Bookmas

12 Best Book Covers Of 2022

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Hi Friends,
For Bookmas Day 15 I’m going to be talking about my 12 favorite book covers of 2022. These 2022 book releases have some of the prettiest book covers that I’ve seen. Honestly, I am can sometimes be a cover buyer. Also, this list is in no particular order because I find all of these covers to be equally beautiful.


“New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.”


“From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.”


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


“Hear Sally’s story in this young adult sequel to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas written by New York Times bestselling Shea Ernshaw.”


“New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz pens a lush, swoon-worthy retelling of “Cinderella” set in lavish Versailles. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton and The Selection!”


“An instant New York Times Bestseller! What if you had one year to save everything you loved?”


“A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.”


“A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.”


“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.”


“Exalted is a deliciously dark novel that explores desire, the projection of our need for love, and what we’re really searching for when we keep scrolling.”


“Charm, the missing four months of time between Crave and Crush, can be enjoyed anytime after reading Crave.”


“Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen.”

I’m not going to lie this list was a little hard to put together. I didn’t see many book covers that stunned me this year, which is kind of sad. Let me know in the comments some of your favorite 2022 book covers. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow before your go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

House of Hollow | Book Review

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About The Book
The dark, haunting tale of three sisters shrouded in more mystery than they can even imagine. Since their strange, unsolved disappearance as children a decade before, the Hollow sisters have been plagued by the unexplainable. Lyrical prose and atmospheric world-building complete this eerie novel that will leave readers unsettled in the best way possible.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3j6TKbS

My Rating

I had heard a lot of mixed things about this book, so I was nervous picking it up. But, the first chapter was creepy, and gripped me in a way that I instantly fell in love with the story. The book follows 3 sisters; Iris, Grey, and Vivi, but the main protagonist is Iris. She is the youngest of the sisters, but had to grow up quite fast. Her sisters left home in their teens to follow their dreams, but Iris stayed behind with their mother.

Each of the sisters have very different personalities, but are all likable. Iris is smart and shy, while Grey, the oldest, is strong willed and confident. Vivi is rebellious and outspoken, which I loved. The characters were actually not a big part of the story. We learned a little about them, but not a lot. However, I liked that it was less character focused but more plot driven.

In the book, the girls disappeared at a young age and returned out of the blue. They each handled the disappearance differently, which is very real. People deal with traumatic events in their own ways. Their is a small romance, but the main character didn’t necessarily have a love interest. It was nice to see that twist with the romance side plot.

“I’d realized there were scarier things in the world than the monsters that lived in my nightmares.”

For me, this book is magical realism at its finest! I would even compare the book to a Brothers Grimm type of story. It gave off such classic Grimm-esque vibes. Honestly, the writing was amazing. The author mixed fantasy, real world, and horror together perfectly. There was also a moment when the book reminded me of Stranger Things. I must admit I’ve never seen the show, but I definitely got ‘Upside Down’ vibes when reading certain parts.

There are so many good things about this story, one being that I didn’t want to put it down. There was an amazing twist, although I figured out part of it beforehand. The story also had some sad moments. Altogether, it combined a lot of elements that I love in a good horror story.

Overall, I loved this book, and the ending worked so well. It was left open ended, but that made sense with the story. And, the message that not all evil is truly evil was conveyed perfectly. Another great thing is all the LGBT+ and diversity in the book. However, one not so great thing is that the book has a lot of trigger warnings. I would probably say this book is a 16+ or maybe even 18+ read.

Before reading the book, visit Book Trigger Warnings for a list of all the topics the book touches on. Please support my blog by giving it a quick follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Eight Nights Of Flirting // Book Review

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About The Book
There may be eight nights of Hanukkah, but 16-year-old Shira only wants one gift this year – a boyfriend. This sweet Hanukkah story full of the classic rom-com tropes we all know and love is a sparkling addition to holiday bookshelves.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Pn7viR

My Rating

 

Adorable, cute romance with excellent anxiety representation, is how I would describe this book. Right from the start I knew that I was going to fall in love with this story.

One of my favorite things about this book was that it was a Hanukkah and Christmas story in one. Also, I am a sucker for a good exchange of services story. So, plots where the characters agree to help each other out in a way. And, the fact that it was enemies-to-lovers didn’t hurt either.

I’m typically not a fan of characters that are desperate for a relationship, like Shira was in this book. However, the author handled the topic of wanting a relationship well. Shira suffered from social anxiety, which I found to be portrayed wonderfully. She didn’t want just a relationship but a partner someone to get her and make her not feel so alone.

Honestly, her reasoning for wanting a boyfriend was so real and what we all hope to get out of a relationship. The main love interest, Tyler, was actually pretty charming. Also, his reasons for hiding himself were also very realistic.

“Inside, we’re all sixteen-year-old fools about love. We want it to be eternal. Unbending.”

Besides being a romantic tale, there are other topics touched on in the book. There was this cool mystery side plot that was woven well into the overall story. And there’s the subject of happiness, and what it truly means to be happy. These both played a part in the story as well.

Overall, I will be reading more from this author every soon. I adored this book! It was the perfect fluffy YA holiday contemporary. And, it was a very fast read. If you are anything like me, you could finish this book in one sitting.

My only con is that YA books always make it seem like the end of the world if you never been kissed at sixteen. Nevertheless, to a teenager, it probably is embarrassing, but really nobody cares about that stuff when you’re older.

In the comments, let me know the cutest holiday book you’ve read. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you leave.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Twenty-Twenty Three // To Be Read

- Bunny 1 Comment

For Bookmas day 11, I let you know if I read my most anticipated releases of 2022. So, today for Bookmas day 12, I want to talk about my 2023 TBR. These are some of the books that I want to make a priority next year. I am not going to be including any 2023 releases on this list, so these are just backlist titles I haven’t gotten around to yet.


Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
“Sparks fly when a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain are forced to share a rink.”

Now I didn’t hear about the hype of this book until the end of year. Although I’m not the biggest adult romance fan, I’m curious to see what all the hype is about.

Kill Joy by Holly Jackson
“Find out where it all began for Pip in this prequel to the best-selling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good As Dead!”

This is a short prequel to the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. It is the only book that I haven’t read and seems like it will be a pretty fast read. Even though I didn’t love the final book in the trilogy, I would still like to read this companion book.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
“From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.”

I read ‘Mexican Gothic’ this year and have been hearing a lot about this book. I don’t know much about this book, but I enjoy Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing. And, this is targeted as a horror retelling, which sounds like something I’d enjoy.

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
“In this riotous young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again.”

Even though I have only read one of Lynn Painter’s books, she has become one of my favorite YA authors. This is a 2023 must-read for me, because I am sure that I am going to love it.


Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
“The NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of Rock Paper Scissors returns with a locked-room mystery when a family reunion leads to murder in a delightfully twisty and atmospheric thriller.”

I wasn’t obsessed with ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’, still I have heard nothing but great things about this book; specifically, that the twist in this book is really good.

Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz
“Bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz bring us a romantic retelling of Little Women starring Jo March and her best friend, the boy next door, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence.”

I have been wanting to read this book for a while. Although, the ‘Little Women’ book isn’t my favorite, I usually love adaptations of the story. I’m curious to read a story all about Jo and Laurie, since we all know how their relationship turned out.

Moment of Truth by Kasie West
“Beloved author Kasie West once again delivers a witty, lighthearted romance that will charm her legions of fans and is perfect for readers of Jenny Han and Huntley Fitzpatrick.”

This is the only novel of Kasie West I have yet to read. I need to get to this one, so that I can finally be done with all her backlist titles.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
“From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot . . . . There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.”

This is another book that has been on my radar for years. I have liked the previous things that I’ve read by Kiersten White, so I have high hopes for this historical fiction fantasy.


An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
“From the internationally bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns comes a breathtaking fantasy story of danger and forbidden love. This is the perfect read for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas’s A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES series, and Holly Black!”

I tend to be a fan of slower, lyrical-type books, and this book seems to fit that description. However, I do hope it doesn’t put me in a reading slump.

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
“For months, a gruesome killer has been plaguing the Midwest. The murderer’s calling card? The bodies they leave behind are completely drained of blood.”

Since it’s release in 2021, this book has intrigued me. And, despite not having heard the best things about it I know that it is one I would like to read into 2023.

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.”

This book hasn’t been talked about a lot, but I’m always down for a good ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ retelling. I have a feeling that I might love this book, so it is at the top of my list to read in 2023.

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
“In this feminist, suspenseful thriller, the daughter of a con artist is taken hostage in a bank heist—and will need to tap into all her skills in order to survive.”

This is another book that I need to read at the start of 2023. It sounds amazing and like nothing I’ve ever read before. Also, I just found out that it is being adapted into a Netflix original movie.

There you have my 2023 (backlist) TBR! In the comments, let me know what books you are dying to read in the new year. If you want to help support my growing blog, then give this post a like. You can also share this post, and follow my book blog as well.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Did I Read My 2022 Anticipated Releases?

- Bunny Leave a comment

For Bookmas day 11, I’m going to be talking about if I read the books I talked about in my most anticipated book releases of 2022 post. Let me just say that I didn’t do so well.
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Releases // January – June
Related Post: 2022 Anticipated Book Releases // July – December

In January, I was looking forward to reading ‘Echoes and Empires’ by Morgan Rhodes and ‘The Bone Spindle’ by Leslie Vedder, but these books haven’t crossed my mind all year. Actually, I don’t even remember what they’re about. The Sam goes for ‘League of Liars’ by Astrid Scholte, which was a February anticipated release. However, I did happen to read ‘Finding Her Edge’ by Jennifer Iacopelli.

In March, ‘Remember Me Gone’ by Stacy Stokes and ‘Live, Laugh, Kidnap’ by Gabby Noone came out. I’m not sure I’m still interested in these two books, anymore. I was anticipating the release of ‘Hotel Magnifique’ by Emily J. Taylor, as well as ‘With and Without You’ by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka in April. Although, I’m not surprised I didn’t get to ‘Hotel Magnifique’, I’m shocked that I still haven’t read ‘With and Without You’.

And, sadly I didn’t read my May or June anticipated releases. However, I am still looking forward to reading ‘The Noh Family’ by Grace Shim, ‘Beauty and the Besharam’ by Lillie Vale, ‘TJ Powar Has Something to Prove’ by Jesmeen Kaur Deo, and ‘A Secret Princess’ by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.

I also didn’t read my most anticipated books for July. Mainly because it was hard to get a hold of the audiobook for ‘Frightmares’ by Eva V. Gibson. And. I really forgot about ‘A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy’ by Jeff Bishop.

However, I did however read all of my August anticipated book releases! Yay me! And, luckily, I really enjoyed ‘Long Live The Pumpkin Queen’ by Shea Ernshaw, ‘12 To 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future!’ by Jen Calonita, and ‘Nothing More to Tell’ by Karen M. McManus.
Related Post: Long Live The Pumpkin Queen // Book Review

Unfortunately, I did bad on reading my September anticipated releases ‘Wishtress’ by Nadine Brandes and ‘Mere Mortals’ by Erin Jade Lange, which is a bummer since they both sound so interesting. I did manage to read one of my October anticipated releases, ‘Pretty Dead Queens’ by Alexa Donne, but didn’t find the time to read the other October release want to ‘The Art of Insanity’ by Christine Webb.

My November anticipated releases were ‘Friends Like These’ by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez and ‘Whiteout’ by Various Authors. I haven’t read either of them, but I will be picking up ‘Whiteout’ soon seeing that it’s my December 2022 book club read.

As for December, one of my anticipated releases hasn’t come out yet. Still, it is safe to say that I won’t be reading ‘Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are’ by Kathryn Foxfield and ‘So, This Is Love’ by Tracy Andreen before 2022 comes to an end.

So, I only read 5 of the books off my most anticipated book releases lists. There is just not enough time to read backlist titles as well as new release in the year. Hopefully, I can get to some of these books in 2023.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any of these books. Which ones should I make a priority to read soon? If you want to support my book blog, please give this post a like and a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Christmas Clash // Book Review

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About The Book
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.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3hekMNY

My Rating

If you like a YA enemies-to-lovers, with a slight Romeo and Juliet aspect, then you should give this book a read. In the book, we follow two teens, Chloe and Peter, who’s parents run restaurants at the local mall. However, their parents are sworn enemies.

Chloe and and Peter are meant to be seen as enemies throughout the book, but I got more of a frenemies vibe from them. We hear a lot about how they dislike each other, yet their interactions during the story are fairly civil. And I could definitely see something developing pretty early on between them.

I found Peter and Chloe yo be likable characters. It was nice that they could be honest with each other. There were times that they would be snarky, or snap at one another, but they were mature enough to apologize for their attitudes.

The dialog between the two was funny and real. I could tell from the beginning that I was going to enjoy the story. Although the writing was good, it did feel very YA. But, not necessarily in a bad way, if that makes any sense.

“I was just thinking about us. And how I didn’t really know you just two months ago, and now I can’t picture life without you. It’s truly a Christmas miracle.”

There were a few heavy topic touched on in the book, one being that parenting is hard. Children don’t always see the struggles that parents have to go through. Things aren’t always easy when it comes to being a parent.

The other major subject that the book focused on was racism. First and foremost this is a YA romance, but it did showcase that racism is still a big part of the world we live in today. I think that the race issue was handled well, but not sure it fit with the story. I wanted a more light and fluffy Christmas read, yet it is still a serious issue, so it is good when books shed light on real world topics.

Overall, the story was cute, enjoyable, and a quick read. However, I did find the ending a little far-fetched. It was one of those cheesy, happy, everyone wins kind of endings that can be a little too much for me at times. Nevertheless, it was a good reading experience, and there was a subtle nod to food delivery apps that was a nice bonus.

In the comments, let me know if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers. I myself cannot get enough of them. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Christmas Murder Game // Book Review

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About The Book
Agatha Christie meets Clue in this delightful, tense manor house murder mystery. This clever murder mystery is the perfect gift for fans of classic mysteries, festive Christmas books, and armchair detective work. Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3UBj1s0

My Rating

I had been looking forward to this book since I heard the plot, but sadly, it was a complete let down. When I think of this book, the word that comes to mind is ‘boring’. That’s not to say the plot was bad, because the story truly did have potential. However, it was executed poorly.

Most of the characters were unlikable or uninteresting. The tolerable characters played relatively small roles within the story. And, we didn’t get to know each person enough to fully understand them.

The main character, Lily, was okay, but I felt as though the author made her out to be this golden girl. She was smart, kind, and clearly her aunt’s favorite. At times, I could understand why her cousin, that aunt’s daughter, couldn’t stand her.

It was annoying that Lily never came to terms with her mothers death. Sure, finding her mothers body was terribly traumatic but it is infuriating when fictional characters ignore seeking help for something so obvious. You can only really move on once you have faced the loss.

“It’s cruel, when she thinks of it, to ask her to return to this house, with its secrets written on walls and she’s the one who has to strip back the wallpaper.”

Now the second half of the book was a lot faster-paced then the first half. Although, it was pretty clear to me who the killer was. I wasn’t completely correct on the killer, and didn’t guess their motive, but I was half right.

Overall, the book was slow, and the murder-mystery aspect didn’t actually take place until the halfway point. I will say that if you are looking for a book with a complicated family relationship in it, then you might want to give this one a read. Because family being ruthless is very central to the plot.

As for the writing style, it wasn’t horrible, so I might try to give this author another chance. This particular book just wasn’t for me. Also, there is a romance situation that I can’t talk about much since it’s a spoiler, but definitely research trigger warnings for this book before picking it up.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read this book or are planning to. Don’t forget to support my book blog by giving a follow, too!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Holiday Reads // Books Meet Fashion

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
It’s Bookmas Day 6! I thought it would be fun to create some outfits inspired by book covers. I loved the looks that I created and really were inspired by each book cover. Also, I think that all the outfits are prefect for the winter season.

It is always fun, yet challenging, doing these books meet fashion posts. Let me know in the comments, which outfit is your favorite. Mine is probably the ‘One Day In December’ look. Don’t forget to hit the follow button before you leave.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Bookish Giveaway // Holiday 2022

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Hi Friends,
Today is Bookmas Day 5! And, it is giveaway day. I am going to be doing a bookish giveaway because I want to give back to all my lovely readers. This giveaway will run from today December 5th up until December 18th at 11:59 pm Central Standard Time.

The Rules
Follow My Blog
Must Be 18+ Or Have Parental Permission
Must Love Books

Prize
A Book Off Your Amazon Wishlist (Not Exceeding $15)

How To Enter
Comment Below Your Favorite Book Of 2022

I know that this giveaway might seem small, but I hope that you appreciate it nonetheless. But, in honor of the holiday season I want to give another small gift to all my readers. Using the code: BOOKSWITHBUNNY you can get 10% off everything in my bookish Etsy Shop (But First Bunny).

If you would like to support my social media you can follow me on Instagram (@Books.With.Bunny), Twitter (@BooksWithBunny) and TikTok (@BooksWithBunny). And, don’t forget to follow the blog and comment to enter the giveaway.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Merry Little Meet Cute | Book Review

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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