Bunny by Mona Awad was one of my top-ten favorite reads of last year. I read it last September. When I saw that it was getting a sequel, I knew immediately that I needed to get my hands on it. I actually squealed when I got the email letting me know I’d been accepted as an ARC reader. We Love You, Bunny has been one of my most highly-anticipated reads for 2025. It will be hitting shelves at all your favorite booksellers tomorrow, September 23rd. It’s currently available for preorder now.

Summary:

Bunny was an unhinged narrative that was aptly described in one of its blurbs as “Frankenstein by way of Heathers.” It was a wild ride led by an unreliable narrator that left your mind spinning long after you’d finished. We Love You, Bunny is a sequel and a prequel at the same time and could potentially even work as a standalone. Anyone who read the first book was certainly left with questions. They’ll find their answers in the second book.

In short, the Bunnies read Samantha’s book and weren’t terribly thrilled with their portrayals. When she makes a stop on her book tour near their old shared college, the Bunnies take Samantha hostage. It’s their turn to tell the story of what happened during their MFA program. We learn there’s a lot more to both the narrative and the world that it takes place in.

My Thoughts:

In a way, this book perfectly captured the feel of an on-site reunion. The world had exactly the same feel as before, but the tone and pacing were vastly different. The first book had an extreme element of surprise to it. It took unpredictable turns that could leave readers with whiplash and an adrenaline rush. However, because this second book is a retelling of a story we’ve now already heard, it understands that it can’t approach it from the same angle. Readers already know about the blurred lines between fantasy and realism that are coming.

The pacing of this one is much slower, and far more evocative of Mary Shelley’s original. We even get the perspective of one of the Bunnies’ creations. His voice beautifully echoes that of Victor Frankenstein’s creation, but takes it into an entirely new direction. There were many questions the first book didn’t answer. This one takes the time to fully explore them. That includes the characters. Where in the first book, the Bunnies were difficult to tell apart at times, their personalities become more concrete and distinct as we learn the backstories that formed them. We see a lot more of Jonah’s character as well. His character played a rather small part in the first book, but was very endearing. I was very happy to see more of him.

I really enjoyed this one, but I would caution readers to not expect a repeat of the first book. This is not the same rollercoaster, nor does it attempt to be. This is a slower and deeper study of that story. Readers who want that feeling of whiplash may prefer the first book to We Love You, Bunny. On the other hand, those who simply felt confused after the first book will likely find this one much more to their tastes. We do still get the same feeling of sinking into a shared psychosis with the characters. In that regard, the book won’t answer every question, but the resolutions are satisfying enough to sate any remaining curiosity.

Personally, I think the books work better as a pair, but readers won’t feel lost reading this one as a standalone if they so choose.

Content Warnings: Blood, Toxic Friendships, Self-Injury, Body Shaming, Slut Shaming, Kidnapping, Animal Death, Animal Cruelty, Professor-Student Relationship, Disordered Eating, Fire & Burn Injuries, Sexual Content, Body Horror, Grief, Torture, Alcohol & Heavy Drinking, Confinement, Toxic Relationship Dynamics, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Disordered Eating, Sexual Harassment, Gore, Murder

After I Finished We Love You, Bunny

Because We Love You, Bunny does feel a bit like falling into madness, I knew I needed something more grounded next. I had the perfect thing: a biography from a local author that publishes at the end of this month. After getting to meet the author and speak personally with him, I was already excited to read it. I knew a little bit about the subject of the book, but found he was so much more interesting of a person than I could have imagined.

My next review will be for Matisse at War by Christopher C. Gorham.