Summerween 2023 // To Be Read


Hi Friends,
I know that I’ve just posted my July TBR, but July 7th was the start of Summerween! If you’d don’t know what Summerween is, you’re missing out. For all the details on the readathon, you can watch Gabby from GabbyReads announcement video on Youtube. Basically, this is just a week-long readathon that is all about bringing the spooky season into summer, hence the name: Summerween. There are only a few prompts, and I think my TBR is quite manageable to participate in a week long readathon.

Read A Thriller:
For this prompt I’m going to be reading ‘Every Last Fear’ by Alex Finlay, which, as you might know, is already on my July TBR. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Read A Book Set In Fall: –and– Read A Book With Orange Or Black On The Cover:
Now I could be completely wrong, but I think that ‘The Haunting of Aveline Jones’ by Phil Hickes takes place in the fall. There are even leaves on the cover, and the color orange. So, I’m going to be using the book for two prompts.

Read A Manga, Graphic Novel, Or Novellla:
Last month, I started the ‘Fence’ graphic novel series by C.S. Pacat. I’m on volume 2, so I’ll probably end up reading that during the readathon.

There is one more prompt, which is simply to read at night or in the dark. I didn’t pick a specific book for that because I’ll probably use one of my already picked books to complete that prompt.

In the comments, let me know if you are also participating in Summerween. What’s on your TBR? Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

24-Hour Horrorathon // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
You might not know, but Ashley from Ashley’s Little Library is hosting the 24-hour Horrorathon. This is a readathon dedicated to reading scary and horror books for a whole 24-hours. The readathon will start on August 26th at 8 est., 7 pm for me, to August 27th at 8 pm est. I have put together quite an ambitious TBR for a 24-hour readathon, but what else is new?


White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
This is a psychological thriller with ghost and a haunted house. I’ve read a few ghost stories before, but no haunted house ones. I have been wanting pick up this book for a while, so hopefully I can finally get to it.

Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
This book was originally published in 2015, but I think the graphic novel edition I have is a new release. Since it is a graphic novel, it should be fairly easy to fly through. All I know about it is that it’s a middle grade ghost story, in which the main character’s sister goes missing.

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Lisa Sterle
This is another graphic novel, which is supposed to be ‘Pretty Little Liars’ meets ‘Teen Wolf’. I’ve seen both of those shows, and I’m not sure if combining them will work. Nevertheless, I’m intrigued enough to read it and see how it all plays out.

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler (Editor)
This is a collection of retellings, based on Edgar Allan Poe’s most unsettling stories. There are stories from some great young adult authors, and let’s face it, Edgar Allan Poe knows how to do horror. Actually, I started this book a year ago, and never made it very far through it. Horrorathon seems like the perfect time to finish it.

Those are the books that I will be attempting to read for the readathon. But, keep in mind that I will be sleeping for a few hours because I can’t do an all nighter. In the comments, share your Horrorathon TBR, or just some of your favorite scary books. It is spooky season, after all. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more posts like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

6 Spooky Book Covers

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

Two Can Keep A Secret // Book Review

Title: Two Can Keep A Secret
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery
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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

A Beginners Guide To Thrillers & Horrors

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

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery
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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

 

To Be Read // October 2021

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