Vampire Academy Week: Mall Tour Meet and Greet and Music Afterparty!

Hello there my friends! This week on What A Nerd Girl Says is Vampire Academy week. Monday and Tuesday was all about Vampire Academy. I spent hours waiting for a meet and greet, this partied with the cast, remedy and got to see the movie at the red carpet premiere and it was all incredible. Now I’m ready to share it all with you!

The first event of Vampire Academy week was the Mall Tour stop at the Grove in Los Angeles.

Sylvia (Fangirl Feeels), Erin (That One Geek Girl) and I arrived at the Grove SUPER early, around 6 am, and were by far the first people there. We have a tendency to do that. When we got there, they were just beginning to set up for the event!

Picture One

They started an official line at around 9 am and we were able to get our wristbands! Yay for wristbands!

The day was spent with Sylvia, Erin, and my other fangirl friends, Cassandra, Mina, Jeanette, Jade, and Alex. We all had such a fun time hanging out and getting food and talking about fandoms and books. When we all get together, we have such a fun time. We all instantly bond because of our love for books and all things nerd.

Picture Two

Awkward elevator selfie….which is also SUPER awesome!

The Vampire Academy was really cool! They set up hairstylists and makeup artists to make us absolutely fabulous.

Picture Three

Me and my beautiful friend Cassandra after our makeovers!

Picture Four

The people that were holding the event had professional photographers and once you got all glammed up in your makeup and hair, you could put on some accessories (check out the tiara!) and take some pictures. They asked us to take a “serious” pose and it was just so ridiculous that I will never forget this picture. Its just too fantastic for life. It reminded us all of those glamour shots you could take with your best friends at the mall in junior high haha.

Picture Five

The VIPs were able to get these SUPER amazing Vampire Academy sweatshirts. My friends and I tried so hard throughout the whole event to get our hands on some and we all ended up with one! Which made me SO happy! I had to answer a trivia question and it was who wrote the books. Not exactly hard haha.

Then it was time for the actual meet and greet. Now I’ve been to a ton of signings and one thing that is always a bummer is the whole thing with pictures. Because most events get all LAME with photos and practically chop your head off when you even think of touching your phone while meeting the guests. This event was SO refreshingly different. They had a professional photographer taking pictures of us, and us with the cast. SO perfect.

My friends got some pictures too though :)

Picture Nine

Me walking up to talk to Cameron Monaghan, who plays Mason in the film. He was SO incredibly sweet. He introduced himself, like “Hi I’m Cameron” and me, being insanely awkward, I just went “I know!” in a squeaky voice.

Picture Nine Point Five

I think I’m discussing my tattoos with the cast. I was talking to Cameron and Lucy Fry when Dominic Sherwood noticed my Deathly Hallows tattoo and then Zoey Deutch (MY LOVE!) noticed my Divergent tattoo, and then I decided to show them the rest haha. It was funny!

Picture Nine Point Seven Five

I think this was when I told Zoey that I had a massive crush on her and Dominic started laughing and it was just all fun. Straight up, I do have a crush on Zoey. She was so sweet. I was like “I have a crush on you” and she was like “I have a crush on you too!” which I know she only said to be nice but pssssh I’ll never live it down haha.

Picture Nine Point Nine

It’s kind of blurry but you can kind of see me hugging Zoey Deutch. Basically the best thing that happened that night. I died.

Picture Ten

The beautiful professional picture of me with the cast: Sami Gayle (Mia), Dominic Sherwood (Christian), Zoey (Rose), Lucy (Lissa), and Cameron (Mason). I was so excited that we got two more cast members in the addition of Cameron and Sami!

Picture Eight

The photographer caught my hug with Dominic, which made me so happy. SO freakin cute.

After the actual meet and greet, we all converged to charge our phones and basically freak out about how awesome it was to meet the five of them. We waited a bit to go back, because we wanted to grab some extra posters for some giveaways (keep an eye out this weekend!) and then we got to take some selfies with the cast, which is always fun!

Picture Seven

The absolutely GORGEOUS Dominic Sherwood. He was absolutely amazing as Christian. His eyes are mesmerizing. I can’t handle his eyes.

Picture 6

The super adorable Cameron Monaghan :D

After the mall tour stop, Sylvia, Erin and I met up with our friend Marla in Hollywood at this club called Lure to attend the SUPER awesome music afterparty, where the cast was going to make an appearance, and where Iggy Azalea performed as well. It was SUPER fun. We danced, and partied, had some free drinks (with red bull, which was SUPER weird haha and made me hyper).

1798652_591459257609605_1554405812_n

Sylvia and I! We were so silly and accidentally grabbed drinks with whiskey in them. If you’ve never had whiskey before, its absolutely disgusting. We tried to handle it but…yeah, that didn’t go well. So we ditched the drinks and went to go get better ones. As we’re walking up to the bar, we realize the cast had arrived. It was so loud and Sylvia was pointing something out to me, which I thought was Dominic Sherwood. I was like “yes, I know, he’s there, he’s hot, we just saw him” and she was like “No, Sara, its Danila!!” and I basically fainted with excitement.

We weren’t expecting Danila to appear because he had just flown in from Russia. You could tell he was feeling tired and laidback, just in jeans, t-shirt and hoodie and he was hanging out with his friends. I was nervous and anxious to interrupt him but I knew if I walked away, all my fangirls friends (and YOU guys) would never let me live it down.

Picture Eleven

So I asked Danila for a picture and a hug and it was awesome. I didn’t think it was possible but he is even better looking in person than in the pictures. Seriously guys. Swoon!

Then I spent the next few minutes stalking the rest of the cast to get some selfies with them!

Picture Twelve

Me and the beautiful Lucy Fry!

Picture Thirteen

I love this picture of me and Sami Gayle. I love that she plays Mia, who is SUCH a bitch, but she’s such a sweet person. Isn’t it funny how that works out haha.

Picture Fourteen

I was SO determined to get a picture with Zoey and I got one! She is too beautiful for life.

Picture Fifteen

They introduced the cast on stage, and I had to share this picture because Zoey looks so cute! She is seriously a goofball.

Picture Sixteen

Then Iggy Azalea performed. I honestly had no idea who she was, and she’s not really the music I listen to AT ALL but she was seriously so pretty and so charismatic on stage and I super enjoyed it. It was fun to dance to, and I was hopped up on some red bull haha.

Picture Seventeen

My poster! Signed by Zoey and Lucy on top, and then Dominic, Sami and Cameron on the bottom!

*      *      *     *      *     *

All in all, Monday was a SERIOUSLY successful day! I had a blast, and meeting the cast and hanging out with my friends all day. I got no sleep, barely ate, and was SUPER exhausted by the end of the night but it was so so so worth it. And the next day was the premiere. Come back later for the recap of that event!

To see all the pictures of the event, check out the album on Facebook here.

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme, troche hosted by Should Be Reading.

The three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll be reading next?

What are you currently reading? 

13206828

I literally JUST downloaded this to my Nook so I’m excited to dive into it and read it :) It should be GREAT.

What did you just recently finish reading? 

16068905

Yeah, shop I re-read it again. I just can’t really explain how much this book means to me. It became one of my favorites of all time SO quickly. I have never read a book like this before, malady that understands the way Harry Potter makes me feel. Cath is me. She’s awkward and unsure but she gets online and she starts to write and she gets lost in the Simon Snow world and it was so beautiful. I felt so connected with Cath, it was ridiculous. So yeah, I read it again haha.

What do you think you’ll be reading next? 

Can I be honest on this one? I have NO idea. I’m in the worst reading slump that I think I’ve ever been in. I have so many books to read and I just can’t seem to read them. I hope after Cress that I’ll be able to read again. Seriously. I would read anything right now just to get back in the groove haha.

*      *      *      *       *      *

What is everyone reading this week? Share in the comments! 

February Book Events

I’m so sorry this took so long. Check out the February events! If you know of any that are NOT on this list, web please let me know!

February 1st:

No Events

February 2nd:

No Events

February 3rd:

Los Angeles, CA: Vampire Academy Cast Meet and Greet at The Grove at 12 noon (pick up wristbands)

February 4th: 

Huntington Beach, CA: Robin Benway at Barnes and Noble: Bella Terra at 7 pm

Los Angeles, CA: Vampire Academy Movie Premiere

February 5th: 

Santa Rosa, CA: Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando at Copperfields Montgomery Village at 4 pm

February 6th: 

Houston, TX: Robin Benway and Megan Miranda at Blue Willow Bookshop at 7 pm

February 7th:

No Events

February 8th: 

Christiansburg, VA: Kiera Cass at Barnes and Noble at 4 pm

Orem, UT: Marissa Meyer at Barnes and Noble at 3 pm

February 9th: 

Redondo Beach, CA: Marie Lu, Margaret Stohl, Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner at Mysterious Galaxy at 2:30 pm

February 10th:

No Events

February 11th:

No Events

February 12th: 

Fresno, CA: Kasie West at Petunia’s Place at 5:30 pm

New York, NY: Lauren Oliver at Books of Wonder at 6 pm

February 13th: 

Asheville, NC: Fight for the Future Tour (Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner, Lissa Price, Jodi Meadows) at Malaprop’s Bookstore at 7 pm

Frisco, TX: Neal Shusterman at Barnes and Noble at 7 pm

New York, NY: Marissa Meyer at Books of Wonder at 6 pm

February 14th: 

Lewisville, TX: Marissa Meyer at Barnes and Noble at 7 pm

Los Angeles, CA: Gallifrey One at the LAX Marriott

February 15th: 

Charlotte, NC: Fight for the Future Tour (Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner, Beth Revis, Lissa Price and Jodi Meadows) at Park Road Books at 2 pm

Conroe, TX: Montgomery County Book Festival (Visit Website for Full List)

Hurst, TX: Neal Shusterman at Barnes and Noble at 3 pm

Los Angeles, CA: Gallifrey One at the LAx Marriott

February 16th: 

Los Angeles CA: Gallifrey One at the LAX Marriott

Richmond, VA: Fight for the Future Tour (Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner, Lissa Price and Jodi Meadows) at Fountain Bookstore at 2 pm

February 17th:

No Events

February 18th: 

Alexandra, VA: Fight for the Future Tour (Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner, Jodi Meadows and Lissa Price) at Hooray for Books at 7 pm

New York City, NY: The Dark Days Tour (Tahereh Mafi, Veronica Rossi and more) at the 92nd Street Y at 8:15 pm

Orlando, FL: Marissa Meyer at Barnes and Nobles at 7 pm

February 19th: 

Asheville, NC: The Lovestruck Tour (Megan Shepherd, Megan Miranda, Robin Constantine, Kasie West) at Malaprop’s Bookstore at 7 pm

Washington DC: The Dark Days Tour at Bethesda Library at 7 pm

February 20th: 

Brentwood, TN: Tahereh Mafi (Dark Days Tour) at Barnes and Noble at 6:30 pm

Raleigh, NC: The Lovestruck Tour (Megan Shepherd, Megan Miranda, Robin Constantine, Kasie West) at Quail Ridge Books at 7 pm

February 21st: 

Chapel Hill, NC: The Lovestruck Tour (Megan Shepherd, Megan Miranda, Robin Constantine, Kasie West) at Fly Leaf Books at 7 pm

New Orleans, LA: Dark Days Tour Featuring Veronica Rossi, Tahereh Mafi, Sophie Jordan, Claudia Gray, Kiersten White at Octavia Books at 6 pm

February 22nd: 

Greenville, SC: The Lovestruck Tour (Megan Shepherd, Megan Miranda, Robin Constantine, Kasie West) at Fiction Addiction at 4 pm

New York, NY: The Fight for the Future Tour featuring Amie Kaufman, Megan Spooner, Alexandra Bracken and Dan Krokos at Books of Wonder at 4 pm

February 23rd:

No Events

February 24th: 

Decatur, GA: The Lovestruck Tour (Megan Shepherd, Megan Miranda, Robin Constantine, Kasie West) at Little Shop of Stories at 7 pm

Los Angeles, CA: Tahereh Mafi at the Barnes and Noble at The Grove at 7 pm

Redondo Beach, CA: Jessica Brody at Mysterious Galaxy for Unforgotten Launch Party at 7:30 pm

February 25th: 

Highlands Ranch, CO: Neal Shusterman at Tattered Cover at 6 pm

February 26th:

No Events

February 27th: 

MY BIRTHDAY!

San Diego, CA: Shannon Messenger at Barnes and Noble at 4 pm

February 28th: 

Highlands Ranch, CO: Jessica Brody at Tattered Cover at 7 pm

*      *     *      *     *

January Book Wrap-Up

Books Pledged to Read in 2014: 150 Books

Am I On Track: Nope. I’m 3 books behind. I’m in SUCH a slump this year, story so far.

Books Read So Far: 9

Total Books For January: 

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Review for this book will come on February 20th, buy more about when I am part of the blog tour!

18079719

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

13069935

The Selection by Keira Cass

10507293

The Elite by Kiera Cass

16248068

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

13138635

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Re-Read) 

256683-1

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (Re-Read)

3

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

12283261

Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy

12022847

*      *      *       *      *      *

I super hope February is MUCH better than January. I was in a major book slump, and I hope that I’m now out of it.

How was your January? What did you like? What books didn’t you like? What are you planning to read for February? Share in the comments!

Let’s Talk About…New Adult Literature

So I’ve decided to start a new segment. Called “Let’s Talk About…” 

Let's Talk About

Its not going to be a weekly segment. We’ve learned pretty well that I’m TERRIBLE at keeping up with weekly segments, unhealthy although I’m ready to get back on board with blog writing. I really am.

That being said, welcome to the new segment. Basically this is a segment that I’ll write whenever I just feel like talking about something in the nerd world. It could be about cosplay. It could be about internet bullying. It could be about anything really.

The point of it is, I want to talk about it. I want to share my opinion and start a conversation on a subject that’s on my mind.

So the very first “Let’s Talk About…” is about the emergence of new adult literature and my opinion of it.

For those of you who may be unaware, new adult is a fairly recent term used to describe young adult literature thats for mature audiences. Think Jennifer L. Armentrout and Cora Carmack, as some famous ones.

When I first heard the term, I was skeptical of it, but I wasn’t too against it. The idea of a more mature young adult literature really appealed to me actually. I’m twenty-five years old, which means, technically, I’m not the intended age group of young adult literature.

Bear with me, I know that even though we are not the intended audience, adults are reading more and more YA literature. It just makes sense. That’s a whole ‘nother “Let’s Talk About….” so I won’t address that here. I just didn’t want you all jumping down my throats.

Moving on, the idea of a book that would be written in that sort of young adult style but be more mature really appealed to me. I honestly think what I write tends to more “new adult”. Now I always just assumed it was “mature young adult” because I didn’t know that there was an actual term for it. My characters tend to have more sex than characters do in YA, and I don’t cushion it, I give you the full scene. They deal with more adult issues, like going to college, growing up after high school, getting jobs and having adult relationships. That sort of thing. They don’t hold their language back. That was the kind of idea that I had about new adult literature.

Now, the more involved I get into middle grade, young adult and new adult literature with this blog, the more I’m disappointed at what new adult essentially is becoming, and I’m not pleased with it.

I took a screen shot of the “new adult” page on Net Galley. Net Galley, for those of you who don’t know, is a website where you can go (mostly as a blogger or reviewer) to request upcoming novels for review before their release-digital ARCs, basically. I went to the “new adult” page to sort of give you an idea of what it is.

Screen Shot 2014-01-30 at 8.52.06 PM

What does it look like to you? Really take a look at it.

Yeah, it all looks like romance novels right?

Disclaimer before I begin: I have nothing against romance novels. I’m not a fan of them, but if that’s your cup of tea, the more power to you.

But the fact is: I didn’t think the whole point of “new adult” was just young adult with sex. Because that’s what it seems like. Most new adult books I’ve seen have racy covers, with half-clothed people. It seems less plot heavy, less character driven. It also seems there aren’t a lot of care taken in the new adult genre for actual good books and talented writers. It doesn’t seem to matter if its actually good, just thought its a bit more racy than actual good literature.

And that sort of thing really bothers me. Obviously I have no problem with sex in novels. I write sex into my novels. Sex is an important part about being an emerging adult. But I want more new adult about the idea of being…well a new adult.

Like Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell for instance. I would consider it YA with a hint of NA. The only reason its not full NA is that you definitely could be younger and read it. But I enjoy the newness of the story. I enjoy reading about a girl in college, struggling on being away from home and navigating a new world. Its refreshing to get a different world from high school. We see Cath go from a teenager to an adult in college, and I love that kind of story.

So what I really think new adult should be is emerging adult stories. People from the ages of 18-25ish, coming into the world. Going to college, traveling, getting jobs, all the sort of stuff that I’m going through now, and have been going through since leaving high school. Throw some more serious themes in there, throw some sex in there, and maybe some foul language. That’s okay, that’s realistic. I want to see those kinds of stories in new adult. I could really get behind the idea of new adult, if that’s what it represented.

Instead, I find myself with a group of books that basically seem to YA with sex. A lot of sex. And a lot of it is definitely not well written. This is incredibly disappointing and really puts a bad name on those of who want to write quality new adult literature that has more to it than just sex.

I’m hoping in the future, that there will be more quality new adult literature and that hopefully there won’t be a negative connotation when you write new adult. A lot of NA authors tend to be self-published because most publishers don’t accept it. They have seen the same sort of things I’m seeing: books that aren’t really well-written, with a ton of sex. They really should be going in the romance section.

I have read good NA though. I think Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl could be considered NA. I’ve heard good things about Cora Carmack’s books, but I haven’t had a chance to dive into them yet. Tammara Webber’s Between the Lines  series and her standalone, Easy, are definitely NA and I absolutely love those books.

I think there could be really great stuff in the new adult genre but I must admit that, for the most part, I tend to avoid it. Its starting to sort of lump together, in a mess and its really hard to find the quality ones in the mess of pretty bad ones.

I have a lot of hope for the genre but until I really start seeing some good stuff, and on actual shelves, instead of all the self-published stuff, than I really think I”ll get into the ‘genre’. Until then, I am just disappointed that the potential of it is just not being utilized. Young adult has a hard enough time being taken seriously as real, quality literature and the emergence of new adult literature doesn’t seem to be helping because of the lack of quality in it. I hope this changes soon, and that publishers start printing really good, well written new adult lit soon.

What do you think? Share in the comments!

Remember, everyone is open to their opinion. You may not necessarily agree, and that’s okay. But we show respect, and we discuss things, we don’t argue, ridicule or treat people with disrespect because of differing opinions. Thank you!