Secret Santa // Book Review

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About The Book
Lussi must find the next horror superstar to compete with Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Peter Straub. It’s the ’80s, after all, and horror is the hottest genre. The Office meets Stephen King, dressed up in holiday tinsel, in this fun, festive, and frightening horror-comedy set during the horror publishing boom of the ’80s, by New York Times best-selling satirist Andrew Shaffer.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3NsoNLN

My Rating

If you love thriller and horror books, but still want a holiday read, then this is the perfect read for you. I loved the plot, characters, and how fast the book was paced. It is a good, short, palate-cleanser Christmas horror novel that is not too gory.

When I first read the synopsis, I was nervous that this book would be gruesome and cheesy. However, I was hooked on the first page, and found the writing to be really good. Who doesn’t love a good horror story set during the holidays? In particular, one that takes place in a publishing house.

The book was set in the 80’s, and we follow Lussi, who is tasked with finding the next big name in horror novels in her new publishing job. However, during the company’s annual Secret Santa, she receives a demonic doll. That is, when things start to get a little weird, accidents start happening to her coworkers.

“Authors are God’s neediest creatures, eclipsed only by actors and puppies.”

The 80’s vibes were on point, and I loved all the nods to horror as a growing genre in the book industry. This makes sense, considering that the book is set during the time when Stephen King and Anna Rice were becoming big name authors. It is a really fun read for a horror and thriller reader like myself.

This book is not a feel good Christmas story, and there are not many traditional holiday aspects to the narrative besides the Secret Santa plot. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it, and the storyline as a whole was intriguing. I liked Lussi as our main character because she was smart and did not ignore all the unusual things that were happening. I think her knowledge of horror novels and movies really helped her.

Overall, this is not a five-star read by any means, but it is a really good horror novella. I would recommend it if you are looking for a book to break up all the romance novels, you might be reading this time of year. I would categorize it as ‘Child’s Play’ meets ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’ For me, this was a one-sitting read, and the ending was fantastic.

In the comments, let me know some of your favorite horror holiday novellas, because now I want to read them all. Don’t forget that you can always like and share all of my posts, and give the blog a follow before you go, because it really does help me grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Wishlist // Christmas 2023

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas, day 15! What is on my book wishlist? Thanks for asking. Okay, nobody asked, but I still love sharing some books that I would love to receive this Christmas. However, let me start by saying that I know I am lucky enough to get any books on Christmas. And also that gifts are not what the season is about, and I am so blessed to be able to buy books for myself throughout the year. However, I always have a few books I would love to receive. Therefore, please know that this wishlist is just for fun.

Sword Catcher: https://amzn.to/3RHrFXz
Starling House: https://amzn.to/4as5NqK
Brutal Prince: https://amzn.to/3TAwgvU
Flawless: https://amzn.to/41H8zV7
Mile High: https://amzn.to/482KVV8
Unfamiliar: https://amzn.to/3RsXVMD

I hope that you enjoyed this glimpse into my book wishlist. If you would like, you can view my full Amazon book wishlist. Before you go, hit the follow button, so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Gift Of A Book // Book Recommendations

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Hi Friends,
On day 14 of Bookmas, I wanted to share book recommendations. However, these recommendations are more specific. I wanted to recommend books that I think would be a great gift for the readers of certain books. Essentially, if they like this book, they might enjoy this book. I hope that this makes some sense.


If they like the ‘Truly Devious’ series by Maureen Johnson then gift them ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ by Holly Jackson. These books fall under the YA mystery category but are slightly different. Although they both follow female main characters trying to solve mysteries, I do think that the GGGTM trilogy is a bit darker and, in my opinion, better. However, I think that they are similar enough that they would be a good gift idea for someone who has read and enjoyed the ‘Truly Devious’ books.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review


If they like ‘The Inheritance Games’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes gift them ‘The Rosewood Hunt’ by Mackenzie Reed. Both books have to do with inheritance and a game of sorts to claim it. I think that both plots are full of twists and have to do with many characters working against each other for money. However, I am unsure if ‘The Rosewood Hunt’ contains any type of romance, and it is a standalone unlike ‘The Inheritance Games.’


If they like ‘The Hunger Games’ by Susan Collins gift them ‘All Of Us Villains’ by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman. I’m not going to lie I didn’t like ‘All Of Us Villains’ but I have seen it compared to ‘The Hunger Games’ a lot. The main difference is that it follows multiple morally gray characters and has magical elements. However, I could see fan of ‘The Hunger Games’ series like the book and finding the difference interesting.
Related Post: All Of Us Villains // Book Review


If they like ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth gift them ‘Forth Wing’ by Rebecca Yarros. Honestly, these two books remind me of each other, but one of them contains dragons. But, the writing and main characters are very similar. I think that fans of young adult 2000s dystopian books like ‘Divergent’ would love the ‘Fourth Wing’ series. It would be a great gift for them and would probably give them reminders of their teenage years.
Related Post: Divergent // Book Review


If they like ‘If He Had Been With Me’ by Laura Nowlin gift them ‘All The Bright Places’ by Jennifer Niven. Both these books are about young love and are pretty sad stories. I know it is not customary to make someone cry during holidays, but I could see fans of one really liking the other. The main difference is that ‘All The Bright Places’ is a dual pov story that has mental health representation. However, the stories have very similar outcomes, yet they are completely different.
Related Post: If He Had Been With Me // Book Review
Related Post: All The Bright Places // Book Review

I hope that this post has given you some ideas about books to gift readers in your life. If you agree with these recommendations, let me know the comments. You can always follow the blog so that you are notified whenever there is a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Season Of Giving // Holiday Giveaway

- Bunny Leave a comment


Hi Friends,
It is Bookmas, day 13! In honor of the holiday season, I want to give back to my readers. I have a post pinned on my Bookstagram (Instagram) that has details for a fun holiday Book Fairy giveaway! I will be gifting a book to one of my lovely followers. All the rules are on that Instagram post.

It isn’t mandatory that you follow the blog, but it would mean the world to me if you did, before you go! For me, this time of year is more about giving then getting. So, I hope that if you can, you will enter the giveaway.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Did Not Finish // My 2023 DNFs

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I thought that for day 12 of Bookmas, it would be interesting to talk about the books that I had DNFed this year. I try not to DNF as much as possible, but as I read more, I learn about my book taste. I do not feel the need to push through a book I am not enjoying or that I can tell I am not going to like. This year, I DNFed ten books, which I think is the most I have in my years.


‘It Sounded Better In My Head’ by Nina Kenwood and ‘The Tenth Girl’ by Sara Farings were instant DNFs because I could tell that the plots were not for me. As for for, ‘The Headmasters List’ by Melissa de la Cruz, the storyline was too predictable. I am sad that ‘All I Want For Christmas’ by Maggie Knox is on this list, but I am not one for plots based around competition shows. And, ‘The Bandit Queens’ by Parini Shroff had a lot of triggering topics for me.


One of my biggest disappointments was ‘The Last Word’ by Taylor Adams. I got to 50% until I realized that I was not really enjoying the plot or writing. I soft DNFed ‘It’ by Stephen King mainly because the book was just way to slow moving and it is one of my favorite horror movies, so I think the story is just to ingrained in my brain. I barely made it through 30% of ‘The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic’ by Breanne Randall until I had to give up on it. The plot was way to slow moving, and I am not a second chance romance lover to begin with.

I was hesitant to DNF ‘Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other’ by Bethany Turner since it was an audiobook ARC I received via Netgalley, but the female main character was so unlikable that I did not see any chemistry between her and the love interest. My last DNF of the year was ‘Local Women Missing’ by Mary Kubica, which I have heard so many good things. However, child adduction and abuse in graphic detail are something I would prefer not to read.

These are all books I chose not to finish this year. I have stopped feeling guilty about DNFing because I’d rather read a 5 star than something I know will be a 2 star. In the comments, let me know the books that you did not finish. Do not forget to hit the follow button so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

One Day In December // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story. What follows for Laurie, Sarah, and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming, and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3RBLkYS

My Rating

Unfortunately, this book has a lot of my pet peeves when it comes to romance novels. I wanted a cute, winter love at first sight romance, with a few obstacles. However, this wasn’t a traditional romance, and they weren’t actually together for much of the story. Also, only some of the novel is based at Christmas time, so keep that in mind.

In the book we follow Laura, who, one December day, is instantly drawn to a young man she sees out of the bus window. She spends a year searching for who she calls bus boy. Then, her best friend introduces her to her new boyfriend, Jack, whom, as you could’ve guessed, is bus boy.

Thus years of pining follow, as the two try their best to move on from their connection. But does this actually work? No, because throughout the book, there is seriously this emotional pool between them. As the reader, I would get so frustrated that they just wouldn’t admit their feelings and attempt to be together.

“If anyone ever asks if I’ve ever fallen in love at first sight, I shall say yes. For one glorious moment on the 21st of December 2006.”

The biggest con is that we watch them try, and fail, to fall in love with other people. Or in Jack’s case, randomly hook up with other women. For being a romance novel, I wanted them to actually be together, which isn’t the case. We never get to actually view them as a couple, which is frustrating to me.

However, the books most redeeming quality is the writing. I loved Josie Silver’s writing style. Although the plot wasn’t my favorite, and I didn’t really enjoy 75% of the book, the writing is what kept me reading, and I would probably pick up more of her books in the future.

Overall, the one thing that is desperately missing from this book is an epilogue. If you were going to give me an almost 400 pages romance novel without actually any romance. I’m gonna need an epilogue so that I get a tiny glimpse of the love interests actually being together. Nevertheless, I did like the message that home isn’t a place, but a person, which is a very romantic sentiment.

Sorry, if this review was a little bit spoilery. I didn’t know how to write it without adding my actual thoughts, which could be considered spoiling the book. But, if you are a fan of book reviews usually spoiler free ones give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Lovelight Farms // Books Meets Beauty

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I love doing posts that combined some of my other loves with books, which is exactly what we are doing for day 10 of Bookmas. Therefore, I hope you enjoy this holiday edition of “Books Meets Beauty.” I took inspiration from the book ‘Lovelight Farms’ by BK Borodin.

For the look, I did my normal foundation routine but went for a rose cheek and champagne highlight using the Relove by Revolution Colour Play Blush & Highlighter Cute Duo. My eye look was 100% inspired by the book’s cover. The palette I used was Too Faced ‘Christmas Coffee,’ which was unfortunately discontinued. I pulled in brown, green, and red, and I think that the color combination really embodied the book cover. Lastly, I used the Revlon lipstick ‘Cherries In The Snow,’ which happens to be a favorite of mine for the winter time.

In my opinion, this makeup look replicates the book’s cover perfectly. If you like posts that bring books and beauty together, you should give my blog a follow before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

“Do I Have That Book” Challenge!

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
I thought that for day 9 of Bookmas it would be fun to do the ‘Do I Have That Book Challenge.’ This is a popular YouTube tag and I believe originally you were supposed to set a 60 second timer and try to find a book on your shelf that fit the question. However, I’m doing a book blogger take on the tag by eliminating the timer aspect.


Like most readers I’m not a fan of deckled edges, but my edition of ‘Speak’ by Laurie Halse Anderson does happen to have deckled edges. Funny, enough I instantly knew this book had them and I got this copy years ago. Probably when I first started becoming a reader.


I had a few books I could have choose for this and I went with an unlikely choice. This book has three silhouettes on the cover, but I’m still counting them as three people. Also, who doesn’t love the Sanderson sisters? And, just a quick note the sequel in this book isn’t anything like Disney+ ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ film.


Yep. ‘Geekerella’ is a Cinderella retelling. Honestly, this series of companion novels weren’t my favorite, but I enjoyed this book. It was a fun twist on the Cinderella story and the romance was really cute.


It took me a while to find a book with exactly ten letters in the title, but I ended up finding ‘Splintered’ by by A.G. Howard. This is the first book in an ‘Alice In Wonderland’ retelling series. This series is very old and use to be talked about a lot in the book community. I have yet to start it, but hop to pick it up relatively soon.


This was surprisingly easy to find, ‘Two Can Keep A Secret’ by Karen M. McManus starts and ends with the letter T. This is a YA thriller that I didn’t love, still it works for this prompt so I’m happy.


I only have one ‘The Time Keeper’ by Mitch Albom. I don’t know why I have this book, yet I can only assume it is because I read a lot of his books early on in my reading journey. Have I read this book. Nope. Do I know what it’s about. Nope.


‘Mary Poppins‘ by P.L. Travers! The authors actual name is Pamela Lyndon Travers. I have a few other books by authors using a pen name but this was the first one that came to mind.


‘Anna and the French Kiss‘ by Stephanie Perkins, which happens to be one of the first YA contemporary trilogy, of sorts, that I read. It is such a cute YA romance set in France. I still love this book even though I haven’t read it in years. Maybe, a reread is in order here.


Nope! I looked through practically every book on my shelf and couldn’t find a single book containing not only two but let alone one map. Probably, because fantasy isn’t a genre I typically buy. However, that is changing so I might have a book that meets this prompt in the future. But, as of today I do not.


I feel like every book these days is turning into a TV show or movie, so I have quite a few. Such as ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ trilogy by Jenny Han that was turned into an Amazon Prime original show. I still need to watch the whole series, yet the first episode was really good. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think the series might be better than the books. Yeah, I said it don’t come for me.


Yep! I have ‘Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You‘ by Misha Collins, who plays Castiel on Supernatural. This is a poetry book that he released and I also believe that I have his cookbook. A little known fact is that he is my soulmate we just haven’t met yet. Don’t worry my husband is cool with it.


This is another one that I’m surprised I don’t have in my collection. You’d think more books would have clocks on the cover. I do want ‘The Toymaker’s Apprentice‘ by Sherri L. Smith, which does have a clock on the cover. However, as of now I don’t own any books that fit this prompt.


I’m going to do a shameless self promo and say ‘Convenient Interruptions‘ by ME! If you don’t know I released a poetry collection that you can buy on amazon and read for free on Kindle Unlimited.


I’m the type of person that hates any type of sticker or stamp on a book cover, but I did have a copy of ‘The Graveyard Book‘ by Neil Gaiman that I bought from Half-Priced Books. It has an award stamp on the cover, because it won the John Newbery Medal. However, I unhauled the book so I don’t actually have a book for this question.


Technically, I do since I mentioned that I have a copy of my own book. However, if we are speaking about books not written by yours truly than no. I think my initials NE, or maiden name initials NT, are pretty uncommon.


I own a few books of short stories such as ‘Blackout‘ by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. This is a collection of interlocking short stories about black teens.


Nope! I either have books that are under 400 pages or over 510 pages, which is pretty weird if you ask me. I’m not usually someone that will read a long book, so it makes sense that all my books are relatively short. Yet, I do have some that contain up to 550 pages and that’s a little intimidating to say the least.


One of my all time favorite books ‘Five Feet Apart‘ by Mikki Daughtry, Rachael Lippincott, and Tobias Iaconis was turned into a film. In my opinion, the movie is just as good as the book and I recommend them both if you like heartbreaking young adult romances.


I’ve bought a lot of graphic novels with in the last year. My most recent graphic novel purchase was ‘Squad‘ by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, which is a sapphic horror about a group of werewolves.


‘A Secret Princess‘ by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz is a YA retelling of ‘A Little Princess’ and ‘The Secret Garden’. And, obviously it’s written by two wonderful young adult authors.

There you have the ‘Do I Have That Book’ book tag challenge! It was very interesting going through my book shelf to find books that correlate with each prompt. In the comments, let me know how many prompts you can complete with the books on your selves. Don’t forget to hit the follow button for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Christmas Songs // Book Tag

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Today, for day 8 of Bookmas, I’m going to be doing the ‘Christmas Songs’ Book Tag created by That Artsy Reader Girl. I have never done this tag before, which made it even more fun to do.

Related Post: Better Than The Movies // Book Review

This was easy, because my favorite book couple is probably Liz and Wes from ‘Better Than The Movies’ by Lynn Painter. I love their dynamic and love story.

Related Post: Kiki’s Delivery Service // Book Review

The first book that comes to mind is ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ by Eiko Kadono, since she leaves home in the beginning of the book. It’s such a fast read that was really cute. And, I’m sure the anime film adaptation is just as good.


As a kid, I loved ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’ by Dr. Seuss. It still holds a special place in my heart.


I have too many on my list, so I’d really love any book. I have an Amazon wishlist that has a ton of books that I would love to get on Christmas.


I’m a baby when it comes to books, and I’ll cry at a lot of them. Most recently ‘Serpent and the Wings of Night’ by Carissa Broadbent made me ugly cry.

Related Post: The Holiday Swap // Book Review

Anything that embodies a Hallmark movie! I’m all about a good plot, but a little bit of cheesy romance. The one that I always recommend is ‘The Holiday Swap’ by Maggie Knox, because I can definitely see it being a Hallmark movie one day.

Related Post: Caraval // Book Review

I’m going to talk about the ‘Caraval’ trilogy by Stephanie Garber, because to me all the book were very well done. However, my favorite is ‘Caraval’, which is the first book. In my opinion, it was a great start to the trilogy.

Related Post: Divergent // Book Review

Four, from ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth because I’m into the brooding, serious, and misunderstood type, with a heart of gold. I think it would make for an interesting snow day.

Related Post: One Of Us Is Back // Book Review

Sadly, ‘One Of Us Is Back’ by Karen M. McManus wasn’t my favorite book. I still enjoyed it, but as the ending to a great YA thriller trilogy it was a letdown.


I’m so excited for ‘Happily Never After’ by Lynn Painter! It’s an adult romance about two love cynics, and I cannot wait to read it. The release date is set for March of 2024.

I think that all the questions were very creative, and I can see myself doing this tag again next year. In the comments, let me know you answers to these questions. Don’t forget that you can always follow the blog, to ensure that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Whiteout // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
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! As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen, in spite of the storm?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3t3Zh8H

My Rating

This is an anthology that features six romance stories centered around black teens. The main narrative follows Stevie and Sola, navigating a challenging phase in their relationship, providing a catalyst that intertwines and connects the other stories. Despite the varied plots, each tale presents unique yet collectively interesting perspectives on romance, making it a cohesive anthology.

Stevie bears similarities to Sheldon from ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ While the characters are enjoyable, the briefness of the stories limits the depth of character exploration, and there’s minimal character development. However, given that this is a short story collection, this is not unexpected.

The Atlanta setting, right before Christmas, creates a captivating atmosphere heightened by a snowstorm. The wintry backdrop enhances the holiday spirit, providing a cozy reading experience that captures the essence of a cold December night.

“But Christmas just adds an extra bit of magic to the love, you know? The special gifts, the parties, the lights, the mistletoe.”

The great thing is that I don’t find that I liked any story in the anthology more than any of the others. However, none of them really stood out to me – they all fell somewhere in the middle of my expectations. Separately, and collectively, I’d give them 3 stars, which I think is a solid rating.

Overall, the book is a quick and fun read, showcasing wholesome romances among black teens. Though not a traditional Christmas read, the winter setting makes it an ideal choice for a snowy night, adding a lighthearted touch to the seasonal reading list. And, this is high praise coming from someone that doesn’t normally enjoy anthologies.

In the comments, let me know if you plan on reading this book. Don’t forget that you can always like and share this post. If you enjoy book reviews please support my blog by giving it a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny