you enjoy scary movies. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Girl From The Sea // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
This sweet graphic novel follows Morgan, a 15-year-old girl living on a small island in Canada, who one day meets a mysterious selkie named Keltie. At first, Morgan is annoyed by Keltie, but as they spend more time together, she realizes her feelings may be stronger than she anticipated. This charming sapphic coming-of-age story is sure to pull at some heartstrings.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3XeD9m0

My Rating

This is a lighthearted queer graphic novel that can be read in one sitting. When Morgan meets Keltie, she starts to feel things she never did before. Morgan is a very fearful character, who tends to keep parts of herself locked away. But, Keltie helps her see that she shouldn’t hide herself away from the world.

Keltie is a Selkie who becomes able to walk on earth after sharing a kiss with Morgan. Both girls learn to confine and lean on each other throughout the story and you could really see their chemistry. It truly is a great sapphic young love story.

The plot is very character driven, and we get to be inside Morgan’s head. We learn about her relationship with her friends, and her difficult home life. And, you can understand Morgan’s desire to leave the island.

“Sometimes you have to let your life get messy. That’s how you get to the good parts.”

Although the romance is a huge factor within the book, it isn’t the main message. During the story, Morgan got the push she needed to come out, and to not be afraid of her true self. She was scared of feeling different, but in the end she realized that you can’,t and shouldn’t, hide yourself from the world.

Overall, the book was an adorable coming-of-age queer love story, which is perfect for tweens and adults. There was magic, romance, and a few tear shedding moments. Honestly, I would say it’s sapphic Aquamarine meets Tinker Bell’s The Never Beast Movie. Weird combination, but strangely, it works.

Please don’t go before leaving a comment or liking this post. And, as always, follow my book blog for more book reviews like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

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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