So as many of you know already, I attended my first ever Book Expo America convention a few weeks ago.  It’s taken me a while to write my recap because coming home after such a great week reality sucked.  I had the most incredible week with my friends, family, and books!

BEA was an absolute dream.  It was in Chicago for the first time this year which was lucky for me because I love Chicago.  Any chance I get to visit and I am totally there.  Since I was staying with family while in Chicago I was able to stay for an entire week, and got to come in the day before BEA began. Where I finally met my carannam, Melanie, in person! After always having twitter coffee dates, we were able to have one in person! Iced caramel macchiatos every. single. day. #basiccarranamstatus. Aside from Melanie, I didn’t really know anyone. I mean, I knew of people, but I was kind of nervous. And boy I shouldn’t have been.  I met some fellow bloggers and they became my blogger fam.  I had so much fun. So. Much. Fun. I met Melanie @ One Less Lonely Blog, Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles, Annalisse @ Hopeful Reads, and Stefani @ Caught Read Handed.  With them I was truly able to make the most of my experience at BEA.

 

We would all team up and plan our schedules accordingly to make sure we all got what we wanted.  Honestly, I would’ve been lost without them so THANKS FAM. LOVES U .

Now, let’s actually talk about BEA.  It was crazy and amazing.  I met LEIGH BARDUGO, you know, my queen.  I had a massive fangirl moment and I may have gotten a little giddy. Just a little. But she was amazing and lovely.  I devoured the Crooked Kingdom excerpt – the way it ended was completely  cruel, Leigh. Completely cruel.  But that was how my morning went.  The afternoon was crazy. I was involved in a massive chaotic mob for some ARCs.  It was pretty rough.  So bad that I had nightmares about it the night after it happened.  The Empire of Storms cover reveal was pretty exciting! The cover is so badass and beautiful!

On Friday, Saaba Tahir was signing ARCs of A Torch Against The Night and I was 100% willing to sell my soul for one.  The nightmare I mentioned above? It was that I was involved in another chaos mob and didn’t get a copy of Torch *shudders*  HOWEVER, Penguin is amazing and organized so I was able to get in an orderly line to get my hands on Torch.  Saaba Tahir also told me I had great nails, which was a crowning moment for me.

Saturday was BookCon.  I had full intentions of being there at 4am with my ladies to wait in line but life had other plans for me. After a late flight in, my mom’s bag being lost, and getting home at 2am there was no way I was going to make it back to the conference center by 4am.  So I showed up at 10am, got in line for the amazing Light and Darkness panel with Melanie, and overall had one heck of an easy day at BookCon.  I even managed to get a Throne of Glass Litograph signed by Sarah J. Maas! And let me tell you, that thing is stunning. 

Speaking of Sarah J. Maas, Melanie, Annalisse, and I attended her signing at Anderson’s in Naperville that evening.  It was so fun just waiting and hanging around with them.  I even got to leave little notes in Melanie’s copy of A Court of Mist and Fury.  Sarah J. Maas also complimented my nails.  I really need to give my manicurist a hefty tip.

I could keep going on and on about how amazing my trip was but I would be here for days.  I came home with so many books I can’t wait to dig my teeth into, memories that I can never forget, and friends I can’t wait to see again.  I couldn’t have asked for a better first BEA experience!