#YAFest 2014!

Hey all,

So I’ve been super busy lately and haven’t been staying on top of my reading. GAH I know! I will hopefully be back to reviewing soon! I did just finish a great book I just bought while at YA Fest this two weekends ago. So that should be up soon!

As I said above, two Saturdays ago I was able to attend YAFest 2014, a local book fest focused on YA. The book fest also allows for proceeds of sales to go back to the library that hosts this event. (Awesome!) Around 50 authors were scheduled to appear. Two of my favorite authors – Jennifer L. Armentrout and Brigid Kemmerer — where on the list so I was like “Hell Yeah, I’m going!”

My GPS took me an unexpected way to the event, but it was lovely! The road I spent about an hour on ran alongside a canal/river. It was very scenic and beautiful. It helped that it was sunny & warm day. I’ve had too much of the winter this year >:( and really enjoyed the sunshine for once 🙂

I arrived a few minutes after the event started, so naturally it was crowded! I was a little overwhelmed because I wasn’t sure what to do after I walked in. The space was small and there were people everywhere. The authors sat behind their respective tables that lined (on two sides) a somewhat narrow open space in the library. People were crammed into a single-file line between the authors’ tables and the computer look-up table in the middle. Everyone was basically processing down the line of tables on both sides and then trying to go up the opposite side while the opposite side was still streaming down. Basically, it was a little bit unorganized for my liking. I couldn’t really navigate the space at all.

My intention was to just see Armentrout and Kemmerer and then head out. I wanted to pick up Amentrout newer novels that I didn’t have and also get Kemmerer’s full series since I had originally borrowed them from the library. After I bought the books I wanted (which were located in this weird buying spot in the back with only one register and no room for a line), I went in search for Armentrout and Kemmerer. I found a medium-sized line pooling out from the single-file procession and realized it was for Armentrout. So I hopped in 🙂

Jennifer was awesome and signed the four books I had with me (Obsidian, Half-Blood, & the two I bought: White Hot Kiss, Don’t Look Back). She even grabbed a photo with me which I was SUPER EXCITED about! I’m a naturally shy person, so my awkward personality didn’t lead to very much talking. Plus there were a lot of people in line and the place seemed a bit too chaotic to get into a discussion about her favorite characters to write and my anxiousness for the release of Stone Cold Touch and Opposition. But hopefully this won’t be the only time I get to meet her 🙂

Afterwards I went on to search for Brigid. Unfortunately, after sweeping the room four times and subsequently tweeting her, I found out that she hadn’t be able to make it 🙁 But her reasons were legit and I totally understood. I was only a tad disappointed. Now I just have to stalk her Twitter and Website to make sure I don’t miss the next time she’s in town 🙂

A fun little break that happened during my search for Brigid’s table was a fire alarm evacuation. Apparently there was something wrong with the alarm so we all had to leave the building in order for the firefighters to find the alarm with the problem and fix it. The bad side: waiting for a while. The good side: some adorable fireman and nice break outdoors in the sunshine 🙂 Plus how awesome are lit-up fire trucks?! Am I right?!

After my failed attempt at locating Brigid Kemmerer, I decided I’d try and talk to some of the other authors. I’m awkward so this didn’t go over too well, but I learned about a few more novels that I’ll be checking out in the future and ended up buying two others: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyer and Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway. (I just realized writing this now how similar those titles are. I must have been in a genre mood then). Both authors, graciously signed the books for me. I’ve just finished Touch of Power and will posting up a review shortly. I can’t wait to read Touch of Death either! It was great to learn about books that I didn’t know existed. My TBR pile is definitely growing faster than I can humanly keep up with.

Overall, the morning was a great time. Nothing beats being around other #booknerds like myself!

Let me know what recent book events you’ve been to! I’d love to hear about your bookish experiences 🙂

As Always,

Happy Reading!

xo,

NicoleLynn