Candy Bunny Reader

  My second attempt at something written by Io Sakisaka . A couple of years ago I tried watching the anime of Ao Haru Ride but I couldn't get into it. But I decided to give another one of her series a chance, so I picked up Sakura, Saku . So far I am liking it! I am thinking about going back and giving Ao Haru Ride another chance.  This series is about a girl named Saku who is helped out by a mysterious stranger named Ryosuke Sakura on the train to school one day when she feels dizzy and almost loses her schoolbag. But she didn't see how he looked like, and she wanted to find him to thank him, since the phone number he left her doesn't work. And ever since that one day, she's wanted to help people out every chance she gets. Saku finds out a guy in her class named Haruki Sakura has an older brother named Ryosuke, and she thinks that's the guy she was looking for. She asks him to connect her with his brother, but Haruki is reluctant because he thinks Saku is another o

  Today we will talk about another recent favorite author of mine! This post won't be a long one. The first books I read from Kay O'Neill was their Tea Dragon Society series, which I read last year. I loved them so much! Especially the third book. Here's my review for the first book. This year I picked up Aquicorn Cove, The Moth Keeper, and Princess Princess Ever After. They were all great! Especially the Mothkeeper. That one is my favorite from them so far. You can read the reviews for each book here (just click the title): Aquicorn Cove The Moth Keeper Princess Princess Ever After I love Kay O'Neill's books because they are all very whimsical, enchanting, and heartwarming. They also have great queer and disability representation!

  Before I get into it, I have decided this will be the last Nonfiction November prompt of this year I will participate in.  I also don't feel like participating in NN next year. I don't think my feelings will change from here and next November. So what illustrated nonfiction books do I recommend? Pretty much every graphic novel memoir that I like, such as: I hope you like these books as much as I do!

  The prompt is an underhyped nonfiction book. I recommend a book that I read in 2022 before I started my book blog. It is: It's a memoir about the author who grew up in Fairfield, Iowa, which was the hub of where the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement takes place. She talks about the nice things and the not-so nice things of growing up in a community like that, and what is she doing now with her life. Check it out if you like memoirs!

  Somehow I forgot to post on here my book recommendation for day 18 of Nonfiction November! So I am putting here along with day 19. Day 18 was a pop culture book. I recommend: Day 19 is a prize winner. I recommend:

  Welcome back!  Here are the first 3 parts in case you missed them: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 1. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. Goodreads summary here . Still love the author but not this particular book. The book started out really good...until that awful twist about the MC happened. 2 stars. 2. Hiroshima by John Hersey. Goodreads summary here . The subject matter was too heavy for me. 2 stars. 3. Seekers: The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter. Goodreads summary here . Just like the Warrior Cats in Part 2, this book was just boring, unmemorable, and confusing. 2 stars. 4. Wonder by RJ Palacio. Goodreads summary here . I think the author came from a good place when writing this, but this book ended up just being another story of using a character's disability as a source of inspiration. Quite problematic. 2 stars. 5. All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy.  Goodreads summary here . The story was too boring. Also, the author had a strange habit of writing too many run-on sent

Well, even though most of what I've been reading has been disappointing recently, I do have this one nonfiction book on my TBR about foxes I'd like to checkout sometime! Here it is: Do you like reading about animals, too?

 😑 Yeah, only guess what? I DNF (did not finish) everything I read! I DNF Crying in H Mart because it was too sad, and then I DNF The Hidden Life of Trees because it was too boring. For real, do I even like nonfiction anymore?! Pretty much everything I picked up this year was a disappointment. Except for They Called Us Enemy by George Takei. I think I am going to take a break from reading nonfiction for a while. I will still participate in the Nonfiction November prompts for this year, but I won't actually be reading any nonfiction books. I don't know when I will pick up another nonfiction book, but for now I'd rather read fiction.  What's been your most disappointing book so far (fiction or nonfiction) this year?

  Welcome back to another part of my Favorite Authors series! Here is another one that's a little more recent. The first book I read from Lyla Lee was I'll Be the One back in 2022. I absolutely loved it! Whenever I recommend people a book about K Pop, Korean rep, plus-sized rep, and queer rep, I recommend this one! I then read Flip the Script later in the same year. Also a masterpiece! This one is about K-Dramas and also features plenty of queer representation. Earlier this year I read the first book in her new middle grade series, Gigi Shin is Not a Nerd, and I also had a blast with it! I can't wait for the next book to come out.  I know she has a long running early chapter books series called Mindy Kim. I might read them one day. I heard they are kind of like the Junie B Jones series. As of writing this, Lyla Lee has two new books coming out! One will be an YA romance novel called The Cuffing Game, and the other is her first adult romance novel called Love in Focus. I a

  I interpreted this prompt to mean a nonfiction book about music. So here's a book on my TBR that is about music: This is a memoir published in 2020 with a focus on Dolly Parton's music career. I might not read it this year, but I hope to get around to it sometime! What's your favorite Dolly Parton song? Mine is Here You Come Again. You can listen to it here:

  I don't believe this book was actually published at my undergrad university, but it was a book that they gave out to everyone in my incoming freshman class. And the university's logo is on it! It's an interesting account on several different families who live in poverty in the country. It really makes you think and see things differently on how we live and spending habits.  Do you know any other books on economics and how people live?

  My third Kay O'Neill book for this year! Princess Princess Ever After follows a rebellious princess named Amira who befriends another princess named Sadie and a prince named Vladric after rescuing them from a tower and the top of a tree, respectively. Being royalty is not as easy as they all thought it would be! But the biggest danger of all is a sorceress who really seems to have something against Sadie... It's a very short and quick book, but it was a lot of fun! It has the typical things you would find in any Kay O'Neill book: a magical setting, magical creatures, lessons about loving yourself, and queer representation (Amira and Sadie become a sapphic couple)!  I did give it 4.5 stars . Sadie does experience some fatphobia in the book, but luckily it is all handled well at the end.  I will gladly pick up anything else Kay O'Neill writes!

 TW: D3ath of a parent and Latin for crab disease mentioned.  My second Jen Wang book for this year! Stargazing is about a girl named Moon who moves in next door to a girl named Christine, and they become friends and bond over their love of the arts, especially K Pop.  Moon is a social outcast due to her strange behavior and her and single mom not having a lot of money.  Christine has her own problems of feeling pressure to be perfect and she sometimes gets jealous of Moon.  But they both really want to dance to K pop songs in school's talent show.  Unfortunately, an emergency happens that changes everything.  This was a very relatable and emotional story. It had great Chinese representation and there are characters who are vegetarian and vegan. I gave it 4.5 stars. There is a d3ath of a parent mentioned in a flashback and another character gets the disease that shares its name with a zodiac sign. Luckily they are treated for it and they live at the end.  I think Jen Wang has bec

Kay O'Neill is officially a favorite author of mine! Eventually you will see them in my favorite authors series. The Moth Keeper takes place in a world where there is a day village and a night village. The night village has a sacred plant that keeps the village afloat. Our protagonist Anya lives in the night village, and she becomes the keeper of the moths that was gifted by the Night Spirit that help the Night Flower bloom. The moths help pollinate the flower. Being the Moth Keeper is a big responsibility and while she is glad that she is helping so many people, she feels overwhelmed and sometimes lonely. But when things go wrong, Anya's community has her back in more ways than she realized.  I think this book is truly my favorite book from Kay O'Neill so far! It was so magical and so sweet. The characters were awesome and the artwork is gorgeous as usual. There's also queer rep and albinism rep, too! It was a 5 star book for me. 

  Funny enough, this book's title has the word "stranger" in it! I read this book last year and it blew my mind. It's the true story of this guy named Christopher Knight who willingly lived in isolation in Maine for 27 years (1986-2013). He was dubbed the "North Pond Hermit". This book is written by a journalist who interviewed Christopher shortly after he was arrested. You can read the full review on my blog here . Do you know any other strange but true stories?

  An author who recently became a favorite of mine! Well, by recently I mean by last year. The first book I read from her was her most popular one, The Girl who Drank the Moon . It was sooo magical, sweet, and cool! Although I do remember some parts of it being a little confusing.  I then read The Ogress and the Orphans , and I loved it too. Then I read The Witch's Boy, and it became my favorite book from her! Well, so far.  The rest of her books are on my TBR. I hope I can get around to reading one of these soon.  Why do I like Kelly Barnhill's books so much? Because they are the definition of whimsical, enchanting, emotional, and heartfelt. They basically feel very Studio Ghibli-like. If you like Studio Ghibli like myself, you'll like her books! Or maybe you already do. I'd like to see at least one of her books get an adaptation, preferably from Studio Ghibli. 

I forgot to post this yesterday! But that's okay. Today's (Day 5) prompt was just telling me to go vote. Which I already did.  The prompt for Day 4 is: what is my favorite subject? I seem to mostly gravitate towards memoirs! Most of my favorite nonfiction books are memoirs. Here's a list I recommend (links to Goodreads are provided): 1. Persepolis (and its sequel) by Marjane Satrapi 2. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 3. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei 4. My Life in France by Julia Child 5. Greetings From Utopia Park by Claire Hoffman 6. Smile (and Sisters ) by Raina Telgemeier 7. Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman 8. Messy Roots by Laura Gao 9. Huda F Are You (and Huda F Cares ) by Huda Fahmy

  Welcome back to me showcasing all the underrated books I love, part 11! This time we have all middle grade books. 1. Schooled by Gordon Korman - 13 year old Capricorn was raised by his hippie grandmother who homeschooled him. After she gets seriously injured and has to stay in the hospital for a while, Cap stays with a non-hippie foster family and goes to public school for the first time in his life. 2. Smile by Raina Telgemeier- the wholesome graphic novel memoir of the author when she dealt with with typical middle school shenanigans--and teeth problems.  3. The Doll People Series by Ann M. Martin -a series of books of the adventures of an antique porcelain doll named Annabelle and a modern plastic doll named Tiffany.  4. Honus & Me by Dan Gutman- a baseball loving boy named Joe can travel back in time to any time period to meet his favorite baseball player if he sleeps with the baseball card of said player the night before. In this book, he meets Honus Wagner.

  All of the books I read in October! I read a total of 11 books. It's a little scary that I had two 2 star books. Other than that, I had plenty of new favorites! I even caught up with Witch Hat Atelier . And finally read the prequel to Legends and Lattes .  You can click on the titles to see their Goodreads descriptions if applicable. 1. Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch -2 stars 2. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende -5 stars 3. Witch Hat Atelier Volume 12 by Kamome Shirahama -5 stars 4. The Secret Letters by Margaret Peterson Haddix -5 stars 5. Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree -5 stars 6. The Ghostly Photos by Margaret Peterson Haddix -4.5 stars 7. The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught -5 stars 8. Huda F Cares by Huda Fahmy -5 stars 9. Aquicorn Cove by Kay O'Neill -5 stars 10. Magic for Marigold by LM Montgomery -2 stars 11. Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang -4.5 stars

Today is Day 1 of Nonfiction November! Nonfiction November is something that was started by the Booktuber @abookolive . She runs it primarily over on Instagram. Olive has made prompts for everyday of November regarding nonfiction books. Today's prompt is what is on my TBR for Nonfiction November. Well, so far I only have two books. They are: I might also read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. We'll see! Hopefully I can find a new favorite and rekindle my love of reading nonfiction, too! The only other nonfiction book I read and liked this year was They Called Us Enemy by George Takei.  I will also not participate in every single prompt because I have some other things I want to talk about this month. But I will participate in the majority of the prompts!