Bookmas

2022 Anticipated Releases // January – June

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
Twenty Twenty-Two will be here before we know it, and so will a bunch of new books. I love finding new releases to add to my TBR. Who knows if I might discover a new favorite author? I have put together a list of the new releases that I would like to read. This list will only contain books from January to June, so the first half of the new year. Also, to keep things relatively short I only mentioned two books per month.

January

Echoes and Empires by Morgan Rhodes (January 4th)
“A snarky seventeen-year-old must team up with an enigmatic criminal to cure herself of dangerous forbidden magic in the first book of a new fantasy duology from Morgan Rhodes, the New York Times bestselling author of the Falling Kingdoms series.”

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder (January 11th)
“Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and The Cruel Prince.”

February

Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli (February 8th)
“For fans of Emma Lord and Abbi Glines, Jennifer Iacopelli’s swoony, romantic new novel follows elite ice dancer Adriana Russo as she finds herself drawn to both her old dance partner and her new one.”

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte (February 22nd)
“In this fantasy thriller, four teens charged with murder and caught up with the illegal use of magic band together to devise the ultimate jailbreak. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and How to Get Away with Murder.”

March

Remember Me Gone by Stacy Stokes (March 22nd)
“Lucy Miller’s family has the unique ability to remove people’s painful memories—but Lucy isn’t prepared for truths she will uncover in this speculative YA debut thriller, perfect for fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

Live, Laugh, Kidnap by Gabby Noone (March 29th)
“From the author of Layoverland comes another bitingly clever, laugh-out-loud funny novel, about a group of teen girls going up against an exploitative megachurch in their small Montana town.”

April

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor (April 5th)
“For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.”

With and Without You by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (April 19th)
“#Wibbroka is back with another swoony YA–this time tackling long-distance relationships, in a novel based on their own romantic history.”

May

The Noh Family by Grace Shim (May 3rd)
“A sparkling K-drama inspired debut teen novel by Grace Shim, THE NOH FAMILY introduces irrepressibly charming teen Chloe Kang, who is reunited with her deceased father’s estranged family via a DNA test, and is soon whisked off to Seoul to join them.”

Beauty and the Besharam by Lillie Vale (May 10th)
“Heated competition leads to even hotter romance in this YA summer rom-com for fans of Sandhya Menon, Emma Lord, and Wibbroka.”

June

TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo (June 7th)
“A charming rom-com about high school debater TJ Powar who—after becoming the subject of an ugly meme—makes a resolution to stop shaving, plucking, and waxing, and prove that she can be her hairy self and still be beautiful…but soon finds this may be her most difficult debate yet. Perfect for fans of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.”

A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz (June 28th)
“A surprising and romantic YA retelling-mashup of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.”

Those are some of the books that I’m anxiously awaiting. But, I have a ton more that I have added to my TBR as well. I always post reviews on each book I read, so my sure to follow the blog for those reviews, as swell as more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

So, This Is Christmas // Book Review

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Author: Tracy Andreen
Published: 2021
Genre: YA/Contemporary/Holiday
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Synopsis
When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.

I was excited to pick up this book, since it was a Christmas contemporary set in Oklahoma. I have family from Oklahoma, and my mom grew up an Okie. However, the book left a bad taste in my mouth, because the author portrayed Oklahomans in a very stereotypical way. Tracy Andreen grew up in Oklahoma, so this could stem from her experience there. Or, the stereotyping was simply supposed to be a joke.

In the book, Finley, returns home for the holidays after spending the semester at an elite boarding school. She spends the holiday season coming to terms with the things that occurred while she was away at school, all while working at her grandmother’s inn. Things get mess when her snobby British schoolmate shows up at the inn with his aunt for the perfect Christmas holiday.

In the book, we meet characters that sound and act like dumb hicks that never left their small Oklahoma town. It seemed like most the girls end up getting pregnant in high school, or at least that how it was with Finley’s family. And, sure Oklahoma is known to be a religious state, but I wouldn’t classify everyone as judgemental.

Moving on, Finley wasn’t enjoyable to read about and, in the audiobook, she had an overly southern accent. Not all Oklahomans have an accent, but apparently in this book they do. Also, the love story didn’t work for me one bit. I didn’t get an ounce of chemistry from them. It felt forced, and I wasn’t buying the enemies-to-lovers story the author was selling.

“Three percent Neanderthal wasn’t it?”

Rather than hate-to-love it was an unexpected romance story. The two didn’t even know each other well enough to hate one another. Perhaps if this was a dual perspective story where we heard from Finley and her love interest, Arthur, I wouldn’t have had such a negative opinion on the romance.

Furthermore, the plot was predictable from the get go, but not in a cute Hallmark movie way. More like a Disney Channel movie that is trying to be relatable and cute. About halfway through the book, I knew exactly how everything was going to turn out. I don’t always mind this, but it is more annoying when the story already isn’t captivating me.

Besides the holiday romance and family drama, the book’s message is that life is tough. Things are hard, but you shouldn’t give up. If you fall down, get back up and try again. Although, I think this is a good message, the book didn’t deliver it well. True, one shouldn’t give up because something is hard. But giving up shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing.

Sometimes we do things that might not turn out the way we hoped. They might be too hard, or just give us stress. It is always okay to say ‘I can’t do this.’ Not every choice you make will be right, but it is better to do what is best for you, than to do something because you feel obligated to. Honestly, life isn’t that black and white, and you should make the best decision you can for yourself.

As you can tell, I had such a great time reading this book. Okay, bad joke. This book was a big letdown, and wished I had DNFed it. Still, if you liked this book, then I am happy for you. I think that I probably rambled way too much in this review, so, sorry (not sorry). Anyhow, give me a like, a share, and a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Merry and Bright 2021 Readathon // Reading Log

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Hi Friends,
I decided to do a reading vlog of sorts on the Merry and Bright readathon. Keep in mind that this is my first attempt at a reading vlog, so hopefully you guys in enjoy it. Also, I did a post on my TBR for the readathon that you can read as well.

Day 1: 12/09/2021
Today is the first day of the readathon! I cheated a little bit and started my book last night, but I only got to 12%. The book that I am starting out with is ‘These Violent Delights’ by Chloe Gong. This book is for the prompt ‘The Grinch: Enemies-to-lovers.’ And, I have gotten to 41%, which isn’t bad, if I do say so myself. I was hoping to get to 50% today, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. My mom, my sister and I had to take my Uncle Christmas shopping. We went to some antique stores, and this cute little coffee and fudge shop. I don’t love antiquing, but honestly I can always find something to buy. Shopaholic problems.

Day 2: 12/10/2021
My sister drove into the city for the day to spend some time with the family. We got together and had a girls shopping day. I spent a little too much, but it was fun. We went to two different Targets, then Victoria’s Secret, Hobby Lobby and of course Starbucks. We had lunch at Red Robin, and Jack-In-The-Box for dinner. I also maybe got a book at Target, but it was 20% off. Early Christmas gift to myself. I did get some super cute things from Victoria’s Secret, since they were having a great sale. I had to get a gift there anyways, so I decided to treat myself to some items as well.

The day was draining, but fun. Still, it didn’t leave much time for reading. I am still at 41% of ‘These Violent Delights,’ but luckily I did manage to finish a book. I read ‘The Nutcracker,’ which was for the prompt ‘Last Christmas: Purchased Last Year & Never Read?’ It was a fast read, and I am happy to be able to check it off my TBR.

Day 3: 12/12/2021
I had a pretty relaxing day, so I didn’t get much reading done. I was more focused on writing blog content, since I have the ‘12 Days of Bookmas’ coming up. Still, I did get in a small amount of reading, and got to 61% of ‘These Violent Delights.’ I am enjoying the story a lot more than I anticipated, which is exciting. Other than that, I watched some Christmas movies, worked out, and napped. Don’t judge me.

Day 4: 12/13/2021
I was working a ton on my blog this day, since it was the start of Bookmas. I read only a small bit more of ‘These Violent Delights’, getting to 67%. So, I don’t have much of an update. Also, I had some personal things going on, which made reading not my top priority.

Day 5: 12/14/2021
I finally finished ‘These Violent Delights’! I’m very excited to post my review on it, because I have a lot of thoughts. I will say that it made it on to my top books of the year list. In addition to reading, I worked out and did more blog stuff, which you can probably tell is my normal routine.

Day 6: 12/15/2021
I was going to read another book today, which I could have finished in about an hour. However, I didn’t do any reading since I went out fairly early in the day. I did see some amazing Christmas lights, and will be posting pictures on my Instagram account (@bunnysbookishlife).

In total, I read two books. I was hoping to finish at least 3 books, but that wasn’t the case. Nonetheless, I am still happy that I participated in the readathon. If you took part in the ‘Merry and Bright’ readathon let me know how you did in the comments. As always, like, share, and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Books I Wish I’d Read // In 2021

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
There were so many books that I wanted to read in twenty-twenty one. But, sadly I didn’t have time to read every book on my TBR. If only the days were longer, and I had hours to dedicate to reading. Nevertheless, I put together a list of the top books that I wanted to read, but never got to.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
“Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems. Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.”

I was hoping to reread this book, and possibly finish the whole series. However, I was never able to fit it on to my TBR. Although, I don’t think I was ever really in the mood to pick it up. It is, still, a great fantasy series that I would like to complete.

The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott
“Two girls, one list and twelve chances to fall in love this summer. From the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Five Feet Apart comes a gripping new romance, perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.”

I am so sad that I didn’t get around to reading this book. It is by one of the authors of ‘Five Feet Apart,’ which I read this year and loved. I don’t know much about this book except that it is a YA contemporary that gives me summer romance vibes. I think it is a female-female love story, which I am here for.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
“The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!”

I have heard nothing but good things about Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing. So I was looking forward to picking up her newest novel. I was going to read it in October, but failed to. It is a YA thriller, which is awesome since I have been branching out into that genre lately. I will mostly likely be reading this in October of 2022. Maybe even sooner.

What Once Was Mine (Twisted Tales, #12) by Liz Braswell
“The 12th installment in the New York Times best-selling series asks: What if Rapunzel’s mother drank a potion from the wrong flower?”

I have been getting into the Twisted Tales series, and managed to read two of them this year. When I read the plot of this one, I was anticipating its release. It is a twist on the ‘Tangled’ animated film, which followed Rapunzel. Honestly, I kind of forgot about the book once it was released. I do hope to read it next year, but might get to more of the previous books in the series first.

The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
“New York Times-bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that’s Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.”

I saw this book in store during spooky season, but the cover didn’t wow me. The title did catch my eye, though. However, once I found out about the interesting plot, I already had other books that I wanted to read more. I haven’t seen many people mention the book, but it is high on my radar.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
“A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.”

This is a book that has been raved about from fans of YA contemporaries for a while. It is a hate-to-love story, which you should know by now is one of my favorite tropes. I think this is a summer read, but as usual, it never made it on to my TBR for the year. Next year, I will for sure pick this up. But, please don’t hold me to that promise.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
“She came from nothing. They had everything. Now there’s only one rule: winner takes all. An utterly addictive and twisty thriller, full of dark family secrets and deadly stakes. Perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.”

This is one that I heard about later in the year, and it seems like YA thriller with a fascinating mystery aspect. Again, this is one that I didn’t get to pick up during spooky season. I way to preoccupied with Karen M. McManus books to read any other YA thrillers. I do want to make an effort to read this book, which I believe is duology.

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
“A slick, twisty YA page-turner about the daughter of a con artist who is taken hostage in a bank heist.”

To be honest, this was a last minute addition to the list. I had seen the cover, but pegged it as an adult thriller. Once I discovered that it was a YA book about a former con-artist, it immediately made it on to my TBR. I read about a con-artist early this year, and that type of character transfixes me. I want to predict that this will be a 4 or 5 star read that I will be picking up sooner rather than later.

Those are some of the many books that I wanted to read in 2021, but didn’t have time to read. Let me know the books you wanted to pick up this year, but never managed to. If you want to give me a holiday gift, then like, share, and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My Christmas Wishlist // 2021

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Hi Friends,
I thought that I would share my Christmas wishlist for you today. Now, I have mentioned that I don’t really make a gift list, but I do have a personal wishlist for myself. So, these are some of the things that I would eventually like to get, but wouldn’t mind if they were gifted to me as well.

Rose Gold Slip-On Sneakers
I pretty much only where flats and booties these days, so I wanted a dressier pair of slip-ons. There were some that I found some on Amazon that are super cute, and in rose gold! I wouldn’t mind getting them in black either.

Bobs Slip-On
Yep, more shoes what can I say I am living out my Carrie Bradshaw obsession. I love my Bobs! They have to be the most comfy shoes that I have ever worn. However, my black ones are on their last leg, which means I’m going to need a replacement. Soon. Bobs are more on the pricey side, so it is always nice to get them as a gift.

No Heat Curlers
I watched a video featuring ‘The Sleep Styler’ and it made me want hair rollers so bad. I never leave myself enough time to do my hair in the mornings, but I hate my wavy messy looking hair. The curlers could be a good way to do my hair without adding a ton of heat to it. Also, I am not looking to get expensive rollers since I am just starting out with them.

Anything by Karen M. McManus
This past year, I have become a fan of her YA thrillers, so I wouldn’t mind receiving any of her books. I enjoyed the ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ duology, and would like to read more of her releases. The books aren’t too scary, and they’re easy reads.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I love getting different versions to add to my collection. I have seen some additions with stunning covers. In my opinion, one can never have too many copies of their favorite book.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
I am surprised that I haven’t asked for this book sooner since it is a YA ‘Christmas Carol’ retelling. And by now you all know my obsession with that book (see above). Having a copy of this one would be amazing, since reread it every holiday season.

Those are all some small things that I have on my wishlist, but I prefer to be surprised when it comes to gifts. There is just something about getting a present that someone picked out for you, just because it made them think of you. That just fills my heart with joy. Let me know what is on your wishlist, book related or otherwise. Like, share and follow the blog for more Bookmas content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

As If On Cue // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

Author: Marisa Kanter
Published: 2021
Genre: YA/Contemporary
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Synopsis
Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on. But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win.

From the synopsis, you get the sense that this is going to be a cute hate-to-love contemporary. However, the book didn’t read like one, which was slightly disappointing. Natalie and Reid’s feud started when they were in middle school, over their equal love of the clarinet. Natalie eventually found a love for theater and writing, leaving music to Reid and losing the bond she shared with her dad.

The main protagonist, Natalie, is very flawed. I didn’t enjoy how her imperfections are pointed out throughout the story, by other people close to her. She did need to hear some of these comments, but people, especially her friends, shouldn’t have been so blunt. This being said, I am unsure if we were supposed to sympathize with Natalie and find her relatable. Or, if she was intended to be an unlikable character. Because, I’m still on the fence about my opinion of her. As for Reid, her love interest, he was very pleasant to read about. His personality was relatable, and he didn’t come off as obnoxious. He knew that he was talented, but didn’t brag about it. His parents didn’t support his dreams, so he tried his hardest to prove that he was talented enough to make music as a career.

When we first meet Natalie and Reid, their interaction is rather snarky, but I found Reid to be fairly civil. It was Natalie that turned everything into a competition, and Reid was just along for the ride. This could be due to the fact that Natalie felt that Reid had replaced her in her fathers eyes. But this wasn’t Reid’s fault; she had misplaced anger. Natalie created a lot of drama and problems for herself. She never asked anyone before jumping to conclusions, and was seriously over-dramatic. Reid was trying to compromise, but she dismissed all his suggestion.

“I will never be enough for you.”

Nevertheless, I found myself empathizing with her at times. Despite all the drama, her feelings were valid. She was basically screaming out for her dad’s affection and getting shrugged off everytime. By the end of the book, I still didn’t see much growth in their relationship. Still, the message of following your dreams was a highlight in the story. A person can have a career they enjoy and still make a decent living. You might struggle, but everyone has struggles, even if they aren’t career related.

One odd plot point was the play theme, a ‘Frozen’ retelling. The author’s idea for a play – based off the animated film- that had a more important message was cute. But ‘Frozen’ just feels a little more middle school to me. Although, I am probably biased, since I am not a big ‘Frozen’ fan. I did want to mention that there is some Jewish representation in the book, but it doesn’t play a major role in the story. In short, the book didn’t feel like a true enemies-to-lovers, but more of a message about following your passion, and letting go of preconceived opinions of someone. If you are looking for a middle-of-the-road young adult contemporary, then give this one a read.

If you enjoyed this review, give the post a like and a share. I have many reviews up on the blog, and more to come, so follow the blog to get notified whenever I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Bookmas Tag

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Hi Friends,
Today, I’m going to be doing the ‘Bookmas’ tag! This tag was created by SophiesSeries on Booktube. Since, I am going to be doing the ‘12 Days of Bookmas’ this year, so I thought this would be a good start to Bookmas.

☸ The Lovebirds: Which two characters would you like to see under the mistletoe?
I have a review up on ‘One Of Us Is Next’ by Karen M. McManus, and I believe mentioned how much I loved the relationship that developed between Phoebe and Knox. Truthfully, I would read a whole book on their friends to lovers story. Although, I don’t really know if I can classify them as friends turned lovers. Still, I think finding them under the mistletoe together would be so cute.

☸ The Mismatched: Which unlikely pair of characters would get stuck under the mistletoe?
It would be hilarious if Selwyn and Nick from ‘Legendborn’ by Tracy Deonn got caught under the mistletoe together. They have this love-hate brotherly type of bond, so they would be pissed if this happened.

 

☸ The Grinch: Which character would spend the day with their face in a knot?
Leda Cole from ‘The Thousandth Floor’ series by Katharine McGee for sure! From what I’ve read she seems like such a negative person. I can just see her being in a grumpy, snarky mood during the holidays.

☸ The Naughty List: Which character has angered so many people that nobody felt like getting them a gift?
Possibly, Warner from the ‘Shatter Me’ books by Tahereh Mafi. This might be a stretch since I’ve only read the first book in the series. And, I do believe that Warner gets more likable as the books go on. However, I still feel like his colder demeanor would rub people the wrong way making them give him coal instead of a gift.

☸ The Fraud: Which character would assign a fake date to the gathering, just so they don’t appear alone?
I would say Avery Fuller from ‘The Thousandth Floor’ series, since I remember her doing something similar to this in the first book. She is seen as the perfect girl, so I think she’d feel like she always needs to attend every event with a handsome man.

☸ The Caroler: Which character does everybody have to yell at to stop singing Christmas songs?
Obviously Lily from ‘Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares‘ by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn! She was literally in a Christmas caroling group. Also, I don’t see her having any problem singing peoples ears off with Christmas tunes.

☸ The Klutz: Which character accidentally knocks over the Christmas tree?
This question was a hard one, but I am going to pick Charlie from ‘10 Truths and a Dare’ by Ashley Elston. He is such a goofball character, so I feel like he would do something impulsive and knock over the tree.

☸ The Snooper: Which character would ruin all of their surprises by trying to figure out what all the gifts are?
I think Kitty from the ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ trilogy by Jenny Han. She is kind of spoiled and nosy, which makes me think she’d peek at the gifts. Also, I don’t think this has anything to do with her being the youngest, seeing as I am the youngest out of my siblings. And I would never sneak a peek at the gifts.

I tag all of you to do this tag, even if you aren’t taking part in Bookmas. I hope that you are all excited for Bookmas! If you have already been reading and watching some Bookmas content let me know in the comments. You wont want to miss any of my upcoming post, so hit that follow button. Pretty please!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny