Mystery

2023 Mid-Year Book Freakout // Book Tag

- Bunny 2 Comments

Hi Friends,
Today I’m doing the classic ‘Mid-Year Book Freakout’ Book Tag! This tag is a very popular one among the book community. If you’d like, you can check out my 2021 and 2022 editions of this tag.


I’m going to say ‘Belladonna’ by Adalyn Grace. This is a young adult fantasy that I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait for the sequel to be released! Other than that, I feel like my reading year hasn’t been the best.
Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review


Because I’m terrible at finishing series, I haven’t read too many sequel. So, there’s only one answer for this question and that would have to be ‘Finale’ by Stephanie Garber. It’s the conclusion to the ‘Caraval’ trilogy. I enjoyed how the ending, but it wasn’t my favorite book in the series.
Related Post: Finale // Book Review


‘You Shouldn’t Have Come Here’ by Jeneva Rose is an adult thriller about a woman that rents an Airbnb ad falls for the owner of it. But, their romance goes from sweet to obsessive. It was released back in April of 2023 and I still haven’t had the chance to pick it up. I haven’t read anything by this author, but I tend to have good luck with adult thrillers, so I have high hopes for this book.


This is a no brainer! It’s is, for sure, ‘One of Us Is Back’ by Karen M. McManus, which will be released on July 25th. I loved ‘One of Us is Lying’ and ‘One of Us is Next’, so I’m very excited for the next book in this YA thriller series of companion novels. Hopefully we get to see more of Knox and Phoebe relationship.
Related Post: One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review


Probably, ‘Five Survive’ by Holly Jackson. I’m a pretty big fan of the ‘Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy by this author, but this book was a fail. It was my first read of the year and put me in a reading slump. The whole premise behind the book was subpar and the writing wasn’t up to her usual standards.
Related Post: Five Survive // Book Review


I’m going to have to say my biggest reading surprise of the year, so far has been ‘With and Without You’ by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. I have read all of their YA novels, and only ever truly liked one of them. But, this book shocked me and was a 5 star read. It was such a cute YA contemporary romance that had a long distance relationship element, which isn’t something you typically see in YA books.


I’ve apparently been sleeping with regard to Kara Thomas’ young adult thrillers. I read ‘The Cheerleaders’ and it was a really captivating mystery. The writing was wonderful and it’s made me want to pick up all of her books.


I’ve got two answers for this question. The first being, Patrick from ‘With and Without You’, because if I was a teen girl, I would be swooning for this boy. And, the second is Four from ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth. What can I say I guess I have a thing for quiet, strong, serious guys.


Vera from ‘Shady Hollow’ by Juneau Black is a great main character. Yes, she is a fox, but I love her personality, and she’s become one of my new favorite characters.
Related Post: Shady Hollow // Book Review


So far, I actually haven’t read a book that has made me cry. But, I did find ‘Then She Was Gone’ by Lisa Jewell really sad. Honestly, for a mystery thriller, it’s pretty heartbreaking.
Related Post: Then She Was Gone // Book Review


‘The Stand-In’ by Lily Chu brought a smile to my face. It’s an adult romance that I adored. The entire plot and writing was great, and I had a really fun time reading it.


The special edition of ‘Daughter of the Pirate King‘ by Tricia Levenseller. I pre-ordered it, so it isn’t released until my birthday (June 27th). But, I’m still counting it as the most beautiful book I’ve bought this year. And, yes I did pre-order the rest of the series special editions as well. Before you ask, no, I haven’t read the series yet.


My TBR is far too long for this question. However, I’m really hoping to complete some book series that I’ve started. One that is high on my list is ‘Our Violent Ends’ by Chloe Gong, since I really enjoyed ‘These Violent Delights’. It should be easy to get a few duologies finished by the end of the year. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
Related Post: These Violent Delights // Book Review

In the comments, let me know if you have done this tag too. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Kill Joy | Book Review

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About The Book
Pip is not in the mood for her friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920’s fancy dress and pretending that their town is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42vb4sg

My Rating

This is a prequel to Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ trilogy. If you are a regular reader of the blog, then you know that I have a love/hate relationship with that series, and Holly Jackson’s books in general.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

In this book, we follow Pip, as she is a guest at a murder mystery party. I absolutely loved the concept of the book. It was such an easy and fun read. It felt like a true murder mystery game among friends.

The book might have not had all the suspenseful twists and turns as the other three books in the series, but I didn’t mind. The mystery was very straightforward and simple.
Related Post: Good Girl, Bad Blood // Book Review

I loved being inside Pip’s mind as she tries to put all the pieces of the murder together. Honestly, she’s every competitive person playing a game. Also, it was nice to see her in a more light hearted situation.

“It was almost like the town itself was defined by the murder of Andie Bell, both usually uttered in the same breath, inextricable from the other.”

The ending had a nice small twist that I found so realistic when it comes to the logical aspects of a game. Now I don’t know if I wouldn’t consider this a cozy mystery but I do think for some readers it could fall somewhere along those lines.

My favorite thing about this book is all the foreshadowing of the main trilogy. We got to see Pippa realize what her final year project should be. We saw characters from all the other books, and it was just a very full circle moment.
Related Post: As Good As Dead // Book Review

Overall, the book wasn’t anything spectacular, or the best story I’ve ever read. Yet, it is wonderfully written, and a fast-paced, good read. If you are looking for a mystery story that doesn’t require a lot of brain power, then I’d pick this one up.

If you’d like to share this post that would be amazing. And, giving my blog a follow would make my day!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

People Like Us // Book Review

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About The Book
Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she’s reinvented herself entirely. Now she’s a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl’s body is found in the lake, Kay’s carefully constructed life begins to topple. Debut author Dana Mele has written a taut, sophisticated suspense novel that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3N4GpgW

My Rating

I thought this book was going to be your typical prep school, mystery/thriller type of YA novel. I will say right up front that I haven’t loved many of the books I’ve read that follow this format. However, I am happy to say that I did actually enjoy this one!

The main character Kay is likable and interesting. She has a secret that she has kept hidden for years, but after discovering a body in the lake on Halloween, someone is threatening to expose her past. The skeleton in the closet aspect of the book reminded me a little of ‘There’s Someone Inside Your House’ by Stephanie Perkins, but it was done way better in this book.

This book was so intense! There was murder, blackmail, and it even touched on how the police are usually more concerned about closing a case than actually solving it. Racial profiling was mentioned, student teacher relationships, cheating, suicide, revenge porn, and the list goes on.

I for one couldn’t put the book down! I had to know what was going to happen next. The writing was so good, and the plot just kept getting better. I didn’t really feel like it was another prep school rehashed. Although Kay was the stereotypical non-rich girl on a scholarship, which is a running theme when it comes to the main characters in most private school mysteries.

“Does someone who does one bad thing, even one really bad thing,
deserve bad things to happen to them?”

I had my suspicions on who the killer was and I will admit that I was wrong at first. It was a slow build up to the reveal, but the reveal was done very well. The ending was amazing! By the end, you realize that there were many tiny hints throughout the book that lead you to the murders identity.

I will say that the ending was kind of sad, and had a lot to do with bullying and mental health. That being said, I liked how the story was wrapped up even though some people might guess the killer from early on. So, if you aren’t someone that minds a little predictability than you’ll enjoy this book.

Overall, this book gave me ‘Pretty Little Liars’ meets ‘Gossip Girl’ vibes. However, I did read a review calling it a ‘fucked up sapphic mean girls book’ and I think that describes it way better. But, it is a great read for spooky season, and I did get a kick out of the ‘A Christmas Story’ Ovaltine reference.

I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings —(find here)— before picking thing book up. Don’t forget to like and share this post with others. If you are a book lover (like me) hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

People Like Us by Dana Mele

Dark And Shallow Lies // Book Review

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About The Book
A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling debut supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and Rory Power. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent—and La Cachette’s dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3WGq05r

My Rating

This book is a very interesting take on the YA mystery genre, because it has a magical realism element to it. In the book, Grey returns to La Cachette, Louisiana to spend the summer in the same place that her best friend, Elora, disappeared from, 6 month earlier.

In La Cachette everyone has some kind of magical ability, from being a love psychic to an empath. However, Grey, just now seventeen years old, is learning to discover her own gift. As the protagonist of the story, Grey was just okay. She wasn’t horrible or unlikable, but I wouldn’t say I loved following her either.

In my opinion, this book is way more mystery based, because there were a lot of secrets going on. The mystery of Elora disappearance did keep me interested, but not enough to where I couldn’t put the book down.

“Welcome to La Cachette, Louisiana Elevation 3 Ft. Population 106 Living Souls.”

For me, the story as a whole just didn’t work. The psychic aspect of the story was a bit weird, and La Cachette was a very twisted place. There’s also another mystery from the past that somewhat ties into the current mystery. And, there’s a romance as well. It just had a lot going on.

My biggest con was the writing. I do understand that this is a debut novel, so I am trying not to judge it too heavily. But, the book didn’t come to life for me, and man, was it slow moving. I wanted the plot to pick up, but it never really did.

Overall, the ending was solid and I do think the author has the potential to write something really good. Nevertheless, I want to say the this book isn’t comparable to Karan M. McManus’ works (as it states on GoodReads), which might be a good thing for some people. Also, the story is pretty sad, and there are some triggering things talked about in this book. One being the murder of children.

Remember that StoryGraph is a great tool for finding trigger warnings for books. Don’t forget to show your support by giving the blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

White Smoke // Book Review

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About The Book
Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its. . . secrets. But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42Qz3TP

My Rating

Right off the bat, I was unsure about the writing of this book. For some reason, I didn’t love the author’s writing style, and felt it was going to be a more slow-paced young adult thriller, which it did end up being. However, in the book, we have an unreliable narrator, so I enjoyed that aspect a lot.

Marigold has moved with her newly blended family to a small town, and is trying to leave her addiction in the past, after it almost ended her life. So, drug use is mentioned a lot throughout the story. I found it interesting to see Marigold’s struggle with addiction, because you could see her wanting to stay clean, but the addict part of her brain was trying to convince her that she needed to use.

She also deals with OCD, which is a mental illness that I haven’t read about in books before. I liked the way the author talked about all these different issues, while still keeping the core of the book as a thriller. However, I didn’t find Marigold to be very likable. She had a brother that she was close to, but didn’t even want try and connect with her younger stepsister. It frustrated me to no end.

“The house stills. The house heard us.”

As for the thriller part of the plot, it was pretty slow moving. But, once you hit about the 50% mark, things get creepy. While Marigold is trying to explain away these unexplainable incidents, thinking they’re caused by her addiction, you as the reader just know something isn’t right with the house. There were times that I was freaked out and had goosebumps.

I didn’t see the ending coming at all. It was way more hard hitting than I expected, and it was a shocking turn of events to say the least. This book really straddles the line between young adult contemporary and thriller. It leaned a little too much towards the contemporary side of things for me, but I understand how some people might not feel that way.

Overall, it was a good read, and I probably would have enjoyed it more if it had been more fast-paced. The book just took a little too long to grab my attention and creep me out. I actually DNF’ed it the first time around, but I am glad I gave it another chance.

In the comments, let me know if you prefer fast or slow paced thrillers. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Shady Hollow | Book Review

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About The Book
The first book in the Shady Hollow series, in which we are introduced to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony—until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case. Reporter Vera Vixen has a nose for news, so when she catches wind that the death might be a murder, she resolves to get to the bottom of the case, no matter where it leads.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3pH2qJq

My Rating

If you are looking for a cozy mystery that features animals, this book’s got you covered! I loved everything about this book, and it was such a fun, easy read. The main character is Vera, a fox who’s also a news reporter! When she learns that there’s been a murder in Shady Hollow, she can’t help putting her reporting skills to use, and trying to solve the case.

I loved getting to know Vera, and all the other residents of Shady Hollow. It was such a fun book and concept. Who would think to write a cozy mystery series with animals as the main characters? But, the author did a great job bringing these characters and story to life. And, it didn’t feel cheesy or too young it was an adult cozy mystery, at its core.

The mystery was very well done and I had no idea who the murder was at all. I kept changing my mind throughout the book, but I loved that it kept me on my toes. I’m not the type of reader that goes into mysteries or thrillers with the intention of trying to figure things out, so I like a good surprise ending.

“Did you know there’s never been a murder in Shady Hollow before?”

Now there was a little romance for Vera that you could see blooming throughout the book, which I loved. It was pretty adorable and I hope we continue to see more of her relationship in the coming books. I am invested in not only her love life, but the lives of all the people in Shady Hollow.

Overall, the book is a 5 star read for me! I never imagined I’d be a cozy mystery person, but man, can I not wait to pick up the next book in this series! It’s a nice break from contemporaries and longer fantasies. So, if you’re looking for a good palette cleanser book, I’d give this one a read.

Please leave some cozy mystery recommendations for me in the comments below. Don’t forget to share and like this post. If you love all things bookish, give my little blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Then She Was Gone // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet. But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter. Because his daughter is the image of Ellie.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/41wG1vK

My Rating

I had heard nothing but good things about this book. And, going into it, I was expecting it to be a thrilling mystery-thriller. However, the story wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be.

In the book, we follow Laurel, whose daughter Ellie disappeared when she was just fifteen year old. 10 years later, Laurel meets Floyd, whose daughter Poppy looks almost identical to Ellie.

The plot sounded so intriguing, but predictable from the start. Honestly, there wasn’t many shocking twist in the book. I think even a newbie mystery reader could have figured out where the story was going.

As a main character, Laurel was a classic mother of a missing child, at least as far as pop culture is concerned. She took 10 years to even attempt to move on from losing Ellie. And, she had a strained relationship with her other two kids and husband because of her resentment towards them for Ellie’s disappearance.

“When I read a book it feels like real life and when I put the book down it’s like I go back into the dream.”

It was interesting to get chapters in Ellie’s perspective. Reading those chapters made me imagine what it would be like loosing a child. Nothing can compare to that kind of nightmare. It’s a horrifying, and nobody should have to go through that kind of situation.

However, the writing wasn’t as engaging as I’d would have liked. I found the pacing to be pretty slow. I’ve heard a lot of people mention that it is a quick read, and while I did finish it in a day, I wouldn’t necessarily consider the book to be fast-paced. Still, the story wasn’t interesting enough to keep me reading.

Overall, I would say that this for sure a mystery but not at all a thriller. For the most part, you already no where the story is going to go. Also, I found the book to be very sad. The ending broke my heart. I just felt so bad for Laurel, Ellie, Poppy, and mostly every character by the end of the book.

Before you read this book be sure to check out the trigger warnings. StoryGraph is a great resource for looking up trigger warnings in books. Don’t forget to like this post and follow my blog to get post alerts.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Wretched Waterpark // Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment


About The Book
A middle-grade mystery series that’s spooky, creepy, and filled with gothic twists! Meet the Sinister-Winterbottom twins, who solve mysteries at increasingly bizarre summer vacation destinations in the hopes of being reunited with their parents—or at the very least finally finding a good churro.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/42mZCQ4

My Rating

 

I’m not gonna lie, this was a very quick and easy middle-grade mystery-ish book. I wasn’t exactly sure where the plot was going and I didn’t love how the story as a whole played out.

In the book, we follow 12 year old twins, Theodore and Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom, and their older sister Wilhelmina. As they spend the summer with their Aunt Saffronia, and discover a mystery at a strange waterpark.

We got to know Sinister-Winterbottom kids’ personalities, and the side characters were also fleshed out well. And, the writing really is what kept me reading. Kiersten White has a way of making me keep wanting to regardless of how I feel about the plot.

My biggest problem is that I just didn’t care for the mystery. I didn’t find it to be engaging, and I wasn’t drawn into the story. The plot felt very young, so as an adult reader that likes her adult mystery thrillers, I found the book to be very underwhelming. You can tell it was intended for tweens.

“It was the strangest summer.”

I speed read the last half of the book because it was easy to follow and I wanted to be done with the story. However, that’s not to say it’s a bad book. I believe younger kids would really enjoy it. And, I might have been more of a fan if I had read it when I was a kid.

Negative thoughts aside, I haven’t completely given up on the series. If I do end up continuing on with the book it will most likely be do to the writing. And, the fact they’ll be more simple reads. They might even be great to help get you out of a reading slump. However, I won’t plan on any of them being 5 star reads, but sometimes that okay.

Overall, if you do want a fast paced read that’s good to boost your reading goal this year, then I would pick this up. Or, if you know a tween in your life that is into mystery books. It is recommended for fans of ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ and ‘Scooby Doo’, and I completely understand why.

In the comments, let me know if you enjoyed this book. Or, if you have any middle-grade mystery book recommendations. Don’t forget to follow my blog to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Spring 2023 // To Be Read

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Today, I’m going to be doing my Spring TBR! I’ve decided to start doing more seasonal TBRs, since I’m a huge mood readers. However, I’ve been super active on Bookstagram and Booktok. And, on Booktok I’ve started doing a TBR jar, so each month I’ll pick out four books from that jar. If you want to see my picks for April go follow me on TikTok (@BooksWithBunny). Anyways, let’s get on to the books I hope to read this spring!

Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter: I have become a huge Lynn Painter fan, so I have decided to dive into her adult romances. I hear that this is a really funny and cute romance.

Love Wager by Lynn Painter: This is the second book in her ‘Mr. Wrong Number’ series. I don’t know much about it but the color is yellow, which makes me think of spring.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: I’ve read some of the authors YA work before, and admittedly, didn’t love them. However, I’ve heard only good things about this book. It’s a romance with a main character that falls in love with a ghost. It’s giving off major ‘Just Like Heaven’ vibes.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon: I have absolutely no idea what this book is about, but it follows a weather girl, so I’m sold. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I’m obsessed with the weather, so this book is perfect for me.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: This is an adult romance that has to do with a women that is infertile. I’m excited to read this because Abby Jimenez is a very popular author, but, as I’m struggling to conceive as well, it might be a very hard read for me.

With And Without You by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: I have a love hate relationship with this author duo. I loved their book ‘If I’m Being Honest’ but have hated nearly all of their other books. However, I’m going to give this one a read, and see if they can prove they’re not just a one hit wonder in my book.

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott: All I know is that this is a queer love story, and it’s written by one of the authors of ‘Five Feet Apart’. Enough said.

Promposal by RaeChell Garrett: This was on my most anticipated romance releases of 2023. As you can tell from the title it’s a young adult contemporary about prom. So, I have to read it around prom seasons.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti: I know nothing about this book, except for the fact that it’s a YA mystery/thriller, but leans more toward the mystery side of things. The cool thing is that it’s told mostly through police interviews.

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran: Honestly, I can’t remember what this book is about, but I know that it’s a YA thriller. And, it is said to be perfect for fans of ‘Mexican Gothic’. While I didn’t love that book, I remember being intrigued by this one’s plot.

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager: I’ve been wanting to pick up a Riley Sager book for sometime and this is the one I’ve chosen to read first. I believe it’s about a woman that thinks she witnessed a murder. However, I’m pretty sure she’s an unreliable narrator.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins: This book has mixed reviews, but I still want to read it for myself. It is a ‘locked island’ thriller, which sounds unlike anything I’ve read before.

There you have my somewhat big spring TBR! Let me know what you are hoping to read this spring in the comments. Don’t forget to give my blog a follow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Friday Reads #13

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
I decided to do a ‘Friday Reads’ post to share with you my weekend reading plans. Currently, I’m reading ‘The Housemaid‘ by Freida McFadden and I will for sure be finishing it this weekend. It’s a mystery thriller book that I’m really enjoying.

Next, I plan on making some progress on ‘Furyborn‘ by Claire Legrand. I’m hoping to get to the 50% mark by the end of the weekend. This is a YA fantasy that is a part of my 12 book challenge for 2023.

Lastly, I’m going to try and start ‘Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale‘ by Elizabeth J. Braswell. This is a retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid’ that I’m excited to get too.
Related Post: So This Is Love // Book Review

There you have the books I’m hoping to pick up this weekend. Hopefully I will finish two of them, but we’ll see how the weekend goes. In the comments, let me know what you are currently reading. Don’t forget to hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny