My Thoughts On: The 5th Wave Movie

The 5th Wave Movie Review

Opening Date: January 22nd 2016

My Review:

I usually make it a priority to read the book before I watch the movie. This time, I let it slide.

I wish I had read the book beforehand, so I could compare and contrast the two. I've read/watched many reviews for the movie, and from what I can tell, you either love it or you hate it. 

I went and saw The 5th Wave Thursday, January 21st, and was very excited. All my friends that have read the book loved it and couldn't wait either. I wanted to wait a bit to see if my opinion would change after I thought it over for a few days, but if anything, I hate it more.

I had many issues with the movie:

Cons:

• The characters were so plain. My friends have always said that they weren't just your average teenagers thrown into an alien apocalypse. They were born it fight. That's not what I saw though. They were just so bland as if they were just going to give up any minute. I believe Cassie was the bravest out of them all. Although, if she wasn't doing all this for her brother, I think it would have been different.
• I found the ending very predictable. Again, I haven't read the book and I wasn't spoiled either. So, right off the bat, I figured out what was going to happen. That made the rest of the movie a drag, I was just waiting to see if I was right or not.
• Lizbeth. I couldn't stand her. She was so useless and acted like Cassie had to save her from everything.
• This is probably the worst con of all, I hated the storyline. It wasn't unique to me, the only thing I haven't seen done before in this movie was the Waves. But, quite honestly, I don't think that would be hard to think up.

I did not like the majority of the movie, but there were a few things that made this review not be a 1 star review.

Pros:

• The actors and actresses. From what I can tell, I think they portrayed their roles perfectly. They fit them well and helped the story develop. 
• The romance. It was more of a pro than con. It wasn't my favorite though. 

Overall, The 5th Wave isn't all its held up to be. I will probably still read the book, so I can see if it was just like the movie or totally different. Also, please don't get offended by my opinions. Everyone is able to have and share their opinion on anything, that's what I'm doing here. :)

What did you think of the movie? Tell me, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Star rating: 2/5 stars.

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Up to this Pointe Review

Up to this Pointe by: Jennifer Longo

  *Thank you so much Random House for sending me an advanced copy of Up to this Pointe in exchange for an honest review*

  Up to this Pointe follows 16 year old past Harper and 17 year old present Harper in alternating chapters. You get to see her life as a ballerina pursuing her dreams with her best friend, who is also a ballerina, Kate. When they were younger, they came up with The List. They were going to graduate early, audition at the SFSB (San Fransisco School of Ballet) and get in, live in an apartment with hardwood floor and live the glorious life of a ballerina. Well, that plan went south. Now, Harper has ran away to Antarctica where she believes she belongs. You follow her as she struggles with finding her new self in the coldest place in the world. Many hurdles have come close to making her fall, but this last one might to the biggest one yet. 

  I have mixed feelings about this one. I was very intrigued with the way that this book is focused around dance, or so I thought. It turned out to be that dance was just the backstory and not really the backbone. Also, dance terminology is quite difficult to understand, unless you've taken dance like me.  For people that want to read this book and don't know it, I would definitely look the words up as you go along, it will help you understand the story more. 

  Kate and Harper's friendship was a mess. Harper was putting all the effort in to the friendship, while Kate was flying away every minute she could. It was always Harper complimenting Kate on her pointed feet or flawless turns. Kate always tried to break The List, as if she grew out of it. 

  The writing style was bit hard to follow along with. I really did like the supporting characters though. Her friends in Antarctica were my favorites. I wish they were shown more in the book. The main issue I had with this book was the alternating chapters. I've never liked them if it alternates between past and present, and I never will. I will always like one more than the other which makes the chapters I dislike a drag. The book would have been much better as just one fluid story.

Overall, Up to this Pointe is a book that will make your heart break for Harper and cheer her on as she goes through the struggles she encounters. Definitely a good book for the winter time.

Star rating: 3/5 stars

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Bookstagram Friday: My Favorite Bookstagram Accounts!

Hey guys,
I'm starting a new topic on my account where every Friday I'll be posting about Bookstagram. One week could be Bookstagram tips, the next could be all about taking good photos. This week, I'm recommending my favorite Bookstagram accounts you need to follow (in no particular order)!
Here we go:

1. @lustforbooks

Nina from @lustforbooks has a gorgeous account! I've talked to her a couple times and she's super sweet. Not only does she post about books, she includes a couple photos of her favorite drink. Her photos have a very warm feel to them. <3

2. @westerosreader

Bryan from @westerosreader owns one of my favorite accounts. His photos are so crisp, clean, and clear. There's usually a pop of color in each of his photos, which makes the chosen book stand out. I love seeing his photos in my feed everyday. <3

3. @twirlingpages

Okay, Alexandra over at @twirlingpages is literally life goals. Her photos are so fresh and cute, she's so sweet, and she's a ballerina. I'm also a dancer, but I'm not NEARLY as talented as her. Definitely an account you need to follow. <3

4. @demeriahh

Yay, Demi!! Her bookshelves are bookshelf goals, the set up is on point. I love how she uses the same  background for all of her pictures, it ties everything togethers. We've also talked many times, I really enjoy talking to her. <3

5. @_halfbl00dprincess

Andie! She is one of the sweetest girls I've met on here. She takes the prettiest photos and she was one of the accounts that inspired me to create my own. I love talking to her and we always do sporadic buddy reads together. You guys need to follow her now! <3

6. @ursula_uriarte

Ursula from @ursula_uriarte is an account you just have to love. She was featured on Instagram's Instagram page which is an honor and I know she was very thankful for that. I think her photos also give off that warm and welcoming feel that I love. <3

7. @graceslibrary

Next is Grace from @graceslibrary. I love the filter that Grace puts on her photos. When I look at her post, it makes me think of an endless rainbow of books. Grace and I are both in the Ravenclaw house which is super cool, you don't find that many Ravenclaws in the wild. ;)

8. @booksenchanted

Last, but not least Maya from @booksenchanted! I have a love for pastel-themed accounts, which makes me love Maya's account. I love seeing her posts in my feeds, they definitely brighten up my day. <3

I wish I could list an endless amount of accounts, but that would make this post super long. I have many more favorites and you know how you are if you aren't listed. The Bookstagram community has grown so much since the 1 1/2 years I've been apart of it. I'm so happy to be apart of this community and I cannot wait to watch it grow bigger and bigger.

-Savannah @abookowl ig

George Book Review

George by: Alex Gino

*Thank you so much Scholastic for sending me a copy of this book for review!*

George is about a fourth grade girl named George. She knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. But, when people look at her, they see a boy. She wants to change that. 
When her class is doing a play, Charlotte's Web, and George wants to be Charlotte. Her teacher says she cannot even tryout because she's a boy. Her and her best friend, Kelly, come up with an idea for George to be Charlotte. Not only will she be able to play Charlotte, but everyone can know who she is inside also.

This was such an important read to me. I support the LGBTQ community, so I knew I had to read this. Also, knowing that this is a children's book made it even more special.
This is a very touchy topic, so I don't want this to go into great detail because I'm not an expert on this topic, but I'll do my best. Feel free to say your thoughts in the comments! Everyone's thoughts should be heard.

I loved this book. It really showed what goes through a transgender person's head and how they feel. George was such a sweetheart. I loved how passionate she was about Charlotte and being Charlotte in the play. 

There was the characters that made my heart hurt for her. Being so young and not knowing what is right and what is wrong, she could only go by what her heart was telling her. She didn't have anyone to talk to about it and was too nervous to tell her mom how she felt. The ending of the book was an expected. Due to it being a middle grade book, it could only end one way. The writing style was too simple for me, but it had to be.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to everyone out there wanting to explore this topic more. This book is one of a kind and deserves all the praise possible.

Star Rating: 4.5/5 stars

-Savannah @abookowl ig

My Reviews

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A
Autumn Falls by: Bella Thorne
Autumn's Kiss By: Bella Thorne

B

Bookishly Ever After by: Isabel Bandeira

C

D

Dreamology by: Lucy Keating

E

F

G
Gemina by: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

The Gemstone by: Sarena and Sasha Nanua
George by: Alex Gino

H

Horrorstor by: Grady Hendrix

I

Illuminae by: Jay Asher and Amie Kaufman
In Real Life by: Jessica Love
Into the Dim by: Janet B. Taylor

J

K

L

M

Memory of Things, The by: Gae Polisner

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

This is Where the World Ends By: Amy Zhang

U
Up to this Pointe by: Jennifer Longo

V

W

X

Y

Z

Waiting on Wednesday #1

   

The Siren by: Kiera Cass

Pub Date: 1/26/16

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A girl with a secret.
The boy of her dreams.
An Ocean between them.

Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again. 

Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude...until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of.

Falling in love with a human breaks the Ocean’s rules. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

P.S. I Like You by: Kasie West

Pub Date: 7/26/16

Synopsis from Goodreads:

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2) by: Sabaa Tahir

Pub Date: 8/30/16

Synopsis from Goodreads:

*SKIP IF YOU HAVE NOT READ AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, SPOILERS BELOW*

A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.

The Rule of Mirrors (The Vault of Dreamers #2) by: Caragh M O'Brien

Pub Date: 2/16/16

Synopsis from Goodreads:

*SKIP IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE VAULT OF DREAMERS, SPOILERS BELOW*

The entire country was watching when Rosie Sinclair was expelled from Forge, the prestigious arts school that doubles as a reality TV show. But few know how Dean Berg was mining students' dreams in laboratories deep below the school. And no one, least of all the Dean himself, knows that when Rosie's dreams were seeded into the mind of another patient, Rosie's consciousness woke up in that body--a girl far from Forge, a girl with a completely different life from Rosie, a girl who is pregnant.

Told from alternating points of view between Rosie as she makes sense of her new identity and the shattered subconscious that still exists in her old body, this sequel to The Vault of Dreamers will keep readers on the edge of their seats and leave them hungry for more.

-Savannah @abookowl ig

My Thoughts On: Shadowhunters TV Show

Shadowhunters: Tuesdays 9/8pm EST on Freeform (ABC Family)

  Last night was the season premiere of the Shadowhunters TV show that is based off of The Mortal Instruments book series by Cassandra Clare. I was very excited about the release of the show, even though I've only read City of Bones and City of Ashes, I'm definitely a fan of the books. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical about them making a TV show. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones movie was horrible if you ask me. The actors that played the roles of Clary and Jace just weren't the correct actors. I thought it was based more around the romance than the supernatural aspects that made the book whole. 

  On the other hand, I still had hope that the show would be much better since there is a different director, different characters, and it's not a movie. I went into it with high expectations and let me just say, I wasn't disappointed.

Pros:

• The actors and actresses: I believe they chose the PERFECT actors for the main/supporting character roles. Katherine McNamara was the perfect match for Clary. She had that sheltered/needy look in the beginning of the show, but once everything took and a turn, she turned into a fighter.  Dominic Sherwood (Jace), Alberto Rosende (Simon), Harry Shum Jr (Magnus) etc. were all perfect for their roles.
• The setting: Right off the bat, you could tell the show was going to be dark and mysterious. It definitely drew me in at the right moments. 
• Friendship goals: Simon and clay's friendship is literally goals!!! It almost like they are brother and sister, they're so much alike.
• The runes and seraph blades: Wow. I would not trust myself with one of those.

Cons:

• The dialog: Ehh, it could have been better. At moments, it was pretty cheesy. Some of the side comments just weren't needed. A little cringe worthy.
• The Institute: I never pictured it looking like that. I knew that the Lightwoods had some good tech skill, but really? It looked like a science lab to me.

Pro/Con:

• Book to TV: It wasn't similar, but it wasn't completely different.

  Overall, I really didn't have that many issues with the show. I think they planned it out well and really thought about what the fans were going to think about it. Hopefully, in episode 2, the action really picks up and more is uncovered.

  

What did you think of the show? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear your opinion!

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Review Policy

Review Inquiries

• I am accepting books at the moment!
• I am only accepting PRINT book at this time, meaning it can be an ARC, manuscript, finished paperback or finished hardback, as long as it's a physical copy.
• My reviews will go up on my blog, my Instagram, and my Goodreads all on the same day.

Genres I Read

• Fantasy
• Contemporary
• Dystopian
• Sci-fi
• Historical Fiction
• Fairytale Retellings

How I Rate My Books

5/5 stars: outstanding, loved it!

4.5/5 stars: little issue, really enjoyed reading it.

4/5 stars: couple of little issues, liked it.

3.5/5 stars: had an issue with one out of these few: plot, writing style, main/supporting character(s), it was fine.

3/5 stars: had issues with more than two of these few: plot, writing style, main/supporting character(s), it was okay.

2.5/5 stars: had issues with almost the whole book, not my type of book.

2/5 stars: didn't like the book.

1.5/5 stars: very few things I liked about the book.

1/5 stars: hated the book.

Series

 If I do not own the previous book(s) in the series, it will be a possibility you will have to provide me with the prior book(s).

Reviews

I am a student in school, so the earliest a review would go up is one week after receiving the copy. It depends on the page count, font size, and how my schedule is. I cannot guarantee you a specific date. I hope that it will be not longer than two months of a wait.

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Bookishly Ever After Book Review

Bookishly Ever After by: Isabel Bandiera

  *Thank you Spencer Hill Press for sending me an advanced copy of Bookishly Ever After in exchange for a honest review.*

  Bookishly Ever After is based on a high school student, Phoebe Martin, that is a total book nerd like all of us. She'd rather stay in her room and snuggle up with a good book rather than hang out with her friends and gossip about the new fashion trends. She's also an amazing knitter and an archer. After finding out that Dev, who plays the clarinet, has a major crush on her, she turns to her favorite female protagonists for confidence and style to win Dev over. But, what if her plan fails? At least she can go back to all her fictional boyfriends, right?

   I really enjoyed reading a book about a character I have so much in common with. The struggle of not having enough money to buy the release, the anticipation of a new release, and reading you favorite scene from your favorite book over and over and over again are just some of the traits we share. The way Isabel wrote her character made it very easy to get to know them and choose a favorite. :) 

  I only wish the the romance wouldn't have taken that long to develop. You could tell Phoebe and Dev really liked each other, but it didn't become official that they wanted to be together until the middle of the book. Then, it was just back and forth, "Does he like me, does he not?". The chemistry was always there, it was just never spotted.

  What made the book sparkle just a bit more was the excerpts from Phoebe's favorite books. Taking a little break from Bookishly and hopping into just one or two snippets of a new book was quite refreshing. I slowly became attached to those books and I'm a little sad that they don't exist in real life. :(

 Overall, Bookishly Ever After is a light contemporary that's perfect to read at any time of year and will give you a look at the inside of a fellow fangirl's mind. 

Star rating: 4/5 stars

-Savannah @abookowl ig

Illuminae Book Review

Illuminae By: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

First of all, I'd like to give a big thanks to the squad over at Penguin RandomHouse for sending me an advanced copy of Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, you guys are awesome!

Now to the review, if you guys didn't know, Illuminae is not your average book. The story is told in the format of stolen files, emails, private messages, interviews etc.. I have never read a book like this one and it was definitely worth it! At times, it was hard to follow along with where the characters were going, you had to figure it out yourself which I got the hang of once I was further into the book. The good thing is you get to see other people's points of views over something so little, but ties into the story later on and becomes something major. There is one instance where you get to see the point of view from the surveillance camera controller guy of Kady hacking into some software.

Illuminae is 599 pages and has so much detail out into it, I could go on and on about every single thing that happens. 
The romance in this novel isn't the typical either. Kady and Ezra break up the same day their planet was destroyed. During the story, it's about them making that connection again they had, well.. before they almost died. 
There is definitely many characters in this book to need to remember and follow along with, so if you aren't the best with remembering everyone, you might get lost in the book. I personally love when there are so many characters to read about and see what is going on in there life. 

You see more of Kady's perspective than anyone's and her character development was there, but nothing to brag about. She was a fire ball in the beginning and had a softer side of her as the story progressed.

Overall, Illuminae definitely sets the tone of facing your fears and fighting for the people you love no matter what costs you have to pay.
Star rating: 4/5 stars

Savannah @abookowl ig

I'm Back!

Hello people, I'm back!! It's been about two years since I've even come onto this page. I really want to get this blog on a roll! Stay tuned for reviews, recommendation and other bookish topics.

Savannah @abookowl ig