Mystery

These Witches Don’t Burn // Book Review

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Title: These Witches Don’t Burn
Author: Isabel Sterling
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal
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Synopsis
Isabel Sterling’s delightful, suspenseful debut is equal parts sweet romance and thrilling mystery. With everything she loves on the line, Hannah must confront this murderous villain before her coven—and any chance she has with the new girl—is destroyed.

I must admit, this book didn’t intrigue me that much. Still, I am glad that I gave it a chance. Once I was a few chapters in, I couldn’t put it down. This book follows Hannah, who is an elemental witch in Salem. It is such a cliche, but I love it when witch stories take place in Salem. Hannah’s family is part of a coven of elemental witches, which her ex-girlfriend, Veronica, happens to be in as well.

I thought that the breakup drama was well written. You could tell that they both still had feelings for one another, but Hannah wasn’t going to just forgive and forget. If you are curious about what Veronica did (like I was), apparently she left Hannah in a deadly situation with a blood witch. However, I wish that we got more context to the breakup, and perhaps even a flashback or two.

Throughout the book we see Hannah trying to sort out her complex feelings for her ex, while starting a relationship with the new girl in town, Morgan. Morgan was a sweet character, and didn’t blame Hannah for running off to, unbeknownst to her, deal with this supernatural crisis. Also, it’s hard when your crush still has a close relationship with her ex, but Morgan was very understanding throughout the story.

“And it’s not like Disney ever showed us how to fall for another girl.”

Hannah’s parents and best friend, Jemma were likeable enough supporting characters. Towards the end, Jemma became one of my favorite characters. She added a much-needed comic relief to the story. Also, she was quick to defend Hannah to other people in her life. Hannah’s parents might not have understood their daughter at times, but you could see that they truly loved her.

The main plot is finding out who is responsible for the dark magic being used in Salem. Yet, there were times when we focused on the romance and family side of the story. I wouldn’t classify this as a contemporary. The magic and mystery plot was the backbone of the book. But I did like the times we stepped-away from the main plot to focus on ‘normal’ teenager things, like dating, heartbreak and parental drama.

For the most part, the book kept me interested, and there were some confessions that threw me for a loop. However, the storyline and ending were easy to predict. I am not suggesting that’s a bad thing, because sometimes it is nice to know what to expect. But I would have liked a few more surprising elements. I didn’t foretell some of the sadder moments, and although they hurt my heart, I do think they were needed to push the story forward.

Seeing as this is a duology, I will most likely be picking up the second book. But it may not be until next fall, since I think witchy books make good October reads. Do let me know in the comments if you have read this one, and what your opinions are on it. And before you leave, why don’t you give the blog a follow? It is completely free, and you get to support me and get updates at the same time

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Two Can Keep A Secret // Book Review

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Title: Two Can Keep A Secret
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2019
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery
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Synopsis
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

I didn’t expect this book to blow me away, and for the most part I was right. The plot follows a teenage girl, Ellery. She is sent, with her twin brother, to live with their grandmother in Echo Ridge. Their mother, a small time actress, is doing another stint in rehab, so the twins have to make the best of their new lives. Ellery’s only interest is the murder of the homecoming queen that took place five years prior.

This is a dual perspective narrative, which I didn’t anticipate. We get Ellery’s point of view, but we also get Malcom’s, whose brother was the prime suspect in homecoming murder. I didn’t like one perspective more than the other, which I find is good when it comes to books that alternate narratives. However, I did think that Ellery was always jumping the gun when it came to sharing her theories. She didn’t take the time to think things through fully, and went for the easy suspects.

One thing’s for sure, I couldn’t get behind Ellery and Malcom as a couple. Their relationship started instantly, without any development. I didn’t see the chemistry between the two characters. I was fond of, Mia, who is Malcom’s best friend. And, Ezra, Ellery’s twin brother. It was nice that they were both diverse characters, as Ezra is both biracial and gay. While Mia is a bisexual Korean. I could sense that Mia added some spice to Malcom’s life, while Ezra was more level-headed than Ellery. Also, I cannot get over the fact that his name is ‘Ezra’ and the book is titled ‘Two Can Keep A Secret.’ Pretty Little Liars Easter egg?

“I thought she was your mother.”

Something that I am not a fan of when it comes to books is multiple plots. In this book, we are trying to solve the homecoming murder from five years ago. But than there’s this hit and run accident, absent mother story-line and even some found family side plot. As if that wasn’t enough, Ellery is also trying to uncover what happened to her mother’s twin sister, who disappeared many years ago. All the pieces do come together at the end, but I think that was way too much for one book to handle.

The ending has got to be the best part. I think that somewhere around the last two chapters, you get a sense of whose the killer. Personally, however, I was still shocked at the reveal. The motive was done well, and it was jaw-dropping. At one point, you don’t think the characters are going to make it out of alive. Also, the final page had a major twist that I never saw coming.

Even though the book didn’t wow me like ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ did, Karen M. McManus is still an exceptional author. I probably wouldn’t give this one a reread, but I do wish that it was a bit longer since there was sort of a cliffhanger ending. I needed to know more.

Let me know if you have read this book, tell me your thoughts about it in the comments. Give this post a like and a share, and follow for content updates and more.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

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About The Book
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3XGxtnJ

My Rating

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in a YA mystery, thriller trilogy. These books are highly popular and seen as great introductory books to the YA thriller genre. In this book, we follow Pippa, a high-school senior, working on her capstone project. Her topic is a murder that happened five years prior. The case went cold when the prime suspect killed themselves. Pippa believes the wrong person was accused of the murder, and wants to uncover the truth.

I can completely see why other readers would suggest the book to thriller newbies, or even people that don’t particularly fancy the horror and thriller genre. It read more like a contemporary than a traditional thriller, which was a nice. Especially for someone, like myself, that primarily read YA contemporaries. However, if you are looking for a dark, suspense-filled thriller than this probably isn’t the book for you. I found the plot to be fairly tame and not too nail-biting.

Pippa was a solid enough female-lead with some stereotypical aspects. She boarders the ‘smart girl’ and ‘I’m not like other girls’ personality cliches. The other characters weren’t very prominent in the story, so I am in different to them. I don’t love them or hate them.

“I’m not sure I’m the good girl I once thought I was . I’ve lost her along the way”

There were times when this book gave me ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ vibes. I can’t explain why, because they aren’t similar at all. The only comparison I can come up with is that both have twists when it comes to the killer. You think that you know who the murderer is, but at the last minute you realize you were completely wrong.

Overall, I don’t have a lot of cons, but I did find there to be one too many suspects. Perhaps the author wanted to keep us reader on their toes, since you don’t know who to trust. But I found it hard to keep track of all the suspects. Still, it did keep me guessing, which kept me interested. Everyone was suspicious making the case not so cut and dry.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy quick reads, especially when it comes to the thriller genre. I think mysteries, horrors and thrillers should have fast-paced stories. A thriller should be engaging with a lot of story development, and rarely any pointless chapters. Although, this mystery does take while to piece together, their wasn’t much downtime within the story.

I will be continuing on with the series, and excited to see what Pippa tackles next. If you want a list of all the trigger warnings that this book contains please visit Book Trigger Warning. Feel free to comment on your thoughts below. Share, like and follow so you can show your support for my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

One Of Us Is Next // Book Review

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Title: One Of Us Is Next
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2020
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller
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Synopsis
Come on, Bayview, you know you’ve missed this. A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one’s been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts. Until now. This time it’s not an app, though—it’s a game. Truth or Dare.

This is the companion novel to ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, which I have a review up for as well. In this book, we are following a new group of teens, one of whom is Maeve Rojas (Bronwyn’s sister, that we saw in book one), as well as appearances from characters in the previous book. A few characters had already been introduced in ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, which was a nice bonus. The plot walked the line between mystery and thriller. We follow this group of teens as they deal with a dangerous game of Truth and Dare. It was engaging, but then again I find that many Karen M. McManus books are (at least to me).

I enjoyed each character, and not one perspective bored me. There were a few parts that felt like unnecessary filler, and didn’t add anything to the story. However, it wasn’t common enough to be a problem for me. Overall, the story unfolded at a nice pace. I was happy to see that there wasn’t a best friends to lovers story in play. I am not opposed to that all, but it was nice to see the author go a different, less cliche route.

One of my favorite characters was Phoebe. She had a lot going on, and made some stupid choices, but was unapologetically herself. She didn’t hide her faults, and tried her best to own up to her mistakes throughout the book. Maeve was a solid character, and mini Nancy Drew, which is always fun to read about. Knox (Maeve’s best friend/ex-boyfriend) was the nice guy, but out of all of them, he was the least fleshed out. I didn’t feel like I got a true sense of his personality.

“I don’t understand why the world insists on stuffing kids into boxes we never asked for, and then gets mad when we won’t stay there.”

There was a bit of romance in this book, and I adored it. Maeve and Luis had great chemistry, and it was nice to watch their relationship unfold. But the pairing that I shipped most of all was Phoebe and Knox. They had some great moments together, so I could see them having real couple potential. Also, I liked that they were different, but grew closer as the book went on.

I am pretty bad at mysteries, but I did have my suspicions on where the plot was going. And, while I was sort of right, the ending shocked me. It was such a good twist, and the last chapter was amazing. I truly wanted to know what was going to happen next. I think a good book keeps you wanting more, which is exactly what Karen M. McManus achieved with ‘One Of Us Is Next’.

I would say that if you are in between fantasy books, you should give this one a read. It’s a good novel to pick up when you need a break from reading big, plot-heavy books. It’s an easy one to follow, and a fairly quick read. Don’t worry if thriller isn’t your preferred genre, it leans more towards the mystery side.

If you liked this review, then give this post a like and a share. Comment down below if you read this book, and your thoughts on it. Also, following the blog helps keep me going, so show your support!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Autumn Book Recommendations

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Below is a list of books that I would love to pick up this fall. These books strike me as autumn reads, so I thought now would be the perfect time to share them with you guys. Hopefully this will help anyone looking for some cozy season book recommendations. Side note, I don’t care whether a book is popular, but it is fun to see what all the hype is about.

1) These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling 
From the title, you can tell this is a YA book about witches. It is set in Salem and has LGBT representation. I haven’t read many witchy stories, but this one sounds like so much fun. I think it is the first book in a duology, so I’m interested to see if I’m going to want to continue with the series.

2) Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
This is a mystery novel set at a boarding school. I don’t know about you, but I love a good private school or boarding school book. The book follows a teenage girl, Stevie, who is really into true crime. She starts attending, Ellingham Academy, where the founder of the school’s spouse and daughter went missing years ago. She decides to put her detective skills to work and solve a century old cold case. There are four other books in the series, and I have heard nothing but good things about them.

3) A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Surprise, surprise another series. To be honest I don’t know much about this book. Except that its a YA thriller. I hear that it’s perfect for thriller/horror newbies like myself. I have been recommended this books countless times, and it gives me Halloween vibes. All I know about the plot is that it is set in a small town with lots of secrets.

4) The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
This is another book that I don’t know much about. In my opinion, it isn’t really talked about in the book community. It is YA thriller about three cousins that go to visit their grandmother over the summer. I believe she has disinherited each of their parents, so they are trying to get back into her good graces. Obviously it is going to be filled with twist and turns. I know some people aren’t a fan of Karen M. McManus, but I enjoy her writing style.

5) The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
For once I have an adult novel on a tbr. This is an adult horror book that has caught my attention. If you seen any horror movie you know that there is always one heroine left standing. Think Sidney Prescott in Scream. This book follows the girls, who survived. I could be wrong, but I believe somebody has comeback to try and kill these ‘Final Girls.’ It sounds so intense and interesting. I cannot wait to read this during the spooky season.

6) House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
From what I’ve been told, this is a horror ’12 Dancing Princess’ retelling. I don’t know anything about the original story, so I am going into this with an open mind. It follows a young girl that starts becoming suspicious when her sisters start getting murdered. I hear that it isn’t too scary, but such a good read.

I cannot wait to read all of these books in the near future. Please let me know if you have read any of these books, or if you plan on picking them up.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

 

Book Haul // August 2021

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
In August, I went a little book buying crazy, which is pretty rare. Typically I wait to receive books as gifts and hardly buy any throughout the year. The only expectation is secondhand and discounted books. Also, I am big about not buying books I haven’t read. Nevertheless, the book lover inside me couldn’t contain themself this month. To be honest, I’m not mad about it.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
This book is giving me all those fall vibes. It has to do with witches, obviously, and a girl that has element magic. Basically, she has different powers in each season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). I haven’t seen anyone talk about it, so I am going into it pretty blind. It seems to be a underrated 2021 release.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
The first book in a YA mystery series about a boarding school, a true crime lover and an unsolved mystery. If you follow the book community than you have probably heard nothing but good things about this series. Also, who doesn’t love a good private school book. I have been on a mystery and thriller kick lately, so this one was an automatic buy.

Finale by Stephanie Garber
This is the last book in the Caraval trilogy. The first and second books were given to me as gifts a couple of years. I was very excited to see a hardback copy for under $10, so now my collection is complete.

Lucky in Love by Kase West
I believe I’ve shared before that I am a major Kasie West fan. I don’t have any of her books, so I was happy to get one at an affordable price. This is one of her releases that I have yet to read. But I did read ‘Windfall’ by Jennifer E. Smith, which has a similar plot. I didn’t care for that book, still I am hoping Kasie West doesn’t disappoint me.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
The Twisted Tale books always rope me in, which I’m not sure is a good thing. I have read Conceal, Don’t Feel and Unbirthday, and have reviews for both of them. From the title, you can probably suspect this is an Aladdin retelling. The book tales the story if Aladdin had never found the lamp. It seem like very interesting plot twist that I am looking forward in reading.

Blackout by Various Authors
I didn’t know anything about this book before buying it. But I noticed that Angie Thomas was one of the authors, so I knew it would be a awesome read. After reading the synopsis, I learned that the book is a collection of short contemporary stories that follow black teens. I am all about reading more diverse books, and YA contemporaries steal my heart. My opinion on short story collections vary , but I haven’t written them off yet.

The Girl in the Headlines by Hannah Jayne
This is young adult thriller that I have heard nothing about. It is a Lizzie Burden type story with a interesting twist. Our main character has a seemingly perfect life. But her world comes crashing down when she wakes up on the day after her eighteen birthday with no memory of what happened the night before. She learns that her parents have been brutally murdered and she’s the prime suspect. If that synopsis doesn’t intrigue then you are going to be missing out.

All the Pretty Things by Emily Arsenault
I’m not sure if this will turn out to be psychological thriller, mystery or horror. The plot follows a teenager girl, who’s best friend ends up in a psych hospital after finding a dead body. The murder has been caught, but the main character isn’t convinced they committed the crime. I perdict it to be a mystery with a lot of suspense.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This is a young adult mystery thriller series that has been recommended to me countless times. I hear that it is a great for readers new to the thriller genre. It seems to have great a rating, so I am curious to see my thoughts on it.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Yep another Kasie West book purchases. However, I have read this one and adored it. It is probably one of my favorite book from her. It is a young adult enemies-to-lovers story, which is one of my favorite tropes.

There you have my smallish book haul. I am most likely going to go on a short book buying ban. I can’t remember the books on my wishlist, and with the holidays approaching I would hate to buy a book that I might be gifted. Let me know in the comments any books you’ve recently purchased. Don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

They Wish They Were Us // Book Review

- Bunny 4 Comments


Title: They Wish They Were Us
Author: Jessica Goodman
Published: 2020
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery


Freshman year Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on. Now, it’s Jill’s senior year and she’s determined to make it her best yet. After all, she’s a senior and a Player–a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill’s year. She’s sure of it. But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham’s innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn’t kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.
Source: Goodreads


This was one of my first introductions into YA mystery. I figured since I love thriller movies, then thriller books should be right up my alley. I had been anticipating reading this book for a while, but had seen some mixed reviews on it. I’ll start off with the negative aspects of the book, so we can end on a good note. I wasn’t a fan of the slow moving plot. I felt as though nothing had happened, but I was already at the 1/3 mark.

Another problem was that I could instantly tell who the killer was going to be. I feel that a thriller is more interesting when there are a lot of suspects, and you don’t know who to trust. I found all the characters to be fairly shallow, and only cared about their social status. I never went to high-school, so I don’t have any frame of reference on how other teenagers act. But I hope they aren’t as bratty as they were portrayed in this book.

My biggest problem was the female lead’s indecisiveness. For the majority of the book, she bounced back-and-forth between helping or just staying out of it. Even though she had many doubts about her friend’s killer, she tried to talk herself out of helping an innocent person go free. There’s not wanting to get involved, and then there’s just turning a blind eye. Now, moving on to happier things! I enjoyed Goodman’s writing style tremendously. I could see her writing some amazing, lighthearted contemporaries in the future.

I thought that the killer’s motive was done very well. I didn’t expect it at all. One of the most redeeming points is that I find this to be a great first step into the YA thriller, murder mystery genre. It is on the tamer side, but has solid writing and plot. Don’t be afraid to give me some YA thriller and horror recommendations in the comments. Subscribe via email to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Book Review: The Project by Courtney Summers

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*This review might include information that some might see as a spoiler.*

Title: The Project
Author: Courtney Summers
Published: 2021
Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Synopsis: It’s good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer–at least, it was, until the FBI came knocking on her front door, guns at the ready, and her future went up in smoke. Now her mother is under arrest in a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Chloe, too, might be facing charges, and even time behind bars. The public is furious, the press is rabid, and the US attorney is out for blood.
Source: GoodReads

I feel at a lost for words to describe my thoughts on this book. I went into this book expecting a dark mystery thriller, but this story was much more. I would classify this as a psychological thriller that shines a light on cult lives and their leaders. The story kept me guessing at every turn, and although I didn’t love the plot Courtney Summers still managed to make me invested in story. At times, I was angry at Lo for how naïve she was, but I was also upset with her sister Bea for abandoning love for the The Unity Project.

There were times that I understood Lo’s frustration and need for love. I understood Bea’s need to find something, anything to believe in. As Lo and Bea both fell in love with Lev, I too fell for Lev’s charm and wanted to believe in his kindness. Make no mistake he is the villain of this story, but the author does a wonderful job of portraying him in such away that you want to believe in what he is selling. However, that is the thing about sociopathic sadist they no how to manipulate people and the narrative to their liking. They prey on the wounded, lonely, and the weak.

“For that brief period when everything ugly is covered under the sparkle of something so new, the world almost feels like it’s living up to its potential.”

Some of the chapters where a bit painful to read and heartbreaking. This story doesn’t wrap-up into a happy little bow. Their isn’t a true happy ending. I feel sadness for Lo and Bea. This is a story that cannot be explained and isn’t for everyone. It isn’t much of a mystery, but does keep you guessing. I wouldn’t call it a new favorite, but it is memorable. The book is categorized as young adult genre, yet I would say that it is more new adult. I would be interested in picking up other works from this author in the future.

I hope you liked this review, and want to mention that the book does deal with abuse, abandonment and tragedy. You can visit booktriggerwarnings.com to see warnings for many other books. Please like and share this post with other books lovers. Don’t forget to follow the blog to get notified when I post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny