I'm back...

...and I have the winner of my little contest:

Maeve!

Congratulations :D
I don't even have to post it out (I'm so cheap)

Oh by the way, it was my blogiversary

Three days ago, this blog turned three! I didn't forget, I was just lazy. But I like traditions, and blogiversary means giveaway. I can't skip that. Now, since I'm even poorer than last year, I'm going to give away only one book. But the good part (for me) is that I get to browse around all the fabulous charity shops and pick a book for the lucky winner. You know the feeling you have when you look at second-hand books you really love and are really cheap? You're really tempted to buy them again and bring them home, but usually there is no point. You already have that book and you also already read it. I keep seeing books I love all over the place, because I'm more than even browsing charity shops few times a week. And it's OK when there's someone with me whom I can recommend the book to. But when I'm alone I feel very guilty to just buy it for future gifts. So now you have a chance to make me feel less guilty! See, I'm not generous at all, it's all for my selfish pleasure :D
All you have to do to get the book is comment below. If you don't have a wish list, start making one! Also, if you don't have an online catalog, get one! Otherwise, you'll just have to go with whatever you get and risk to get a book you already read/have.
Deadline is June 22. I know, it's ages from now, but I'm going on holiday next Monday, and it's not even a week from now, so I thought I'd give more time to spread the word, until I come back. Good Luck!

photo credit:http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/

Habemus Winners!

I have the winners of my little contest! I had a pretty hard time picking the first place. There were some really good recommendations there, thank you guys! Now I want to read all of the books mentioned. But I said I was going to pick just one and so a ruthless decision had to be made:

I choose Pam, who recommended Life of Pi. This book has been sitting on Mt tbr for way too long now and she really refreshed in me the enthusiasm that made me buy it.
Thank you again to all the others who took the time to look at my list and urge me to read their favourites. I will, I promise.

Now for the other two. I put all the names in the web hat (which is randomize.org obviously) and look at what happened:

There were 12 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. thebestvillain
2. Nymeth
3. etirv
4. throuthehaze
5. marie
6. amanda
7. silverhartgirl
8. lindsey
9. lexie
10. dag88888
11. mj
12. deedles

Congratulations to Pam, thebestvillain and Nymeth! You all can choose a book and e-mail me. If you really want one from the list I posted...great! If you want more options I'll e-mail you some more:)

2 years of blogging! and traditional giveaway!

And another year has gone by!
To be honest, I didn't feel like blogging at all today. It's been such a gloomy and rainy day. I've been shuffling around the house unable to do anything else apart from being miserable about the weather. Also, I tried to draw a pretty picture to represent my second blogiversary, but it was rubbish. I spent at least 3 hours trying to make it better with photoshop, but I forgot I can't use photoshop to save my life, so I ended up being extremely frustrated . My second, much less ambitious attempt will have to do. But enough with the moping, I should be celebrating here.
Whoohoo! 2 years of blogging!! Awesome!! I can't believe I'm almost a veteran.
Now, I DO want to keep the tradition alive by giving away books, BUT, since I'm much poorer (financially) than last year, I can't, unfortunately, offer to buy books as a prize.
I still want to give away something, so this year it's gotta be proofs! Yes, those I have aplenty:)
There's something for every taste: YA, chick lit, thriller, historical...you name it.
If necessary I will e-mail the full list to the winners. Which are going to be 3. Like last year. I like traditions. You can start choosing from this list:

Chains by Laurie H. Anderson (YA historical)
The Bohemian girl by Kenneth Cameron (thriller/mystery)
The Information Officer by Mark Mills (thriller/mystery)
Broken Glass by Sally Grindley (kids/YA)
Inside the whale by Jennie Rooney (General Fiction)
Winter song by Jean-Claude Mourlevat (YA adventure)
Waterslain Angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland (YA thriller)
How Kirsty Jenkins stole the elephant by Elen Caldecott (kids)
Blue Flame by K.M. Grant (YA fantasy)
The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker and David Colmer (General Fiction)
The Mother's Tale by Camilla Noli (General Fiction)
The Household Guide to Dying by Debra Adelaide (General Fiction)
Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks (YA)
Shire Hell by Rachel Johnson (General Fiction)
Counting the Stars by Helen Dunmore (historical fiction)
Tethered by Amy McKinnon (crime/mystery)
All we ever wanted was everything by Janelle Brown (General Fiction)
Real World by Natsuo Kirino (general fiction...crime?)
A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone (YA chick lit)
The Undrowned Child by Michelle Lovric (YA fantasy)
Beautiful Dead by Eden Maguire (YA zombies)
Sunbathing Naked and other miracles cures by Guy Kennaway (Memoir)
The book of Fires by Jane Borodale (Historical Fiction)
The Madonna of the Almonds by Marina Fiorato (Historical Fiction)
The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen (YA historical)
The War of the Witches by (YA fantasy)
The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth (kids - historical)
The Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy (historical Indian fiction)
Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass (crime/thriller)

So, what you gotta do to win one of these alluring ARCs?
You need to look at another list of books! Mine:)
To be specific, you need to browse the TBR Mountain and tell me which books I should totally move to my nightstand. You can choose a max of 3, a min of 1. And you should REALLY make me want to read it. Like, really. Some of them have been there for years, so it would take a big push to convince me they are the business. OK, I bought them/took them home at some point. But you know the attraction of new shinier books all too well! Instead of typing here the whole bleedin' list, I'll give you the link to my tbr tag on library thing which is --->here<---.(ETA: Sorry, I put the wrong link, I hope it works now!)
Oh and please avoid to praise:

- Firmin
- Middlesex
- The elegance of the hedgehog
- The time traveler's wife
- The Hunger Games
- The Goose Girl
- Neverwhere
- What I saw and how I lied
- Tapping the Dream Tree

- Shadow of the Wind

Because they're already in the priority queue.
Ah! You thought this was gonna be easy :P
To make things more interesting, I'll give away three books: First prize to the person who will write the most irresistible praise for the book chosen. Second and third will be drawn randomly.
Also if you help spread the word about the giveaway, I'll throw in your name twice.
Deadline: Next Saturday, June 13th
Ah, yes, the competition is open worldwide.

We have the winners!

So, the wheel of fortune has spoken...or should I say the bowl of fortune? Anyway, I've picked the three extremely lucky winners who will be able to choose ANY book that I've reviewed in this past year. Roll of drums....

The winners are, in drawing order:

- Sondra

- Teamirc

- Melody

Congratulations!!! and thank you to all the people who commented and spread the word, I loved your kind and supporting words. Thanks so much:D

My first year of blogging!

Today last year I posted my first review here. Little I knew about the blogging world, I hardly knew what a blog was. I just wanted a place where to write my thoughts about my reading and possible share them with other book lovers...And that's exactly what I've done, although I would have never guessed I would sign up to reading challenges, giveways, blog carnivals, blog tours, etc... A new world has opened up for me! Now I barely visit websites anymore, and I rather jump from blog to blog to see what other people are saying everyday. I would have never thought to fall behind with my reviews either. At first I would just write my review right after finishing the book, but now life always come in between me and my reviews and I seriously need to catch up :P

I really love blogging and reviewing, and buying books for friends, and that's why I want to celebrate my first blogaversary with a fabulous giveway!
Since this is about me and my reviews, I've decided to give away 3 BOOKS THAT I'VE REVIEWED, to 3 lucky people, anywhere in the world. You just need to leave a comment and if your name is drawn you can pick any book from my list of reviewed books. Or you can choose it straight away in your comment, it doesn't matter.
To help me spread the word you can post about in your blog, and I'll throw in your name twice:)

You can see the list of reviews on my side bar, including the picture book reviews.
For last year's list look here. Only those with a link were reviewed, obviously :D
You have one week to play, the deadline is Friday June 13th at Midnight GMT +1 (Uk and Ireland Time). I will draw the winners the next day.