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Did I Read My 2022 Anticipated Releases?

- Bunny Leave a comment

For Bookmas day 11, I’m going to be talking about if I read the books I talked about in my most anticipated book releases of 2022 post. Let me just say that I didn’t do so well.
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Releases // January – June
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Book Releases // July – December

In January, I was looking forward to reading ‘Echoes and Empires’ by Morgan Rhodes and ‘The Bone Spindle’ by Leslie Vedder, but these books haven’t crossed my mind all year. Actually, I don’t even remember what they’re about. The Sam goes for ‘League of Liars’ by Astrid Scholte, which was a February anticipated release. However, I did happen to read ‘Finding Her Edge’ by Jennifer Iacopelli.

In March, ‘Remember Me Gone’ by Stacy Stokes and ‘Live, Laugh, Kidnap’ by Gabby Noone came out. I’m not sure I’m still interested in these two books, anymore. I was anticipating the release of ‘Hotel Magnifique’ by Emily J. Taylor, as well as ‘With and Without You’ by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka in April. Although, I’m not surprised I didn’t get to ‘Hotel Magnifique’, I’m shocked that I still haven’t read ‘With and Without You’.

And, sadly I didn’t read my May or June anticipated releases. However, I am still looking forward to reading ‘The Noh Family’ by Grace Shim, ‘Beauty and the Besharam’ by Lillie Vale, ‘TJ Powar Has Something to Prove’ by Jesmeen Kaur Deo, and ‘A Secret Princess’ by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.

I also didn’t read my most anticipated books for July. Mainly because it was hard to get a hold of the audiobook for ‘Frightmares’ by Eva V. Gibson. And. I really forgot about ‘A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy’ by Jeff Bishop.

However, I did however read all of my August anticipated book releases! Yay me! And, luckily, I really enjoyed ‘Long Live The Pumpkin Queen’ by Shea Ernshaw, ‘12 To 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future!’ by Jen Calonita, and ‘Nothing More to Tell’ by Karen M. McManus.
Related Post: Long Live The Pumpkin Queen // Book Review

Unfortunately, I did bad on reading my September anticipated releases ‘Wishtress’ by Nadine Brandes and ‘Mere Mortals’ by Erin Jade Lange, which is a bummer since they both sound so interesting. I did manage to read one of my October anticipated releases, ‘Pretty Dead Queens’ by Alexa Donne, but didn’t find the time to read the other October release want to ‘The Art of Insanity’ by Christine Webb.

My November anticipated releases were ‘Friends Like These’ by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez and ‘Whiteout’ by Various Authors. I haven’t read either of them, but I will be picking up ‘Whiteout’ soon seeing that it’s my December 2022 book club read.

As for December, one of my anticipated releases hasn’t come out yet. Still, it is safe to say that I won’t be reading ‘Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are’ by Kathryn Foxfield and ‘So, This Is Love’ by Tracy Andreen before 2022 comes to an end.

So, I only read 5 of the books off my most anticipated book releases lists. There is just not enough time to read backlist titles as well as new release in the year. Hopefully, I can get to some of these books in 2023.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any of these books. Which ones should I make a priority to read soon? If you want to support my book blog, please give this post a like and a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Christmas Clash // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Sworn enemies from rival families, Chloe Kwon and Peter Li have always hated each other. But when their local mall is put up for auction right before Christmas, they band together to help save it, along with their families’ food court restaurants. This fun read will leave you nostalgic for that magical feeling of the mall at Christmastime.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3hekMNY

My Rating

If you like a YA enemies-to-lovers, with a slight Romeo and Juliet aspect, then you should give this book a read. In the book, we follow two teens, Chloe and Peter, who’s parents run restaurants at the local mall. However, their parents are sworn enemies.

Chloe and and Peter are meant to be seen as enemies throughout the book, but I got more of a frenemies vibe from them. We hear a lot about how they dislike each other, yet their interactions during the story are fairly civil. And I could definitely see something developing pretty early on between them.

I found Peter and Chloe yo be likable characters. It was nice that they could be honest with each other. There were times that they would be snarky, or snap at one another, but they were mature enough to apologize for their attitudes.

The dialog between the two was funny and real. I could tell from the beginning that I was going to enjoy the story. Although the writing was good, it did feel very YA. But, not necessarily in a bad way, if that makes any sense.

“I was just thinking about us. And how I didn’t really know you just two months ago, and now I can’t picture life without you. It’s truly a Christmas miracle.”

There were a few heavy topic touched on in the book, one being that parenting is hard. Children don’t always see the struggles that parents have to go through. Things aren’t always easy when it comes to being a parent.

The other major subject that the book focused on was racism. First and foremost this is a YA romance, but it did showcase that racism is still a big part of the world we live in today. I think that the race issue was handled well, but not sure it fit with the story. I wanted a more light and fluffy Christmas read, yet it is still a serious issue, so it is good when books shed light on real world topics.

Overall, the story was cute, enjoyable, and a quick read. However, I did find the ending a little far-fetched. It was one of those cheesy, happy, everyone wins kind of endings that can be a little too much for me at times. Nevertheless, it was a good reading experience, and there was a subtle nod to food delivery apps that was a nice bonus.

In the comments, let me know if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers. I myself cannot get enough of them. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Christmas Murder Game // Book Review

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About The Book
Agatha Christie meets Clue in this delightful, tense manor house murder mystery. This clever murder mystery is the perfect gift for fans of classic mysteries, festive Christmas books, and armchair detective work. Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3UBj1s0

My Rating

I had been looking forward to this book since I heard the plot, but sadly, it was a complete let down. When I think of this book, the word that comes to mind is ‘boring’. That’s not to say the plot was bad, because the story truly did have potential. However, it was executed poorly.

Most of the characters were unlikable or uninteresting. The tolerable characters played relatively small roles within the story. And, we didn’t get to know each person enough to fully understand them.

The main character, Lily, was okay, but I felt as though the author made her out to be this golden girl. She was smart, kind, and clearly her aunt’s favorite. At times, I could understand why her cousin, that aunt’s daughter, couldn’t stand her.

It was annoying that Lily never came to terms with her mothers death. Sure, finding her mothers body was terribly traumatic but it is infuriating when fictional characters ignore seeking help for something so obvious. You can only really move on once you have faced the loss.

“It’s cruel, when she thinks of it, to ask her to return to this house, with its secrets written on walls and she’s the one who has to strip back the wallpaper.”

Now the second half of the book was a lot faster-paced then the first half. Although, it was pretty clear to me who the killer was. I wasn’t completely correct on the killer, and didn’t guess their motive, but I was half right.

Overall, the book was slow, and the murder-mystery aspect didn’t actually take place until the halfway point. I will say that if you are looking for a book with a complicated family relationship in it, then you might want to give this one a read. Because family being ruthless is very central to the plot.

As for the writing style, it wasn’t horrible, so I might try to give this author another chance. This particular book just wasn’t for me. Also, there is a romance situation that I can’t talk about much since it’s a spoiler, but definitely research trigger warnings for this book before picking it up.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book or are planning to. Don’t forget to support my book blog by giving a follow, too!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Merry Little Meet Cute // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone—a steamy plus-size holiday rom-com about an adult film star who is semi-accidentally cast as a lead in a family-friendly Christmas movie, and the former bad-boy pop star she falls in love with.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3UtRnNB

My Rating

After reading the plot of this book, I was a little unsure if I should pick it up. Not only is it an adult romance, but it has a bit of a smutty romance element to it. I am neither a big fan of adult romance or smutty books. However, I decided to give it a chance.

The plot is fairly straightforward with a plus-size adult pornstar, Bee, and former boy-band member Nolan cast as the leads in a new Hallmark like holiday film. But, things get complicated when Nolan is a fan of Bee’s adult work and Nolan happens to be Bee’s childhood crush.

Honestly, I loved how the book normalized the adult film industry. Bee besides being a porn star has a CloserDoor account (think OnlyFans). The book showcased that sex workers deserve to be treated as humans and shouldn’t be shamed for their careers.

There were also a lot of funny moments, since many of the characters worked in the adult film industry. And, all characters were fairly likeable. It was nice to have a plus-size main character, especially one that has a job that is typically associated with a certain type of figure.

The book does touch on the fact that you have to pretend a lot in Hollywood, and that the media twist a lot of things. Also, I like how the authors mentioned that internet hate is real. The internet has made it okay for people to say the most hateful things, which is really sad.

“The literal bed could have been on literal fire, and I still would have been there, pumping into my girl like a man possessed.”

Something that I found interesting and refreshing was that both main characters are bisexual, which I find to be pretty rare. I also liked how the subject of Bipolar disorder was handled. Nolan’s mother struggles with the disorder, and the topic was handled in a very real way. As someone that has Bipolar disorder, I truly appreciated the authors take on it.

Now for the smut side of things. This book was spicy. I am not a smut reader so take this with a grain of salt, but I found the book to have a 3/5 spice level. Truthfully, the more smutty scenes were a little weird for me to listen to.

Overall, the concept was unique, yet it worked well. The ending was cute, and everything wrapped up with a nice little bow. I did get the subtle message that everyone – not even ‘Hallmark’ movie watchers – are squeaky clean. And, perhaps those types of networks should broaden their views.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this holiday romance. What would your smut rating be? Before you go don’t forget to like this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

December 2022 // To Be Read

- Bunny 4 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today is the first day of Bookmas 2022! Bookmas was created by Hailey In Bookland, and is essentially where you post a bookish video, or blog post, everyday leading up until Christmas. I decided to start off Bookmas by sharing my December TBR. Since December is the last month of the year my TBR is very ambition. I have so many books that I would like to get to before the end of the year. I might take part in a holiday readathon, but I a not going to officially be joining any readathons this month. So, let’s get straight on to the books that I will be reading!

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ufEmfD

“Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.”

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3EJLXYQ

“A Jewish twist on the classic Christmas enemies-to-lovers story. With dog walking, fossils, and a relatable main character navigating her first year of university, this one has so much to love. Fans of Hallmark movies will not want to miss this entertaining holiday read.”

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3VD6Ewk

“Gwen Baker finds herself stuck in a Groundhog Day loop on Christmas Day with her family. “

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3gRFFyq

“A laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about three of the world’s most beloved C’s: Christmas, Coffee, and Cats.”

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3itzWiA

“Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. . . . Lemony Snicket meets Klaus in this cheeky, Christmas classic-in-the-making that sparkles with wit and warmth!”

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3H11hmK

“Dickens’s tale of a miserable miser who transforms into a kind and caring benefactor after three ghosts pay him a visit on Christmas Eve is one of the best-loved works in the English language and a true celebration of the Yuletide spirit.”

Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3uxE8AZ

“From international bestselling author Melissa Hill comes an adorable holiday romance about taking chances, falling in love, and trusting destiny. New York City at Christmas and a visit to Tiffany’s is a recipe to sweep a girl off her feet unless fate has other plans.”

Book Club Book
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3ugNLna

“Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!”

Honestly, I’m not sure how many of these books I will actually get to, since the holidays take up a lot of time in December. But, I have high hopes that I will read some great festive books. In the comments, let me know what’s on your December TBR. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before your leave, because it really does help my blog out.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Summer’s Edge // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Twisting back and forth through time and various perspectives, this edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of friends spending one last summer at the lake culminates in a shocking ending that will leave readers reeling.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AXutXK

My Rating

 

If you’re sole reason for reading this book is because it claims to be similar to ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, then pick another reason. Better yet, pick another book. The story started off pretty slow, and the writing style just wasn’t doing it for me. I decided to over-shoot my 30% rule to DNF, and give the book a chance to improve.

It didn’t get much better…

The book follows a group of friends that return to the beach house they spent most of their earlier summers at. However, the on the previous trip, something horrible happened. In the book, we follow Chelsea, who is an unreliable narrator. She thinks that she remember the previous summer, but in truth she has blocked a lot of things out. As you read, you can’t be sure if what she’s “remembering” is correct.

The book had so much promise, but a stunningly terrible execution. There was way too much going on. We had mediums, ghosts, and even time jumps. It was all over the place. It felt as though the author threw in a bunch of different spooky things to make the story more interesting. But for me, it was overwhelming to keep track of everything going on.

“Attics are places for secrets. Attics are places to hide. Attics are places to set traps for creatures that creep inside.”

However, there were some twists that were pretty shocking. Maybe a few too many twist, if you ask me. I will say one thing, it at least kept my attention. So, I guess I’m not too disappointed I stuck with it. I would say that this would probably do better as a movie, but only if the plot was more refined. I did like what the author did with ending and would pick up another book of theirs in the future.

Overall, I didn’t totally hate the story, especially since psychological thrillers are typically my favorite type of plot in books, movies, and shows. Yet, this one just wasn’t up to par. Also, please check out the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. And, what is your favorite psychological thriller you’ve read. Don’t forget to share this post and give my little book blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

The Distance Between Us // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
A humorous love story about a girl who has her lifelong disdain of the wealthy challenged by the son of a hotel mogul, whose attention and loyalty almost convince her that being rich isn’t a character flaw, until she finds out that money is a bigger part of their relationship than she realized.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AOS6St

My Rating

If you like a rich-meets-poor, not broke, romance with a Gilmore Girls mother/daughter relationship, then you will enjoy this book. The main character, Caymen, is funny, friendly, and close to her mother. And her internal monologue was one of my favorite things about the book.

However, I wasn’t a fan of the fact that she didn’t really have much of an identity. She didn’t know who she was as a person, and spent most of her time helping her mother. Also, why do most YA contemporary characters have only one friend?

In the book, Caymen’s single mother runs a doll shop, which is pretty weird and unique. I don’t think I have ever read a book that includes a doll shop. I wasn’t a fan of her mother; she was kind of judgemental. She kept things from her daughter, and didn’t like the rich so she expected Caymen to, as well.

In the first chapter, Caymen meets Xander, and yes I would call it a meet-cute. There was an instant attraction that neither of them tried to hide. It was a very instant love romance, but there was a sort of love triangle added into the plot.

Similar to Kasie West’s other male love interests, Xander was charming and confident. However, by the end of the book I did wonder if he truly liked Caymen for who she was despite not having a ton of money.

“Feelings can be the most costly thing in the universe.”

I liked that even money was a big issue between the two characters. It showcased that not all rich people are snobs. Some people are simply jerks, and money has nothing to do with it.

By the end of the book, there was a big secret reveal. Though I didn’t get the point of the secret, I understand that parents sometimes lie to protect us. Still, don’t people know that the truth will always come out, eventually? But trust can never really be repaired once it’s broken.

My biggest con with the story was that there is a mention of a baby being a mistake. As someone that wants kids, but is struggling to conceive, this upset me. A child is never a mistake. Having a baby might not be the right choice for you, but that doesn’t make it a mistake or a life-ruiner.

Overall, I loved all the witty batter that Kasie West put into this story. And, it was a sweet romance as well. Also, Gilmore Girls is my all-time favorite show, so any book that reminds me of that is likel ya 5-star to me.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others! And, as always, remember to hit the follow button to get post notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Fireworks // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days and How to Love comes a stunning new contemporary novel—all about boy bands, girl bands, best friends, and first love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3AOS6St

My Rating

 

At first, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked to be. I was on the fence about Katie Cotugno’s writing, but it did grow on me as time went on. The plot of this book is ‘Making the Band’ meets YA contemporary. The main character, Dana, is level headed and realistic about her future. She doesn’t have the best home life with her single mom, and college is a pipe dream. Her best friend, Olivia, is destined for stardom, so when they both get picked to be part of a new girl group, they’re shocked, but excited.

I don’t know about you, but if me and my best friend got the chance to be in a music group together I would be over the moon. But, you could tell that Olivia was jealous, and somewhat put Dana down, instead of lifting her up. Dana, on the other hand, was supportive of her best friend, never forgot her roots, and worked hard to become a better performer. She was scared of turning out like her alcoholic mother and living in their small town forever, but she wasn’t bitter.

However, I will say that sometimes staying in the town you grew up in and marrying the farm boy isn’t the end of the world. Everyone’s hopes and dreams look different. But, Olivia seemed to think she was better than her friends, which rubbed me (and eventually Dana) the wrong way throughout the story.

This really is a book about unexpected fame and being a fish out of water. Dana had to deal with the pressures of stardom, catty girls, and feeling like she’s not good enough. Also, there was the mention of how paying $40 for a shirt is insane, and I must agree. Money wasn’t a huge topic in the story, but there is the notion that being pretty doesn’t mean you get anything you want.

“Can you allow for the possibility that you’re more special than you give yourself credit for?”

There was a ton of drama within the story, which wasn’t my cup of tea. We get jealousy, a love triangle, and backstabbing all in one book. The plot showed how jealousy can turn even the best of friends against each other. And by the end of things, you being to realize you were never truly friends at all.

As I mentioned, the book features a short lived love triangle that did nothing but add more drama to the plot. In general, the romance was cute, but why does every YA male fall for the average girl!? Can this cliche die already?

Overall, the message of the story was that with hard work and determination you can succeed at anything. You have the power to change your life and choose who you want to be. I enjoyed how the author ended Dana’s story, because she ended up finding herself. The message was conveyed well, but the execution wasn’t my favorite.

The book touches on topics like alcoholism and anorexia, so please keep that in mind before diving into this book. Don’t forget to like this post, and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Places We’ve Never Been // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
A sweet and swoony contemporary Young Adult novel about a cross-country family road trip that puts one girl and her childhood best friend on an unexpected road to romance! Kasie West delivers another romantic and heartfelt story of family, first love, and how expanding your horizons can take you places you’ve never dreamed of.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TW7QtF

My Rating

I don’t know how Kasie West creates such amazing YA contemporaries, but I’m happy to read all of them! This book is a second chance romance, which isn’t my favorite, however I did enjoy West’s take on the trope. The main character Norah is a bit naive and weird, but being normal is vastly overrated. She wants to be a video game animator, which I loved. It is a career field that isn’t talked about a lot in books, so it was a cool addition to the story.

The plot follows Norah as she, and her family, embark on a 3 week road trip with some old friends. One being Skyler, who happens to be Norah’s former best friend. I found Skyler’s attitude towards Norah less than favorable. Some of the things he did rubbed me the wrong way, and were kind of cold. It goes to show that reconnecting with people isn’t easy.

In my opinion, he isn’t a fully developed character and is very wishy-washy. As I mentioned before, it was annoying how unfair to Norah he was throughout the book. She was nothing but nice to him, and still had a chip on his shoulder.

However, I liked that Norah called Skyler out on all his anger towards her. And, made him see that he changed as much as she did. The book touched on the topic of how sometimes we don’t show our true selves. That a lot of the time we forget who we are and change for others rather than for ourselves.

“Maybe we were our truest selves as children, before we let the expectations of everyone else dictate who we should be.”

But truthfully, the romance isn’t a huge part of the story. I know that is weird since it is a YA contemporary, yet I found it refreshing. Honestly, Norah and Skyler’s relationship developed naturally and they were immature teens.

I liked the sibling dynamic throughout the book. Norah and her brother acted like true siblings, and Skyler’s brother and sisters were likable characters as well. I loved Norah’s best friend Willow, because she was funny and understanding. Also, there is a lot of fun video game references in the story.

Nevertheless, there were some things I didn’t much care for. Like Skyler’s character and all his secrets. There was a lot of hiding things, and secrets coming out by the end of the book. And none of the twists were all that surprising.

Overall, the book was enjoyable, just as I expected. Still, I would classify this as my least favorite of Kasie West’s books. It isn’t as memorable-able as some of her other work. But for me, it was a cute story with wonderful writing.

Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go, and leave a comment on this post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

How To Survive Your Murder | Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween morning a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3V0uZvQ

My Rating

In the book, Alice witnesses her sister’s murder on Halloween night. One year later, she gets the chance to go back in time to stop her sister from being killed. Let me just say, that this book is a fun, campy mystery/thriller.

I found the main character, Alice, to be likable, but also irritating at times. The fact that she was a horror movie Stan was great, because all the nods to final girls were fun. But she was also very naive at times. However, her actions and attitude felt very real. I’d probably be just like Alice if this happened to me.

There were a lot of twist and turns throughout the book that I loved. Some moments were jaw-dropping. and others I saw coming. The author did a great job of dropping bread crumbs throughout the story. Although, there were a lot of shocking moments, I guessed the killer and ending. But that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all.

“I once heard about how the movie Saw was inspired by a news report about a man who broke into people’s houses to tickle the feet of sleeping children.”

The book does have a romance plot, but it is a minor one, because the main as aspect of the story is trying to stop a killer. But remember – the boyfriend is always the killer! The book begs the question if one life is worth millions. And it made me wonder if I would sacrifice the lives of others for my sister. Also, there’s the subtle message that everything happens for a reason.

Overall, the only con I have is that there was one cheesy aspect to the story, but I can’t really say it without spoiling the book. Still, I understand why the author added a particular plot point. So, needless to say I devoured this book within a day! However, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything particularly amazing about this book, but if you are a horror movie fangirl like me, then you will enjoy it.

In the comments, let me know if you enjoy scary movies. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog for more bookish posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny