I cannot believe that tomorrow will be 4 years that I've been blogging and reviewing on Laura's Review Bookshelf. It hasn't always been easy and let me tell you, some times I just wanted to give up all together.
But I persevered and I've met so many great authors and bloggers and book lovers. I wouldn't change a thing. My first ever review on this blog was the fantabulously talented Jeannine Garsee. And she's been a great friend during all of this. She's been the one that I go to when there is some sort of blogging shit going down.
As a blogger, we've been accused of only doing it for free books. Well that couldn't be the furthest thing from the truth. We do it because a) we love to read; b) we really want to promote authors, especially new, debut authors.
One of my first relationships with a debut author was Michelle Zink. We emailed back forth and just became very friendly. She sent me a copy of her book a pretty much 18 months before
Prophecy of the Sisters came out and I fell in love with her gorgeous, moody, gothic writing. I've had lunch with Sarah Ockler. I've had drinks with Holly Black, David Levithan, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Barry Lyga, Cassie Clare, Elizabeth Scott, Michael Northrup, Gordon Korman, Sara Zarr.
I have had such a great time blogging and meeting so many great authors especially at BEA. That is such a great time and I wouldn't miss it for the world.
So without much ado, I want to tell you how I am celebrating number 4:
I am giving away to one (1) person FINISHED copies of THOUGHTLESS & EFFORTLESS (Effortless will not be released from warehouse until 12/17). Publisher will mail.
I am giving away to one (1) person FINISHED copies of GABRIEL'S INFERNO & GABRIEL'S RAPTURE. Publisher will mail.
To one (1) person FINISHED copy of SIGNED DISASTROUS (sent by author)
To one (1) person BOUND MS of THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY (mailed out by me)
To one (1) person BOUND GALLEY of LOVE UNSCRIPTED (mailed out by me)
To one (1) person SIGNED COPIES of AVOIDING COMMITMENT & AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY (mailed by author)
To two (2) separate people ebook copies of NOAH (5th Street Series, Book 1)
To two (2) separate people ebook copies of GIO (5th Street Series, Book 2)
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| You can win these books! |
I am so happy that I was able to whip this wonderful anniversary together in such a short time. But my readers are the winners. I've read all of these books and they are absolutely wonderful and will make another reader so very happy. Plus it's perfect for the time of the season.
To all my readers, thank you for visiting my blog. I know it's not as snazzy or energetic as other blogs, but I enjoy doing what I do.
To all the authors, thank you so much for being a friend and allowing me to read and review your babies. I know how difficult it is to read reviews and I try to be fair and honest. I've been very lucky with books I have read. You are all wonderful people and I hope to be friends for many years.
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Well today is my fourth year of blogging. It's been a memorable four years--some good, some not so good. I've met some wonderful bloggers and authors and publishers and publicists, editors, agents, etc. The writing community is a tight-knit, much loved community that I am proud to say that I am a member of. I may not be published or a New York Times bestseller, but sometimes I feel like one. I want to thank all the authors who have allowed me to be with their babies and understand the difficulty it is as a reviewer. Because we all want to like every book we read. However that is not entirely possible and as a reviewer, we straddle that fine line of completely alienating the author who has allowed us into their world and read their creation.
I thank all the authors and publicists and publishers for enabling my reading addiction with some terrific books. I look forward to another year of great books, good friends and interesting conversations.
I just love this cover. I bet you all figured out what book it was!
And like I promised I have a very special guest. Damien Locke has taken time out to answer some of my questions and boy does he have a lot to say!
Laura's Review Bookshelf (LRB): How surprised were you when you realized that you had a Superhero for a dad? And have you reconciled the idea that he’s a good guy?
Damien Locke (DL): Surprised doesn't even begin to cover it. How about mortified? Or maybe just nauseated. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to, you know, me. They're not even supposed to happen to other people--they're not supposed to happen at all.
Am I okay with him being a good guy? It's not the fact that he's "good" that gets me, it's that he's too good. Like, saving kittens out of trees? Who does that? For a living? The more I think about it, the more I'm not surprised he did it in some dirty subway bathroom with my mad scientist mom. If you ask me, someone as unnaturally squeaky clean as the Crimson Flash had it coming. No one can be that on the up-and-up all the time.
LRB: Do you think you’ll have the X on your thumb forever?
DL: No way. I'm getting rid of this thing as soon as possible. Believe me when I say nobody wants to have an X. It's worse than having no letter at all, because at least with no letter there are tons of people out there who also have no letter.
So as I promised, I would be posting some trivia questions as to what the big blog post on December 3, would be.
This book was released on May 11, 2010. The author was at BEA that year and she signed my book. (Goodreads)
"OMG. I can't tell you just how much I enjoyed this book. Seriously there are no words. This is a book that I grabbed an ARC of during ALA mid-winter and was holding it up shouting at passerbys to buy when it was released. " --Irisheyz77
Just so you know how this works:
Everyday I will be posting a trivia question that you can guess the answer to. As we get closer to December 3, the Trivia questions will become clearer. On December 3, there will be a giveaway of the book in question with special additions from the author!!!! So make sure you check back EVERY DAY!!! The person with the most correct answers will win the book! I will also be posting hints as to where you can find the answer.
Four years is a HUGE accomplishment!
Congratulations, Laura!
Congrats on 4 years!!! Many more to come.
Congrats on 4 years!!
Congrats on your 4 years!
Congratulations!!
Happy 4 years !.!.! :) looking forward to another 4 more years.
Congratulations on your 4 years blogoversary! Wishing you many more wonderful years and a continually growing base of readers!
Thanks for this amazing giveaway! :)
Best wishes,
Tess
tess_halim(at)hotmail(dot)com
Congratulations!!! Very cool giveaway.
sankofa0509(at)yahoo(dot)com
Congrats on your 4 years !!!
Thanks for the giveaway!!!
Congrats on 4 years! I may not be able to enter the giveaway (Canadian) but I just wanted to say it's an awesome one and good luck to all others! :)
Also quickly just wanted to add that it's because of these blogs that I've read some of the books I have, some of which are on the giveaway list. Books that i've fallen in love with and recommended on more than one occasion so it's because of people like you and blogs like this that I read them in the first place and I just wanted to say Thank You for all the work and effort you put in as well!
Congratulations on this awesome milestone and many more to come.
Thank you for the giveaway!!!
Congratulations on 4 years! Thank you so much for the giveaway! :)
Congrats Laura!
Happy 4 years and many more to come. Amazing giveaway :)
Congratulations on 4 great years!
COngratulations!!
4 years, congratulations!! :)
Congrats of 4 years!! That's amazing. best wishes for many many more.
4 years is amazing. Congrats and cheers to 4 more, at least!
Congrats on 4 years and here's to many more
Congratulations! :)
Yeah! Here's to another 4!
Congratulations on your anniversary!!
Congrats on 4 years !!!
[email protected]
Congratulations on your blog's success. And thanks for the giveaway.
Damaris dsr002(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account
it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
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Congrats on the success of your blog. Happy Anniversary!
Sorry I missed this post. Congrats! Happy Anniversary!
Congrats on 4 years....!!!