The Memory of Things Review

The Memory of Things by: Gae Polisner

Pub Date: 9/8/16 by St. Martin's Griffin

Synopsis:

On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down from the window of Stuyvesant High School. Moments later, terrified and fleeing home to safety across the Brooklyn Bridge, he stumbles across a girl perched in the shadows. She is covered in ash and wearing a pair of costume wings. With his mother and sister in California and unable to reach his father, a New York City detective likely on his way to the disaster, Kyle makes the split-second decision to bring the girl home. 

What follows is their story, told in alternating points of view, as Kyle tries to unravel the mystery of the girl so he can return her to her family. But what if the girl has forgotten everything, even her own name? And what if the more Kyle gets to know her, the less he wants her to go home? The Memory of Things tells a stunning story of friendship and first love and of carrying on with our day-to-day living in the midst of world-changing tragedy and unforgettable pain—it tells a story of hope.

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Spoiler-Free Review Below!

I usually back away from books based around 9/11. They break my heart and make me ball my eyes out, but for some reason after I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I needed to read it.
The Memory of Things is about a teenage boy named Kyle who is at school very close to the Twin Towers when the first plane hits. Running home, he sees a girl crouching right at the edge of the railing on the Brooklyn Bridge. Thinking she was about to jump, Kyle runs and saves the girl. He's lost in the chaos and the only logical thing he can think of is taking her home with him.

Back at his house, the girl is covered in ashes and is wearing beautiful white costume wings. Kyle asks her what her name is and where she lives so he can get an idea of where to take her, but she seems to not remember anything. What comes next is their story as Kyle tries to find out more about her, trying to help her remember all the moments in her life leading up to this event while falling in love with her. Told in alternating points of view, Kyle and this mystery girl's story is heart wrenching and will bring you back 15 years to the place where it all happened, New York City.

I loved this story. The story was very unique and nothing I've ever read. Bringing romance into the mix of a very tragic event is difficult to do, there is a lot to focus on, but Gae did it wonderfully. I loved all the characters and how she put in the alternating points of view. Both Kyle and the girl had very different backgrounds and hardships throughout their lives, which made the alternating points of view perfect.

The writing was very raw and straight to the point. It was easy to read and understand the emotions the characters were feeling and how hard it was at the time to cope with this event in the moment. 
I also loved how there was so much more to the story than September 11th. Kyle's family gets involved quite soon and you learn about the accident with his uncle a couple months prior and how it has made Kyle much more mature and put a life into his hands. Kyle's dad is also a first responder, so Kyle is trying to stay calm and hope that his dad will come home alive. You slowly learn about the girl's past and why she has suddenly lost all her memories of her past. Pieces are put together slowly as the story unfolds and everything becomes real. 

Beautifully written, but an ugly tragedy, Gae Polisner delivers us a story about a girl and a boy who met and fell in love during one of the biggest catastrophes ever.

Star Rating: 4/5/5 Stars

-Savannah ( @abookowl )

Bookstagram Friday #3: Editing Photos and Finding Your Theme

Happy FridayYAY!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to their weekend and has some fun plans to look forward to! I'll be spending my weekend relaxing and reading. :)

Bookstagram Friday is something I'll be adding back to my blog! Every Friday, I will upload a blog post similar to this one, but each one will focus on a different topic to help improve, change, or begin your Bookstagram account! Today's post is all about editing your photos and finding a theme you enjoy for your account. I'll also talk about my favorite editing apps and favorite themes!

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Editing:

Editing your photos can be very tough. It can sometimes be hard to edit them to match your theme so everything flows when people look at your profile. Or, maybe the lighting is off and your photos are a bit grainy and fuzzy (Photography tips will be in BF #4!). That is the ups and downs of editing. I struggled with editing for a while and I'm just now getting a hold on what I think looks nice to me. Hopefully these tips will help you guys if you're struggling with editing!

Tips for Editing:

1. Experiment! Try making your photos darker or lighter, play with saturation, filters, and warmth to see what looks best to YOU! The main tip I can give you guys is to stick with what appeals to you. You have to love your own photos before anyone else can. 

2. Backgrounds. Maybe the reason why you are having issues editing your photos is because the photo itself is too plain or too chaotic. Some backgrounds I recommend that many bookstagrammers use are blankets (fuzzy preferably!), rugs (I use a faux fur one), and your bookshelf! Printed backgrounds can sometimes be a bit distracting and could take the spotlight off of the book you're showcasing.

3. Natural lighting is key! Another big tip I give people when they ask for advice is to always use natural lighting. Find the brightest spot in your home (if you take your photos indoors) and lay your background down there. Also, find out when it's the brightest in that area, the brighter the better! When you use natural light, your photos look so much better even if you're going for a more darker theme. That means you won't need to edit so much! 

My favorite editing apps: Instagram's general editing tools ( I am currently using those. I don't edit my photos that much since I found a spot that has good lighting!), VSCO, and Touch Blur.

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Themes:

Oh, themes, you love them and you hate them. They are hard to stick to, but are so pretty to look at. Theming my photos is the thing I've struggled with the most ever since I began @abookowl and just now found what I was looking for. Everyone struggles with finding a theme that they love at least once. If you didn't, you are one of the very few. 

Tips for Finding Your Theme:

1. Stalk your favorite bookstagram accounts. Now, don't take this too seriously. I'm not telling you to copy their account, that is definitely not what I mean. What I am meaning is that you should go and look at your favorite bookstagram accounts and see what type of theme they have. There are many categories, but all themes fall under one of these two, light or dark. Brighter, more colorful themes are my favorites. Take what you love from their theme and reflect it on your photos, but make it your own.

2. Base it off of your weather! I know this sounds dumb, but that is what many people are doing right now! I just recently made my theme more cozy for autumn and I'm loving it! Adding in mini pumpkins and fall candles into my photos is so much fun + it gets you more invested in that current season.

3. Pick something that makes you happy. I know I said this in the editing section, but it is essential. Your account is for you and if you're not liking what you're uploading, try something new. Don't just keep it because someone else likes what they see. Everyone will end up falling in love with whatever ever you choose, you just have to fall in love with it first. ;)

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There you guys go! I hope my tips were useful.  Also, I hope you guys are enjoying this little series I'm doing and are excited for #4 dropping next Friday! I am thinking of doing a Bookstagram Q&A for #5, we will see. ;)

Comment your IG username down below so I can follow you if I don't already!

Thank you for reading, subscribe through email to get an email whenever I drop a new review or BF post! You can also follow through Google+!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! 

-Savannah ( @abookowl )

*I'm in no way telling you to change your account! I'm just giving advice to those of you who might want tips for this topic. I have been on IG for close to 2 years now and have learned how to grow and improve my account over the years and just wanted to share!*

Dreamology Book Review

Dreamology by: Lucy Keating

Pub Date: 4/12/16 by HarperTeen

Synopsis:

For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

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Spoiler-Free Review Below!

 I really enjoyed this book and loved being in the world of Dreamology! Everything about the plot and tone of the story made me fall in love with this book and end up being one of my favorite YA contemporaries ever. Something that really peeked my interest as that Lucy gave a bit of a background to why everyone dreams. That was one of the main topics that set this book apart from other I've read.

I will admit that I am a hopeless romantic and this is definitely a book for people like me. Max and Alice's relationship is what I would describe as close to perfection. They play off each other so well! There were many moments throughout this book that made me swoon and wish for a relationship like theirs.

I was also really fond of how witty and amusing the writing was. The entire book had me smirking to myself or laughing out loud. Everything flowed and tied together perfectly, I sped through it fairly quickly. Lucy also did a wonderful job of weaving this dream-like world into our reality. Plus, the characters she created were fantastic! The dog, Jerry, sounds so cute, I just want to meet him and give him a hug!

Overall, if you're looking for an easy, go-with-the-flow read that has a cute relationship and a brilliant world, I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR. I bet you're going to fall in love with this story just like how I did! 

Star Rating: 5/5!

- Emma Cahill 

(EE: Savannah @abookowl )

Gemina Book Review

Gemina By: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Pub Date: 10/18/16 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

*DO NOT READ SYNOPSIS BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ILLUMINAE*

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.

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Spoiler-Free Review Below!

Illuminae was in my top 3 most loved book of 2015 last year, so you could imagine how high my expectations were for Gemina. To put it short and sweet, this is not a book you want to pass up on. The Illuminae Files, in its entirety, is filled with everything you want out of a futuristic, intense novel. It's packed with bad ass characters, an epic story line, and a plot twist at the end that will leave you speechless.
I honestly, didn't think Jay and Amie could do it again, but oh, they did. There was never a dull moment, I wanted to stay immersed in this world for as long as possible. The writing and very easy to follow which is quite impressive since it was co-written. I really loved the sarcastic, arrogant side comments just thrown into the most serious situations ever. I LOLed quite a bit. On the other hand,  from page 1 to page 608, I was on the edge of my seat hoping nothing bad was going to happen to the characters I had grown to love. 
Since I brought the characters up, I'm just going to go ahead and say that I definitely grew closer to Kady and Ezra than Hanna and Nik. I don't know why, I only explanation I can come up with is that Gemina has more important characters in it than Illuminae did and there were more people to focus on than just them two. 

The artwork and quotes were just absolutely stunning. There were many moments were I grabbed a notebook and jotted down sentences that really struck my heart. I cannot wait to see them spreading throughout Instagram and everyone raving about how much of an emotional rollercoaster this series is.
Overall, I cannot express enough how thrilling and mind boggling this series is. There are so many twists and turns and you'll be holding your breath until the very end. Two characters who are complete opposites and are racing against time to save their home is not something you want to pass up on. If you haven't picked up Illuminae yet, go buy yourself a copy, make a big cup of coffee, and binge it until the last page. You're in for a treat.

Star Rating: 5/5!

-Savannah @abookowl 

This is Where the World Ends Book Review

This is Where the World Ends by: Amy Zhang

Pub date: 3/22/16 by HarperTeen

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Janie and Micah, Micah and Janie. That’s how it’s been ever since elementary school, when Janie Vivien moved next door. Janie says Micah is everything she is not. Where Micah is shy, Janie is outgoing. Where Micah loves music, Janie loves art. It’s the perfect friendship—as long as no one finds out about it. But then Janie goes missing and everything Micah thought he knew about his best friend is colored with doubt.

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This is Where the World Ends is the type of book that is best to not know what it's about before heading into it. I am a huge fan of Amy's other novel, Falling into Place. So, when I saw that she was coming out with another stand-alone contemporary, I had to get my hands on it ASAP! I will admit, I really didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. If you guys didn't know, if there is something I hate about a book, it's most likely alternating chapters. 75% of the time, they aren't done right. The story doesn't flow or there are gaps that never get filled. This time, it wasn't as bad as others, but it would have made the book better if the story flowed as one.

This book left me with a lot of questions, questions that I would love answers for. Amy did this with Falling into Place, but I believe the book hangover was worst this time around. If you want a dark, grungy story, this book it right up your alley. The emotions that come of the pages just wiggle there way through your chest and into your heart. You want to help Micah and tell him that he's okay, but you just can't that is what you call writing.

Janie and Micah, oh what those kids went through. It like you're on a rollercoaster that never stops until the last word. No spoilers, but it's a lot like Mara Dyer, but 2 times more hallucinations. I would have loved to have more backstory on their friendship before Janie goes missing. My heart was broken throughout this whole book for Micah. 

Amy's writing and creativity make this book whole. She makes all her work so captivating, I just cannot get enough of it. I hope to see more masterpieces from her in the future. 

Overall, This is Where the World End is a heart wrenching, dark contemporary novel that put you in a story about friendship, loss, and living with one of the biggest mistakes you could ever make.

Star rating: 4/5 stars

-Savannah @abookowl ig

In Real Life Book Review

In Real Life by: Jessica Love

Pub Date: March 1st by St. Martians Press

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper have been best friends since 8th grade. They talk for hours on the phone, regularly shower each other with presents, and know everything there is to know about one another. 
There's just one problem: Hannah and Nick have never actually met.
Hannah has spent her entire life doing what she's supposed to, but when her senior year spring break plans get ruined by a rule-breaker, she decides to break a rule or two herself. She impulsively decides to road trip to Las Vegas, her older sister and BFF in tow, to surprise Nick and finally declare her more-than-friend feelings for him.
Hannah's surprise romantic gesture backfires when she gets to Vegas and finds out that Nick has been keeping some major secrets. Hannah knows the real Nick can't be that different from the online Nick she knows and loves, but now she only has night in Sin City to figure out what her feelings for Nick really are, all while discovering how life can change when you break the rules every now and then.

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I really enjoyed this book!! At times, it was a bit unbelievable and other times it was very realistic. It did feel a bit like a story about two characters that were from a different story. I guess you could say is was like a fan-made story. Which I have absolutely no issues with. I really liked how Jessica portrayed the characters and how the story glided along.

The characters were a bit frustrating at times. Hannah didn't picked up on the "bad" or "misleading" signs which frustrated me a bit because the story might have drastically changed if she did. Although, there were parts that I definitely could relate to, such as the character's quirkiness. 

Hannah and Nick's relationship was definitely different. I've never read a book about a "couple" that were virtually seeing each other. I believe Jessica did a wonderful job at portraying their relationship. It takes a lot a trust to really let yourself out there to someone you've never even met and could be cat-fishing you. This is a very common situation that happens in the real world in our generation and this book shows the pros and cons of virtual dating.

Overall, In Real Life was not a disappointment what so ever. It was quirky, fun, and very adorable. Even though it did flip back and forth from good to bad, I really enjoyed it and it would be a perfect read for all you contemporary lovers out there. <3

Star Rating: 4/5 Stars

-Savannah @abookowl

Into the Dim Book Review

Into the Dim by: Janet B. Taylor

Pub Date: March 1st by HMH Book for Young Readers

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing.      Addictive, romantic, and rich with historical detail, Into the Dim is an Outlander for teens.

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Into the Dim is everything I wanted it to be. It had action, a bit of romance, and best of all..time traveling! Surprisingly, I've never read a book that is focused this much around time traveling. The elements that were incorporated were a nice touch and I also like all the history and back stories that were included, it definitely made the story easier to follow. I loved learning about more about Scotland's culture and can see how fans of Outlander would love this book too!

It didn't take long at all for the story to begin. The time traveling starts just before the halfway mark and then the rollercoaster of feels and action begins (will not be getting into that, no spoilers!). The beginning of the story is very secretive and it just makes you sit at the edge of your seat because you don't know what is coming next. One of my all time favorite scenes from this book was when Hope found out that her mother was still alive and she needed to go back in time and find her.

Another good aspect about Into the Dim is that the characters were very likable. I never had that big of issues with them. You hate the evil and you love the good.

Hope is such an intelligent character. She reminded me a lot about myself, being homeschooled (I do online school though) and growing up in the more southern part of the US and not really fitting in. She's also not much of an extrovert, which is totally explainable considering all the horrors she has been through. You really warm up to Hope and feel for her during her journey on finding her mom. 

The story flowed really well together and kept be intrigued until the very last page.

Overall, Into the Dim is a fast paced, time travel novel that everyone needs to read if you are a fan of Outlander and Ruby Red! I cannot wait for book 2!
Star Rating: 5/5 Stars

-Savannah @abookowl

Waiting on Wednesday #2

Waiting On Wednesday
A Season for Fireflies by: Rebecca Maizel
Pub Date: June 28th 2016 by HarperTeen

  

Synopsis:

A year ago, Penny Berne was the star of her high school’s theater department, surrounded by a group of misfit friends and falling in love for the first time. Now her old friends won’t talk to her, her new best friend is the most popular girl in school, and her first love, Wes, ignores her. Penny is revered and hated. Then, in a flash, a near-fatal lightning strike leaves Penny with no memory of the past year—or how she went from drama nerd to queen bee.

As a record number of fireflies light up her town and her life, Penny realizes she may be able to make things right again—and that even if she can’t change the past, she can learn to see the magic where she never could before.

                                                                                    

Bookstagram Friday #2: How to Get Your Bookstagram Started!

Happy Friday everyone! This week's Bookstagram Friday topic will focus around getting your bookstagram account started! My Instagram account (@abookowl) will be turning 2 on June 6th, I still cannot believe it has been that long! Since then, I've learned quite a few things that are good and that are bad when starting your account out. Today, I'm going to share those with you!

Do:

• Use your phone for photos! You don't need an expensive camera to take gorgeous photos. But, if you have a camera, go ahead, anything will work! I use my iPhone 6 to take my photos and I need they turn out quite nice. :) (Next week I'm planning on doing a post about how to make your photos clear and clean. I'll being telling you guys about my favorite "editing" apps, what filter I use, tips on lighting, and much more!!)
• Use hashtags! Hashtags aren't bad! I know some people hate them, but that's your #1 way for your account and photos to be discovered. The only tip I have for hashtags is to not put them in your caption. Put the hashtags in the comment section on your photo so they aren't that noticeable.
• Communicate with your followers! I'm not going to lie, it a while back it was very occasionally that I would reply back to my followers. Now, I love communicating with them and not just thinking of them as my followers, but as my friends. 

Don't:

• Spam your follower's feed. It is fine to post 1 to 3 photos a day, but make sure and spread out when you post them and not all in the same hour. We love to see your pretty photos, but it is better to save your photos and have some for multiple days than post them all on the same day.
• Ask for a shoutout or for a follow in exchange for a follow. I know you want to earn followers fast, but it is actually quite annoying for the person receiving a comment. I'm not hating on anyone, I only had a few followers at one time too, but I think you should EARN your followers, not force them into following you.

*In no way am I trying to tell you to change how you are doing your account!! If what you're doing is working for you, then don't change! I'm not posting about this to make everyone work their account like me, I'm just giving tips to the people that would like some!*

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That will conclude today's post! I hope those Do's and Don't's up there helped a bit! Leave a comment of your IG username so I can check it out if I don't follow you already. 

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Top Ten Tuesday #1

Top Ten Tuesday Topic:

Top Futuristic Books You Love

(made by The Broke and the Bookish) 

1. The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins

Oh, the classic. This book opened me up to the world of YA in grade 5, I'm so happy my Language Arts teacher showed me The Hunger Games. A story that I will keep the closest to my heart. <3

2. The Vault of Dreamers by: Caragh M. O'Brien

I read The Vault of Dreamers back in November or December 2014. I fell in love with the story and the characters, I've never read anything like it. Add this to your TBR list ASAP!!

3. The Rain (H2O) by: Virginia Bergin

I started this book thinking it was no big deal and that I might get the chills a couple time, nothing that severe. I kid you not, I was scared of the rain for days. This books is so realistic, it gets into your head which is what you want to happen. I guess?

4. The Selection by: Kiera Cass

The Selection, also a classic. My 5th grade LA teacher also recommended this series to me. I fell in love with America and how brave she is. How she doesn't need a husband in order to have a happy life and knows can support herself on her own. I read all 3 books in less than 3 days. The Heir is also a favorite of mine, but I think I like America better, so far..

5. Illuminae by: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Last, but not least, Illuminae. The story is told in stolen files, emails, messages etc., but never in face-to-face conversations. I went into this book not really knowing what it was about and I think that's the best way to go into it. It's something new that was recently added to the YA community and I hope to see more books like this soon because Illuminae was amazing!

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Autumn Falls Series (Books 1 and 2) Review

Autumn Falls Series Review

   

                                                Autumn Falls (#1)     Autumn's Kiss (#2)

Both by: Bella Thorne

Synopsis for Autumn Falls (#1):

I have read many books by celebrities/YouTubers and Bella's are definitely my favorite. They are so light and the perfect books to read after many fantasy novels, like what happened to me. I also love that they don't exceed 300 pages, the perfect amount to get you out of a reading slump. Her books remind me of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before duo-logy by Jenny Han, which is definitely a compliment because her books are favorite of mine. 

Pros:

• The boys. Oh, they are just perfect. Usually, I can choose a favorite between the two or three guys that are in a book, but I just couldn't decide! They are all so perfect, Bella and her writer really know how to make good characters.
• Autumn's friends. She is very lucky to have that good of friends. They are all so different, but that's what bonds them together. 
• The writing. Seriously you guys, it's very rare when I read a book that the writing and dialog are so captivating and I just can't put it down. I read both of these books in one day, in two sittings.
• The storyline. I thought that these books were just going to be your usual contemporary, but no, it has a magic element to it that fits the books perfectly. It makes the book more unique and easy to remember.

Overall, you guys really need to check out these books. If you're a fan of her movies, you'll be a fan of her books! Perfect to read in any season, I read them both in January '15 and '16 though.

Star Rating of Autumn Falls: 5/5 Stars!

Star Rating for Autumn's Kiss: 5/5 Stars!

-Savannah @abookowl ig