We Love You, Bunny

Bunny #2

by Mona Awad

The highly anticipated follow up to the viral sensation Bunny , a brilliantly written, laugh-out-loud funny, dark, and delirious novel set in the Bunny-verse—a world that Margaret Atwood declared “soooo genius.”

In the cult classic novel Bunny, Samatha Heather Mackey, a lonely outsider student at a highly selective MFA program in New England, was first ostracized and then seduced by a clique of creepy-sweet rich girls who call themselves “Bunny.” An invitation to the Bunnies’ Smut Salon leads Samantha down a dark rabbit hole (pun intended) into the violently surreal world of their off-campus workshops where monstrous creations are conjured with deadly and wondrous consequences.

When We Love You, Bunny opens, Sam has just published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a New England stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it’s her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies’ side of the story. One by one, they take turns holding the axe, and recount the birth throes of their unholy alliance, their discovery of their unusual creative powers—and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. With a bound and gagged Sam, we embark on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark a fairy tale slasher that explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. Not to mention the transformative powers of love and friendship, Bunny.

Frankenstein by way of Heathers, We Love You, Bunny is both a prequel and a sequel, and an unabashedly wild and totally complete stand-alone novel. Open your hearts, Bunny, to another dazzlingly original and darkly hilarious romp in the Bunny-verse from the queen of the fever-dream, Mona Awad.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Dark Academia, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Thriller

Audible Audio

First published September 23, 2025

About the author

Mona Awad is the bestselling author of the novels BUNNY, ROUGE, ALL'S WELL and 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A FAT GIRL. She is a three time finalist for a Goodreads Choice Award, a finalist for the Giller Prize, and a winner of the Amazon Best First Novel Award. BUNNY was also a finalist for the New England Book Award and it won the Ladies of Horror Fiction Best Novel Award. It's currently in development for film with Bad Robot Productions. Her forthcoming novel, WE LOVE YOU, BUNNY will be released with Simon & Schuster in September 2025.

She earned an MFA from Brown University and an MScR in English from the University of Edinburgh where her dissertation was on fear in the fairy tale. In 2018, she completed a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literary Studies at the University of Denver. She currently teaches creative writing at Syracuse University and lives in Boston.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

we really do.

or at least i used to.

https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...

folks, it brings me no joy to say this...

we are looking at a money-grab.

this is 496 pages of that weird glass cube people climb in so they can get pummeled with air as they try to grab circulating cash. it's the scratch-off lottery ticket of books, except not even that, because the scratch element provides entertainment.

this claims (on-page! not even in the synopsis! this is a line in the book itself!) to be both a prequel and a sequel. it's actually neither, because it is nothing.

i have been getting a little bit tired of mona awad books for their dredging of the same material again and again. sure, it's fun to read a weird book about an aging freak encountering the rules of society run through a mystification machine, but at a certain point you've read one you've read them all. and that's what all of awad's releases since bunny have felt like to me.

so even though this is a return to material, i thought it'd be refreshing, in a way.

i cannot believe i, a person who believes myself to be the moral spine of the universe to the extent that i am always right, was so wrong.

this is a point-for-point rehashing of the plot of bunny, with none of what made it fun. it has none of the newness or shock value or confusion or nuance. it has none of the bizarre-and-charming-in-their-garishness characters. it has none of the purpose.

this book exists for no reason. it's as if someone sat down one day with the cool girl lit fic equivalent of sparknotes and no other ideas but "let's make money by smacking the word BOOKTOK on a cover."
not only did i hate every second of reading this — and i did, to the extent that i had to go back and forth between the arduous audiobook and equally brutal ebook to complete it — but this has effectively ruined the first book for me.

i loved that weirdo read, and how strange it was, and how polarizing it was not only to those who loved it or hated it but to those who believed they knew what the hell happened.

now i think its brilliance was a total accident.

bottom line: this could not be further from that.

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Marcus (Lit_Laugh_Luv) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was officially my least favourite read of 2025, btw. <3
---
Rating a Mona Awad book a one star? Rating a sequel to one of my favourite books ever as a one-star? I can explain…but buckle up, this is a long one!

Also, for those confused in the comments: yes, I read the entire book. Yes, I'm aware this review was written prior to publication. I received an early copy from the publisher for the sake of reviewing this.

I seldom give books a one-star rating. At the time of writing this, less than 5% of the books I’ve rated on Goodreads (among hundreds) received a one rating. I only reserve this for the books I really, really disliked. And unfortunately, We Love You, Bunny makes that list.

The book pulls back the curtain and eliminates any nuance or ambiguity that made the original so interesting. I think most people who enjoyed Bunny appreciated that Awad left things open to interpretation and discussion. I originally read Bunny as part of a book club, and it was interesting to see how differently everyone interpreted metaphors and imagery. It was shocking, violent, but also incredibly fun.

This follow-up is marketed as both a prequel and a sequel, and in the most literal sense of chronology - sure, I’d agree. But looking at the actual contents of the book, we spend most of the time tracing the exact events of the original from a slightly different perspective. The Bunnies are given a little bit more backstory, but not enough to really offer anything interesting. Aerius’ perspective starts off interesting, but goes on for far too long. The use of emojis and childish spelling works for a handful of chapters before it feels overdone. Things also get muddled as the Bunnies have three names - their actual names, the one Aerius gives them, and the one Sam gives them, so any sense of individuality is lost unless you’re very diligent and can keep track of everything. Then the switch to the collective plural chapters comes along and you’re back to treating the Bunnies as a conglomerate hive mind (and they never let you forget it).

The entire book suffers from bulk — the premise alone feels like a spin-off short story or novella, yet somehow we spend almost 500 pages recounting every excruciating detail of the original (sometimes multiple times, as nobody can agree on the truth). One could argue that reality is subjective and there is no definitive truth, but don’t worry, that gets explored explicitly on the page through several on-the-nose conversations! The one positive is that characters with a tangential impact on the original plot get more time, but I don’t think anyone was really foaming at the mouth for more about the rivals in the poetry program.

Awad is a talented writer, and I’ve enjoyed all of her previous titles, but this really diminished the magic of Bunny for me. This was a slog to pick up, and I found myself skimming just to get through it, which I’ve seen echoed by other reviewers. I don’t know enough about Awad’s creative process to label this a cash grab (maybe a collection of novels for this world was always planned, but I’m not confident on this), but at minimum, it certainly feels like fan service. I don’t think fan service is inherently bad, and I think there were a lot of interesting possibilities this could have taken. It just… doesn’t.

The target audience for this is people who love Bunny - and if you’re dying for the ambiguity to be resolved and the secrets behind the magic to be revealed, you may really like this! The blurb suggests this could be read as a standalone, but I really don’t see how that would be possible whatsoever. It references Bunny so heavily that if the details aren’t fresh in your mind, you’ll likely be confused and overwhelmed. I found the original novel spoke for itself, and I really could have done without this.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC - sorry it didn’t land for me, but I appreciate the opportunity to read it nonetheless.

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[Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]

I love Bunny and the ways in which it pokes fun at the act of creation, especially satirizing the cult-like language and practices in elitist institutions of higher education. And Awad, a very clever, bold, and skilled writer who has been on both sides of the MFA aisle, as student and teacher, continues that here. She even takes it one step further giving a voice to the creation, a la Frankenstein. Which I truly loved. I won’t spoil anything but those chapters were my favorite bits of the whole book. It was weird and whimsical and dark and funny and OUT THERE. Even for her, a writer unafraid of really going out on a limb. She takes a big swing in this book and mostly it works.

But the Bunny sections, where the four antagonists from book 1 get to tell their side of the story, are just overly written and repetitive and it drags down the fun of the story. There’s no reason this book needed to be nearly 500 pages long. It’s felt, sadly, in what is otherwise a very smart and well thought out story that adds layers to the Bunnyverse as we know it (and book 3 coming in the future apparently?). I wanted to absolutely love this book but it left me a bit drained by the end. And though I do still think it’s worth reading if you loved the first book, go in knowing it takes its time rehashing some elements of the first book from new POVs that could have used some editing down, but you’ll also get a pretty wild, hoppin’ ride.

[marta the book slayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bunny, why tf would you waste my time like that

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly never expected to cry while reading this book, yet life continually surprises me in unexpected ways. I loved this sequel far more than the first book, and I believe it truly deserves a rating of six stars. Everything in this book not only met my expectations but exceeded them in every possible way. I had such an incredible amount of fun reading it, and I cried so profusely that I genuinely felt as if I was losing my mind amid the emotional storm.
Although it could have been shorter, as the latter part of the story dragged a little, these are just minor complaints that were easily brushed aside after that ending.

The plot unfolded in a manner I hadn't anticipated, adding an exciting layer of unpredictability that I absolutely loved. I devoured the entire book in a single day because it was just that compelling. The seamless back-and-forth between past and present timelines was executed with exceptional skill, enhancing the overall narrative and immersing me deeply into the story.

The point of view from the Bunnies was exactly what I needed and wanted after reading the first book. And you know what? My affection for them only deepened; I still love each of them immensely. They are undeniably mean girls, but so is Sam, so their behavior seems somewhat justified. At least, the Bunnies are funny, crazy, intelligent, and exceedingly entertaining in comparison to Sam, who, in my opinion, was a rather dull protagonist.

I adored every single one of the Bunnies. Elsinore (The Duchess) was the kind of female character I am naturally drawn to—perhaps because of her cold personality or her unwavering composure. I found her absolutely captivating. Kyra (Creepy Doll) was my favorite throughout the story; she surprised me the most with her personality. She was far more sane than the other Bunnies and kept her feet more firmly in reality. Viktoria (Vignette) also caught me off guard; in the first book, she seemed just a horny girl, but in this one, although she still had that side, she was also hilariously wild and intriguing. Coraline (Cupcake), however, was my least favorite—she started off strong but became emotionally more unstable as the story progressed, which somewhat annoyed me. Nonetheless, I still loved her, don't worry, bunny.

I eagerly consumed their twisted relationships; the author masterfully crafted such creepy and addictive bonds that I couldn’t look away. Their interactions felt raw, intense, and profoundly unsettling, adding to the dark allure of the story.

Then there’s Aerius—my beloved, my favorite, my darling—the only character in this book who remained pure at heart. That’s remarkable, considering he was swift with an axe. He had such a beautiful soul, and I cried so much because of his story. The depth and emotional weight of his storyline made me pause many times, overwhelmed by tears. His relationship with Jonah was wonderful and magical, yet riddled with angst and misery, showing the author’s skill in depicting complex, painful connections. His bond with Taylor was equally touching; witnessing their interactions was just beautiful. Their ending was perfect—hopeful and satisfying, leaving me with a deep sense of peace.

In conclusion, this book was another fever dream that made me question my sanity while simultaneously revealing that I might be a little delusional—perhaps a little bit lost in my own imagination. Overall, I absolutely loved this book, and it will stay with me for a long time.

[enzoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

BUNNY T’AS DEAD ÇA THIS WAS SOOOOOO CUNTY AND THE WRITING OMG GENIUS J’SUIS GAGGGGGGGED OLALALALALALALALALA

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

How the heck are people rating this a 1 & 2 or anything else when it’s not out until September? You all need to stop that bullshit. Got an arc? Leave a real review with real thoughts or you just appear petty and ridiculous and probably jealous too. You can rate however you want when you’ve actually read (or attempted to) the actual book. Trying to skew reviews 7 months before a book is released is so 2010.

*edited for clarity. As a former ARC reviewer I do know how they work. I’m speaking of the people leaving only stars 7 months prior to the book release. If you’re fortunate enough to receive an arc and you hate it (or love it) at least do readers the courtesy of telling us why otherwise you look like a review bomber and you shouldn’t be accepting arc’s, imo. I don’t give a shit what you do once the book is up for sale.

[chan ☆]

not wasting 6 hours of my life finishing this

[Farda Hus · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Our wackos are bacckkk, bunny!!! 🐰🐰🐰🐰

If in book 1 it felt like I’d been tossed into a full-blown mushroom high with colors melting and reality bending, this one felt more like wandering through the woods after. Still strange, still surreal, but quieter somehow. Everything's still weird and trippy, just with a different kind of energy. The chaos is still there. The confusion remains. But the impact just isn’t quite like the first.

This time, the story focuses on the Bunnies themselves, before they met Samantha. Which is super interesting because we finally get to see their world from their own twisted lens. And yeah, I was already braced for the madness after book 1, but this book still managed to throw in unexpected moments and bizarre turns that caught me off guard. That said, the element of surprise just couldn’t match what book 1 had.

But the thing is, the metaphors and the way things were portrayed didn’t feel as subtle this time. In book 1, there was this lingering mystery that allowed you to interpret everything in your own way. Everyone could walk away with a different take or feeling, or you could simply take it as it is (some weird-magical-surrealism-gore fiction). In this one, though, it felt like the book was more direct, almost steering you toward a fixed meaning. It still works if you just take it as it is, without digging too deep. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but for me, it took away a bit of the magic I felt with the first book.

Still, it was a good trippy mushroom ride. 🍄🍄

Note: Thank you Simon Element for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[bweadbun · Rating 3 out of 5]

my wee bunny teeth are gnawing at the bars of their enclosure for this
────────── 𝜗𝜚 ───────────
3.5 — Though I always considered Bunny to be a fun cult classic – adjacent to one of those egregiously unserious 90s films that for some reason is imbued with an unexplainable charm – I never saw it needing any sort of follow-up but was intrigued when a sequel was announced nonetheless. In this second installment the roles are flipped and our endearingly asocial protagonist Samantha becomes the subject of scrutiny after the release of her novel – a piece of autofiction about her time spent amongst the Bunnies. Here forth, We Love You, Bunny offers up an alternative perspective to the morbid, girlish horror and characters we became so familiar with. With the offensively uninspired aliases and vapid portrayal of the four girls, each Bunny is horrified by Sam's gross misrepresentation of not only themselves but the scope and depth of their Creations and Work. After kidnapping the debut author and wielding their signature axe in place of a talking stick, each girl takes turns monologuing on the “true” events regarding the Bunny lore.

Honestly, I was a little miffed about the length of this and (not to engage in sacrilege or anything) I found that my favourite parts were the chapters and moments exploring characters outside of the original four Bunnies. Because we’ve spent so much time hearing the vernacular of the group through Sam’s perspective in the first book, their chapters felt a little bit repetitive while the newer characters filled the story with fresh personality (even if some of it was derivative of the four girls) and fed well into the absurdity which was, overall, much more compelling to me.

Even though a sequel wasn’t necessarily needed for this story, I definitely enjoyed this book for what it was and the dark humor and nostalgia I felt while reading it was a nice way to start off the season!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this title!

Please check cws/tws

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my new reading vlog: https://youtu.be/N6oRV13TQYc 👀

Written review to come!

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm)]

This might be the horniest retelling of Frankenstein. 🧟🤣

My favorite character in this book's predecessor, Bunny, was Victoria. Why? Because she could always be counted on to offer a horny comment or complain that she was "borny" (bored + horny). Hilarious!

But in We Love You, Bunny, it seems all the Bunnies are inexplicably horny. Here are some examples of the Bunnies being horny:

🧁 Cupcake assumes her professor has an erection while redlining her work.

🪆 Creepy Doll is turned on watching Cupcake eat a muffin. Refers to her writing as "prose fornication with ghosts". Finds the bite in the October air arousing. Finds that following a bunny is arousing and makes her feel sexual.

🪞 Vignette (aka Victoria) orgasmed while burning her ballerina gear years ago. Says Kyra (aka Creepy Doll) tilts her head like she's being "fucked by grass". Finds digging into a rabbit hole feels good "like fucking".

🐰 All four of them find watching a rabbit eat flower petals makes their thighs quiver.

In addition to the Bunnies being oddly horny all the time, I found it strange that they sit Samantha down to tell her how her portrayal of them in her book was wrongly horrid, but then proceed to reveal how horrid they are. So I'm not sure if this is meant to be a series of unreliable narrators or if this book doesn't quite know what it wants to be.

I was similarly baffled by the sheer number of names these characters have, with true names being revealed in this book, as well as a new character introducing additional nicknames, resulting in the following:

🧁 Caroline (aka "Cupcake") is actually named Coraline (aka "Goldy Cut")

🪆 Kira (aka "Creepy Doll") is actually named Kyra (aka "Murder Fairy")

🪞 Victoria (aka "Vignette") is actually named Viktoria (aka "Insatiable", as well as "Vik")

💎 Eleanor (aka "the Duchess") is actually named Elsinore (aka "the Mind Witch", as well as "Else")

Whew! 😮‍💨

Finally, I'm not sure how to feel about the ending, in which it's revealed that... the Samantha whom the Bunnies held captive throughout the book was in fact a bunny that the real Samantha had transformed into a lookalike. I'm not sure whether to take this as a means of undermining the entire book OR as a way to show that Samantha cleverly has the last laugh.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re not going to want to miss this one, bunny.

Reading We Love You Bunny felt like being reunited with an old friend. It’s been several years since I have read Bunny but as soon as I started the sequel the original story and its details all came flooding back.

Just like the original and in true Mona Awad fashion, Bunny is a darkly humorous tale mixed with dreamy imagery and a sprinkling of gore. I absolutely loved learning the Bunnies original story and how the girls all meet. Without spoiling anything, I will say that parts of the story are told from a new and very interesting perspective.

Of course, this one isn’t as good as the first, it would be impossible for it to be. But We Love You Bunny is still pure perfection and a solid 5 star stunner and is a must read for everyone who enjoyed Bunny. And yes, you have to have read Bunny in order to truly understand what’s going on.

We Love You Bunny by Mona Awad will be available on September 23. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and Mary Sue Ricci Books for the gifted copy!!

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real bummer. A very, very long bummer, too. Could have done most of what Awad is trying to do here in about 50 pages, but instead we spend 10x that time in what starts to feel like an exercise that never ends. Finally, FINALLY, near the end there is actually a little plot. (It's astonishing how little plot there is in this book, in all FIVE HUNDRED of its pages.) I liked the little plot there was. Even if it was more heavyhanded than the metaphor of Bunny, which is almost impressive.

But is this necessary? Absolutely not. Is it pleasant or fun or interesting? Not really.

I say all this having re-read Bunny just a few weeks ago, so it's all quite fresh in my head. And while I think it has its rough spots, it's a wild ride, a lot of fun. This somehow gives you an extensive backstory and yet it doesn't expand or explain much about the actual story of Bunny until the very very end. If anything, it makes the actual events of Bunny a little confusing, because if this is what happened in their first year, you'd think they would behave very differently in their second year!

I was also underwhelmed by Awad's previous novel, Rouge, which had more muddled metaphors and a narrative looseness that was unsatisfying. I miss the delirium of All's Well and Bunny. I hope she can get back to that. Until then, I would give this one a pass. Even for real fans of Bunny.

[Stacy (Gotham City Librarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.

“Well, this isn’t exactly fucking Frankenstein, Bunny.”

I was super excited and honestly honored to get an early review copy of this! Even though this is sort of a sequel but more-so a prequel, “We Love You, Bunny” feels most like a companion piece to volume 1. Almost as if Mona Awad were writing very capable fan fiction of her own universe. I realize this is a pretty strange thing to say considering the subject matter, but “We Love You, Bunny” is quite a bit more fantastical than “Bunny” was. So you should maybe know that going in if part one was a tad much for you. (I was obsessed with it.) In fact, I would even say that it’s ten times weirder than the first book. I have to confess that while “Bunny” is still one of my favorite novels in general, I have only read it once and since I have the memory of a goldfish I have forgotten some of it. It’s definitely time to revisit!

"WLYB" is completely made up of narration, so basically the chapters are all monologue. I can easily see this not being some people’s cup of tea. Especially if they find the casual and frequent use of “Bunny” as a pet name irritating. Oddly, I think that in another author's hands something like that would likely bother me but Awad manages to make it both cute and funny in a deranged way. The story of these characters gets pretty dark and violent, but I was consistently laughing even when I knew I shouldn't be. Mona Awad and Ottessa Moshfegh are both able to do this thing  where certain moments make me feel a little bit uncomfortable but also intrigued at the same time. I’m certainly not OKAY with what’s happening, but I’m fascinated and want to keep watching to see what happens. And Awad especially has such a beautiful and weird imagination. I'm an admirer, for sure. Though "WLYB" does have some strong things to say about going overboard with worshipping your muse...

It's always an interesting experience to read something primarily from the perspective of very flawed characters. The Bunnies are not good people in any way. (Tiny example: they refer to an unhoused person as simply, “A Homeless.”) Then there’s all the other highly questionable stuff. (They’re totally psychotic, lol.) But it all very much has an 80s/90s dark bratty humor sensibility to it. And I loved how different each of them were. If they designed a hotel, each of their rooms would have a completely different aesthetic and you would know instantly whose room belonged to who. Not a huge fan of how unlikable Sam was made out to be in this, because I liked her a lot in the first book. But then again, I have to keep in mind that every narrator present in this sequel hates her, so of course she won’t come across in the best light.

One minor complaint: Any time a character is narrating a memory back to someone else and that memory takes the form of entire chapters, I am unable to accept that the narrator would remember full conversations. That’s my nitpick with books that are in this type of format. If the entire thing is made up of memories, I automatically assume that none of it is reliable, and I doubt that every word spoken in the retelling is accurate. But maybe I'm supposed to doubt? No spoilery specifics, but this book has MULTIPLE unreliable narrators, and frequently alternating POVs. But Elsinore seems to get the stage a little more than the others. Though that might be for the best, because her narrative voice is the smoothest. (I think if I had to pick a favorite Bunny, though, it would hands down be Kyra.) I actually felt that the Poets were far less realistic and believable as characters than the titular “Bunnies.” From the way the Poets spoke to how they acted, I struggled whenever they showed up. Hilarious representation, though, of various majors at a liberal arts college. I only wish that some film students had been included, for personal reasons!

Did I catch a subtle reference or two confirming that Bunny and Rouge take place in the same universe? I also always appreciate American Psycho nods that are handled well.

Admittedly, there were times when this story was a bit too sappy/romantic for me, but I’m a very bitter person. On the other hand, I thought the conversation throughout about art and whether it truly belongs to you or if you create it as a means to change the lives of others was beautifully done, and there was a specific fourth wall breaking moment near the end that hit me like a punch to the chest and honestly made me cry. How dare you make me FEEL things, Mona Awad! 

The section that connects this narrative to the events of the first book seemed a little bit rushed, but overall I was a big fan of the ending. Yes to all of it!

This will likely be your cup of tea if:
- The first book is one of your faves
- You enjoy a good dark and funny “Heathers” dynamic
- You don’t need anything to be believable (This one is VERY important.)
- You went to a liberal arts college and can take a fair amount of roasting
 
You definitely will not love this if:
- You can’t stand narrators who use silly nicknames or made up slang a lot 
- It bothers you when women are especially awful in a novel
- The story is told in multiple POV’s that keep switching
- You didn’t enjoy the first book

“We’re artists,” Else prevaricated. “We just want to love what we make. And to make something that loves us. Is that so wrong?”

Thank you SO much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own, Bunny.

Biggest TW: Self-harm, disordered eating, animal harm/death, Brief mention of SA, Depression, Alcohol abuse
*All quotes are from an early review copy and could change before the publication date.

[Sunny Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and dark and twisty follow up to Bunny! Loved the perspective shifts and absolute hilarity. I was cracking up reading this whole book

[Ricarda]

I was kinda excited for this, but this cover? Eww. I especially hate how it doesn't match any edition of "Bunny".

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts
I honestly didn't think this was possible but this book was even more unhinged than the first one in the best way possible.. Could we please keep this wacky universe crack format of a plot going forever ??? Cause I'll happily devour another near 500 pages.. This was so good in ways I can't explain cause trust me when I tell you I didn't even know I enjoyed cult themed plots THAT MUCH before this author.. also why did I get emotional towards the end??? Guess I was too invested but seriously I wouldn't mind a 24hr visit into their world --the wish you were in the book type feeling-- We love you Bunny ... indeed... 🐰💖

My Bookstagram

[makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

mary shelley would of been proud

[Léa · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (rounded up)

Bunny is one of my FAVOURITE books from recent years and I was equally excited and daunted at the prospect of an unexpected prequel/sequel... and it wasn't my favourite. I did love this in all of its strange and uniqueness!!! Mona Awad is an author that I will forever praise, recommend, scream from the rooftops about and thus, it's slightly devastating that this didn't work entirely for me.

Perhaps because it took me a month to read, perhaps I was slumping, but there was something about We Love You, Bunny that stopped me from feeling excitement when reading. I adored the themes of alienation, discussions on nature vs nurture and the slight Frankenstein coded inspirations. However the entire time when reading, I just kept feeling that Bunny stands better alone. Undecided as to whether I will read the 3rd book in this series but I can see why SO many Bunny lovers adore this!

[Alina ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

☆☆☆

We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad was definitely a bit of a fan service book, there’s no doubt about that. While I get that some readers might love returning to this bizarre, disturbing world, for me, it just didn’t hit the mark. The book was full of references and details designed to cater to those who adored Bunny, but as much as I wanted to be swept up in the madness again, the execution left me wanting more.

Plot-wise, I have to say that Aerius' perspective was the most engaging. His insights and his own way of seeing things felt like a refreshing change, giving a deeper understanding of the story's world. Let’s talk about those emojis. They were fun at first, sure, but after a while, they started to feel like a gimmick. As someone who listened to the audiobook, I found it even more grating. The endless smiley faces and frowny faces quickly became annoying—and I get it, they’re part of the character's quirkiness, but it did get tiresome.

Now, the book does dive deep into the smallest details, which can be interesting at times, but after a while, it felt like a bit of overkill. We didn’t need all of this extra background information. Honestly, this could’ve been easily cut down by 200 pages, maybe more. A 500-page book (20 hours on audiobook!) felt like a marathon I wasn’t sure I signed up for.

As for the Bunnies, Kyra stood out to me the most. She felt like the most different from the first book and, in a way, like she was telling her own truth. That was refreshing, as some of the other characters felt a little stuck in their same old patterns. Also, shoutout to the Bunnies’ music taste: Taylor, Lana, Kate Bush? Absolutely my vibe, so that was a fun detail I appreciated.

Ultimately, We Love You, Bunny wasn’t terrible, it’s just not necessary reading if you’re not a hardcore fan of the first book. I didn’t dislike it, but it didn’t live up to the potential I was hoping for. If you’re invested in the Bunny world, you might get something out of this, but if you’re on the fence, I wouldn’t recommend rushing to pick it up.

[lexluvsb00ks · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so much more than what people think its going to be. i am in awe - of mona awad's brilliance, originality, and ability to push the lines of fiction. this story went in a direction i couldn't have have imagined, which at first i felt a bit resistant to. im glad i kept an open mind because this novel was incredibly imaginative, incorporating themes of dark academia, classical literature, romance, fantasy, fairy tails, thrillers, and so much more. it was silly and fun and also heartbreaking and beautiful. the finale had me tearing up and feeling so human. i experienced so many lifetimes in this book, it felt like a monster of a book even tho its less than 500 pages, each word packed such a huge punch and i found myself so deeply entrenched in the story and savoring every word. the world building, prose, and storyline was so unique in a way i seriously couldn't have imagined at the start. mona awad there is no one like you in the world and this is by far her best work thus far.

[Katie Colson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Need to reread. Need to psychoanalyze. But, more importantly, I need to reread Bunny (let's all collectively chortle about how many times I've started Bunny this year and at around the 230 page mark, given way to conspiracy-theory pressure and gone back to the beginning...If you're wondering, it's been 3 times. 3 times. Yeah...)

[Krysta ꕤ]

please don’t fail me, bunny 🐰

[Kyra ♡ ‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi bunny 💕🐰🪓

Returning to the dark academia fever dream of the Bunnies felt like slipping back into a silk-lined cult robe. We Love You, Bunny is exactly the unhinged, self-aware, gleefully grotesque literary detour I wanted and needed, that deepens the original’s mythology while also mocking the very idea of needing to explain it. Mona Awad, once again, is playing chess.

This sequel/prequel flips the lens and kidnaps Samantha (literally and narratively) so the Bunnies can tell their side of the story. We finally learn how Aerius was conjured, how the boy-bunnies came to be, and how this whole “unholy alliance” functioned from the inside. And somehow, against all odds, it works. The Bunnies are still absurd, terrifying, and hilarious—but now they’re also painfully human in their desperation to be loved, admired, and canonized.

And Aerius. Oh, Aerius. Sweet, tragic, beautifully doomed creation. His chapters were a standout—tender, lonely, and unsettling in a way that made me genuinely emotional. Frankenstein’s monster by way of MFA workshop critique. Is he a boy? A bunny? An idea gone wrong? Yes. All of the above. I adored him, dear reader :)

Awad’s satire is razor-sharp here, especially in her skewering of creative writing programs, intellectual elitism, and the power dynamics baked into friendship and artistic creation. She captures the longing to belong and the horror of what we’re willing to make—or destroy—to get there. It’s funny, it’s fairy-tale slasher energy, it’s girlhood.

Final verdict: 5 stars. I love the bunny-verse. Fully. Devotedly. This book doesn’t explain itself so much as it revels in its own excess, and that’s the point. A strange, smart, surreal literary treat that rewards readers who like their dark academia messy, meta, and just a little feral. We love you, Bunny. We really do. 🐇📚

[Kaylee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Devastating, Bunny.

Like other fans of Bunny I was intrigued, but nervous, about the news of this book coming out. I wasn't really interested in reading it because I didn't need it; In fact, most other fans of Bunny I know and watch online said the same. But, with the chance to read an ARC of it and being a bookseller who hand-sells Bunny quite often, I figured I'd give it a shot.

The perspective of this book is not my favorite. The "dear reader" POV feels clumsy. If it was set in present tense and each chapter was from a POV of each Bunny, it would have been stronger for me. It was a lot of telling and not showing because of this, and the two sections (sections, not chapters. *sections*) from the first darling's POV made me want to ax myself!

Second, this like it was written by a fan. I've read All's Well, Bunny and Rouge, and all 3 brilliantly wove together original, creative stories and characters with clear, but not blatant, themes. We Love You, Bunny takes it's themes and fucking bludgeons you over the head with them. At several points characters flat-out say very clearly exactly what that theme is. There was no subtlety.

It didn't help that this was a tome of almost 500 pages. An easy 200+ could have been cut from this. Honestly, that last 30% (I think I shed a tear when the second section of Aerius popped up) nearly took me out so I began skimming to get the points without having to read endless paragraphs of monologuing and :) and :(. The smiley faces and sad faces were cute for a page or two. Chapters and chapters of text ending with an emoji was torture.

There are some really funny bits. Awad is undeniably witty and the chapters that focused on the Bunnies' antics were much more enjoyable. I am really sad it wasn't more from them. I liked that at beginning the POVs are more separated and then later they become a "we" once they become a hive mind (which they directly say several times). There was stuff I liked, but sadly, mostly stuff I didn't. I was going to give this 2 stars mostly because I am legitimately scared of this fandom and the people excited about this, but if I feel the need to skim 30% of the book in order to not DNF, then I can't see how I can give it a 2.

If you are a big fan of Bunny and are on the fence about reading this, I would say you can skip it. If you are a big fan and excited about this, give it a shot. This was not for me, but I look forward to Mona's next book!

[Melissa ~ Bantering Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved you, Bunny, until I didn’t.

Mona Awad indulged herself with this one. She let herself go. The fun she had writing We Love You, Bunny emanates from the pages. Her writing is loose and free, even playful, and the entire narrative has an air of unrestraint. It’s clear she is in no rush to tell the story, not until she’s good and ready.

And while this may be nothing but pure, creative enjoyment for the author, it’s problematic for the reader for a few reasons. First, the book drags. It’s nearly 500 pages in length, and not a lot happens during most of it. It’s way too long – PERIOD – and it reads as a chaotic, muddled fever dream. Second, the fact that the story is both a prequel and a sequel, with an emphasis on prequel, means the reader has to care enough about what happened in the past to read 500 pages of it. As it turns out, I didn’t. Awad just doesn’t give us enough plot to make the past story interesting. And third, the goal of a good prequel is to show the reader events previously unseen and to answer hanging questions, right? The showing of previous events, Awad accomplishes; the answering of questions, not so much. The book doesn’t really explain anything at all, and I finished it fuzzy about what I read.

There are bright spots within the pages, though, which is why I’m landing on three stars instead of two. When Awad turns on the dark humor, she’s brilliant. She had me laughing at things that shouldn’t have been funny – even within the realm of fiction, where we should have the freedom to laugh at the absurd and inappropriate, I felt a little bad for the amusement I found. There’s a cleverness to her humor, too, in that there are scenes where you don’t really understand what’s happening until Awad gives you the rest of the information further down the road. So it’s not until you’re looking back and pieces start clicking into place that the morbid humor of what transpired earlier hits you. Call it a delayed reaction, maybe?!?!

Other honorable mentions: the surprise ending (she got me!) and the battle of the Fictions and the Poets (terrific satire!).

But all said, the book is nowhere near the gloriousness of its predecessor.


My sincerest appreciation to Mona Awad, Simon Element, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

[Alwynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven but ultimately compelling re-entry into the Bunny-verse. Here, Mona Awad’s Bunny is the novel Sam aka Samantha published not long after leaving Warren University. Now Sam’s on a book tour that takes her back to Warren and into the clutches of the four original Bunnies. With Sam as their captive audience, the Bunnies intend to set the record straight and tell their side of the story. For them this will be a kind of writing back – akin to Jean Rhys responding to Jane Eyre. One that will feature their real names and their “true” selves, focused on what they believe actually happened during their time in Warren’s ultra-exclusive, Narrative Arts programme.

The opening sections switch from one Bunny to the next, as they take turns recounting their early experiences of Warren. Their additional context rapidly casts doubt on Sam’s account, for example Kyra aka Kira’s Japanese heritage makes Sam’s framing of her as “doll-like” instantly problematic. The Bunnies also reveal the existence of another key player known as Aerius, the first and most workable of their so-called drafts. All parts intact, Aerius is the only one of their characters who truly sprung to life. Like a creepily-collective Frankenstein, the Bunnies regard Aerius as their possession and plaything, subjecting him to brutal “revisions.” But Aerius’s emergence swiftly establishes him as the lead here, this novel’s Sam. Once each Bunny’s said their piece, Aerius’s voice takes over, albeit via the pages of a notebook.

Aerius’s story deliberately echoes aspects of Shelley’s Frankenstein, with nods to iconic spin-offs like Bride of Frankenstein. Desperate to break free of the scary, voracious Bunnies, he sets off on an odyssey through the city’s streets and forests. A journey that takes in a number of Bunny’s minor characters, like the trench-coated poets with their retro emo-goth aesthetic; and casts Jonah and Ursula in starring roles. But, like Frankenstein’s bewildered creature, Aerius is bubbling over with murderous impulses. Fixated on an apparent “mission” to seek out and kill Allan, the current leader of the Bunnies’ writing workshop. Allan’s a sardonic writer famed for off-beat, experimental horror – he reads like a skewed tribute to Awad’s former tutor Brian Evenson. He’s also consistently trashed the Bunnies’ attempts at workable fiction which is why he has to go. Unfortunately, newly-minted Aerius finds it impossible to distinguish between this Allan and any other Allan he might meet. A dilemma that gradually drives him into the realms of fever-dream slasher.

Aerius’s narrative’s interrupted by the re-emergence of an enraged, Bunny hive mind, underlining Awad’s fascination with exploring ways of telling, competing notions of what writing, what genres, are culturally valuable, and the myriad possible perspectives on seemingly-shared realities. From then on Awad shifts between the Bunnies and Aerius examining issues around authorship, reception and the ethics of basing work on living people. Aerius’s notebook entries are couched in a rather idiosyncratic style: nineteenth-century gothic pastiche meets text speak. After I got used to it, I thought it was surprisingly effective in conveying Aerius’s state of mind and the eccentric education he received from the Bunnies – large doses of Woolf mashed up with romcoms and a dash of Victorian literature.

I had mixed reactions to this overall. I found it far less fluid and immersive than Bunny. The interwoven voices, the numerous abrupt shifts in point of view, could be quite distancing and distracting. It’s also much too long. The opening sections, revolving around each individual Bunny, felt particularly stretched out, with some far stronger than other’s – Kyra’s was definitely the standout possibly because that’s when this finally started to take off for me. As with Bunny, I relished the various references from Grimms’ fairy tales to urban legends and even Kate Bush. There are numerous witty passages scattered throughout, some intriguing imagery and arresting plot developments: Ursula’s transformation was fascinating but she could be less sinister villainess, more Disney namesake. I was utterly gripped by the final third of the novel – by this time I was very much invested in Aerius, his anguished predicament and likely fate. But where Bunny borrowed from films like Heather, Mean Girls, and The Craft, deftly reshaping elements to produce a potential cult classic reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s Hangsaman and We Have Always Lived in the Castle, this went the other way. It’s less ambiguous, more instantly consumable, with themes and messages that require little to no unpacking. But, as Awad underlines, this was written for Bunny’s diehard fans, and for a fan this is essentially a must-read. I’m just not sure what anyone else will make of it.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Simon & Schuster/Scribner UK for an ARC

Rating: 3/3.5

[james]

unironically, listened to this and then accidentally fell asleep. had a bunch of weird dreams, woke up disoriented and felt sick for the rest of the evening. just thinking about listening to the audiobook again triggers my fight and flight and makes me want to throw up. also, alka ABANDONED me.

book is cursed.

dnf 27% in

[ana (ananascanread) · Rating 2 out of 5]

bunny, explain to me why i sat here reading this instead of minding my business