I attended BEA (Book Expo America) for the first time this year…and WOW! I’m trying to wrap my head around all. the. books! There are so many new books coming out that got me excited I don’t even know where to start. And, I was only there for one day…I can’t imagine the mayhem a full three day visit would have wrought!
I visited the publisher booths in the morning and attended the Book Group Speed Dating Event in the afternoon, which was the world’s most efficient way to find out about new books (thank you, Shannon, for the advice!). Finally, I was thrilled to meet Leah from Books Speak Volumes, Kerry from Entomology of a Bookworm, and Emily from Books, The Universe, and Everything for the first time. These lovely ladies are actually the very first fellow bloggers I’ve ever met in person!
On to the books…
Print Galleys I’m Looking Forward To Most…
City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg (October 20, 2015)
The author of this epic NYC debut (being billed as a Bonfire of the Vanities type story set in the 1970’s) received a $2 million advance. I read the Prologue and a bit of the first chapter…I’ve gotta say it pulled me right in.
Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford (August 18, 2015)
Another debut…I heard Clifford speak on the Hot Fall Fiction panel and loved what she said about how meticulously she researched (she’s actually a journalist) this story about a girl in her twenties trying to fit in with the Upper East Side of Manhattan crowd.
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart (September 1, 2015)
Based on the true story of one of the first female sheriffs in the country. Fans of badass women and fiction based on real people unite!
The Beautiful Bureaucrat by Helen Phillips (August 11, 2015)
This debut about weird things happening to a corporate drone is short (under 200 pages!) and was blurbed by Jenny Offill.
E-Galleys I’m Looking Forward To Most…
After the Crash by Michael Bussi (January 5, 2016)
This novel about the mystery surrounding the lone survivor of a plane crash in the Alps is already a huge bestseller in Europe. Sounds a bit like Sarah Lotz’s The Three.
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (September 15, 2015)
The publisher rep sold the shit out of this story about a marriage told half from the husband’s perspective and half from the wife’s at the Book Group Speed Dating Event.
The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo (September 8, 2015)
I’m breaking my rule against books titled “The Art of…” for this one! The Harper rep said this debut novel about family mysteries was her favorite.
The Three-Year Swim Club by Julie Checkoway (October 27, 2015)
This book couldn’t be more perfect for me! Nonfiction about a school teacher who trained three underprivileged children to swim (I was a swimmer growing up) in the 1940 Olympics (I’m obsessed with the Summer Olympics) for fans of Laura Hillenbrand (love!) and The Boys in the Boat (love!).
Plus, I heard John Irving is coming out with a new book (Avenue of Mysteries) on November 3. The premise doesn’t really excite me, but I’ll rush to read anything by John Irving!
What books are you most excited about?
I’m so glad to hear it went well (and you were able to meet the amazing ladies to boot)! I know that if I just had one day that was the place I would want to be, so I’m glad it lived up to last year’s promise. We may turn you into a print junkie yet 😉
I’m actually reading The Beautiful Bureaucrat right now and it’s creeping me out!
It was absolutely the best bang for the buck timewise…and I had a good table that focused on literary fiction. I heard another table was predominantly YA and “women’s fiction”. And, I do feel like I did everything I wanted to do in the booths as well…thanks to Leah’s get prep post.
And – I don’t know about becoming a print junkie…it’s more a logistical thing for me than anything else. But, there are a few slim little gems in that stack that I may try in print (the Hemingway book)!
I have that one as an e-galley, and you guys are making me excited to read it!!!
BEA never appealed to me as I don’t like big crowds, but I do love reading all the posts and seeing all the new book loot. Enjoy Sarah
I’m not a huge fan of big crowds either, but I expected BEA to be a lot more chaotic and crowded than it was. I thought it was pretty calm and kind of just leisurely wandered the booths. But, I also avoided the massive author signings….like Rainbow Rowell, which I heard was a mob scene!
I’m glad you had a good time and received some great books. I’ll look forward to your reviews. Have a great week.
I’d love to hear more about your experience! Like you I’ve never met other bloggers and I’m hoping next year will be my first BEA. I’m glad you had a good time and got a lot of great books! How did you choose?
It was so much fun and I highly recommend going! I did some research before I went into what books I was interested in…mostly using the Kirkus BEA Review Guide (Leah at Books Speak Volumes did a great post with lots of research resources that pretty much singlehandedly set me up for my visit). Then I attended the Reading Group Speed Dating Event, which was fantastic. Publishers quick-pitch their favorite upcoming books and there are galleys on all the tables for the taking. Learned about a lot of new ones that way as well. Feel free to email me directly if you want to chat more…my email is on my Contact page – under About on the main menu.
I’m so jealous!!! You got quite the haul. I’m determined to go next year. I can hardly wait to read Everybody Rise. I got an ARC of that as well.
It was really fun and I actually feel like I got a ton out of just one day. Stephanie Clifford was impressive on the panel…I wasn’t sure about grabbing it (I’ve read SO many books with this theme) until I heard her speak!
Oooh, you just persuaded me to request The Beautiful Bureaucrat on NetGalley!
It sounds like you had an amazing time, and I’m so envious that you got to meet Leah, Kerry and Emily. I hope to make BEA happen someday!
I hope you like it! I haven’t even opened it yet, so I hope it pans out for people! But, I know Shannon is reading it now. I may take a peek at the first few pages before bed tonight…
It was SO awesome to meet you too! Meeting fellow bloggers is one of my very favorite parts of BEA.
I had so much fun with fellow bloggers that it made me decide that there should be some sort of NYC area blogger “club” or meetup – if we can pull together some fellow bloggers in the region and meet up every other month, or maybe quarterly, to talk books & blogging and share ideas. Would you be up for this? Would you be willing to venture into the city occasionally for that type of community event? Let me know your thoughts – I’m still wrapping my head around how to start something like that!
Absolutely!! Awesome idea and I’d love to shoot into the city to see ya’ll! Who else is in the area? Colleen at Books NYC…
I’m so jealous you got to meet Leah, Kerry, and Emily!! I’m 100% going to be at BEA in Chicago next year. Book speed dating sounds so delightful.
I really really need to read Beautiful Bureaucrat and Fates and Furies STAT.
I won’t be making it to Chicago, but am glad I got it in while it was so close to me! And – definitely go to the Speed Dating next year – it’s totally worth it.
I’m really trying to keep myself from picking up both of those right now…it would really screw up my June agenda! But, I may not be able to hold out too long…especially on Fates & Furies!
How exciting, Sarah! I’m glad you had a great time and met great fellow bloggers. Kudos for the books as well. I downloaded the Fall/Winter Buzz Books but nothing called my attention. I turn to you now to guide me to good books; last year I ended up with many I wouldn’t have added or discovered if it hadn’t been for you.
Oh wow – thank you so much! So glad I’ve been able to steer you decently well! I haven’t downloaded the Buzz Books yet b/c I already feel so overloaded! I might do it later this summer if I’m feeling good with where I am.
So glad you enjoyed the BEA experience, or as I call it, book heaven.
When BEA is back in NYC, I’m definitely going again, and I think I’ll look for the speed-dating event then. I only had about 2 hours to walk around the booths, and it was not enough time AT ALL!
Do you know how long it will be in Chicago? I thought it was always in NYC, but I’m a relatively new bloggers, so what do I know?! I first got interested in Girl Waits with Gun from your blog, by the way!
Since I couldn’t get an ARC for Girl Waits With Gun, I’ll make sure to check out your review. I hope it’s good! BEA 2016 will be in Chicago, and I’m sure they’ll wait to see how that shapes up before they decide where to go after that. From early reports, it sounds like BEA this year was successful for publishers, especially with BookCon right after it. So maybe they’ll come back to NYC fairly quickly.
I couldn’t get an electronic one either…was able to pick up a hard copy at BEA, though! And, I hope they come back to NYC..it’s in my backyard and so easy for me to go!
At the Speed Dating Event, the host asked for a show of hands from everyone who planned to attend BEA in Chicago and they got about a third of the room. Will be interested to see how it pans out!
I’m so jealous!! It’s in Chicago next year, which is much closer to me, so…who knows?? I’m so excited you were able to attend, Sarah; these books look like great choices! I recently heard about Irving’s new book, as well; I feel the same way…I’m going to read it, no matter what! Thanks so much for sharing your experience; this is awesome!
You should def go next year! I will be arm chairing it next year 🙂 But, I was thinking it would have been fun for you to be there this year while I was walking around! And, even though I was just there 1 day, I felt like a got a ton out of it and wouldn’t have really needed the full 3 days.
Well, color me jealous. I’ve wanted to attend BEA for so long, and you have quite the haul there. I didn’t get to armchair BEA this year, either. Boo for me. But one day in the future, BEA will come to the South, and I’ll be there with bells on and a most excited and burned hole in my pocket. 😉 I’m glad you had a good time. Everybody Rise and Girl Waits with Gun look pretty interesting.
Oh my gosh – I’m ALL IN for a Southern BEA! Even though I live in the North, I’m a native Southerner and still 100% a Southern girl at heart. Let’s start a campaign!
Book Speed Dating was a highlight for me last year! Sounds like you had a nice time.
BEA sounded like a lot of fun. Next year! What’s with Paul Theroux’s new one? Hmm
Travel memoir about the deep south…I’ve never read him before, but love reading about the deep south. So, figured it was a good Theroux starter for me! Jef O’Neil mentioned it on Book Riot’s BEA recap podcast as well.
I love the book speed dating idea! I am so excited for Chicago BEA! Definitely adding to my TBR right now. I am really excited about Girl Wait With Gun.
I’m glad you had a great first BEA! It was so nice to meet you!
I love seeing what everyone else picked up at BEA because it’s like no two people go to the same trade show. I wish I’d met you at Speed Dating!
I know! I didn’t realize you were there! I wish they’d email out a list of Speed Dating attendees beforehand. And – have everyone go around the table and introduce themselves…I had no idea who was even at my table!
I’m so happy you were able to go! I wasn’t able to make it because I had that pesky graduation ceremony but I’m definitely going next year and am already salivating over the potential books.