Reading

2023 Mid-Year Book Freakout // Book Tag

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today I’m doing the classic ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout’ Book Tag! This tag is a very popular one among the book community. If you’d like, you can check out my 2021 and 2022 editions of this tag.


I’m going to say ‘Belladonna’ by Adalyn Grace. This is a young adult fantasy that I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait for the sequel to be released! Other than that, I feel like my reading year hasn’t been the best.
Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review


Because I’m terrible at finishing series, I haven’t read too many sequel. So, there’s only one answer for this question and that would have to be ‘Finale’ by Stephanie Garber. It’s the conclusion to the ‘Caraval’ trilogy. I enjoyed how the ending, but it wasn’t my favorite book in the series.
Related Post: Finale // Book Review


‘You Shouldn’t Have Come Here’ by Jeneva Rose is an adult thriller about a woman that rents an Airbnb ad falls for the owner of it. But, their romance goes from sweet to obsessive. It was released back in April of 2023 and I still haven’t had the chance to pick it up. I haven’t read anything by this author, but I tend to have good luck with adult thrillers, so I have high hopes for this book.


This is a no brainer! It’s is, for sure, ‘One of Us Is Back’ by Karen M. McManus, which will be released on July 25th. I loved ‘One of Us is Lying’ and ‘One of Us is Next’, so I’m very excited for the next book in this YA thriller series of companion novels. Hopefully we get to see more of Knox and Phoebe relationship.
Related Post: One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review


Probably, ‘Five Survive’ by Holly Jackson. I’m a pretty big fan of the ‘Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy by this author, but this book was a fail. It was my first read of the year and put me in a reading slump. The whole premise behind the book was subpar and the writing wasn’t up to her usual standards.
Related Post: Five Survive // Book Review


I’m going to have to say my biggest reading surprise of the year, so far has been ‘With and Without You’ by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. I have read all of their YA novels, and only ever truly liked one of them. But, this book shocked me and was a 5 star read. It was such a cute YA contemporary romance that had a long distance relationship element, which isn’t something you typically see in YA books.


I’ve apparently been sleeping with regard to Kara Thomas’ young adult thrillers. I read ‘The Cheerleaders’ and it was a really captivating mystery. The writing was wonderful and it’s made me want to pick up all of her books.


I’ve got two answers for this question. The first being, Patrick from ‘With and Without You’, because if I was a teen girl, I would be swooning for this boy. And, the second is Four from ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth. What can I say I guess I have a thing for quiet, strong, serious guys.


Vera from ‘Shady Hollow’ by Juneau Black is a great main character. Yes, she is a fox, but I love her personality, and she’s become one of my new favorite characters.
Related Post: Shady Hollow // Book Review


So far, I actually haven’t read a book that has made me cry. But, I did find ‘Then She Was Gone’ by Lisa Jewell really sad. Honestly, for a mystery thriller, it’s pretty heartbreaking.
Related Post: Then She Was Gone // Book Review


‘The Stand-In’ by Lily Chu brought a smile to my face. It’s an adult romance that I adored. The entire plot and writing was great, and I had a really fun time reading it.


The special edition of ‘Daughter of the Pirate King‘ by Tricia Levenseller. I pre-ordered it, so it isn’t released until my birthday (June 27th). But, I’m still counting it as the most beautiful book I’ve bought this year. And, yes I did pre-order the rest of the series special editions as well. Before you ask, no, I haven’t read the series yet.


My TBR is far too long for this question. However, I’m really hoping to complete some book series that I’ve started. One that is high on my list is ‘Our Violent Ends’ by Chloe Gong, since I really enjoyed ‘These Violent Delights’. It should be easy to get a few duologies finished by the end of the year. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
Related Post: These Violent Delights // Book Review

In the comments, let me know if you have done this tag too. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

June 2023 // To Be Read

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Hi Friends,
I know that I’ve somewhat stopped doing TBR posts, but since June is my birthday month I wanted to do a TBR for the month. I really want to work on getting my physical TBR down, so I had my husband pick five books off my shelf for me to read this month. Also, June is pride month, so of course I have to get in some LGBTQ+ reads. And, as always I have my bookclub book!

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
“A romance ghostwriter who’s lost her motivation after a breakup is haunted by the spirit of her newly departed editor in this whimsical paranormal romance.”

The Stand-In by Lily Chu
“Readers will delight in this glamourous, swoon worthy enemies-to-lovers romance that is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching.”

When in Rome by Sarah Adams
“Opposites certainly attract for the stranded pop star and small-town baker in this charming slice of romance from the author of the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet.”

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
“A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?”

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
“A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.”

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott
“She’s All That meets What If It’s Us in this New York Times bestselling hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from the coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick.”

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan
“In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl, an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars.”

Blaine for the Win by Robbie Couch
“After being dumped so his boyfriend can pursue more “serious” guys, a teen boy decides to prove he can be serious, too, by running for senior class president in this “clever, fun, original” (BCCB) romp from the author of The Sky Blues.”

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban
“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.”

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
“A 17-year-old pirate captain intentionally allows herself to get captured by enemy pirates in this thrilling high seas tale.”

Reading Rabbits Book Club Pick:
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
“As sweet as a macaron from Laduree, this romantic novel set in Paris about an American ballerina and a charming French boy is parfait for fans of American Royals and Netflix’s Emily in Paris.”

There you have my probably overly ambitious June TBR! Also, just a heads up my I have moved my book clubs from Novellic to Fable (Join Here). Don’t forget to leave me a comment letting me know what you’ll be reading next month and hit the follow button to support my blog. Think of giving my blog a follow as your birthday gift to me!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #16

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hello Friends,
Let’s do a weekend reading breakdown! I love sharing what I hope to read over the weekend with you guys. So, here is my Friday reads and it’s an ambitious one. But, what else is new.

‘A Magic Steeped in Poison‘ by Judy I. Lin
I’m on a fantasy kick and this book is fulfilling all my fantasy needs right now. I’m not far into it but the writing is amazing. And, so far I’m loving the story.

‘She Is a Haunting‘ by Trang Thanh Tran
I have been dying to read this book since I got the audiobook on release day. Honestly, I can’t remember the plot but I know that it’s a YA horror. This also happens to be my ‘The Reading Rabbits’ book club pick!

‘The Way I Used to Be‘ by Amber Smith
If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time you know that I love a good young adult contemporary. However, I haven’t really had the desire to pick any up lately. Yet, I picked this book out of my TBR jar so I would like to read it this month.

‘The Book of Cold Cases‘ by Simone St. James
I’ve been very intrigued by this book lately and it’s kind of been calling to me. It’s an adult thriller, so I’m most likely going to love it. Although, getting to it this weekend might be a bit of a stretch.

Those are the books I’m hoping to read with in 3 days. Yeah, I might be a little insane. In the comments, let me know what you are planning to read this weekend. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Spring 2023 // To Be Read

- Bunny Leave a comment

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

Friday Reads #13

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
I decided to do a ‘Friday Reads’ post to share with you my weekend reading plans. Currently, I’m reading ‘The Housemaid‘ by Freida McFadden and I will for sure be finishing it this weekend. It’s a mystery thriller book that I’m really enjoying.

Next, I plan on making some progress on ‘Furyborn‘ by Claire Legrand. I’m hoping to get to the 50% mark by the end of the weekend. This is a YA fantasy that is a part of my 12 book challenge for 2023.

Lastly, I’m going to try and start ‘Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale‘ by Elizabeth J. Braswell. This is a retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid’ that I’m excited to get too.
Related Post: So This Is Love // Book Review

There you have the books I’m hoping to pick up this weekend. Hopefully I will finish two of them, but we’ll see how the weekend goes. In the comments, let me know what you are currently reading. Don’t forget to hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #12

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Fridays,
I haven’t done a Friday reads post in a while, so I thought I was long over do for one. This Friday and weekend I will be trying to knock out quite a few books on my February TBR.
Related Post: February 2023 // To Be Read

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
This is a YA mystery that I’m 50% into. I’m pretty confident that I can finish it before the weekends over.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
I’m like 3% in this book and probably won’t finish it this weekend. But, I’m hoping to make a good dent in it.

Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz
Now, I haven’t even started this book, however if all goes as planned I will pick it up this weekend. It seems like a book that I can finish in a day, which is great.

In the comments, let me know what you will be reading today and over the weekend. Please like this post and share it with others. If you’re a book lover like me support my blog by giving it a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

February 2023 // To Be Read

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
It is time for my February TBR post! I’m so excited, because this month I will be taking part in the Sims Readathon created by the lovely Ashely’s Reads. Ashley has become one of my best bookish friends, and this readathon is so much fun. This readathon is inspired by the popular Sims video game, but is in no way affiliated with EA. This first round of the readathon focused on the original Sims game, so this time we are focusing on the Sims 2.

Now every month, I do a Sims picks my TBR and this month was no different. So, my Sims picked 9 prompts (but actually 10 since I got to add an extra book). I have to try and get my prompts to fit the readathon prompts. Otherwise, I have to add books which I don’t want to do.

My Team: I chose to be apart of Team Pleasant! The host for Team Pleasant is Mariana from Lucifer’s Library.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: A Book That Intimidates You.
Sims Readathon Prompt: University (School Setting): ‘Ace Of Spades‘ by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a YA mystery thriller that takes place at a boarding school. I’ve been wanting to read this for a while, but it definitely intimidates me. I just hope it lives up to my expectations.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: Read The Last Book Added To Your TBR.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Nightlife (City Setting): That would be ‘Bloody Fool For Love‘ by William Ritter, which is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer retelling focusing on Spike. The book takes place in London, so I think it fits this prompt.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: A New To You Author.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Open For Business (MC Has A Job You Want): I’m going with ‘Jo and Laurie‘ by Maragaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz, since in the book Jo is a writer and I have always thought that would be an amazing job. Also, I’ve never read anything by either of these authors.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: Last Book You Purchased.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Pets (Pet Pick): I let one of my dogs choose my book and after a while they picked ‘Cinderella is Dead‘ by Kalynn Bayron. This is one of the last books I purchased from Barnes and Noble’s buy one, get one 50% off sale.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: A Book With Representation.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Seasons (Your Favorite Season): ‘Wintergirls‘ by Laurie Halse Anderson is going to be a hard read, since it has anorexia representation. I’ve suffered from the disease myself, so it might be a difficult read. However, it does have winter in the title and that is my favorite season, which made it an easy pick.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: Read a 12 Book Challenge Book.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Bon Voyage (Journey/Trip): Since ‘Furyborn‘ by Claire Legrand is a fantasy story I’m assuming there’s a journey aspect included in it. There typically is a journey of some kind in most fantasy stories. Also, this was one of Ashley’s recommendations for my 12 book challenge so it is only fitting that I read it for this readathon.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: A TBR Vet.
Sims Readathon Prompt: Free Time (MC Has A Hobby): Back in 2017, I added ‘Moment Of Truth‘ by Kasie West to my TBR. I can’t believe I haven’t read yet, but it works for this prompt since are main character has a hobby. She’s a swimmer.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: Random Letter (L).
Sims Readathon Prompt: Apartment Life (Under 300 pages): I’m going with a graphic novel that I’ve been interested in called ‘Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me‘ by Mariko Tamaki. The book starts with an L and is only 289 pages long.

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: Continue A Series.
Sims Readathon Team Prompt: Read A Book Featuring Siblings: I really am unsure if I want to pick this book up, but I’m going with it – ‘Finale‘ by Stephanie Garber. This is the last book in the ‘Caraval’ series, which follows sisters Scarlett and Tella.
Related Post: Caraval // Book Review

Sims Picks My TBR Prompt: A Book Under 300 Pages.
“Marty and Clark Davis, whose tragic circumstances brought them to a “marriage of convenience” on the frontier prairies during the mid 1800s.”

Book Club Pick
“Don’t miss the USA Today bestseller and addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist that’s burning up Instagram–Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Verity.”

There you have my February TBR! This list is giving me a bit of anxiety, but I’m just going to see how the month goes. Let me know if you are taking part in this, or any other, readathons for the month of February. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you go, because it really helps out my little blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Rereading Books // Bunny Babbles

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Hi Friends,
Recently, I was considering rereading a book that I read a few years ago. Well, I wondered to myself if rereads should count towards people’s reading goals for the year. I am the type of reader that actually enjoys rereading books. Yet there are some exceptions to my rereading. I wouldn’t necessarily read a thriller over again, since it’s less impactful the second time around. But, I love rereading YA contemporaries!

Every year, I reread ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens and ‘The Afterlife of Holly Chase’ by Cynthia Hand. But, I think it is pretty normal to reread holiday books, since people rewatch their favorite holiday films every year.

There are some books that I do want to read again, because I can’t fully remember them. And, I always try to reread a series if it’s been over a year since I read the previous books. I am someone that does count rereads towards my yearly reading goal, because whether I’ve already read it or not, I’m still technically reading. A reading goal is for all the books you read that year, right? It isn’t just for new books read in a year.

In the comments, I would love to know where you stand on rereading, if they should count towards your yearly reading goal. Please follow my book blog, so that I know you like these types of posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Related Post: The Afterlife of Holly Chase Book Review

Book Tropes // The Ones I Dislike

- Bunny 5 Comments

Hi Friends,
You might remember that I did a post talking about my favorite book tropes. Well, for sometime now I have been meaning to do one dedicated to my least favorite tropes. I have 5 book tropes that just don’t work for me, but this isn’t to say I won’t read books containing these tropes. Even though these types of books aren’t my favorites, I am sometimes up for giving them a try. Especially if the book is written by a favorite author of mine.

Single Parents
This is one that I don’t really have a reason for not liking, which seems kind of weird. I read a lot of YA books, and it seems as though one parent always has to be dead or absent. This is also a factor in a lot of Disney Channel movies and shows. I’m looking at you ‘That’s So Raven’ and ‘The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody’. And, don’t even get me started on Disney movies. I just feel like the trope is thrown in there to make us sympathize with the main character. I am not a fan of plot points that are only there so that we feel bad for the MC.

Desperate
I am so done with reading about girls that are extremely desperate to be liked or get a boyfriend. It is annoying to read a book where 50% of the time the protagonist is whining about not having a boyfriend. Or, they’re so resolute for someone to like them that they lie about who they truly are. Let’s get more self-assured female characters that don’t need a man! As Christina Yang said, “He’s very dreamy, but he is not the sun, you are.”

Bad Boy, Good Girls
I know that bad boys make them good girls go bad. You see what I did there? Anyways, what is so appealing about the ‘bad boy’ in books? It seems like every girl that is shy and smart always fall for the dangerous guy. I like a bad boy love story just as much as the next person, but let’s flip the script and do bad girl meets good boy for a change. Girls can be rebels too.

Ordinary Girl
In half the books I read, the protagonist is the average girl. There’s nothing special about her, and she isn’t a raving beauty. Typically, she’s shy, smart, and doesn’t fit in. Think Bella Swan. There are so many other type of personalities out there that should be represented. I would once like to read a book about a girl who has a lot of friends, knows who she is but is still a little weird. Also, why do all ordinary girls have to not wear makeup or have a good fashion sense? This trope is seriously outdated.


Cheating
Nope. No. No way! Thank you, next! Cheating is a trope that I can’t stand in the slightest. If someone cheats on you, then they don’t care about you or your relationship. Even worse, some books that contain cheating end with the couple staying together. In my opinion, cheating is unforgivable. It’s possible that some books make this trope work, but I still won’t be picking up those books.

Those are the main book tropes that I don’t like to read. In the comments, let me know what your least favorite tropes are. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Related Post: Book Tropes // The Ones I Love
Related Post: The Upside Of Falling Book Review

To Be Read // September 2022

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I am so excited to be doing my September TBR, because not only am I premiering my TBR game, but this month is Scary Readathon! If you haven’t heard, Scary Readathon is a Monsters University inspired readathon that will be happening from September 1st – 30th. I am actually one of the hosts for the readathon! My team is ROR! You visit the Readathon’s Twitter for all the information on the readathon, so please go join my team! I will also be hosting reading sprints, and I’ll let you know on Twitter when those will be happening.

This month, to help pick the book I’ll be reading, I have created a TBR game! The game is ‘The Sims Chooses My TBR’ since my husband is a big Sims player. He helped me create this little game, which I am grateful for. I will be choosing 5 books every game, and each book picked has a different prompt on it. I have to choose a book that fits the prompt given.


The first prompt Sims gave me was ‘Under 350 Pages’! Which works perfectly, since one of the Monsters University Prompts is to read a book under 300 pages. So, I decided to go with ‘Coraline’ by Neil Gaiman. I read this book years ago, and decided it was about time to reread it. The next prompt picked was ‘Poll Pick’, and the winner was ‘The Woman In The Library’ by Sulari Gentill.

Next we had ‘Steal A Book’, which is to take a book off of someone else’s September TBR. I stole this book off of Liv’s from Liv’s Library’s TBR, and it is ‘Sorceline’ by Sylvia Douye and Paola Anista. This is a graphic novel, which I don’t typically read, so I’m using it for the Monsters University prompt: “Read a book in a format you don’t usually read”


After that was ‘Husband Pick’, and he picked ‘Recommended For You’ by Laura Silverman. Finally, my Sim picked ‘A Book With Representation’, and luckily, my team’s book for the Monsters University readathon is ‘People Like Us’ by Dana Mele. This book has queer representation, and is set in an educational setting, which is another prompt for the readathon. The next three prompts I will be checking off for the Monsters University readathon are a book with a strong female lead, a YA book and finish a series. I will be reading ‘This Coven Won’t Break’ by Isabel Sterling!


Then, I randomly had Goodreads choose a book for me, and it was ‘The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities’ by Rick Riordan (Editor). This completes the random chosen book and a book I know nothing about prompts. I am marking off another three prompts with ‘The Witches’ by Roald Dahl. The prompts that it fills are a book that features a child as the main character, a TBR vet, and features a person on the cover. Next, I decided to fill the prompts to start a series, and to read a backlist from a favorite author. I went with Kiersten White, because I have been wanting to read more of her books. The book is ‘Wretched Waterpark’, which is the first in the ‘Sinister Summer’ series.

The last two prompts I will be trying to complete for the Monsters University readathon is to read a book with only good or bad reviews, and to read your last purchased book. I got ‘Mooncakes’ by Suzanne Walker, and it is a graphic novel that I have only heard good things about!

There you have my entire September TBR! This TBR is a bit ambitious, since I have a million other books I would like to read this month, but I am trying to stay positive. In the comments, let me know if you are taking part in the Monsters University readathon, and what team you are on. Team ROR is the best!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny