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? 

Letterbox Love #21

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 fortnightly book haul post! I thought I was doing quite well last week with only 3 new books, but I have been a devil this week.   Firstly, I have to say thank you to the lovely Jaime and Louise at Harper Collins. I’m really looking forward to Icons by Margaret Stohl and it is the first in what looks to be a great series. Although both One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern and Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger were unsolicited, they are perfect for me. In fact, I have already read Revenge Wears Prada and loved it (review to come next week). So a big thank you to these guys for thinking of me. 

Next, I have to squeal about bloggers. Although I haven’t been blogging long, other bloggers have welcomed me into the fray. There is nothing better than being able to share amazing books, and I have been lucky enough to be on the receiving end this week. Thanks to Daphne at Winged Reviews who kindly got me a (signed!!) copy of The Oathbreaker’s Shadow by Amy McCulloch at her launch. I was gutted to miss it, and the book is just so pretty. To Laura of Bookish Treasures, for sending me her copy of Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas. It was very sweet of you to send me this! And to Faye from A Daydreamer’s Thoughts, for lending me her copy of Lockwood and Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud. I have heard wonderful things and now I don’t have to wait. Promise I’ll look after it. Thank you girlies, and know that my bookshelves are always open to you 🙂 

Okay, so I *may* have gone a bit crazy on the buying…. 

Partly, I blame The Works. Y’all know how much I rave about this shop, and this fortnight I bring you yet more goodies. Firstly, a tipoff from Ellie from Curiosity Killed The Bookworm who bought Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger last week. This was a steal, so I had to check it out. While there, I noticed Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire. The second has not long been released, so I added this pair to my collection. 

I picked up a couple of books in the charity shop this week. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas was nominated for lots of awards after its release in 2008, and its a topic I love to read about. Likewise, The Strawberry Picker by Monika Feth sounded really intriguing. I’m very pro thriller YA, so this sounds perfect. I also grabbed Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, because I thought I had to see what the fuss was all about. 

I caved and bought Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff because it has orange pages. Need I say more? In fact, I think more books should have coloured edges. It just looks sooo pretty! My only library book is Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, a book which it feels like I’ve waited forever for! 

Finally, but certainly not leastly, Faking It and Losing It by Cora Carmack! The latter I already owned, but I managed to get it signed on Thursday at her blogger party. I am so thrilled to have met her, and to be able to add these pretties to my collection! I can guarantee they will be well read 🙂

Phew! Now for those Ebooks:

Anyone who knows me will know that I love books about internet love. A Virtual Love by Andrew Blackman sounds a bit more sinister than what I am used to, but intriguing nonetheless! Thanks to Legend Press and Netgalley. 

Pirouette by Robyn Bavati has a really cool cover. I love books about dancing and this sound very much like The Parent Trap, so I’m in! Thanks to Flux and Netgalley for this. 

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? Do you know of any places to find great secondhand books?  I’d love to hear from you! 

Letterbox Love #19

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! 

Firstly, lots of goodies from the library this fortnight. Starting with Slated and Fractured by Teri Terry. I loved Slated, but read it so long ago I can’t remember what happens. So I will be having a double read to remind myself. Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher was the winner of the Waterstones’ Childrens Book Prize, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about.

Intrusion by Ken MacLeod is an adult book that sounds quite dystopian. I had taken out the hardback, but when I saw my library was getting a paperback I decided to put my name down for that instead. They are just so much easier to handle. The Baby Diaries by Sam Binnie is a book that my mum enjoyed, and I love a good girly book (especially about babies), so I ordered this one. A book that I very nearly bought a couple of weeks ago in Waterstones is Unremembered by Jessica Brody. It sounds a bit like the TV show ‘Lost’, which I adored, so I’m looking forward to checking this out. The last library book is ‘Boy Meets Boy‘ by David Levithan, ordered for the LGBT marathon hosted by Faye of A Daydreamer’s Thoughts. I don’t think I’ve every read any of his books, though a few are on my TBR list, such as Every Day.

Books that I received this week include New Girl by Paige Harbison and The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I won these from Becky at Becky’s Barmy Book Blog for her Spring Clean giveaway. I really loved The Immortal Rules, so I’m excited to see what Julie’s other series is liked. I’m really enjoying Mira Ink’s books at the moment, so fingers crossed for this and New Girl. Becky was kind enough to throw in some bookmarks and badges too which was really sweet. And did I mention the Julie Kagawa is hardback? And glittery! *drools* Thanks very much Becky 🙂

The second and third Metawars books by Jeff Norton, The Dead are Rising and Battle of the Immortal, were sent for review from Rebecca at Hachette. I really enjoyed the first book but wanted more from the characters, so I’m excited to hopefully see their development in the next two! Thanks very much Rebecca for these shiny beauties.

Last week I was luckily enough to meet Andy Robb, author of Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind and Geekhood: Mission Improbable. Shamefully, I have yet to read the first book, even though I got in in my birthday haul early this year. Luckily, Andy forgave me (I think!) and signed both books (I had with me the first, and bought the second there). He was really lovely, and perhaps one of the nicest, most natural authors I have ever met. We talked for ages, and yet it still felt like I could talk more. From publishers to cover design, blogging and holidays, you name it. He was very nice, which made me feel extra guilty for not having read his books!

While in Waterstones, I also picked up Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. I really want to read all of John Green’s books, so owning them is a good start. Oh, and my copy of Geography Club by Brent Hartinger finally came! This is also for Faye’s readathon. I was surprised at how small the book is, but I want to read it before the film is released, so it serves a double purpose 🙂

Ebooks:

Thanks to Netgalley and Open Road Media for Being Henry David by Cal Armistead and When Love Comes to Town by Tom Lennon.

 

 

 

I’m taking part in the blog tour for Animate Me by Ruth Clampett, so look out for my review in a few weeks! The cover is so adorable.

Love is a Thief by Claire Garber is a book I’ve had my eye on for a while. So thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for this!

And last, but certainly NOT least, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!!! Although this book isn’t released till September, someone tweeted on Thursday evening that it was on Netgalley. Two minutes later, I had requested it, and thinking about the agony of waiting for the approval/denial. But then when the same person (I can’t remember who!) said they had been approved, it cued my frantic email refreshing. And I did get approved! And I finished it last night. WHAT A WHIRLWIND. St Martin’s Press, I owe you my heart for letting me read this, and approving so quickly.

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? Do you think its shameful to go to an author event without having read their book(s)? I’d love to hear from you!