YA

April 2024 // To Be Read

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Hi Friends,
Today I’ll be doing my April TBR post. This month, I’ll be using prompts to pick my TBR again. Since I’ve learned that my mood reader personality usually gets the best of me, I decided to only pick 5 prompts.

Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3xmi9kQ
“Kate Alice Marshall’s What Lies in the Woods is a thrilling novel about friendship, secrets, betrayal, and lies – and having the courage to face the past.”

I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time. This is an adult thriller that I’ve heard a lot of a good things about. I haven’t read anything else by this author yet, but this is a 5 star prediction book for me.

Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3IYq2Q2
“Starling House is a gorgeous, modern gothic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January.”

I have been dying to read this fantasy book. Honestly, I don’t know much about the plot, except that Starling House is a place. I do believe that this is a standalone book, which is pretty unusual for a fantasy.

Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3vscUjb
“One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever.”

I have seen this book all over BookTok. This is a young adult contemporary, and apparently it’s heartbreaking. I hear that within the first few pages you are sobbing. I am unsure if I’m mentally ready, but I would like to know what all the hype is about.

Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3TVW4mg
“A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.”

I got this book at Half Price Books, and have been dying to read it for months. This is another 5 star prediction book. The plot follows a true crime blogger. Need I say more?

Buy Book: https://amzn.to/3PDQouk
“A reality show on a remote Caribbean island. Ten teen influencers. One dead body.“

This is an adult thriller about influencers. I haven’t heard anyone talking about this book, but I think it’s going to be an entertaining read.

A few of these books are available in audiobook format on Everand, so I’ll be making good use of my subscription. In the comments, let me know what’s on your April TBR. Don’t forget to follow the blog before you go, so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Ruthless Vows // Book Review

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About The Book
Get ready for the epic conclusion every reader of Divine Rivals has been waiting for. An unforgettable story of love and betrayal, Ruthless Vows brings Iris and Roman closer together as they face impossible choices. The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/499o0ay

My Rating

I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed in this book, by any means. However, I wouldn’t agree that it lived up to the first book. I was simultaneously putting off reading this book and dying to pick it up. Since, the first book was done so well, and the cliffhanger ending left me heartbroken, I needed to know what was going to happen. Yet, I was scared that I wasn’t going to love this conclusion as much. Before you keep reading, know that this review will have spoilers since it is the second book in a duology.

The book picks up right where the first book left off, and we find Iris living back at home with her brother heartbroken about being separated from Roman. While Roman is being healed and taken hostage (so to speak) by the god Dacre to be his personal war correspondent. And, let me just say, I couldn’t wait for Iris and Roman to find each other once again. Because, their relationship is what really makes this story for me.

Something that I loved about this book was that there weren’t any slow paced moments. The first book took a while to get into the heart of the story, but this was very fast paced. But, my favorite thing was that we didn’t wait endless chapters for Iris and Roman to meet again. The author doesn’t do slow burn, and doesn’t drags things out needlessly, which I am a major fan of. I’m an impatient girl, so if you’re like me, then you’ll enjoy the fact that she doesn’t make us wait forever for things to happen.

As for the plot, we are still following the war, but this time we get a little more context on the Gods. We learn about Dacre and a bit more about Enva. And, it went more into depth about the magic system. The first book focused more with the romance side of things, which this book does as well. However, I believe that the stakes were higher in this book than in the first.

“Write me a story where there is no ending, Kitt. Write to me and fill my empty spaces.”

We got to see more of the side characters in this book, which was nice. I loved Attie in the first book, and her playing a bigger role in this plot was great. Also, romance the author gave her was a nice added touch. And, let’s not forget Forest, Iris’ brother, we don’t see him much in the book but the author does a great job of showcasing how fighting in a war can effect someone, and the emotional and physical toll it takes on someone.

But, I will say that this book just like the first is centered on love. It shows that true love can conquer anything and the length one will go for love. If you have read the first book than you know that the war was started because of love, but in actuality in infatuation, which are to very different things. Dacre felt entitled to not only Enva but the people of the world, yet he did nothing that made him deserving of that love. The book shows that wanting love and deserving it are two very different things, and even Gods can be selfish creatures.

Overall, the book was written beautifully, and was a great conclusion to the duology. However, there were some moments that broke my heart but I kept it together and surprising didn’t cry. But, if you have read the first book and it wasn’t as intense as you would have preferred than I would suggest you giving this book a chance. It is a lot more fast paced while still being mainly a magical romance rather than a fantasy.

In the comments, let me know your thoughts on the duology as a whole. Don’t forget that you can always like and share this post with other book lovers. And please, give the follow button a push before you go, so that you can support my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Divine Rivals | Book Review

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About The Book
Sweeping and romantic, Divine Rivals is the explosive kick off to a new series from Rebecca Ross. Pick up this inventive and harrowing story about two young journalists and a war that has the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3TKdnqk

My Rating

I am not going to lie; at first I thought that this book was not going to live up to the hype. The first few chapters were pretty slow, and I wasn’t sure how much the story was going to pick up. But, once we got into the magical side of things, I was shocked as to how much I was enjoying the plot, characters, and writing.

The book follows Iris and Roman, who are young rival journalists that are connected through magical typewriters. Honestly, I don’t believe that is a spoiler since we find that out early on. They both end up writing about the ongoing war between the god Dacre and the goddess Enva. And, let me just say that both of these characters are lovely together and separately.

I will say that I don’t feel like there is much depth to this plot. Yes, we follow Iris and Roman as they write about this magical war and watch their connection grow. We learn about them as people and how the war got started. And, there is a bit of a ‘You’ve Got Mail’ element to the book. But there isn’t a ton of action throughout the story. In my opinion, the book is a romantasy at it’s core.

However, the fact that it is primarily a romance doesn’t hurt the book at all. I fell in love with Roman and Iris’ love story. It was refreshing that the author didn’t drag out their relationship, or add in any miscommunication. If you know anything about me, I am not a slow burn romance girl, so I was happy that that trope wasn’t a part of the book. And, as for spicy, the book has very little of it and is a more of a closed-door romance.

“Even in the silence, I hope you will find the words you need to share.”

The world that the author created was very unique. I haven’t read a story that featured gods as a major plot point, but also incorporated magic and a war. Also, as a former English major, the fact that it followed journalists was a nice touch too. I loved learning about the war, and how different both the gods were. The scenes when the characters were in the thick of the war and dealing with it captured how traumatic war can be.

Nevertheless, what really made the book stand out was the writing style. It had such a lyrical writing style, that you know this author was meant to write books. I can see how some people might not connect with this slow-paced, more poetic style of writing. It is very personal taste, but I have always enjoyed books that are written this way. And, when it comes to a magical story that has a bit of a historical element to, it the style works very well.

Overall, this is an amazing book, but I do see it falling in to the 3-star range for many readers. But to me, it is outstanding. Would I characterize the book as solely fantasy? Not necessarily. After thinking about it, I would say it is a magical realism with a romance. So, if you aren’t a fan of either of those genres, then maybe don’t pick this book up. Especially if you aren’t a romance fan, because that is a big part of the plot. Also, the ending of this book will make you cry, and probably want to imminently read the sequel.

In the comments, let me know if you have read anything by this author. I am curious to read her other books. If you would like to read the book, the audiobook is available on Everand, and as always, you can use my link (click here) to get a 30 day free trial. Don’t forget that it is also completely free to follow my blog, and it really does help it grow.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Kisses and Croissants // Book Review

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About The Book
Mia Jenrow has always known she’s destined to be a professional ballerina. Mia is planning to spend a magical summer in France pursuing her dream, but as she pirou-ettes into Paris, she soon realizes it may be a bit more complicated than she hoped. As sweet as a macaroon from Laduree, this romantic novel set in Paris about an American ballerina and a charming French boy is perfect for fans of American Royals and Netflix’s Emily in Paris.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3T7TQOQ

My Rating

This book wasn’t for me the plot felt very basic, there was an instata love romance and the characters didn’t have much depth. I tired my best to give the book a chance but I just couldn’t get into the story. The book for a 17 year old Mia, who is spending the summer at an elite ballet academy in Paris.

Mia is all about ballet and her one desire to get into a prestigious, ballet academy in America. She hopes her time training in Paris well open these doors for her. Unfortunately, I found Mia to be super immature. I understand you’re in Paris. It’s a new experience and you’re excited, but for someone who was supposedly all about dance, she thought about other things way too much.

There is this a whole side plot that had to do with a Family legend, that Mia was trying to uncover, just approve that dance was in her blood. It was cute, but just not interesting. However, it did add a little something extra to the plot.

“French kisses taste a million times better in France.”

As for the romance, like I mentioned before it was way to insta-love. Also, I predicted what was going to happen with them from the start since was very obvious. Although it was a very cute teen romance, it just felt rushed.

But I did enjoy Mia and Audrey’s friendship. They started out as Frenemies, but really form a bond and learned from each other. I personally loved the character of Audrey and would love if the author wrote a book following her.

Overall, the plot just wasn’t for me and it felt very young. The writing style didn’t really immerse me into the story or a Paris, which was a letdown. However, the ending was a bit shocking, and I liked how everything was wrapped up.

In the comments let me know if you enjoy books with Insta love. If you would like to give my blog a follow before you go it would me a lot to me.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

March 2024 // To Be Read

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Today is another TBR post. This is going to be my monthly TBR. Usually, I will play my Bookopoly game, but I decided that I am going to start switching up how I pick my TBR each month. This month I chose to use a prompt spinner wheel to help me pick the books this month. I used a random number generator to see how many spins I was going to do and got 10, so this TBR is a bit much considering all the readathons I’m participating in.


I’m very excited that my first prompt was a seasonal read. Since spring starts at the end of March, I’m putting a spring read on my TBR. That book is going to be ‘In The Weeds’ by B.K. Borison. Honestly, I don’t have high hopes for this book, like at all. It just happens to be my least favorite trope – second chance romance. But if I don’t just put it on a TBR, I may never read it.


The second prompt was a book that ends on an even number of pages. I am, once again, putting ‘Ruthless Vows’ by Rebecca Ross on my TBR. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to it in February, but I am dying to see how this duology ends.


My third prompt was a low star prediction, which is more of a punishment prompt, but that’s okay . I picked ‘Liar’s Beach’ by Katie Cotugno. This is a young adult mystery, and an Agatha Christie retelling. I’ve only read one other book by this author, which I didn’t enjoy. I hope that this book is slightly better.
Related Post: Fireworks // Book Review


The fourth spin’s prompt was a book under 250 pages. I am happy about this, because it means I get to add a short book to my TBR. However, I don’t own many short books. That means that I’ll be picking a graphic novel. Luckily I’ve been in the mood to read volume two of ‘Unfamiliar’ by Haley Newsome, because the first volume was such a cute read.


The fifth prompt was a book you bought used, which is easy since I’m a book buying addict. I am choosing ‘The Silent Patient’ by Alex Michaelides, since it is going to work perfectly for a readathon which I’ll be taking part in this month. All I know about the book is that it’s a thriller that people seem to really enjoy.


My sixth spin gave me the prompt a book with a map. Now I should not be starting any new series, but most of the books I have that contain maps are starts of series. So, with my husband’s help I chose ‘A Curse So Dark And Lonely’ by Brigid Kemmerer. All I know is that this is the start of a trilogy, and it’s also a Beauty and the Beast retelling.


My seventh prompt was a book published after 2015, which is most books on my TBR. I’m going to put ‘Two Twisted Crowns’ by Rachel Gillig back on my TBR, since it was another February book that I wasn’t able to read.


Prompt number eight was to read an author’s debut book, which is amazing. I really wanted to get ‘Powerless’ by Lauren Roberts on this month’s TBR. If I am not mistaken, this is her debut novel, and apparently it’s heavily inspired by ‘The Hunger Games.’


The ninth spin gave me one that was most recent purchased, which again, is easy for me. I decided to pick ‘The Bone Witch‘ by Rin Chupeco. This is the start of a gothic fantasy series that I haven’t seen anyone talk about. I’m interested to see if it is any good.


The tenth and final spin landed on the prompt a book with an illustrated cover. I’m happy to get this prompt, because I don’t have much romance on this TBR. So, I picked ‘The Deal’ by Elle Kennedy, since my copies of this series are the illustrated versions. I am very intimidated by this series, and just hoping that I love it.

There you have my March TBR! Let me know in the comments which TBR game you think I should play next month, or follow my Threads to vote for one! Don’t forget that you can like and share this post with others. If you would like to stay up to date with the blog, give it a follow, so that you get notified whenever there is a new post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Weekly Reading // February 19th – 25th

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
I usually do Friday Reads posts, but I thought that I would change it up and do a weekly reading post. I’m going to be talking about the books that I hope to read this week. On my TBR for the month, I have mostly just the fantasies left to read. But, I’m not sure I’ll actually get to any of them before the month is over. However, I do have big reading plans for the week.

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander
I’m 30% into the book, and hoping that I can finish it soon. The book is pretty slow, but it is a thriller that I am enjoying so far.

Betting on You by Lynn Painter
This is an anticipated read for me, which means it is crazy that I haven’t read it yet. This is on my TBR for the month and it should be a fairly quick read. I typically love Lynn Painter’s young adult books, and I’m expecting this one to be no different.

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
This is the one fantasy from my TBR that I would like to actually read this week. I read the first book back in 2022, so I need to get this duology completed.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang
This is tentatively on my TBR for the week because the audiobook is available on Libby soon. If that hold comes in, then I will most likely pick it up.

There you have my reading plans for the week. In the comments, let me know what you are planning on reading this week. Don’t forget that you can like and share the post. And, it is completely free to follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Some Girls Do // Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced to transfer high schools late in her senior year after it turns out being queer is against her private Catholic school’s code of conduct. There, she meets Ruby, who has two hobbies: tinkering with her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino and competing in local beauty pageants, the latter to live out the dreams of her overbearing mother. The two are drawn to each other and can’t deny their growing feelings.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3urFYH4

My Rating

This is a really cute, young adult, queer romance with a lot of depth to it. I honestly wouldn’t call this a light or fluffy female/female romance, because it does cover a lot of heavy topics. That being said, I really enjoyed the story. I didn’t expect it to be so hard hitting, but I really loved the way the author went with the plot.

In the book, Morgan, a new transfer student and star athlete, meets Ruby, who is a beauty pageant queen that happens to love working on cars. Their first meeting isn’t exactly a meet-cute, but they quickly form a friendship that leads to something more. The only problem is: Morgan is openly gay, but Ruby is still trying to figure things out.

Now, I did find that Morgan was a little bit too intense, and wasn’t quite understanding when it came to Ruby’s situation. However, knowing about her path, and why she had to transfer schools, it’s understandable that she wasn’t willing to hide who she was.

“So what if she’s a mess? Maybe we all are. But what if she’s meant to be my mess, and I’m meant to be hers?”

On the other hand, I really felt for Ruby in this book. She didn’t know how she was going to pay for college. She was forced to be a beauty queen, so that her mother could live vicariously through her. And she was truly afraid that no one would accept her as bisexual.

The book was really about self discovery, and how nobody can force you to do anything you’re not ready to do. In the end, all we can do is support and be there for each other. I really loved Morgan and Ruby’s relationship, and also what they learned from each other throughout the book.

Overall, this is a really good read, and the writing was impeccable. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a fast-paced book, since books with heavy subjects seem to take longer, but I still enjoyed it. And, although this book deals with some heavier topics, it is still a contemporary romance at its core.

If you have read this book, leave me a comment telling your thoughts on it. As always, you can like and share this post with others. Before you go, remember you can get post notifications by following my blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Island // Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich—or the very influential. Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley—social media influencers with millions of followers—have been invited for an exclusive weekend before the park opens. When the teens arrive, they’re stunned: the resort is even better than they’d imagined. But soon they’ll discover that something’s missing from their schedule: getting off the island alive.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/49igyu8

My Rating

I was really hoping that I would love this book, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. However, I didn’t hate it either, and it had some good qualities. However, the overall plot was missing something, and the writing felt a little lackluster.

The book follows a bunch of influencers in different niches, from books to gaming, getting invited on an exclusive trip to remote island. They are there to test out a new amusement park and promote it, for its billionaire owner.

As you can probably figure, with this being a thriller, things turn deadly. I will say that I was surprised as to how gruesome the book was. The death scenes are intense, and a lot of killing does occur. Also, it’s pretty graphically detailed, at least in terms of a young adult thriller.

“People listen to someone online they’ve never met more than they do to their parents, teachers, doctors.”

The characters were very stereotypical, when it comes to what you think influencers might be like. There wasn’t much depth to them, and although they were getting all this money and had all this attention, they had very poor attitudes. So, I didn’t really care what was happening to them.

This is definitely a page turner. It’s such a fast read you don’t want to put it down. Honestly, I could see reading this in a day, even if you aren’t normally a quick reader. The book is very addictive, despite the plot lacking a certain attachment to the characters.

Overall, this isn’t the most amazing young adult thriller, but it kept me interested. That being said, I do wish that the ending left me a little bit more surprised. And honestly, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about the final chapter. This author tends to leave things open ended, which I’m not sure I love. But, it does kind of work in this case.

In the comments, let me know if you like cliffhangers. Don’t forget to give this post a like and a share. If you would like to get post notifications, then hit the follow button.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The January Book Tag // 2024

- Bunny 1 Comment

Hi Friends,
Today, I am doing ‘The January’ book tag, which I have done previously. This book tag helps you reflect on your last year’s reading and your reading plans for the year ahead. I am happy to continue my tradition of doing this tag every January.


Funny enough, I remember many, if not all, of my January reading in 2023. The book that I started the year reading was ‘Five Survive’ by Holly Jackson, who is the author of the ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder‘ trilogy. For some reason, I could not remember the last book I read. Let me say that it was a crazy end of the year. After looking at my GoodReads I saw that my final read of 2023 was ‘Secret Santa’ by Andrew Shaffer, which is a short Christmas horror.
Related Post: Five Survive // Book Review
Related Post: Secret Santa // Book Review


In 2024, the first book I ended up finishing was actually one I started in 2023, which was ‘Lovelight Farms’ by B.K. Borison. I had initially DNFed the book but decided to go ahead and finish it on January 1st. I probably will not be posting my review until November or December of this year, but spoiler alert I was not a fan of it.


I have a whole post on my 2024 reading goals, but my top three are to read my owned TBR, read outside my comfort zone, and one that I did not mention in that post is to finish a few book series. I think that these goals are typical and that I can accomplish them.
Related Post: 2024 Anticipated Releases // January To June


Well, I just so happen to also have a post on my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2024. But, my three most anticipated releases for the entire year would have to be ‘Happily Never After’ by Lynn Painter (March 2024), ‘Wisteria’ by Adalyn Grace (August 2024) and ‘Spectacular’ by Stephanie Garber (October 2024). These are all favorite authors of mine, so naturally, I cannot wait to read their new releases.
Related Post: Belladonna // Book Review
Related Post: Caraval // Book Review


I reached my reading goal last year, which I believe is always an accomplishment. Unfortunately, I did not read much of my physical TBR. However, graphic novels were a pretty big part of my reading last year, and I do not normally read them, so I would call reading out of my comfort zone a success.


Honestly, the first book that came to mind was ‘House of Flame and Shadow’ by Sarah J. Maas (January 2024), which is the third book in her ‘Crescent City’ series. I have no desire to read the book, or anything else written by the author. Her books seem so long, and there are #7 or #8 books in some of her series. This is just too much for me. Needless to say, I will not pick this book up when it is released, and I am okay with that.


I am not sure if I have any reading habits or red flags so to speak that I would like to change this year. I know that is such a lame answer, and I think it’s one I have given in the past to this question. I try not to take reading too seriously because it is some I love to do and makes me happy.


I am not ashamed to admit that I do not keep up with book adaptations. So, I have no idea what is being adapted in 2024. Except for ‘It Ends With Us,’ which will star Blake Lively. However, I am not necessarily excited about that since I probably will not be watching it, because I have never read the book and do not plan to.


Probably joining Bookthreads! I have become so active there and Bookstagram. It has been so fun, and I am glad I discovered it last year. I hope to connect with more bookish people this year and do more buddy reading.


If you are talking about books, I started last year and still need to finish that would be ‘Furyborn’ by Claire Legrand and ‘Book Lovers’ by Emily Henry. But, if you mean 2023 releases I still need to read than the list is probably too long to mention.

Hope that you enjoyed this tag! If you have done it on your blog, let me know in the comments below, so that I can read your post. Feel free to leave a comment with your answers as well. Do not forget to share this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Borrow My Heart | Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We’ve Never Been.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3Scapc5

My Rating

I’m a big fan of Kassie West, and a young adult contemporary about a catfishing story just seemed super cute. However, this one sadly missed the mark. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and the ending made me quite angry.

In the book, we follow Warren, an animal-loving control freak that decides to do a ‘good deed’ by helping out Asher when she overhears his friend teasing him about being catfished. This sparks a cute little romance between Warren and Asher, but it does all start off as a lie, which makes things complicated.

I loved Warren, and found her to be such a great main character. Asher was a really good love interest, too. Even the side characters were likable, as well. Kasie West knows how to write really good characters. Teens that aren’t annoying, stereotypical, or immature. However, this didn’t have that same witty banter that her books normally do.

“That’s what good people with big hearts do.”

As usual, they are more to her plots than just romance. Warren has a broken home life, because her mother left her to go off and do her own thing. The fact that there are more serious elements to her stories, rather than just teen love, make them more impactful. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good straight forward teen romance, but I love the fact that her books have more substance, as well.

My biggest con for this book, and the reason that it isn’t a four or five star, is the ending conflict. There’s always some conflict in romance novels where the love interests pull away from each other, but this one made me so mad and I didn’t like the resolution. Maybe I’m petty, and I hold a grudge.

Overall, I enjoy Kasie West’s writing, and her books are such fast reads. And, I do like how she focused on social media, but how social media can negatively impact someone’s life, and affect them. Although this story wasn’t my favorite, and the ending still drives me nuts, I will continue to read any book she puts out.

In the comments, let me know if you’ve ever been catfished. Is catfishing even a thing anymore? Don’t forget to check out my Facebook page for more bookish updates. And, you’ll never miss a post if you follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny