Hi Friends,
I don’t know about you, but I find some book covers to be a little on the creepy side. However, not everyone agrees on what defines a spooky book cover. So I wanted to share some of the covers that I think are pretty eerie.
So do you finds these covers frightening as well? What book covers sends shivers up your spine? Let me know in the comments. If you want to make my day please like and share this post. And, follow the blog so you never miss a post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Title: Two Can Keep A Secret
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery
Rating:
Synopsis
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
I didn’t expect this book to blow me away, and for the most part I was right. The plot follows a teenage girl, Ellery. She is sent, with her twin brother, to live with their grandmother in Echo Ridge. Their mother, a small time actress, is doing another stint in rehab, so the twins have to make the best of their new lives. Ellery’s only interest is the murder of the homecoming queen that took place five years prior.
This is a dual perspective narrative, which I didn’t anticipate. We get Ellery’s point of view, but we also get Malcom’s, whose brother was the prime suspect in homecoming murder. I didn’t like one perspective more than the other, which I find is good when it comes to books that alternate narratives. However, I did think that Ellery was always jumping the gun when it came to sharing her theories. She didn’t take the time to think things through fully, and went for the easy suspects.
One thing’s for sure, I couldn’t get behind Ellery and Malcom as a couple. Their relationship started instantly, without any development. I didn’t see the chemistry between the two characters. I was fond of, Mia, who is Malcom’s best friend. And, Ezra, Ellery’s twin brother. It was nice that they were both diverse characters, as Ezra is both biracial and gay. While Mia is a bisexual Korean. I could sense that Mia added some spice to Malcom’s life, while Ezra was more level-headed than Ellery. Also, I cannot get over the fact that his name is ‘Ezra’ and the book is titled ‘Two Can Keep A Secret.’ Pretty Little Liars Easter egg?
“I thought she was your mother.”
Something that I am not a fan of when it comes to books is multiple plots. In this book, we are trying to solve the homecoming murder from five years ago. But than there’s this hit and run accident, absent mother story-line and even some found family side plot. As if that wasn’t enough, Ellery is also trying to uncover what happened to her mother’s twin sister, who disappeared many years ago. All the pieces do come together at the end, but I think that was way too much for one book to handle.
The ending has got to be the best part. I think that somewhere around the last two chapters, you get a sense of whose the killer. Personally, however, I was still shocked at the reveal. The motive was done well, and it was jaw-dropping. At one point, you don’t think the characters are going to make it out of alive. Also, the final page had a major twist that I never saw coming.
Even though the book didn’t wow me like ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ did, Karen M. McManus is still an exceptional author. I probably wouldn’t give this one a reread, but I do wish that it was a bit longer since there was sort of a cliffhanger ending. I needed to know more.
Let me know if you have read this book, tell me your thoughts about it in the comments. Give this post a like and a share, and follow for content updates and more.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Hi Friends,
This year, I have gotten into reading thriller books. I don’t know why I have never been interested in them before, since I am a fan of horror movies. It could be the fact that the horror/thriller genre is mainly geared more towards adult books.
If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, than you know I generally only read young adult and some middle-grade books. This isn’t to say I won’t pick up an adult horror, but they aren’t my first reading choice. Still, I thought I’d share my tips for getting into this widely popular book genre. Keep in mind this is from a newbie’s perspective.
It might be tempting to read something along the lines of ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ by Alvin Schwartz, but that book might freaky you out enough to not give the genre a chance. I would suggest reading an easier thriller, since you are simply dipping your toes in this genre pool. I recommend starting with something like Fear Street: The Beginning by R.L. Stine or They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman.
‘It’ by Stephen King maybe the ultimate scary book, I mean what Stephen King novel isn’t creepy. However, many of King’s novels are huge commitments. Give yourself sometime to work up to the longer books and keep your first couple of reads short. A lot of Neil Gaiman and Gillian Flynn books are under 400 pages. Also, they aren’t going to keep you awake all night.
This tip doesn’t only apply to thriller/horror newbies in my opinion, but to all readers. Don’t just read one genre. Once you get the urge to read thrillers, you may not want to take a break from them. However, that could lead to a reading burnout. Try spacing out your thriller reads, and including other genres, too. Perhaps only reading one thriller a month might be a good idea. It is always nice to have a contemporary and fantasy book on your TBR. If you still want something in the paranormal realm (with, of course, a romance element) you could always go for the ‘Twilight’ books. Yep, I did just recommend them.
So those are my tips for a getting into this ever-growing genre. I know there aren’t a lot of tips, but I think the are main ones that are important to keep in mind. Leave any tips you might have in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and share this post! Finally, if you’d be so kind as to follow my blog as well, it really does help!
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery
Rating:
Synopsis
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in a YA mystery, thriller trilogy. These books are highly popular and seen as great introductory books to the YA thriller genre. In this book, we follow Pippa, a high-school senior, working on her capstone project. Her topic is a murder that happened five years prior. The case went cold when the prime suspect killed themselves. Pippa believes the wrong person was accused of the murder, and wants to uncover the truth.
I can completely see why other readers would suggest the book to thriller newbies, or even people that don’t particularly fancy the horror and thriller genre. It read more like a contemporary than a traditional thriller, which was a nice. Especially for someone, like myself, that primarily read YA contemporaries. However, if you are looking for a dark, suspense-filled thriller than this probably isn’t the book for you. I found the plot to be fairly tame and not too nail-biting.
Pippa was a solid enough female-lead with some stereotypical aspects. She boarders the ‘smart girl’ and ‘I’m not like other girls’ personality cliches. The other characters weren’t very prominent in the story, so I am in different to them. I don’t love them or hate them.
“I’m not sure I’m the good girl i once thought i was . I’ve lost her along the way”
There were times when this book gave me ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ vibes. I can’t explain why, because they aren’t similar at all. The only comparison I can come up with is that both have twists when it comes to the killer. You think that you know who the murderer is, but at the last minute you realize you were completely wrong.
Overall, I don’t have a lot of cons, but I did find there to be one too many suspects. Perhaps the author wanted to keep us reader on their toes, since you don’t know who to trust. But I found it hard to keep track of all the suspects. Still, it did keep me guessing, which kept me interested. Everyone was suspicious making the case not so cut and dry.
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy quick reads, especially when it comes to the thriller genre. I think mysteries, horrors and thrillers should have fast-paced stories. A thriller should be engaging with a lot of story development, and rarely any pointless chapters. Although, this mystery does take while to piece together, their wasn’t much downtime within the story.
I will be continuing on with the series, and excited to see what Pippa tackles next. If you want a list of all the trigger warnings that this book contains please visit Book Trigger Warning. Feel free to comment on your thoughts below. Share, like and follow so you can show your support for my blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Title: One Of Us Is Next
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2020
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller
Rating:
Synopsis
Come on, Bayview, you know you’ve missed this. A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one’s been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts. Until now. This time it’s not an app, though—it’s a game. Truth or Dare.
This is the companion novel to ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, which I have a review up for as well. In this book, we are following a new group of teens, one of whom is Maeve Rojas (Bronwyn’s sister, that we saw in book one), as well as appearances from characters in the previous book. A few characters had already been introduced in ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, which was a nice bonus. The plot walked the line between mystery and thriller. We follow this group of teens as they deal with a dangerous game of Truth and Dare. It was engaging, but then again I find that many Karen M. McManus books are (at least to me).
I enjoyed each character, and not one perspective bored me. There were a few parts that felt like unnecessary filler, and didn’t add anything to the story. However, it wasn’t common enough to be a problem for me. Overall, the story unfolded at a nice pace. I was happy to see that there wasn’t a best friends to lovers story in play. I am not opposed to that all, but it was nice to see the author go a different, less cliche route.
One of my favorite characters was Phoebe. She had a lot going on, and made some stupid choices, but was unapologetically herself. She didn’t hide her faults, and tried her best to own up to her mistakes throughout the book. Maeve was a solid character, and mini Nancy Drew, which is always fun to read about. Knox (Maeve’s best friend/ex-boyfriend) was the nice guy, but out of all of them, he was the least fleshed out. I didn’t feel like I got a true sense of his personality.
“I don’t understand why the world insists on stuffing kids into boxes we never asked for, and then gets mad when we won’t stay there.”
There was a bit of romance in this book, and I adored it. Maeve and Luis had great chemistry, and it was nice to watch their relationship unfold. But the pairing that I shipped most of all was Phoebe and Knox. They had some great moments together, so I could see them having real couple potential. Also, I liked that they were different, but grew closer as the book went on.
I am pretty bad at mysteries, but I did have my suspicions on where the plot was going. And, while I was sort of right, the ending shocked me. It was such a good twist, and the last chapter was amazing. I truly wanted to know what was going to happen next. I think a good book keeps you wanting more, which is exactly what Karen M. McManus achieved with ‘One Of Us Is Next’.
I would say that if you are in between fantasy books, you should give this one a read. It’s a good novel to pick up when you need a break from reading big, plot-heavy books. It’s an easy one to follow, and a fairly quick read. Don’t worry if thriller isn’t your preferred genre, it leans more towards the mystery side.
If you liked this review, then give this post a like and a share. Comment down below if you read this book, and your thoughts on it. Also, following the blog helps keep me going, so show your support!
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Hi Friends,
Lately, there have been many book adaptations released. I have seen the trailers for each of them and wanted to share my thoughts. My opinion is from a readers standpoint, since I have read each of these books.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (Peacock)
This is a series coming to the streaming service of Peacock. 
I was very excited for this adaptation, since I was a fan of the book. However, I noticed many changes. Of course, most adaptations are modified, but something felt off about this one. There were a lot of character differences, which could turn out to be a good thing. However, throughout the book none of the main characters suspected each other. Sure, they had their doubts at times, but they stuck by one another for the most part. From the looks of the trailer, they aren’t as united. Still, I will probably be giving the first couple episodes a chance. Here’s hoping it surprises me.
There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins (Netflix)
If you read my review of this book than you know I didn’t enjoy it. 
Although, I wanted to give the movie version the benefit of the doubt. Yet the trailer looks as dull as the book. No offense to anyone who liked the book, because I know a lot of people did. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. Netflix does a lot of book-to-movie adaptations, but sadly I haven’t cared for many of them. But I might watch the film at one point since I do love my horror movies. And, I am genuinely curious to see if the story works better as a film.
I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan (Amazon Prime)
This is another series release, and after seeing the trailer I am highly disappointed in the direction of the show. I loved the original movies, because they were scary without being gruesome. But, I guess Amazon saw the attention the Gossip Girl reboot was getting, and decided to go the sexualized, glamorized route. It seems like some weird Gen-Z version of a horror series. I am not into it at all. Out of all the adaptations, this is the one I am least likely to watch.
Keep in mind that these are solely my thoughts on the adaptations. If you want to hear my opinions after watching them, please check out my Twitter. Lastly, you know the drill follow, like and share the blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Title: Lucky In Love
Author: Kasie West
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Rating:
Synopsis
Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment — She wins! In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun… until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.
Nothing is better than reading a young adult contemporary with a sweet story. I had low expectations going into the book, since the plot didn’t pique my interest much. But I did enjoy my reading experience, and liked the approach the author took on the story. I haven’t read a ton of ‘lottery winning’ contemporaries, but this one has definitely made my favorites list.
The main character, Maddie, was a solid female lead, but also more than a bit naive. She and I are similar in a lot of ways, like how she wanted to share the money with the ones she loved. She didn’t want people treating her differently because of the money. Most of all, she tried to fix things that weren’t really her problems to solve.
The one thing we for sure have in common is our need to plan literally everything. Like me, Maddie was trying to plan out every detail of her life. However, I think we have both learned that not everything in life can, or even should, be planned. We are also both major worriers, which can be very stressful. But by the end of the book you could see that she was growing and changing for the better, though she didn’t have to completely alter herself to learn from this experience.
Some of the characters made questionable choices and mistakes, but the situations were handled well, and resolved easily. Maddie’s family was being held together by duct tape and glue, but (realistically) money didn’t make their problems magically disappear. It did help some, but it also caused a few problems. It’s easy to think that money can erase all your troubles, but life is filled with struggles. Sometimes, money can make things worse, which the book addressed well.
“Weird is the new cool.”
One of the most important messages to take away from the story is that money can change everything. Maddie’s life was turned upside down, and she didn’t know who to trust. Once people know that you hold the keys to a fortune, suddenly everyone wants to be your best friend.
Truthfully, not all people will be responsible with a huge amount of money. Money just burns a hole in some people’s pockets. Maddie’s older brother was extremely grateful when she shared her wealth, but he was no financial genius. As much as Maddie wanted to save him from himself, she eventually realized that he needed to clean up his own messes.
The romance was so sweet. I don’t know if I can classify it as friends-to-lovers, but it felt natural. They got to know each other prior to the lottery winning, and it didn’t change their feelings for one another. I enjoyed seeing the love interest, Seth, help Maddie break out of her bubble and try new things. There were some bumps along the way, but I liked how things turned out.
This is another Kasie West book that didn’t disappoint. If you are looking for a quick read, or something to pick up when you feel a reading slump coming on then give this one a chance.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Title: The Dazzling Heights (Thousandth Floor, 2)
Author: Katharine McGee
Published: 2017
Genre: YA/Sci-Fi
Rating:
Synopsis
New York City, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amid high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
*This review contains information that might be seen as spoilers.*
After reading ‘The Thousandth Floor’, I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going to go. This trilogy follows multiple perspectives, and each character is hiding something. After book one’s insane ending, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, the events that occurred in the first book weren’t a major plot point. It seemed that most of the characters were fine sweeping everything under the rug and moving on with their lives. Sure they were being blackmailed, but the fact that nobody considered going to the police didn’t sit well with me.
The plot of ‘The Thousandth Floor’ was incredible, and the characters’ story lines were engaging. This time around, they had far less depth. Avery was a favorite character of mine, but her love story went way too far. She borders on being possessive of her brother/boyfriend. Wyatt is one of my favorite characters, but I wasn’t a fan of him being paired with Leda. How was he was falling for her after everything she had done?
I did enjoy the addition of the character Calliope. She and her mother are con-artists, but you get to see the real Calliope behind the facade. Honestly, I would read a whole book just about her, and I’m genuinely curious to see where her story goes from here. Also, I liked that Avery had many sweet moments with Cord throughout the story and wish we could see that relationship develop more. What can I say, I love a good friends-to-lovers story.
The biggest problem with the plot was that the author wanted us to sympathize with a killer. I know it was an accident, but her blackmailing people and lying to the cops was her own doing. The character might have felt remorse for her actions, but didn’t want to take responsibility for them. The characters were way to quick too forgive and forget. In my book, they all have blood on their hands.
“Rich girls never left something expensive on the ground, unless they’d been the one to toss it there.”
Unlike the first book, a lot of the story was about how if you’re rich or have the right friends you can get away with anything, including murder. This time around no one seems to have any kind of moral compass. The characters are willing to commit crimes indiscriminately, provided it doesn’t ruin their lives, and that makes me dislike them all.
The story kind of let me down, which is probably why it took me forever to get through. I was hoping for more excitement, definitely more consequences. There was a cliffhanger ending, which is probably the only reason I’ll pick up the final installment. Things can only go up from here, right?
Leave your thoughts on this book in the comments below. Don’t forget to share and like this post, and show your support by following the blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Hi Friends,
Last week, I had 378 books on my ‘want to read’ shelf on GoodReads, which is crazy. I knew that there were some books that no longer interested me. I decided it was time to do a deep clean of my tbr shelf. It was interesting to see the books I eliminated, and thought I would share some of them with you.
Starters (Starters #1) by Lissa Price
This book still sounds interesting to me, but I don’t typically like reading series. I haven’t heard anything about this book, which makes me think it is pretty underrated. Sure, I could be convinced to read it one day, but right now I am okay with axing it from my tbr.
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
This might come as a shock to some of you, since these books are beloved in the book community. Truthfully, this series interested me back when it was all the rage. However, I think too many years have pasted for me to care enough to read it. I’d much rather read a standalone than a fantasy series.
Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is YA thriller. From the synopsis, I understand that this is a dark stolen identity story. I haven’t read anything like this before, but after reading reviews it doesn’t seem worth wasting my time on.
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills
I have heard a lot of good things about Emma Mills, which is probably why I added this book to my tbr. However, books about social-media stars aren’t really my cup of tea. Also, the synopsis now sounds kind of boring.
Mechanica (Mechanica #1) by Betsy Cornwell
Honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand why I would put this on my tbr. The plot isn’t typically what I would go for in a book. It sounds like a weird Cinderella retelling. It just seems odd and confusing.
Little White Lies (Debutantes #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This sounds a little like a found family contemporary, since the main character’s estranged grandmother shows up. And, she is trying to learn more about her absent father. It is described as a thriller as well, which intrigues to me. However, I am not the biggest fan of fish-out-of-water stories, so I’m going to pass on it.
The Ravens (The Ravens #1) by Kass Morgan, Danielle Paige
This a paranormal fantasy that gives me ‘Legenborn’ vibes. It is about a sorority of witches and secrets. It sounds like other books on the market, thus I don’t think I’ll ever read it.
The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1) by Marie Lu
I have heard conflicting opinions about Marie Lu’s writing, which is probably the reason for this being on my tbr. I am big about forming my own opinion on authors and books. Nevertheless, after going through my tbr shelf this story didn’t stand out to me. I could tell it was going to take me a while to finish the book. As you probably know fantasy is one of my least favorite genres.
I wish I could say that I got my tbr down into the 200s, but that isn’t the case. After my clear out, I have 364 books on my ‘want to read shelf’. This is still a big number, yet I want to start reading more back-list titles. Hopefully that can be a goal of my in 2022. How many books are on your tbr? As always, like and share the post, and follow the blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Hi Friends,
It’s tbr time again! September was probably my worst reading month of the year, but I’m not mad about it. I hit my reading goal, and just needed a break from reading. However, I have tons of spooky reads that I want to pick up this month. I decided not to participate in any readathons since I didn’t want to put any pressure on myself when it came to reading.
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
“A stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein told from the point-of-view of Elizabeth Lavenza, who is taken in by the Frankenstein family.”
The Final Girls Support Group by Grady Hendrix
“In horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. They made it through the worst night of their lives…but what happens after?”
Girl in the Headlines by Hannah Jayne
“The headlines say she killed her family. The truth? She doesn’t remember. Another twisty thriller from the author of Truly, Madly, Deadly that will leave readers breathless.”
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
“A perfect town is hiding secrets. Secrets that somebody would kill to keep hidden.”
Squad by Lisa Sterle, Maggie Tokuda-Hall
“A fast-paced and feminist horror story for every girl who’s ever felt like prey, and asks how far a girl should go to hunt the hunters.”
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
“A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.”
Tell me what’s on your tbr in the comments below. Please like and share this post with others. And, don’t leave without following my little book blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny