Fool Me Twice // Book Review

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Author: Carrie Aarons
Published: 2020
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary
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Synopsis
When my best friend died of cancer just before her eighteenth birthday, she left her coveted bucket list to me. The things she already crossed off? Skinny dipping, going to Paris, completing the local hot wing challenge, road tripping to the ocean, and sending out a message in a bottle. So, it falls on me to finish it for her, to honor her memory. In the next year, it’s my mission to:

1. Dye my hair
2. Have sex
3. Camp out in a tent
4. Go bungee jumping
5. Get revenge on Lincoln Kolb

When I read the synopsis for this book, I figured it would be something that I would enjoy. The plot reminded me of ‘John Tucker Must Die’, which is a great movie. I hadn’t read anything by this author before, and (correct me if I’m wrong) I believe she is an indie author. Being an indie author myself, I always love to support other small time authors.

Going into this book, I assumed it fell into the YA genre, yet I found that the book leaned more towards new adult. This wasn’t a big disappointment, but it came as a shock to me, because I don’t typically read that genre.

I found the overall plot to be enjoyable, but there wasn’t much revenge plotting in the story. I wouldn’t even classify it at hate-to-love. It was more of a girl meets boy and they fall in love story.

However, the main female, Henley, was very conflicted throughout the book, because she was supposed to hate Lincoln for breaking her best friend’s heart. She was a tough and stubborn girl, which is probably why she decided to keep the ridiculous and immature revenge promise. A more mature college student would have just confronted Lincoln about the breakup.

I think the moral is that there are three sides to every story – his, hers, and what actually happened. And revenge is never the solution to your problems. As for Lincoln, he was as a cocky jock who never got attached. But he had a sensitive side that he didn’t let anyone see, too. I have read this type of male character before, and I honestly don’t mind them. Given a choice between Henley and Lincoln, however, I was much more a fan of Lincoln.

“You never know if you’ll be breathing in the next second after this one. Which is why I take every chance those precious seconds give me.”
Something that thoroughly surprised me was the amount of steamy scenes in the book. I wouldn’t classify this as smut, and the sex scenes weren’t that intense at all. But, sex was a big factor in the book. There was a bathroom scene at a party that was a bit spicy. I would probably give this book as 17+ rating.

I didn’t have many cons  from this book, but it seemed to move very slowly. I found myself at the halfway point, and the plot hadn’t progressed much. Nevertheless, the book was a pretty quick read, which made up for the slow-moving story.

Overall, this book was a good time, and made me question whether or not I could handle the truly smutty books. Still, I don’t know if I would pick anything else up from this author. I am unsure if her books and writing style is for me.

Let me know if you have read this book, because I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Please give this post a like and share it with others. In case you didn’t know, you can follow the blog to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #8

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
It’s FriYay! I have been loving sharing with you my weekend reading plans even if I haven’t always managed to read the books I’ve planned too. This weekend my plans might be overly ambitious, but what else is new.


“From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course.”


“Joyful and captivating, Blackout is a collection of interconnected stories of Black love that all take place when the lights go out during a> midsummer blackout in New York City.”


“A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.”

Please tell me that I am not the only one with intense reading plans for this weekend. Don’t forget to like and share this post! And, thank you to all my blog followers. Remember to follow my blog if you want to get notified whenever I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

If This Gets Out // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

Author: Cale Dietrich and Sophie Gonzales
Published: 2021
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
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Synopsis
Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartthrobs in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, the pressure to stay in the closet has Ruben confiding in Zach. On a whirlwind tour through Europe with an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, the two come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben realize they will never truly have the support they need. How can they hold tight to each other when their whole world is coming apart?

If you are looking for a cute, gay YA romance, then look no further. Once I read the synopsis, I was hooked. This is more than a story about first love, but finding your person, and yourself. The whole idea of a boy band and a romance that forms between two of it’s members, Zach and Ruben, sounds like a messy good time. And it definitely was.

The book was cute and heartwarming from the start. I was literally getting butterflies along with Zach and Ruben. Their relationship from friends to lovers did seem a little out of the blue, but as the story progressed, you could see that the feelings were there all along.

This book wasn’t steamy, but when you mix first love and teenage hormones, there is bound to be some spice in the relationship. There was a lot of focus on discovering yourself, and your sexuality. Also, the pressure to put a label on one’s self. Sometimes, all that’s needed are mutual feelings for each other, and the labels naturally become an afterthought. Often, they aren’t necessary at all.

It was interesting to see how the authors described being in the spotlight. Not every celebrity has a choice of how they appear to in the public eye. A lot of times you have to put on façade and play a part. Each of the band members were hiding who they were from their fans. Their management team made them feel as though if they were to truly be themselves they could lose everything. I don’t know if celebrities really have to deal with something like this, but if they do, fame must be pretty lonely at times.

I enjoyed getting to know all the bandmates, Zach, Ruben, Jon, and Angel. They were each every different, but when it came down to it, they were still brothers. The authors made a point to show the influence of drugs and drinking at a young age. Also, how celebrities can fall into unhealthy addictions because of bad influences and easy access to those things. I think most people know that celebrities, like all of us, aren’t a immune to addiction.

“The freedom to be ourselves, and express whatever truest version of ourselves we know of to the world as we see fit, is the most important freedom we have.”

There was the message of never letting fear stand in the way of trying something new. Things might take an unexpected turn, but every so often we find exactly what was missing from our lives. Ruben and Zach worked well as a couple, and they were truly there for each other. Ruben was more confident in his sexuality, and also someone the other band members could lean on.

That being said, Zach was my favorite of the two. I find that he had a lot of character development throughout the book. At the start, he was optimistic, and only wanted to make others happy (despite his wants and desires). It wasn’t until push came to shove that he fought for what he wanted, and broke out of his shell. I found, too, that Jon’s personality was one that I got attached to. I maybe had a mild crush on him. Don’t tell my husband.

In my opinion, Angel was definitely the funniest, but he struggled the most with having to be a fake version of himself. Still, his funny comments helped lighten the mood throughout the book. I appreciated the addition of humor, while still focusing on Ruben and Zach’s budding romance.

I do want to mention, one last time, that this book deals with more than just romance. Drug use, bi-phobia, underage drinking and even emotional abuse are present in this book. But I wouldn’t say that this is a heavy or traumatic read at all. Actually, I believe that the book is pretty underrated. Please leave me your thoughts on the book in the comments below. If you’d like to read more of my book reviews, then follow my blog to get notifications on new posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

I Heart Spring TAG 2022 // Toss-Up Tuesday

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Spring is practically here! Although, this isn’t my favorite time of year I do love it when the seasons change. I thought that it would be fun to do a spring tag. This one is for the early days of YouTube and blogging it’s the “I Heart Spring” tag.

💋 Favorite spring nail polish?

I don’t have one nail polish that is my go-to in the spring time. I used to reach for pastel colors, but this spring I have been all about the bright neon shades. I would have to say my current favorite spring nail colors are orange and hot pink.

💋 What is your must-have lip color this spring?

I don’t branch out with my lip colors, yet I tend to play around with bold purple lipsticks in the spring. Honestly, I have no idea if this shade looks good on me, but I will still rock it.

💋 Show us your favorite spring dress!

I don’t think that I have one favorite spring dress, but more of a style of dress. I think that skater dresses are perfect for spring. I own a few that can be dressed up or down for all occasions. Also, they look great paired with a cardigan for those cooler spring days.

💋 What’s your favorite flower?

I am not a big flower person, so I don’t know many by name. I do like Lilies and Daisies.

💋 Favorite spring scarf/accessory?

I think that flower crowns are super cute to wear in the spring time. I would categorize them as hair accessories, which in my opinion counts. Yes, some might think they’re childish, or not for everyday use, but I think they make an outfit more stylish.

💋 What spring trend(s) are you most excited about this year? (Makeup, fashion or both!)

I read that colored lashes where the new trend for spring, and I am here for it. I don’t do many colorful eye looks, so colored mascara would be a cool way to add a pop to my makeup.

💋 Favorite spring candle?

As you probably guessed, my favorite candles are from Bath and Body Works. It was hard for me to pick a favorite, but I would have to say Peach Bellini. I am terrible at describing scents, so I am not even going to try. However, if you like fruity, sweet smells this one is perfect for you.

💋 Favorite body spray/perfume for spring?

The perfume that is my favorite in spring is the original Daisy by Marc Jacobs. I don’t buy a lot of higher end perfumes, yet I will never regret getting this one. The scent is very subtle and gives me spring vibes.

💋 What is spring like where you live?

I am going to guess that this question is about the weather. Where I live spring season is my least favorite time of year. We don’t have overly hot springs, or colder ones. The days usually stay within the 70s. However, May and June are tornado season for my state. I am super scared of tornadoes, which is why I dread spring time.

💋 What’s your favorite thing about spring?

I love the vibrancy of spring! This might be a weird answer, and hard for me to explain. I love that everything blooms and comes a live again in spring.

💋 Are you a spring cleaner?

Yes and no. In the past, I was not into spring cleaning at all. This year I am on a mission to spring clean and organize. I don’t know if I am going to stick to this plan, but I am going to try.

💋 Any plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?

I don’t have any vacations planned for the spring, or this year in general. Although, I would like to travel more in the future. As of now, I will be spending the rest of spring at home with my hubby and pets.

These questions where a blast to answer! I tag all of you, so let me know in the comments if you do the tag. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, follow my blog to get notified whenever a new post goes up.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #7

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Welcome to another ‘Friday Reads’ post! If you haven’t seen one of these posts before than let me give you the rundown. In this post, I will be sharing with you all the books that I hope to read throughout the weekend. So, let’s get started!


“#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.”


“From the New York Times bestselling author of Five Total Strangers and “master of suspense” (BCCB), Natalie D. Richards, comes a pulse-pounding YA thriller about a girl who goes on a mysterious scavenger hunt, only to discover that someone knows her worst secret…and is out for blood.”


“This is the story of two teenage cancer survivors on the quest to define life, because if they don’t, they might as well fail their class project entirely.”

I have other books that I would like to start, but I am trying not to be too ambitious. I hope you have a fun reading weekend. Besides reading, my plans include trying to calm my anxiety about upcoming severe weather and possibly watching ‘The Princess Switch’ on Netflix. For more posts like this follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // May 2022

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Today I am doing my May TBR! As always my TBRs are super short and sweet. I have a lot of books that I was sent for review that I need to read in the month of May, so I don’t know how well I’ll do on this TBR. However, I am going to try and read as many of these books as possible.

Previous TBR: This was on my August 2021 TBR, and one of the only children’s classic books that I would like to read. I know that Lily Collins narrators the Audible audiobook, which is really cool.

“And so begins the story of one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature, Peter Pan. J. M. Barrie’s classic tale, completely unabridged, features a boy who refuses to grow up, Tinker Bell the fairy, and the Darling children — Wendy, John, and Michael.”

Sequel: I am going to be honest and say that I probably won’t get to this book, because I have so many ARCs to read. The audiobook is 17 hours long (for that would be 8 hours), so I am not sure I’ll have the time to read it.

“Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”

Owned TBR: This is a short story collection that I bought when it first came out. It is a YA contemporary with stories that focus on black teens. I haven’t heard it talked about, but I am excited to dive into it.

“Joyful and captivating, Blackout is a collection of interconnected stories of Black love that all take place when the lights go out during a midsummer blackout in New York City.”

Those are the books that I personally would like to get to, but my TBRs are never really set in stone. I am a big mood reader, which you most likely know by now. In the comments, tell me what is on your TBR? Please like this post and follow my bookish blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Start A Project-Pan // Toss-Up Tuesday

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Should you start a project-pan? I always ask myself this question, since my makeup collection is pretty large. Most of my eye-shadow palettes have never been used before. If you are unaware of what a project pan actually is then let me fill you in. It is where you pick a selected number of beauty products, which can include makeup, hair and skincare items that you would like to use up by the years end.

Downsize Your Makeup Collection

Obviously the number one reason to start a project pan is to minimize your makeup collection. If you are anything like me you might have a ton of foundations or highlighters, or a ton of eyeshadow palettes. A project pan will slowly but surely help you downsize your makeup collection significantly.

Get Your Moneys Worth

Sometimes we forget that beauty products cost a lot, and have expiration dates. So, starting a project-pan will ensure that you get to some of the products that will be expiring soon. Or, even just the products that you haven’t even used.

Rediscover Your Makeup Collection

Remember that holy grail concealer, favorite dry shampoo. Participating in a project pan can help you get to know your products all over again. It might even give you the chance to fall back in love with some old favorite products.

Saves You Money

The whole point of a project pan is to downsize. By focusing on your own products you are less likely to buy any new beauty items. This will help you continue to add more products to an already overwhelming amount. And, it will make your bank account happy too.

Would You Recommend

Doing a project pan can give you a good sense of the type of beauty products you like. Also, you might find products that you would definitely repurchase in the future, and, or recommend to others.

These are some reasons to commit to a project pan, but if you are a minimalist when it comes to beauty products than just keep doing what you are doing. Before you go give my blog a follow, and leave a comment letting me know if you are doing a project-pan this year.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Check out some of my favorite beauty products!

Books I Regret Buying #1 // Spring 2022

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
If you watch beauty videos on YouTube or follow beauty blogs than I guarantee you have seen people talk about the products they regret buying. Well, I thought it would be fun to do a bookish twist on this type of post. I am going to be talking about the books that I regret buying.

Final Girls Support Group by Grady Hendrix
Actually, I didn’t buy this book, but I was gifted it for Christmas 2021. I received it from my older brother after adding it to my Christmas wishlist. At the time, I hadn’t read the book, but after reading it I instantly regretted wanting it. I was not a fan of the book at all. It was even on my worst books of 2021 list. Honestly, I don’t get how this book became so popular, but maybe I just wasn’t the reader for it.

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
This was another Christmas gift, but I was with my mom when she bought it for me. So, I am counting this as a book that I bought. By now you all should probably know how much of a disappointment this book was for me. I thought the premise sounded amazing but the story fell flat. This book is loved by a lot of readers, so I might be alone in my dislike of it. I kind of wish that I had read it before asking for it.

You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn
I have a review up on this book, which goes into more detail about why I didn’t like it. However, I thought this would be a cute Nashville (the TV show) type of read. But, the book was filled with way too much drama and heavy plot points. Also, I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style or characters. It was just a little boring in my opinion.

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard
This book is a pretty hard read, but I bought the ebook copy when it was released back in 2011. I used to be really into stories that dealt with kidnapping or just sexual abuse in general. Partly because I was a big fan of ‘Law and Order’, but mainly because I think that sexual abuse is horrific especially if it involves a minor. I used to be very interested in the thought of stopping sex crimes whether that meant being a lawyer or FBI agent (I am a dreamer). Any who, this book was not my cup of tea. I understand this is Jaycee’s real experience but she was to nice in how she talked about her abuser. And, you could tell there was some Stockholm syndrome there that wasn’t touched on. I couldn’t even finish the book, and will never pick it up again.

Looking For Alaska by John Green
Now I could mention ‘The Fault In Our Stars‘ and ‘Paper Towns’ as well, because I do regret buying and reading them. However, I haven’t read this book yet and can’t for the life of me fathom why I thought it was a good idea to buy it. Something about me and John Green books don’t mix. I haven’t liked any book I have read from him, with the exception of ‘Let It Snow’, but his story was my least favorite out of the three. This book is on my ‘These Books Will Self Destruct‘ challenge and honestly I don’t even care enough to give it a chance.

I probably rambled a little about the last two books, so I am going to stop here. If you want to see part two of this post let me know in the comments. Sadly, I am sure there are more books that I regret buying. I keep telling myself to stop buying books I haven’t read, but I don’t listen to my own advice. Before you go, give my little book blog a follow because it really helps me grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Quarter Year Crisis // Book Tag

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
I have been seeing ‘The Quarter Year Crisis’ book tag making its way around the bookish community. This tag is similar to the ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout‘ tag. Since I love doing the mid-year tag I decided that it would be fun to do the quarter year one as well. The tag was created by Booktuber Roisin’s Reading, and I recommend you check out her channel.

How many books have you read so far?

I have only read 21 books, which I think is pretty good. I have never actually read more than two books a month, so I am proud of myself for reading more than I every thought I could in a month.

Have you already found a book you think might be a 2022 favorite?

I am not going to lie, but most of the books I have read thus far have been 3 star reads. However, ‘You’ll Be the Death of Me‘ by Karen M. McManus will most likely make it on to my favorites of the year list. This doesn’t really come as a surprise, since her book ‘One Of Us Is Lying‘ was a 2021 favorite of mine.

What was your favorite book you read that wasn’t quite five stars?

Probably, going to have to go with ‘Radio Silence‘ by Alice Oseman, yes she is author of the widely popular graphic novel series ‘Heartstopper‘. This book was really good and the message was amazing. I gave the book 4.5 stars, so it was just barely a 5 star read for me. If you want more of my thoughts on the book you can read my review of it.

Any 1 star books / least favorite book of the year?

I have had a few disappointing reads in the past few months, but the one that stands out the most is ‘You’ve Reached Sam‘ by Dustin Thao. I have also done a review of this book, so I don’t want to talk to much about it. But, this book was such a letdown.

Most read genre so far?

100% contemporary! This doesn’t come as a shock since YA contemporary has always been my most read genre. Yet, I think as the year progresses YA horrors and thrillers might beat out contemporary books.

A book that surprised you?

This would have to be ‘Horrid‘ by Katrina Leno. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting going into this book, but I really enjoyed it. For some reason I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

Book that’s come out in 2022 already that you want to read but haven’t yet?

This is an easy one for me, but that would be ‘Blaine for the Win‘ by Robbie Couch. Technically the book was released on April 12th, yet the audiobook isn’t out until May 10th. As most of you know, I am an audiobook addict which is why I have already pre-ordered my copy of the audiobook. I cannot wait to dive into this book.

One goal you’ve made that you’re succeeding at?

This isn’t a bookish goal, but a blogging one. In my 2022 goal post I talked about how I wanted to broaden my blog content. I think that I have been doing pretty good on posting some lifestyle content in addition to bookish posts. I do ‘Toss-Up Tuesday‘, which is when I usually post my non-book content. I have been liking doing those posts and hope to make them more of a regular things.

One goal you made that you need to focus on?

This is a bookish goal, and it is to read the books that I own. I have been very inconsistent with reading from my bookshelves. There are so many new releases that I want to get to that I forget to read the books I already own. I hope to make my owned TBR more of a priority as the year goes on.

New to you Booktubers/bookstagrammers/booktokers for 2022 that you recommend?

I have just started Booktok so I don’t really have any recommendations there (unless you count myself @bookswithbunny). I do have a bookstagram, but don’t really have any account recommendations since I mainly going on Instagram to see cute comics. As for Booktube, I recommend Julie Janis Books and LiterallyLo. They always make great bookish content.

I hope that you enjoyed this tag. If you like this kind of tag, follow my blog so you don’t miss out on when I post my ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout’ tag. I want to tag all my fellow book bloggers, so leave a comment letting me know if you do the tag.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Tropes // The Ones I Love

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
There are so many book tropes out there that I just love. Sure, there are ones that I am not a fan of, or I think they are over done. But, I pretty much enjoy a lot of common book tropes. I am such a basic reader. Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to share my favorite book tropes with you all.

Enemies-to-Lovers: This has to be my favorite trope of all. There is just something about to rivals that fall in love. I have never actually seen this play out in real life, and don’t really think it is a normal thing. However, in books, it works so well. At least it does most of the time. I’ve read a few books where the characters weren’t true enemies, or the relationship just didn’t work well. Still, despite being predictable, one of my favorite enemies-to-lovers is ‘P.S. I Like You‘ by Kasie West.

Bad Girl, Gone Good: I am not sure if this is a typical trope, or a trope at all. Yet, I enjoy books were there is a bitchy/mean girl character that changes for the better. Think Regina George becoming Lizzie McGuire. Okay, that might not be the best explanation for this trope, but I think you get what I mean. ‘If I’m Being Honest‘ by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley is the perfect example of how to do this trope right. The book is one actually one of my favorite reads of 2021.

Fake Dating: I think that almost every romance reader can attest to the fact that this is one of the best tropes in books. For some reason, I cannot get enough of fake relationships. There is something adorable about a fake relationship, or relationship of convenience turning into something real. Instead of recommending one of my favorite, well known, fake dating stories, I will share one that I’m hoping to read, ‘The Upside of Falling‘ by Alex Light. This is from a Wattpad author and sounds like a sweet YA contemporary.

Forced Proximity: Every since I was a kid, plots where the characters are trapped somewhere always interested me. And, I am not talking about horror stories. When I think of this trope, the Dawson’s Creek episode when Pacey and Joey get stuck in a K-Mart always comes to mind. I believe that I have only ever read one stuck together book, but it was very enjoyable. The book was ‘By Your Side‘ by Kasie West in which a boy and girl get locked inside a library. How could a reader not love this plot?

Friends-to-Lovers: I was hesitant to put this on the list, because I am not sure of my feeling on the trope. I use to think I wasn’t a fan of friends-to-lovers stories, but my opinion of them has changed. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t an all time favorite trope of mine, but it is growing on me. After reading ‘How Not To Fall In Love‘ by Jacqueline Firkins, I can see myself reading more books with this trope in the future.

There you have the book tropes that I adore! I will most likely be doing a post on the tropes that I don’t like, because there are some that I cannot get behind. Leave a comment letting me know what your favorite trope is whether it is in movies or books. Also, like this post and share it with others.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny