SJM and Bardugo Events!!

Hello, guys!!

So many of you know that I got double lucky and had Sarah J Maas AND Leigh Bardugo come to my state this past month. Besides dying of eternal happiness, I got tickets to go right away. As many of you know, there aren’t many authors that come to Michigan…and we get TWO PROLIFIC ONES??

I had to go to both. 

First, let me talk about Maas. 

Sarah J. Maas – September 14th, 2017 @ Schuler’s Books (Grand Rapids, MI)

In case you live under a rock or aren’t a YA fan (which, if that’s the case, I would be surprised if you read my blog, but whatev), Sarah J Maas is the author of the Throne of Glass series, as well as the famous A Court of Thorns and Roses series (ACOTAR, ACOMAF, ACOWAR). Here are some of her books:

The Throne of Glass series

The ACOTAR series

She just released a new book in the Throne of Glass series:

The book is gorgeous and it is all about a side character, Chaol. Though I haven’t read this series, I wasn’t going to pass on a chance to meet the queen of YA!

I went to Schuler’s Books really early: the event started at 6pm and I got there around noon! 

This was how the event started…looked pretty calm and I got a good seat. I found out that they were expecting 500 people!!

Five hundred people! 5-0-0!! That’s a lot of people in a bookstore!

This is the size of the event from where I was in the front, as it was standing room only. 

We got to mess around with Snapchat filters and use her stamps to stamp our books since only 50 lucky people would get to meet Sarah personally. 

Playing with the filter

Makenna and I

Then there was this cool backdrop so I took advantage of that! 

Some people dressed up, so I asked them to pose with me. I think they were surprised by my choice of poses…

Way fun.

Then Sarah came on stage and was interviewed by a fellow blogger (I can’t remember who it was…I’m so embarrassed!)

The Queen herself

Sarah and the blogger

She discussed the ring that meant so much to her and some of her family history…they were part of the Holocaust and a family member KNEW Elie Wiesel (author of Night). As someone with a Jewish background, this made me want to cry. It was a moving story.

The event ended when the 50 lucky people got to meet her (I not being one of them), and I made my exit. I got my book, a keychain, and some stickers, and I went home. I wish I could have had my pic taken with her, but at least I got to go and see her. 

Now….it’s Bardugo Time!

Leigh Bardugo – September 30th, 2017 @ Schuler’s Books (Grand Rapids, MI)

So Bardugo is known for her “Grishaverse” – a Universe she created with the characters from her books. She has written the Shadow and Bone series, as well as the Six of Crows duology, and the Wonder Woman standalone that will be part of a superhero series. She was there for the release of her book of short stories, The Language of Thorns.

Recently, the books have had a makeover, but I am a fan of the originals…

I know I’m the minority in this, but I miss the Russian elements of the first books. 

Here are the books of the Grishaverse:

By the way, if someone has that bookmark and doesn’t want it, or wants to swap for it, I would be more than happy to. Look at it: it’s freaking beautiful!

And I cannot forget Wonder Woman…

Anyway, I got to this event a little later since it was estimated at half the size…250 people!

Two hundred fifty people is still a lot of people, btw.

My vantage point

Bardugo was late because of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, so I took some photos of people dressed up.

Dressed up and bearing roses

When she arrived, it was once again standing room only.

 

Then the lovely Miss Bardugo arrived!

She was a lot of fun, and she let us bring FIVE BOOKS to get signed, and we were allowed one to be personalized (I chose Language of Thorns of course).

Leigh and I

Though I wanted to get some buttons for friends, I was reminded (by Leigh herself 😳) that it was one per person. So I got my missing Witch pin and a set of enamel pins to go with my set from ALA. 

I didn’t go back in line, so I got Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom, Wonder Woman, my Wonder Woman ARC, and my copy of Lamguage of Thorns signed. I was fine with that and went home a happy girl. (I also picked up a couple books that I shouldn’t have spent money on in the used section). 

How was your month? September was pretty rockin’ and I had a blast meeting two heroes of YA!

Now I’m off to sub at Oakview Elementary, so I I hope you all have a blessed day! I’ll end with some geogeous art from the Mist-have Lamguage of Thorns….

You MUST own this book!