A Merry Little Meet Cute | Book Review

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

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

 

The Gilmore Girls Readathon 2022 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
Today I am doing another TBR post! This time is for the Gilmore Girls Readathon, which runs from November 7th through the 13th. To get all the details on the readathon you can watch Liv’s Library’s announcement video on YouTube. For those who don’t know, Gilmore Girls is my all time favorite show! I have tons of GG merchandise, seen every season multiple times and attribute my coffee addiction to the show. Fun fact, I became a reader because of the show but that’s a story for another time. Anyways, let’s get on to my TBR!


Read a book set in a small town
Read a book with family drama

“Olivia, the eldest daughter, has returned from treating an epidemic abroad and must go into quarantine for seven days. Her mother has decided it’s the perfect opportunity to spend some ‘special time’ together. Her youngest sister wholeheartedly disagrees. Her father isn’t allowed an opinion. When no one can leave the house and no one can enter, quarantine for the Birches feels like an eternity. Especially when they’re all harboring secrets. One of which is about to come knocking at their door.”


Read a book set during fall/winter
Read a book with complicated love interests
A book by an Asian author or has Asian representation

“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.”


Read a book with leaves on the cover

“Celebrate the magic of Christmas time with this well-loved traditional poem, The Twelve Days of Christmas, beautifully illustrated by Laura Hawthorne.”


I wanted to keep my TBR short and manageable since it is only a week long readathon. However, I am not sure if ‘Seven Days Of Us’ is actually set in a small town, so I might be stretching that prompt a little. I am very excited for this week of reading, and would love to know if you will be joining the Gilmore Girls readathon as well. Don’t forget to follow my little book blog to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

November 2022 // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
Today is my November TBR post! For the month of November I decided that I would mostly mood read. However, I have a lot of Christmas books that I would like to get to, so I thought that I would share those with you. Also, I will be taking part in the Gilmore Girls readathon, but I am going to be doing a separate TBR post for the readathon.



“A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this hilarious, romp-filled young adult romantic comedy perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Hallmark Christmas movies.”



“Who’s naughty and nice at Riverwood Mall? In this hilarious YA holiday rom-com, two rivals get together to save their families’ livelihoods, and Christmas, too!”



“A pitch-perfect holiday rom com about two oil-and-water reality-star country singers who must fake a relationship in order to win the opportunity of a lifetime, perfect for fans of Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game and Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze.”


‘Reading Rabbits’ Book Club Book

“Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night? Agatha Christie meets Clue in this delightful, tense manor house murder mystery.”


Those are just some of the holiday books that I would like to get to in the month of November. Let me know in the comments the books on your TBR for the month. Please don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Reading Wrap-Up // August 2022

Hi Friends,
Below is my August wrap-up! I show all the books that I read in the month of August and my ratings for them. August was a great reading month, since I was able to read 13 books. My ratings were all over the place and I had my first 1 star read of the year. In the comments, let me know if you are excited to see my reviews for each of these books. And, feel free to follow not only my blog but my booktok (@bookswithbunny) and bookstagram (@books.with.bunny).

To Be Read // September 2022

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

2022 Anticipated Book Releases // July – December

Hi Friends,
Back in December of 2021, I posted my most anticipated releases from January to June of 2022. Now, I will be sharing my most anticipated book releases from July to December of 2022. As usual, I am not going to mention all the books that I am excited for (since that will make this post very long). With that in mind, I am only mentioning the books that I am the most excited for.


Frightmares by Eva V. Gibson (July 5th)
“In a Florida tourist trap, a summer acting job turns into a real-life horror show when a cast member turns up dead—then disappears. This nail-biting story is perfect for fans of Fear Street!”

A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy (A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy #1) by Jeff Bishop (July 12th)
“You’ve Reached Sam meets John Hughes in a funny and heartfelt debut about a boy’s delirious summertime quest with his ex-girlfriend.”


Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw (Aug. 2nd)
In my Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag that I cannot wait for this book to be released. I don’t think there has ever been a ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ retelling, so this is going to be great. I have such high hopes for this book, which makes me a bit nervous.

12 To 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future! by Jen Calonita (Aug. 16th)
“A smart and funny modern day 13 Going on 30 from New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita! A tween girl finds out it is like to be 22 when she jumps in time with the help of a mysterious TikTok filter.”

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus (Aug. 30th)
“Four years ago someone got away with murder. The most terrifying part is that they never left.”


Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (Sept. 13th)
“Everyone seems to need a wish—the king, Myrthe’s cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they’re ready to bully, beg, and betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one wish, Myrthe would pay with her life. And if she tells them about the curse . . . they’ll just kill her anyway.”

Mere Mortals by Erin Jade Lange (Sept. 27th)
“This hilarious, fresh take on a classic vampire tale follows a pair of hundred-year-old teenage vampires who are turned mortal and must face the greatest nightmare of all—high school.”


Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne (Oct. 4th)
“Seaview High’s homecoming queen is dead . . . and she’s not the first. From the critically acclaimed author of The Ivies comes a nonstop thriller about a decades-old mystery, a copycat killing, and the teen who won’t stop until she discovers the truth.”

The Art of Insanity by Christine Webb (Oct. 11th)
“Written from experience, this contemporary YA is a heartfelt and candid exploration into the shame surrounding mental illness and offers an uplifting narrative where the protagonist doesn’t die at the end.”


Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez (Nov. 1st)
“Twisted secrets that will have readers guessing with every flip of the page. Perfect for fans of GONE GIRL, WE WERE LIARS and Karen M. McManus. An end-of-summer party. A prank gone wrong. A body on the beach. Who’s to blame?”

Whiteout by Various Authors (Nov. 8th)
“Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!”


Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield (Dec. 6th)
“On the reality show It’s Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?”

So, This Is Love (So, This Is Christmas #2) by Tracy Andreen (Dec. 20th)
“In the sequel to Tracy Andreen’s debut romantic comedy So, This Is Christmas, we follow Finley and Arthur back to Barrington Academy for a swoony semester.”


I always get overwhelmed talking about new book releases, since my TBR is already over 500 books! Reader problems, am I right? What are some new releases are you looking forward to? Don’t forget to follow my blog to get notified whenever I post. I am sure to be doing book reviews on at least some of these books.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

2022 Mid-Year Book Freakout // Book Tag

Hi Friends,
It is once again time for the “Mid-Year Book Freakout” Tag! If you don’t know what this tag is all about, you can check out my ‘Book Freakout‘ tag post from last year. This year I also did the new “The Quarter Year Crisis” book tag that you should read as well. This tag should give you a little insight to how my reading year is going thus far.


100% ‘The Night Shift’ by Alex Finlay. So far this year I haven’t had a lot of 5 stars reads, so this book has continued to hold the spot as the best book that I read in 2022.


I have only finished one book series this year, which is the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. I won’t get into my thoughts on the final book in the series, but the second book, ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’, was really good. It was a solid second book, and was an enjoyable read.


Probably ‘Hide’ by Kiersten White! However, I have heard only negative things about the book since its release. Still, I am hoping to pick it up , but I am in no rush to read it.


I have so many anticipated releases coming out! But I am really excited for ‘Long Live the Pumpkin Queen‘ by Shea Ernshaw to be released. The book follows Sally from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, which sounds amazing. Also, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is special to me since me and my husband dressed up in Jack and Sally for our 2020 wedding on Halloween. Our wedding rings are even inspired by the movie!


I hate to say it, but that would be ‘As Good As Dead’ by Holly Jackson. That, and the third and final book in the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. Let’s just move on.


I am going to go with ‘Radio Silence’ by Alice Oseman. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I ended up enjoying it a lot! It had an interesting plot, and an honest portrayal of mental health struggles.


Emily Henry! I haven’t finished ‘Book Lovers’ yet, but right from the start I was in love. This storyline is great, the dialogue is great, and the writing style is, well, great!


Honestly, I can’t think of anyone that I have swooned over lately. Sure there are characters that I find adorable, but no new fictional crushes as of yet.


Ivy from ‘You’ll Be The Death Of Me’ by Karen M. McManus. She reminds me a little of myself, since she is type A and an overachiever. Also, she is petty which is something I use to be as a kid. Let me tell you there’s this one grudge I still hold until this day, just kidding. Kind of.


This year, I have read two books that made me sob. The first being ‘The Night Shift’, and the second was ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’. If you have read either of these books, then you might know why they gutted me.


Bunnicula! My husband desperately wanted me to read this collection, because he calls me Bunny (and sometimes Bunnicula). Reading this silly and cute book made me so happy!


Omens Bite‘ by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, which is the second book in the ‘Sisters Of Salem’ series. Do I own the first book? No. Was this a cover buy? Yes.


I don’t have any required reading to get done by the years end, but still, I would love to read ‘Darling Girl’ by Liz Michalski before 2022 is over. I don’t know why this book intrigues me so much, but the idea of a dark/adult retelling of ‘Peter Pan’ sounds so interesting.

This tag is always so much fun, so if you have done it, please let me know in the comments. Or, just feel free to tell me how your reading as been going. Have you met your reading goal? Don’t forget to follow my blog for all things bookish and more!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Memeathon // 2022 Readathon

Hi Friends,
I am super excited to announce the Memeathon! This a readathon that I have created that focuses on popular memes and reading. I owe this idea to my husband, who is all about that meme life. I don’t believe anyone has ever created a readathon like this before. But, I don’t really know for sure.

Dates: July 1st – 31st
Prompts:
Read All The Books: Read The Next Book In A Series
Shut Up & Take My Money: Read The Last Book You Purchased
Wednesday Frog: Read A Book Containing An Over-Used Trope
Socially Awkward Penguin: Read An Overrated Book
Socially Awesome Penguin: Read An Underrated Book
Distracted Boyfriend: Finish A Book You DNFed
Success Kid: Read A 5 Star Prediction
Guess I’ll Die: Read A Murder Mystery or Thriller

I will obviously be doing a TBR post for the readathon, and I hope that you share your TBR too! This is a super chill readathon, so feel free to double on the prompts. If you can find one book that fulfills all the prompts, then go for it. There is a Twitter account for the readathon that I will try to keep up with as well. Please let me know in the comments if you will be participating. And follow the blog so you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

To Be Read // June 2022

Hi Friends,
I am going to be talking about my June TBR. In May, I had the worst reading slump, mostly, because my mental health was pretty poor for a large proportion of the month. However, I’m hoping that June will be a better month reading wise. Especially, since June is also my birthday month.


Previous TBR: I have been in the mood to read some holiday books, which is a bit odd. However, I love the holidays so I don’t really care. This book was on my November 2021 TBR, and a book I am looking forward to reading.
“The International Bestseller—A feel-good, holiday rom com about identical twins who swap lives twelve days before Christmas—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December.”


Sequel: Honestly, I just want to be done with this series. I loved the first book, but the second book really got of my nerves. Still, I do want to see how everything wraps up.
“The final book in Katharine McGee’s epic The Thousandth Floor series. It’s New York City, 2118. In Manhattan’s glamorous thousand-story supertower, millions of people are living scandalous lives. Leda, Watt, Rylin, Avery, and Calliope are all struggling to hide the biggest secrets of all, secrets that could destroy everything, and send their perfect worlds toppling over the edge.”


Owned TBR: This book has been talked about by just about everyone. I am hoping that it is worth the hype.
“An insightful, delightful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming.”


Those are the books on my TBR, yet I am not sure how well I will do on it. I am really trying to see what my mood wants to do when it comes to reading. Leave me a comment with what you are reading in June. And, follow my blog to get notifications on new posts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny