ALA 2018 Recap

As many of you know I traveled to New Orleans recently to attend ALA's (American Library Association) annual conference. It was a week filled with a lot of books, incredible food, more alcohol than I usually consume, and amazing sites. 

I'll first share the books I got while attending the conference. I had a fantastic time walking around and seeing all the books that the publishers were eager to showcase. ALA is a much more relaxed than Book Expo and as a result I feel you get more time to really look at the booths and see what is on display.

Day one consisted of me snagging the following review copies:

Kens by Raziel Reid (goodreads)

Sadie by Courtney Summers (goodreads)

The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman (goodreads)

Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok (goodreads)

Only A Breath Apart by Katie McGarry (goodreads)

The Dark Descent Of Elizabeth Frankenstein (goodreads)

What If It's Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli (goodreads)

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle (goodreads)

A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (goodreads)

Courtney Summers is an actual ray of sunshine. She was so kind. It made me even more excited to devour Sadie as soon as I get the chance. It was also exciting to see ARCs of Spectacle as I wasn't anticipating it being available at the conference. 

Day two was just as fun and informative at the first day. I got the following books:

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (goodreads)

Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal (goodreads)

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas (goodreads)

Enchantee by Gita Trelease (goodreads)

The 7 1/2 Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (goodreads)

Hunting Charles Manson by Lis Wiehl (goodreads)

The Lady's Guide To Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (goodreads)

Dear Evan Hanson by Val Emmich (goodreads)

Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (goodreads)

The Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (goodreads)

I  went to the panel that Lis Wiehl had discussing the process of writing Hunting Charles Manson and was blown away by the research and access she had. It made me want to read the book even more and was thrilled to learn that there would be a signing right after the panel. I got to say hello to both Kerri Maniscalco and Mackenzi Lee. I love both of their books and was so happy to get to meet them again. I also got to gush about The Wedding Date with Jasmine Guillory and was so excited to get a copy of her next book, The Proposal, to review on the blog.

My final day of the convention was much quieter. I stumbled across a great sounding thriller, snagged a YA book everyone has been gushing about and got to pick up a copy of a book I have been wanting to read ever since I saw the movie.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (goodreads)

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward (goodreads)

Jack Of Hearts (And Other Parts) by Lev A.C. Rosen (goodreads)

I looked forward to not just the conference but see New Orleans itself while I was in town. The city did not disappoint. I had so many memorial experiences while there and cannot wait to go back. Here are just a few of my favourite photos from the trip and some details about what I did while there:

As a huge true crime fan I had to stop by the LaLaurie mansion while I was in New Orleans. It's a rather pretty house that does not reflect the horrors that happened inside. This place is rumoured to be cursed (information provided by the amazing true crime tour I took while there) and I believe it.

Drinks were very much a part of the New Orleans experience. My favourite place that we had drinks at was Saints and Sinners. The restaurant/bar that Channing Tatum built in New Orleans.

It's a fun little place on Bourbon Street and they had the best cocktails! I may have drank more than I should have there that night (but it was so worth it).

Two of my favorite drinks were the Love Potion #10 which was DELICIOUS!

I also loved the Saint which is one of their signature drinks along with the Sinner. Kelly and I each ordered one of them so we could try both and I definitely preferred the one I ordered. 

One of my favourite parts of the trip was the true crime tour that we booked. The tour company is called Unique NOLA Tours. The guide, David, was great at making sure everyone was having fun and told some great (but chilling) stories. It made me see New Orleans in a different light and also made me immediately want to research all of the stories we were told (and I am never going to forget the one that feature an oven *shudder*)

If you're in New Orleans I would highly recommend booking one of the tours they offer. They have a few different ones so no matter what you want to experience they should have something to fit your needs. 

No trip to New Orleans would be complete without trying beignets. We, obviously, went to Cafe Du Monde and I loved them. They were so incredibly delicious (and so obviously bad for you).

The other must try was a Hurricane. We went with the, rumouredly, best in the city and tried one at Pat O'Briens. This was perhaps my favourite meal out of all the ones I had in New Orleans. 

I can also confirm that Hurricanes and delicious (and extremely strong).

We also took a quick trip to the Historic Voodoo Museum which had some interesting things relating to Marie Laveau including this portrait. 

The architecture was incredible and I was constantly looking at buildings as we passed by. This is St. Louis Cathedral which is near Jackson Square and it is stunning in person.

That's pretty much it for my trip to New Orleans I am excited to dive into the books I got, and am pretty sure my body still needs to recover from the trip. 

Me and my friend Kelly (from Kellyvision) enjoying our Hurricanes

ALA Excitement!

After seeing all of the BEA posts from last week I am even more excited to be attending ALA. I am looking forward to seeing New Orleans, being surrounded by bookish people, and finding out what the publishers are excited about for the back half of 2018.

I have been looking forward to this particular ALA for YEARS now because I have always wanted to go to New Orleans. It's exciting that in just a few short weeks I'll be there.

I thought I would be fun to share some things that I am especially excited about for both the trip in general and ALA in particular!

Top Things I Want To Do In New Orleans

1- Eat Beignets

Anytime I mention that I am going to New Orleans I immediately am told to make sure I try some beignets while I am there. These delicious sounding pastries are  high on my list!

2- Take A Ghost Tour

This is my one MUST DO while in the city. I am currently browsing my options as there are many. If anyone has any recommendations please send them my way.

3- Find A Local Book Store

One of my favourite parts of going to Book Expo is stopping by The Strand book store in New York. I am hoping to find a used book shop or something similar to browse while in New Orleans.

Top Books I Hope Are At ALA

Of course there are some amazing sounding books that I hope are available at ALA! I am looking forward to not just getting a chance to read some of my most anticipated reads early, but interacting with the publishers and taking part in some of the panels. There is one true crime panel that sounds amazing and I really enjoyed the publisher presentations that I attended when I attended ALA previously.

Without further ado, here are the books I most hope to pick up while at ALA:

1 What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

I love Becky's books. I love Adam's books. It goes without saying that a book written by both of them would be high on my 'must read' list. 

2 The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

I've loved Rebecca's previous novels and I am especially intrigued by the synopsis of her first adult book. I cannot wait to meet her version of Audrey Hepburn and to completely love Sabrina.

3 A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

This one has been on my radar since I read the deal annoucement. I love a good retelling and this twist on Beauty and the Beast sounds particularly fun.

4 The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
 
This unique Frankenstein retelling is pretty much everything I want in a novel. I am really excited to read this one and see what twists Kiersten White has added to the classic story.

5 The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

I really enjoyed The Wedding Date and hope that Jasmine's next novel is just as cute and enjoyable. It sounds like a fun rom-com style read that will be perfect for the plane ride home (if it happens to be on offer and I am fortunate enough to snag a copy).

While I am clearly excited about a lot of things in New Orleans, I am always looking for more recommendations. Are you from New Orleans, or ever been there? Have any suggestions on what I must do, see, and eat while in town for ALA? Please leave any suggestions in the comments.

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A small Weekly Obessions post this week. I am looking forward to all of the movie trailers that are coming next week so expect it to be a little bigger next week!

BOOK

Cover Of Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (goodreads)

I immedately loved the look of this cover and how eye catching it is. It also helps that the book sounds amazing (it just happens to now come in pretty packaging).   

I really like the colour scheme of the cover. It makes the crowns stand out sharply against the backdrop.

TV/MOVIE

A Simple Favor Teaser Trailer

This trailer pretty much shows next to nothing about the plot of this movie, but I am so in. It has a mystery at its core and seems like it might be dark and twisty.

I look forward to seeing if the full trailer gives a little more insight into the plot. Either way I'll be going to see it when it's released.

OTHER

ALA 2018

It is June so that means that I will be in New Orleans THIS MONTH! I am getting pretty excited. I cannot wait to see everyone, go on some ghost tours, and basically be surrounded by people who love books as much as I do!

Novelly Yours' Welcome To Hawkins Limited Edition Box (link)

My reaction when I came across the announcement that Novelly Yours was going to be releasing a Stranger Things themed box for June would not suprise anyone who follows this blog. It would be an understatement to say that I thrilled. A box full of amazing things inspired by my fave TV show? SIGN ME UP!

photo copyright @ Britany from Novelly Yours

I love my Friends Don't Lie candle from this shop and fully intend to try to snag one of these limited boxes. It comes with 5 candles (which is worth the price all on its own) and other goodies! Check out the link as I am sure there will be something you immediately want to buy. The Stranger Things box goes on sale soon for those who are interested! 

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

ALA 2016 and Disney World

You may recall I mentioned I would be going this past week to ALA in Orlando. I left on the 22nd of June and got back on the 29th. I am (almost) recovered from a fantastic vacation but before I get to business as usual on the blog I thought I would offer up a recap of what I got up to while in Orlando.

First up, and obviously most important, is ALA itself. I loved that ALA is very low key compared to BEA. It may have been that there is simply less people, but ALA is way more relaxing. This allowed me more time to take part in buzz panels where the publishers discussed their upcoming fall titles. I also had more time to chat with the publishers about the books they were promoting. This allowed me to discover new titles that I would have perhaps not discovered otherwise.

Do I prefer ALA to BEA? That depends. I think I need to experience ALA again. BEA, for me, is an incredible rush. That rush comes with the excitement from other bookish fans. I didn't feel that same feeling at ALA. I did, however, like the opportunities ALA provided to really dig into the titles and learn more about them. I think I will do BEA for the foreseeable future but will attend ALA whenever it happens to be in a city I want to visit anyway.

I came back with a few titles that I am really excited about.

For Day 1 I really wanted to meet Emery Lord and that was my only real must do of the conference. I was successful and Emery is so kind. She is exactly what you expect her to be, and I immediately wanted to drink wine with her and have her give me life advice.

I also got to meet Jay Asher and get a copy of What Light (which was another one of my most anticipated titles of the conference). He was also really kind, and we joked about the length of his line as it was one of the biggest of the conference.

I snagged Die For You after the Penguin Random House representative told me a little bit about it. I didn't know much about it before Kelly mentioned I should look into it, but I was sold when I heard how passionately the publisher was about it.

Die For You by Amy Fellner Dominy (goodreads)

What Light by Jay Asher (goodreads)

When We Collided by Emery Lord (goodreads)

My second day was filled with pretty exciting discoveries. First up, I managed to get a copy of Glitter by Aprilynne Pike which is a book I've been REALLY excited about. It's been described as Marie Antoinette meets Breaking Bad which is basically like cat nip for me. 

Kelly sold me on the Graces because one of the characters is described as the school's version of Peter Pan. Immediately sold. I will be reading it as soon as I can sneak it into the reading schedule.

This Adventure Ends was a impulse pick up after I read the back of the copy Kelly snagged and I immediately wanted to read it. I hadn't heard much about it, but I am excited to find out if it is as good as it sounds. 

Lastly, for day two, I picked up a copy of Vassa In The Night after asking the Tor person to tell me a little about their fall titles. This one really stood out and the Tor representative seemed very passionate about it. 

Vassa In The Night by Sarah Porter (goodreads)

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills (goodreads)

 The Graces by Laure Eve (goodreads)
Glitter by Aprilynne Pike (goodreads)

The last day was also the most frenzied. It seemed that the publishers wanted to make sure that their titles got into the hands of librarians and reviewers. It was also when they were putting out anything they had left, rather than you inquiring about a title.

I read the back of The Girl In The Picture and immediately became obsessed. A picture of a girl is found by the body of the high school heartthrob. This murder mystery has the potential to heat up my summer reading if I can fit it in.

I've had my eye on Cherry for a while (basically since I heard it was a female American Pie) and was thrilled when I discovered it at ALA. It was hidden so I didn't noticed they had copies until I noticed it while inquiring about something else.

I am a sucker for Hollywood set mysteries and obviously Pasadena was a must get for me. I was happy to discover copies there and I am so excited to read it.

The Girl In The Picture by Alexandra Monir (goodreads)
Cherry by Lindsey Rosin (goodreads)
Pasadena by Sherri L Smith (goodreads)
Jess, Chunk, And The Road Trip To Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark (goodreads)
Everything You Want Me To Be by Mindy Mejia (goodreads)
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (goodreads)

A huge thank you to the publishers and all the bloggers I chatted with who made this event so much fun. There were moments where I felt unwelcome as a blogger so I am so thankful to those who took the time to talk to me and were kind.

The rest of my time in Orlando was sent relaxing, and visiting Disney World. I am a huge Disney fan (which surprises nobody) and will take any chance to visit a truly magical theme park.

There was a lot that was new at Disney. First up was the Tangled area with Rapunzel's tower and the town square. This is a themed restroom area, but I can easily see it expanding to include a restaurant (The Snuggly Duckling, of course) or other attractions.

One of my favourite rides is Peter Pan's Flight

It is a must ride for me every time I go and I was thrilled to discover they had made some serious modifications to this attraction. The biggest update was to the waiting area which is now a lovely walk through the Darling house. I was fangirling all over the place but especially loved the bedrooms for Wendy, John and Michael and how they incorporated Tinkerbell into the new waiting area.

I loved the pictures on the walls, and especially the little details (like the blocks on Michael's bed spelling out Peter Pan). It made the experience all the more vivid. 

We ate lunch at Be Our Guest which is, obviously, a Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant. We selected the West Wing to eat in and it was perfection.

We got to see the (incredibly well done) rose that is the centre piece of the movie.

We also saw the portrait that Beast destroys after he is cursed. They had thunder and lightning that would flash at various intervals and transform the picture into the beast.

We got to try the grey stuff, and it was indeed delicious.

And this incredible artwork was the perfect way to leave this stunning attraction.

Outside the restaurant is Gaston's Tavern and in front of that is a Gaston's gift to the village.

A fountain of himself, naturally. It is so perfect that I just cannot. The plaque in front makes it even more priceless and it's little things like this that Disney gets just right.

One of my favourite parts of Magic Kingdom is getting to see Cinderella's Castle. It looks particularly pretty at night during the fireworks, but it is honestly so iconic that I could take pictures of it all day.

I also managed to try Dole Whip for the first time, and it was life changing. I now need to have it every single time I visit Disney. If you have never tried Dole Whip be sure to next time you visit.

Pineapple drinks are delicious and frozen pineapple drinks are even better, just saying. 

The two biggest additions since I last visited though were The Seven Dwarfs Mine ride, and Frozen Ever After. I managed to ride both. The Seven Dwarfs Mine ride is similar to Big Thunder Mountain (I feel it is the less intense of the two) but it has a lot of charm, particularly when you go into the mine and visit the dwarfs while they are busy working. Adorable. Sadly, the ride is a little too quick to get photos, but the attention to detail (especially the inside parts) is typical Disney.

I jumped over to Epcot to visit Norway's pavilion and the new Frozen Ever After Ride. I arrived first thing in the morning and this is what I was greeted with... 

Some people left the line, and it did speed up which shortened my wait time to just about 2 hours and I happily waited. The ride itself? Totally worth it. It was magical. So magical in fact that I decided to get in line and ride it again. This ride has minor thrills as you go down a few 'waterfalls' (one of which is done backwards) but if you rode Maelstrom you'll be well prepared for the (small) drops.

The attention to detail is, once again, perfection and I was especially impressed with Olaf who is a dancing, moving, bundle of cute. Seriously. 

I had the best time at Disney. It truly is one of the most magical places and I am so excited to go back.

Did you attend ALA? If so let me know what you were most excited about. If not, what book would you want to read first that was at ALA?

I am ALA 2016 bound!

I am leaving soon to head to Orlando, Florida for this year's ALA conference. I am set for a week of fun in the sunshine state complete with a trip to Disney World. I am looking forward to meeting some authors, especially Emery Lord (that is going to include one embarrassing level of fangirling). I am beyond excited to spend the day at Disney World. I want to eat Shake Shack and catch up with my friend Kelly whom I haven't seen in a year. It's going to be lots of fun!

I am, also, excited about the books that might be there. I am hoping to get a copy of Jay Asher's What Light. I am also hoping Aprilynne Pike's Glitter is there along with Flower by Shea Olsen and Elizabeth Craft. I am keeping ALA low key since I also went to BEA this year. It's going to be fun to see how different the two events are and what might be at ALA that wasn't at BEA.

There will be little to no disruption to the blog so I hope you'll still stop by while I am gone. Reviews will go up as scheduled as will some other posts. I am going to do my best to tweet about them when I am able.

Please say hi if you see me there. I am super shy but love chatting with fellow book nerds when I get a chance. You can follow me on Twitter, and Instagram as I will be tweeting and sharing photos while there!

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOK

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord (goodreads)

I don't know much about this book BUT it is worth getting excited over because it is a new Emery Lord book! I cannot wait to hear more and eventually read what what I am sure will be a fantastic novel.

TV/MOVIE

Time After Time

This trailer! THIS TRAILER! I need a modern Jack The Ripper book so bad and if they want to include time travel all the better.

Not only does this show have an intriguing premise but it also happens to boast TONS of eye candy. Freddie Stroma and Josh Bowman are both stupid hot and those accents?! *swoon* I am already obsessed with this show.

OTHER

ALA 2016

I am so excited for this trip to Orlando! I cannot wait to spend the day at Disney, and hang out with Kelly (from Kellyvision), eat Shake Shack and talk about all the books! Will I be seeing you at ALA? Let me know in the comments.

What are you obsessed with this week?

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOK

Cover for Sarah J Maas' A Court Of Mist and Fury (goodreads)

I've been excited to see the cover for A Court of Mist and Fury since finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses. That book was one of my favourites of 2015 and I am VERY excited to get my hands on this sequel.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the tattoo on Feyre's hand. Those who read the first book will know the significance of those markings and what it means for Feyre in this sequel. I am really excited to see the expansion of this world, and that little glimpse of (what I assume is) the Night Court has me really excited.

TV/MOVIE


Penny Dreadful Season 3 Trailer

It's no secret that I love Penny Dreadful. It's one of my favourite shows. The acting is some of the best on television right now, and the storyline is consistently sharp and mesmerizing.

This trailer has me on edge waiting for May 1st when it premieres. This trailer also gives me plenty of #Ethanessa feelings. The whole "you seek my soul,  you my body but both are promised to another" feels like she would mean Ethan (at least for me). He would be the 'other' that she refers to ... at least I hope. The end gave me chills with Vanessa stating "you think you know evil". This season cannot come fast enough.

The Path Trailer

Aaron Paul is one of my favourite actors. He was incredible as Jesse in Breaking Bad. Now, he and Hugh Dancy (who is also insanely talented) have been cast in a Hulu show about being inside a religious cult. This goosebumps inducing trailer has my full attention.

Hugh Dancy's delivery of the end line about them letting him lead them into the light is the perfect note to end it on. It gave me shivers and sets an unsettling tone for the series. I'll definitely be watching this. Those in Canada will be happy to know that Shomi has secured rights, but there is no word yet on when they may air the series.

OTHER

ALA 2016

I am going to Orlando to join my fellow book nerds at ALA. Registration opens this week and I am so excited to be registered. After registering all I have left to do is secure my transfers to and from the airport and work out a schedule for the days I'll be going to Disney (or Universal Studios). I am so excited to meet up with Kelly (from Kellyvision) and to see what authors might be there. I am also insanely excited for BEA 2016 in Chicago (which I am already registered for).

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOK

Cover for The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (goodreads)

This is so incredibly cute and I pretty much need to read this immediately. There is something about Morgan's books (and covers) that remind me of summer and everything sunshine. I am sure this one will be no exception as the cover is already off to a great start. Why is it not May 2016 already?!

Condemned by Amy Brashear (goodreads)

I saw this deal announced in Publishers Weekly and it immediately caught my attention because it sounds amazing. The deal has this novel pitched as...

A retelling of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood from the point of view of Carly, best friend to Nancy Clutter.

This sounds amazing and has a lot of potential to be REALLY interesting. In Cold Blood is a classic and I am always curious about how retellings are reworked to create something new.

TV/MOVIE

American Horror Story: Hotel key art

I basically love everything about this. EVERYTHING. If you click on this it should be high resolution and you can see all the little details. The cast looks fantastic and this season cannot start soon enough. #FinnWittrockThough #swoon

Throne of Glass TV news

No secret that I am a bit* of a Sarah J Maas fangirl. You can imagine my excitement when it was announced that her Throne of Glass series has been optioned for TV! Getting to see this epic story (and world) come to life on screen will be amazing if done right, and I have every faith that it's going to be a fantastic adaptation. I will be most curious about casting, and hope that they go for mostly unknowns, as that is going to be the key part of the show. Here is hoping we don't have to wait too long for some more news, and that it's on our television screens very soon.

*okay, so perhaps HUGE fangirl is more accurate.

OTHER

BEA and ALA 2016

I just purchased my flight ticket to Chicago for BEA 2016! I am super excited to be attending both ALA and BEA this year. It'll be my first time attending ALA and I cannot wait to see what authors will be in attendance and meet up with all my fellow bloggers again.

What are you obsessed with this week?

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOK

Blood and Salt Book Trailer (goodreads)

This book trailer is highly effective. It showcases the sexiness of Kim's debut novel, and offers up a few surprises. Be sure to watch until the very end....

Insane, right? Doesn't it make you absolutely curious about this novel? Be sure to put this one on your radar because it's amazing.

This Monstrous Thing Book Trailer (goodreads)

Another book trailer that does exactly what it is supposed to and teases you just enough to make you NEED to read the novel. This one is for the Frankenstein inspired novel coming from Mackenzi Lee and it's perfect.

It captures the tone and feel of the original while offering up a taste of what makes this interpretation unique. I often don't love book trailers, but this one (and the other included here) are a very pleasant surprise.

TV/MOVIE

Wicked City Key Art

I am super excited to check out this show when it airs in Oct. I have high hopes and while I've heard mixed things I am still hopefully that I'll love this anthology style show. These posters are certainly eye catching and fit the premise of the show. I've always been of a fan of the striking red/black colour scheme so this REALLY works for me.

American Horror Story: Hotel First Look

Entertainment Weekly just revealed the first look at some of the characters from this season of American Horror Story and I am in love. The is a definite 80's vibe to the wardrobe and look of the characters. I am intrigued by the 'pseudo vampires' being included in this season, and I enjoy so much of the cast.

Finn Wittrock, my favourite part of AHS: Freakshow returns and I am all about this look. Totally hot and fits into the 80's feel of the rest of the cast photos. For more, check out the newest issue of Entertainment Weekly! Cannot wait to pick up my copy.

OTHER

ALA 2016

With BEA moving to Chicago for the year, I am going to be attending ALA instead (I may attend both but that is not for sure). I just recently purchased my flight ticket to Orlando and am insanely excited. I've never been to ALA but I hear it's similar to BEA and I do look forward to seeing all the amazing bloggers, authors, and publishing professionals.

What are you obsessed with this week?