With the New Year I'm trying some new things. Today I'm participating in two "new to me" memes — the Book Bloggers Hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books & Follow My Book Blog Friday, hosted at Parajunkee's View. I am also putting up my weekly recap... get it? "Follow My Hop Recap?" If you're a new follower, please leave me a link to your blog in the comments below so that I can return the hello! This week's question from the Hop: Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it? This, for me, is an easy answer. I read YA because my kids read YA — mostly. The truth of the matter is I love YA, I've been reading it my whole life. I remember being very young and venturing over to that side of the library and finding a book and teaching myself how to read it. I think that's a huge reason why I'm a teacher. This week's question from Follow Me Friday: What makes up your non-human family? I have a very very special red golden retriever, Pippin. He is five years old and he truly is my best friend. Pip (named for my favorite hobbit) came into my life my Junior year of high school after an awful break up — one of those break ups where you think your life is just going to end. One day, randomly, after work my dad says "Let's look for a puppy" — ten hours later Pippin was mine. I spent the summer spoiling training him and every summer since then (after I went to college) Pip and I enjoy Northern Minnesota's outdoor activities — we run, we bike, we hike, we swim, and we definitely fish.
This week at Miss Remmers' Review I'm Expecting! Review — "Wake" The Delivery I Am a Stuck Up Snob: Across the Universe Review — "Change of Heart" Review — "Beasts and BFFs" Giveaway Hop — WIN DELIRIUM!
Alright ladies in conjunction with the Summer Giveaway Hop I would like to celebrate two other momentous occasions this week. First of all, my birthday (whoot!) is next Sunday (August 7th) and (probably more important) I may or may not have forgotten to celebrate the blog's Two Year Blogoversary!! I know, how could I be so selfish! This blog officially turned two back in the early part of June — but with the wedding, summer school, moving, and returning from BEA it kind of went uncelebrated!
To make up for my lack of organization, celebrate my birthday, and partake in some Summer Fun I am hosting a BEA 2011 giveaway prize pack including an ARC of "Forever" by Maggie Stiefvater, "Fallen" by Karin Slaughter on audiobook, "Martin Misunderstood" by Karin Slaughter on audiobook, "Enclave" by Ann Aguirre, "The Hangman's Daughter" by Oliver Potzsch (August ARC), "Falling Together" by Marisa De Los Santos (October ARC), "Wintertown" by Stephen Emond (December ARC), "Don't Breathe A Word" by Jennifer McMahon, "The Girl Who Was on Fire" by edited by Leah Wilson, and "The Beekeeper's Lament" by Hannah Nordhaus. Links are to Goodreads.
You don't have to follow to enter, there are no "extra points," it's simply put your name in the form and go. One lucky winner will win it all (US only — sorry!) and have a box of BEA 2011 books sent their way on August 12th (winner will be chosen on the 8th but I'm leaving for vacation and won't be back to mail the books until that Friday).
If you'd like to help me my husband and I choose the photo from our wedding to put on our thank you cards — please vote on the picture you like most! No, there is no prize for voting (so don't get your hearts up). Check out the pictures and vote here!
Don't forget to join the party at the other blog's participating as well!
Today I'm participating in two memes — the Book Bloggers Hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books & Follow My Book Blog Friday, hosted at Parajunkee's View. I am also putting up my weekly recap... get it? "Follow My Hop Recap?" I really enjoy these two memes because I love the community and this is the a great way to meet people and visit other bloggers. I don't ask for a "follow" — simply a "hello.":) If you like what you see I definitely invite you to stick around and introduce yourself.
This week's question from the Hop: What do you do when I'm not reading? Well, I am currently teaching summer school but in my "spare" time I love spending time with my husband and working on our new house. I also love going to the movies and TCBY. This week's question from Follow Me Friday: Q. How/Where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? I currently get most of my books from NetGalley and the Galley Grab. But I make use of my library (especially when it comes to my audiobook addiction). I don't buy many books simply because of the expense — but if there's a book I can't live without I definitely fork over the cash.
Review — "Forever" by Maggie Stiefvater Review — Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson It's Monday — 7.11.11
Today is the start of the Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by I am A Reader, Not A Writer. You can USE GOOGLE to see a list of the other participating bloggers.
Since I'm moving this weekend I wanted to make this giveaway as easy as possible. I decided to offer up to $15 to The Book Depository so the winner can pick pretty much any book they want.
One lucky winner will receive up to $15 from The Book Depository. Please check the LIST to make sure they ship to you. Rules: Must be at least 13 to enter. Name and email must be provided. Winner will have 48 hours to send me their address. Enter by filling out the form below. This is open INTERNATIONALLY and the giveaway ends Sunday night. I'll announce the winner on Monday.
I'm excited to be part of the Splash Into Summer Blog Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Page Turners Blog. You can USE GOOGLE to see a list of the other participating bloggers.
For this giveaway I wanted to offer up a choice from a few books that came out this month.
One lucky winner will receive one of these books from The Book Depository. Please check the LIST to make sure they ship to you. Rules: Must be at least 13 to enter. Name and email must be provided. Winner will have 48 hours to send me their address. Enter by filling out the form below. This is open INTERNATIONALLY and the giveaway ends Tuesday night. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday.
Today is the release day of Suzanne Young's newest book A Need So Beautiful . I can tell you that I have read this book and it blew me away! It is unique, captivating, addicting, and more! In order to celebrate this epic release, a few lovely people came up with a great idea of how we can all"pay it forward" and show some kindness to others. If you are wondering why that is important to the book, here is the book summary.
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten…
Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences. Authors have provided several Random Acts of Kindness to me that have helped me stay positive and enjoy my passion of books. When my blog first started it was those initial conversations with my favorite authors that inspired me to keep going and share my love of books with others. I will never forget the people who helped me along the way. It's important to always pass on kindness in any way you can.
Giveaway We have several giveaways to tell you about, with lots of ways to get extra entries!
Extra Entries:
Earn one extra entry for each of the following: -Take a picture of an author's book in the wild and tweet it to us and the author -Post a positive Amazon review for a book you loved -Donate a book to a library or classroom -Tweet a good deed you plan to do this week, using the #ANeedSoBeautiful hashtag
Earn 10 extra entries for each of the following: -Take a picture of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL in the wild and tweet it to us and Suzanne Young -Post an Amazon review for A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL -Donate a copy of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL to a library or classroom
Prize List: First 3 chapter critique (Jessica at Confessions of a Bookaholic ) YA Lit Swag Bag (Sara at N ovel Novice ) Hourglass Order from TBD – Int (Corrine at Lost for Words ) Random Books (Jessi at The Elliott Review ) 2 Header/Button Packs (Jessica at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile ) First 3 chapters Critique (Cindy at Books Complete Me ) First 15 pages Critique (Kari at A Good Addiction ) Signed ARC of Hereafter (Kari at A Good Addiction ) Query Letter Critique (S hannon Messenger ) Signed copy of Invincible Summer – US/Can ( Hannah Moskowitz ) First Chapter Critique and a Skype Chat ( Keri Mikulski ) Signed copy of Tell Me a Secret with signed TMAS art print — US ( Holly Cupala ) Signed copy of Chasing Brooklyn – US ( Lisa Schroeder ) The Pledge Swag Pack including ARC ( Kimberly Derting )
Daisy Whitney's Blog: 5 copies up for grabs by going to her facebook page or blog.
Rules: Contest ends June 28th Open Internationally but some giveaways are US only. Fill out the form below to enter.
*NOTE- This is the same form on ALL of the participating blogs. Please only enter once!
I am also giving everyone a chance to win a copy of A Need So Beautiful in the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop. It is open Internationally.
Suzanne Young: Website | Twitter
A Need So Beautiful: Balzer & Bray (6/21/11) Add to Goodreads
