My BookCon Haul: What I Bought and What I Got
- Taylor
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
For everyone who is curious, here is everything I brought, bought, and got at BookCon 2026!
I had no idea what to expect walking into this. I’ve never been to any kind of convention, and since BookCon has been on hiatus since COVID, there were a lot of unknowns for everyone. I tried my best to keep realistic expectations, but I walked away with way more than I expected!
What I Brought:
I had secured a reservation for a book signing with Marie Lu, so going into the weekend I knew I would be walking away with at least a few signed books. I brought her Legend series (one of my all-time favorites) from home, which honestly saved me from buying even more books!
What I Bought:
I tried my best to be selective, but there were so many great booths and cool opportunities which made it extremely difficult.
Going into the weekend I knew I wanted to pick up In Her Own League from The Last Chapter Book Shop. They had posted on Instagram that you could get a free Windy City tote while supplies lasted, and I had to get my hands on it. I ended up walking away with the tote, a cute bookmark, and two signed bookplates from their midnight release party! It was so much better than I expected and 100% worth it.
Also at The Last Chapter Book Shop, I picked up Ava Rani’s books The Heir and The Charmer. She was there for a signing, so I was able to meet her and get my books personalized. There was no line behind me (I got there toward the end), so I was actually able to talk to her about her weekend and her experience as an author at BookCon, which was really cool.
At the Well Read Damsel booth, I was able to meet Alana Robin at her signing, where I bought her book At Tee Time and got it personalized.
I had my heart set on meeting Christine Riccio, but my copy of Again, But Better from home was already signed (I bought it that way from Barnes & Noble back in 2019). So I planned to find her newest release, Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone for her to sign, which ended up being the right call. Her signing line was so much fun, I met some fellow fans, and I even got a signed postcard from her!
In Indie Alley, I found Elle Nesbitt’s booth. Her book The Rest of My Lives was for sale, and the moment I heard “magical realism” and “time travel,” I was sold. I chatted with her for a while, and she was kind enough to sign and personalize my book. While this one wasn’t planned, I am so excited to dive into it!
What I Got:
One of the best parts of BookCon? Free books.
While it honestly felt like I was participating in my own version of the Hunger Games, it was definitely a high-risk, high-reward situation and I’m so grateful I got the chance to take some of these home.
I had the most luck at the Sourcebooks booth… but also the most chaotic experience. It was a crazy mad dash to try and grab these ARCs (it honestly felt like a fever dream) but in the end, I walked away with three over the weekend.
Rich Girl Summer by Lily Chu was a highlight since she was the one handing them out. I got to talk to her, she personalized my copy, and she even gave me a free sticker!
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous and Once Upon a Demon’s Heart were two I picked up during the Sunday drop with the help of my dad (he’s a real one). Both are romantasy, and I’m super excited to read them.
While waiting for the Christine Riccio signing, I somehow ended up in the right place at the right time and was offered an ARC of Divine Oaths by Elizabeth Agyemang. I was handed a copy and basically swept into her signing line. This might be my most unexpected yet exciting ARC from the weekend.
I also ended up with A (Dead) Thing Like Me by E. G. Young after walking past a booth. It’s not my usual genre, and I’m not totally sure how I feel about it yet, but it’s still fun to have.
Then once again, at The Last Chapter Book Shop, I ended up getting a copy of The Pucker Next Door by Sara Ney. She was giving out signed copies, and I just happened to be walking by at the right time.
Final Thoughts:
In the end, I bought 6 books and walked away with 6 free ones, which honestly feels like a win.
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