Fantastic Reads Event Recap

On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to go to the Fantastic Reads event at Books of Wonder with Roshani Chokshi, Renée Ahdieh, Marie Rutkoski, and Sarah McCarry. I'd been dying to meet Roshani Chokshi for months after I fell in love with The Star-Touched Queen (it's one of my absolute favorite books!) and she's such an amazing human, so I was so excited that there was an event close by so I could actually meet her!



Fortunately, I was able to catch an early train, so my friend Izzy and I arrived at Books of Wonder around 4:15, a few hours before the event. We bought our books and got our numbers (luckily I was 31st instead of 89th like the last event I went to!) before briefly meeting up with Mariam and Ashley (from Flying through Fiction) and then heading out to grab a quick bite to eat before finding seats for the Q&A session.

Once we got decent seats, we reconvened with Mariam to catch up (and I may have squealed excessively loud when Renee Ahdieh walked by us on her way to the back of the store). I also met Emma (from Emmmabooks) and she was lovely. I'd seen her at other events before, and for some reason I thought she was intimidating (honestly I feel like most BookTubers are), but she's actually so sweet. I have no idea why I was scared to talk to her.

While we were talking to Emma, Roshani Chokshi passed by, and she RECOGNIZED ME (only because I'd told her in advance what I was going to be wearing to the event, but still!) She had to go to the back before the event started, but she gave me a quick hug and then we headed back to our seats.

We waited around a little while longer before the Q&A started, and then my friends Brittany (from Brittany's Book Rambles) and Raisa (from Wonderland Novels) showed up and we exchanged hugs before all the authors came out to start the Q&A.


The authors were all such wonderful and engaging speakers. I loved learning about their writing processes and their inspiration—it was so interesting hearing how Marie came up with the idea for The Winner's Curse (a book I still have yet to read but am planning to do soon)! She said that "the winner's curse" is an economic term for when someone wins at an auction because they had to pay more than what everyone else thought the item was worth in order to win, and thus they lose the most money in doing so (or something along those lines) and how she started with that title and wanted to see what would happen if the thing won was a person instead of an item, and the thing lost wasn't necessarily money. I love that she came up with the title first because that's what I usually do when writing—it's weird for me, I either come up with the title before the story unfolds, or I struggle to find a title to fit my story—but I digress.

Fun fact: Marie was planning on making it a stand-alone (with that same ending and everything!) but she decided against it because of how her readers might feel. Although all of the authors at the event mutually enjoy paining their readers, apparently.

After the Q&A, I chatted more with my blog friends and Izzy, and then we got in line for the signing.

I met Roshani first, and it was just as amazing as I expected! I had so much fun hanging out with her, even though I already forgot what we talked about.  All I remember is that she was so so so sweet, humble, and friendly, and that I was so excited when I gave her my drawing of Maya. Anyway, there were other people waiting, so I had to leave to meet the other authors, but I wish I had more time to talk with her.

So next, I met Marie and awkwardly stood there in silence as she signed my books because I've actually only read her MG series and even though I remember loving those books, it was years ago so I had no idea what to say. Yeah, that didn't go as great as planned, but an awkward silence (in my opinion) is better than me stumbling through a conversation that goes nowhere.

Finally, I met Renée and we talked about race (something she mentioned briefly during the Q&A). It was really cool finding out having something in common with an author I look up to and whose work I love. I meant to gush about her books because the last time I met her (at BookCon last year), I hadn't read any of her books, but I kind of forgot to tell her (so maybe next time)! But nonetheless I enjoyed talking to her and am glad I actually had something to say (since my first signing with her went much like my interaction with Marie did).


It was overall a wonderful event and experience!! After the signing I took a ton of photos with my blog friends and we hung out for a bit before Izzy and I had to catch a train home. I'd definitely say it was more successful than the last event, as I was less tired and thus more engaged and interactive, and I actually talked to the authors (or most of them) without making a complete fool of myself. And, of course, it was wonderful because I met two of my favorite authors (Roshani and Renée) at the same time.

GUEST POST: J.A. George, author of GIFTED

Hello there!

GIFTED is my first published novel and that means you’ve probably never heard of me, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is J.A. George and I’m the author of GIFTED − The Hayven Series. I thought I’d take this guest post opportunity to write about the different stages of writing Gifted. But I’ll tell you what it’s about before I move forward.  

There is no chosen one in this story.

She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to make a decision that altered her future forever. It happens to all of us every day.

Avery Gray is a size twelve university student with a penchant for dry humour, and she’s as normal as they come. One rainy afternoon, Avery had to make a choice: go through the alleyway or around it. Two possible options. One would have had her future continue on as planned, the other would ensure that her future never remained the same again. She unknowingly went with the latter.

Change can be good. It can bring new opportunities, new friends and a life you never thought possible. Change can be bad. It can bring you people determined to burn your city to the ground.

It all depends on the decisions you make.

As you’ve probably guessed from the blurb, GIFTED fits into a few different genres, but I would categorize it as a contemporary young adult fantasy with a few bits of romance (not much! You’ve been warned), comedy (well, it made me laugh a few times), adventure and mystery.

Avery, or as she’s commonly known, Ava, is my main character, and possibly my favourite (it changes every day). This published version of GIFTED is my second edition and in my first edition Avery was completely different. In the past, I’ve had problems with writing for other people and in my first edition of GIFTED, I tried to write a novel with a character that everyone would love to read. However, since subjectivity and different tastes exist, that just isn’t possible. So after two years, I decided to write for myself. Long story made incredibly short, Ava was a bit boring, in my opinion, because I was trying to follow trends I’d seen before, trying to fit her into too many different boxes. So I transformed her into a character I’d want to meet if I got the chance. Now, I just love her. She makes me laugh − a lot. I hope she’ll make you laugh too.

Where did I get the idea of my novel from? I have no idea! Yet, it would be nothing short of a lie if I told you it simply fell into my head one day, even though it often does feel like that’s exactly what happened. There are three reasons I can attribute to why I wrote Gifted.

Firstly, I wanted to read it. I wanted to read about a contemporary YA fantasy that doesn’t feature instant-love, a chosen one or a girl who kicks butt on a daily basis. I wanted someone real, someone I could relate to. Then I added other elements I wanted to read. Which now that I come to think of it, is probably why GIFTED fits into a few different categories; I like to read a lot of different genres.

The concept of being gifted, well, that stemmed from me. No, unfortunately, I am not supernaturally gifted (yet), but I am obsessed with people who are different. Now, when I say ‘different’, I don’t mean they have the gifts my characters have, such as, pre-cognition, shape-shifting, weather control, and earth manipulation, I just mean…different. The characters in GIFTED have supernatural gifts, but without the gifts they are still different; they’re an eclectic bunch. I like the idea of ordinary people being extra-ordinary in some way or another, whether it’s to do with their artistic capabilities, the way their brain works, or their imagination and creativity. Because of this, I made a city full of normal people with gifts and personalities that are anything but normal, anything but ordinary and boring. They’re only “normal” in the sense that they’re not, you know…mentally insane.

When it comes to settings in GIFTED, I have two. I knew from the get-go that I wanted one of them to be based in the UK, but instead of using a town that already exists, I made one up – Huxton. Why make up a town when you have so many options at your disposal, I hear you ask. Well, it was so much more fun to make up my own world because really, anything goes; no-one can tell you the place you’ve made up isn’t exact or accurate because well, you’ve made it up, so of course it isn’t! Same goes for my fantasy setting – Hayven, a city in a country separated from the rest of the world where only gifters (ordinary people with extra-ordinary gifts) can go.

As for the title GIFTED, well, it just seemed the most appropriate. I wanted to summarise the entire book in one word for the title and I think it does that really well. I will follow this trend with the other three books that form the rest of the series. GIFTED is a title that graces the cover of other books out there, but I didn’t want to change the title because nothing suits it as much. So I added a subtitle and called my series, The Hayven Series.

Alright, I could whitter on for a long time about GIFTED, but I’d hate for you to get bored. If my ramblings weren’t enough for you, check out my blog! There’s ramblings galore over there.

Thank you, Alexandra, for allowing me to post on your blog. It’s been fun!

J.A. George

Twitter: @JGeorge_

Blog: www.thejourneyofgifted.co.uk

Download a sample of GIFTED from amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gifted-Hayven-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01E83HZPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460835483&sr=8-1&keywords=gifted+J+George

Waiting on Wednesday (45)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

How it Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Page Length: 368 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: June 14, 2016

About How it Feels to Fly (via Goodreads):

A struggle with body dysmorphia forces one girl to decide if letting go of her insecurity also means turning her back on her dreams.

Sam has always known she’d be a professional dancer—but that was before her body betrayed her, developing unmanageable curves in all the wrong places. Lately, the girl staring back at Sam in the mirror is unrecognizable. Dieting doesn’t work, ignoring the whispers is pointless, and her overbearing mother just makes it worse.

Following a series of crippling anxiety attacks, Sam is sent to a treatment camp for teens struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. Forced to open up to complete strangers, Sam must get through the program if she wants to attend a crucial ballet intensive later in the summer. It seems hopeless until she starts confiding in a camp counselor who sparks a confidence she was sure she’d never feel again. But when she’s faced with disappointing setbacks, will Sam succumb to the insecurity that imprisons her?

This compelling story from Kathryn Holmes examines one girl’s efforts to overcome her worst enemy: herself.

GUEST POST: Maha from Younicorn Reads

Hi everyone!!! I am so so so so so excited to tell you all that I have Maha from Younicorn Reads here today to talk about the reality of realistic fiction. I absolutely adore Maha's discussion posts, so I was so happy when she said she'd be willing to post on my blog.

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ABOUT MAHA

Maha is a fourteen years old girl runing a blog called Younicorn Reads. she is a very little person with a bag full of books and a head full of dreams. you'll probably only see her sitting on her bed and holding a book, but she's either practicing magic, killing demons, or breaking down a government.
you can find her fangirling on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, or Goodreads.

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lately, i've been reading a lot more contemporaries than usual, and they are all so cute and romantic and FLUFFY (GIVE ME MORE FLUFFY-NESS.)

however, i've noticed a common point between all main characters in that genre: they are usually (i say usually) the kindest persons in the world, the ones who want to love everyone, want to best for everybody in the book/series. but are these main characters realistic?

i mean, don't get me wrong, i LOVE a lot of main characters in contemporary novels (Emily Hughes and Lola Nolan are just SOME of them), and most of them are teenagers, but are these characters reflecting us as other teenagers reading these books? teenagers have acne, struggle in life, are lonely sometimes, are not all skinny and lovely, don't have perfect hair, have family problems, ARE STRESSED OUT BECAUSE OF SCHOOL AND FINALS AND EXAMS (!!!!), and YA contemporary main characters just...don't. the only things they care about is their summer plans and the cute guy next door. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A SUMMER PLAN.

we read to find ourselves in books, to relate to our characters like they are REAL HUMAN BEINGS. but can we relate to them if they aren't reflecting us? aren't like us?

this isn't some kind of hate towards main characters in YA contemporary, this is a reflection. and believe it or not, we are completely different from these characters. we are not perfect. we have acne, we are stressed by school, and, believe it or not, we do not love everybody. so while contemporaries are really cute and fluffy and romantic, it might not be the perfect reflection to our lives (or maybe it's just mine that is boring).

do you think these main characters are reflecting us? why (not)?

Waiting on Wednesday (44)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: October 4, 2016

About This Adventure Ends (via Goodreads):

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

GUEST POST: Jess from Princessica of Books

Hi guys! I'm very excited to announce that Jess @ Princessica of Books was kind enough to stop by my blog today with a discussion post. I always love reading her discussion posts, so I hope you enjoy too! ~ Alexandra

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What do we get out of rereading? | Discussion

The thing about rereading is this: there isn't enough time to read all books once, so why read some twice? And the answer is simple– the book means a lot to the reader, whether it's the book they grew up with, or the first book that made them cry, or it just means a lot because it's a guarantee outing of a reading slump.

Yet, there are some cases in which rereading actually diminishes the reader's respect and/or interest in the particular once-favorite book. In fact, I come across that case more often than not. However, I'm still in favor of rereading. Why? Because if all goes well, the reader gets a new perspective, relives a joyous moment in their reading career, refreshes their knowledge on the story, or we get out of reading slumps or hangovers.

The New Perspective

It seems that this is the most common case, especially with Harry Potter fans. They catch hidden eggs and trickery hidden to the common eye. Do you know how many theories are confirmed or brought up each time someone reads Harry Potter? By rereading, we already knows what happens so now we focus on the smaller details.

In addition, sometimes things get better as we get older. Things and lessons that didn't mean anything to us 10 year olds but mean everything to us in our 20s. We get a new perspective on the outside world which brings a new perspective on the inside.

Refreshing Knowledge

I often do this with series, especially if the sequel comes out a year or more after the first book. I know that in preparation for Queen of Shadows, there was a reread-a-thon for the entire series. Maybe you don't read the entire book but just the end. I know that I do that with required reads; I skim the book about an hour before the reading test. There's also Shmoop that has a lot of required reads and runs through their plot, not too many for young adult books though!

Reliving Joy

If all goes well, rereading will bring reminiscence and we get nostalgic. Sometimes we get a deeper appreciation. However, there isn't always a lingering reminiscence. Some books are read back to back because, well, they just enjoyed it that much and they want to feel it all again.

Getting Out of Slumps & Hangovers

This is probably the biggest reason I reread because it combines the first two results as well. I know that if I'm in a slump, I can easily pick up Harry Potter or a contemporary stand alone like a Kasie West novel. Rereads are often quicker, too, since like I mention before, you already know the story, so they are great for catching up on reading challenge, even though Goodreads doesn't count rereads (boo!). Sometimes after an amazing book, I say "Nothing is ever going to be as good as this except this other book that was just as good," so I'll reread another 5-star because I need to read something.

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Those are the four results I could think of that happens when you reread!

Did I leave something out? Why do you reread?

About the Blogger:

Jess is your local blogger, bibliophile, feminist, and a future cat-lady. She enjoys supporting her local library and absolutely adores indie bookstores. When she is not reading or doing any other bookish sorts, she is probably listening to Troye Sivan, tweeting (@PrincessicaOB), or doing schoolwork [yes, although she hates it, she is quite responsible]. Feel free to chat with her on Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram or email her at princessiccaaaa[at]gmail[dot]com. Yes, two c's and four a's.

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 14, 2016

About Look Both Ways (via Goodreads):

Thoughtful, funny, and steeped in the wild drama of growing up, Alison Cherry’s new novel is the story of a girl hoping she’s found a place to belong . . . only to learn that neither talent nor love is as straightforward as she thinks.

A summer away from the city is the beginning of everything for Brooklyn Shepard. Her theater apprenticeship at Allerdale is a chance to prove that she can carve out a niche all her own, surrounded by people who don’t know anything about her or her family of superstar performers. 

Brooklyn immediately hits it off with her roommate, Zoe, and soon their friendship turns into something more. Brooklyn wants to see herself as someone who’s open to everything and everyone, but as her feelings for Zoe intensify, so do her doubts. She’s happier than she’s ever been—but is it because of her new relationship? Or is it because she’s finally discovering who she wants to be?

Is There a Perfect Time to Rate a Book?

The main reason why I wanted to bring this up is because I feel like there's a certain euphoria after finishing a book that sometimes obscures our better judgment, whether we'd like to admit it or not. I used to think I was immune to this euphoria, but that proved wrong quite recently, as I was reading other people's reviews of a book I had just rated and reviewed. It was a sequel to one of my absolute favorite books ever, and I enjoyed it enough that I thought I'd fallen in love with it the same way I'd fallen in love with the first, but the fact of the matter is that the book wasn't as good as the original. It was captivating and written wonderfully, but the plot just didn't quite hold up as well. Despite all this, I was disillusioned because the ending was almost exactly what I wanted it to be. So I initially rated it 5 stars. But looking back, it wasn't truly a 5-star read, and realized this has been happening a lot lately. So today I thought it would be interesting to discuss the perfect time to rate books, if there even is one.

Usually I rate a book as soon as I finish it, or at least within a few hours of finishing it, but that's just a natural instinct. If you've read my post about the complexity of rating systems, you'd know that 1) rating books is not a simple task, and 2) I have a rating calculation based on writing style, creativity, characters, plot, and romance (if applicable). However, this is still a rather quick evaluation and lately, as I previously mentioned, I've been altering my ratings a lot after the fact.

My main problem is that many books fail to grab my attention from the start, but by the end, I'm completely captivated. That euphoria I mentioned before so often fills my mind and heart with happiness by the last page, and, as a result, I often give those books a rating higher than they deserve. I'm not saying that loving an ending and rating a highly book because of it is necessarily wrong, but obviously we're supposed to be rating a whole book, not just based on the second half or last 100 pages (or whatever the situation may be).

For me, based on when I usually change my ratings, I should probably decide the rating within a few days of finishing the book. I always have to start writing reviews right away since I don't have the greatest memory when it comes to books, but I think it's better to decide the rating after starting to draft the review. That's not what I've been doing, but it probably makes more sense to do it that way so I can articulate my thoughts and recognize the problems the book may have had (and base the rating on those things).

So the thing is, I don't know the answer to the question I'm asking, but I do know one thing. That it might not be be the best idea to rate books as soon as I finish them. I misjudge books frequently, and it's not like my initial ratings are lies, but I think I do need some time to settle and organize my thoughts. I'm always so giddy and want to share my opinions right away, and don't have the patience to think things through. And I don't usually realize my mistakes until much later. I know they're mistakes that can easily be fixed, but since I've made this mistake so many times, I figured it was worth analyzing further.

Hamilton Book Tag

The Hamilton Book Tag was created by Maureen Keavy on BookTube. I had the amazing opportunity to actually see Hamilton on Broadway, and I have been absolutely OBSESSED ever since. So naturally, I HAD TO DO THIS TAG.


1. The Room Where It Happens: book world you would put yourself in

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. The world is so beautifully crafted and I ship Khalid and Shazi so hard. Oh and I want to push Tariq off a cliff and I can't do that unless I'm in their world ;)

2. The Schuyler Sisters: Underrated Female Character

Jie from Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard. She's such a kick-ass character and she's so strong and fabulous, but I feel like she doesn't get enough credit.

3. My Shot: a character that goes after what they want and doesn't let anything stop them

Kady from Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. She and Ezra both go through so much throughout the book, but they both (especially Kady) won't let anything stop them from getting what they want in the end.

4. Stay Alive: a character you wish was still alive

Let's just say it was from Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard. Let's leave it at that. I still don't want to talk about it. After two years, I still can't accept what happened. Plus, I don't want to spoil anything, so there's that too.

5. Burn: the most heartbreaking end to a relationship you’ve ever read

The endings of the relationships in All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell absolutely broke my heart.

6. You'll Be Back: Sassiest Villain

Maybe Teren from The Young Elites series by Marie Lu? He's definitely one of the whiniest and most annoying. Or I suppose Adelina from The Young Elites series, since she is developing into quite the character. It's pretty hard to say whether she's truly a villain, but she definitely has sass.

7. The Reynolds Pamphlet - A book with a twist that you didn’t see coming

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I probably should've seen it coming. But I didn't.


8. Non-stop: A series you marathoned

Harry Potter!

9. Satisfied: Favorite book with multiple POVs

Oooh either The Young Elites by Marie Lu or A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.

10. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: A book/series you feel like will be remembered throughout history

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (naturally)


BONUS QUESTIONS:

1. Helpless: A relationship you were pulling for from the very start

Celaena and Dorian... I've still got a long way to go (I still haven't finished reading Heir of Fire) but I'm still secretly hoping that they're endgame, even though it's really hard to tell right now :(

2. Ten Duel Commandments: Favorite fight scene

Either one of the scenes in Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, or one in The Rose Society by Marie Lu!

3. Say No To This: Guilty pleasure read

Pretty much any YA romance on Wattpad... I'm a sucker for those.  


4. What Comes Next: A series you wish had more books


Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard or Defy by Sara B. Larson! Book 3 in both trilogies wrapped it all up pretty well, but the characters from both series are so beloved to me, I wish there was more to read!

5. Right Hand Man - Favorite BROTP

Nikolai and Pasha from The Crown's Game. Ultimate BROTP right there.

6. What’d I Miss: A book or series you were late to reading

There are way too many of these... most of which I still haven't read (ex. The Lunar Chronicles, The Grisha Trilogy, etc.)


I'M TAGGING WHOEVER LOVES HAMILTON AND HASN'T DONE THIS YET.

Waiting on Wednesday (42)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess
Series: Kingdom on Fire #1
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Page Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 20, 2016

About A Shadow Bright and Burning (via Goodreads):

I am Henrietta Howel.
The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years.
The prophesied one.
Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. 
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves?

Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettably heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal. Hand to fans of Libba Bray, Sarah J. Maas, and Cassandra Clare.