Scholastic Book Feast 2019

I have to apologise in advance if this write-up isn’t as fully in depth compared to others. I did have a notepad and pen for once. With my laptop. But I made no notes WHATSOEVER so I am winging it/remembering from my photos and everyone else’s Twitters and Instagram feeds. 

So, where do I begin? 

On Saturday, I made my way to London for the Scholastic Book Feast, a blogger event where Scholastic show off some of their most exciting titles for the rets of 2019 that they think we are going to love. I drove to London due to the maintenance work on the trail lines (why do they always do maintenance work on Saturdays I have to go to London for blogger events?! And yet, to other bloggers who were coming to London for this one event and was on the train at 5 in the morning, I can’t complain!), got the tube and managed to get there on time for a chin-wag with some cool, exciting bloggers. 

And then the event begun. Now, this Blogger Event was done a little different compare to others. Normally at these things, publishers chat about several of the books they want us to know about, get authors to talk about them and maybe read a tiny extract and then we get together and chat with authors, publisher people and bloggers over food, tea and books (as book bloggers are vultures!) 

But Scholastic did things a little different. They decided to chat about the titles first, get the authors to do mini talks about certain subjects and then a little quiz at the end of the event. So… let’s see how awful my memory is over what the talks were… 

Alexander Shepherd chatted about being a debut novel and writing. Alice Broadway and Sue Wallman chatted about how they writing in their genre (fantasy for Alice, thriller fo Sue). Simon James Green, Laura Wood and Paula Rawsworth chatted about romance. Alexander with Beth Garrod and Melinda Salisbury chatted about feminism and PM Freestone chatted briefly about her debut, Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom but spoke more about perfume and the layers within perfume. And the cover designer of Shadowscent chatted about how he created the cover. 

Ok, I think I got the talks rights. And all were interesting and, if I was better prepared, I would have recorded some and put on all the social medias. But I didn’t. But you’re not here for that. You’re here for the book news so, let me chat about a few (ok, nearly all barring Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I need to watch these shows, don’t I?)

First, there is no point me talking about Melinda Salisbury, is there? You all love her (and rightly so. She’s a badass!) so no point me chatting about Song of Sorrow. I did pick up a copy of State of Sorrow, the first in the duology (My copy’s gone! I think I lost it in the house move last year!) and you guys all have said I gave up on it too soon. So, going to try again as I love Mel and I feel like a bad human if I didn’t. 

Nor am I going to talk much about Scar, the final book in Alice Broadway’s Ink trilogy. I haven’t read this trilogy (THE SHAME!!!) but I do have copies of book 1 and 2 and I know you all will scream if I don’t attempt to read it soon or put it on one of my “Pick My Next Read” polls throughout March/April so keep eyes peeled for that! 

Not going to to talk much about Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom by PM Freestone. For the purely selfish reason of I want to read it and want to go in as blind as I can! From the little I got that made me go “YES!”, imagine a fantasy-ish version of the Hunger Games but with perfume. It’s sounds deliciously dark and messed-up and I am here for that! 

Under a Dancing Star by Laura Wood is a bit of gear change for me, but I am intrigued this. Imagine a reimagining of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, set in 1930s Italy and you have an idea what you’re getting in. Now, I haven’t read A Sky Painted Gold as I gave my copy to my Other Half’s little sister and we bloggers were given a little sneak peek of Under A Dancing Star and I am a little furious that I don’t have either books in my possession! DAMN IT LAURA! 

Best way to describe Paula Ratsworth’s newest novel, The New Boy, is imagine a mix of two Netflix shows - Black Mirror and You. Imagine these two shows having a baby and you have this. It tackles the issues of privacy, social media and romance and whether romance is romance when one person in the relationship is faking it… 

As you know, I love Simon James Green. I’m scared he’ll think I want a relationship with him due to his books. So, of course, his newest - Alex in Wonderland - is going to be an auto buy for me. Alex has got a job in the rundown seaside theme park, Wonderland, and when news comes that the park might close down, can Alex and his friends help save the park while falling in love? I have been promised kissing so am all over this when it comes out. Sorry in advance everyone! 

We all know about Oh My Gods by Alexander Shepherd but, if you have missed it, growing up is hard. And for Helen, it’s harder. She is half Greek Goddess, hiding her identity in Central London and feeling as if she doesn’t belong anyway. This sounds like the perfect beach read so get this read for your Easter break! 

The Love and Lies of Rusksana Ali by Sabina Khan follows Rusksana as she tries to balance her life and her secrets. She only has a few months before she can stop as she will be off to college and can be open about who she is. But when her parents discover her kissing her girlfriend, Ariana, they send her to Bangladesh where Rusksana is thrown head first into a world of tradition and arranged marriages. But as she gets friends and unexpected allies, can Ruskana find the courage to take control of her future the more she learns about her family past? 

I was going to tell you about Sue Wallman’s latest, Dead Popular, but I can’t. Not really. As I wrote no notes whatsoever. But from the author of Lying about Last Summer, what do you think this is going to be about? And with that title…? (We got a sneak peek of the cover and it’s very teen Karen Slaughter. I like hugely!) 

Take a Chance on Me is gonna be perfect for you ABBA fans. From Super Awkward Beth Garrod, TACOM follows a girl who goes to a Greek island and find herself, awkwardly, in the middle of summer romance with three suitors. Hmmm… where have we seen that before? This is going be Mamma Mia, but not as you know it… 

Last title in my notes is Becoming Jo, a modern day reimagining of classic Little Women from the mind Sophie McKenzie, and with a movie adaption coming out at the end of the year staring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep, interest in the world of March sisters. 

And that is it. I have no other titles to report on! And reading my GP handwriting on non-exist notes was hard work. I do want to leave this post off to say thank you to Scholastic for hosting this event and I can’t wait to get involved in these titles, via blog posts or preorder! This reading year, so far, is gonna be fab!