The Believing Game

The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan
3.5/5 stars
Scholastic, 2012
373 pages
YA Contemporary Thriller Issues

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was very drawn in by the knife on the cover (which is totally relevant to the plot although it's kind of a spoiler so I can't tell you exactly how) and knowing my love for contemporary books and stories about cults, I decided to try this one out.

Greer has issues, to say the least. She struggles with food and she's a bit of a maneater but most troublingly to her parents is her penchant for shoplifting and the fact that she keeps getting caught. So she is sent off to McCracken Hill, a place for troubled teens. There she stays in isolation until drawn out by the mysterious Addison. He's smart and well-spoken and really close to his NA sponsor Joshua. But if Greer wants to be with Addison, then she'll have to play the believing game as she and other students are drawn into Joshua's web.

I guess my biggest problem with Greer was how blinded by Addison she was and how desperate she was to keep him, so much so that she looks past a lot of red flags from Joshua. The way she subordinated herself to Addison was so creepy even though I knew about her previous problems.  Furthermore she was so resistant to being helped through therapy and it just broke my heart-I always want to heal the characters I read about especially when they're in such bad situations.

The way everything escalated was very intense..building at a slow pace until the big finale. I did not expect that (and the epilogue was honestly a bit of a disappointment to me) but I can see how it all fits together (sorry for vagueness).

Overall: This was just an okay read for me-if you like reading about manipulative people, you'll get that here.

Hallowed

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2012
403 pages
YA Paranormal Angels

Source: Bought (an autographed copy!)

SPOILERS for first book Unearthly as well as Hallowed

OK-it took me way too long to pick up this delightful sequel! I think part of that was my general indifference to angel stories though I've seen this ranked as one of the best, I'll still take  contemporary over paranormal any day. The other part would be a lack of infatuation with Tucker. It seems like almost everyone else in the blogosphere swooned for the guy but I didn't get it. I did like Christian though.

I'm glad I already wasn't a fan of Tucker because his behavior in this book is not great. He's increasingly out of the picture, rather personality-less, and very jealous. As he should be because Christian and Clara are able to draw closer based on their shared angel heritage. But, I'm totally biases as an admitted member of Team Christian. Still I didn't like how Clara shunted Tucker to the side for his own protection. I hate when male paranormals do that to their human girlfriends and I hated it here too even though I don't like Tucker. Yeah, I have complicated feelings about the romantic relationships.

Did I mention there were spoilers? Because more are to come, starting now...

So Clara's dad is an angel? This makes sense. I actually knew that because I read some reviews with spoilers beforehand. I didn't predict that (as I mentioned in my Unearthly review, I bought that he was in New York doing whatever) but it didn't surprise me. Clara just seemed to powerful to have so little angelbood. I'm also "glad" that Clara's mom died. Not because I like reading about moms dying (way too common in books, TV, and movies) but because I wondered about her weakness in the first book and it was explained here.

I'm still wondering about Jeffrey-since we only get Clara's point of view, he does not come off well and I found myself very pissed off at him and his behavior. I'm also wondering about the overall battle between the angels and the Black Wings. I don't feel like all that much happened in this book even though I'm sure it is all pushing toward a grand finale in the third book. I'm especially curious to find out more about Clara's purpose (and how Christian ties into it). It is probably too much to hope that they'll procreate and bring more angel babies into the world but I can dream.

Overall: A really fun sequel although maybe a bit on the long side when considering what happens and what the audience learns. Excited for Boundless

Cover: I liked the purple on Unearthly more but it's good. They look nice on the shelf together.

Sad Cypress

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
4/5 stars
Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, 1939
271 pages
Adult Mystery

Source: Bought

I realized that it had been ages since I'd read an Agatha Christie and that I just happened to own one that had been left unread. Thus I set about to rectify the situation. The title meant nothing to me but it's apparently a quote from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" (which I am planning to read later this year!)

The book is divided into three parts.
I. This introduces all of the characters, including the setup for the story as flashing back from a trial, and concludes with someone dying, under suspicion of poison.
II. In this part, Hercule Poirot is brought in to investigate and we go over some evidence although nothing is revealed yet.
III. And in conclusion, we return to the trial where Poirot reveals what really happened. Did the police put the right person on trial? You'll have to read to find out!

As is usually the case in these Christie mysteries, the characters aren't particularly deep or memorable beyond Poirot's usual mannerisms (and his stupid egg-shaped head).

Did I solve the mystery? Well, I am utter crap at that so it will not be surprising to hear that I did not figure out the murderer or specific motive (although it's usually love or money and that was the case here). But I did feel a prickle of suspicion about one point that was crucial to Poirot's deductions. I couldn't manage to put everything together but at least I caught something.

Overall: I would not recommend this as your first introduction to Christie or Poirot but certainly worth a read for the die-hard fan.

Cover: I love, love, love these covers-I am collecting all of them!

Starting From Here

Starting From Here by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
4/5 stars
Amazon Children's Publishing, 2012
282 pages
YA Contemporary LGBT

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

This was a different kind of contemporary for me-most of the YA books I read are filled with characters who are economically comfortable if not insanely rich. The biggest worry might be paying for college, certainly a concern in this age of skyrocketing college expenses. But money isn't so much a concern. That is not the case in Starting From Here.  Main character Colby lives in a trailer, works a boring job at a grocery store to pay for gas and insurance (having worked at a grocery store, I can confirm that it is often dull), and rarely sees her father as he is always off driving his cab, trying to keep them afloat. I liked that this economic situation kind of shook me up and gave me a different perspective.

In some ways, this could be viewed as a pretty bleak book with Colby in a depression, never recovered from her mother's succumbing to cancer and falling further in when her not-quite-girlfriend Rachel dumps her and gains a boyfriend almost immediately. Colby is also extremely isolated and aching for her father's presence even though she cannot spit out the words. There is so much pain. I just wanted to hug Colby and there is an adult character who tries to reach out to Colby with some bumps along the way. She didn't seem to realize she was loveable and it just broke my heart.

Then Colby rescues a dog and starts flirting with a new girl and things are looking up! But not before more drama. Happily, unlike a lot of LGBT literature, this one ends optimistically. I haven't read very widely in that sub-category but I'm glad to have a book with its bright spots to balance out the darkness. I do tend to prefer happier lighter books than this one but you can rest, knowing that although a lot is packed into this story, it ends with hope.

Overall: A short book but a good one. It's not about starting all the way over; it's about starting from here and making the situation better.

The Suburban Strange

The Suburban Strange by Nathan Kotecki
4/5 stars
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
349 pages
YA Paranormal

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

The Suburban Strange was an odd but pleasurable reading experience. I didn't really know what to expect, having not seen many reviews of it before reading but I suspected that it was not your typical YA paranormal romance. This suspicion is quite accurate. I feel like the best way to approach this review is to divide it into the two main parts of the book: the contemporary and the paranormal.

The contemporary falls main character Celia falling in with slightly older kids (junior and senior to her sophomore status) who are very sophisticated, consciously striving to be more cultured and open to new experiences, holding themselves apart from the rest of the student population. This can be seen in their clothing to their carpooling practices to their outside pursuits to the music they listen to. This could have easily led to some kind of horror story where they were inducting her into a dark secret society but no, they were more instruments of her gaining confidence and undergoing a transformation to figure out who she wanted to be. Actually they helped make a rather good high school experience for her. I appreciated the music recommendations in this section as well as a shout out for The Awakening by Kate Chopin which is on my to-read list. I guess I felt I got a bit of education along with Celia in that respect.

The other section, the paranormal part, is almost entirely separate because Celia runs in the two different circles. This relates to the synopsis of girls almost dying on the eve of their sixteenth birthdays. Who could be acting in such a malicious way? Well, Celia teams up with the brightly shining Mariette (a really fun character) who is one of the Kind. That is, she is kind of a witch but you should not use that word. There is also a love interest but certain circumstances prevent him from playing too big of a role in the story. One disappointment in this regard was the final confrontation over the person responsible for attacking those girls-I thought it was over way too fast and easily.

Overall: I can definitely see this book being kind of divisive. It's a book I would classify as paranormal but it's not really like most other paranormals I've read. The characters aren't necessarily ones you'll strongly connect with but the writing is exquisite and I found the plot incredibly intriguing. I never considered putting it aside; I had to know how it would end.

Stacking the Shelves 25NOV12

Reminder: My 3rd blogoversary international giveaways are still going on-they end this Friday November 30th at 11:59 PM EST so if you haven't entered yet, go do so now!

As for what arrived for me this week...it was crazy! I received a bunch of books from Penguin imprints since I requested to be added to their list plus Amazon Vine had books available and Netgalley has had so many goodies. Unfortunately most of these books have 2013 releases so I won't be reviewing them soon but I'm excited to think about them!

Thank you to Penguin and its imprints!

The Ultra Violets by Sophie Bell

The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist

Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff by Robert Paul Weston

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Thank you to Amazon Vine and all publishers who are participating in this program!

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson

Prettiest Doll by Gina Willner-Pardo

The Perils of Sherlock Holmes by Loren D Estleman

Getting Over Mr. Right by Chrissie Manby

Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan

A Smidgen of Sky by Dianna Dorisi Winget

Super excited about these Netgalley titles!

The Lady Most Willing...by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway

Forever a Lord by Delilah Marvelle

What Matters in Jane Austen? by John Mullan

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Thank you to Ann Herrick for offering this to me!

Trading Faces by Ann Herrick

Upcoming Reviews For the Week:

--The Suburban Strange by Nathan Kotecki
A different kind of paranormal that may be divisive-on what side did I fall?

--Starting From Here by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
A contemporary YA tale exploring economics, grief, and queerness

--Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
A refreshing jaunt in Christie's masterful hands?

--Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
A follow-up in what I've seen listed as among the best YA angel series-did this live up to the first book's promise?

--The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan
How did this YA psychological thriller strike me?

Happy reading!

The Blue Sword

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
3/5 stars
Ace, 1987
Originally published 1982
248 pages
Adult Fantasy

Source: Received as gift.

I have read and loved several McKinley novels (most notably Deerskin, a very intense read not suitable for all audiences-read about it before deciding to actually pick it up!) and as I embarked on a mini-spree of reading my own books, I decided to finally give this one a try.

It ended up being a great example of how the way you're reading affects your overall reading experience. What do I mean by that? Well, this is a mass market paperback whereas I've been mostly reading books on my nook, in hardback or in ARC format. I found this kind of paperback very unwieldy and that it was impossible to read while eating unless I wanted to completely crack the spine (I didn't). Thus it took me much longer to read than it might have otherwise.

As for the story itself, I did not find it particularly gripping. Maybe it was because of the format. Maybe it is because I've read a lot of fantasy stories with similar elements over the years. That is not to deny the originality of this story as surely some were inspired by it. But since I read them first, they made more of an impression.

I did really like main character Harry and her journey in learning to wield the blue sword.  Most of the other characters weren't very strong to me. I'm already forgetting them. I do remember liking the hint of romance; it is definitely not overpowering if you're someone who might like a break in that regard.

Overall: I feel like this was really a case of wrong place, wrong time for me and this book. If I had read it, say, 10 years ago, it probably would have completely captured my imagination and sent me diving into other fantastical worlds. Instead I retreated into contemporary for more pleasant reads.

Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
3/5 stars
Aladdin, 2012
488 pages
MG Adventure Fantasy

Source: Bought (an autographed copy!)

Summary: For seven years Sophie has been the smartest kid around, placed in advanced classes but seriously socially out of sync. Her brains come partially from her ability to read minds but as it turns out, also because she is an elf. And soon she is brought into the world of elves, needing to learn their ways but also bringing her unique human-raised experience to bear on the travails ahead of them all.

So I have followed Messenger's blog for ages and was so happy to see her get her book deal. I was also super excited to read said debut and to have scored a signed copy along with illustrations of some of the main characters. However as I read, I kept thinking back to this review from The Book Smugglers, which captured so many of my feelings in a much more articulate way than I could.

In case you don't have time to click through and read their review, there are three main points. First is the treatment of science and magic. When main character Sophie discovers some of the things that elves can do but humans cannot, she calls it magic. The elf with her laughs at that explanation; see it's not science nor is it magic, it's just the way the world is. What?! What kind of answer is that, either for the supposedly bright Sophie or for me the reader? 

The second point is Sophie as "the Special Snowflake." She's uber-talented and impressive beyond her years to the characters in the book but certainly not to me. I found her pretty average albeit incredibly lucky in her circumstances and through some of the decisions she makes.

Third we have the Harry Potter ripoff-that was admittedly the part I enjoyed most. There are a lot of setup scenes as well as outside of school scenes but my favorite parts were by far those when Sophie was attending her classes (which are mostly one on one-there are apparently a lot of mentors).

From my own observations, I have to say that I don't find the title super accurate. I think it could serve as the series title as Sophie is surely going to become the Keeper of the Lost Cities but I don't think it really applies to the plot in this book. I also most quibble with the plot, which was on the long side and seemed to have the two sides of Sophie learning about her elfin heritage and attending school. As previously mentioned, the latter was what I liked most but the former comes to dominate at the end and I really struggled to read this rather lengthy book.

Overall: I so very much wanted to love this but for the multiple reasons outlined above, it did not please me. If these points stand out to you, this might not be the kind of read you'd enjoy either.

Ouroboros

Ouroboros by Christopher Turkel
4/5 stars
Libertary Company, 2012
168 pages
YA Dystopia Adventure

Source: Received an e-copy for review from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary from goodreads:

"In a dystopian future, Thomas the assassin is about to face the job of his career -- and his life. After avenging his alcoholic father's untimely death, Thomas begins his transformation into a cold-blooded killer. The Prakanis, a human race with superhuman abilities -- and superhuman egos -- rules the land of Xuelition with an iron fist, and as Thomas learns, it's much easier to work with than against them. When the government hires him to recover bonds from a disgruntled employee, Thomas has no idea what's in store for him. He's stealthy, clever, and one of the best assassins in the business, but what he learns on this mission will change his life forever."

This book was offered to me for review and I accepted after seeing the word "assassin" in the description. Having read a few YA books with assassins this year, I have realized that I adore those kinds of plots. I am also not yet tired of dystopias although I know many of my blogging buddies are but then I haven't read as many.

Overall, I did enjoy this book which is very fast-paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat following the path of Thomas. I'm not entirely certain I understand this new world in which Thomas lives but I could follow the basic rules. It seems that this is the first book in the series, I think there will be time for more to be revealed. As hinted in the summary, Thomas uncovers some big secrets. The plot is twisty and I had no hope of unraveling it so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. 

Then we come to the characters. At this time, I don't feel like I know Thomas super well; due to his training, he keeps his cards close to his vest and I believe it will take more books to really explore his personality. We are introduced to several other characters who will probably play bigger roles in future books but as it stands, we received tantalizing tastes of them.

The worst part for me was actually the formatting on my nook-what should have been the bottom of the page was in the middle and it disrupted the flow of my reading. I was able to train my eyes to skip over it eventually though.

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen
4/5 stars
Speak, 2012
380 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received as gift from parents (I love you Mom :)

This book looked exactly like my kind of read: fun, flirty contemporary albeit with a twist. See, main character Ella talks to painter Edward Willing, who has been dead for about one hundred years. Like serious in-depth conversations with him about his life and her own life. It's kind of a shock but it really appealed to me. I don't think this gimmick will work for everyone but I thought it was a fun twist.

Other great elements were the sense of humor shared by Ella and her friends. I laughed at many points in the book.  As a Pennsylvania girl, I really appreciated the Philadelphia setting although I'm not very familiar with the city myself so I cannot comment on any accuracy issues.  I wasn't the biggest fan of the love story, which has South Philly Ella crushing on popular boy Alex. It was cute enough but I didn't get a lot of sparks between the two.

My big problem with this book was a specific conflict with Ella, who is so insecure and constantly pushes away Alex and any attempts at happiness. She can't see how anyone would be interested in her. Now I completely understand that (if high school me was a YA character, she would have been just as annoying...or probably more so in this regard) but I'm afraid I was not super sympathetic in this case.

I also thought the book was a little choppy in places with some things taking forever to happen and others happening in the blink of an eye. This pacing was a distraction from my overall general enjoyment of this book.

One last thing to note is that it looks like this book is connected to Jensen's previous book Falling in Love with English Boys but it can be read as a standalone. Saying that, I definitely want to check out that earlier book because I really enjoy Jensen's writing.

Endlessly

Endlessly by Kiersten White
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2012
385 pages
YA Paranormal

Source: Bought (an autographed copy!)

Possible spoilers for the first two books

First book Paranormalcy was one of my favorite reads of 2011; however Supernaturally left me a bit disappointed. How would Endlessly leave me? Although Paranormalcy remains my favorite of the trilogy, overall I thought Endlessly was a pretty good conclusion to the trilogy, bringing a satisfying end to Evie, Lend, and all the paranormal characters we've met over the course of the books.

The biggest surprise to me was the changing of my feelings for Reth and Jack, two characters I really didn't like. Somehow though I began to see them with different eyes and appreicate what they added to the story. I'm still confused how Reth is Evie's ex-boyfriend when it kind of seemed more like he preyed on her when she was vulnerable but that is what he has been called multiple times so this time I just let it go. As one of the fae, he is still playing a long con where he needs Evie but he also shows more of the effect being around humans has had on him. Jack meanwhile had pissed me off during his introduction but knowing what we know about him now, he was much more charming to me. They definitely have personality and charisma to keep you hooked!

Another great thing was that Evie and Lend are firmly together. She's not sneaking around and lying to him like she was in Supernaturally although their relationship is by no means easy. There are several new challenges but the two don't give up. However I did find Lend rather dull this go-around. I just don't know that he has much to him beyond his shape-shifting abilities and devotion to Evie, both cool things but certainly not enough to make me swoon in the best book boyfriend way.

Still with all these pluses, I almost feel like the novelty of this world has worn off. What charmed me in Paranormalcy did not this time. The humor didn't make me laugh as much and the world didn't feel fresh. I thought the book dragged a bit as I waited for Evie to make the decision she had to make and I grew a bit tired of her delaying that.

Overall: If you liked the first two books, you're going to want to finish the series. I definitely recommend reading all three back to back if you can.

Cover: Love the purple-this series certainly has great covers especially for those of us who are suckers for a pretty dress.

Ten

Ten by Gretchen McNeil
4/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2012
294 pages
YA Mystery Thriller Contemporary

Source: Bought (an autographed copy!)

As a long-time Agatha Christie fan and a huge fan of retellings, this book inspired by her classic And Then There Were None was of immediate interest to me. It's a tricky story where I was unable to solve the mystery (although to be honest, I rarely figure out the murderer in a Christie) but I had hopes for doing so in this case. Alas they were misguided as I was caught completely off-guard by the actual murderer after thinking it was someone else. But let's go back to the beginning.

This book gathers ten teens together for a weekend with a raging party. Although not everyone knows each other, those who do have simmering tensions. Best friends Meg and Minnie both have a crush on popular boy TJ whose best friend Gunner used to date Minnie. Gunner's new girlfriend is also there as are a few more kids. But Meg is our main character although she does not narrate in first person, which kept throwing me. I am so used to YA main characters narrating that I often struggle to connect with third-person narration. This was the case here although I think the plot itself also helped with my disconnect. As the story turns dark, everyone is potentially a murderer and who wants to identify with a murderer?

So while I didn't connect with the characters, I did really appreciate the atmospheric setting. They're on a basically deserted island without power during a massive storm, which served to ratchet up the tension. I'm not usually one to notice the setting but it was very evocative here.

One last item to mention is something that also bothered me about the original book-I am just so uncomfortable with this vigilante justice. The murderer firmly believes in his/her cause, which would likely not be prosecuted had legal means been pursued but I hate the idea of a person deciding to claim their own justice through such means. It's the nature of the story but I really hate it.

Overall: Not at all character driven but full of suspense for fans of such.

Ramblings 18NOV12

I am so happy to have celebrated my 3rd blogoversary this past week-thanks so much everyone!

Unfortunately that plus life stuff has claimed a lot of my energy. I have been in a huge reading and reviewing slump. However I finished three books yesterday and am gearing up for a full week of reviews again so perhaps I am back to normal? Fingers crossed!

Received for review: 

 The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door by Karen Finneyfrock

Thank you to Penguin!

Upcoming reviews:

--Ten by Gretchen McNeil

How does this YA update compare to its inspiration, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None?

--Endlessly by Kiersten White

 Does this trilogy end satisfyingly?

--Ouroboros by Christopher Turkel

How did this action science-fiction tickle my fancy?

--The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Did this beloved fantasy classic work for me?

--The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

 A YA set in Philly-did this contemporary charm me?

--Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

How does this debut middle grade title stack up?

Looking forward to chatting with you about these books and happy reading!

3rd Blogoversary Wrap-Up

Reference Post for giveaways:

All are open until November 30, 11:59 PM EST.
All are open internationally; bonus entries include following on GFC and tweeting.

YA Contemporary
Romance Book
Choice of YA Book
Classic
2012 Release
Mystery
$50 worth of books

Thanks for sticking around-I'm shooting for at least another 3 years with you wonderful people. Much love and we'll resume regular blogging tomorrow when I ramble and then reviews for the coming week.

Blogoversary Giveaway #7

So we come to the final giveaway, the BIG one. Today's prize is:

$50 worth of books from Book Depository

Yep, that means absolutely any books you want!

Rules:
1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!

If you missed any giveaways, they're all listed in the sidebar or you can click on the tag "3rd Blogoversary."

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary Giveaway #6

Hello-and welcome to my week of giveaways in honor of my third blogoversary. Every day this week, I will be having a giveaway.

Most will be pretty straightforward-today you have the chance to win:

your choice of Mystery book, up to $15 at Book Depository

When I say mystery, I'm including thrillers and other suspense stories too. The book can be adult, YA, or MG so long as the main focus is on something mysterious. I've include some pictures of books I've reviewed on this blog to give you some ideas.

Rules:

1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week (and you definitely should!) but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary Giveaway #5

Today is actually the official 3rd anniversary of me deciding to create a blog. I had basically no idea what I was doing (still don't, let's be honest) but in general I do have a lot of fun. It's ridiculous

The giveaway for today is:

any 2012 release of your choice (no restrictions on genre or category)

I just love sharing pictures of my cat

 Rules:

1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry. You can also earn a third entry by leaving me a comment on today's post.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary Giveaway #4

Hello-and welcome to my week of giveaways in honor of my third blogoversary. Every day this week, I will be having a giveaway.

Most will be pretty straightforward-today you have the chance to win:

your choice of Classic, up to $15 at Book Depository.

Personally I have really been enjoying my readalong of Anna Karenina. Through this and other readalongs, I have discovered that not all classics are as intimidating as school made them seem. Even if you don't usually read classics, I encourage you to give them a try. You might be surprised by their accessibility and continued relevance.

Rules:
1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary Giveaway #3

Hello-and welcome to my week of giveaways in honor of my third blogoversary. Every day this week, I will be having a giveaway.

Most will be pretty straightforward-today you have the chance to win:

your choice of YA book, up to $15 at Book Depository.

I have included some ideas below but it's completely your choice. By YA, I am also actually including MG and New Adult, because why not?

Rules:
1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary Giveaway #2

Hello-and welcome to my week of giveaways in honor of my third blogoversary. Every day this week, I will be having a giveaway.

Most will be pretty straightforward-today you have the chance to win:

your choice of romance book, up to $15 at Book Depository.

I have included pictures below of some options but it's completely your choice. Any book where the main plot is a romance is up for grabs.

Rules:
1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships. So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. You do NOT have to follow although I appreciate it and you get an extra entry; you can also tweet for another entry.
4. Contest ends November 30 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email on December 1 and will have 48 hours to respond with book selection and address or else I will move on to the next person. I pledge to keep your address confidential and to delete it as soon as I have shipped your book.
6. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at bookworm1858@hotmail.com.
7. You are free to enter every giveaway this week but if you (somehow) win 2 or more, I will email you to pick one. I want to have seven different winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway