Yallfest – here I come & omg, I need to read so many books now??

That’s right – this girl is finally accomplishing a forever dream to get herself to a book fest. After hours upon hours of staring at other people’s instas, twitters, and blog wrap-up posts in mild (lol, I think you mean EXTREME, me) jealousy I decided my time was now just like a cheesy TV slogan. So, I’m anything if not a planner, and Yallfest = time for lots and lots of plans. I’ve already cracked out the spreadsheets to start planning my ideas now – because if I’m going to be there in one of the pinnacles of YA fiction with amazing authors, you best believe this book princess is going big time and making the most of her book time.

Authors that this girl will be seeing for sure (and probably be crying about in their signing line)

 

Okay, first and foremost, this girl has officially lost. her. mind. because the queeennnnnnnnnn Robin LaFevers will be there. I repeat: Robin. Lafevers. of. Grave. Mercy. fangirling. will. be. there. I. CANNOT. Literally, I started getting emotional over picking up Grave Mercy earlier this year, so I can’t imagine this going well actually meeting the amazing author that created it. So, basically, I’ll be the girl bawling her eyes out on the streets of Charleston because I can’t express the love of this book.

Also Stephanie Kate Strohm will be thereeeeeeeee. I totally might have let out a totally intense internal fangirling scream when I saw her picture appear. It couldn’t be an external squeal because, ya know, I shouldn’t be looking up the updated author roster at work???

Andddddddd Megan Miranda. Who I never cease to fangirl about. I literally have 3 books that I have yet to get signed by her, so this will be perfection so my collection will be complete.

Other authors I’m totally stoked to be seeing for sure: Adrienne Young of Sky in the Deep (Viking inspired warrior girl book that might have been my first five crown of the year); Roshani Chokshi (writer of simply most gorgeous prose, A Crown of Wishes that was simply amazing, and made a preview of a Moana crab reference in her latest edition to her MG series); J.C. Cervantes (author of The Storm Runner as long as I love it but it sounds so ridiculously good and I’m alllllllllllllllllll about the Mayan mythology); and Claire Legrand (Furyborn was my last favorite of 2017, and she is all about the female empowerment which I need so much in my life).

TBR

 

So, I realized that there are a few authors that I’m going to be tackling for sure, but also I need to make the most of my opportunity here. There are so few authors that come to my area, and if I’m going to be there, I need to make sure that hit up all the authors that I may never get a chance to ever see again. And as I was having a mini mid life crisis as I was trying to sleep one night, I realized it might be the worst thing ever if I somehow missed an author that happened to be amazing because I was oblivious to their epicness before the festival. Lol, in the cold light of day, I realized that I was just being dramatic af as my title of princess saw fit, but I did see the importance of trying to get as many books by the festival authors that I could so I could make my spreadsheets count. Let’s see all the books that I’m going to try and cram in in the few weeks to come:

• The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes  (so so so excited for this)
• The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell (SOC vibes???)
• And I Darken; The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White (I’m soooooo late to the hype but me and White haven’t gotten along so well in the past – hello, Paranormalcy)
• Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas (looks like a good spooky MG + a reviewer I trust gave it a good rating)
• The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas (lol this title)
• The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (this is like the most princess book I’ve seen in such a long time??? Seen a few iffy reviews for it, though, that hasn’t gotten me so deep in all the princess, fairytale love)
• Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia (please please please let this be good since I need another reason to go to her signing so I can just cry about how well she did with Mulder book and I’m a bit scared it will be too long otherwise for just the one book and I’ve failed with every other Garcia book)
• Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (oh, hello, Sha book rec that I failed with yet again)
• We’ll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean (I’m super excited for Empress of All Seasons but seeing as it comes out like two days before Yallfest, I need to test this before I go for that?)
• Some Kind of Happiness; The Year of Shadows; The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls; Winterspell; Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand (as I said, Furyborn = so much love and I need to ensure what I else I need to bring to the signing so I can raise my festing skills to Super Fangirl Party 5)
• Since You’ve Been Gone; Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (I really enjoyed The Unexpected Everything by her; felt eh about Save the Date; so I need these two to be winners in order for me to hop into what will probs be a gigantic line)
• Light Years; The 100 by Kass Morgan (I really enjoyed the 100 TV series, but I heard that the books are quite different?? And Light Years sounds so so so good, so I need to test it out)
• Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi (I’ve been eyeing this one for a while but haven’t gotten around to it, so now’s the perfect time)
• Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer (um, so excited for this one because it’s perfect for Halloween month with a Dexter vibe??)
• Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian (not gonna lie, but this isn’t super priority to read since I’ve seen so many eh reviews but I’m always down for a fantasy princess story)
• Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd (I’ve been totally intrigued by this one for a while now but I haven’t had good luck with Shepherd in the past and seen a few ehish reviews)
• The Book of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West (sounds like a cute little MG)

Um, yeah, that’s…24 books. I repeat: 24 books. I have set the bar, um, extremely high? I basically have little over a month to cram in 24 books to see if I’m jamming with these authors so I can bawl my eyes out/belt out Drake’s “In My Feelings” since I’ll be for sure in my feelings with them. Um, well, goodbye life in October so I can live my best book life in November.

Please, please, please send me your opinions on these books. Have you read any of these? What were your favorites? Which should I read first? Which should I pass on? Which did you hate? I NEED HELP HERE.

Mandy needs help – aka please send me allllllll your tips

Like, idk, if it’s just me, but I feel like everyone always knows what to do at the book festivals??? Like, I get there will be ways to figure out the signing lines, but like, how does it work??? Where do I go? Where do I find the publishers? Is there places where I can purchased already signed/autographed books from authors that I can’t make it to? How does a Yallcrawl work??? Is it like a pub crawl because I’ve done that before and I was still lost?? Is there a way to make the most of my time? Please let me know because I need all the tips!

So, let’s chat! What are some of your recommendations for me – for my TBR, for me at YALLFEST, do you want to see allllllll the updates from me while I’m there? Will you be there? Let’s discuss in the comments below!