Archives

Blogoversary: Pandora’s Books is 6-Years-Old!

Happy 6th Birthday, Pandora’s Books!!!!!!

Wow… 6 years!! How has it been 6 years?!?!? This past year has been… busy and crazy and chaotic and insane and just… Basically, not much has changed since last year. So if you read my “Pandora’s Books is 5-Years-Old” post, you’ll have a pretty good idea what I’ve been dealing with in the last few years. As usual, I don’t want to get too personal or go into too many details, but… TL;DR: My life is still chaotic. I’m still working full-time. I’m still caring for both my sick parents full-time. And I’m still dealing with stress/depression/anxiety from all the above.

And I’m still trying to blog, among other things.

My schedule is very busy, and I’m super stressed and often exhausted, so I’m not reading OR blogging the way I used to. But I’m still trying. I still love it, and still consider it one of the few things I do for myself, for my self-care. I still love promoting amazing authors, and shouting to the rooftops about amazing books. I might not have as much time to do all that now, but I won’t stop unless it gets to a point where it’s no longer enjoyable. I won’t stop unless it starts to feel more like a burden than a fun hobby. I won’t stop unless I reach a point where it hurts more than it helps.

With that said: When it comes to reading and blogging, I DO need to start practicing some self-care. Looking back on the last six years, I feel like blogging HAS begun to effect the way I read and what I read. Because of the aforementioned lack of time/energy, I’m down to reading 1-3 books a month (I used to be able to read 6-8). And since I host the adult AND YA book clubs at work, at least 2 of those books each month are for work. All my review books are ones I’m DYING to read – I wouldn’t have requested them or picked them up at a convention if I wasn’t dying to read them – but I DO feel like I’m CONSTANTLY reading review books over “me” books (books I bought myself). It’s time I start mixing in some “me” books and reading what I want, when I want, without feeling guilty.

So as I reflect back on the last year of blogging, and look forward to what’s to come, I want to focus on myself and go Back to Basics when it comes to blogging. I still enjoy blogging, but I want blogging to BRING me joy again. To accomplish that, I just have to do a few simple things:

-Request fewer ARCs
-Read more “Me” books
-Find time to post all the fun, amazing posts I alluded to in last year’s post.
-Stop apologizing for things out of my control
-Stop feeling guilty when I have to say no to something

It’s that simple. Basic self care. I want my 7th Blogoversary post to be a celebration, to be filled with accomplishments, looking back at all the posts I shared and loved. I don’t want it to be ANOTHER reflection on how crappy life has been for me and my family. I don’t want it to be me chastising myself again, filled with regret and apologies and promising a better year. I just want it to BE a better year. This is my challenge to myself. It’s going to be a process – a journey – and I hope you lovely people are still willing to take this journey with me. You have been here for me through thick and thin, good and bad, joy and sorrow. And I hope you’ll continue to be there for me, and I promise to do my best to be there for you. I can’t predict how my life will go, but I’m going to hope for the best and try my best. Because that’s all I can do. So…

Sooo… Once again, that was WAY too personal and ranty and rambly and if you’re still reading this, THANK YOU. Thank you for everything. To show how grateful I am for everything, I have TWO giveaways.

US Giveaway: ONE winner will get to choose ONE book (under $20) from Amazon

International Giveaway: ONE winner will get to choose ONE book (under $20) from Book Depository. Book Depository MUST ship to your country for free.

To enter, fill out the appropriate Rafflecopter below!

US Giveaway Raffllecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERNATIONAL Giveaway Raffllecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary: Pandora’s Books is 5-Years-Old!

I never, ever thought I’d be posting this. I never imaged, all these years later, I’d be celebrating my 5th blogging anniversary. Normally, this is a very celebratory post for me, full of GIFs, discussing all the amazing things about blogging: my accomplishments, fun things I did within the last year, new features I implemented, etc. This blog birthday, however, brings with it a lot of contemplation and I find myself reflecting on the last five years in a bittersweet and nostalgic way.

I don’t often talk about personal matters on here – the struggles and battles and such. I keep it light and fun and bookish. But the truth is, my family and I have had a lot going on in the last few years. I could go all the way back to the very beginning with this conversation. But really, the worst of it started in 2015 – just a few years into my blogging journey. If I look back at the blogging I did in 2013 and 2014, there’s a BIG difference in the content and number of posts, versus the blogging I did in 2015-2018. And that’s because I’ve had a LOT going on, and haven’t had the energy or desire to blog/read like I used to.

I’m not going to go into all the details. But I’ll share this. In 2015, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and we lost my godmother to cancer. In 2016, my beloved chocolate lab passed away. In 2017, my parents and I moved and my mom was diagnosed with cancer, among other things. I didn’t even do a blogoversary post last June because we had JUST moved days before, and I couldn’t focus to do one.

And, amidst all that, I was struggling with depression and anxiety – something I’ve hinted about on social media but never really openly discussed. It’s not something I LIKE to discuss, but I also know there’s a HUGE movement to destigmatize mental illness, and I feel this is relevant to discussing my blogging journey.

The final piece of the puzzle is this: I started a new job in August 2017 as a full-time Children’s Lead Bookseller for my local B&N.

So, you see my lovelies, I’ve had a a LOT going on in the last 3 years and blogging often took a backseat. All of this also accounts for the MASSIVE book slump I’ve been in and out of since February 2016. I had SO much going on, it all just became too much and I became overwhelmed, stressed, depressed, and disengaged.

My biggest regret in the last few years is that I feel like I’ve let everyone down. I’ve let down those of you who visit my blog, because I haven’t been posting as much. I’ve let down my blogger friends by not being as active on their blogs, or on social media. And I’ve let publicists/publishers/authors down by being behind on my ARC/Review TBR. This hurts more than anything, because I love my blogging family and the idea that I’ve disappointed you guys breaks my heart. I am so, so, SO sorry for letting you guys down.

Going forward, I’m going to try to focus on my mental, physical and emotional health. I’m going to do the best I can, at least. Those of you who deal with mental health issues know, it’s not always easy. It’s day by day, and one step at a time. Certain things I’m dealing with might not ever go away or get better, but – at least for right now – they seem to be settling down. And I try to remain hopeful that, one day, they WILL get better. I’m finally reading a little bit more than I did last year, and I’m finally itching to blog again. And I have SO MANY post ideas, it’s not even funny. So I’m eager to get back in the swing of things, and make blogging fun again.

So, to those of you who HAVE stuck by me all these years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know it’s been a rollercoaster of a ride, but I appreciate every single one of you. I wouldn’t still be blogging if it weren’t for you guys. And I’m not ready to give up blogging just yet! Blogging has brought so many good things into my life – so many amazing people and amazing opportunities – and I don’t think I would have survived the last 5 years without you guys.

via GIPHY

Soooo…. *Clears Throat.* Sorry, that was WAY more personal and sappy than I planned. But I wanted to be honest with you guys. Hopefully you’ll all stick around for another year, and give me another chance to get back on the Blogging Bandwagon. I can’t predict how this next year will go, but I’m excited for whatever it will bring with it – both the good and the bad.

~*~*~

So, now, it’s giveaway time! There are TWO giveaways – one for US only, one for International only! There will be ONE winner for each giveaway.

US giveaway: ARCs of Wilder by Andrew Simonet and Unclaimed Baggage by Jen Doll

International Giveaway: A pre-order of Wilder by Andrew Simonet OR Unclaimed Baggage by Jen Doll

 
To enter, fill out the appropriate Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary: Pandora’s Books is 3-Years-Old!

When I first started blogging on June 24, 2013, I never imaged the next words would ever leave my (virtual) mouth: Today, Pandora’s Books is 3-years-old!

via GIPHY

Three years!!! I never thought I’d see this day. Blogging started out as a short-term hobby, something to help connect me with other readers, to become more involved with the book community. I started blogging on a whim and had no idea where it would take me – and now here I am.

Year number three has been a little bit rough for me. My family has been through a lot (including the loss of my beloved chocolate lab, which has left me broken-hearted) and work has been increasingly busy. So blogging kind of took a back-seat. But the things I did accomplish this past year? Completely epic and mind-blowing!

Accomplishments:

-> 56,185 total page views

-> 2,983 Twitter followers

-> 439 Bloglovin followers

-> 484 Goodreads friends

-> 100 email subscribers

-> 585 blog posts (including this one!)
-> Attended ALA MW (American Library Association Mid-Winter Conference) for the first time in Boston with one of my amazing blogging friends, Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles and met a TON of blogger friends
-> Started two new blog features, Once Upon a Time and Television Tuesday
-> Participated in the HarperTeen Summer 2016 Tour, hosted by Hannah @ The Irish Banana Review
-> Participated in the blog tour for one of my favorite television shows, Reign! (Also hosted by Hannah @ The Irish Banana Review)
-> Helped Invaluable/Profiles in History/Lionsgate announce the “The World of The Hunger Games” Auction (Still in shock over this!!!)

via GIPHY

Despite all the ups and downs of 2015-2016, I still accomplished a lot and I’m incredibly proud of the things I did and the things my blog was a part of. Even though I fell behind on posting for my two new features (Once Upon a Time and Television Tuesday), I’m still proud of myself for implementing them. I’ve had so much fun with them and I hope to pick them both back up soon! I have some amazing authors planned for Once Upon a Time and I have some REALLY fun ideas planned for Television Tuesday. I also have some fun topics planned for my On Meredith’s Mind discussion posts! So.. Basically.. Nothing but fun things ahead!

via GIPHY

When Pandora’s Books turned one, I did a ton of blogger/author shout-outs – and accidentally forgot some people — Yikes!! Last year, I skipped the shout-outs to avoid that happening again! Because I’ve met so many amazing people on this journey and it’s REALLY hard to name everyone without forgetting someone. But three years is a BIG deal, so I do want to give a few quick shout-outs/squishy hugs to those who have been with me since the very beginning and those who have become incredibly amazing, supportive friends:

Stacie (Book Nerd Addict)
Stacee (Adventures of a Book Junkie)
Crystal (Bookiemoji)
Alexia (Pretty Deadly Reviews)
Alyssa (The Eater of Books)
Jessica (Stuck in Books)
Kris (My Friends Are Fiction)
Brittany (Brittany’s Book Rambles)
Mary (Mary Had a Little Book Blog)
Celeste (Book Rood Reviews)
Katie (Worn Down Glories)
Molli (Molli Moran Books)

via GIPHY

But so I don’t miss anyone, I also want to give one giant shout-out to ALL my blogging friends, all my author friends, all my co-workers who have become epic friends (I’m looking at you Cindy, Kelly, Brooke, Damaris, Jessica, etc!) and everyone I talk to every day. You’re all amazing. Without you, this journey wouldn’t matter at all and wouldn’t even be possible! I LOVE YOU ALL!

via GIPHY

I know I said this in my post last year, but it’s still 100% on point: This past year has been a whirlwind, but you guys have been there for me through the good and and the not so good. So, thank you – Thank you for being amazing. Thank you for accepting my weird, spazzy, fangirly self. Thank you for letting me be me. For letting me be a part of this amazing community. Thank you for sticking by me through everything that’s gone on in the last year. Thank you for giving me a home and for making me feel less alone. I know I mentioned this last year, but I was always the outsider in school, the weird girl who liked to read about aliens and vampires. The freak who – GASP – liked to WRITE about aliens and vampires. Man, I’ll never forget that day in eighth grade English when my study group laughed at me for telling them that.. It’s been SO INCREDIBLE becoming a part of the blogosphere, finding friends who GET IT when I need to flail about a book, swoon over a book boyfriend, or even cry about a book. YOU GUYS GET ME! So thank you! <3

via GIPHY

I have no idea what the next year will bring or where I’ll be this time next year, but I know one thing: with you guys by my side, I can do anything! So here’s to another year of success for Pandora’s Books and another year of adoring all you lovely people! Cheers!

via GIPHY

~*~*~*~
And now, to thank you for being awesome and standing by me for the last three years, a giveaway! Or.. Several giveaways! Three, to be exact. Two of the giveaways are US only and one is international!

First, for my US followers, I have two awesome ARCs (Cloudwish by Fiona Wood and Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist) up for grabs! You guys can enter one or both of the giveaways, but you can only win one! So choose wisely!

Then, for my International friends, I’m offering a pre-order of EITHER Cloudwish by Fiona Wood OR Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter forms below! But first, the rules:

-For each giveaway: Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-For International Giveaway: The Book Depository MUST ship to your country for free in order for you to claim your prize.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary: Pandora’s Books is 2-Years-Old!

Today, Pandora’s Books turns 2-years-old!

I seriously can’t believe it’s been two years. It feels both longer than that and nowhere NEAR as long as that! I can’t believe all the things I’ve done, participated in and experienced in the last two years. It still feels surreal! When I started blogging, I felt so “young” and a bit lost. The blogging community was HUGE and there were so many bloggers that inspired me and that I looked up to. Some of them even intimidated me because they’d been blogging for so long and seemed like pros! Seriously, I’d be at an event and I’d see a blogger I looked up to and admired. I’d start to go say hello, then I’d get shy/nervous/scared, run and hide!

But I’ve since grown and matured *coughs* Not really* and I’ve spoken to most of the bloggers who previously intimidated me – whether on Twitter or at events I’ve attended – and I’ve made some amazing friends! The people I’ve met, the friendships I’ve made, the connections I’ve developed – Those are the things that matter most. YOU GUYS matter more than anything else.

Last year, I did Blogger Shout-Outs to all the bloggers who meant the world to me. I’m not going to do that this year because, honestly, I’ve met so many amazing people on this journey, it would be impossible to name everyone without forgetting someone and I’d feel horrible if I forgot someone! So I just want to give one giant shout-out to all my blogging friends, all my author friends, all my co-workers who have become epic friends and everyone I talk to every day. You’re all amazing. Without you, this journey wouldn’t matter at all and wouldn’t even be possible! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Accomplishments:

-> 39,601 total page views

-> 2,374 Twitter followers

-> 400 Bloglovin followers

-> 414 Goodreads friends

-> 100 email subscribers

-> 406 blog posts (including this one!)
-> “Met” a ton of new bloggers on Twitter, some of whom are now very close friends!
-> Made some incredible connections with publishers/publicists
-> Went to BEA for the second time (And met many of you fabulous people!)
-> Attended several publisher events at BEA this year, something I’m very honored to have done!

This year has been incredible. These last TWO years have been incredible! Thank you for being amazing. Thank you for accepting my weird, spazzy, fangirly self. Thank you for letting me be me. For letting me be a part of this amazing community. Thank you for sticking by me through everything that’s gone on in the last year. Thank you for giving me a home and for making me feel less alone. I know I mentioned this last year, but I was always the outsider in school, the weird girl who liked to read about aliens and vampires. The freak who – GASP – liked to WRITE about aliens and vampires. Man, I’ll never forget that day in eighth grade English when my study group laughed at me for telling them that.. It’s been SO INCREDIBLE becoming a part of the blogosphere, finding friends who GET IT when I need to flail about a book, swoon over a book boyfriend, or even cry about a book. YOU GUYS GET ME! So thank you! <3

Here’s to another year of success for Pandora’s Books and another year of adoring all you lovely people! Cheers!

~*~*~*~

And now, to thank you for being awesome and standing by me for the last two years, a giveaway! Or.. Several giveaways! Three, to be exact. Two of the giveaways are US only and one is international!

First, I have two awesome Fall ARCs (Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff and Firewalker by Josephine Angelini) up for grabs!

Illuminae Firewalker

Then, for my International friends, I’m offering a pre-order of EITHER Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff OR Firewalker by Josephine Angelini!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter forms below! But first, the rules:

-For each giveaway: Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-For International Giveaway: The Book Depository MUST ship to your country for free in order for you to claim your prize.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: Pandora’s Books Turns One!

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Today, Pandora’s Books turns a year old. I’m in complete shock right now because I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started on this incredible, amazing journey! So many great things have happened and so much has changed. I’m beyond grateful for everything this blog has brought into my life – amazing friends, incredible opportunities to work with authors I love and an internship that led to a job!

So many people have stood by me throughout this journey, so many people have made this experience what it is. Without those people, it wouldn’t have been the same. You guys made every day fun and worthwhile!

Blogger Shout-Outs:

Kayla (A Wonderland of Reading): My blogging BFF, my partner in crime and my co-host in this amazing event. I have NO CLUE where I’d be without you! Do you remember the first time we really started talking? We agreed to be “productivity buddies” so we would both get work done and it escalated from there. Thank you for being awesome-sauce amazing! <3

Stacie (A Wonderland of Reading): The third co-host in this event and the third part of the Kayla-Stacie-Meredith triangle! Ah!! Girlie, seriously, I adore you! I’m so glad we started talking!! I don’t know what I’d do if you had left the blogosphere! You’re always here for me and I’m always here for you! We’ve been friends for so long, I can’t imagine NOT knowing you! <3

Stacee (Adventures of a Book Junkie): My Bookish Fairy Godmother! I’m pretty sure you’re one of my oldest blogging friends. You’ve always been here for me and you never got sick of me, even in the beginning when I bombarded you with twenty million questions about blogging. You’ve always been so good to me and you spoil me rotten! I don’t think I would have survived blogging for a year without you. THANK YOU <3

Jessica (Just a Book Lover): I’ve known you almost as long as I’ve known Stacee. And like Stacee, you were epically awesome when it came to answering all my silly, obnoxious questions. You’re awesome and I <3 you!

Crystal (Crystal in Bookland): Girl, you rock! Especially with everything I’ve had going on lately, you’ve been like my rock. If I didn’t have you to talk to, I think I’d fall apart. Thank you for being awesome and sticking by me. Plus, you made my birthday this year the best birthday I’ve had in a VERY long time. I’ll never forget that! <3

Nikki (Fiction Freak): Lady, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be blogging right now. You are AMAZING and I’ll always be grateful for your help. Thanks for helping me out in the very beginning, when I was clueless and had NO IDEA what I was doing! <3

Christina (Ensconced in Lit): I adore you! You’re so sweet and kind and we’ve been friends for so long now, I can’t even remember what life was like BEFORE. We’ve been through so much together and, though we haven’t spoken as much lately, know that I completely adore you! <3

Celeste (The Reading Nook Reviews): Ahhhhhhh *Tackle hugs* You rock, girly! Seriously, you’ve been so good to me and I’m so, so glad we became friends! Also, you spoil me! <3

Octavia (Read Sleep Repeat): Girl!! You’ve been so awesome, hilarious and fun to chat with! You’re also the GIF Queen.. I don’t know how you do it! The ones I found are nowhere near as awesome as yours! Thanks for helping me with my Binge Read Challenge! I’m going to re-organize and try to do it next year instead :) Thanks for being an awesome friend! <3

Honorable Mentions: Denise, Jessica (Lovin Los Libros) Kaitlin, Maura, Mary, Jessica (Fly to Fiction), Angie, Angela, Lili, Kelly, Jon, Eli, Julia, Julie, Kat & Steph, Taherah…… And anyone else I might have missed!

Extra Special Honorable Mention to Alexia, Alyssa and Kris = So sorry I forgot you amazing ladies earlier! My head must be in the clouds! I hope you lovelies can accept my apologies!

I know I’m missing people.. I’m SO sorry! It’s not intentional! There have been so many amazing people in my life this year, it would take three posts twice this length to get you all, but know that I adore you all, you all rock, and I’m eternally grateful for every single one of you!

Author Shout-Outs:

Amalie Howard: I will NEVER stop being grateful to you for everything you’ve done for me. You’re amazing, kind, sweet and – did I say amazing? Basically, I ADORE YOU. I will bow down to your awesome! <3

Kristi Cook: When I first met you at the Voracious Reader and you recognized me from Twitter and from reviewing an eARC of Eternal, I nearly cried. It was so surreal – I had been reading your books for so long, I just couldn’t get over it! Thanks for being such an amazing, amazing friend over the last year! <3

Heather Lyons: I ADORE YOU AND YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR SWOONY GUYS AND YOU! No, seriously, your books were the first ones I ever reviewed for a publicist and I fell in love with them, right from the start. You’re amazing and I’m so honored to be a part of your street team and #TeamKellan. Thanks for being amazing! <3

Rachel Harris: Back before I was a blogger, I won Taste the Heat. It was epic and I did an informal review of it for your agent and Goodreads. I seriously feel like getting that taste of reviewing and seeing how excited you were about it, it really fueled my desire to blog. I love books and I love spreading the word about books and I really realized that thanks to you and TtH! So THANK YOU! <3

Dahlia Adler: You’re amazing. No, seriously, you’re epically amazing. Very early on, you helped me connect with the next three authors I’m about to mention. Robin, Vivi and Jamie were my first ever author interviews on my blog. I was SO nervous to approach authors, so your help and guidance made all the difference. It encouraged me to approach more authors. It also opened me up to three books I might not have known about or read otherwise. You’re constantly tweeting advice to bloggers, authors and readers – valuable advice that truly makes a difference. And in between all that, you found time to write an amazing book (That I’m cuddling/dying to read as we speak!). I don’t know how you do it all, but you’re amazing and I adore you. Thank you for everything you’ve done! <3

Robin Constantine: Your book was one of the first ones that made me excited to read contemporary again. You’re the sweetest and I’m still so sad I missed your signing! Hopefully you’ll come back to NY soon!! <3

Vivi Barnes: I adore you so much! I’m so sad we missed getting to meet at RT14, but it WILL happen! <3

Jamie Grey: You rock and your books rock and what would I do without you?!?! Thank you for being so awesome and so epic! <3

A.G. (Anita) Howard: I didn’t know what a Book Boyfriend was until Morpheus. I didn’t realize how amazing Alice in Wonderland retellings were until Splintered. You’re amazing, I adored meeting you at BEA and thank you for being awesome and amazing! <3

Basically, I adore all of you, I’ve loved every minute of speaking with all of you and getting to know all of you. For me, authors are rockstars and you guys are the BEST. You’ve each changed my life in some way or another and for that I’ll be forever grateful!

And, of course, thank you to my amazing Spencer Hill Press family! You guys are amazing and I love you all!! These last few months have been surreal! I adore working with all of you! Shout-outs to Cindy, Damaris, Brooke, Jenn AP, Vikki, Dahlia, Patrice, Kelly, Megan, Kate, Jessica, Trisha, Patricia, Danielle, Kelsey, Rhonda, Kim, Erica and Sarah (And SO SORRY if I missed anyone!) <3

Accomplishments:

-> 21,523 total page views
-> 1,456 Twitter followers
-> 349 Bloglovin followers
-> 249 Goodreads friends
-> 163 Facebook likes
-> 93 email subscribers
-> Moved to WordPress
-> Became a conributing writer for YA Interrobang
-> Got invited to two Harlequin Teen Previews
-> Got auto-approved for HarperCollins on Edelweiss
-> Got an internship that turned into a job(!!!)
-> Went to BEA (And met many of you fabulous people!)
-> Got auto-approved for Harlequin on NetGalley

I can’t believe all the things that have happened in just ONE year.

More than anything, I’ve found a place to call home. I was always the outsider in school, the weird girl who liked to read about aliens and vampires. The freak who – GASP – liked to WRITE about aliens and vampires. Man, I’ll never forget that day in eighth grade English when my study group laughed at me for telling them that.. It’s been SO INCREDIBLE becoming a part of the blogosphere, finding friends who GET IT when I need to flail about a book, swoon over a book boyfriend, or even cry about a book. YOU GUYS GET ME!

And, even more incredible, you’ve stuck by me in this first, rocky year. I had no clue what I was doing half the time. I made mistakes. I stumbled a lot. But you guys just stood by me, encouraged me to keep going, to not give up. I can’t tell you all how much that means to me. I’ve had a LOT going on in my personal life recently – something I don’t share with anyone on Twitter. But I want you guys to know that with everything that’s going on, you’ve been like my rock. You’ve kept me afloat. You’ve been there for me to lean on and I’ve kept going because of how awesome all of you have been. Okay, I’ll stop with the cheesy metaphors and cliche sayings.

I just want to give ALL of YOU ALL the HUGS!

But those of you who went to BEA know that I’m an awkward hugger…

So I’m just going to stick with saying THANK YOU FOR BEING AMAZING!!! And thank you for making this first year epic! Here’s to another year of success for Pandora’s Books and another year of adoring all you lovely people! Cheers!

Pandora’s Wonderland: Always Stay Up Past Midnight (Guest Post)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Nikki from Fiction Freak here with an epically awesome guest post. I owe pretty much my entire blogging existence to Nikki. As you’ll find out in this post, Nikki’s gorgeous blog and generous offer to help me with the creation of my blog is what started this epic journey that I’ve been on for almost a year now. Without her, I don’t know if I would have started blogging. So, without further adieu, please welcome Nikki!

~*~*~*~*~*~

OKAY. GUYS. Meredith’s blog is turning a year old on June 24 and I can’t even believe it because (and here’s where I’m going to brag)

I convinced Meredith to start blogging.

Or at least, part of the reason? I dunno. I just remember being up at around 1 AM, and chatting up this awesome bookish person named Meredith (who then complimented my blog and made me blush.)
Here’s the tweet our conversation started with:
 

Which, actually, had nothing to do with what happened. But after a few back and forth tweets, this tweet popped up on my timeline:

And of course I responded immediately with

After which she asked me if I had advice. And these are the wise bits of 13 year old Nikki Wisdom I had to bestow

And SHE DID. SHE HAS MADE SO MANY FRIENDS AND SHE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON AND I LOVES HER. But of course, the story of the start of a blog is never just three (or four or five or six) tweets short.

I’m sorry, I had to put that there because that right there is what made me giggle in the first place. It’s especialyl sweet because that design was SO AMATEUR. I mean, my current one still is, but that one just. Guysssssss you don’t even KNOW. But I’m so happy she didn’t just walk away (that tweet should be on fire, what a liar liar.)

Oh yes, but even as an amateur designer apparently I very much liked creating graphics and extended this (probably very bad on Meredith’s end) offer:

If you follow the thread, APPARENTLY, Meredith had been reviewing books for a year and a half on Tumblr. I was surprised she didn’t have a blog, tweeted her my surprise and.

AND THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME. AND I FELT SO HAPPY. BECAUSE LOOK. I MADE SOMEONE EXCITED TO BE A BLOGGER. Never more was I any happier. At about 1 AM (What the hell were either of us even doing, being up that late.) Flash forward many design-question tweets later and…

And then instead of sleeping like I should’ve, I just decided to start making some kind of graphic. I came up with this:

Pandora Books Button

 

which she used until she moved to WordPress–a pretty awesome decision early on.

And seems like she’s been pretty awesome the entire blogging journey AND LOOK AT HER AT HER ONE YEAR BLOGOVERSARY. I’M SO PROUD. THEY GROW UP SO QUICKLY.

Moral of the story?

ALWAYS STAY UP PAST MIDNIGHT.

Pandora’s Wonderland: A Fateful Interview (Character Interview + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Heather Lyons, author of the Fate series, as well as The Deep End of The Sea, here with an epically awesome post. I absolutely adore Heather! Her books were the first I ever reviewed for a publicist. They are amazing, well-written and have epic, relatable, lovable characters. These books will always hold a special place in my heart, as will Heather! So, today Heather and I have cooked up something pretty epic for you guys. If you’ve read the Fate series, you’ll swoon like crazy! And if you haven’t read it, well… Why haven’t you?!?! So, without further adieu, please welcome Chloe and Kellan from the Fate series!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hi Chloe and Jonah. Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re very excited to have you here.
Chloe: Hi Meredith! We’re so glad to be able to stop by.
Jonah: Hey, Meredith.

Well, let’s start with you, Chloe. You’ve been through so much. How are you doing?
Chloe: I’m doing great, actually!

You had some major health problems. How are you feeling now?
Chloe: (laughs, embarrassed) I like how you phrased that—health problems. Wait—are you talking about all the stuff I went through with the Elders? Because I’m right as rain now. Annar’s Shamans are really excellent at what they do.
Jonah: She could have been talking about the ulcers, you know.

[Smiles] Yes, I meant the ulcers. Though what you went through with the Elders must have taken its toll, too!
Chloe: Oh! Well, those are gone, too. I’ve found a lot of things over the years that helps me reduce stress.

Can you share some of those things with us?
Chloe: Breathing, for one. And counting—I’m always counting. Counting calms me down. And running—I guess somebody over here was right all those years about how running helps him clear his mind . . .
Jonah: (gives a who, me? look)
Chloe: I started yoga a year or so back.
Jonah: And . . . you finished yoga a year or so back?
Chloe: (laughs) Okay, okay. I don’t do yoga. But I have started journaling. That helps, even if it’s just to get the words out. Sometimes I’ll just will the paper away afterward, but it’s the thought that I got them out there in the first place, and it helps relieve some of the pressures, especially in work-related matters.

And you have no desire to run away again, right? [Chuckles]
Chloe: (sighs) Running away solves nothing. Although . . . (looks over at Jonah) as wrong as running away was, I think it was probably the best thing I could have done at the time. Except, if I could do it all over again, I’d have talked it over with Jonah, so that it wasn’t like I just disappeared. Sometimes . . . space is needed, you know? It helps to bring what’s important back in focus.

[Nods sympathetically at Chloe, then speaks in a gentle voice]. Right, I understand. [Turns to Jonah]. Jonah, let’s move on to you for a minute. How are you doing?
Jonah: I’m great, thanks.

You held a lot back for a long time. You didn’t always speak your mind, you were quick to get upset. How do you think you’ve grown over the last several years?
Jonah: Um . . . (chuckles ruefully) Yeah, I wasn’t always the best with dealing with my own emotions, which is sort of horribly ironic for an Emotional, right? It’s a process, though. When you grow up with a certain set of expectations, it’s hard to shake them even when you know they’re not the right course of action. I have to remind myself all the time that it’s okay to let it out sometimes.

Do you ever find yourself falling back into old habits? How do you cope when that happens?
Jonah: You mean, like holding it all in? (thinks about this) I’d like to say no. Actually—let me clarify. I’ve learned to let the important people in and to express myself better with them. I don’t hold things back from my family anymore. And if I ever do find myself bottling those feelings up—
Chloe: I remind him that I’m here for him, and if he wants to talk, I’m here for that, too. And so is Astrid, and Cameron, and Will, and Callie, and all the rest of our family. Even KC. They’re so cute together, by the way.
Jonah: You mean me and KC?
Chloe: Cute and so much alike. I love it. And I love that you don’t hold back with him, not like your father ever did with you.

We got an in-depth look at you and your feelings in Beyond Fate, Jonah. Was that nerve-racking for you?
Jonah: (clearly uncomfortable) Uh, yeah.
Chloe: (laughs; holds his hand) Baby steps, right?

Can you elaborate on that, Jonah? If you’re comfortable answering this question, what was the most difficult part about it?
Jonah: Well, it was the whole opening up thing. Letting people see my fears and insecurities, especially when I have so many expectations upon my shoulders.

What’s one thing you hope readers take away from Beyond Fate?
Jonah: Uh . . . (scratches back of neck) That I’m not perfect, maybe?
Chloe: Nobody is. Nobody should want to be. By the way, I love that people got to see the real you.

And we loved it, too, Chloe! Now, you were involved in what’s referred to as a “love triangle.” What does that term mean to you? Does it truly reflect how you feel about one another?
Chloe: Oh, gods. Isn’t that so sordid sounding? Love triangle.
Jonah: I suppose it could have been worse—it could have been a rectangle. (smiles slyly) Thank goodness you and Will never hooked up, right?
Chloe:(cracks up) Can you imagine?

[Chuckles]

Jonah: In all seriousness, though, it’s not like it’s a desirable thing, though. A love triangle, I mean. It’s pretty brutal.
Chloe: (more quietly) Completely brutal. I think . . . a lot of people who hear our story thinks that it was an easy pick, or that we all ought to have been able to control our feelings so easily. But . . . matters of the heart aren’t always so logical or easy.
Jonah: Especially with Connections.
Chloe: Especially with Connections. Have I mentioned before that they suck?
Jonah: That’s putting it mildly.

A lot of people say your “love triangle” – for lack of a better word – is one of the most well done in young adult. People have a hard time picking a “team” between you and your brother [stares at Jonah]. How does that make you feel?
Jonah: Uh . . . Crappy, I guess. For lack of a better word.
Chloe: (squeezes his hand, says gently) I think what she’s saying is that people think you’re both awesome, and that they could see why I . . . um . . . (trails off, uncomfortable)
Jonah: Yeah, no. I get it. I guess I can see how it’s a compliment.

[Nods quickly]. My apologies, Jonah. That was most certainly meant as a compliment! As Chloe said, you and your brother are both amazing and wonderful!
Jonah: Yeah, my brother is a pretty awesome person. (is quiet for a long moment) Is it weird that I get why she loved him? (shakes his head) Outside of the Connection, I mean. Yeah, I get it. I do. I can’t blame her for that, not when I think he’s one of the best people I know.
Chloe: (leans over and kisses Jonah) You’re pretty awesome yourself, mister.

Do you feel scrutinized at all? Like your life is under a microscope? [Directed at Jonah, but glances at Chloe, in case she wants to speak up]
Jonah: Well, it’s not like I’m thrilled people know all about my love life or anything.
Chloe: The thing is, though, as Magicals—with such a small society—our lives pretty much are open books. The gossip machine in Annar is horrible.
Jonah: There’s not as much gossip about us anymore. Happy couples are boring, right?
Chloe: Silly man. There is nothing boring about us in the least. (waggles eyebrows)
Jonah: (tries not to laugh) (or make fun of the fact that Chloe looks ridiculous doing this)

[Chuckles and shakes head] You two are just so adorable together!
Chloe: See? (turns to Jonah) Don’t I say this all the time? (to Meredith) Thank you! Our son thinks we’re gross. What does he know?

[Chuckles and nods]. Chloe, let’s go back to you for a moment. How do YOU feel about this love triangle business? [Smiles kindly, to make the question sound less intimidating]
Chloe: I am asked to do a lot of difficult things in my line of work, but . . . whether or not this makes me sound petty or selfish, being torn between two people I love with all of my heart was the hardest thing in the worlds to go through.

[Nods sympathetically]. I can’t even imagine. Are you happy now, though?
Chloe: I truly am. More importantly, I’m content. A lot of people don’t give credence to contentment, but if you’ve been through as much angst as me, you’ll come to see it as the best of blessings.

[Nods at Chloe]. That’s what matters most, then. [Pauses]. When it comes to your life and your choices, you’ve always had Fate kind of . . . nudging you in a certain direction. You’ve always fought against that. What have you learned from this experience? [Glances at Jonah, nodding slightly to encourage him to speak up if he wishes]
Chloe: (is thoughtful for a long moment) I think it’s important to realize that, no matter what, a person must always remember that they have a choice. That was my big takeaway. I could choose what kind of Creator to be. I could choose my family. I could choose who to live my life with. Choice is a beautiful, precious thing.
Jonah: Choice is everything, I think . . . as long as it’s true to one’s heart. Choice by default does nobody any favors.

[Nods at Jonah]. Yes, I absolutely agree, Jonah. [Glances back at Chloe]. What advice would you give someone, Chloe, who feels their life is out of their control?
Chloe: Take a step back. Find yourself—not who others want you to be, but who you are.

That’s wonderful advice, thank you, Chloe. So, this question is for the both of you. What’s one lesson you’ve learned throughout this whole journey that you want to share with everyone?
Chloe: To be true to oneself.
Jonah: I like that.
Chloe: Yeah?
Jonah: (kisses her hand) Yeah. It’s the absolute best lesson of all.

[Smiles and nods at the adorable couple] Final question. Are you happy with where your stories ended?
Chloe: (smiles) Who says our story has ended?
Jonah: Oh, it definitely hasn’t ended. Everyday, I find something new to love about this woman.
Chloe: I think the best of endings are no endings at all. That life just keeps going—beautifully, authentically. I think the better question is: are we happy with our lives? And the answer is oh, yes. Very happy. We made the right choices for ourselves, and it’s made all the difference.

Thank you both so much for taking the time to speak with me. That was wonderful!
Chloe: Thanks for having us, Meredith! And thanks for all the support you’ve shown us through our story.

* * * * * *

(Later, in a coffee shop far, far away from Annar, Meredith spies somebody familiar sitting at a table alongside a dejected looking teenager, so she can’t help but stop and eavesdrop a little.)

“Sometimes,” the teenager says as he curls his fingers around what appears to be an iced mocha, “I don’t think I’ll ever be happy.”

The man he’s talking with pulls a teabag out of his cup and sets it on a nearby napkin. “I know it’s hard to believe it right now, when it feels like everything is imploding inward, but the truth is, you will be. Just because this relationship didn’t work out doesn’t mean the next won’t. Or the one after that.”

“Of course you’re going to say that. You’re happy,” the teenager cuts in. “That’s what adults always say.”

The man chuckles and runs his hand through his longish, messy black hair. “We’re not here to discuss me or my relationship.

We’re here to talk about why you decided to spray paint your ex-girlfriend’s car.”

“I thought she was the one,” the teenager says quietly. “And now she’s with him.”

“Most people don’t find the love of their life in high school.” The man smiles kindly. “Sometimes, it takes going out into the big world and having experiences that allow one to grow before a person can even be ready to accept love in their life. Or, at least, the right love.”

The teenager leans forward, his fingers snapping the plastic of his cup. “Is that what happened to you?”

“We’re not here to discuss me, remember?”

“But is it?”

The man blows out a long breath before tugging on a leather cuff on his wrist. Then he says slowly, but assuredly, “It is.” He glances at a clock on the wall. “Our session is up for the week, but I want you to think about putting some distance between you and your ex-girlfriend this week. Find something healthy to keep your mind occupied, especially now that it’s summer vacation.”

“A buddy took me surfing the other day,” the teen says thoughtfully. “I liked that a lot.”

“Perfect.” The man smiles encouragingly. “I can attest that surfing does a mind good. Go carve up some waves. Practice the breathing techniques we’ve talked about.”

The teenager stands up. “Thanks, Doc.”

The man rises and claps the boy on the shoulder. When his cell phone rings, he tells the teen, “Same time next week. Think positive.”

Once the boy is gone, he pulls out the phone and answers it. “Hey, Ash,” he says. His mouth quirks up in a half smile. “My session just ended. Would you like me to bring you a drink home?”

Minutes later, he exits the coffee shop, an extra drink in his hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~
 

Along with this epic giveaway, we have TWO epic prizes for ONE lucky winner! From Heather, we have some random/signed swag! From me, we have ONE eBook for any book in the Fate series OR of The Deep End of the Sea, winner’s choice.

This giveaway is US only, but fear not! We have INT giveaways going on in our Grand Prize Giveaway which you can enter here! We also have several International giveaways going on, which you can find listed here!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is US Only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: My Top Ten Favorite Book Boys EVER (Guest Post)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Jessica from Just a Book Lover here with an epically awesome guest post. Jessica is one of my oldest blogging friends. She’s epic, bookish and so, so sweet! I’m surprised she never got sick of me, with all the emails I sent her, asking silly blogging questions!! Seriously, I had NO clue what I was doing a year ago, so I just constantly emailed her and asked her for help and she was always awesome and patient with me! So, without further adieu, please welcome Jessica!

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Meredith asked me to supply a post for her blogoversary celebration, I did a happy dance. I like being asked to do things like this, and I also like Mer, so it was like a double whammy. Then I decided that I suck at guest posts. I never know what to write about and I’m bad at using words to talk about things and it’d surely be the most boring thing ever. So I decided I’d make a top ten post (after checking with Meredith first, of course).

If you know me, then you are probably aware of my obsession with book boys. I’m a huge fangirl and if a book boy can make me swoon, I am soooo down for whatever he’s selling. For this reason, I chose to make my top ten list one that I’ve been meaning to make for a while now:

My Top Ten Favorite Book Boys EVER

Before I actually make the list, though, I want to let you in on the one rule I made for myself, so as to spread the book boy love. Because I know there’s going to be a book boy or two missing from this list that y’all are probably expecting to see. Please know that the dude isn’t missing because I heart him any less, but that he’s probably absent because of this rule:

– One one boy per author. This is actually the most restricting rule of them all. Because some authors *cough*JLA*cough* have a whole slew of smexy guys I could fill this whole list with.

So yeah. Keep that in mind. ;)

My Top Ten Favorite Book Boys EVER 
10. Isaiah from Crash Into You by Katie McGarry
Katie McGarry writes some of my favorite contemporary romances, and her boys always make me swoon, big time. As of this moment, my favorite is Isaiah. Not sure what it was about him, exactly, but he won me over even more so than Noah. He’s so good, at his core, you know? But he tried to pretend otherwise, and I liked being able to see right through that. So apparently I do know what it was about him, exactly. Ha. And I love him for it. 

 

9. Dexter from This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is one of my all-time favorite authors. Not having one of her boys on this list would be a crime. So I chose Dexter. Because of lots of reasons. I loved his views on love and relationships, and I adored his goofiness. He was cute and funny, and he was in a band. That’s like hitting the jackpot, right there. Throw in his optimism and general quirkiness and goodness gracious, why can’t this boy be real?

 

8. Adrian from the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead
Oh, Adrian. This is hard for me, because it’s such a close call on whether or not I like Dimitri more. It really depends on the series. But Adrian made me laugh. And I hated–HATED HATED HATED–how he got the short end of pretty much every stick in Vampire Academy. I just feel like my heart goes out to Adrian more, therefore I choose him. He’s so sweet and funny and he tries so hard. I want to cuddle that boy so bad, you don’t even know.

 

7. Ash from the Night World series by L.J. Smith
If I had to choose a favorite L.J. Smith boy, Ash would be it. He has my favorite name, he’s in my favorite of her books, and he was just my gosh darn FAVORITE. Of course there are several close calls. Gabriel from the Dark Visions trilogy, for one. And we can’t forget Nick from Secret Circle. And I don’t even need to mention Damon. Plus, all those other swoon-worthy males in the rest of the Night World series (GALEN! JOHN QUINN!). But Ash has always had my favor. I loved his attitude, and how he adjusted it for Mary-Lynnette. I can’t help but think to around the end of Daughters of Darkness where he calls her sweetheart. Don’t ask me why, but I think that was where he OFFICIALLY had me.

 

6. Dante Walker from the Dante Walker trilogy by Victoria Scott
I’m kind of thisclose to giving this spot to Guy Chambers for reasons, but not yet. I’m giving it to Dante for a little while longer. He deserves it. He’s kickass, and he can add a dash of humor into practically any situation. He has a sweet side, too. He’s kind of the perfect mixture of awesome, you know? It’s hard not to love him. So I don’t even try. ;)

 

5. Holder from Hopeless and Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover
Mr. Giggle-Swoon! This guy. Goodness. Let me tell you about this guy. He’s such a deep character, and I love him so gosh darn hard. I call him Mr. Giggle-Swoon because…well, he made me giggle-swoon. Yeah, that’s a thing. Don’t know what it is? Go read these books and you’ll know. Dean Holder holds a very special place in my heart, and I have this strong feeling that he’s never going to leave. 

 

4. Ezra from the Forever Evermore series by Scarlett Dawn
I have honestly and truly written love letters to this fictional character before. He has that much of a hold on me. He’s not super sweet and nice and whatever I may like about most other book boys. No, Ezra’s strong. He rough and protective and only shows his nice side to a very select group of his favorite people. I respect that and I love that. I love it so effing hard, y’all. I am seriously dying inside right now waiting on another dose of him in the next installment in this series. 

 

3. Avi from the How to Ruin series by Simone Elkeles
Whenever I tell anyone that he’s my favorite Simone Elkeles guy, they’re always shocked. Either because they haven’t read the books and they’re like “How can anything be better than the Perfect Chemistry books?” or they HAVE and they’re like “But what about that thing he did in the third book?” But what people don’t understand is that Avi is my ideal dude. He’s quiet, but opens up when with his significant other. He’s not shy about being honest with her when it gets down to it. He’s all about honor and respect. And YES. He made one mistake. But if there were ever a guy that I honestly trust to not make a repeat of that mess up, it’s Avi. And he never ever lies about that mistake. He owns up to it and genuinely tries to work through it. So yeah, he’s my ideal guy. And his place on this list is pretty much permanent. 

 

2. Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I know, I know. HOW is this boy only in second place? The answer: I have no idea. When I went to make this list, the #1 boy kind of already occupied that spot in my mind, and I’d ask him to leave, but…I mean, have you SEEN him? Goodness. But let’s talk about Levi. Avi is my ideal guy. In another way, so is Levi. So they’re kind of tied, but I gave them numbers because I had to. I am absolutely distraught that these boys aren’t real. Why can’t Levi be an actual human being who brings me Starbucks and gets me up to his room and listens to me read to him? Levi is the perfect person to opposite a fangirl. I fell for him so easily while reading this book, and there’s no way I’m forgetting about him anywhere near sometime soon.

 

1. Daemon Black from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Not a single one of you is surprised, so don’t even pretend. Daemon Black…I’ve been kind of obsessed with him for a good long while now. Like, since before I even read any of the books in this series. But now we’re four books in and I am completely head over heels for him. It’s different than I am with Avi and Levi, whereas I don’t want to cry at the thought that he’s not real (though is Daemon were real, the world would be such a majestically wonderful place). I just enjoy reading about him so, SO much. I laugh and I swoon and I never get bored when he’s around. Even in the first book before he started being actually NICE. He’s always been a good time to be around, and I adore him.

 

But I adore all the boys on this list. The top three or four probably shouldn’t be numbered, since my love for them is pretty much equal. But that’s my list! Because book boys are my favorite ;)

 

Do you heart any of the book boys I listed? Are there any book boys you would have put on your list that aren’t on mine? Seriously let me know. I’m always up for talking about swoon-worthy guys. For real. ALWAYS. 

Pandora’s Wonderland: My Top Ten Favourite Fantasy Reads (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Maura from The Whimsical Mama here with an epically awesome guest post. Maura is so awesome, I can’t even. She’s fun and bookish and I love chatting with her! So, without further adieu, please welcome Maura!

~*~*~*~*~*~

I’m so excited to be a part of the Pandora’s Wonderland blogoversary celebration! I was even more excited to be a part when Meredith asked me to do a post about high fantasy! Fantasy is my jam. I would confidently say about 85% of what I read is fantasy. Tis true. My obsession started with Harry Potter and I haven’t looked back.

What’s so awesome about fantasy? Well, I’ll tell you. When I want to completely leave ordinary life behind, I can with fantasy. I can jump right into the world of Westeros (I confess I re-watch Game of Thrones more than I re-read the books!). I can also hop the Hogwarts Express and leave behind the Muggle world and go to Hogwarts. I am actually doing this now. I’m listening to the audiobooks with my kiddos. Punk’s library audiobook choice, I SWEAR. (How many toddlers do you know that pick out the Harry Potter movies AND audiobooks? Yeah, parenting win!) After our journey to Hogwarts, we’re going to step through the wardrobe into Narnia. I can’t wait to share these incredible worlds with my children. They already love being read to, and I hope that the love of reading continues through childhood, through adolescence, and through adulthood. I hope they never lose that passion!

My favourite thing in high fantasy is MAGIC. I am a glutton for magic.

A high fantasy book I’m super excited about that’s coming soon (OCTOBER!!!) is Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. When I saw the cover and description, I looked at my hubby and said I want that book for my birthday! He laughed. He’s a reader, but not a READER reader, so he just doesn’t understand my obsession with books. I was luck enough to score an advance copy from HarperTeen on Edelweiss (thank you, autoapproval!) and I’ve already read it, but I CANNOT wait for it to be out in the wild. I think it’s going to be a great new series in the high fantasy world. I think it could be the Game of Thrones of YA. Read it. Just do it. (: And just between you and me, it’s highly likely that I will be doing a giveaway for Snow Like Ashes on my blog closer to the release date. Just sayin’! You’ll want to keep an eye out for it!

Two of my current favourite realms are the Incarnate/Newsoul world by Jodi Meadows and the Defiance world by CJ Redwine. To me, they split the realm of dystopian and high fantasy and I LOVE IT. Dystopian because they’re both futuristic & post-apocalyptic. (Both in the US too!) High fantasy because – DRAGONS. Woot! I’m starting to fall in love with dragons. For real. Falling in love with them. If you know me at all, you know I love me some Jodi Meadows. I am not shy about my love for her or for her books. SO! To go along with my guest post, I am going to give away two e-novellas. First is Phoenix Overture (Sam’s story) by Jodi. Second is the upcoming e-novella Outcast by CJ. Winner gets first pick between the two! I really, REALLY love this fantasy/dystopian mix and hope it continues!

So this post was a little chaotic, but that’s how I roll. I’m also including my Top 10 Favourite Fantasy Reads. I could’ve gone into massive detail about why I love each of these books/series, but ain’t no body got time fo’ dat! (: Hope you’ve been enjoying the blogoversary celebration! Feel free to stop by my blog for more whimsical chaos! Thanks for having me, Meredith!

Top 10 Favourite (High & Low) Fantasy Reads

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Incarnate/Newsoul trilogy by Jodi Meadows
Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
Defiance trilogy by CJ Redwine
Chronicles of Faerie by OR Melling
Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

~*~*~*~*~*~

 
Along with Maura’s wonderful post, we have TWO epic prizes to give away! ONE winner will receive an e-novella of Phoenix Overture by Jodi Meadows and a SECOND winner will an receive e-novella of Outcast by CJ Redwine!! This giveaway is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE – First winner selected will get to pick which e-novella they want. Winner number two will get whichever e-novella is left.

This giveaway is US only, but fear not! We have INT giveaways going on in our Grand Prize Giveaway which you can enter here! We also have several International giveaways going on, which you can find listed here!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is US Only

-First winner will have first pick, second winner will get whichever e-novella is left

-Winners have 48 hours to respond. If winners do not respond, new winners will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandora’s Wonderland: Overcoming My Shyness (Guest Post)

Hey everyone! Meredith from Pandora’s Books here. For those who don’t know, I’m doing a joint Blogoversary celebration with Kayla and Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading. The festivities started on May 26 (their one-year Blogoversary) and will end on June 24 (my one-year Blogoversary). We’ll be alternating days and providing fun guest posts from our fellow bloggers and author friends. You can visit A Wonderland of Reading to see the first post and learn more about the details and the grand prize giveaway!

So today, I have the AMAZING Stacie from A Wonderland of Reading here with an epically awesome guest post. Stacie is absolutely amazing. I’m so, so glad we became friends. She’s kind, understanding and BOOKISH! I seriously don’t know what I’d do without her! So, without further adieu, please welcome Stacie!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hi everyone! Some of you may know me, I am Stacie. Others know me as @Shybooknerd from Twitter. Today I’m here to talk about how I’m over coming my shyness. Some of you may relate to me, some might not. I am an extremely introverted person, especially in person. I have always been that way. I don’t know why, but it’s who I am. Sometimes I’m so shy to the point of anxiety, which sucks. As I have gotten older though, like getting married and having kids, my self-confidence has boosted up a bit. That and my love for books. Here is my reason why!

Since I really enjoy reading, one day I accidentally came upon an author event. Right away it piqued my interest because I seriously wanted to meet that author. So off I went to my first author event in February 2013, and I just fell in love with everything about it. From there, I discovered that there were book bloggers. I got ideas from experienced bloggers and went straight with it! Mind you, I totally should have taken my time and did more investigating, but eh the past is in the past lol! Anyways, then came the hard part for me: GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE ON TWITTER! I was so scared having to integrate and “mingle” with other book bloggers, but I put on my big girl pants and stuck my foot out the door.

Luckily, and I’m not sure if it was fate, I met Meredith! She was my life saver here peeps! Even though she was a newbie blogger like me, she took the time to get to know me, introduce me to other bloggers, and helped me get my name out there. If Mer had not entered my life, I don’t know where I’d be right now. Through Mer, I also met the awesome and oh so lovely, Kayla! Kayla is like the little niece that I’ve always wanted. We’ve gotten to know each other real well and we helped each other in times of need. She’s the best and I’m proud to call her my NIECE even though we have no relation.

I have met other awesome bloggers and book nerds alike that I’ve gotten to know over the past year, and I love them all. I have even gotten to know some amazing authors in the process! I may seem shy and might not write much on the blog or Twitter, but I really do love talking with everyone. I’m no jokester by any means either. I cannot tell one for the life of me. But talk to me about books and I come to life!

Yes I am still a very shy person, yet gradually my barriers are going down little by little and it’s all because of you guys! Getting to know all you book nerds has really opened my heart to some really positive and friendly people. I hope to get to know more of you as the years go by! Well, that’s all for now folks. Thank you for reading my post! :)