This is a gorgeous second installment in Christopher St. John’s War Bunny Chronicles.
About the Book
WHO WILL WIN THE BATTLE FOR THE MILLION ACRE WOOD?
Dive into Summerday to continue the adventure begun in the award-winning post-apocalyptic fantasy, War Bunny. In the first book, set 400 years in the future when humans are extinct but animals thrive, readers met Anastasia, a young rabbit with too many questions.
She asked why rabbits must accept their status as prey animals, and was exiled from her warren for having dangerous thoughts. Then she fought back against a fox, and little by little, gathered other outcasts and launched a tiny revolution against the natural order.
In Summerday, Anastasia and her friends discover that they have come to the attention of the Landlords of the Million Acre Wood: the golden wolves of the Summerday Clan. Now Anastasia must race to gather her bunny troops and scrappy allies for a desperate fight, while the Summerday wolves call the woodland hunters to war.
Part adventure story, part modern-day fable, Summerday is a great read for teens and adults! (Fantasy, 13+)
My Thoughts
If you haven’t read the first one, I don’t know that this one will make a whole lot of sense. I always say you should read the prior books, but this one really feels like you’ll miss a lot if you don’t read the first book. And, as always, the first one is good, so why would you want to miss it? You can read my review of that one below or at my #linkinbio.
If you’ve already read the first one, you’ll love this one. It picks up after that one as our free bunnies are preparing for war. They’ve heard that the wolves are coming, and they’re not going to let that threaten their hard-won freedom. Along the way, they make more allies, uncover more secrets, and learn more about how to be independent bunnies. There are a lot of characters to love in this story, and we meet even more in this second book. All the different kinds of animals have different quirks and backstories that make them incredibly interesting. And the revelations about the old gods are downright chilling!
I really enjoy the clear social commentary present within the story. There are so many layers to unpack and dissect. And, really, I think these strong, impactful statements could be applied to multiple different social issues. In some ways, it reminds me of “Animal Farm,” using animals to address very human issues.
I’m so grateful the author and Love Books Tours have included me in this tour.
Who’s It For?
If you love fantasy – especially creature/animal-focused fantasy stories – you’ll love this story. There is a lot of futuristic science hidden deep in the pages, and there are some dystopian vibes hidden as well. Being that this is from the eyes of predator and prey animals there are scenes of animal harm, so that is a big trigger point for many.
Content Warnings: Violence, Death, Animal Harm (by other Animals), Religious Ideology, Sacrifice, Abelism, Racism, Specism, Xenophobia
About the Author
Christopher St. John is an award-winning writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His plays have appeared at the Blue Bear Theatre in San Francisco, the York Theatre in New York, and Marigny Opera House in New Orleans. Christopher volunteers for several San Francisco Bay Area animal rescue organizations. And he’s proud to be part of the group that helped get the California Fur Ban signed into law in 2019.He and his partner live with rescue bunnies running freely in their well-nibbled home. War Bunny is Christopher’s debut novel. It won the 2022 International Book Awards for Fantasy. Kirkus Reviews calls it “An entertaining, imaginative post-apocalyptic scenario with special appeal for animal lovers. “You can find it on your favorite online bookstore. The second book in the series, Summerday, was published in April 2023. The third book, City of Oom, is currently in development.
Purchase Links
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/20O65Bb
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/5yeN14Y
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123924234-summerday
Author’s Website: https://christopherstjohn.com/
Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.