Title: One Of Us Is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller
One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Source: Goodreads
I went into this book with low expectations, considering that the reviews aren’t the best. The book started off fairly slow, but from there, it got right into the main plot. Unlike others, I was a fan of the writing style. The characters were the typical ‘Breakfast Club’ stereotypes. However, you could see growth and development throughout the story. The author took a lot of time on their personalities and lives. They all had secrets of their own, which I will admit were pretty mediocre. Although, I was spoiled for one of the secrets, but I probably would have figured it out before it’s reveal.
Now, if you’re looking for a shocking mystery thriller, then this book probably isn’t for you. It seemed like a Lifetime original movie that was trying to be “Pretty Little Liars”. Personally, I enjoy Lifetime movies. But I can see readers being split on how the book handles certain topics, especially mental health. I struggle with mental illness myself and thought the representation was a little far fetched. Still it was an interesting take on the topic.
Most people probably won’t find the twist at the end particularly surprising. Some might even call it predictable. Maybe I am just clueless, because I thought the ending was pretty clever on the author’s part. I haven’t read too many mystery thrillers at this point in my life, so I’m judging this from a newbies perspective. I would be interested to see how I feel about the book in a few years, when I have more mystery thriller reads under my belt.
After reading the book I am excited to read Karen M. McManus other works. She could become a new favorite author of mine. This was a shorter review, but sometimes I don’t have much to say about the book. One last point, try going into it the story with an open mind. Don’t let reviews, good or bad, sway you one way or another. There are trigger warnings for this book, but unfortunately knowing them will spoil the book. If that doesn’t bother you visit Book Trigger Warning to view them all.
If you have read the book, leave me your thoughts in the comments. Please don’t leave any spoiler for the for others that haven’t read it yet. Don’t forget to like and share this post. Also, go ahead and subscribe to the blog to get notifications about new content.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Book Haul | August 2021
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.
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
To Be Read // September 2021
Hi Friends,
It is TBR time once again. I am shocked that we are already at September, where has the year gone. August was a great reading month for me. I ended up hitting my reading goal for the year! I have officially read 30 books in 2021. Yay, me! But that doesn’t me I plan on slowing down my reading anytime soon. I would still love to make progress on my owned tbr. I have tons of books that I haven’t read, which is overwhelming. Starting now I will be putting two books in my collection on my monthly tbr. Let’s start talking books!
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
As part of the Twisted Tales series, the book follows the story of if Aladdin never found the lamp. This is a newer edition to my book collection, but I have been wanting to read one retellings this year. I have a feeling it is going to be a good fall read.
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
This is the second book from my shelves that I want to read in September. I am anticipation it to be a solid read, since I am all for an enemies-to-lovers story. And, lighthearted contemporary will never get old in my book. I haven’t read anything by this author, and I hear that I am missing out.
The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott
This is most likely a hard hitting contemporary that will give me all the feels. Rachael Lippincott is one of the writers of ‘Five Feet Apart’, which I read in August. If you want to know my thoughts on that book subscribe to the blog to get notified when my review for it goes live.
One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus
In August, I read ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, and knew that I had to read the companion novel soon after. This story follows the young sister of a character from the previous story. It has to do with a dangerous game of ‘Truth or Dare’. It sound creepy, but not to scary.
The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) by Katharine McGee
I have been wanting to continue on with this series for a while, so why not now. After the events of book one, I am nervous and delighted to jump back into this story. I don’t know where the author plans to take the story, but I prefer to go into this book blind.
Tell me what’s on your September tbr in the comments below. Did you enjoy this post? Then why not like and share it. And, subscribe for all things bookish and more.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
There’s Someone Inside Your House // Book Review
Title: There’s Someone Inside Your House
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: 2017
Genre: Young Adult/Thriller
Makani Young thought she’d left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She’s found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn’t far behind. Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.
Source: Goodreads
I was a fan of Stephanie Perkins’ contemporary books, so I was interested to see her take on a thriller. I had heard that it was reminiscent of ‘Scream’, which I loved. This book follows a high schooler, Makani, who has moved from Hawaii to Nebraska to live with her grandmother. But Makani has a dark secret that she is hiding. Now this wasn’t the most captivating book, and it dragged at times. I enjoyed that last half of the book, but that is about it. It was very romance heavy, which is strange for a thriller. The romance was very instant lovey and based on physical attraction. However, I didn’t feel like there was much chemistry between the characters.
Her friends were barely a factor in the book at all. When we did seem them, they were always throwing shade at her boyfriend. She even mentioned countless times how she felt like the third wheel in her friendship, which seemed pretty toxic to me. Ollie, the love interest, was probably my favorite character. He had a tragic past, but a dark sense of humor as well.
As for Makani’s dark past, it was pretty underwhelming. For a teenager it might have seemed life shattering, but it wasn’t all that horrible. I didn’t understand the reasoning behind her selfish, absent parents. It seemed as though the author added that so we could empathize with the main character. I would have enjoyed it better if she had told her parents off, because her mother was a witch with a B.
“Everybody has at least one moment they deeply regret, but that one moment…it doesn’t define all of you.”
Now the thing that ticked me off the most was the killer reveal and motive. Without giving too much away. The killer was so random and the reveal wasn’t shocking at all. There were times when I thought I knew who the killer was going to be, which kept me interested in the plot. However, I was completely disappointed in the identity of the killer. The motive was on a whole other level of annoyance. Totally ridiculous. I understand that people kill for all different reasons, but I thought it was altogether a terrible ending. It seemed as those the author didn’t know where she was going with the story, and threw a motive together at the last minute.
The best part of the book was the killer’s last attack. This character fought like hell, and wasn’t going to let some serial killer take her life. She was pretty bad ass. I am not disappointed by the book, but I was hoping for more from the story. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to readers unless you are a die-hard Stephanie Perkins fan. Once thing that I wanted to note was that the killing scenes where somewhat graphic, so keep that in mind before you pick it up.
As always, like and share this review with others, and remember to follow the blog to get notified whenever I post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
They Wish They Were Us // Book Review
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
The Project | Book Review
*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
April 2021 // Reading Wrap-Up
Hello Book Lovers,
In the month of April, I read 4 books total. I am happy with that number, since I did take a small week-long reading break during the month. I feel like most of the books I have read haven’t amazed me. I don’t feel like I am a hash book rater at all, still a lot of the books have simply been 3 star reads for me. Also, I want to note that whatever I rate about doesn’t mean it is at all bad. Book ratings are all personal opinions.
If I’m Being Honest by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: 5.0/5.0 Stars
Incredible! I was going to dnf this book, but I am glad I stuck with it. It is a new favorite of mine.
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston: 3.5/5.0 Stars
This is a cute contemporary retelling, but not standout in my opinion.
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman: 3.0/5.0 Stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate. It was okay.
Time Of Our Lives by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: 3.0/5.0 stars
Of course, I had to pick up another book by this author duo. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a let down.
As always I will be doing reviews for each book, so that I can share my complete thoughts on them. I was very happy to have read a five-star read, but I feel as though the rest of the books put me in a small reading slump at the end of the month. Let me know about the books you read in April, and leave me your book recommendations in the comments. If you want to support me give this post a like, share and follow the blog.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
Book Review: The Thousandth Floor By Katharine McGee
Title: The Thousandth Floor
Author: Katharine McGee
Published: 2016
Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars
Synopsis: Amid breathtaking advancement and high-tech luxury, 
five teenagers struggle to find their place at the top of the world. But when you’re this high up, there’s nowhere to go but down.
Source: GoodReads
The first description I got of this book was a sci-fi Gossip Girl, and being a GG lover I knew that I had to pick it up. However, I found the book to be a futuristic version of Pretty Little Lairs. The book is the first in a trilogy that follows multiple characters that live in the same apartment building. Although, they do not all come from élite families all of their stories intertwine, and they all have their own secrets.
I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put the book down. There was so many twist and turns that kept me engage. The characters were very well written, and I wanted everyone to get a happy ending even though I knew that wasn’t possible. I did think something were a little cringe worthy, but I do think that the books covered the more taboo talks well. The story deals with incest, obsession, drugs and social class.
“I believe in happiness. I’m just not sure love will actually get you there.”
The ending was probably the most shocking part of all. I did not see it coming one bit, and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was sad, dark and fascinating. I know that a lot of people aren’t a fan of this book, but I adored it. It was my first science fiction novel, and I am glad that I decided to give it a chance.
I tried not to give too much away in this review, so I hope that I didn’t spoil anything. I would love for you to share this post with your bookworm friends. Please like the blog to get notified when I post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
April 2021 TBR
Hello Book Lovers,
It is monthly tbr time once again! I am happy that it is finally April, because March seemed to last forever. I have a pretty ambitious tbr planned for this month, but I am ready for the challenge. I do have a few books rolling over from March that I will be continuing, still most of them I haven’t started at all.
Twilight by Stephanie Meyers: My husband and I started the audiobook at the beginning of March. I was using this for the Tis The Damn Readathon prompt of “Book with a Film Adaption.” We are only 13% into it, but I don’t mind it taking a bit. However, I would like to make it more of a priority this month.
10 Truths And A Dare by Ashley Elston: I was using this for the Tis The Damn Readathon as well. I believe it was for the “5 Star Prediction” prompt. I got approved for the arc on Netgalley, and have been reading the e-book. I am enjoying it a lot, but just haven’t had a lot of time to dedicate to it. I really want to dive more into it, because I enjoy Ashley Elston’s writing.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill: This is a middle grade book about a witch and a human girl she raised from a baby after giving her magical powers. Honestly, I don’t know much about it besides it being a favorite among readers. I tried starting it once before and didn’t get very far into it. I am hoping I will actually finish it this time around. I don’t think I read enough last time to form any distinct thoughts.
If I’m Being Honest by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley: I have no idea why, but this book as been on my radar recently. I have read one other book by this duo before and didn’t love it, still this one seems more up my alley. It is supposed to give you that teen rom-com feel. I don’t know much about it except that it is about a high-school girl who is known as a b*tch, so she tries to change her image to get a guy. Although, I could be completely wrong.
There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins: In 2018, I dnf this book because I couldn’t get into it. The writing felt off and the plot was slow-moving. Nevertheless, I am in the mood for a thriller and I here that Netflix is turning this into a film. I decided I would give the book a second chance before the movie adaption is released. From what I have gathered about the plot it is like The CW version of the Scream movies. If that makes any sense at all.
My Plain Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows: I love this trio of authors. I read their first collaboration “My Lady Jane,” and to my surprise I loved it. I don’t know anything about this book, but I have heard that it is a Jane Eyre retelling. I am not familiar with the original story, still I am looking forward to reading their take on it.
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston: I have been on a Once Upon a Con kick lately. I am excited to finish this series of companion novels. I have a review up on the first book Geekerella and will be doing a review of the second very soon. I think that this is the last book in this world, which is bittersweet. Not sure about the plot, but I think it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling, which I am here for!
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson: This will be my first Matson read. Yep, it is shocking that someone who loves contemporaries I haven’t read any of her books. Once again, I have no clue what the book is about just that it is a contemporary following a girl and I think she somehow becomes a dog walker. I really have no idea.
I might try to tackle some other arcs, or perhaps throw in a mood read. I am enjoying reading a lot these days, so I hope my want to read stays with me in April. Let me know what is on your tbr in the comments? I would love if you liked and shared this post. You can follow the blog to get notified when I post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny