Young Adult

Divergent // Book Review

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About The Book
One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior’s society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ZrgwfZ

My Rating

For me, the book fell somewhere in the middle of the dystopian pack, and earned three modest stars. While it had some enjoyable qualities, it also had a share of drawbacks that kept me from fully loving the story as much as others. Because, let us face it, the book holds a special place in the dystopian genre.

Tris, our central character, left me feeling somewhat disconnected. In my opinion, her journey from self-centeredness to a heroic figure was a rocky road, and it was difficult to shake the feeling that she remained somewhat self-absorbed throughout the story. For a story centered around “divergence,” she did not embody the divergent nature I expected.

On the other hand, Four, the mysterious love interest, was a more likable character but was still a cookie-cutter love interest. He was very similar to other male main characters I had previously seen in young adult novels. However, I was interested in his backstory and learning more about his character. However, we did not instantly see a connection between him and Tris.

“I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent. And I can’t be controlled.”

The plot had potential, but I feel as though the writing style did not do the book justice. It lacked a certain engaging quality that would have helped make the story come to life. The pacing, in particular, felt slow at times, making me want action and something to drive the story forward.

That said, I must admit that the book managed to redeem itself somewhat with an intense ending. It brought many things to light and was very action-packed. I already know that the sequel is going to be much more complex. I am interested in seeing where the author takes the story and the character development that is bound to occur.

Overall, the plot leans heavily on the classic “chosen one” trope, and while it isn’t a ground breaking take on it, it’s does a great job creating a world that is basically formed by our personalities. If you are new to the dystopian genre, this is a good book to start with, since the world building is not too complex. This is a great introduction to the genre, but it is a very typical YA dystopian.

In the comments, let me know when you first read ‘Divergent.’ Don’t forget to share this post with other book addicts. Before you go, hit the follow button to receive post notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

All The Bright Places // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Violet Markey lives for the future. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground— it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Lrv6Ow

My Rating

I love a good heartbreaking young adult romance, but this book hit me too close to home. In this book, we follow two teenagers. Violet, who is still grieving the death of her sister, and Finch, who is struggling with bipolar disorder. The two have a chance encounter that sets them on a path to self-growth and love.

I knew that this book would be heartbreaking, but as someone who struggles with bipolar disorder and has a spouse with the disease, it was a lot to take in, emotionally. The author did a great job portraying somebody with a mood disorder. And I could definitely relate to Finch’s ups and downs.

I did not have the same connection to Violet, but I could see how these two characters were drawn to one another. I enjoyed watching them grow closer and develop feelings toward one another. Their relationship was very ‘we found love in a hopeless place.’ Both clearly fought their own internal demons and found happiness with each other. It was very sweet and, as the reader, you knew that it was not going to last.

“I can’t promise I won’t pick you apart, piece by piece, until you’re in a thousand pieces, just like me.”

This is a basic contemporary young adult romance. The plot is not complex, but the characters are really what makes up the book. We get inside their minds and watch them as they help each other grow as people. You can tell that Finch really wanted to help Violet let go of her grief. I think that the plot dealt with grief and overcome survivor’s guilt in a good way. In addition, the book does a great job of showcasing the difficulties of loving someone with mental health problems.

Overall, the ending is what made this book gut wrenching. Although I enjoyed the overall plot of the book, I was not a fan of the outcome since I had almost been there with my love before. It was just a little too much for me. Still, I can see why others love the book and love the story that develops.

I know that there is a movie adaptation, but I am not sure that I will be able to bring myself to watch it. In the comments, let me know if you have seen the film. Is it worth watching? Don’t forget to like and share this post with other book lovers. Please support me by following this blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Summer 2023 // Book Haul

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
I thought I would share the books that I bought this summer. I have been buying too many books, so I definitely need to go on a book-buying ban. However, this is probably not going to occur. What can I say? I am a realist. Nevertheless, these are mostly all the books that I bought during the summer months.


The Deal: Buy Here
The Fine Print: Buy Here
Ninth House: Buy Here
Maybe Meant To Be:Buy Here
The Last Time I Lied: Buy Here
Home Before Dark: Buy Here
The Naturals: Buy Here
Killer Instinct:Buy Here

 

 

 


Secrets Never Die: Buy Here
Priest: Buy Here
A Thousand Boy Kisses: Buy Here
Clown In A Cornfield: Buy Here
Hooked: Buy Here
Court Of The Vampire Queen: Buy Here
Kiss Her Once For Me: Buy Here
None Of This Is True: Buy Here

 

 


The Ex Hex: Buy Here
The Kiss Curse: Buy Here
Fourth Wing: Buy Here
The Writing Retreat: Buy Here
Belladonna: Buy Here
Better Than Fiction: Buy Here
The Sun Down Motel: Buy Here
Coraline: Buy Here

 

 

 

Something interesting that I noticed about my book buying this month is how I’ve been gravitating towards more adult books. From adult thrillers to smutty romances, it is interesting to see how my book taste is starting to change. Let me know in the comments about what books you bought this summer. Alternatively, if you read any of these books. Do not forget to follow my blog to get notified whenever there is a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Summer Of Broken Rules // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


About The Book
Meredith’s family’s annual game of assassin at Martha’s Vineyard during a summer wedding is the perfect chance to honor her sister’s legacy, and finally join the world again. But when Meredith forms an assassin alliance with a cute groomsman, she finds herself getting distracted. And as the week progresses, she realizes she’s not only at risk of losing the game, but also her heart.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/45KQ8jl

My Rating

This book was everything I wanted in a summertime young adult contemporary. The story follows Meredith, who returns to Martha’s Vineyard for the first time since her sister, Claire’s, death. Meredith and her family are there for her cousin’s wedding. But, things get complicated when Meredith connects with one of the groomsmen, Witt.

I loved the plot, because not only were we watching as Meredith and Witt fell for each other over the course of a week, the majority of the plot was about the characters engaging in a game of assassin. It was such an easy to read summertime story.

Although, the romance was super cute, it was a little insta-lovey. Can you really fall in love with someone in just a week? I am typically a hater when it comes to instant romance plots, yet this one didn’t bother me as much. I liked both Meredith and Witt’s personalities. Also, the romance really worked for me.

One of my favorite things about the book was how the author handled the grief aspect. Yes, loss and grief was a part of the story but there weren’t a ton of sad moments, and it felt more like a summer romance, than someone trying to get over a loss. I liked how the grief aspect was more subtle, and not an overwhelming part of the plot.

“Our time together was unraveling like a ribbon.”

Meredith went through a lot of character development throughout the book. It was interesting to see her character grow and change in just a week. I think it shows that everyday we can open our eyes to things we didn’t realize about ourselves, and what we want.

Of course there was a romance conflict close to the end of the book. But, the author didn’t make it cheesy, and it was resolved very maturely. Personally, I didn’t find the characters to actually be immature at all, which I found refreshing in a young adult book.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and recommend it as a great summer read. The ending was nice, and I liked how we got an epilogue. I’m for sure interested in reading more by K.L. Walther in the near future.

In the comments, let me know one of your favorite summer romances. Don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified for more book reviews like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

One Of Us Is Back // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
The third time’s a charm. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren’t killers. Then a new generation outwitted a vengeful copycat. Now the entire Bayview Crew is back home for the summer, and everyone is trying to move on. Only, this is Bayview, and life is never that simple. The global phenomenon returns with the third book in the One of Us Is Lying series, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen M. McManus.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3PbUOsS

My Rating

This is the third, and final, installment of Karen M. McManus’s ‘One Of Us’ series. Keep in mind that this review might spoil something’s in the first two books. In this book, we follow the perspectives of Addy, Nate, and Phoebe. I loved being back with the Bayview crew, because these characters are incredibly likable.

In the first book, we had a whodunit type of murder/mystery plot. The next book had a deadly truth or dare situation. However, I’m not really sure I can explain the plot of this book, because there really wasn’t much of one.

The author was trying to create a plot that brought everything full circle and connected all three books. However, I think that she lost sight of making a really engaging story. The plot just kind of lacked, and fell short for me. It wasn’t as intense or gripping as the first two books.

This isn’t to say that the book is bad, because I was interested in the story, but that could just be for my love of these characters. I did find the book to be fast paced and McManus’s writing is wonderful – as always. I was just hoping for more.

“But we all know how Simon felt about secrets, right? They have to come out eventually.”

The way on which everything was tied together wasn’t my favorite. It felt very random. As a horror movie fan, I love when sequels are tied into the first movie, making things come full circle. But, only if it’s done right. The first three Scream movies did that perfectly, yet the ‘Happy Death Day’ films took a really weird route in the second movie. But, I digress.

Overall, the plot just didn’t leave me shocked, and there really wasn’t any sort of major twist. I do like that the author went back to the ‘secrets are powerful’ message, as it was a recurring theme throughout the entire series. Nonetheless, it was a decent conclusion to the trilogy, and I will continue to support Karen M. McManus. Also, thank you for giving us more Knox and Phoebe!

In the comments, let me know which ‘One Of Us’ book is your favorite. My personal favorite is ‘One Of Us Is Next’, because I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. If you enjoyed this book, please hit the follow button, because it really helps my blog grow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Lying In The Deep // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist. [In this new murder mystery by Diana Urban find out what happens when a semester at sea turns deadly.] Perfect for readers of Natasha Preston, E. Lockhart, and Karen McManus!
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3QLiVQb

My Rating

This book frustrated me to no end. I was hoping for a fun, fast-paced YA thriller book, but that isn’t what I got at all. In the book, we follow Jade as she is doing a semester on a cruise ship. And, if you were a teenager in the 2000s you’re probably having ‘The Suite Life on Deck’ flashbacks.

However, Jade’s semester abroad turns sour when she discovers her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend, who are now a couple, are also aboard the cruise ship. Honestly, I couldn’t figure out if this was a petty high school breakup story or a thriller. For about, 60% of the book Jade is wining about her backstabbing best friend and pining for her ex. And every time she’d try and confront them, she’d wimp out and than start whining again.

I thought there would be more suspense and mystery, and less high school drama. Although, since they’re in high school, I should have figured they’d act like they’re in high school. Still, the writing just felt very immature and the characters were juvenile. But, being in my 30s, I can admit that I am not really the intended audience for the book.

“No better trash can for a murderer than the entire ocean.”

The book didn’t pick up until around the last 75% of the book, and that’s when I felt like the story was actually getting somewhere. But, everything started happening so quickly. It felt like nothing at all was happening, and then, suddenly, a bunch of shit goes down. What was even the point of the first half of the book?

However, once the plot picked up, it was really enjoyable. I didn’t see the twist coming, which I liked. But, the characters were really the downfall for me. I disliked pretty much all of them. Still, there was one character, Jade’s love interest, that I did like, and he called Jade out on her pettiness and whining, which was called for.

Overall, the writing and plot weren’t for me at all. Maybe, I’ve just grown out of young adult, but I think that the real issue is that I didn’t know that the book was a retelling of “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie. Correction – I have heard people say that it’s a YA “Death on the Nile” retelling, but I don’t know if that’s true. Nevertheless, I’ve heard that “Death on the Nile” has similarly slow moving, nothing’s happening type of plot.

In the comments, let me know if this book is on your TBR. If it is, take it from me and skip it. Personally, I would have had a better time watching ‘The Suite Life on Deck’. However, if you did enjoy the book, leave a comment letting others know why. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Twilight // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Isabella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3qdEr5r

My Rating

This book is for all the vampire and love triangle fans out there. In the book, we follow Bella as she moves to Forks to live with her dad. There she forms a small friend group, and meets Jacob Black, the son of her dad’s best friend. However, Bella feels connection growing between her and the mysterious Edward Cullen. The two keep seem to be drawn together, and everyone knows the Cullen family are very interesting.

If you want a slow paced vampire book with some slow-burn romance, then this is the book for you. It is the first book in the Twilight saga, and typically first book in series do need a lot of world building. However, I found this book to be way too long. I felt like there was so much that we could have cut out and the outcome would have been the same. Being 500 pages long was completely unnecessary.

As for the characters, we didn’t get to really know anyone but Bella. Yet, we did learn a little about Edward and his family. Although, I think as the books progress we will get more information on the other characters and learn more about them. As for Bella, she was a very bland character with not much personality. She was bit boring and just average, which I assume is why Edward was so drawn to her.

“Death is Peaceful, Life is Harder.”

The story, as a whole, was very engaging. I found myself drawn in, and wanting to pick it up. I’m always down for a good vampire story, and if you know anything about this saga, soon we will have werewolves introduced as well. The ending was really fasted paced, and picked up, even though I felt like Bella did make some pretty dumb choices.

Now let’s talk about the writing. This book gets a lot of hate for being write like a fan fiction, which I think is disrespectful to fanfics, since some of them are actually written very well. I didn’t find the writing to be horrible, but it didn’t grip me like I wanted it to. It was very mediocre writing. There wasn’t anything special about it that helped make the story come to life.

Overall, it has the basics of a great story, and I’m excited to see where the next book goes. Still, I can understand why people say that this book has a stalker love trope kind of vibe. A few years back, that used to be a big no-no, but now in the age of dark romance and bully romance I can bet that some people are into the stalker trope.

In the comments, let me know when you first read the Twilight books. Don’t forget to hit the follow button, so that you get notified whenever there’s a new post like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #18

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
This is the last weekend in July. I have been reading like crazy, and now I am kind of in a reading slump. However, I hope that these books will pull me out of my reading slump.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman
I am 30% into this YA thriller book and hope to be done with it soon. Right now, I am not loving it, but I am hoping that it will start to pick up.

When In Rome by Sarah Adams
I have been in the mood for a cute rom-com style adult romance. This book has been on my radar for a while and I own it, which is awesome since I am trying to read more books off my physical TBR. Hopefully, I will get to it by the end of the month.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
This book has been on many Friday reads and TBRs. I just need to finish it! Since I am becoming more of a fantasy girlie, I think that I might finally be able to binge read the last 50% of this book.

In the comments, let me know what you are currently reading. Do not forget to like this post and follow this blog before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

July 2023 // Book Haul

- Bunny 3 Comments

Hi Friends,
July is coming to an end, so it’s time to share the books that I bought this month. I do have some super exciting pre-orders that haven’t come in yet, but these are the majority of the books that I purchased in July.

The Seven Year Slip: https://amzn.to/3QcTs1C
In The Weeds: https://amzn.to/43JEmEf
The Cheat Sheet: https://amzn.to/44ENv1T
Icebreakers: https://amzn.to/3O7LBjh
The Deal: https://amzn.to/3DtkxGf
The Fine Print: https://amzn.to/478cFaM
Violet Made Of Thorns: https://amzn.to/3q6BDXA
The Prince And The Apocalypse: https://amzn.to/3DwkFoM
Hollow Fires: https://amzn.to/3KgVgDc
The Naturals: https://amzn.to/3Q9IVV9

So, now I have even more books on my physical TBR, but who’s counting, right? Honestly, book buying is just as much as a hobby as reading is for a bookworm. In the comments, let me know which of these books I should make a priority. Don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified about all future posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Finding Her Edge // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Adriana Russo is figure skating royalty. With gold-medalist parents, and her older sister headed to the Olympics, all she wants is to live up to the family name and stand atop the ice dance podium at the Junior World Championships. That means training on the same ice as her first crush, Freddie, the partner she left when her growth spurt outpaced his. For the past two years, he’s barely acknowledged her existence, and she can’t even blame him for it.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3K7mYCc

My Rating

Here’s a little fun fact about me: I love ice skating! That’s right, when I was a kid (and teenager) I thought figure skating was the coolest sport. I even took an ice skating lessons for a year. And, to this day, Ice Princess is probably still my most watched movie. So, when I heard about this YA contemporary following a figure skater, I couldn’t have been more excited for it!

Unfortunately, this book was a total letdown. Now that’s not to say I didn’t like to story, because I found the plot to be really good. And, the book is very fast paced. Honestly, it gave me those Ice Princess vibes that I was hoping for.

However, the major plot of this book was this second chance romance love triangle aspect. I was not a fan of that at all. I typically don’t like second chance romances, so it’s not a big surprise when they fall short for me. In this book, we get four tropes in one. Second chance romance, fake dating, love triangle and unrequited love. And let’s just say I didn’t like the outcome.

As for the characters, I found most of them to be immature and annoying. Although, the side characters were great. and I wish that we had gotten to know them better. I was way more interested in them then the main character, Adriana.

“There are no guarantees in figure skating.”

The book does give a good look into the intense world that is professional figure skating. It made me want to watch a whole series following figure skaters, because it’s a lot of pressure. When you’re part of a duo, you really have to trust your partner. And, I think the author did a good job relaying how competitive it is. Also, partner romances can make things messy.

Overall, I wished that I had liked it more. It wasn’t necessarily a bad book, just not one that I would necessarily recommend or think of in the future. Honestly, I was not a fan of how the love triangle ended. Let’s just say I would have preferred the author to go the unexpected route.

In the comments, tell me what sport of hobby did you find fascinating as a teenager. Don’t forget to share this post with others. And, feel free to follow my blog before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny