BookCon 2026 Recap - Travel Day and Day 1

BookCon 2026 was a whirl-wind for sure. Day 1 was a lot of standing for me since I didn't get to see any panels that day due to my schedule. There are just way too many things to do at the same time. You definitely need to prioritize what you want to get accomplished for the day because you can't do it all. Despite it being chaotic at times, I had a great time overall at BookCon.

Travel Day - Friday, April 17, 2026

My friend Ellie and I took the Amtrak in the morning from Boston's South Station to NYC. We were lucky that our room was ready when we arrive to the Big Apple. After dropping off our luggage in our room, we ventured out to get a late lunch/early dinner at Cho Dang Gol for some very yummy Korean food. The restaurant was a quick walk from the hotel. After our meal, Ellie and I went to hit up some stores around the city. We checked out Kinokuniya, near Bryant Park. I love that store with all the stationery, art books, and other Japanese anime and mange related books. Such a cute store! I ended up buying a bottle of ink there. Sometime during the afternoon, I believe maybe when we were at the hotel checking in or dropping off luggage, I got an e-mail that I won the lottery to see Death Becomes Her for Saturday! I entered for a few Broadway show lotteries earlier in the morning. I paid about $40-45 for the ticket. I was so excited.

Afterwards, we walked over to the BOOKOFF to look at used manga, games, collectibles, etc. It's a treasure drove for those who are looking for second-hand and lightly used books, CDs, vinyl, cassette tapes, DVDs, Blu-rays, video games, game consoles, and collectibles. We ended up stopping by Hey Yogurt for a sweet treat before visiting the Harry Potter store near the Flatiron. Ellie and I definitely took our time to check out each room, took some photos, etc. We needed to head back to the hotel ASAP so we can drop any bags we had before heading to Brooklyn for our super late 10:00 pm dinner reservation at Bong. Ellie has been dying to go to Bong and reservations are very hard to get. She got lucky with getting a reservation but it was a super late one. The food at bong was so good! worth the wait fore sure! I highly recommend the Pomelo Salad.

We didn't get back to the hotel until super late and ran off very little sleep for the first day of BookCon.

BookCon - Day 1, Saturday, April 18, 2026

Wake up time was 7:00 am and we left the hotel a little after 7:30 am. We stopped by this amazing coffee shop called Starstruck Coffee. The cafe was on the way to the Javits Center - North but had very good coffee and very good and filling breakfast sandwiches. I loved the interior of the shop. The music playlist was on point and the vibe was very cool. There were old books, a piano, antique like furniture. Ellie and arrived at the Javits Center a little after 8:00 am. There was already a line forming for standby but we were in row two of the switchbacks. I was so glad that I brought my collapsible stool. That was one of my best pre-con purchases for sure. I ended up using it quite a lot during the con days. The con doors didn't open until 10:00 am so pretty much sat on the stool while I was drinking my coffee and enjoying my sandwich. Ellie and I didn't purchase the VIP passes so we stood in the regular standby line.

Once we were in the entrance, we went had our tickets scanned and we went through security. Then it was free for all and it was chaotic! You need to have a game plan! Everyone was rushing to line up for the in-booth signing tickets and ARC drops. Let's say I barely followed my schedule that I had in mine when I last posted about BookCon in this blog. A lot of things changed since then due to last minute social media drops for times and events.

I made a beeline to the Penguin Random House booth in the exhibit hall on floor 3 hoping to get a ticket for the Elizabeth Lim signing that was happening at 4:00 pm that day. The line was long and it took me over an hour to get to the front of the line. Unfortunately, the Elizabeth Lim signing for Fishbone Cinderella ran out of signing tickets early so I ended up getting one for Reap & Sow by Charlotte Plumb. After obtaining my PRH ticket, I went next door to Macmillan to line up for the Adalyn Grace signing for The Wretched Divine. The signing started around 11:00 am. I was fortunate enough to snag a reservation for Adalyn Grace maybe a couple weeks prior to BookCon after constant refreshing of the BookCon reservations. If you go to BookCon in the future, definitely keep checking to see if someone releases a reservation because you never know if you will be the lucky one to score a highly coveted reservation.

The Adalyn Grace line moved pretty quickly and I was definitely in the first half of the line. Adalyn and I were talking about The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare since she mentioned about trilogy on social media when she was writing the Wretched Divine. I loved how we were able to get candid photos and a posed photo at the signing. 

After the Adalyn Grace signing, there was a galley drop for The Court of Venus at 12:00 pm at Macmillan so I was hovering around the Macmillan booth since I was already there for the Adalyn Grace signing. That drop was all over the place. There was miscommunication regarding where the line started and the folks who were in line super early apparently were in the wrong line and everyone had to walk around the the other side of the booth.

At time time, I was getting super tired and hungry so I found a spot on the main floor to pop up my stool and to hydrate and eat some food I packed. I know I spent some time walking around the Author Alley area on floor 1 and checked out some vendor booths on the same floor. I did check out some vendors on floor 3 as well. There were so many indie vendor booths! It's a book lover's dream! My favorite booth by far was LaCroix's. They had a cute summery pool them going on with a fake pool, table with umbrellas, and lounge chairs. They also gave full cans of tasty LaCroix's to taste as well and they were ice cold! LaCroix also gave out hats and these cute tote bags. I have to say that the tote bag was perfect for hauling my books! It was big enough and sturdy enough to carry all of my stuff.

I knew there was a drop for The Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken at 2:30 pm but the tickets for the drop for that galley and three other titles being handed out around 2:00 pm. I ended up hovering around the HarperCollins booth to see when the official line will form around 1:30 pm. I lucked out with getting a ticket for that drop period. That line was wrapped all the way to the bathrooms! However, when the line was moving and there were only 20 people in front of me, one of the HarperCollins employees mentioned that they were out of of The Immortal Rose and we should think of a backup. I was a little bummed I didn't make it to the line early enough for The Immortal Rose but I was able to pick up Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon. Many of these authors are fantastic so I was excited about their book.

I ended up going to Jasmine Guillory's signing that started at 3:00 pm even though I was super tired from standing all day pretty much. Afterwards, I ended up making a last minute loop around the exhibit hall before heading back to the hotel early. I ended up skipping the Horror panel that I had a reservation for because I was exhausted and I really needed to rest before I went to see Death Became Her. I picked up some takeout from a Thai restaurant around the corner from the hotel and had an early dinner in the hotel room after I took a nice shower. Ellie came back to the hotel when I was eating and she was getting ready to meet a friend in Brooklyn. 

After eating dinner and resting for a bit, I ventured out to the Times Square area for some photos and also to visit the Disney Store there. That store is so whimsical. Very cute and there was even some NYC Disney merch there. I loved the Tangled  decor/mural where the escalator is located. It's beautiful! The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where Death Becomes Her is playing, was down the street from where the Disney Store is located. I had a wonderful seat! Row W in the orchestra but you can see the whole stage from even the back of the theatre. I didn't have to worry about tall people blocking my view since the sloping of the theatre is made for everyone to enjoy the show. And boy, was it a show!!! Death Becomes Her is comedic but the colors and effects were amazing! The talent on that stage was out of this world! If you want to see a show, Death Becomes Her is it! When I think Broadway, I think of Death Becomes Her now. However, back then I didn't know that Death Becomes Her will have the final show end of June. I am so happy I was able to experience it before the closing.

When the show ended, I was able to catch a little bit of the crowd and cast of Hamilton since the theatre showing Hamilton was down the street from where I saw Death Becomes Her. That was pretty awesome to see. I also picked up a couple of big water bottles to bring back to the hotel. 

I have to say that Death Becomes Her was my favorite part of my trip. It was just what I needed after a long day of standing in lines. The Javits was crowded, I was getting overheated due to the A/C not on full blast, and I was getting tired. The show gave me time to sit and soak in a masterpiece. It was just what I needed to revive myself for the next day.

Tune in for my next post for BookCon Day 2 and travel day back home! 

The Flame in the Frost by Olivia Boothe

Title: The Flame in the Frost: A Northern Kindoms Novel

Author:  Olivia Boothe
Publisher: Three Brothers Press
Publication date: June 30, 2026
Pages: 
Source/format: e-ARC from Book Sirens
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

When a cursed Winter Prince and a royal guard with a forgotten bloodline are bound by an ancient prophecy, they become the only ones who can stop a rising enemy—if their forbidden love doesn’t destroy them first.

They tried to silence their bond, but the gods had already sung their fate into the heavens.

In the frostbitten kingdom of Skadgard, Sylvanna Isenwulf has finally claimed her mantle as Captain of the Guard, but her loyalty to the crown is tested when Prince Jökullson “Jack” Drakmyr—her best friend and heir to the Frostbound throne—is forced into an arranged betrothal with a princess he’s never met and an alliance that could ignite war across the northern realms.

Ordered to accompany Jack on a dangerous envoy through the cursed Wildlands, Sylvanna is thrust into a perilous journey filled with ancient magic and deadly creatures. But it is another kind of danger that threatens to unravel their friendship...

Bound by an invisible tether that has pulled at their hearts since childhood, Sylvanna and Jack must not only confront their deepest secrets and darkest desires but choose between the love consuming them at their core or the duty binding them to their kingdom.

And when a ruthless enemy rises, threatening to tear Sylvanna and Jack apart, The Frost Prince must decide to either honor the crown that has caged him his whole life or unleash the deadly monster dormant in his veins—a winter storm fiercer than anything Skadgard has ever faced.

Enough to topple kingdoms. Enough to shatter fate.

The Flame in the Frost is a Norse-inspired Friends to Lovers Jack Frost reimagining romantasy intended for readers 18+. Reader discretion is advised.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

The Flame in the Frost by Olivia Boothe is the first book in the Northern Kingdom series. This novel is a Jack Frost inspired and is written in dual POVs between the royal fae, Jack, Prince Jökullson Drakmyr, and common fae, Sylvanna Isenwulf, also known as Sylvi. In The Flame in the Frost, only royal fae are bestowed with magic. Jack is a fae prince imbued with ice magic and unseelie magic. 21-year-old Sylvi, is Frostbound Court's captain of the royal guard. She is best friends with Jack. Both are fated mates but their love is considered forbidden in their realm.

Sylvi met Jack when she was 7-years-old. Her father was captain of the guard back in the day and brought young Sylvi to the palace to witness the magic of the queen during a celebration for the first snow of the season. When she was lost in the Grove of Whispers, a labyrinth like maze, a shimmering whisp beckoned young Sylvi into the labyrinth and she found Jack in the middle. The light guided her to him. Every since that day, they have been inseparable. 

The Flame in the Frost is a lush and atmospheric high fantasy novel that is woven with lyrical prose. Boothe breathes life into inanimate objects and the writing amplifies the worldbuilding. Sylvi's and Jack's friendship grows over many years and develops into something more in this slow burning romance. Readers can definitely feel the yearning throughout the entire novel. However, Jack's mother, the Queen of Frost, forbids this relationship and arranges a marriage between Jack and Princess Isolde Kaldvalien in order to unite realms of Skadgard and Verrindor to forge an alliance in order to fight Yulereth.

I highly suggest this novel for readers who are looking for a Jack Frost reimagining story that intertwines the best friends to lovers trope in this spicy Romantasy. Jack and Sylvi's forbidden love is fire to the ice. I appreciate Boothe adding a glossary in the back for the novel so readers can further understand the realms and Nordic phrases. 

The Flame in the Frost touches on some of Nordveld (Seven Magical Northern Kingdoms) but I would love to see more characters from the other realms or to see Jack and Sylvi venture out to the other realms in future novels in the series. I want to immerse myself in the worldbuilding that Boothe has created since it's fantastic! This book definitely deserves more hype and for good reasons! I felt very emotionally invested in Jack and Sylvi as characters individually but also together as friends and lovers.

We know that Royal fae is bestowed with magic but what if common fae can wield magic as well? Jack and Sylvi are torn between their duties and their love for one another. How to they manage both? Do they chose one over another? Or does someone chose for them? Check out the Flame in the Frost to find out more!

BookCon 2026

I haven't' blogged in such a long time. I know the book community has shifted the over the years but I am excited to say that I will be attending BookCon this month in NYC! I can't wait for this awesome event despite BookExpo not being around anymore. I am going more for the vibes compared having a set schedule to meet a bunch of authors or to obtain a bunch of books or galleys. 

BookCon is a book lover's dream! BookCon is two-day convention where storytelling and pop culture collide. There are panels, author signings, an indie alley, and a show room with publishing companies and vendors selling bookish things. There are book swaps, a place to meet new people and also space to reunite with old friends, book related demonstrations, etc. and more! The con is a space for folks to celebrate their love for books and reading. BookCon will take place a the Javits Center in Hudson Yards in NYC.

It's going to be a shift from late May to having the con in April but I am excited to visit NYC again. I haven't been there since 2017ish and I can't wait to go back. BookCon sold out fast both rounds when it was on sale and no surprise. After the pandemic, it seems like a lot of bookish cons have popped up and have become extremely popular. I am fortunate that my friend Ellie was able to snag us tickets for BookCon in December for both Saturday and Sunday. 

The whole reservations situation to select author signings and panels that required reservations was pretty chaotic. Folks were given a random number in the queue and were allowed to select up to 4 signings and 2 panels per day for general admission. But we all found out that you can only book things if you have a good queue number. Many people were not able to book reservations because by the time they got into website for their turn, nothing was left over. Some people were fortunate to grab at least 1-2 things if they were not in front of the line. 

I get that people mention that there are always standby lines for things for no reservations but you definitely need to queue up at least an hour beforehand for a panel or signing to hopefully get in. There will be standby lines for panels and signings that have reservations but definitely line up for those super early. I believe for panels and signings with reservations, you need to hop into the panel line at least 15 minutes before the start of the panel or you will forfeit your spot even though you have a reservation. And for the author signing, you need to be in line for the reserved signing at least 30 minutes before the start of the signing. BookCon will pull people from the standby line if there are spots available.

BookCon Plans

Personally I am going to wing most of the con since I don't want my experience to be mainly line con. I want to do things unless I know I definitely can get into something I really want to attend. Only time will tell. I plan to spend a good chunk of the time on the show floor checking out vendors, indie authors, publishers, etc. I want to learn about a lot of upcoming titles for the rest of the year and maybe discover some artists and authors and that I don't know about. I am excited about some vendors that I have been following for years. Oddment and Tweak, Sunset Road Co., The Colorful Geek and Laserbrain Patch Co. will all be at BookCon and I am so excited to visit their booths.

I can say that there are some authors I hope to see during the con but we'll see if I can even make their signing line in time before the lines are closed. Some of the authors I hope I get to see include Dustin Thao and Adalyn Grace.

I was not successful in obtaining a reservation for Saturday's Adalyn Grace ARC signing of The Wretched Divine but hopefully I can make it to one of her other signings during the con. I know she has a pre-panel signing on Sunday that has a standby line and she has another one at the Steamy Lit booth on the show floor.

For indie authors, I am definitely swinging by Olivia Boothe's and K.Sinko's tables. I was able to read The Frost in the Flame before publication date and BookCon exclusives of the book will be available at Olivia's table. I pre-ordered that edition for pickup and also pre-ordered several of K.Sinko's titles.

For panels, I hope I get lucky to get into Classic Retellings with a Modern Twist on Saturday morning. The show floor opens at 10:00 am and this panel starts at 11:00 am so not sure how early I can queue up to get into the line for the panel if I want to hit the show floor first thing in the morning. The Classic Retellings panel feature Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Jesmeen Kaur Deo, Elizabeth Lim, and Danielle Paige. The panel will be moderated by Aurora Dominguez. There will be a post-panel signing as well. The panel I really want to attend is Then/Now: The Evolution of Your Career Since That 1st Book with Meg Cabot, Melissa de La Cruz, Kami Garcia, Ann M. Martin, and moderator Libba Bray. I am not sure if I will be able to get into the panel since this one of the Main Stage panels with no reservations and I feel like this panel is going to be hard to get into unless I queue up over an hour early for.

On Sunday, I plan to check out the show floor in the morning and relax a bit until the afternoon. So many good things are happening in a short period of time and Sunday is the shorter day for the con. One of Adalyn's signings is at noon so we'll see how long the line is for that signing since there are no reservations. I got lucky to snag a reservation to meet Julie Murphy, who will be signing ARCs of The Undergrads: Student Union at the Macmillan booth. So I am definitely going to that signing in the afternoon.

Both days have a fore-edge painting demonstration by Gillisi Art (@gillisiart) and if I have time, I might check one of the demonstrations out. There is a Page to Screen panel at the end of the day that I was able to secure a reservation that sounds very intriguing. Authors Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven), Robinne Lee (The Idea of You), May Cobb (The Hunting Wives), Andy Weir (Project Hail Mary) will discuss their books and the movie and TV adaptations.

If for some chance I cannot get into the Page to Screen panel, I plan to check out Into the World of Romantasy: Exploring the Marriage Between Genres. Stacia Stark, Elise Kova, and Adalyn Grace will discsus why the pairing of romance and fantasy works so well and how they balance the elements integral to each genre. The panel will be moderated by John Jacobson.

Are you planning to attend BookCon? Who will I see in a couple of weeks?

You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

Title: You've Reached Sam

Author:  Dustin Thao
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication date: November 9, 2021
Pages: 305
Source/format: Hardcover//library
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com): Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.

And Sam picks up the phone.

In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao starts off with how Julie met Sam in Ellensburg, WA. The prologue gives readers context of how Julie and Sam first met and how they started their friendship which ends up budding into something more. Fast forward to after the death of Sam, Julie is having a hard time grieving; she skipped his funeral. Julie tries to process her emotions by gathering all the items that reminds her of Sam in order to get rid of his belongings/gifts. As she touches each item, she gives a a glimpse of a memory of her past with Sam such as his favorite denim jacket that he lets Julie borrow after it rains during a Screaming Trees concert. 

If you are looking for a character driven novel, this is it! Thao delves the emotions and the character development of Julie, Sam and even some of Julie's friends and family. The way Thao writes is somewhat poetic. The reader can feel the emotions and can picture them at the scene of each memory. I haven't cried when reading a book since In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. I'm hardly teary-eyed when I read a novel but sometimes the author's words tugs at your heartstrings in a way you empathize with the characters. You feel their sadness, their loneliness and their grief. You want to comfort them somehow. 

At the end of senior year of high school, Julie is trying to get by each day. It's already hard to be in high school, waiting for the college acceptances and processing the death of a loved one. Mika, Yuki, Rachel, Jay, Tristan and Oliver only want the best for Julie even if she pushes them away at times. Readers learn how Oliver and Mika are processing Sam's death. Julie realizes how others are processing their grief and that they need her. Even Sam needs her. That voicemail at the end broke me! The whole novel comes full circle with that voicemail. 

You've Reached Sam is a heartbreaking novel that readers can relate to. How does one process grief after losing a loved one? We join Julie during her journey through grief, recovery and acceptance. The magical realism of hearing Sam through a phone call is exuberating! It gives Julie the time to say goodbye and to find some closure. This actually reminds me of Landline by Rainbow Rowell where a phone call can create an opportunity for the main character to find explore their past, present and future selves.

I highly recommend You've Reached Sam. It's a beautifully written debut novel and I am looking forward to future books by Thao. 

Hello, Again! How are you?

So it's been awhile since I posted here. With the pandemic still looming, it's been incredibly hard to balance my work and personal life. But I am happy to see that a lot of changes have been made since last year. I'll update you what I have been up to lately and what I am looking forward to for the holidays and the rest of the year. 

NEW APARTMENT

Sometime in the summer, my husband and I decided to relocate and we moved to an apartment that had a better work commute for the both of us. We ended up moving early September. I love the apartment! The living room has the best natural light since it's a south facing room. I finally have my own bookcase. I used to have all of my books in boxes at my previous residence. So, it's nice to see most of my books on shelves. However, I own way too many books and I have to donate or sell a bunch. I am trying to cull my collection and only keep my favorites or nostalgic books. Some of the books I own carry many memories like I met the author or the book created a huge impact in my life. 

The kitchen is probably the biggest room in the apartment which I love because I enjoy baking and cooking. I cannot wait to try out new recipes this year. I have been slowly building up my cookbook collection over the years. Although the bedroom is small, it's quite cozy and gets a decent amount of light for most of the day. I am very excited that I am close to town, public transit, a bomb.com diner, and a lot of great places to eat. I am super close to a bubble tea shop which is awesome in my book.

WORK

Work started back in person five days a week in mid-August. Let's say it's been rough since I was working 1.5 years at home with going into work one day a week. Transitioning from one to five days has been a lot on me. I always feel guilty taking off time since we are super understaffed. At least when I was working at home, I didn't feel the need to take a lot of time off. I guess it's healthy to take a break once in awhile but I despise going back to work with more things to go compared to when I left work.

Speaking of time off, I am going on vacation. Yes, I am a little nervous about it since I will be on a plane but I figured it's safer on a plane than me commuting on subway to work everyday. At least airlines are very strict with the masking protocols. My place of employment is super strict with surveillance testing even though over 95% of people here are fully vaccinated. We also have to do daily symptom checking. An app lets us know whether we are cleared to go on-site or if we are restricted.

WWoHP and Orlando Informer Meetup

So back to the vacation...I will be visiting the Wizard World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) in December as part of the Orlando Informer Meetup (OI Meetup)! I am so excited! It's legit the week after Thanksgiving and my friend, Jess, and I have been planning this trip since maybe earlier this May. We got a good deal on the hotel too. I cannot wait to return back to the WWoHP. I haven't been there since maybe 2016. Jess has never been to the WWoHP and I cannot wait to show her the magic. We will make a lot of memories in December. And I am so excited we are going during the holiday season. All the decorations will be up and the shows will be tweaked to include holiday theming. I cannot wait to have some frozen Butterbeer and also to try the hot Butterbeer. And can I say no humid, hot Florida summer! Yes, please!!!

Although I traveled around New England during the past couple of years, New Hampshire and Maine in particular, going to Florida is a huge step. Many of my conventions I had planned for 2020 were postponed to 2021 and then they are postponed yet again to 2022. I am not sure if the 2022 conventions will happen but at leas this magical trip will happen. Before people panic about the increase COVID cases and lax protocols in Florida, Jess and I are going to an afterhours event where there is less people going into Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Masking is required indoors. The parks are practically empty and I heard maybe 2 rides have lines. Most rides are walk-ons.

We enter the parks at 5:00 pm on Friday, December 3rd and on Saturday, December 4th. The public will need to vacate the premises by 7:00 pm on Friday and 8:00 pm on Saturday. We OI Meetup goers will then be able to roam around both parks until 12:30 am for the Friday meetup and 1:30 am for the Saturday meetup. And can I say that the admission includes unlimited free food!! Yes, you heard that right...Unlimited free food at the parks and also non-alcoholic drinks! So that means free Butterbeers and ice cream from Florean Fortscue's! Of course there is real food too. Can't load up on all that sugar all night long. However, each attendee with receive a $15 meal card for each day of attendance for eating a small meal before the free food sessions are launched. I believe the free food starts around 8:00 pm on Friday and 9:00 pm on Saturday.

For more information about the meetup, check out the Orlando Informer Meetup webpage. I heard that the meetup for next year is June 3-4, 2022. If you are interested, make sure to get your ticket early and book your hotel early. With the OI Meetup, you get access to discounted on-site hotel rooms. The discount is pretty substantial too. 

Also, speaking of Harry Potter, this month is the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone film. WOW! It's crazy how it's been 20 years! I remember being a freshman in high school when I saw the film for the very first time. 

All I can say is that I am looking forward to a magical end of the year. I might even do a mini HP marathon of the films before my trip. Be on the lookout for a blog post or two regarding my Orlando Informer Meetup recap. I cannot wait to share the magic with you!

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Title: In Five Years

Author: Rebecca Serle
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication date: March 10, 2020
Pages: 225
Source/format: Hardcover gifted
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Kohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend's marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

I haven't read a book in awhile that tugged at my heart strings. The question at many interviews is "where do you see yourself in five years?" It's definitely easy said than done. At first you think you are reading a typical contemporary novel where a woman is trying to juggle her career with her romantic love life.

Dannie has a promising career and her boyfriend popped to question to marry her. You would think that everything will be a happy ever ending and everything will go according to planned. One night, Dannie has a dream. This is no ordinary dream but a dream that will haunt her for the rest of her life since she has a different ring on her hand, she is in a different home and there is a different man in her life. What is going on?

However, this dream is more like a premonition of something that will happen to Dannie in her future but Dannie doesn't know the details of how she got there. While she tries to collect the pieces of this puzzle, time flies by to almost five years which is when the events occurred in her dream. Dannie has no clue if the dream will come true but she is determined to do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't. The premonition is part of her fate and she cannot undo her fate. She can only accept her fate. 

The way Rebecca Serle writes about relationships is realistic. She writes like the reader is at the scene to witness these companionships. We see how the relationships grow and how much they mean to each of the characters. I loved the friendship between Dannie and Bella. They are there for each other no matter what. During the good times and the bad times, they are always thinking of one another. They grow older together and they each grow to be better person. While the relationship with Bella grows, her relationship with her boyfriend, David, becomes more stagnant. 

Serle created a novel that is relatable yet she adds a bit of magical realism to novel. The twist at the end completely caught me off guard but it makes so much sense. I haven't sobbed over a book for a long time. Serle penned characters who I had grown close to like good friends. So when one character is in anguish, I can feel their anguish. I can feel their happiness when some good happens. 

In Five Years has some heavy content. There is instances of death, cheating, grief, etc. This is not a light hearted book but it covers topics in occur in real lives.

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Title: A Pho Love Story

Author: Loan Le
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: February 9, 2021
Pages: 416
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher
Rating: ☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

A Pho Love Story is a cute contemporary romance about Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen who both have parents that run a pho restaurant on the same street. What complicates things the most is that their families are rivals. With this budding romance between the two teens, Linh and Bao must endure facing many obstacles.

Loan Le tackles some topics such as racism and immigration. The novel included a lot of descriptions regarding food that make your mouth water. The novel has dual perspectives. However, I found it hard to differentiate which character is speaking at times. Is it Linh or is it Bao that is speaking? Sometimes that have a similar voice unless I understand the context of what they are talking about. I enjoyed reading about the blossoming friendship that becomes something more between Linh and Bao. Nothing was too forced or rushed between them. Also, the pacing of the book is slow in certain sections compared too others.

Vietnamese culture incorporates the language, the food and the customs within A Pho Love Story. As with many Asian cultures, careers or interest in things like art is not praised. Linh is very passionate about art but it's hard to pursue that path when her family want something more for her. Gaining the acceptance from her family has put a damper to her confidence. Bao, on the other hand, is still in a phase where he is trying to find himself and what he wants in life. Many teenagers don't know what they want to do with their life and Bao reflects that perspective.

A Pho Love Story is modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a Vietnamese twist. The novel is also a discovery of one's self and a coming-of-age story.