Bookish Events

This year I’ve been luckily enough to attend lots of bookish events. However, there are lots I missed out on but am planning for next year! I thought I’d just give you an overview of the types of event I have attended and the pros and cons of each. 

Usually reserved for popular books or authors, these signings are good for racking up signatures in books. Not usually so good for spending time with the author! 

The signings that I’ve attended like this include Cassie Clare, Stephenie Meyer and Michael McIntyre. While I was thrilled to be able to meet them and get a coveted signature, you do just feel like part of an assembly line. Often it doesn’t allow much time to speak to the author. It does, however, usually involve lots of waiting around in a queue beforehand!

I think so far this is my favourite type of event. The ones I have attended have mostly been at Waterstones Piccadilly, and involve one or more authors. They have an opportunity to talk about their book, answer questions and then have a signing at the end.

As well as getting a greater insight into the author and the story behind the book, it allows for talk with other bloggers while the signing line goes down!

Obviously exclusive for bloggers, these events are great in getting to communicate with authors and publicists. My first event as a blogger was Holly Smale’s Geek Girl party. Here I met some bloggers that I consider to be great bookish friends now, and often see at other events. It’s also nice to meet the publicists behind the emails and the proofs, and to get to know them personally. 

I can say the only real negative about blogger events is not getting invited to them, especially when it seems everyone else in the world is going. I’ve definitely experienced this more than once, but its still amazing to hear about them afterwards and see all the goodies! 

The bonus of launch parties is that friends of the author quite often attend. And those friends are quite often authors themselves. I discovered this when I went to James Dawsons’ launch for Cruel Summer, and found myself face to face with people such as Patrick Ness and Tanya Byrne. While I didn’t speak to these personally (I was too in awe!) it gives an amazing opportunity to meet lots of authors in one place. The other plus is that it is such a relaxed environment, usually involving drinks and snacks and lots of conversation. 

I haven’t yet attended a book festival. I’m planning to go to one day of Bath Kids Lit Festival, but I would love to spend a whole weekend or week immersed in books. Earlier this year I swooned over all the people over the ocean going to BEA, and I hope in the next couple of years I can make this dream a reality.

A bit closer to home, and I also missed out on the London Book Fair this year due to other arrangements. Faye wrote a post about her experience, and the seminars sounded like a really awesome insight into the book and publishing world. I am definitely putting it on my calendar for next year, so watch this space!

What events have you attended? What is your opinion on the best format? Any events that you would recommend? 

A Bookish Survey: A to Z

Lots of people have been taking part in the A-Z survey created by Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner, and I thought I’d give it a go! Sounded like fun 🙂

Author you’ve read the most books from:

By far my most read author is Robert Muchamore! According to Goodreads, I have read 22 of his books. Blimey! 

Best Sequel Ever:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. I think I actually liked it more than the first…

Currently Reading:

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

I mostly drink fruit juice. Though in the winter there is nothing nicer than curling up with a book and some white hot chocolate!

E-reader or Physical Book?

My kindle is useful when commuting, but I am definitely a physical book gal. There is nothing better!

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

I’d love to say Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, but truth be told I was way too shy to have a boyfriend back then!

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Hidden Gem Book:

Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. The illustrations! ❤

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

When I began working at the library. Before then, I used to reread a lot of the same books again. It taught me to be more adventurous with reading!

Just Finished:

Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

I do try and read all genres of YA, but when it comes to adult books I’m much more picky. I don’t read many literary fiction, historical or heavy fantasy/scifi.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (870 pages). This is one of my favourite books of the series as well 😀 

Major book hangover because of:

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Number of Bookcases You Own:

One official bookcase. I also have some shelves and keep some under my dressing table!

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Any non-fiction book by Torey Hayden. Her books were my inspiration to originally be a speech and language therapist.

Preferred Place To Read:

On the train; its the only place with minimal distractions! Or else in bed.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

“I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.” from Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

Reading Regret:

Not starting a blog earlier! Or reading more variety as a kid.

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series):

All of them? Off the top of my head, Michael Grant’s Gone series, Ally Condie’s Matched series and Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Only three?! The Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella,  Race to the Pole by James Cracknell & Ben Fogle and the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Rainbow Rowell. Ever since I discovered Attachments I knew her writing was special, and it has just grown and grown and every book is that little bit better!

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan! It sounds AHMAZING and I only have two more weeks to wait! 

Worst Bookish Habit:

From a blogging point of view, it would definitely be not writing reviews! Abandoning half-finished books perhaps?

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Before I go to Sleep by SJ Watson.

Your latest book purchase:

Skinny by Donna Cooner.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

Faking It by Cora Carmack. I just HAD to finish it. I adore her books so much ❤

Well that was my survey! Please link me up to yours if you’ve taken part too 🙂

Letterbox Love #16

Letterbox Love is a meme hosted by Lynsey of Narratively Speaking whereby book lovers can exhibit the books they received this week.

Welcome to my 2-week haul post! I got an amazing amount of books this week. My pile is never going to disappear, I just have to admit it!

First my library/print book piles 

 We will start on the left, which is my library pile. Last week I collect all adult titles. I ordered ‘After The Fall‘ by Charity Norman and ‘This Beautiful Life‘ by Helen Schulman. I enjoy books that confront issues not normally talked about, and this is common in Jodi Picoult’s books. After The Fall tells the story of what happens when a 5-year-old falls from an upstairs veranda. Only his mum knows what happened, and she’s not telling. This Beautiful Life describes events unfolding after a sexually explicit video goes viral among teenagers. Both sound really intriguing, so I am looking forward to reading them.

I have heard lots of people talk about ‘The Night Rainbow‘ by Claire King, so I had to see what all the fuss was all about. With such a pretty cover, it looks like a book to be read with a nice hot chocolate. Throw ‘How We Met‘ by Katy Regan into the pile, and you could see my strange tastes in books! I love me some romance, and this sounds quite similar to PS I Love You, which I adored.

Another three books to collect on Saturday. I’ll be starting Pandemonium on Monday or Tuesday because I want to try and finish it before the Lauren Oliver event on Tuesday evening. I’m psyched to find out how the trilogy end, though a bit nervous as people seem to have had mixed reactions. But it will be really good to meet her and hear her thoughts on the books, and hopefully she will talk a bit about the tv series as well.

Everybody knows I am a huge Robert Muchamore fan. While I love his original Cherub series the most, I will still pick up anything by him, including ‘Scorched Earth‘, the latest in the Henderson Boys series. Full of war and action and teen spies, this will be a nice break from all the contemporary stuff I’m reading at the moment! And last but not least, ‘The Library of Unrequieted Love’ by Sophie Divry. Any librarians or exlibrarians or book lovers will read this on the title alone, not to mention the quirky cover.

So I received my first ARC from a publisher this week. Nina Douglas from Indigo kindly sent me a copy if ‘If You Find Me‘ by Emily Murdoch. It has a rating of over 4 stars on GR, and everyone I know has loved it, so I thought I’d see what it was like. Many thanks to Nina for sending me this copy with a lovely cover! I also was sent ‘This Is What Happy Looks Like‘ by Jennifer E Smith by Headline. Thanks to Sam Eades for this. I have already read it and ADORED IT. My review should be coming out by the end of the month, but it was just amazing. I am in love. Definitely one to covet on my shelf!

This is certainly a fortnight for book packages! I was in the middle of reading a library copy of Lauren Oliver’s Delirium, when I received a copy in the post! There was no note or return address, so I can only presume it came from the lovely people at Hodder. Thank you very much for this, as it means I can get her to sign it on Tuesday! And it is great to have my own copy. And lastly, on Saturday I got a steamy package through the door. Not literally; ‘Losing It‘ by Cora Carmack arrived. Thanks to her and Ebury Press for sending me a copy. I have already read it (check out my review here) and I thought it was amazing. My favourite NA title so far! I’m also doing a giveaway, so if you fancy checking this out then enter here. The odds for you are very good at the moment!

 

In other bookish news, I met Stephenie Meyer this week, and she kindly signed my copy of ‘The Host‘, ready for the film release at the end of the month. She was really nice and posed for pictures with everyone, but it just seemed like the moment was over too soon. I much prefer book events where you get to hear the author speak, even if it is a promo spiel about their new release. 

Now for ebooks:

I received Daynight by Megan Thomason from Laura at Prism Book Tours. I’m taking part in the blog tour for this, so come and visit on the 23rd April for my post. I was psyched to read this because there has been a bit of a dip in the dystopian world, and I do love me a good dystopian. It’s been getting amazing reviews, so hopefully I will enjoy it too! 

Broken At Love is a new adult debut by Lyla Payne. A love triangle between a girl and two frat boy brothers, I know I will just devour it. My blog tour stop is on April 22nd, and I think there is also a giveaway for NA books or swag, so make sure you check that out. Thanks to Kelly from InkSlingerPR for letting me take part.

I was very excited to get an email from the lovely people at Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss to say I have been approved for Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols. Although I haven’t read any of her books before, I have heard lots of good things. I am on a contemporary fix at the moment, and this looks so adorable! Thanks you guys, I can’t wait to read this. And music in it too! *squeals*

    

As a side note, I’ve got lots of things coming up on the blog this week. On Tuesday I am taking part in the book blitz for Picture Perfect by Camille Dixon. Thursday is the arrival of the Ever book tour by Jessa Russo. And finally, the end of my giveaway for Cora Carmack’s Losing It!

What did you receive this week? Have you read any of my books and do you think it should be at the top or the bottom of my to read pile? I’d love to hear from you! 

Letterbox Love #15

Letterbox Love is a meme hosted by Lynsey of Narratively Speaking whereby book lovers can exhibit the books they received this week.

Welcome to my 2-week haul post! Lots of exciting things happened in the last two weeks!

First my library/print book piles:

*Sigh* SO MUCH GOODNESS these last two weeks. First the library books! I ordered ‘If I Stay‘ by Gayle Forman because I stupidly picked up the second in the series a couple of weeks ago. Luckily this is only short, so should only be a day’s reading. This week I also collected ‘Delirium‘ by Lauren Oliver because she’s doing an event in London in a couple of weeks for Requiem, and I wanted to reread the series beforehand. 

Last week I went to a book signing for Nicholas Sparks as his latest book, ‘Safe Haven‘, is being released in the cinemas. The two stars from the film were also there, and they all answered questions before Nicholas signed books. 

    

I’m hoping to see this film next weekend so I’ll let you all know what it’s like! 

While I was in Waterstones I picked up ‘Attachments‘ by Rainbow Rowell. I absolutely ADORE her, and I have been after this for ages. Unfortunately all the copies I’ve seen in the bookshop are dirty, or have crumpled pages, and I’m a perfectionist! I’ll hopefully be rereading this soon, as I want to follow the playlist she has created for the book.

I also picked up ‘Between the Lines‘ by Tammara Webber, as I need more New Adult books in my life, and this looks really good. It also sparked a conversation with Laura from Bookish Treasures about where to shelve new adult books, as she is my NA guru!

I bought ‘The Vincent Boys‘ by Abbi Glines (who is coming to the UK soon!) and ‘Emailing Allie‘ by Julie Lawson because they both sound amazing. ‘Drowning Instinct‘ by Ilsa Bick was on special for only £3.50 so I thought I’d give it a whirl 🙂

Finally, my highlight from the past two weeks (and my year!) was the Geek Girl blogger party. My first blogger event, I got to meet lots of other bloggers, and everyone was super amazing and friendly and never complained that I kept plonking myself in their circles and eavesdropping! 

Holly Smale, authoress of Geek Girl, was so amazingly lovely. I like to stalk her on Twitter, but I was quite shocked when she invited me to the party. But she is such a doll 🙂 Look at the picture of all the goody bagness I received! I didn’t take any pictures, but please check out Kirsty’s post here and Luna’s here for their round ups of the day 🙂

 

 

 

In other book news, I also got a couple of ebooks:

‘The S-Word‘ by Chelsea Pitcher. I’ve heard lots of people talking about this bullying/suicide book, so I was really surprised to be approved! Thanks Simon & Schuster via Gallery books and Netgalley.

I received ‘Picture Perfect‘ buy Alessandra Thomas via Kelly of InkSlinger PR as I am talking part in the release day launch on March 26. When an ex-fashion designer takes to nude modelling after an accident, it causes all sorts of problems. This book sounds really good and I’m so pleased to be able to review it.

 

 ‘The Registry‘ by Shannon Stoker is actually an adult book, but a dystopian one at that, so I had to request it. Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins via William Morrow Paperbacks for the approval!

I received a copy of ‘The Space Between‘ by the author Victoria Smith to review. New adult contemporary romance? Yes please!

 

‘Escape Theory‘ by Margaux Froley is a book I’ve been hearing good things about on the blogosphere. Thanks to Soho Teen and Edelweiss for this copy! I haven’t heard a lot about Soho Teen before, but they’ve got some interesting books coming up so I’ll be keeping my eye out!

What did you receive this week? Have you read any of my books and do you think it should be at the top or the bottom of my to read pile? I’d love to hear from you! 

Goodreads Choice Awards 2012:SemiFinals

The Goodreads Choice Awards 2012 are the only major book awards decided by readers. I thought I would share my semifinal votes with you.

Best Fiction

I voted for Matthew Dick’s ‘Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend‘. Mainly because this is the only book I have read fully out of the whole selection! However I did really enjoy this book. The concept was quite interesting, and I enjoyed the perspective. There was also some mystery and suspense which I wasn’t expecting.

Goodreads Author

I have read a couple of books from this selection, but I chose Lauren Oliver’s ‘Pandemonium‘. Just because her novels were one of the first dystopian series I read, so I thank her for introducing me to the genre.

Young Adult Fiction

I chose ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ by John Green for this category. I have to confess that I actually haven’t read many of this selection, though lots of them are on my to-read list. I felt I couldn’t really chose a book I hadn’t read, so my choice was limited. I did really enjoy this book, though all teenagers-with-cancer characters do seem to merge together.

Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

I think this was the hardest category for me, as there are so many good books here! I eventually went for ‘The Rise of Nine‘ by Pittacus Lore. The third book in the series (check out my review here) and I still can’t wait for the next one! Hence my reason for picking this above the others.

The Goodreads Semi Finals close today, and hopefully the readers have made the right choices! I’ll probably do another post for the finalists.