The Memory Book by Lara Avery // Raw, Emotional and Everything In-Between

The Memory Book, by Lara Avery
Publication: July 5, 2016, by Poppy
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Sammie was always a girl with a plan: graduate at the top of her class and get out of her small town as soon as humanly possible. Nothing will stand in her way--not even a rare genetic disorder the doctors say will slowly start to steal her memories and then her health. What she needs is a new plan.
So the Memory Book is born: Sammie's notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. It's where she'll record every perfect detail of her first date with longtime crush, Stuart--a brilliant young writer who is home for the summer. And where she'll admit how much she's missed her childhood best friend, Cooper, and even take some of the blame for the fight that ended their friendship.
Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

My Thoughts:

Holy gumballs and watermelons. (Excuse me, but I'm currently chewing on a piece of watermelon gum, so don't mind me) I'm trying not to sob and break down all over again in front of my computer again, so let's just get this started once more. Never did I ever expect to adore Lara Avery's The Memory Book as much as I did. Seriously? It is the best 2016-published book I have read, yet. It is one of my most favourite books ever. Why? Because it changed my life and made me want to write, aspire to follow my dreams, fall in love, appreciate life and appreciate memories, because they don't always last. And I'm not referencing diseases necessarily. Yes, our heroine, Sammie (who I adore and want to be my best friend and antisocial activist), does have a disease, also known as Niemann-Pick Type C, but not every person needs to lose their memories like that. I love books that are researched, raw, real and emotional. Lara Avery just explained Sammie's story well, and not in a 50-50 scientific-emotional split for YA readers. It was more than that, perhaps more emotional or more scientific and I can't even imagine how this was all constructed.

I rarely (okay, occasionally) say this, but this book is perfection. There is not a single thing wrong with it, there are no flaws. Okay, perhaps I missed a grammar mistake, but even though I read an uncorrected proof, I saw no flaws. The Memory Book left me aching for something more, something to turn to the next day (I finished this at midnight) when I felt sad. Okay, this book was already sad, so I don't think things can get sadder.

This book is a teenager's worst nightmare. Or at least, my worst nightmare. We have a protagonist (Sammie) who has her whole future planned out, kind of like I do. She wants to go to NYU (well, it's happening), become a lawyer and live in New York City. She's valedictorian, has worked so hard for that role, and things are becoming the way she wants. Most of all, she wants to leave her small town outside of Hanover, New Hampshire. (DARTMOUTH, GUYS!) It's our worst nightmare when something gets out of hand and your life automatically changes and heads in the worst direction. I felt so much pity, guilt for Sammie, knowing that her future is at stake, that things that she wants to happen won't ever happen because of her condition.

This book is what you think it is: it is a memory book of Sammie's. She unexpectedly discovers that she has Niemann-Pick Type C after being unable to move her eyes up, and this book is written from her perspective where she records her daily life in a document in her computer. She falls in love with her longtime crush, Stuart, and becomes friends with her old friend again, Cooper. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, THOUGH. The plot was fast-moving and things couldn't stop happening. There were moments where I had to take a breather and actually calm down after what was happening all the time. I read this in a sitting or two (because of interruptions), GUYS. THIS IS A GOOD SIGN.

"Sometimes life is really terrible. Sometimes life gives you a weird disease. Sometimes life is really good, but never in a simple sort of way. And when I look back, I will know I have tried" (70).

So yeah, there's a love triangle: Sammie is torn between Coop and Stuart. I kind of saw what occurred coming, but I wasn't sure. I WOULD BE TORN, MY FRIENDS. Coop is the adventurous, hot, caring guy who will always be there to give you a ride somewhere and make out with you on the way there. *twiddles eyebrows* Stuart is the mysterious writer (who I also love) and he's so smart, philosophical and agh, I'm in love. 

The Memory Book is written so lyrically and so realistically. I felt Sammie's strong voice speaking to us readers. Avery informed us about Sammie's condition in such a way that is not like reading an article on the internet; it's coming out of a victim's heart/mouth, being written with so much realism. I also loved the setting of this whole story—it makes me want to go to Vermont/New Hampshire even MORE. I've always been thinking about Dartmouth University, and this is the best experience of reading about a university—in a YA novel. 

We see this transition of Sammie's condition throughout the book. She undergoes these scares that literally scares us readers too, because we know that the worst is yet to come. Things became drastic, and my feels went out of control. I was so intrigued/tired by the time that I finished this book that I couldn't cry even when I really was in the mood for. MY LIFE WAS OVER. I COULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE. 

"It's like, take my body, fine. I wasn't really using it anyway. I've got this enormous butt on ostrich legs, the hair of a "before" picture, and weird milky brown eyes like a Frappuccino. But not my brain. My true connection to the world" (12).

The Memory Book has been anticipated by me for a long time, and I can see why everyone is awing over the emotion. This is simply gorgeous, perhaps the most gorgeously written book ever. It's poetic, and has this vibe that many emotional books struggle to maintain. John Green and his lookalike authors (by means of writing, I mean) need to take a few tips by my new favourite, Lara Avery. I need to read A Million Miles Away. STILL SOBBING HERE.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What book has made you the most emotional? What is the most sad YA read for you?

Never Missing, Never Found by Amanda Panitch // Her Books Seem to Get Me Time After Time

Never Missing, Never Found, by Amanda Panitch
Publication: June 28, 2016, by Random House BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Some choices change everything. Scarlett chose to run. And the consequences will be deadly.
Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.
Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late?

My Thoughts:

As mentioned in every review I write for thrillers, I ADORE THEM. I love the madness that authors express when they are writing from the perspective of a character who gets really creeped out. Having read Amanda Panitch's work before, specifically Damage Done, which was pretty great in my opinion, I expected greatness coming from this one, too. Never Missing, Never Found is the COOLEST OUT OF THE COOL. A psychological thriller being taken place in an amusement park that's based around these fictional superheroes that the world has never heard of in their whole lives? Hell yeah. Panitch exemplifies a protagonist who was kidnapped when she was eight, and then was released when she was fifteen, and how a new experience in her life, very similar to hers, affects her when she has moved on in her life, and is not in the same setting where she was held captive.

MY FAVOURITE PART OF THIS BOOK? The fact that this is not necessarily about Scarlett's kidnapping. This is the aftermath, years later. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's like three years after she was released. Can you recall the number of times where we readers have read books about people who are currently being held captive? Like listen: I have no issues with that. There are a handful of authors who master that plot perfectly, but it's done so often that we kind of already know what to expect. Amanda Panitch wrote such a different, pleasing story that uses characters' prior life events to showcase a new event in a different setting. This was gorgeous.

Never Missing, Never Found features a protagonist named Scarlett who is beginning her summer job at an amusement park by her house, years after she ran away from her captor. Things seem normal at first, and she makes new friends who each have their own flaws that kind of set her off. Of course, that could simply be absolute paranoia; we cannot blame her. She immediately has a crush on one of the most upbeat guys she has ever met, named Connor. One of the girls who was also interviewed to work at the park the same time that Scarlett was interviewed goes missing, and Scarlett immediately begins to get flashbacks of her past and all of it.

"Worry means that he cares, but I can't have him worrying too much, especially after the heart-to-heart we shared. Worrying means that he'll want to get close. Worrying means that he'll want to know what's going on. He'll want to know my secrets, and nobody can get that close." (169) 

I liked just about everything about this book. Amanda Panitch's writing is so addicting and I honestly finished this in two sittings, which is rare for me these days. From the electrifying, captivating cover to the actual words, I turned out to be completely satisfied with the outcome and how real this story turned out to be. This is not your typical mystery where the protagonist puts their detective cap on and tries to investigate. Instead, we have something that could completely occur in reality, and what's better than having a summer-related plot?  

Never Missing, Never Found is a ray of sunshine. Okay, it contains dark themes and scary moments where you feel like you want to stay home for the rest of your life, but it was just so good. With its complex themes and Scarlett's brilliant, independent personality, this is just fabulous.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some psychological thrillers that are written differently than most?

Life of Pi by Yann Martel // Diverse, Rich and Memorable

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
Publication: August 29, 2006, by Seal Books
Genre: Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 356
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 

Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

My Thoughts: 

Time for a letter to one of the books that changed my life forever, guys! I only tend to write "letters" to books that have affected me as a person and as a whole. Yann Martel's Life of Pi is one of those books. I can see why the world went crazy.

Dear My One and Only Special Book,

I expected much worse from you. When I began reading Young Adult Fiction, I was introduced to you and your movie (which was fabulous as well), but I had doubts. A book about a boy and a tiger, both stranded on a float-boat-thing in the middle of the Pacific where there are fantasy aspects? That didn't seem like quite my cup of tea. And then, tenth grade rolled around and my friends, who had English first semester, couldn't stop raving about you. I began to anticipate your arrival into my heart more and more. (That also couldn't sound even more cheesier). They kept telling me about how there is a big shocker at the end of you and how our teacher explained it amazingly. I COULDN'T WAIT.

I read you almost in a night, in a sitting. I finished you before the rest of my class did, and I couldn't stop squealing with my best friend about the ending and everything. I would like to share your plot with the rest of Goodreads and the blogging community, if you don't mind. 

"Richard Parker has stayed with me. I've never forgotten him. Dare I say I miss him? I do. I miss him. I still see him in my dreams. They are nightmares mostly, but nightmares tinged with love. Such is the strangeness of the human heart. I still cannot understand how he could abandon me so unceremoniously, without any sort of goodbye, without looking back even once. That pain is like an axe that chops at my heart."

People. Life of Pi is just absolutely beautiful, remarkable and it changed my life. It carries such a powerful message of hope and realism, stuck in a story that focuses on animals and how we humans act like them constantly. We've seen this animalistic comparison in other classics (because I would certainly call this gorgeous thing a classic, but not in an old, rusty kind of way) like William Golding's Lord of the Flies, but this was just completely different and intriguing. Honestly, I prefer books that present a specific concept in a more modern setting that is relatable for me. I rather have an instant connection with a character than a wicked setting. Pi Patel is our amazing hero, who definitely represents the characteristics of a hero well. He is living a normal-ish life, living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns the Pondicherry Zoo. Pi has always had this connection with animals, and he is immediately torn apart when his father announces that their family is moving to Canada.

This is where the craziness occurs. The family heads onto a ship, which sinks, and Pi is the sole survivor. He spends days at sea, with three animals: a monkey, a hyena, and Richard Parker, a tiger who Pi has an amazing relationship with as the book progresses. Agh, how I wish I could endure the same feelings as I did while reading.

I did not read this book because I was required to at school. I know many people personally who actually did not even finish this book because we discussed it (at little too much) at school. YOU'RE NUTS. If you are thinking of putting this one aside and not reading it, then I'm not talking to you, my friend.

Life of Pi is mesmerizing, I honestly felt like it was a dream after I finished it. What's amazing is that we have one sole protagonist, and we never get tired of him. Yann Martel also plays with the format of the book he's writing, occasionally telling the story from his own author perspective, and moving on to Pi's perspective. It's like a diary, though there is also more to it. Martel also experiments with splitting the book into three parts, one being a retelling of Pi's past and future, while the other two being the "Better Story" and the other as "Dry Yeastless Factuality." You will understand that better while reading the book. One story is more imaginative than the other, though the ending of this story seriously gives readers a good finish, a satisfying finish where we will not be asking any more questions. Everything will be answered for us, and somehow, we will be believing in God more than ever. Or at least, I found myself in that position.

"Life will defend itself no matter how small it is. Every animal is ferocious and dangerous. It may not kill you, but it will certainly injure you. It will scratch you and bite you, and you can look forward to a swollen, pus-filled infection, a high fever and a ten-day stay in the hospital."

Yann Martel's use of imagery in inexplainable. It's impossible for me to describe how he does it. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph, we find ourselves seeing that there is a background story to it all, and that Martel utilizes specific words for specific reasons, to show something. My English teacher occasionally over-analyzed things which got me a little frustrated (specifically sentences that reference colours and whatnot) but I must admit that this is the book that has the most depth in it. 

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE MOVIE TOO. A big applause to the directors, producers, screenwriters, media workers and actors for doing a stellar job on making this gorgeous story come to life. I honestly didn't have any complaints, except for the obvious taking-away of specific details from the plot. You cannot even guess how the imagery looks in the movie. It's exactly how I pictured it, funny when looking at the fact that most films that are based on films are horrible. (*cough* Divergent *cough*)

I adore you, Life of Pi. I have so many friends that adore you too, and I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND YOU TO THE WHOLE WORLD. Everyone, grab a copy of this and the movie, and spend a few days (or binge it all into one) and enjoy. Thank you, Yann Martel and the publisher.

What is a book that seriously changed your life? What are some books with amazing imagery?

BEA 2016 Recap: Day Three

BookExpo America 2016 Day Three: May 13

Well, here we are, at the time of the year where I have to say goodbye to my gorgeous recap of BEA. Okay, there's one more post tomorrow, but today I will be discussing the last and final day of the convention that makes my life complete. 

~~

I think that Friday was the best day throughout my whole Chicago trip. I got to spend time with new friends (sorry, Mom) and got the best books out of the whole three-day convention. I finally understood how BEA worked this year, and I understood the crowds and how to get the books I wanted the most, and how each publisher worked. All that time the two days before spent on waiting in line for Replica especially during galley drops where I actually had no chance of getting a copy because I was last in line, I could have been somewhere else, knowing that Friday was the day!

I was extremely anxious that morning because of: A Torch Against the Night, Gemina, Replica, Heartless, Passenger, The Sun is Also a Star and The Amateurs. I NEEDED THEM. My life depended on them. I barely ate breakfast (but I had to fuel up!) because I thought I wouldn't get them.

OH YEAH, HARLEQUIN!

Speaking of Harlequin, it was also the day where I had a chance to meet JLA and all of the other Harlequin Teen authors of 2016! I was number 83 in line, and there were only 100 tickets being given out. I GOT TO MEET ELEANOR HERMAN, JLA, AMY LUKAVICS AND MANY OTHERS. It was just the best way to get books and feel special. It was nice chatting with others in line, as well!

JLA AND I. EEEGH!

A nice tip for future BEAers: wait until a ticketed author is almost finished with their signing and try to snag a spot in line without a ticket! I constantly missed ticket giveaways in the mornings because I was never at McCormick early as other crazy bookworms, so I never got the chance to meet Marissa Meyer because of that. I did get to meet Danielle Paige and Meg Cabot even though I did not have tickets! Danielle Paige was so sweet and I went nuts when my friend Melanie and I snagged a spot in line towards the end of her signing. I already had a book, so I just brought it over and got it signed by her. We had a full-on discussion about The Wizard of Oz, and my, I LOVE HER.

HI DANIELLE!

I GOT REPLICA. GUYS. I learned HarperCollins' galley giveaways the hard way, by trying to go in every line every time. Melanie and I, as well as Kristina from Gone Pecan and Rosie from The Literary Hedonist all were close to the front—I think I had the third spot, and the first five all got COPIES OF ALYSON NOEL'S UNRIVALED. EEEEGH. That honestly was luck, and saved me time from actually having to wait in line for it afterwards. I would've wanted to meet Alyson, though!

Another case of pure luck? Being at the Middle Grade Editor's Buzz, I was coming out of the room where nearby at a table, A Torch Against the Night was lying down there. WHAT?! GUYS—THE LINE FOR THAT BOOK A FEW HOURS WAS CHAOTIC. MY LIFE WAS MADE. It was just one copy, so I took it, obviously. I wish I met Sabaa Tahir too, but here is a photo of her (she's flawless!)

For those of you who were wondering about Veronica Roth and Crave the Mark, which, in case you didn't know, is her new book that will be released in January 2017, they were samplers. Meh. She was signing, as well as Laini Taylor, who was promoting her upcoming novel, Strange the Dreamer, which also was being given out as a sampler. Of course I grabbed them both, and I understand that lines would be chaotic for finished ARCs. Also, I imagine that some people would try to sell them online. Boo. 

Honestly? I got every book that I NEEDED to get from BEA this year, excluding Heartless by Marissa Meyer. I would sell my soul to get a copy of that, but it's fine, I'll pre-order it because I love Marissa's writing anyway. I had a close encounter with snatching a copy, but it didn't happen. The Amateurs by Sara Shepard was one of the last books I got, and I also had the chance to meet Sara!

GOT A SECRET CAN YOU KEEP IT SWEAR THIS ONE
YOU'LL SAVE... BETTER LOCK IT IN A POCKET...

At the time of this signing, my mom was at the Gemina giveaway, and I was so surprised that she got it! There were about two hundred people in line I can imagine (maybe I'm over-exaggerating), and then Jay Kristoff made a surprise appearance and the whole exhibit floor was jolly. Ew, that's cheesy, I know. BUT IT WAS GREAT. Those were one of the most happiest moments of my life. Seriously. And who could forget about Jay Asher hot chocolate from his newest, What Light? 

Sabaa Tahir's line. Whoa.

After Sara Shepard's signing, I got extremely depressed. It was the end of BEA! Three days of continuous roaming, laughs with my mom, new friends who I will have to wait to see until another year in NYC (hopefully!), books, an atmosphere of books and just a good time came to an end. I strolled around McCormick as it got empty with my mom, and I swear that a tear roamed down on my cheek. Meh. I had to snag a few photos of McCormick before I left, and it was sad. Terrifying. Meaningful.

I say this after every time I travel somewhere (but that's because my dad keeps taking me to amazing places), but Chicago is my new home. You'll see why after tomorrow's final post where I talk about BEA overall, the University of Chicago and tourism. I'M SO SAD NOW EVEN THOUGH IT'S JULY AND I SHOULD BE OVER THIS. MEH. WAH. I CRAVE BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TONS AND TONS. 

Oh, and my haul! I literally almost forgot. WANT TO SEE IT?!

65 BOOKS! YAY!

Sorry for my freaking-out-self. How was your final day at BEA? What was your favourite BEA year if you've been?

BEA 2016 Recap: Day Two

BookExpo America 2016 Day Two: May 12

Greetings, mates! I am not Australian, and I am not (okay, kind of) trying to be. Let's take a look at BEA day two, where the magic really began, and my achy breaky bag hurt ten times more than I would have liked. But that's the magic of BEA: it hurts, a lot. Make sure you bring comfortable shoes, people. I wore flats for the three days and it wasn't the best decision I could've made, even though I was sacrificing comfort for style.

~~

Day two of BEA was the day where I accumulated the most books, and perhaps some of the books I want to read the most from BEA. Okay, Friday was pretty amazing too, but that'll be tomorrow's post.

On Thursday, McCormick Place's exhibit hall opened earlier, at nine, so we tried to leave earlier, but of course we got caught in a little Chicago traffic. I thought I would get Replica by Lauren Oliver then, that day, since the giveaway was at 9, but my mom and I arrived 10 minutes later and missed it. THE LINE WAS CRAZY, PEOPLE WOULD LINE UP HALF AN HOUR EARLIER. I later learned the best way to wait for HarperCollins' galley drops: by waiting early. My friend Melanie (I MISS YOU), Rosie (I MISS YOU TOO!) and I learned this the hard way after trying many times. (Friday was a go!) People are literally chaotic at BEA, and although this gets frustrating sometimes, I don't like to really think about the negatives.

Sourcebooks, Capstone and people!

I honestly have to go back to my schedule and try to remember everything that was going on. Thursday was the day of Taherah Mafi (FURTHERMORE!), Jennifer Niven (HOLDING UP THE UNIVERSE!) and Ransom Riggs (TALES OF THE PECULIAR!). I couldn't wait to meet these amazing authors, and Penguin Random House had them all in their booths, signing! I must say, for the second year in a row, Penguin Random House has stolen my heart for best booth. They are so organized, have signs everywhere telling people where to go, the publicists are amazing (Enid!), they hand out information sheets with in-booth signings and there's no confusion. Thank you for that, I know I spent so much time in your booth during the three days!

I attended the BEA YA Editor's Buzz, which was fabulous just like last year's. I really want to work in the publishing industry. *cries* MY MOM GOT TO MEET DAVID LEVITHAN WHILE I WAS THERE. CRY. CRY. CRY. I made her send my best wishes out there, and she snagged a copy of The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily for me!

Hah. I remember 11:30. That was the galley drop for Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige and The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles at the Bloomsbury booth. I got there around 11ish, and the line WAS HUGE. I started panicking that I wouldn't be able to grab a copy, and I was really hoping to because I love Danielle Paige so much. THERE WERE TONS OF COPIES AVAILABLE, THANK GOODNESS. That was amazing. Around that time, Ransom Riggs' signing was moved a little earlier from the 1:30 signing, and I rushed over to the Penguin booth, expecting a bigger line. I actually was one of the first 20 people? 

I FREAKED OUT SO HARD. I actually expected a full copy of Tales of the Peculiar, but we ended up getting a sampler. I FREAKED OUT OVER HIS ATTRACTIVENESS AND TOLD HIM HOW I LOVE HIM AND TAHERAH TOGETHER.

I love you! 

So that was a true highlight. I was the happiest person alive! Oh, and I missed another fab moment!

HECK YEAH. If you do not know who this is, then we can't be friends.

Gayle Forman is the nicest, cutest, most amazing human in the whole planet. I gushed to her about If I Stay and everything. Agh.

What else? I freaked out a little when I discovered that my two favourite YA authors were signing at the same time. AGH.

But thankfully, I had my mom with me, and at 1:00, I headed to Jennifer Niven's line, grabbed a ticket, and IT WENT BY SO FAST.

SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND I FANGIRLED ABOUT HOW MUCH I CRIED IN ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES AND AHHHH!

We looked like twins with our navy blazers! *SCREAMS* I love her so much. My mom grabbed a ticket for the Taherah Mafi line and after Jennifer, I quickly headed over to that, took her place and chatted with some people and my dreams came true once again. 

Look at me going nuts!

I ended up missing the signing for Vassa in the Night because Macmillan was seriously unorganized with their in-booth signings. I honestly had no idea what was going on with Marissa Meyer and Heartless, and everything that was happening. But they were good with their galley drops, I must say!

I also loved how HarperTeen was secretive with their drops until BEA actually happened. That created more excitement for us bloggers and people!

Starbucks, once again, kept me up and ready to go with my lemonade, and I honestly feel that after that, BEA helped me keep shape. I walked three miles, for sure.

The most annoying signing of the day was Adam Silvera's signing for History is All You Left Me, but at the same time, it was so much fun because Adam cares so much about his readers and he wants to talk to us! I THINK I STOOD IN THAT LINE FOR TWO HOURS. But it's fine, hah. And I might be over-exaggerating a little. Adam was afraid that no one would show up for his signing, though! I should have snagged a photo with him. Ugh. 

Here's my YA/Adult haul! I'm a little embarrassed, but there's 90 books here. *blushes* That's what happens when you drive here and know that it's okay because you have a luggage checked in outside! I still haven't read any of the books in that pile, whoops. I'M GOING TO, ASAP.

Day two was the second most fun day out of BEA. (Friday was the best!) But at the same time, I loved each and every single day for the number of people I talked to, the time I got to spend with my mom, the books that I got to snag, the environment of McCormick and just how organized this year's conference was. I love book conferences to the moon and back.

Here's a photo of beautiful Chicagoan artwork on the streets for fun:

My back hurts again just thinking of BEA, but my heart flutters so much at the same time! What was your second day of BEA like if you were there?