Book Community

Convenient Interruptions // Available Now

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Hi Friends,
Happy release day! My first ever poetry book, Convenient Interruptions, is officially released. As of now, it is available for purchase exclusively on Amazon, in both e-book and paperback. I have worked long and hard on this boo, and any support you can give me would fill my heart with joy! The book community is absolutely amazing, and I am so lucky to be a part of it. If you happen to buy the book, please let me know in the comments. I want to hear all of your thoughts on the book, because I think everyone can relate to it in one way or another. The book is also available to read on Kindle Unlimited, so if you have a subscription, please go and read it!

I appreciate every one of you, and this wouldn’t have been possible without my fellow book lovers. Amazon and blog reviews are always welcomed, and they really help spread the word about the book. Leave a comment letting me know if you have published, or are going to be publishing, a book. Let’s support each other!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Re-Reading Books // Let’s Talk

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
Today we are going to have a decision on re-reading books. There are a lot of opposing opinions when it comes to re-reading. Some people re-read their favorite books multiple times throughout the years. While others are a one and done type of reader.

I don’t think that you necessarily have to consistently re-read your books to justify buying them. But, there are some books that warrant a re-read. You should 100% re-read the previous books in a series before picking up the next installment. If you are anything like me then you would have forgotten a whole lot about the series while waiting to read the next book.

I find that when you re-read books in a series it gives you a fresh start and gets you more excited to continue on with the story. As for non-series books, re-reading books can change your opinion of a book. Maybe you will enjoy the book better the second time around. Or, you could actually end up lowering your rating for the book.

In 2021, I re-read ‘The Afterlife of Holly Chase’ by Cynthia Hand for the first time in three years. I had originally given the book 3 stars, but after my re-read I bumped the book up to 5 stars. So, re-reading can help show how much your reading taste has changed. Personally, I’m trying to get more into re-reading and being captivated once again by my favorite stories. I would like to re-read some books that I didn’t enjoy, and see how I’ll feel about them years later.

I might be wrong, but I think re-reading is becoming less and less common. There are so many new books being released that readers forget about previously loved books. In the bookish community we are always talking about the books we’d like to read, which typically doesn’t include a re-read.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think we should focus just as much on re-reading as we do on reading new books. Most of us can watch are favorite shows and movies a million times, or listen to a song on repeat than why not re-read a book.

I have a list of some books that I would like to eventually re-read. Hopefully I can make them more of a priority. What are your thoughts on re-reading? Do you re-read books? Remember not to leave before following the blog to get posts notifications.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Coffee Break // Problematic Authors

- Bunny 2 Comments

Credit: Bill Watterson

Hi Friends,
I don’t know if this is still a touchy subject, but I am going to be talking about reading problematic authors. I have wanted to do a post on this topic but never knew how to address it. These are only my thoughts on problematic authors, and certainly don’t want to speak for the whole book community. Cancel culture is a large part of the world today in hopes of stopping hate speech.

I am not going to touch on cancel culture in this post because I do have some strong feelings about it. However, problematic authors aren’t a new thing yet they weren’t really called out for their behavior. Partly because society was used to brushing things under the rug, and partly because nobody wanted to go against the majority. But most of it was that authors only really ever spoke through their works. Social media wasn’t always a thing. Shocker, right?

Two of the biggest names in teen literature that have been called out as being problematic are J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas. Maas is a well-known young adult author whose books are seen as controversial. She has also been accused of being racist. As for Rowling, not many people take issue with her books, but she has been called out for other things more than once. She is a known supporter of anti-transgender organizations, and has no respect for the trans community.

I don’t intend on picking up Sarah J. Maas’ work, but not because of her problematic behavior, but simply for the fact they don’t interest me. Now, I would be lying if I said that hearing about the controversy surrounding her hasn’t solidified this. However, I am not sad about never putting a dime into her pocket. As for J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter books are a work of, well, magic. I have never been a major fan of the series, but started my first read of them about two years ago. My husband and I own all the movies. I own all the books. Does that make us problematic? I hope not.

I will continue reading the series, but if I ever speak about them, I will let it be known that I am not a supporter of her, or anything she stands for. Not only were we gifted the movies, but all of my copies of the books were bought secondhand. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe the author gets anything if their books were bought used. I know that we want to separate the artist from the work, but this is usually easier said than done.

It seems to be a more natural to ignore a problematic author who is deceased. Many people love Agatha Christie books since she helped build the mystery genre. We still read Dr. Seuss to kids, even with his work being racist. However, these authors aren’t making money when someone buys their work. I was always a fan of Dr. Seuss’ work, but as I’ve gotten older, I do find it necessary to make others aware that I don’t condone his behavior.

The first step is to acknowledge that the author is problematic. We shouldn’t read with rose-tinted glasses. We need to make others in the community aware that this author is problematic. Next, remember to make your own views clear! I hope it is obvious that I don’t support hate speech or racism of any kind. I am a supporter of communities such as LGBT+ and mental illness. After all, that, is it okay to read work from a problematic author? Yes! Cue the pitchforks…

If you are getting that work from the library, or buying it secondhand – basically not benefiting the author themselves – then I don’t believe that it is the worst possible injustice in the world. But I do believe the steps I mentioned above are important when doing anything regarding problematic authors. I am not here to tell you to throw out all your Harry Potter books and merchandise, and never talk about the series again. Honestly, if it is, or was, a big part of your life, then talk about it. Just remember that behind every work of art there is an artist.

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” – JFK

Before you go, here are some awesome charities that would love your support: TransLifeline, The Loveland Foundation, and Children of Persia. There are many other charities out there that you can donate to as well. Please leave your thoughts on this taboo subject in the comments. No hate, only love.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny