HarperCollins Canada: Frenzy Presents
(Spring 2017 Edition)
On February 26, 2017, I attended Frenzy Presents, a book preview event hosted by HarperCollins Canada. I was incredibly excited to be invited to this shindig as I’ve previously only bore witness to this event on Twitter when many of my bookish friends attended in past seasons. So it’s nice to be on the inside instead of being on the outside looking in.
But before I proceed to word vomit on all the books, I must first extend thanks to the Suman and the team at HCC Frenzy for arranging an afternoon of frolicking over Goodreads and shelving all the books, spending time new/old friends in the community, and chat about all things bookish!
For more details and other thoughts from this event, peruse the Twitter hashtag #FrenzyPresents!
The Beginning: Old and New Friends
So if you’re anything like me, you try to find the ish on friends attending any event. When it came to light that Indigo, of Adventures in YA Fiction (see: the first Toronto blogger I met in person at a bookish event in 2015 whereby we awkwardly introduced ourselves in the corner of the room), was also making a pit stop to this event — whom I had not seen since she went back to school out east, I was ecstatic!
Another person whom I’ve only chatted with on the Twitter-verse but have never met formally in person is Nova (Out of Time) — and it was great to catch up with her as she has been less active due to school and moving.
In any case, I was also able to chill with other Toronto buds in Amanda, Patty, Jesse, Tiff, Shelly, Ri, Tina, and met other voices in the community like Alexa.
Family portrait, starting from the left: Jesse, Alexa, Patty, A Troll, Ri, and Indigo!
There was also food. Thank you for feeding me, HCC Frenzy. You know the perfect way to my heart.
But onward to the books!
A Preview of Spring 2017 Books
Before I start with the books, I must say that it was rad that we were greeted by an introduction video from Angie Thomas (author of The Hate U Give) and Julie Murphy (author of Ramona Blue).
As always, I’ll showcase a list of all the books for you to cover lust over and gain interest in before I vomit my thoughts on which books I’m excited for!
Books I’m Excited For in Spring 2017
I’d normally go through each title and talk a bit about it but instead I will feature some books that are now on my radar (and perhaps will be on yours too). So get your Goodreads out and get hyped!
February 2017
Angie Thomas’ “The Hate You Give” (02/28/17)
Reasons: Just read it.
May 2017
Laurie Forest’s “The Black Witch“ (05/02/17)
Reasons: this book was pitched to me by Tina from IndigoTeen at a dinner I attended a while back. Though this is a gargantuan high fantasy, I’m curious as to what has close buds so excited for this book!
Gillian French’s “Grit“ (05/16/17)
Reasons: sold as “…like Female of the Species”. As I had not read the former, I thought this could slightly-if-not-really remedy that.
Evelyn Skye’s “The Crown’s Fate” (05/16/17)
Reasons: Readers of this blog know The Crown’s Game was not my favourite. But. BUT. I. Just. Want. Answers.
Francesca Zappia’s “Eliza and her Monsters” (05/30/17)
Reasons: With a premise following an Internet-heavy fandom lifestyle, this book sounds like my troll-y reddit-thriving life.
Nadine Jolie Courtney’s “Romancing the Throne” (05/30/17)
Reasons: Look. I’ll cut to the chase — this sounds like a perfect page turner with potentially good-trashy regal drama. Like putting The Royals television show into a book form…with Middletons as influence.
June 2017
Kayla Olson’s “The Sandcastle Empire” (06/06/17)
Reasons: For someone who claims to read a lot of SF-F Dystopia, I’ve been running dry in that genre recently. This one sounds a lot like Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royale (?). …which I guess is just me saying Hunger Games BUT NOT.
Joelle Charbonneau’s “Dividing Eden” (06/06/17)
Reasons: First off, I gotta thank Shelly for passing me her copy. Secondly, look at the fucking cover. I know it gives Red Queen plus Hunger Games vibes but fuuuuuck this cover lust.
Victoria Schwab’s “Our Dark Duet” (06/16/17)
Reasons: I haven’t read This Savage Song but when has that stopped me from hauling all of her books?
Mackenzi Lee’s “Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue” (06/27/17)
Reasons: because Shelly said so. Nah, this just sounds like a great travel-ish romp through Europe and I was so lucky to have obtained a copy by request!
Event Haul + Swag
At the end of the event, they provided swag bags to attendees and your boy was able to get the following in his:
Post Event Shenanigans
After we left, a few of us went to get some drinks + pub grub — to which I had to get a poutine because cravings. Definitely a great way to end the afternoon of bookish fun.
Afterthoughts
Thank you again to HCC Frenzy for allowing me to attend! I had a pretty clear idea as to which books I was reading for the next few months but this event has obviously thrown that schedule out the window!
Which Spring 2017 releases are you excited for?
Cheers,
Joey
connect:
afterthoughtAn // twitter
anotherafterthought // goodreads
picturevomit // instagram
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
Very cool!
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Just wait for my next preview post, Dea, there will be books that might interest you…
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Ooo! I am so excited!!!
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Hint: ALL. THE. SEXY. TIMES.
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But seriously, the cover for Dividing Eden is EVERYTHING. I’ve also liked Joelle Charbonneau’s past books, so I’m definitely excited for that one!
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I’m definitely a bit hesitant on Dividing Eden (despite it’s really aesthetically pleasing cover) because most friends I know was “meh” with The Testing et al. Glad to hear you liked it though!
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Disappointed in the lack of puns tbh. But I was just as excited to see you and I can’t wait until I get back this summer so we can see each other again!!
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I know…me too…who is the poster of this blog anyways? How grossly negligent of them to not include puns. See you at Canadian Tire, where I will be the gratuitously poor customer paying in ALL Canadian Tire monies.
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Jeals that you got the Black Witch. This sounds like it was a great event, 2017 has has soo many winning books!
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I am most certainly having fun drowning in 2017 titles already!
For Black Witch in particular, I’m both hesitant (it’s MASSIVE) and intrigued (BECAUSE it’s massive) as to the contents and world that’s being developed in the story. But I’m glad there are high fantasy releases you’re excited for as well!
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This is SO cool that you get to go to events like that – wish I could just as well, but in the meantime I’ll live them through your posts 🙂 I am SO EXCITED for Romancing the throne, it’s crazy haha.
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At least I’m in the same boat as you as to attending BEA one day!
I’m pretty excited for Romancing. I won’t lie, I need something to fill the void of The Bachelor finishing hahahaha.
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Gahh! This sounds like it was an amazing event! I hope to attend one day! #goals Also, super jealous of some of the titles you got!!! I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
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This was me like…half a year ago! And I was gratefully invited this time around. If there’s anything of the above you want to read just let me know and you can definitely just take it off of me (pending my necessity to read it first)
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First of all, so jelly. 😂 But dear gosh Joey! So many books! I’m surprised that you’re not drowning from all of the books.
This event sounded like it was so much fun. I hope they can have one too here in PH. But my lucky stars would be going at it if I was even invited at all hahaha. Hope you enjoy all of the books!
PS. Did you really have to mention poutine bc I am honestly craving for it and I live in a poutine-less country. 😭
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I AM MOST DEFINITELY DROWNING IN ALL THE BOOKS!
That’s odd you say that there aren’t a lot of “events” in PH because I feel like I’ve heard about SO MANY author events from JM and Jasmine etc.!
If you come to Canada, I will buy you all the poutine.
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I am not a social potato just yet. Hahaha. I have only been able to go to so few because boo, life.
*calls travel agent* Yeah bud, one way ticket to Canada please? It’s a matter of life and poutine, thank you very much.
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Brb, telling them to drag you out there and enjoy all the fun times with the PH book community!
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This event looks amazing! It’s so cool that you’re able to attend these, it seems like there’s a pretty close group of bloggers near where you live!
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I’m glad events like these happen mainly because we’re (Canada) is so far off from all those wonderful events you have down there — like ALA West (?) etc. But having a grounded group of buds in the community definitely keeps things interesting when you attend events, so I hope you have something similar in your area as well!
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Can I bribe you with chocolate mooncakes for your ARC of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue?
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Come to Canada and you can borrow it.
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THIS SOUNDS SO MUCH FUN 😀 Omg I wish I could attend but Montrealers here can’t really do anything 😭 I’ve always wanted to meet the other bloggers! Enjoy the ARC books they seem amazing 🙂 – Trang
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I mean…I’m not saying you should come back to the Toronto area for these types of things but that’s exactly what I’m saying…
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LOL we would love to 😂! We weren’t invited for this event though 😂 Next time we’ll be in Toronto we’ll let you know 😉 – Trang
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Congrats on getting to attend the event—it always feels special to be included in something like that. Sounds like there are lots of new books to look forward to—it’s worth messing up your reading schedule! 🙂
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