Day 1: Book Festivals this summer!

Now, I have always always always always always ALWAYS (I think you understand) wanted to go to a festival, mostly a music one. Mostly I would love to go to Glastonbury but the mud scares me and the prices are ridiculous that I have no idea how people go to that AND the Reading festival each year - I have actually thought about this.
Anyway, when I heard about the Hays Festival in Wales a couple of months ago, I realised there are tons of book festivals both in the UK and in other places around the world. I did not know this! And the best part? They're much cheaper than music festivals as you only attend the events you want to go to with the authors you want to see. Genius!

So here is my list of the best of the best Book Festivals around the world happening this summer (and partly Autumn), divided by country. The authors mentioned are ones confirmed so far or just some of the ones that are talking.
Lets just say, doing this makes me want to go to a festival even more...a book one! Ah, I love being a blogger...

England
- Edinburgh Fringe Festival - 5th to 29th August - Authors: Patrick Ness, Darren Shan
- Bath Festival of Children's Literature - 23rd September to 3rd October - Authors: Ally Carter, J Caroline Lawrence, Mary Hooper, Meg Rosoff, Annabel Pitcher, Marie-Louise Jensen
- Cheltenham Book Festival - 7th to 10th October - Authors: Malorie Blackman, Meg Rosoff

South Africa
- Open Book Festival - 21st to 25th September - Authors: Patrick Ness

USA
- Brooklyn Book Festival - 15th - 18th September - Authors: Libba Bray, Judy Blundell, Gayle Forman, Eoin Colfer
- Texas Book Festival - 22nd to 23rd September - Authors to be announced soon
- Miami Book Fair - 13th to 20th November - Authors to be announced soon

China
- Beijing International Book Fair - 31st August to 4th September

Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro International Book Fair - 1st to 11th September - Authors: Alyson Noel, Hilary Duff, Lauren Kate

Russia
- Moscow International Book Fair - 7th to 12th September - Country Guest of Honor is Italy.

Sweden
- Goteborg Book Fair - 22nd to 25th September

Spain
- LIBER Madrid - 5th to 7th October

Germany
- Frankfurt Book Fair - 12th to 16th October


I hope that was useful for anyone that wants to go to a book festival like me. There are some great festivals happening this summer with great guests, it's amazing how many actually go on. I would love to go to any of these, they all sound fantastic for anyone that visits. And some of them are free!

Come back tomorrow for the first guest post from Amy at I Love Smiley Faces and Books on her Favourite Summer Reads!

Some News.

I am BACK from Los Angeles which was amazing, I loved every minute, well most of it. Apart from the fact I was ill to start off with and I sprained my ankle (long story) but apart from that it was great and really enjoyable. I shall post some bits up about the trip at some point with some photos I took.
(BEST PART: Seeing Courtney Cox filming & Universal Studios tour - so great).

Anyway, the biggest news, all next week on Rebecca-Books will be a themed week with guest posters from other blogs (both for books and in general), all to do with the theme of Summer to get everyone (if not already) in the mood and choosing those summer reads for your holidays.

So here is the line-up for the week:

Monday: Rebecca from Rebecca-Books on Book Festivals around the world.
Tuesday: Amy from I Love Smiley Faces and Books
Wednesday: Nessie from Queen Nessie's Musings 
Thursday: Stephanie from Books are a Girl's Best Friend
Friday: Jen from Unedited

So come and have a look everyday this week and comment whenever on your favourites for the summer or any other suggestions of your own on the topic.
Have fun and you'll see the first post starting tomorrow! :)

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

I had never seen or heard about this book before. I just literally fancied reading it when I was in the library the other day. But now, I swear I keep seeing it everywhere! On people's book blogs, in Oxfam today, in Selfridges, in Waterstones. It's following me! It's so weird hah :)

First Sentence: Everyone thinks it was because of the snow. And in a way, I supposed that's true

This story is all about the choices we make, before and after. Seventeen year-old, Mia has (possible) the perfect family, an amazing best friend, Kim and a gorgeous supporting boyfriend, Adam. She would rather, unlike most teens, go out with her family on a drive or play her cello.  She has lots of choices about her life and even though decisions are tough, they are mostly about her music (she's a cello player), school life or love.
    But then, one snowy February morning, something tragic happens and all her choices are gone. Except two (in the book it says one, but I think it's more two): to stay or to die.

This book had me on the verge of tears. Which is hard for someone like me where it takes a lot to cry. Even though the book is only 210 pages, so relatively short, it is so powerful and makes you think. We follow Mia as basically her conscience, she's in a coma but her conscience can walk around, see people but people can't see them. It's through this that we read her, trying to decide and for practically the whole book, I really didn't know which she would choose. The tense, sad moments are broken up by mostly funny moments and for me, I found some of Kim's comments, hilarious. Through her decision making, she is reminded of her past and we find out what happened leading up to this moment. Even though the flashbacks aren't in chronological order, we can still understand them easily and get things from them. Adam. You just have to love him. He is from a completely different 'group' but he falls in love with Mia and makes an effort and supports her. I want a boyfriend like that, basically. I mean who wouldn't, girls?
This is a really deep, gripping, heart breaking but somehow uplifting that makes you appreciate your life at the moment.
Will you cry? Probably
Will you laugh out loud at Kim's comments? Yep.
Should you read it? Definitely. Just go out there and get this book.

Author's Website: www.gayleforman.com
There's also a really good If I Stay Book Trailer to watch!

Related Posts: 
Book #2: Where She Went