HarperCollins Canada: Frenzy Presents
(Fall 2018 Edition)

On August 26, 2018, I attended Frenzy Presents, a YA-centric book preview hosted by HarperCollins Canada (HCC). The focus of this event was to highlight upcoming Fall 2018 releases! As always, it was a fun-filled afternoon of bookish fun and connecting with my Toronto book fam.

I’ll be showcasing the books for you and highlighting some standouts that I’m excited for! So get your Goodreads shelves ready because your TBR shelves gonna be toppling.

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Pre-Preview Ritual: The Grub

But before I get into the books, I must mention that like the last Frenzy Presents preview, I went to fuel up at brunch beforehand. The restaurant my party stepped into was apparently overtaken by the Chelsea FC Supporters Club of Toronto. All of which is to say: it was [a fun of kind] rowdy. Totally unexpected but definitely did not diminish the ambiance. And though I’m also on a mission to find the cities best Eggs Benny, I decided on a brisket hash instead. It was passable. (Side question for my curiosity: is there a food item that you gotta find the best-of in your city?)

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Frenzy Presents: Fall 18′ YA Preview

Sprinkled throughout the event were videos that included: the trailer for The Hate U Give, accompanied by a video from Angie Thomas herself explaining the forthcoming On The Come Up. Also featured were the lovely Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera talking about What If It’s Us and their writing process and various iterations that they worked through to get to where it came out to be.

Then we got to [book] business.

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Fall 2018 In A Glance

Showcased below is the full list of books Frenzy spotlighted. Are there any covers below entice you? Let me know!

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Fall 2018 Books I’m Excited For!

While I could go in length about all the books that intrigue me to great lengths, let me highlight some that are on my radar (and maybe should be on yours too).

September 2018

And the Ocean Was Our Sky (Patrick Ness – Sept 4, 2018)

Reasons: Look. I’m not not going to promote Patrick Ness whenever I can. This is not his best book by any stretch, but it’s fucking Moby Dick retelling FROM THE WHALE’S PERSPECTIVE. And illustrated. I read the ARC ages ago and there’s Ness’ signature “message” at the end of it that just hits home.

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October 2018

Lady’s Guide to Petticoat’s and Piracy (Mackenzi Lee – Oct 2, 2018)

Reasons: Felicity was the standout character for me in Gentleman’s Guide (more so than Monty or Percy oops). So of course I’d want to read this and the romp of an adventure I’d expect to come with this story.

Sawkill Girls (Claire Legrand – Oct 2, 2018)

Reasons: I’ll be honest with you: despite seeing this book on everyone’s anticipated lists this year, I had no idea what this book was about. So when it was pitched to me, oh fuuuuuuuuuuuh I am in need of this one.

Swing (Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess – Oct 2, 2018)

Reasons: I haven’t read anything by Alexander before. Been meaning to. So let me just tell you when someone throws in a Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds as a comp title re: stylistically. Shit, Long Way Down was my one of my  favourite titles last year.

What If It’s Us (Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera – Oct 9, 2018) 

Reasons: I read an ARC of this immediately following Book Expo America and was one of my anticipated titles this year because … well, the wombo combo of both authors! WIIU strikes a good balance in the meet-cute experience with fluffy Arthur’s POV contrasting Ben’s stoicism (ish). That’s all I’ll say.

The Light Between Worlds (Laura Weymouth – Oct 23, 2018)

Reasons: This book is compared to the post-Narnia experience. And that meta-ness in itself makes this me intrigue. Kind of like The Rest of Us Just Live Here vibes, ya hear?

This Is Kind Of An Epic Love Story (Kheryn Callender – Oct 30, 2018)

Reasons: The blurb screams pessimism. And das me.

November 2018

This Splintered Silence (Kayla Olson – Nov 13, 2018)

Reasons: The pitch was The 100 if they never left space…and there’s a murderer on the ship LIKE GIVE ME THIS SHIT.

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Haul and Swag

I walked away from Frenzy Presents with a swag bag containing the below books and bookish swag. I love the “question cards” provided by Epic Reads as they’re all bookish prompts! And as much as I did indicate that I am anticipating The Light Between Worlds, I gave my copy away to someone else who may love it more than I. What I will say is that I loved that someone came up to me when they handed out the bags and asked if I wanted their copy of And the Ocean Was Our Sky — like yes, I AM NESS’ GREATEST STAN.

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Afterthoughts:

Which Fall 2018 release are you excited for? Which cover designs have caught your attention?

Cheers,
Joey

connect: 
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anotherafterthought // goodreads
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