5 Things We Learned at YALLWEST

We can't believe that another YALLWEST has come and gone. We had such an amazing time in Cali—and we have the cute pics and tans to prove it! But as anyone who's been to YALLWEST knows, this was no relaxing beach vacation. 25,000 people showed up for the festivities, and together, we had a non-stop, unforgettable book party. Without further ado, here are 5 things we learned at YALLWEST 2018:

1. YALLWEST volunteers are the best volunteers.

We arrived at Santa Monica High School bright and early to unload hundreds and hundreds of bookish goodies and giveaways... and we couldn't have done it without the amazing volunteers. Shout out to them for pitching in at 7AM... especially since it felt like 10AM to us lucky New Yorkers! 

2. YA fans <3 Brandy Colbert.

Brandy Colbert, author of Little & Lion, is an LA local, so we had to have her stop by. And the loooong line of readers waiting for her did not disappoint! She signed ARCs of her newest book Finding Yvonne, coming out in August 2018.

3. Y'all can't get enough of those NOVL totes.

The #1 question we heard all day? "Where can I get a Booked All Week tote bag?" Well, the tote was one of our all-day raffle prizes, and we did an early giveaway. But if you didn't manage to score one, check out the NOVLbox raffle—it includes a tote almost every month!

4. Nothing beats an afternoon slump like a blue raspberry lollipop.

Our ~newest~ game at the NOVL booth was all about that 3PM sugar rush. There's nothing better than free candy and an ARC. These lollipops taste just as good as they look—and they'll definitely make an appearance at future festivals.

5. Every reader knows there's no such thing as too many books.

We set up a photo booth with four background options, including a "BUY ME BOOKS" thought bubble and the very appropriate "I survived the lines at YALLWEST". But the most popular background of the weekend? "There's no such thing as too many books." Agreed!

And then, suddenly, the day was coming to a close. The fact that we were on East Coast time no longer felt quite as awesome, but the adrenaline and good vibes carried us through to the end. We hope you enjoyed our recap...and now, on to BookCon!