This will be Book Con’s 5th year and it runs today and tomorrow (June 2nd & 3rd) in New York City at the Javits Center. Tickets are still available to purchase at the door.

This morning I thought I would share some things I found out while I was reading the Publisher’s Weekly Book Con Show Daily.

I love reading the Show Daily during Book Expo and Book Con because there is always something interesting in them from articles to books coming out to so much more.

Before landing a spot on the mega hit Netflix show Orange is the New Black; before wow-ing audiences as Lina on Jane the Virgin; and before her incredible activism and work on immigration reform, Diane Guerrero was a young girl living in Boston. One day, while Guerrero was at school, her undocumented immigrant parents were taken from their home, detained, and deported. Guerrero’s life, which had been full of the support of a loving family, was turned upside down.

Reflective of the experiences of millions of undocumented immigrant families in the United States, Guerrero’s story is at once heartbreaking and hopeful.

[This is coming out in July 2018 but I didn’t realize Diane had written any books. Her first one In The Country We Love: My Family Divided came out last year.]

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest . . . disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra’s rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight—for she is his true equal. As Lyra finds her way back to her identity, an imposter princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not.

A high-fantasy gothic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea and set in an alternative medieval world split apart by magic. To win back her kingdom of perpetual day, save her night prince, and reunite the sun with the moon, a princess incapable of speech or sound must prove herself everything a traditional princess is not: tough enough to sleep on a bed of nails, and loud enough to be heard without a voice.

[I love all the covers for A.G. Howard’s books. This comes out January 2019. The above quote came from the authors website. How good does this sound?]

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war-and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried-and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

[This comes out in January 2019]

Quinn is furiously trying to finish the illustrations on his first comic book before he loses his eyesight due to his damaged cornea. His superhero character is called Squint after the nickname his classmates derisively give him for his poor vision. But the comic book version of Squint derives his superpowers from squinting, allowing him to see through walls, read people’s minds, and create lasers to blast holes through anything.

[comes out October 2018]

In this meet-cute holiday story, Carter is an uninspired insurance adjuster who likes to add a little zest to his mundane job by creatively embellishing his insurance accident reports. With Christmas around the corner, he finds himself scoffing at the holiday book display that seems to go up earlier and earlier each year at the quaint, New England family bookstore, the ReadMore Café.
Abby works for her uncle at the ReadMore Café. She can’t wait until October to build her favorite holiday store display: the annual Christmas book tree stack.

After an accident totals her car, Abby and Carter are thrown together when he is the agent assigned to write her accident report. Can romance blossom between two people with very different views of Christmas? Or was their “accidental” meeting just happenstance? At the ReadMore Café, there are no accidents where love—and Christmas—are concerned.

[Comes out Sept 2018]

When three generations of women are brought together by crisis, they learn over the course of one hot summer the power of family to support, nourish and surprise

Lauren has the perfect life…if she ignores the fact it’s a fragile house of cards, and that her daughter Mack has just had a teenage personality transplant.

Jenna is desperate to start a family with her husband, but it’s… Just. Not. Happening. Her heart is breaking, but she’s determined to keep her trademark smile on her face.

Nancy knows she hasn’t been the best mother, but how can she ever tell Lauren and Jenna the reason why?

Then life changes in an instant, and Lauren, Mack, Jenna and Nancy are thrown together for a summer on Martha’s Vineyard. Somehow, these very different women must relearn how to be a family. And while unraveling their secrets might be their biggest challege, the rewards could be infinite…

Heartwarming and fresh, Sarah Morgan’s brilliant new novel is a witty and deeply uplifting look at the power of a family of women.

[I just discovered Sarah’s books and really enjoying them. This comes out July 2018]

Return to the immersive, action-packed world of Warcross in this thrilling sequel from #1 New York Timesbestselling author Marie Lu

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo’s new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she’s always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo’s grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone’s put a bounty on Emika’s head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn’t all that he seems–and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

In this explosive sequel to the New York Times bestselling Warcross, Marie Lu delivers an addictive finale that will hold you captive till the very last page.

The stunningly original new YA novel from renowned spoken-word poet Steven Camden. With a dash of Inception and a bit of Jennifer Niven, this is the story of a teen girl and her imaginary friend, and we guarantee you have never read anything like it.Marcie is real. With real problems.For years she has been hitching a ride on the train of her best friend Cara’s life. Now there’s only one more summer until they’re off to college together.Just like they planned.But Marcie has a secret, and time is running out for her to decide what she really wants.Years ago, Thor was also Marcie’s friend before she cast him out, back to his own world. Time is running out for him too.If he doesn’t make a decision soon, he’s going to face the fade.But Thor is not real. And that’s a real problem . . .

Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: The newbie. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.

Zoey: The pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.

Val: The queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives; a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires. Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight…until now.

[Claire is the author of Furyborn that just came out.]

Thanks for stopping by.

Welcome back to part 2 of the Hidden Gems That Were at Book Expo. If you didn’t see part 1 click on this.

Thanks to Publishers Weekly for providing a online version of the Show Daily magazine. This is where I find out about all the books that were at BEA. This is what I found in the Day 2 Show Daily. Plus some of these I found out about online.

The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to theNew York Timesbestselling novelThe Cruel Prince.
You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. (Jan 2019)

New from syndicated comic strip artist Mark Tatulli comes a full-color middle grade graphic novel that centers on Mark’s own experience in the summer after seventh grade.

As a middle schooler, Mark finds himself on the smaller side of the physical spectrum–being short AND skinny has really wreaked havoc on his confidence. So to end his bullying woes and get the girl–or at least the confidence to talk to the girl–he starts to explore bulking up by way of the miracle cures in the backs of his comics. But his obsession with beefing up is soon derailed by a new obsession:Star Wars, the hottest thing to hit the summer of 1977.As he explores his creative outlets as well as his cures to body image woes, Mark sets out to make his own stamp on the film that he loves.

Mark Tatulli’s graphic novel debut is a humorous and heartfelt take on body-image, finding a creative outlet, and spending a summer in the 70’s. (Oct 2018)

Girl in PiecesmeetsThe Way I Used to Bein this poignant and thought-provoking novel about a girl who must overcome her survivor’s guilt after a fellow classmate is brutally murdered.

I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie–beautiful, saintly Jamie–was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.

On the eve of Kyle’s sentencing a year after Jamie’s death, all the other “chosen ones” are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.

Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie’s boyfriend–knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead? (Nov 2018)

The Frankenstein legend as you’ve never seen it before, as told by New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White! You will not be able to put down this stunning and dark reimagining of the Mary Shelley classic told from the point of view of Elizabeth, Victor Frankenstein’s adopted sister, timed for the 200th anniversary.

Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN is a stunning reimagination of the classic, speaking to the fears we all bury deep inside. (Sept 2018)

All it takes to rewrite the rules is a little fresh ink in this remarkable YA anthology from thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors writing today including Nicola Yoon, Jason Reynolds, Melissa de la Cruz, and many more, and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. This collection features ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print. It will give readers the opportunity to discover how the next chapter is up to them.

“I absolutely love this mix of established and newer talents, and I’m really intrigued and excited by the mixed formats.” –BookRiot

Careful–you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written–whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play about topics like gentrification, acceptance, untimely death, coming out, and poverty and ranging in genre from contemporary realistic fiction to adventure and romance. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

AUTHORS INCLUDE: Schuyler Bailar, Melissa de la Cruz, Sara Farizan, Sharon G. Flake, Eric Gansworth, Malindo Lo, Walter Dean Myers, Daniel José Older, Thien Pham, Jason Reynolds, Aminah Mae Safi, Gene Luen Yang, Nicola Yoon (Aug 2018)

What happens when you return to the real world after being in a fantastical one like Narnia? This YA debut by Laura E. Weymouth is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood and Lev Grossman’s The Magicians.

Six years ago, sisters Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell were swept away to a strange and beautiful kingdom called the Woodlands, where they lived for years. But ever since they returned to their lives in post-WWII England, they have struggled to adjust.

Ev desperately wants to return to the Woodlands, and Philippa just wants to move on. When Ev goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.

Walking the line between where fantasy and reality meet, this lyrical and magical novel is, above all else, an exploration of loss and healing, and what it means to find where you belong.  (Oct 2018)

In the world of the Lux, secrets thrive, lies shatter, and love is undeniable.

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout brings her trademark drama and intrigue to this new series with a girl caught up in a world she doesn’t understand, secrets long buried, a betrayal that could tear her life apart…and Armentrout’s most swoonworthy book boyfriend yet.

Seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher knows firsthand the devastating consequences of humanity’s war with the aliens. When she’s caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen…but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she’d only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head… (Oct 2018)

It looks like there is a ton of great books coming out very soon. Do any of these interest you?

I sadly am not at Book Expo this year so I am living vicariously though everyone who is there that’s sharing their experience online. I have been fortunate to be able to attend 4 Book Expos during my blogging career, which by the way Cindy’s Love of Books will be turning 10 years old this August. Its hard to believe.

One of the things I always loved about going to Book Expo was that its in NYC. NYC is one of my favorite cities in the world. When they say its a city that never sleeps they aren’t lying. Plus I can honestly say I always felt 150% safe walking around the city. Since that is my mode of transportation.

Another thing I absolutely love is meeting up with so many bloggers friends that I have made over the years. Even though we don’t  talk daily I think of you all all the time.

The third thing I love is the books! Who doesn’t love a good book? I admit I usually go armed to Book Expo with a wishlist of books that I would love to pick up and read. Sometimes it happens and other times not so much. I have been lucky in the past and picked up a majority of my wishlist. With that being said Book Expo is also the spot to discover hidden little gems that you might not know about and trust me I have found many books by accident and then kicked myself after wards for passing up the hidden gem because at the time I wasn’t sure I would like it.

So I thought that I would share with you another list of books that were at BEA that I didn’t know about but sound really good.

Thanks to Publishers Weekly for providing a online version of the Show Daily magazine. This is where I find out about all the books that will be at BEA. This is what I found in the Day 1 Show Daily.

There are two sides to every story.