Thank You

It's been two weeks since I last posted.

I can't believe it.

I'm also not sorry.

When I began college in September, I felt terrible about being unable to post as often as I had in the past. I made a pact to post more often, to read later into the night, to write reviews earlier in the day.

Basically, I still had no concept of the fact that this is my blog and it's not going anywhere. 

The first week following my last post I was too busy to post. I had five major assignments due on the same date, I was frantically attempting to keep on top of my work and my other commitments in preparation to return home from Thanksgiving and I simply could not find the time to even glance at a blog. The past week, though, I've been busy but I've also been having a lot of fun. I still read every day, just fifteen minutes, but, strangely enough, there is enough to do, enough people to talk to, and enough hours in the day to sleep that I don't find myself tapping away on the computer as often as I once did.

And that's okay.

I'm here, on this Thanksgiving, to thank you all for sticking it out with me. Thank you for commenting even when I haven't visited your blogs. Thank you for including me on Twitter and Instagram even when it seemed as if I fell off the  planet. Thank you, publishers, for sending me all the ARCs I could possibly want even though I haven't posted an early review in what seems like ages. Thank you, authors, for e-mailing me and wanting me to review your work despite the fact that I seem so absent from the internet.

I love reading. I love reviewing. I love blogging.

Although these facts have remained constant, my life hasn't remained in stasis. I know I won't have as much time to blog in the coming weeks thanks to finals. I know I probably won't make my GoodReads goal for the first time in years because...college. But I also know that I will be here, always, just an e-mail or a comment away. I know I love reading your posts, your comments, your reviews. I know I want to click that "Publish" button again really soon and there are a couple of projects planned for the upcoming month. But instead of freaking out over unexplained hiatuses, instead of issuing a string of apologies, I'm just going to go with the flow.

It's life. It happens. And thank you for sticking with me through it.

Happy Thanksgiving!(:

The TBR Tag!

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I hate looking at one singular TBR list and finding books that haven't been released or which are classics or that I already own so I have multiple TBR piles which I keep track of on Goodreads. :)

Is your TBR mostly print or e-book?

I'd have to say my TBR is a mix of both. Currently, I feel as if it's mostly e-book since I request publishers to send me electronic copies of books since I'm in college and it's just easier than receiving parcels and finding space to stack up ARCs, but I also have a decent amount of print novels at home which are on my TBR and desperately need to be read someday. 

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

I'm a 100% mood reader. Most of the time, I'll know what I want to read next since it would have recently released and I'll snatch up a copy from the library or Amazon, but other times I just peruse my TBR shelves until I find a few books I really feel like reading that instant and then whichever one I can find I'll read. 

A book that's been on your TBR list the longest?

The Storyteller was, I believe, the first ARC I received and though I've wanted to read this novel many times since having received it, the sorrow that has been promised upon reading this has kept me away like the fearful reader I am. Someday...

A book you recently added to your TBR?

I haven't been able to avoid the gushing reviews of this novel on the internet and, of course, I had to add it to my TBR. If only I could get a copy as easily... ;)

A book on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover?

I saw the cover for this novel and was a goner. I don't actually know much about it but, ugh, so gorgeous.

A book on your TBR that you NEVER actually plan on reading?

I plan to read every book on my TBR but there are some, like Black Spring, where I doubt the reality of that actually happening. I adore the haunting cover of this novel but the fact that it's a re-telling of Wuthering Heights almost guarantees I won't enjoy it and though I've loved Croggon's prose in the past, I haven't picked up a book by her in nearly five years and can't be sure this is quite for me after all. Still, just the idea of it on my TBR warms my heart.

An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?

I think to say I'm excited for this is a vast understatement. Just tell me which organs I can donate to get my hands on a copy of this. 

A book on your TBR that basically everyone has read except you?

Yup, that's right. I don't even need to say anything else because everyone really had read this book. Except me. Oops!

A book on your TBR everyone recommends to you?

I'm almost tired of hearing about Mistborn. I love high fantasy, which is why this series gets recommended to me as often as it does, but I just haven't found the appropriate chunk of time to carve out for it yet. I know, I know, I need to. I will. Eventually.

A book on your TBR that you're dying to read?

I am such a die-hard sucker for werewolves (which clearly explains my torrid love affair with Adam Hauptman). Dunkle is an author I've really enjoyed in the past and combine that with the Scottish moors and creepy werewolves and I am basically a goner. If only I could find a copy of this book, though! :(

The number of books on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

I didn't want to know this number but if I count up all my multiple TBR shelves, it's 430. *winces*

Thanks for tagging me, Marlene! :)

I'm not actually going to tag anyone, only because I have no idea who has already been tagged vs. who hasn't but if you'd like to participate in the TBR tag, consider yourself tagged by me! ;)

I wish I could promise that exciting reviews are headed your way, but I can't. I'll hopefully get some blogging done this weekend--we'll see!--but I hope you enjoyed this post and wishing you all a fantastic weekend and week ahead! :D

A Life Update...(Because I've Been MIA For Waaay Too Long!)

I miss blogging.

I was walking back from the Science Center this evening, having been let out of my three and a half hour lab five minutes early, and instead of planning a complex schedule which would involve me eating dinner while reading Acts I and II of Much Ado About Nothing before sprinting to choir practice, I found myself missing the act of blogging. Of physically putting into words the emotions I felt while reading. Of not writing an essay on the form and meter of sonnets, of not writing responses to French literature from the Middle Ages, of not writing down homework but instead simply writing to impart a part of my soul.

Ever since beginning college a month ago, I've been meaning to put into words the experience of uprooting myself and beginning anew. It's thrilling. It's exciting. But it's also a lot more fearful than many let on. It's weird, really, how much I miss the little things. Opening the door for my younger brother when he got off the school bus. Seeing what outfits my mother would put together for work every morning. Loitering in the hallways with my best friend before class began. Running my hands across the spines of novels on my bookshelf just to feel their edges on my fingertips. Curling up with a lone book all weekend, just a blanket and a mug of coffee my constant companions.

I miss blogging. I haven't truly written a review I've felt proud about since arriving on campus. I just haven't had the time. If I haven't been studying or throwing myself into organization after organization, I've been socializing in the mad rush to find my best friend for life (because, apparently, college is where to find these people!). But, from now on, instead of leaving a post online for a week I do promise to regularly go back to posting new content. For myself, more than anything else. I need the break that blogging provides, perhaps just as much as I need the pleasure that reading gives me. I haven't found it difficult to read at least a novel a week since coming here but sitting down to discuss that novel? Now that I haven't been able to do as successfully.

Ultimately, this is a simple life update and a pledge to blog, to post, to read, to comment, to re-instate myself within the blogging community I've felt distant from this past month. Even if it's just to comment on blog posts and update my twitter account, I want to be apart of this. I've loved it, now, for two years, and I don't plan on giving it up. I apologize, truly, for being so absent this past month but I hope--and will sincerely be trying--to be present. And if you sense me slipping off the tracks, resorting to my state of reclusive reading and writing merely essays regarding French literature, do not hesitate to shoot me an e-mail and re-direct me to this post.

For those of you who began college recently, I hope you're adjusting as well as I am and are even half as in love with your campus and community as I currently find myself. If you aren't there yet--don't worry. It takes time. God knows I'm still adjusting and likely will be for the next two years (at the very least). For all my readers, friends, and the kind souls who've sent me encouraging messages this past asking me to keep up with blogging--thank you! Seriously, thank you for following me, for sticking with me, and for waiting for me to figure out--partially--this whole college-life-adjustment...thing. ;) You rock. And I'll be posting more often. Promise.

And to compensate for my absence, here are pictures!

Clearly, I've got my priorities straight and visited Wellesley Books, the local indie bookstore just a five minute walk from my dorm, during Orientation Week. This is their YA section...heaven! :) 

On the left you'll see sunflowers I was gifted by my Big Sister on Flower Sunday. Flower Sunday is a tradition where first-years are welcomed into the school and given a Big Sister since I'm attending an all-women's college and it was such an incredible ceremony. I don't have any more pictures since I was singing with the choir but I wish I did...it really was so special. On the right is my campus during sunset. It's gorgeous and the Galen Tower you see chimes every morning with music from the bells. It's kind of like that scene from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" when Quasimodo is playing the bells and the entire city can hear the music. It's gorgeous. 

Again on the left you can see my campus, like side from the other side of Lake Waban. It's a three-mile walk around the lake--which is beautiful to kayak in, by the way--and the view of the campus from a distance is breath-taking. On the right is the sole picture I took of my first night out in Boston where I attended an improv-comedy show. It was also the night the Northern Lights were visible to the naked eye here in the Northeast (not New Jersey, my hometown, but definitely up here in Wellesley) so that was quite a sight to see as well. 

Last, but not least, on the left is Platform 9 3/4. (Yup, I attend Hogwarts. BE JEALOUS.) ;P And on the right is a gorgeous pond I pass nearly every day.

I totally should have taken more pictures while on the lake and kayaking and during Orientation week but...for now I hope this will do. I hope you're all having a wonderful day and I will be posting again very, very soon. :D

The Next Big YA Book Event!

Calling all YA authors!

If you have ever hashtagged #amwriting, #MSWL, or #IWantToBePublishedSoBadlyMyEyeballsMightPop, than pay attention.

From September 17^th through October 1^st, Hipso Media Publishing and Jenny from Supernatural Snark will be hosting the ‘Next Big YA Book Event.’

Why is this good news for #amwriters?

Here’s how the event works. Most publishers work exclusively with agents, which makes it difficult (more like close to impossible) for up-and-coming writers to get their work seen. Well, Hipso Media Publishing will be opening their doors to all YA writers who dream of traditional publication, but can’t seem to catch a break. Writers who have mountainous ideas, along with an actual mountain of rejection letters. Hipso wants to pick one of those writers, and treat them like the literary rock star they are, showering them in every publishing perk someone of their caliber deserves:

-  Publishing contract with a generous royalty program

-  Custom cover from Seedlings Design

-  Candace Book Blog Book Tour

-  Exclusive front-page podcast on AuthorsOnTourLive, iReadBooksRadio and iHeartRadio (which gets an average of more than 1 million hits a year)

-  Novel as an eBook on all major retailers – Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, around the world

-  A featured post on Supernatural Snark

-  Awesome book swag, and more…

Once the winning manuscript is picked, Jenny from Supernatural Snark (Owner of Seedlings Design) will work with the author to create a custom cover that will be sure to shout, “NEXT BIG YA BOOK”. And then she’ll do a featured post on Supernatural Snark, to make sure the world hears.

No agents, hoops, or hassles. The only criteria are that your YA manuscript be finished, you must believe it’s great, and it must not already be published somewhere else.

Here’s the link to the submissions page and contact info:

http://www.hipsomedia.com/the-next-big-ya-book/

Good luck and happy writing!
-------
I honestly wish I was talented enough (or, really, just had the time and creativity!) to be one of those people who hashtag #amwriting. (Instead, I'm pretty all I ever hashtag is #tired or #collegestudentproblems or #bibliophile.) I think this event is simply fantastic so I encourage you all to participate, especially if you get your cover designed by Jenny @ Supernatural Snark who is just phenomenal. ;)

Well, that's all for today! I hope you're having a great week, not dying with back-to-back quizzes and tests, and getting a lot more reading done than I am. (Although, I do have to say, I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue and AAAHH if you haven't pre-ordered your copy then stop reading this and go pre-order it!) :D

Graduation: The End of an Era!

I know, I know, it's not literally the end of an era, but it feels like one. I'm not a highly photogenic person (like, say, Jasprit from The Readers Den who always posts pictures of her trips and looks absolutely stunning in ALL of them!), but since I sorta promised I'd share some graduation pictures and you all seemed so excited to see them (you guys are so sweet!), here goes nothing! ;)

Graduation

On the left is a picture of my mom and I outside the stadium where I graduated and on the right is my younger brother (so cute!) and my dad in front of our house. We're sadly blocking the daffodils that have bloomed, but you can see them peeking out the side.

I was actually with friends in both these pictures but I'm not sure they'd want their pictures online so I cropped them out. But, you can see me in my graduation robes!

Prom

Yet another picture where a friend of mine had to get cropped out...oh well! I posted another prom picture on my Instagram, so just this one, I guess, as a reminder of Senior Prom. :)

Washington D.C

I'd gone to D.C. over Memorial Day weekend and taken a mini-break from the blog, so here are some pictures of the time I spent there with my family!

On the top right is a selfie I took with my mom in front of the Washington Monument. On the top left is a picture with my brother around the Smithsonian museums. On the bottom right is a picture of me walking towards the Lincoln Memorial with the reflecting pool. And on the bottom left is a family picture where you can see the columns and fountains from the World War II Memorial in the background along with the reflecting pool again. 

Well, those are pictures! I'm celebrating it up at grad parties this weekend, so I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend as well! :D

On Reading Slumps & College Visits

Over the past month, I feel as if I've been more absent from the blogosphere than present.

Sorry. 

In all honesty, I've been in an odd form of a reading slump. Granted, I haven't been reading the best of books, but even when I do pick up a great book and give it a high rating, I don't feel fulfilled by the novel in the least. I feel as if I'm still searching for the perfect book to get me out of my strange moods and unhappy reading funks, but I can't seem to find it yet. I feel as if my inability to become wholly immersed in a story is due to my own mental and emotional turmoil. Usually I can distance myself from the issues of my day-to-day life by reading; I can devote myself completely to a new world and unique characters and different dilemmas. Usually. 

Ever since I got back from Disney World in late March, I've been receiving acceptances and rejections from colleges which, obviously, has been hard. I didn't get into my top choice school. None of my friends got into their top choice schools. In fact, my very best friend and I - who have been neighbors for the past decade and inseparable friends for at least the past five years - aren't even going to the same college. On some level, I knew we would all wind up on our own separate paths, but it suddenly feels so real. I have six Mondays left in the school year. Six. And then I'm done with high school. 

Weird. 

Anyway, the point of this post is this: I am taking a short break to visit colleges in Boston, so I will be back with (hopefully!) more frequent posts on Thursday. I did, luckily, get into my second choice school, so after a quick visit I have a feeling I'll be ready to put down my deposit and commit. Even though I didn't get into my top choice school, I have a feeling I'm going to be a LOT happier at the school I did receive admittance into and I'm really very excited about visiting. I'm even staying overnight with a friend of mine at her dorm, so it should be a great trip. :)

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend filled with plenty of coffee, sunshine, and books. And I hope the start of this new week is just as wonderful and exciting for you as it will be for me. 

See on Thursday, dear readers!

Where Dreams Come True...

Anyone want to take a guess where I'm going to be tomorrow? ;) 

^Cinderella's Castle! :D

I'm off to Disney World for my Senior Trip and I am SO EXCITED. I went to Disney when I was ten, but I barely remember my time spent there and with a three-year-old brother in tow, our schedule was hectic and absolutely crazy. But, this time, I am prepared to enjoy myself completely. I'll be up at 4 AM to catch my flight and will be back only next week, so expect my next blog post on Wednesday, March 19th. Until then...may all your dreams come true! :)

Reading Resolutions for 2014

1. Expand 

I really want to expand my reading tastes this year. Over the past two years I've been working on reading a lot of different genres within the Young Adult category, not to mention expanding out to Adult works in genres I enjoy such as Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, and Science Fiction. Well, this year I want to add to that repertoire everything from Classics to Adult Fiction. 

2.  Casual Reviews 

Another goal I really want to be able to achieve this year is to review books casually. I tried this out last year when I posted a few brief thoughts on two LGBT novels that really affected me emotionally as a reader, so I want to get more comfortable doing this. I not only think it is an easier method of reviewing, in many ways, but also a more accessible one. 

3. Breaks 

I am my own worst enemy. I critique myself endlessly and push myself a lot too, which has resulted in a blog that, for the past eighteen months, has seen few breaks but lots of reviews. I did take a break this past holiday season, though, and I loved the liberating feeling it gave me. I think that, in an of itself, has shown me that I shouldn't be afraid to take a well-needed break when I need it. 

4. Participation

I plan on making a conscious effort this year to participate more in events around the blogosphere. I took part in a lot of blog tours during my first six months of blogging and haven't participated in too many since, but I think it's time to re-introduce those to the blog, along with blog hops and other features. Over the past year I've been too isolated in my bubble of reviews of independent guest posts which has put a lot of weight on my shoulders to have a review out constantly, so I want to ease up on that strain and set more realistic goals for myself. 

5. Features

I have also been considering joining in on a few more features. I've been contemplating the idea of a seasonal feature, one that would appear four times a year to re-cap any novels I've read and haven't reviewed. I do read quite a bit of Adult Romance, which I find is the type of feel-good story I turn to when I'm craving a mindless read every-so-often, but I haven't sold myself on the idea. Any thoughts? Any other features I should look into and consider? Or just features you'd be interested in seeing on the blog? 

6. Design 

Okay, let's all be honest: that header and button are just atrocious. I can't even look at them half the time. I need to change them - and FAST! - so that's another resolution for the year I hope to complete.

7. ARCs
Essentially, my plan is to request less of these. I've been receiving a LOT of unsolicited ARCs lately, which I love, but with so many ARCs at my doorstep, I've been getting overwhelmed by the combination of both the ones I request and the ones I don't. While resisting ARCs is hard - seriously, HARD - I plan to try my best and devote that reading time to other novels.

Well, those are my resolutions for 2014...what are yours? I'd love to hear about them in the comments, not to mention your thoughts on how difficult or easy mine will be to both keep and execute! ;) And I wish everyone an absolutely wonderful year ahead, full of books, coffee, and even more good reads!

Happy Holidays + End of the Year Giveaway!

Happy Holidays! 

I hope everyone is having a lovely time with their family and friends today and for the rest of this holiday season. I'm wishing you all a very prosperous new year ahead with plenty of books, coffee, and reading time! ;) 

I'll be on hiatus until January 2nd, but until then I'm choosing to finally kick back, relax, and get some reading done. While I'm gone, however, you can enter for a chance to win one of the following books released this past year. I've received a LOT of books from publishers which I don't plan to read, so I will be picking THREE lucky winners to pick a book of their choice from the pile below. I hope you find something you like, so good luck! 

Books to Win: 

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz (HB)

The Storycatcher by Ann Hite (PB)

Torn by David Massey (ARC)

Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall (HB)

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher (ARC)

Fractured by Sarah Fine (ARC)

Phoenix Island by John Dixon (HB)

Shadow's Curse by Alexa Egan (PB)

Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian (Signed HB)

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher (PB)

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg (HB)

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick (HB)

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron (HB)

International Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Banned Books, Goodreads & Other News

I nearly always miss Banned Books Week, but I was lucky enough to be reminded before-hand, which is the only reason this post even exists. Banned Books Week is, actually, a really important event for me every year. Not exactly because I sit down to read a handful of banned books, but rather because the full extent of the phrase banned books finally hits me. I think I first learned about banned books when I was eleven – which is rather late. Although my parents never banned me from books, I always knew that I was not meant to read certain novels or pages before a certain time. For instance, I distinctly remember my mother telling me not to read the “August” section of our “A” Britannica Encyclopedia of the World as it mentioned Virgo, the star sign of the month, and my mother thought I was far too young to know about virgins at the age of nine. Understandable.

However, the actual banning of a book is an entirely different idea altogether. Just the image of burning books, crossing out words, or hiding a novel so it cannot be read and appreciated is downright blasphemous. After all, words have had the power to change my life, countless times, and the thought of others being denied that gift is heart-breaking.

I decided that, to celebrate Banned Books Week, I’d put together a list of some of my favorite banned titles from the American Language Association. After all, these books deserve to be celebrated, no matter what.

(My Favorite) Top Banned Books of the Past Decade (2000-2010)

1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

I knew this was banned, but to be number one on the list was a little shocking, even for me. Quite simply put, this series is transformative. It lent me strength while I grew up and taught me so many valuable life lessons. It’s…magical.

8. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

I know this was my first real fantasy series and it blew me away. It still does. I’ve never re-read it, but my memories of it are so vivid and my emotions are so sharp and clear because this trilogy is just incredible.

23. The Giver by Lois Lowry

I think this was my first true dystopian novel, so I remember being both eerily fascinated by it and ever-so-slightly confused. It’s truly a remarkable piece of fiction, though, only because it makes you think and explores so much gray area. I struggled to believe anyone would want to ban this back when I read it more than half a decade ago and I still struggle to believe that today.

(My Favorite) Banned Classics

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In the four years since I’ve discovered this book, I’ve already read it six times. And each time I’ve read it, I uncover something new about it and see this novel in a whole new light. Is it one of my favorite books ever? Yes.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

If you’ve read this book, you know just how wonderful it is. I love the book, I love the film, and I love the new anniversary edition covers. ;)

27. Native Son by Richard Wright

I read this just two years ago and it shocked me, confused me, and made me see the world in a whole new light. I don’t think that we, as people, can fully comprehend discrimination until we’ve read Native Son. We know it, on an academic level, and perhaps we’ve even experienced it, but not like this. I think this is one of the most under-read, fallen-under-the-radar classics ever, but I sincerely hope that isn’t the case in the future as it is so good.

On this note of censorship, let's stop to discuss Goodreads for a moment, shall we? Jessie from Ageless Pages Reviews and Nafiza from Bibliophilic Monologues both wrote wonderful posts about exactly what Goodreads has done and why their censorship is wrong (which is why I'm skipping over those subjects). All I really want to say about this is...what now? I joined Goodreads last year and found a community that accepted me for my bookish quirks and appreciated me for my opinion. I have - luckily - not had any of my reviews taken off of Goodreads, but I don't want to sit in the perpetual fear that they will. Does this mean I want to join Book Likes? Not really. Honestly, I appreciate Goodreads more for its ability to let me connect with other readers than anything else. I refer to the reviews of my trusted friends constantly, but even more than that, I love that readers are able to interact so easily with me and I with them. I don't worry over losing books or reviews in moving to a new website, I worry over losing friends. And so, I want to know now, what are you doing about the issue on Goodreads? Are you joining Book Likes, or completely leaving Goodreads? I will probably make myself a Book Likes account sometime soon and I will probably begin using it, but unless I can find all my friends back on it, I doubt it will completely replace Goodreads for me.

And on an entirely unrelated note, I wanted to add that I will be rather…absent…from the blogosphere over the next two months. Why? COLLEGE. I thought last year, with standardized tests every two months, was bad, but college applications are even worse. I’m currently still finalizing my list and I have two out of the twenty essays I need to write finished, but I have a looot of writing and editing in my future. I still have nearly a dozen backlogged posts, not to mention tons of ARCs to read and review in-between now and December, and I will definitely be commenting on blogs – only because I really just LOVE to – but if you notice me posting visibly less or perhaps commenting occasionally (I’m going to try to give shout-outs on Twitter, even if I can’t comment!), then just know it’s because I’m caught up in the college frenzy. I’m hoping to be mostly finished by the time December rolls around, so if I can get through this in one piece, I’ll be relieved. Anyway, just wanted to let you know! :)

And so, back to banned books! What are some of your favorite banned books? Have you experienced censorship (in another form than the current Goodreads Debacle...)? What are your thoughts about banned books? I'd love to hear, so let me know in the comments! :)

One Year Blogoversary Giveaway!

One. Year. Holy. Crap. 

Can you believe it? I can't. In all honesty, this has been the hardest year of my life. Junior Year in America is no walk in the park. I've had Major Life Changing Exams every month and have been taking ridiculously hard classes I now regret taking and in the midst of all that I've been blogging. Seriously, it's thanks to you all that I am sane and even made it through the year. Every comment, every conversation, every kind word - it all made my day and, really, my year. I can't wait to have many, many more blogoversaries in the future and make even more amazing friends.

If you want to get to the giveaway, just scroll below. Otherwise, stick around while I embarrass the heck out of you and thank all of you amazing people (in no particular order) for making my past year online absolutely amazing! :D

HUGE thank you's to...

Inge for encouraging me to start my own blog. I wouldn't be here without you! Also, thank you for your loooong e-mails that make my day and your fabulous Tom Felton GIFs that bring a smile to my face every time! ;)

Aneeqah for being the very person person to comment on my blog and one of my most faithful followers still.

Sam, Rachel, Olivia, Jenny, Wendy, Rey, Melissa, Asheley, Tanja, Heather and Amanda for their wonderful comments!

Steph Su for encouraging me to read Jessica Darling - which I then proceeded to absolutely LOVE. Also, thanks to Sarah for forcing me to read that series as well, not to mention many others. I also love your podcasts. A lot.

Jasprit for all our crazy read-alongs, your sweet comments and your continued friendship.

Lauren for our great e-mail conversations and ongoing discussions. I would have probably gone crazy if I couldn't shoot an e-mail to you, Lauren, while reading CP2. ;)

Heidi for the numerous recommendations, beautiful reviews that I always look forward to, fantastic read-alongs, and wonderful conversations. You're amazing. I hope you know that.

Maja for my staggering TBR-Pile, for introducing me to every UF Series I currently read, for oozing passion in your reviews so I'm convinced to pick them up, and for all our great book discussions. I love your writing style and I really hope you'll write a book one day. I'll buy it. Promise.

Mandee for being one of the nicest people in the world. Seriously, Mandee has a heart made of gold and she is generous beyond words. Thank you, dear, for not only our book swap (and all the other books you've sent me), but for our conversations and your lovely comments.

Savindi for all of our long e-mails on everything from One Republic and The Script to David Gandy. Also, thanks for letting me know about all the giveaways out there (and helping me win) and for your insight on college and books, especially The Raven Boys. 

Flannery & Catie from The Readventurer for being incredibly awesome in their own right. Flann for sending me The Bitter Kingdom (I know you said it wasn't a big deal, but it TOTALLY WAS for me) and for tweeting me and writing me the sweetest comments; Catie for all the fabulous reviews that have pointed me towards some amazing books and for our Blue Sword read-along - thanks to you I wasn't the only one who disliked that one. Also, thanks for giving me the opportunity to guest post on your blog, ladies! :D

And last, but never least, Kailia, my long-lost-twin-sister. We're both Indian. We both love Kristin Cashore. And pretty much every other book we both enjoy is the same too. Nearly all our ratings match up and basically, you're just fantastic. Thanks for all the amazing twitter conversations. You inspire me to blog since you actually read my blog, so I always know that at least one person is reading my posts every day. Congrats on graduating and I can't wait to meet you this summer!(:

If I forgot anyone, please forgive me and shoot me an e-mail. I will reply with an ode to how incredible you are and what an idiot I am for forgetting you. Also, I'd like to thank ALL of my followers, readers, commentors, and subscribers - you're all fantastic and that feeling of happiness that comes from seeing that someone else is reading my blog or from finding a comment from someone new or from just seeing my page view increase never ceases to make me happiest. All of you have supported me this year, so thank you! :)

International Giveaway! 

Enough sentimentality, let me let you all win some books! I'm giving away ONE book from the following list - a list of my most anticipated reads for the upcoming year - to one lucky winner INTERNATIONALLY. If I reach 1000 followers (at least 750 on Bloglovin'), I will give away THREE books to three respective winners. I don't expect to reach that many followers, hence the reason I'm being so generous, but if you like my blog then do spread the word. Also, sorry for the continued terrible button and header. I need to change those this summer...

GOOD LUCK! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway