Young Adult

Did I Read My 2023 Anticipated Releases?

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
For day 2 of Bookmas, I am going to be taking a look back at my most anticipated book releases of 2023. I have done 4 anticipated releases post this year, so I am hoping that I have at least read half of the books that I was excited for this year. If not, I am going to try and make it a priority to read some of them before the year is over.

I did a post talking about my most anticipated YA romances, and I am happy to say that I read 3 out of the five books I mentioned in that post. I read ‘Never Vacation with Your Ex’, ‘Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl’ and ‘Borrow My Heart.’ But, I wasn’t able to pick up ‘Promposal’ and I completely forgot about ‘The Borrow a Boyfriend Club.’ However, I am still interested in both of those books.
Related Post: 2023 YA Romances // Anticipated Releases

My next release post was talking about 2023 summer books. I read 5 of the books in that post, which were ‘The Only One Left,’ ‘The Seven Year Slip,’ ‘One of Us Is Back,’ ‘Delicate Condition,’ and ‘Foxglove.’ And, all of these books were between 4 and 5 stars for me. As for the ones I didn’t read we have ‘Summer Rental,’ ‘Business or Pleasure,’ and ‘Ghosted: A Northanger Abbey.’ All of those books still sound so good. There were two other books in this post, ‘The Trap‘ and ‘Good Bad Girl‘ that I didn’t read, but started. And, since putting down ‘Good Bad Girl’, I haven’t heard the greatest thing about it, so it might be a DNF.
Related Post: Anticipated Releases // Summer 2023

Moving on to a post I did recently, my October anticipated releases. I am going to keep this short and sweet by saying that I have yet to read any of the six books I mentioned. Still, I am very interested in all of them. Lastly, is my November book release post and, like October, I haven’t read any of these books. I might try and get to one out of six books in that post, which will most likely be ‘Iron Flame’ or ‘Betting On You.’
Related Post: Anticipated Releases // October 2023
Related Post: Anticipated Releases // November 2023

Honestly, I don’t think I did too badly this year when it came to reading books I was excited for. It doesn’t shock me that I did poorly in October and November, since I’m a mood reader and like to read certain books during those months. In the comments, tell me if you have read any of my anticipated releases, and if they are worth the read. Don’t forget that it is completely free and makes me smile when you follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Raising The Horseman // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Kat Van Tassel wants nothing to do with Sleepy Hollow’s ghostly history. But when her mother gives her the original Katrina van Tassel’s diary on the two-hundredth anniversary of the Headless Horseman’s haunting, a new legend begins to take shape, weaving together the past and the present in eerie ways.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3uEar4t

My Rating

Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting out of this book, because even the cover screams “middle grade Headless Horseman retelling”. Although, it is supposed to be young adult I can say that is not how it reads. And if you know me, you know, I’m not typically a fan of the middle grade genre. So it’s not surprising that I didn’t love the story.

In the book, we follow Kat, who is an ancestor of Katerina van Tassel. In her hometown, there’s this legend that the Headless Horseman protects Katerina’s descendants. But, Kat wants more than just to live in Sleepy Hollow forever like Katerina. However, when she’s given Katerina’s diary, she learns a lot more about her and her dreams.

Unfortunately, the characters in this book were basic. There wasn’t much insight into their personalities or motivations. The story lacked any depth in the characters, and there was absolutely no character development whatsoever. The romance aspect was very predictable and insta-lovey, which I am not a fan of.

“Family legend says he always swore it was the Headless Horseman who chased him through the hollow.”

And, don’t even get me started on Kat letting people walk all over her. The book completely brings forth a toxic relationship dynamic, which I was not expecting. However, it does add an interesting layer of complexity to the story, but it left me angry with the protagonist and her choices.

Although, I had issues with the characters, the chapters where we got a glimpse into Katerina’s life through her diary entries were fantastic. This storytelling approach was, for me, the highlight of the entire book. It was enjoyable to read about Katerina’s journey and her character development. I loved how the author showcased that our desires may not always be what we truly want.

Overall, the book fell short of being truly engaging, and the writing style, unfortunately, leans toward juvenile. Still, the story might appeal to a more younger audience looking for a quick read. On a positive note, the book delves into the theme of familial accountability, emphasizing that individuals shouldn’t be solely defined by the actions of their family.

Let me know if this book is on your TBR. Don’t forget to like and share this post with other readers. If you would like to get notified whenever there’s a new post, hit the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Never Vacation With Your Ex // Book Review

- Bunny 6 Comments

About The Book
A YA second chance romance where the rules for getting over an ex turn out to be more complicated than they seem. Kaylee Jordan’s one refuge, and the thing she looks forward to every summer? The vacation her family spends in Malibu with the Freeman-Yus. This year, there’s only one problem: Kaylee and their son, Dean, dated for the past three months, and Kaylee just unceremoniously dumped him.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/47yKm5s

My Rating

This is a friends-to-lovers high school romance, but with a twist – the love interests have actually already dated and broken up at the beginning of the book. However, they must now, as the title suggests, go on summer vacation with their families, and try to navigate this new normal as exes.

Kaylee is the female, and she has major commitment issues. She’ll date someone for a few months, break up with them, and then start a new relationship (or shall I say fling) with somebody else within weeks. She is also one of the star players on her high school volleyball team.

I understand that Kaylee had commitment issues, since in high school things are always changing. Also, she had a lot of struggles comparing herself to her mother, who was an Olympic volleyball star. All of these things factored into her commitment phobia. However, I didn’t like the fact that everyone blamed her for the break up.

“I could be the heartbroken one. I’ve just taught myself not to be.”

You could clearly see that she was struggling with the break up in her own way. Yes, Dean, her ex, was vividly sad, but her feelings should not have been ignored. Also, he clearly knew the rest. He was taking a chance dating her, because they were friends, and he saw her romantic history firsthand.

However, I did like the writing in this book, because I didn’t find it to be juvenile. The ending was done well, and I liked Kaylee’s character development. Also, there’s a slight exchange of service plot between Kaylee and Dean that I enjoyed, which isn’t surprising since it is one of my favorite plot devices.

Overall, it’s a easy read with a good plot. Also, I did like that Patrick and Siena from ‘With And Without You’ made an appearance in the book. I will continue to read more from this duo, since this isn’t their worst book, but it definitely isn’t there best either. I had a fairly decent reading experience, so I would call that a win.

In the comments, let me know your favorite book by this author duo. If didn’t already know, you can follow the blog to help show your support!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Margo Zimmerman is gay, but she didn’t know until now. An overachiever at heart, Margo is determined to ace her newly discovered gayness. All she needs is the right tutor. Abbie Sokoloff has her own gayness down to a science. But a flunking grade in US History is threatening her acceptance to her dream school. All she needs is the right tutor.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3SGsqB2

My Rating

This is such an adorable young adult, LGBTQ romance. First, I love the fact that this is an exchange of service plot. In this book, Margo enlists the gayest girl she knows, Abby, to show her how to be gay. Abby agrees, but only if Margo tutors her in US history.

Not only does Margo have anxiety but she also has autism. I love the way autism is represented in the book. It showed that just because you are different, it does not make you weird. Abby, has a not-so-great home life, and really starts to open up to Margo.

It was great that the book showcased that we are all different. There are no set guidelines you must follow to be gay, straight, autistic, or anything else. Let me say that all the different representations in this book were amazing! Not only was the book about being gay, it also focused on many types of sexuality.

“You’re gay and you don’t need a test. You don’t need someone else to tell you who you are. You just need to trust yourself.”

I will say that I did not expect this book to have any particularly steamy scenes, being a young adult book. They are usually closed doors on the romance side. However, there is one intimate part of the book that was pretty steamy. I mean, of course, it is not on par with smut, but it was written very well.

Truthfully, the entire book had such great writing. You can tell that the authors took a lot of time with the book and created a great story. The plot was fantastic. The characters were well thought out and the ending was great.

Overall, I think this is a great coming of age story, and perfect for anyone who is just now discovering their sexuality. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a good LGBTQ romance. I look forward to reading more books from these authors.

In the comments, let me know if this book is on your TBR. Otherwise, it should be. Do not forget to like and share this post with other book lovers! As always, before you go, it would mean a lot to me if you hit the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
A graphic novel that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need. Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3StbUV4

My Rating

This book does a great job of depicting first love, and toxic relationships. Throughout the book, we get to know the main character, Freddy, and the roller-coaster that is her relationship with Laura Dean. She seeks insight into her relationship with Advice Columnist Anna Vice. Freddy tries hard to make her relationship work, and proves her devotion to Lara Dean without getting anything in return.

Laura Dean shows up only when it’s convenient to her, and expects Freddy to always be there when she calls. Throughout the story, Freddy’s friends can see how toxic the relationship is; however, Freddy is blinded by love. She is so infatuated with Laura Dean that she starts to forget about others around her.

The book is the prime definition of ‘we accept the love we think we deserve.’ In this world, we tend to think, especially when it comes to first love, that there is only one person who will love us. Moreover, because we love someone, we should excuse their bad behavior. However, throughout the book, we see Freddy’s slow discovery of how untrue that is.

“Love is hard. Breaking up is hard. Love is dramatic. Breaking up is dramatic.”

Something that I didn’t see coming was how the book touched on teen pregnancy, abortion and statutory rape. The plot was very focused on the toxic relationship between Freddy and Laura, so this side story was surprising. Although well done, it felt a bit out of place in the story.

Overall, the writing and artwork were great and the story was impactful. I can understand how some people might not enjoy this book do to the mistreatment the main character let herself endure in the name of “love.” However, I think that this is a good read for many young people today.

In the comments, let me know your thoughts about this graphic novel. Do not forget to hit the follow button so that you are notified whenever there is a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Daughter Of The Pirate King // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map – Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship. Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/472il5U

My Rating

This thrilling tale introduces you to a remarkable, strong female main character. Alosa, the protagonist, embodies resilience, intelligence, and a fiery spirit, making her the perfect lead in the novel. Her fierce determination and cunning tactics set the tone for a truly engaging story. The romance in this series is a good mixture of slow burn, witty banter, and instant chemistry. It is evident that there is a genuine connection between Alosa and her interest in love. Their interactions add depth to the narrative, making it more than a typical love story.

While Alosa was undoubtedly a compelling character, there were moments when her decisions frustrated me. However, this seemed to enhance my enjoyment of the book. She was ultimately smart and strong, but her setbacks, although they were nail biting, were fun to witness. I kept wanting to see how she would get out of each situation and what she was going to do next.

The fast-paced plot kept me on the edge of my seat, with unexpected twists and turns that made the book even more exciting. This is definitely a page-turner and perfect for readers who are looking for an interesting and adventurous story. The plot and characters kept me fully engaged with the story.

“I live on the cusp of two worlds, trying desperately to fit into one.”

The book offers an interesting blend of different fantasy elements that enhances the story without overwhelming it. The author came up with an original story that got better with every page. As someone who is not keen on pirate novels, this is excellent. So, try not to be put off by the plot if you do not typically gravitate toward pirate tales.

Overall, I highly recommend picking up the book and giving it a chance. Not only was the entire story incredible, the ending leaves you craving more, and has me eagerly wanting to pick up the sequel. I really felt immersed in the vivid world created by the author. However, it is important to note that this is a young adult book, which is evident in the writing and themes, although I still found it entertaining.

In the comments, let me know whether this book is on your TBR. It would be amazing if you could share this post with other readers. All your support means the world to me, so please feel free to hit the follow button before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Anticipated Releases // November 2023

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Let us talk about some November book releases! As a shameless book buyer, I wanted to share book releases that I am most excited about this month. Spoiler alert, I might have pre-ordered some of them. I do not know what has gotten into me, but I was a pre-ordering queen this year.

Iron Flame/Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (November 7th)
I put these two together because they are part of the same series. Also, one is just a rerelease, so I do not think it needs much explanation. If you are in the book community at all, then you know that ‘Fouth Wing’ became an overnight sensation. Well, even though I already owned a copy of the book, I pre-ordered the new edition, with spread edges, being released this month. Of course, I had to pre-order the sequel as well.

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller (November 7th)
This is the third and final book of this young adult female pirate series. I am loving these special editions, because they are stunning. So, to make sure that I got this book, I pre-ordered it too.

The Once and Future Fling by Leigh Heasley (November 7th)
I am not sure that I am entirely sold on the plot of this book, but the concept does intrigue me enough to anticipate its release. The book includes time travel, a matchamaking agency, and a love triangle. I know that all sounds a little crazy, but it will ultimately make for an interesting read.

Night Shift by Annie Crown (November 14th)
Technically, this book is already available for reading on Kindle Unlimited, but the paperback version is finally being released. This sounds like the cutest opposites attract romance. I hear that it is steamy, which I love, but I am not sure how spicy it is actually going to be. Either way, I am excited to read it.

Betting On You by Lynn Painter (November 28th)
This is an auto buy author for me, so I will 100% read this book when it comes out. That said, I know absolutely nothing about this book. However, based on the cover, I guess that it is a young adult romance, which I am always down to read.

There you have five, well six, of my most anticipated November book releases. I might not be able to read them all this month, but I can still share my excitement for them. Let me know in the comments what releases you are looking forward to. Do not forget to follow the blog, so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Charity has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. But the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity’s role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they’ll need figure out what this killer is after.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/45O8b7A

My Rating

This book is in no way the best campy slasher I have ever read, but I found it to be enjoyable. In the book, we follow Charity, who plays the final girl at a horror movie reenactment camp. Think of one of those murder mystery type games, but in this case, people play a part in a horror movie scenario.

Obviously, the plot is all about Charity’s role as a final girl becoming all too real. This is a generic young adult thriller story. I would say that the book was short and sweet. It followed a classic teen slasher film type plot, so the story was not the most original.

I found many things to be predictable. Honestly, if you are a long-time fan of the horror movie genre, you can probably figure out most of the twists. Nothing was particularly shocking, and the final twist was mediocre. Nevertheless, I could see some younger readers finding the ending to be done very well and unexpected.

“I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.”

However, I still had a good time reading the book. It gave me exactly what I hoped for, which was a quick, campy, young adult slasher story. I am a big fan of Kalyan Bayron’s writing, so, in my opinion, that helped make the book a lot more enjoyable.

Now, the book has flaws, such as how the characters acted and spoke. It felt like an adult writing how they thought teenagers would act. They were stereotypical and annoying. Yep. They were young, dumb teenagers. Maybe my 31 year old self just can’t handle books with teenagers who act very teenager-like. Does this make sense?

Overall, I think that campy thrillers are never going to be my preferred plot, but my experience reading the book was good, which is a win in my book. There’s not much to the book, making it not require a lot of your attention to understand. I say that if you are looking for a book that gives summer horror movie vibes, then this is a good pick.

In the comments, let me know your favorite teen slasher books and movies. If you do not already follow my Instagram (@books.with.bunny) account for more bookish content from me feel free to do so. Do not forget to like this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

New Moon // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Bella and Edward face a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy’s reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/45FjVcq

My Rating

This is the sequel to ‘Twilight,’ and as always, when it comes to reviewing a book series, there will be spoilers pertaining to the previous book or books. In this novel, Bella and Edward’s relationship is in full force, but things occur, causing Edward to flee Forks, leaving Bella behind.

Honestly, I’m not quite sure how I feel about Bella’s reaction to Edwards leaving. From the way, the other characters described her state of mind it was bordering on clinical depression and suicidal. Making me think that her and Edward’s relationship is very problematic.

The main plot does not actually kick off until Bella realizes that her subconscious will conjure Edward whenever she puts herself in danger. Therefore, like any allegedly sane person, she decides that she should embark on risky tasks just to hear Edward’s voice.

This is the first book that we see Bella form a true friendship with Jacob Black. He becomes Bella’s closest friend as she continues to put herself in danger. Personally, I really liked Jacob’s character, and you can see that he cared for Bella. However, there was absolutely no romantic chemistry between them, especially since Bella was devoted/moderately obsessed with Edward.

“I honestly have no idea how to live without you.”

The last chapters were fast-paced and full of action. In this book, the author introduces to another supernatural creature that you know will play a significant role in the books to come. In addition, we learn about The Volturi, the largest and most powerful coven and vampires.

The only cons I have about this story is how Bella ditched her friends for months, then expected them to want to hang out with her after she lost the Cullens. She was also careless with her life and literally begged Edward to turn her. She does not even care about the people she will leave behind and the pain she will cause them. Bella is a bit of a selfish character.

Overall, the book went by way faster than the first one. However, if you are looking for exceptional writing or storytelling, these might not be the books for you. This is just a fun, classic, young adult, supernatural romance. There is not much depth or twist in the story.

In the comments, let me know if you are team Jacob or team Edward. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others. If you would like to be notified whenever there is a new post. please follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Our Crooked Hearts // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
 Ivy and her soon-to-be ex nearly run over a nude young woman standing in the middle of a tree-lined road. It’s only the first in a string of increasingly eerie events and offerings: a dead rabbit in the driveway, a bizarre concoction buried by her mother in the backyard, a box of childhood keepsakes hidden in her parents’ closet safe. Most unsettling of all, corroded recollections of Ivy and her enigmatic mother’s past resurface, with the help of the boy next door.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/46Zvkoi

My Rating

I am still not sure what I think of this book because I found only one-half of the dual-timeline plot fairly interesting. Furthermore, I did not love the characters or the way the story was told. In the first few chapters, we get tossed right into the story – there’s no build up, or getting to know the characters, which I did not really love. I am all for a fast-paced book, but this was too much.

In this book, we follow Ivy, a 17 years old who has a strained relationship with her mother. However, once her mother disappears, weird things start happening, and Ivy starts to wonder if there are pieces of her life that she has forgotten. Ivy as a character was not necessarily bad, but she was a teenager who thought that they knew everything. This was irritating to say the least.

As mentioned, the book has dual timelines, so we have a present timeline following Ivy, coupled with a past timeline following her mother. The past chapters help us learn why this is all happening in the present, which is probably why we do not get much backstory at the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, I enjoyed only the past timeline chapters.

“So. Magic. It is the loneliest thing in the world.”

I would’ve loved the book just to be about the girls in the past, because those chapters were giving me ‘The Craft’ movie vibes, and I loved it. I liked Ivy’s mother in the past because she was very smart and strong. Seeing how all of this came to be, it was really interesting. It was dark and twisty, which is something I did not get from the present storyline with Ivy.

My biggest con in the book is the fact that Ivy, even after everything, did not understand her mother more or why she made the choices she made. Yes, some of the things her mother did were out of line, but Ivy had a hand in her mother making these choices. It annoyed me that she did not give her mother any sort of grace. However, I guess that a teenager for you.

Overall, the book kept me entertained, and the writing style was good. The plot was interesting enough, and I did not want to DNF the book. However, I just feel like this type of witchy story was not my cup of tea, but if you are looking for a dark, young adult, witchy book, then I would recommend you picking this one up.

In the comments, leave me with some more witchy book recommendations. Do not forget to like and share this post with others. And follow the blog to get post notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny