My Weekly Recap: The GIANT Haul Edition

I had told myself that I was going to try my hardest to get back on top of things blog wise. I have kind of failed as of late.  (And by kind of failed, I mean epically failed!) But my job is taking up all my time and by the time I get home I just have 0 energy to do anything!

A lot of awesome things have happened since my last recap post. I got to attend the Hot Key Blogger Brunch and had a wonderful time. I came home with so many amazing books that I am slowly making my way through. I also went to the filming of QI. I got to be in the same room as Stephen Fry! It was incredible and I really hope to get the chance to go again very soon.

But the most awesome thing that happened was that I got to go and meet Sarah J Maas. I fangirled like an absolute crazy person but I couldn't help myself. I adore her and her books! They are next to HP for me and she's next to J.K. Rowling. Thanks to my sister and some wonderful people in the queue I actually managed to get all 10 of my books signed!!! I looked crazy next to everyone else. I literally had to bring a suitcase with me to carry my hardback and paperback copies to the event. Maas was absolutely hilarious and so friendly. I'm still fangirling right now.

Not blogging has helped me with my reading though, I've gone from being about 8 books behind on my challenge to being 11 books ahead. I just haven't stopped reading and I have read some awesome books. I've also read more New Adult thanks to some recommendations by Brittany, and I adored them.

My new job as a manager means more pay, which meant that I went a little bit crazy when I got my first pay check. I BOUGHT ALL THE BOOKS!!! And then I bought new bookshelves. And new shoes. And went out a lot. And just spent obscene amounts of money on far too many things. I WILL BE BETTER NEXT MONTH! I bought enough books to last me till the end of the year and then got all the review books in one go. I'm going to be SUPER busy reading wise.

 This isn't all of them, but I can't be bothered to hunt all the books down now to take a picture of them all. 

Get ready.... there's 85 books!

The Hot Key Blogger Brunch: What's coming in 2015!

On the 18th of April, I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Hot Key Books Blogger Brunch. There was absolutely no way that I was going to miss that! It was based at their offices and luckily that's only a twenty five minute train journey from my house, but I'd probably have gone even if it was the other side of the country. I adore Hot Key Books and they publish some amazing books, I couldn't wait to go and find out what they had coming up in 2015.

Photo by Zarina

I arrived nice and early and got to mingle with a few bloggers. I was attending by myself so felt a tiny bit shy and nervous*, but tried my best to make conversation with the lovely bloggers there. It was nice to meet so many wonderful people, especially when we all share a love of books. I tried to take some pictures of the event but I've been having a lot of issues with my camera recently, so most of mine came out really blurry. Luckily the wonderful Zarina over at Page to Stage Reviews has been kind enough to let me use a few of the ones she took at the event! Thank you, Zarina, you're a life saver!

*And by a little bit, I mean cripplingly shy! I am far too socially awkward and fail at small talk. 

Then we got taken through from reception into the main office, where we were presented with yummy breakfast food and drink. Here we had time to mingle and talk to everyone, have some munchies before heading into the boardroom. I have to say it, the Hot Key offices are absolutely stunning and I never wanted to leave. The walls were covered in gorgeous posters of some of their book covers, then they had shelves filled with wonderful books that I've either read and loved, or I am desperate to read.

Photo by Zarina

First up was James Dawson, who had a lot of wonderful things to say about blogger. He was there to talk about his new book All of the Above, which is due out 3rd September. His titles before this have all had a horror element to them, but this book moves away from that. It's a teen love story that sees a seventeen-year-old girl move from Bradford to Devon, where she has the chance to start over. She falls in love with a guy named Nico. But then has to deal with the fact she starting to fall in love with the charismatic Penny. It's a mix of prose and poetry and it sounds awesome!