1) I got Beauty Queens by Libba Bray on it's release day and I finished it by the following afternoon. Verdict? Amazing. It's a feminist Lord of the Flies that takes on a plethora of serious subject matter all while maintaining Libba Bray's custom humor.
1a) While we're on the subject of Libba Bray: I'm going to go see her this summer! She is coming down to Miama with Meg Cabot and Maggie Stiefvater and so for that reason alone I've convinced my family to take a vacation downstate with me. (No way am I driving down to Miama by myself. Fuck that noise.) What should I wear? Which books should I bring? And how do I make myself not seem like a neurotic creeper who's just going to stand there like a moron and say, "Ohmigod, you're Libba Bray"?
(I've actually never met an author I admire IRL. Can you tell?)
2) Librarything is sending me an ARC of the newest book by another of my favorite authors.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson! Just let me illustrate my excitment by saying that Maureen Johnson is one of three YA authors I count amongst my favorites. (Obviously Libba Bray is the second. INTERNETS FOR WHOEVER CAN GUESS THE THIRD.) (I also stalk her twitter loyally.) Anyway, The Name of the Star was one of the big releases I was looking forward to this year. It's official release date isn't until September. And I am getting it this month. For free.
So how excited am I? Pretty damn excited, let me tell you.