4th Blogoversary Post and #giveaway

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." One of my favorite quotes from literature and an apt description of my latest year in the blogging world as I have had a lot of ups and downs. I remember my first year where I didn't really know what I was doing or even wanted to do. My second year saw me complete a lot of reading and feeling very accomplished. My third year saw tremendous growth in numbers but also troubles balancing blogging with full-time work. And now we've reached four full years since I made my first post.

Why worst?

I have lacked so much motivation this year. There have been multiple points when I didn't want to read, write, and/or comment; most frequently I felt like I didn't want to do any of those things. And it's not because of blogging drama or a lack of good books. I think it's partly because sometimes I feel more interested in work or clothes, neither of which I want to be too detailed about on my book blog. It just doesn't seem the place. But it's also some lack of internal motivation that I'm thinking about how I'll want to address in the coming year. I'm definitely thinking less posting but I know that will be a struggle as I feel guilty when I don't post anything. This is a work in progress and I'll keep you informed about what's going on in my life.

Moving on to the best!

First would be the realization and acceptance of myself as a writer. As I shared, I used to think of writers primarily as novelists (not to downplay the work of poets, playwrights, etc.) just because that's what I mostly read. But I do think I can lay some claim to calling myself a writer as I write a lot and am drawn to an elegant turn of phrase, always searching for the perfect words to describe where I am.

Secondly I've gotten to participate in some fun tours and score some amazing ARCs-I tell people in real life all the time about the great books I get to read and have even had discussions about some of them. I appreciate how I feel encouraged to try books I wouldn't otherwise know about without being in the blogging world and being on the cutting edge of trends. That often means reading a book way before it's turned into a movie and gets the attention of the general public.

But the very best is all of you of course! It's kind of cliche to say that the blogging community is the reason for continuing but it has reached that point because it's true. Whenever I confessed my lack of motivation, I received commiseration and encouragement. When I had something exciting to share, I got enthusiasm in return. I am so thankful for everyone who stops by my blog, who leaves a comment, who shares of themselves and their time. I don't always know how to express that appreciation but I value your comments (especially when we differ on a book-our cordial disagreement is something I'm proud of; no screaming matches in my comments!) and knowing that you're there. THANK YOU!

Giveaway:
I'm doing something kind of different; for book choice, you can pick any book I've reviewed here up to $20 at Book Depository or Amazon, depending on winner's location. In four years, that's over 1100 books so you have loads of options across genres and categories. My archives are mostly up to date (arranged here by title and here by author) but you can also search in the side bar.

1. There will be 1 winner, who must have a mailing address in a country where Book Depository ships (or it will be through Amazon if US). So this contest is international :)
2. You must be 13 years of age or older or use parental information to enter.
3. To enter, you must merely leave your email; there are extra optional entries for following, tweeting, and commenting
4. Contest ends December 1 at midnight, EST per Rafflecopter standards
5. Winner will be contacted via email by December 2 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. Thanks for celebrating with me :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway