Friday Reads #13

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

Two 5 Star Predictions // Reading Vlog

Hello Friends,
This is my 5 star predictions reading vlog! In this video, I read two thriller books and see if they live up to my expectations. I had a ton of fun reading these books and telling you with me throughout my days. I put a lot of hard work into this video, and I hope that you enjoy it.

Instagram: @books.with.bunny

Twitter: @bookswithbunny

5 Star Predictions #4 // 2023

Hi Friends,
I can’t remember the last time I did a 5 star predictions post, so I thought it was about time for one. These are some books that I think I’m going to love (if I ever get around to reading them). Honestly, I’m not sure how good I am at reading my 5 star predictions. I have 6 books on this list, with 3 of them being older titles, and 3 of them being new releases.

The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz
This book is being released at the end of February and is Melissa de la Cruz first YA thriller. It is compared to ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’, but it’s also giving me ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ vibes. I’m a fan of all three of those, so I know this is going to be an amazing read. I’ll be surprised if this isn’t a 5 star read.
Related Post: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder // Book Review

Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover
In this YA contemporary, coming out in May, we get a fake dating meets ex-best friends to lovers story. I haven’t really read many ex-best friends second chance romance books, but that probably because friends-to-lovers and second chance romances aren’t my favorite tropes. Still, I love fake dating and the fact that the story has to do with a MASH inspired app sounds amazing. If the story is done right and as cute as I’m thinking it will be then it will for sure be a 5 star book.

One Of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus
This book will be released in August and I can not wait! Honestly, I’d love to have an ARC of the audiobook right now. This is the conclusion to her ‘One Of Us Is Lying’ series, which I loved. I did only give book one and two 4 stars, but I have high hopes this one will be a 5 star read.
Related Post: One Of Us Is Lying // Book Review
Related Post: One Of Us Is Next // Book Review

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
I don’t know much about this story, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a slow paced story. And, that the writing will be very lyrical. Does that make any sense? I’m not sure why I’m thinking this will be a 5 star read, but something is telling me that I’m really going to enjoy this story.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
I’m a big fan of Kiersten White’s writing style. There’s just something about her books that draw me in. I’ve been wanting to pick this book up for a long time now and just love the idea behind it. It’s King Arthur fantasy retelling, which doesn’t seem like something I’d typically gravitate to, but I think Kiersten White’s storytelling will make this a 5 star book.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
I’ve actually started this book already, but haven’t gotten that far into it. I feel like if I really dedicate some time to it, I’d love the story. It’s a heartbreaking YA Contemporary about a boy with bipolar disorder and a girl dealing with the loss of her sister. Heartbreaking contemporaries usually get 5 stars from me.

There you have my 5 star predictions! I’m sure I can think of more, and hopefully I’ll find some other 5 star reads this year. Because I’m really wanting a good reading year. Before you go, show your love for my blog by hitting the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My Best Reads Of 2022

Hi Friends,
It’s time for me to share my favorite books of 2022! In 2022, I read 103 books, and you’ll be able to find reviews on all my 2022 reads soon. However, 10 of those books stood out among the rest and have earned a spot on this list. But, remember these are my personal favorite books of the years they might not match your reading taste. Still, I adored each and everyone of these reads!

1 Number PNG0 Number PNGLove, Life And The List by Kasie West
Kasie West will forever be a favorite author! This book was so cute, and the friends to lovers romance was swoon-worthy. I don’t know if a lot of people will enjoy this story, since it is predictable, but most Kasie West stories are pretty easy to figure out.
Related Post: Love, Life And The List // Book Review

9 Number PNGSeance Tea Party by Reimena Yee
This story was warm-hearted and sad. Honestly, I didn’t think that this graphic would make it on to this list, but it rightfully has a spot in my favorites of 2022.

8 Number PNGThe Cousins by Karen M. McManus
It isn’t a surprise that this book has made it on to my favorites list, since the story completely shook me. I read this book in a day! It is such a fast-paced thriller, with an amazing twist.
Related Post: The Cousins // Book Review

7 Number PNGEight Nights Of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds
I read this book close to the end of the year not expecting it would be come a favorite of the year. But, I loved this second chance enemies to lovers holiday romance. This book is everything I love about YA contemporary.
Related Post: Eight Night’s Of Flirting // Book Review

6 Number PNGYou’ll Be The Death Of Me by Karen M. McManus
Yep, another Karen M. McManus book on the list. This book probably wouldn’t be a lot of peoples favorite but I loved it! The ending was amazing and kind of a cliffhanger. I really hope that there’s a sequel in the works, because I need more of this story and these characters.
Related Post: You’ll Be The Death Of Me // Book Review

5 Number PNGThe Fear by Natasha Preston
This actually wasn’t a five star read for me. However, this book truly creeped me out. We get chapters in the mind of a serial killer, which are super eerie. The book gives off major Criminal Minds vibes, so if you are into that, than you’ll love this book.
Related Post: The Fear // Book Review

4 Number PNGHow Not To Fall In Love by Jacqueline Firkins
I adored this entire story. I’m not typically a friends-to-lovers fan, but Jacqueline Firkins did it right. The plot hooked me from the start, and I could not put this book down. Honestly, I was smiling throughout the entire book.
Related Post: How Not To Fall In Love // Book Review

3 Number PNGThe Night Shift by Alex Finlay
This was my first adult thriller/mystery read, and it made me fall in love with the genre. I loved the plot about a present time murder being similar to a past murder. I felt like I was watching an episode of Cold Case, but better. That might only make sense to me, but still, I found this book to be amazing.
Related Post: The Night Shift // Book Review

2 Number PNGBetter Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
I’m going to go ahead and say that this book has become an all time favorite YA contemporary of mine. Throughout the story, I laughed, blushed and even cried. I am so glad that I picked it up andirons rightfully deserves this number two spot.

1 Number PNGHidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Immediately after reading this book, I knew that it was going to be my favorite read of 2022. I could not put this book down, and raved about it to everyone. The ending was incredible and heartbreaking at the same time. I want this to become a movie so badly, and I am available to star in it.
Related Post: Hidden Pictures // Book Review

There you have the list of my best books of 2022! Last year, I read some great books, but I’m pretty happy with how this list turned out. In the comments, let me know your top book of 2022. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more posts like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

My Book Wishlist // Christmas 2022

Happy Bookmas Day 18! Today, I’m going to be sharing 5 books from the top of my wishlist for this year. I have a lot of books on my Amazon wishlist, but these are the ones that I am hoping to add to my bookshelf soon. Normally, I’m a YA girl, but my wishlist is surprisingly diverse this year, which I’m happy about! So, if you’re reading this, Santa, I would love to see one or more of these books in my stocking or under the three this year!

In the comments, let me know what is at the top of your wishlist this holiday season. You can view my Amazon Book Wishlist to see other books I would love to be gifted. Don’t forget to follow my blog for more bookish content.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Did I Read My 2022 Anticipated Releases?

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 Murder Game // Book Review

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

Hidden Pictures | Book Review

About The Book
From Edgar Award-finalist Jason Rekulak comes a wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, for fans of Stranger Things and Riley Sager, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets. Follow the story that he conjures up and you are guaranteed to lose yourself in the day and specifically, Hidden Pictures.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3EfByVE

My Rating


This book is amazing! Not only is it an intense thriller, but it also covers some hard topics. The main character, Mallory, is a newly sober former addict trying to get her life back on track. Hearing about Mallory’s struggles with addiction isn’t the biggest part of the story, but it always lingers in the background. Her reasons for turning to drugs are saddening, and it’s hard to see people judge her for her past.

In the book, Mallory becomes a nanny for a five-year-old boy named Teddy. It’s nice to see Mallory and Teddy form a close bond. They develop a sort of sibling-type relationship, which isn’t unrealistic between a nanny and her charge.

There is a romance that forms between Mallory and a neighbor, but it isn’t a huge plot point. The book is all about the mystery, and boy, is it intense! There is so much going on with the mystery that you don’t know which way things will go next.

“Hardest things about recovery is coming to terms with the fact that you can’t trust your brain.”

Honestly, this isn’t the type of book where you can figure out what’s going to happen. The author leads you in one direction and then another. It makes for a fantastic read. The ending is incredible! Everything comes together, and it’s jaw-dropping. I will say that the last chapter was a bit sad. I might have cried a little. But I can’t rave enough about this book.

On a lighter note, Mallory mentions a few times how comforting she finds Hallmark movies, and honestly, I can’t disagree. Though it did make me wonder if Hallmark paid for the shoutout in the book—probably not!

Overall, it reads like a movie, if that makes any sense at all. If there ever happens to be a movie adaptation, please sign me up to play Mallory. Also, as I mentioned before, the book addresses some heavy topics, such as death, addiction, and racism. And there was this gross scene between Mallory and Teddy’s dad.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book. If not, what are you waiting for? Before you leave, hit the follow button to get notified whenever there’s a new post!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Lake // Book Review

About The Book
Esme and Kayla are back at Camp Pine Lake as counselors-in-training, years after they agreed to cover up a terrible incident that occurred while they were campers there themselves. Unfortunately, it’s not all fun and games at camp, and when mysterious threats aimed at the counselors start getting more and more violent, the girls know they aren’t the only ones who know their secret.

My Rating


There were just so many things wrong with this book, that I don’t know where to start. The characters weren’t likable, and the plot was so predictable. And, to top it all off, there wasn’t even one twist that I didn’t see coming. If anything, the only redeeming quality was that it was over quickly.

In the book, Esme and her best friend Kayla return to a summer camp they went to as kids, to be camp counselors themselves. But Esme is nervous, since they did something horrible at the camp when they were kids, and it’s been their little secret for years now. Esme’s character was boring and annoying. She was seriously paranoid, which made me wonder why she even agreed to go back to the camp in the first place.

As for Kayla, she was a bad friend, and didn’t even want to take responsibility for her part in their past mistake. She kept making Esme think she was overreacting. Like, it was very obvious someone was after them. Personally, I would have left that camp after the first creepy experience.

The book was very main character focused, but there were a few side characters. Esme and Kayla formed a friend group with the other camp counselors, one being Esme’s sort of love interest. I say sort of, since the two didn’t have much chemistry, and didn’t seem to really trust one another. The rest of the characters were okay, but didn’t play much of a part in the story.

“Living with guilt is hell.”

You could say that there were a lot of suspects throughout the book, but early on, Esme, and probably the reader, knows the culprit. I was hoping that the author would throw a curveball, and make the villain someone out of the blue. Instead of, you know, taking the easy way out and picking the most likely person. It was frustrating knowing right away who was behind it all, and so desperately hoping for some kind of twist.

However, there was a part where Esme pretended her car had broken down in order to talk with someone. The interaction reminded me of a scene in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, so that was kind of fun. But one short and silly scene didn’t make up for a very lackluster thriller.

Overall, the plot didn’t have much depth to it, and the big secret wasn’t my favorite. The book was missing those thriller vibes, and was more of a mystery. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so be aware of that. However, I know some people like that in books. I am not one of those people.

As you can tell, this wasn’t the thriller for me, but let me know in the comments your thoughts on it, if you have read it. Please give my blog a quick follow before you go.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

24-Hour Horrorathon // To Be Read

Hi Friends,
You might not know, but Ashley from Ashley’s Little Library is hosting the 24-hour Horrorathon. This is a readathon dedicated to reading scary and horror books for a whole 24-hours. The readathon will start on August 26th at 8 est., 7 pm for me, to August 27th at 8 pm est. I have put together quite an ambitious TBR for a 24-hour readathon, but what else is new?


White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
This is a psychological thriller with ghost and a haunted house. I’ve read a few ghost stories before, but no haunted house ones. I have been wanting pick up this book for a while, so hopefully I can finally get to it.

Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
This book was originally published in 2015, but I think the graphic novel edition I have is a new release. Since it is a graphic novel, it should be fairly easy to fly through. All I know about it is that it’s a middle grade ghost story, in which the main character’s sister goes missing.

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Lisa Sterle
This is another graphic novel, which is supposed to be ‘Pretty Little Liars’ meets ‘Teen Wolf’. I’ve seen both of those shows, and I’m not sure if combining them will work. Nevertheless, I’m intrigued enough to read it and see how it all plays out.

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler (Editor)
This is a collection of retellings, based on Edgar Allan Poe’s most unsettling stories. There are stories from some great young adult authors, and let’s face it, Edgar Allan Poe knows how to do horror. Actually, I started this book a year ago, and never made it very far through it. Horrorathon seems like the perfect time to finish it.

Those are the books that I will be attempting to read for the readathon. But, keep in mind that I will be sleeping for a few hours because I can’t do an all nighter. In the comments, share your Horrorathon TBR, or just some of your favorite scary books. It is spooky season, after all. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more posts like this one.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny