Author: Bunny

Choices: To The Hills And Back Again // Book Review

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About The Book
From the star of MTV’s The Hills and The Hills: New Beginnings, a candid and insightful reflection on aughts tabloid fame, the powerlessness and loss of self in toxic situations, and the life-changing power of even our smallest choices.
Buy The Book: https://a.co/d/i4YlCgJ

My Rating

I’m a die hard Laguna Beach and The Hills fan, so when I heard Audrina was releasing a “tell-all” book, I knew I had to read it. She offers an inside look at being a reality TV star, her strained friendship with Lauren Conrad and ex Justin Bobby.

The one thing I try to keep in mind when reading memoir type books is that this one person’s experiences. In the book, she describes what it was like becoming a celebrity at just 19 years old. However, I felt as though she complained about her experience while still talking about how great it was to be a celebrity.

Although, I understand that some things can be bittersweet and that’s what it seems like being in The Hills was for her. She liked all the opportunities she was given, but not being on camera 24/7. And, she even mentioned how the producers would edit a lot of scenes and try to create drama.

She describes how she felt like she was playing a character. There was her true self and then there was Audrina from The Hills. I can understand that sometimes it’s easier to just give in and play the part.

There was a complete chapter on her relationship with Justin. I think she handled that topic very well, and didn’t throw a ton of shade at him. She mentioned how he changed a bit throughout filming the show, and fame can really do that to a person. She even mentioned where their relationship stands today.

One thing that was interesting was how she described Lauren Conrad, in the book. Audrina seemed a bit salty towards her. She stated that Lauren was a controlling friend, almost bordering on “Mean Girls” territory. She talk about how they aren’t friends anymore, but friendly to each other. Yet, she also threw shade at Stephanie Pratt as well, calling her a drama seeker and untrustworthy.

“I believe that if you don’t learn your lesson, you’re going to keep circling back to it until you do, going through versions of the same events with different people until you can finally open your eyes to what to do differently.”

However, she has mostly nice things to say about Heidi Pratt and Kristin Cavallari. So, it begs the question if her opinions are skewed towards who her friends are. Remember, there are two sides to every story.

Audrina did touch on her toxic relationship with ex-husband Corey Bohan. From the moment she detailed their relationship you could tell the red flags. But, even she herself admits that she tried to ignore his jealousy and anger. She also talks about being in therapy to help her understand why she accepted the abuse and stayed in the relationship.

The majority of the book was about her time with Corey and all the trauma she went through. I can see how it must have been a form of closure for her to tell her truth. It isn’t easy to share intimate details of one’s private life, even more so the darker parts.

I throughly enjoyed hearing about her experiences and how she’s still working through things. She didn’t play the victim, but instead shared what was going on in her mind at the time. And, she never made excuses for Corey’s bad behavior towards her, or his lack of parenting of their daughter.

Overall, it’s so hard to rate memoirs since they’re so personal. This was an okay read and it made me remember her short lived reality show ‘Audrina’. I can’t believe I watched that. Although, this book would be great for anyone that has gone through or is in a toxic relationship. It was, at it’s core, a letter from Audrina to her daughter Keira, which I found to be incredibly sweet.

In the comments, let me know if you were a bigger fan of ‘Laguna Beach’ or ‘The Hills’. I’m going to say that Laguna will always have my heart, but ‘The Hills’ was where the drama was at.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #15

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Hello Friends,
It’s time for another Friday reads post! I am going to try and finish a few books this weekend, but as always this is a flexible weekend TBR. I might change things up depending on what my Libby app has available on Audiobook, but I like having options.

‘Furyborn‘ by Claire Legrand
I’ve been reading this book for months and still just at 30%. It’s a YA fantasy that is apart of my 12 Book Challenge.

‘A Magic Steeped in Poison‘ by Judy I. Lin
I’m like 4% into this young adult fantasy, but so far I am loving it! I’m really going to try and get this finished but the end of the weekend.

‘With and Without You‘ by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley
I’ve read every YA contemporary released by this author duo. But, I have yet to get to their release from last year, which is about two teens trying to navigate a long distance relationship.

‘Icebreaker’ by Hannah Grace
I posted a poll on my Bookstagram account voting on what ‘smutty‘ book I should read and this was the winner. Guess, I’m going to be seeing what all the hype is about.

Those are the books that I’m planning on picking up, but I’ve been in the biggest reading mood lately. And, right now I want to read everything especially fantasy series. Before you go, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Spring 2023 // To Be Read

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Hi Friends,
Today, I’m going to be doing my Spring TBR! I’ve decided to start doing more seasonal TBRs, since I’m a huge mood readers. However, I’ve been super active on Bookstagram and Booktok. And, on Booktok I’ve started doing a TBR jar, so each month I’ll pick out four books from that jar. If you want to see my picks for April go follow me on TikTok (@BooksWithBunny). Anyways, let’s get on to the books I hope to read this spring!

Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter: I have become a huge Lynn Painter fan, so I have decided to dive into her adult romances. I hear that this is a really funny and cute romance.

Love Wager by Lynn Painter: This is the second book in her ‘Mr. Wrong Number’ series. I don’t know much about it but the color is yellow, which makes me think of spring.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: I’ve read some of the authors YA work before, and admittedly, didn’t love them. However, I’ve heard only good things about this book. It’s a romance with a main character that falls in love with a ghost. It’s giving off major ‘Just Like Heaven’ vibes.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon: I have absolutely no idea what this book is about, but it follows a weather girl, so I’m sold. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I’m obsessed with the weather, so this book is perfect for me.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: This is an adult romance that has to do with a women that is infertile. I’m excited to read this because Abby Jimenez is a very popular author, but, as I’m struggling to conceive as well, it might be a very hard read for me.

With And Without You by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: I have a love hate relationship with this author duo. I loved their book ‘If I’m Being Honest’ but have hated nearly all of their other books. However, I’m going to give this one a read, and see if they can prove they’re not just a one hit wonder in my book.

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott: All I know is that this is a queer love story, and it’s written by one of the authors of ‘Five Feet Apart’. Enough said.

Promposal by RaeChell Garrett: This was on my most anticipated romance releases of 2023. As you can tell from the title it’s a young adult contemporary about prom. So, I have to read it around prom seasons.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti: I know nothing about this book, except for the fact that it’s a YA mystery/thriller, but leans more toward the mystery side of things. The cool thing is that it’s told mostly through police interviews.

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran: Honestly, I can’t remember what this book is about, but I know that it’s a YA thriller. And, it is said to be perfect for fans of ‘Mexican Gothic’. While I didn’t love that book, I remember being intrigued by this one’s plot.

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager: I’ve been wanting to pick up a Riley Sager book for sometime and this is the one I’ve chosen to read first. I believe it’s about a woman that thinks she witnessed a murder. However, I’m pretty sure she’s an unreliable narrator.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins: This book has mixed reviews, but I still want to read it for myself. It is a ‘locked island’ thriller, which sounds unlike anything I’ve read before.

There you have my somewhat big spring TBR! Let me know what you are hoping to read this spring in the comments. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Coraline | Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments


About The Book
When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.But there’s another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AiAgGx

My Rating

I am a big fan of the Coraline animated film adaptation. It has become a staple October movie for me. I had read the book years ago, but wanted to give it a reread. And, I can say that I will probably reread it every October from now on.

The book was very fast paced, and I loved the setting. It is told in second person, but honestly I don’t really care how a book is told. First person, second person or even third person it is all the same to me.

The story follows Coraline, who moves into a new apartment building with her parents. The parents in this book are kind of neglectful, but by the end of the book, Coraline learns to appreciate her family.

“You’re going to stay here for ever and always.”

I enjoyed the character of Coraline, because I found her to be smart for her age, and not immature. However, she was a bit judgmental at times, but I chalked that up to her still being a kid. Also, who doesn’t love a sarcastic talking cat?

Overall, I liked the book equally as much as the film adaptation. The story was simple, but spooky. The writing made the plot come to life and I had a good time reading it.

In the comments, let me know your thoughts on the book. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow before you go!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Accident Season // Book Review

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About The Book
For fans of We Were Liars and The Ocean at the End of the Lane comes a haunting magically realistic debut about a family caught between a violent history, a taboo romance, and the mysteries lurking in their own backyard.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ZQ6pjq

My Rating

From the very beginning, I could tell that the plot was going to be interesting. It had my full attention in the first chapter, and I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going to go. In the book, we follow a family that is pledged with the ‘accident season’ which turns accidents into tragedies.

Our main character is seventeen-year-old Cara. She’s close to her older sister, and ex-stepbrother, who still lives with her family. She also happens to have a bestie that is very into tarot cards and magic. Although, most of the characters were decent, I didn’t really feel connected to them.

As the book went on, I noticed the writing slowing down a lot. The plot became very strange, because it got very off message. A lot. For me, there was just too much going on, and minimum of three different plots to follow.

There was a Halloween party scene and a forgotten girl. There were a lot of metaphors throughout the story that made it very confusing to follow. But, that’s not to say the story was entirely bad.

“Accidents happen. Our bones shatter, our skin splits, our hearts break. We burn, we drown, we stay alive.”

Be aware that this story features many taboo subjects. One being the fact that underage drinking was approved by Cara’s mom. For me that’s was a little extreme. There was also underage smoking and a seriously abusive relationship.

For me the toxic relationship aspect was handled very well, but I can see how it could be triggering to some readers. As well as the sexual abuse aspect in the book. And don’t even get me started on the sort of weird incest relationship that developed as the story progressed.

I felt that the plot’s main focus was to show that once you deal with what’s haunting you, it has less power over your life. Also, are accidents simply accidents? Or is there something’s more magical behind them?

Overall, the book wasn’t horrible, and it was a fairly quick read. If you’re looking for a witchy story with a lot of heavy topics, and don’t mind a plot that jumps around a lot, then I’d give this book a read. I just felt the story wasn’t my cup of tea.

Make sure to look at the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up. In the comments, tell me your favorite witchy book. If you want to make my day, please give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #14

- Bunny 1 Comment


Hi Friends,
I decided to do another Friday reads post because I’m pretty behind on my yearly reading goal. I have a weekend of reading planed in hopes to catch up. So, I have an ambitious weekend TBR.

‘White Smoke’ by Tiffany D. Jackson (55% Done)
This is a YA thriller about a haunted house. I’m really enjoying it and should be able to finish it about this weekend.

‘Furyborn’ by by Claire Legrand (30% Done)
I’m hoping that I’ll be able to complete the book this weekend, because I’ve been reading it since February. This is a really interesting YA fantasy.

‘Finale’ by Stephanie Garber (30% Done)
I flew by the two books in the Caraval trilogy, so I believe it will be a quick read. However, getting it read by this weekend might be a bit of a stretch.

‘Moment Of Truth’ by Kasie West (6% Done)
I typically can get a Kasie West book read in a day. I am confident that I’ll be able to have this book read once the weekend is over.

In the comments, let me know what you will be reading this weekend. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

12 to 22 // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


About The Book
A smart and funny modern day 13 Going on 30 from New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita! A tween girl finds out it is like to be 22 when she jumps in time with the help of a mysterious TikTok filter.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3JXcm9s

My Rating

This book had me at its synopsis. It is essentially a ‘13 Going On 30’ retelling, but in book form. My inner 12 year old was doing a happy dance. One fun little fact about me is that I use to be a lover of all romantic comedies, and anything starring Jennifer Garner.

In the book, we follow tween Harper, who is dying to be a social media star and loves Taylor Swift. Harper as a character reflected a tween growing up in a society where being an influencer is all the rage. And everyone is online. I’m very glad that I wasn’t as obsessive about fitting in as Harper was throughout the majority of the story.

Harper wants to grow up so fast, which I can relate to, because I’m pretty sure all of us wanted to skip to adulthood at 12 years old. However, Harper was not ready to grow up at all, and was a bit immature, which was partly the reason her parents didn’t take her seriously.

There were also some interesting side characters in the story, like Harper’s young sister’s future self, her best friend and her other best friend/crush. And, of course we have the mean queen bee, Lucy Wyman. But are popular, clique girls even a thing anymore?

“I’d love to get more followers. I barely have a thousand.”

I found the story to be very enjoyable and fast-paced. The writing was fun and light. Although I would classify its genre somewhere between middle grade and young adult, the writing didn’t feel too immature. One of the great things is that I got all of those ‘13 Going On 30’ vibes that I was so desperately hoping for.

The only con I have is that I’m not a fan of characters with the desire to fit in and be like everyone else. Also, characters that can’t speak up for themselves drive me crazy as well. I like me some confident, badass bitches in books. But, that might just be a me thing and not really a problem with the book.

Overall, Harper had good characters development and the ending was cute. The book shows that you can’t run away from your problems, but have to face them head on. Also, it made me realize that I’d never want to go back to being 12 years old again. I’m happy to have moved out of my tweens and teens.

In the comments, let me know what age you’d go back to if you could. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow to get notified whenever there’s a new post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Message Not Found // Book Review

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About The Book
An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project. This compelling puzzle of a story, filled with engrossing twists and turns, is written in alternating prose and text message formats. Teens will gobble up this fast-paced page-turner.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TrFEQH

My Rating

I’m not exactly sure how I feel about this book. The plot follows Bailey as she tries to cope with her best friend’s death. Bailey uses a program that lets her send messages to Vanessa’s phone and receive response that mimic ones Vanessa would send.

Throughout the book, we get insights to their relationship, and the accident that took Vanessa’s life. Grief, and letting go, is a very prominent theme in the book. However, I think it was done well. It showcases how, when someone you love passes away, you try everything to keep them alive.

Bailey does struggle with feeling guilty, and wonders if she could have done something to stop the accident. This is an issue that is touched on in a lot of YA books that deal with loss. Also, the story mentions how people only care about people once they’re gone. It’s not genuine grief.

“How devastating it is to miss her and hate her with the same breath.”

Throughout the story, we see that people aren’t perfect, and do make mistakes they can’t take back. Vanessa made some mistakes, and by the end of the book, I wasn’t sure if she would have been redeemable if she had lived. However, I liked the message that even if someone hurts you, you can still love them.

There is a romance that develops between Bailey and Vanessa’s boyfriend, which might seem weird, but in grief you connect with others that are grieving as well.Their relationship formed naturally, and didn’t seem like they were together just because of their shared grief.

Overall, I liked the way Bailey handled her grief. The story was a sad, but still a good read. So, if you are looking for a book that deals with loss, you should pick this one up!

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book. I would love to know your thoughts on it. Feel free to support my blog by giving it a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2023 YA Romances | Anticipated Releases

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I haven’t shared many of my anticipated book releases for 2023, so I thought I should talk about some of the romances that I can’t wait to read. Let’s face it I’m a YA contemporary romance girl at heart, which made it a little difficult to narrow this list down to only 5 books.

‘Never Vacation with Your Ex’ by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka (Released: April 4th)
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall meets Crazy Stupid Love in a YA second chance romance from fan-favorite author couple #Wibbroka!”

Not going to lie I have a love-hate, but mostly hate, relationship with this author duos books. They always seem to fall short for me, yet I still always find myself reading them.

‘Promposal’ by RaeChell Garrett (Released: April 4th)
“An overachiever must decide if risking her heart by working with her former crush turned enemy is worth the reward in this snappy rom-com, perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry.”

This is a new to me author, but the premise of this book sounds so cute. I’ve never went to high school, so I don’t get the whole promposal thing. Also, I love me some enemies-to-lovers.

‘Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl’ by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum (Released: May 2nd)
“This charming YA rom-com follows Margo, who suddenly realizes that she’s gay but has no clue how to express her identity, so she enlists out-and-proud Abbie to act as her tutor on everything “Queer 101”…and first love.”

By now you probably know that I love exchange of services plots. This one sounds a bit different than the ones I’ve read before and I’m excited to see how this story unfolds.

‘Borrow My Heart’ by Kasie West
(Released: June 13th)
“When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day–and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We’ve Never Been.”

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t mention Kasie West newest book on this list. Just like all her other books I’m sure that this one is going to be an amazing read!

‘The Borrow a Boyfriend Club’ by Page Powars
(Released: September 12th)
“A high school boy must master the art of romance to join his new school’s most illustrious (and secret) club to ensure his classmates see him as his true gender, and soon finds himself falling for the club’s prickly president.”

This story follows a trans main character, which I haven’t read about before. I love seeing diverse representation in books. And, this sounds like a grumpy, sunshine romance, which is going to be a lot of fun.

There you have some of the young adult romance books who releases I cannot wait for. In the comments, let me know what 2023 romance books you are greatly anticipating. Before you go hit the follow button so you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Took: A Ghost Story // Book Review

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About The Book
Daniel doesn’t believe the woods behind his new home are haunted by an evil witch and her terrifying beast. But then his little sister disappears and it’s up to him to find her. This chilling graphic-novel version of Mary Downing Hahn’s popular page-turner will thrill readers who love spooky stories.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3LsAVvY

My Rating

This is a middle grade graphic novel/ghost story, of sorts. It focuses on 13 year old Daniel, who moves with his family to a new town, into a house near the woods. There are rumors that kids are taken by an evil witch, and her man eating razorback hog. One day, Daniel’s sister, Erica, goes missing, and the prime suspect is the old witch.

The plot was very slow moving. I don’t know if that was a plot problem or a writing one, but I just wasn’t as interested in the plot as I would have hoped. I thought this was going to be a spooky ghost story, like the Goosebumps series.

However, the novel was pretty creepy. The witch was very evil, so I’d say it is a good October time read. And, the artwork was really beautiful, and brought the story to life. Honestly, the artwork made the story a lot more enjoyable.

The characters in the book were fairly basic. Daniel and Erica were simple, ordinary kids. Also, their parents were fairly unlikable. I found them to be cold, and not loving to their kids.

“People were so fragile, so easily broken, so hard to put back together.”

The biggest issues I had with the story was the mature content. I believe that the book is intended for tweens, but I wouldn’t recommend it for them. There is a lot of focus on child abuse, and some intense seems about it.

Now it’s not a super horrifying abuse story, but it isn’t something I’d say is appropriate for middle schoolers. The abuse aspect made the story less spooky and more sad, which was just weird.

Overall, I don’t think it is a successful “ghost story”. It felt like a middle grade graphic novel that wanted to pull in more mature readers. But, for me child abuse is a bit of a trigger.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book, and don’t forget to follow my blog for more book reviews.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny