January 11, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (1/11)

Hello!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.
*Thanks Danny @ Bewitched Bookworms for the WoW button

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I'm getting more and more excited about Dystopian novels with every new release. Well, here's another one I can't wait to get my hands on:

Partials (Partials #1)
by Dan Wells

Release Date: February 28th 2012
by HarperCollins Publishers
Hardcover, 472 pages

Goodreads:

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

That sounds very interesting and exciting. And a bit scary. :)) I guess Partials has a sci-fi feel to it, but I'm really looking forward to reading a good book out of my comfort zone. I love the cover and there's also a cool, movie-like trailer for this novel that makes me even more eager to read it. Check it out:


So, will you pick up Partials when it comes out?
What are you guys waiting on this week?

xoxo
Deea

Waiting on Wednesday (1/11)

Hello!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.
*Thanks Danny @ Bewitched Bookworms for the WoW button

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I'm getting more and more excited about Dystopian novels with every new release. Well, here's another one I can't wait to get my hands on:

Partials (Partials #1)
by Dan Wells

Release Date: February 28th 2012
by HarperCollins Publishers
Hardcover, 472 pages

Goodreads:

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

That sounds very interesting and exciting. And a bit scary. :)) I guess Partials has a sci-fi feel to it, but I'm really looking forward to reading a good book out of my comfort zone. I love the cover and there's also a cool, movie-like trailer for this novel that makes me even more eager to read it. Check it out:


So, will you pick up Partials when it comes out?
What are you guys waiting on this week?

xoxo
Deea

January 9, 2012

Half-Blood Giveaway Winners!

Hey guys!

It's time to announce the winners to my Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout giveaway. So, I'll get right to business:


Based upon number of entries and location, I got 3 lists with contestants and 3 winners: (and I picked the winners with random.org, as usual)

Romania Winner:



Balmez Andrada



International (Europe / Everywhere)


Suzanne Finnegan


US Winner (Half-Blood eBook)



Sophia Rose


Congrats ladies!!! I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did! I will email you shortly and then you will have 3 days to get back to me with your addresses and all the details so I can send you the books ASAP. ;)


And thanks everyone for entering the contest and for your lovely comments! Your support and presence on the blog means a lot to me! I'll try to have another giveaway for you soon! I want everyone to win!<3

Have a fab week and happy reading!
xoxo
Deea

Half-Blood Giveaway Winners!

Hey guys!

It's time to announce the winners to my Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout giveaway. So, I'll get right to business:


Based upon number of entries and location, I got 3 lists with contestants and 3 winners: (and I picked the winners with random.org, as usual)

Romania Winner:



Balmez Andrada



International (Europe / Everywhere)


Suzanne Finnegan


US Winner (Half-Blood eBook)



Sophia Rose


Congrats ladies!!! I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did! I will email you shortly and then you will have 3 days to get back to me with your addresses and all the details so I can send you the books ASAP. ;)


And thanks everyone for entering the contest and for your lovely comments! Your support and presence on the blog means a lot to me! I'll try to have another giveaway for you soon! I want everyone to win!<3

Have a fab week and happy reading!
xoxo
Deea

Spotted: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu New Cover & Trailer!

Hey guys!

Here's something I spotted this morning and I wanted to share with you:

Glitch (Glitch #1)
by Heather Anastasiu


Release date: August 7th 2012 
by St. Martin's Press

Goodreads / Website

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Trailer:




Eek! Last year I was weary and skeptical about Dystopian novels, but lately I've read a few very good ones and I'm getting more and more excited about this genre with every new release! And Glitch is one I can't wait to read this year (argh! late summer release)! Sounds awesome, don't you think? ;)

Also, I love the cover! I love the overall colors and the font used for the title, with all those little effects! <3 Must have it on my shelf ASAP!

*Source & more info:  Author @ Brave New Words Blog

Thoughts? ;)

xoxo
Deea

Spotted: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu New Cover & Trailer!

Hey guys!

Here's something I spotted this morning and I wanted to share with you:

Glitch (Glitch #1)
by Heather Anastasiu


Release date: August 7th 2012 
by St. Martin's Press

Goodreads / Website

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Trailer:




Eek! Last year I was weary and skeptical about Dystopian novels, but lately I've read a few very good ones and I'm getting more and more excited about this genre with every new release! And Glitch is one I can't wait to read this year (argh! late summer release)! Sounds awesome, don't you think? ;)

Also, I love the cover! I love the overall colors and the font used for the title, with all those little effects! <3 Must have it on my shelf ASAP!

*Source & more info:  Author @ Brave New Words Blog

Thoughts? ;)

xoxo
Deea

January 6, 2012

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle


Happy Friday everyone! ♥ 

Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1)
by P.T. Michelle



Published June 27th 2011 by Patrice Michelle

Goodreads:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My thoughts:
(No spoilers)

I think I’ve tried to write this first paragraph at least four times, but it just wouldn’t come out right. So I might as well just say it: Brightest Kind of Darkness blew my mind away! Seriously, it was so good and so full of all kinds of surprises, twists, turns and well, awesomeness, that I don’t even know where to start!

Sometimes I take notes when I read review books, because there are some ideas that just pop into my head and if I don’t write them down right then and there, by the time I sit down to write my review, I forget what I wanted to say at a specific moment or about a specific scene. Well, when I read Brightest Kind of Darkness… I got nothing. I was too immersed in the story, too busy reading or gripping the edges of my seat, too anxious about all the twisty events or too excited about finally figuring something out to just stop from my reading for even a minute or so to take a note. Not that I could have focused on anything else, anyway. All I got are some scattered bookmarks for favorite quotes like“31% Ethan = SWOON” or “59%-WTH just happened?!?!” or “78% - scene 2DIE4. *sigh*

All this may seem irrelevant, but my point is: this book was brilliant and it exceed all my expectations (which were already pretty high). Everything about it is different, surprising, engrossing, and well… pretty amazing! P.T. Michelle is such a talented author! She has this way with words that just pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you’re walking the school halls alongside her characters, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. Everything is so realistic and all the elements in the story are very well balanced. Whoa!  

Ok, I’ll try to make some sense here. LOL

Since she was seven, Nara’s been dreaming her whole the next day, so her life has always been predictable, a routine. When she was little, she tried to make some changes in the course of events and things didn’t end well, so she tried to avoid making any major changes ever since. She just learned to avoid unpleasant situations and to make adaptations to situations that affected strictly her. Until one day, when something had to be changed – and her whole world turned upside down. Ever since she prevented a bomb attack at school because too many people would have been hurt, things have gone from bad to worse. Who knew that one whispered “Can I just have one surprising day?” would give the saying “Be careful what you wish for” a whole new meaning!...

After that experience, any “adaptations” I’d made had been strictly stuff that affected me. And even those weren’t often. I’d learned the hard way that altering an event could affect how the rest of my day was supposed to unfold. Knowing what was coming—even if I didn’t like it—was better than not knowing what would happen if I changed something. Avoidance worked for me. But last night was the first time a dream had left me with only one choice. (Kindle Locations 158-162)

Weird, scary things happen around her. Her dreams start to fade until they disappear completely. Random kids at school get hurt frequently. There are too many accidents around her to be a coincidence. She has serious problems with her soccer teammates and even with her best friend. Her missing father sends her short, cryptic messages after years and years of silence. And then there’s Ethan, the lonely, quiet boy who avoids everyone and keeps to himself, yet who seems to pop up everywhere she is and to know too much about her. There’s something dark and mysterious about him – something that keeps everyone else away from him but draws her closer. The question is, are all these things related? If so, how are they related? What can she do to get her normal life back, dreams and predictability and all?

Many parts of my life—from losing my dreams and Lainey’s friendship, to being attacked in the woods and now my dad texting me—were being tossed and jerked around, just like my dirty clothes in the washer last night. And just like my freshly laundered clothes I’d pulled out of the dryer, I wanted my life to go back to being neat and squeaky clean. Instead, it seemed to be headed in the “wrinkled with set-in stains” direction.(Kindle Locations 1373-1376).

Eventually, she gets to hang out with Ethan more and to understand him. Also, there’s definitely some kind of otherworldly, strong connection between them, but finding out more about it doesn’t make things any easier for them – all on the contrary. They do get to spend more time together and to have feelings for each other, but they still can’t explain what’s going on and don’t know how to stop it. Because a dark, dangerous force seems to be looming over them all and avoiding the disasters it causes only makes things worse. The only way to make it stop is to confront it – but that could be the end for Nara - and everyone else as well. 

It’s not easy to tell you what’s the story actually about without giving too much away. You just have to read it and see for yourself, you will be surprised, I promise!:D As I mentioned, there are a lot of WTH moments, twists and turns to make you mad with curiosity about what’s going to happen next. Just when you think you’ve finally figured it out, BAM! Something happens and you’re back to square one. And the ending was killer! There’s no way I could have seen that coming! It wasn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but it did leave me staring wide eyed at the screen and with lots of questions I really, really hope I’ll find the answers to in the next book. 

Nara was such a great, tough character! She’s likeable and relatable; it was very easy to connect with her. Given that she always knew what to expect from her life, when she finally faces the unknown, she doesn’t freak out (not much, anyway) and doesn’t hide in a corner waiting for things to get back to normal. She’s scared, but also determined and ready to face everything - life - or whatever forces are in control now - might throw at her. Her inner strength is incredible! And when she finally feels like she can’t take it anymore and she’s ready to collapse, there’s always Ethan to catch her and to try to make things better for her. 

“He was there for me, Lainey. You’ve been so busy with your new boyfriend, you didn’t even notice your best friend was going through some stuff. But Ethan did, and that’s enough for me.” (Kindle Locations 805-807).

And even though his actions were somehow questionable and unpredictable, his reasons were always good and sincere. 

Ethan had this knack for leaving me breathless and teetering. Like a chair tilted on two legs, I was never sure if I was going to topple over or land on solid ground. (Kindle Locations 562-563). 

Speaking of Ethan… Oh my! *sigh* He is a strong, swoon-worthy character (not to mention a blue-eyed hottie *drool*), but in a very realistic kind of way. He has a dark past, but he’s doing his best to get over it and to find a way to cope with all the craziness surrounding him.

Ethan was always so controlled, the brief display of raw emotion threw me. Sometimes he seemed much older, like he’d been through a lot. (Kindle Locations 833-834)  

His relationship with Nara is the best thing that happened to him lately; he really cares about her and he would do anything to protect her. (It may or may not be because everyone else only sees his troubled past and dark side, but she doesn’t care about any of that and seems to see the kindness in his heart and to actually get him.)

The world in general is kind of gritty and scary, but the relationship between Nara and Ethan is very sweet and intense. The cuddling, heart-melting, knees-buckling kind of sweet. :D

“Thank you for being there,” I said in an unsteady voice. Ethan clasped my wrist and pulled me into his arms, holding me close. “I’ll always be here for you.” (Kindle Locations 1139-1140) *faints*

That’s why I said P.T. Michelle did an amazing job at balancing all the elements in this book. The high school drama, supernatural, unexpected, mystery, suspense, romance, everything is very well put together and make of Brightest Kind of Darkness a believable, yet very interesting and unputdawnable story that will definitely let readers breathless and eager for more!;)


And now I'll leave you with one of my favorites: (Ethan to Nara)


"…you are my peace, a bright light in all that darkness.” ♥ 


*Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!
**I read Brightest Kind of Darkness last year (whoa! I can't believe I refer to sometime three weeks ago as last year) and it was one of my honorable mentions in my Top 10 YA Books of 2011. ;)


Get the book from: Amazon / B&N
(it's only $0.99!)
Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Blog

I've heard it will come out in paperback soon and I'll definitely pick up one! The cover is gorgeous! Readers who enjoyed books like Falling Under by Gwen Hayes or Crave by Melissa Darnell will definitely love this one - maybe even more!;)

Have a great weekend!
xoxo
Deea

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle


Happy Friday everyone! ♥ 

Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1)
by P.T. Michelle



Published June 27th 2011 by Patrice Michelle

Goodreads:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My thoughts:
(No spoilers)

I think I’ve tried to write this first paragraph at least four times, but it just wouldn’t come out right. So I might as well just say it: Brightest Kind of Darkness blew my mind away! Seriously, it was so good and so full of all kinds of surprises, twists, turns and well, awesomeness, that I don’t even know where to start!

Sometimes I take notes when I read review books, because there are some ideas that just pop into my head and if I don’t write them down right then and there, by the time I sit down to write my review, I forget what I wanted to say at a specific moment or about a specific scene. Well, when I read Brightest Kind of Darkness… I got nothing. I was too immersed in the story, too busy reading or gripping the edges of my seat, too anxious about all the twisty events or too excited about finally figuring something out to just stop from my reading for even a minute or so to take a note. Not that I could have focused on anything else, anyway. All I got are some scattered bookmarks for favorite quotes like“31% Ethan = SWOON” or “59%-WTH just happened?!?!” or “78% - scene 2DIE4. *sigh*

All this may seem irrelevant, but my point is: this book was brilliant and it exceed all my expectations (which were already pretty high). Everything about it is different, surprising, engrossing, and well… pretty amazing! P.T. Michelle is such a talented author! She has this way with words that just pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you’re walking the school halls alongside her characters, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. Everything is so realistic and all the elements in the story are very well balanced. Whoa!  

Ok, I’ll try to make some sense here. LOL

Since she was seven, Nara’s been dreaming her whole the next day, so her life has always been predictable, a routine. When she was little, she tried to make some changes in the course of events and things didn’t end well, so she tried to avoid making any major changes ever since. She just learned to avoid unpleasant situations and to make adaptations to situations that affected strictly her. Until one day, when something had to be changed – and her whole world turned upside down. Ever since she prevented a bomb attack at school because too many people would have been hurt, things have gone from bad to worse. Who knew that one whispered “Can I just have one surprising day?” would give the saying “Be careful what you wish for” a whole new meaning!...

After that experience, any “adaptations” I’d made had been strictly stuff that affected me. And even those weren’t often. I’d learned the hard way that altering an event could affect how the rest of my day was supposed to unfold. Knowing what was coming—even if I didn’t like it—was better than not knowing what would happen if I changed something. Avoidance worked for me. But last night was the first time a dream had left me with only one choice. (Kindle Locations 158-162)

Weird, scary things happen around her. Her dreams start to fade until they disappear completely. Random kids at school get hurt frequently. There are too many accidents around her to be a coincidence. She has serious problems with her soccer teammates and even with her best friend. Her missing father sends her short, cryptic messages after years and years of silence. And then there’s Ethan, the lonely, quiet boy who avoids everyone and keeps to himself, yet who seems to pop up everywhere she is and to know too much about her. There’s something dark and mysterious about him – something that keeps everyone else away from him but draws her closer. The question is, are all these things related? If so, how are they related? What can she do to get her normal life back, dreams and predictability and all?

Many parts of my life—from losing my dreams and Lainey’s friendship, to being attacked in the woods and now my dad texting me—were being tossed and jerked around, just like my dirty clothes in the washer last night. And just like my freshly laundered clothes I’d pulled out of the dryer, I wanted my life to go back to being neat and squeaky clean. Instead, it seemed to be headed in the “wrinkled with set-in stains” direction.(Kindle Locations 1373-1376).

Eventually, she gets to hang out with Ethan more and to understand him. Also, there’s definitely some kind of otherworldly, strong connection between them, but finding out more about it doesn’t make things any easier for them – all on the contrary. They do get to spend more time together and to have feelings for each other, but they still can’t explain what’s going on and don’t know how to stop it. Because a dark, dangerous force seems to be looming over them all and avoiding the disasters it causes only makes things worse. The only way to make it stop is to confront it – but that could be the end for Nara - and everyone else as well. 

It’s not easy to tell you what’s the story actually about without giving too much away. You just have to read it and see for yourself, you will be surprised, I promise!:D As I mentioned, there are a lot of WTH moments, twists and turns to make you mad with curiosity about what’s going to happen next. Just when you think you’ve finally figured it out, BAM! Something happens and you’re back to square one. And the ending was killer! There’s no way I could have seen that coming! It wasn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but it did leave me staring wide eyed at the screen and with lots of questions I really, really hope I’ll find the answers to in the next book. 

Nara was such a great, tough character! She’s likeable and relatable; it was very easy to connect with her. Given that she always knew what to expect from her life, when she finally faces the unknown, she doesn’t freak out (not much, anyway) and doesn’t hide in a corner waiting for things to get back to normal. She’s scared, but also determined and ready to face everything - life - or whatever forces are in control now - might throw at her. Her inner strength is incredible! And when she finally feels like she can’t take it anymore and she’s ready to collapse, there’s always Ethan to catch her and to try to make things better for her. 

“He was there for me, Lainey. You’ve been so busy with your new boyfriend, you didn’t even notice your best friend was going through some stuff. But Ethan did, and that’s enough for me.” (Kindle Locations 805-807).

And even though his actions were somehow questionable and unpredictable, his reasons were always good and sincere. 

Ethan had this knack for leaving me breathless and teetering. Like a chair tilted on two legs, I was never sure if I was going to topple over or land on solid ground. (Kindle Locations 562-563). 

Speaking of Ethan… Oh my! *sigh* He is a strong, swoon-worthy character (not to mention a blue-eyed hottie *drool*), but in a very realistic kind of way. He has a dark past, but he’s doing his best to get over it and to find a way to cope with all the craziness surrounding him.

Ethan was always so controlled, the brief display of raw emotion threw me. Sometimes he seemed much older, like he’d been through a lot. (Kindle Locations 833-834)  

His relationship with Nara is the best thing that happened to him lately; he really cares about her and he would do anything to protect her. (It may or may not be because everyone else only sees his troubled past and dark side, but she doesn’t care about any of that and seems to see the kindness in his heart and to actually get him.)

The world in general is kind of gritty and scary, but the relationship between Nara and Ethan is very sweet and intense. The cuddling, heart-melting, knees-buckling kind of sweet. :D

“Thank you for being there,” I said in an unsteady voice. Ethan clasped my wrist and pulled me into his arms, holding me close. “I’ll always be here for you.” (Kindle Locations 1139-1140) *faints*

That’s why I said P.T. Michelle did an amazing job at balancing all the elements in this book. The high school drama, supernatural, unexpected, mystery, suspense, romance, everything is very well put together and make of Brightest Kind of Darkness a believable, yet very interesting and unputdawnable story that will definitely let readers breathless and eager for more!;)


And now I'll leave you with one of my favorites: (Ethan to Nara)


"…you are my peace, a bright light in all that darkness.” ♥ 


*Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!
**I read Brightest Kind of Darkness last year (whoa! I can't believe I refer to sometime three weeks ago as last year) and it was one of my honorable mentions in my Top 10 YA Books of 2011. ;)


Get the book from: Amazon / B&N
(it's only $0.99!)
Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Blog

I've heard it will come out in paperback soon and I'll definitely pick up one! The cover is gorgeous! Readers who enjoyed books like Falling Under by Gwen Hayes or Crave by Melissa Darnell will definitely love this one - maybe even more!;)

Have a great weekend!
xoxo
Deea

January 4, 2012

Looking Back... And Looking Forward

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow! I can't believe it's already 2012! Time flies! And I guess it's that time of the year when we look back at what meant 2011 for us and set our goals for 2012, right? Yikes!

Warning: This is going to be a long post - and mostly irrelevant ramble. ;)


2011 was pretty hectic for me... Not bad, but not as good as 2010 had been either. Sometimes it felt like time stood still, yet a lot of things changed. I changed. (But I guess that's normal at this age, right?:P) The only constant in my life had been my love for books. And this blog had been my outlet, my journal. I put a lot of myself in it and maybe it didn't seem that way, since I hadn't been always constant with my posts, but trust me, it was very important to me. Sometimes maybe too important, because I cared about every single word, post, comment, visit, question that went this way. I wanted to do something just for myself. And that's what I did. That's why not many people I know IRL know about it, or if they do, they don't read or comment about it. (not as far as I know, anyway LOL). A lot of fun, joy, love, excitement and eagerness went into it, but also a surprising amount of work, frustration, anxiety, impatience and stress. But the thing is - somehow it was a welcome stress. A great distraction from the real world. And all that joy and excitement definitely make you forget about those rare moments when you feel stressed and overwhelmed and consider quitting.

It's amazing how receiving a shiny new book in the mail or a thoughtful comment can make you smile and instantly feel better on an otherwise craptastic day. An email from your favorite author, reading a book that deserves 5 stars or more or receiving a much coveted ARC can make your week. And for moments like that, I love blogging and this whole community and all those negative things I mentioned above are irrelevant and easy to forget. And I wouldn't give this up - not even when I can't find my words, I have no inspiration, or I have a blasting headache that makes it hard to think, especially in a language that is not my own.

Speaking of this community... Being part of it is one of the most fabulous and rewarding things ever! I met so many amazing readers, bloggers, authors and their support and all the good vibes they send my way is surreal! I consider all of them my close friends and I'd love to meet them IRL as well - I'm sure we'd have a blast! 

Oh, wow... I set up to write about something, but this post became something else entirely. You can consider it a sort of blogoversary ramble. *nervous laugh* Because yeah, I started this book blog a year ago. And one year later, I still get worried about authors reading my reviews (because of all the 'what if's - what if I got it all wrong, what if I somehow offended them, what if they don't like it, what if I'm not making any sense, what if I didn't get what was actually important etc etc). It still takes me way too long to write reviews. I'm still too chicken to approach certain authors and publishers. I still get jealous over other bloggers' amazing, flawless writing.  BUT I still LOVE it - and this community - that's what actually matters, right? Besides, I think I finally found my voice and a pattern (well, sort of). And just like IRL, I don't like to do things just to be done or halfway (*points at self* perfectionist, remember?), so if I don't feel like posting something or if I'm not completely satisfied with what's coming out on the page, I don't write a post just to fill in a day. If I lose followers because of that, so be it. I want to really love and enjoy what I do, and maybe others will like it too eventually.

I'm not setting out any goals for 2012 because, truth be told, I suck at lists. Especially at TO DO lists. The big FAIL written all over my last year's resolutions list proves that. :)) What I want this year is to be more organized and open minded - everything would be so much better and easier! Also: 


This would work in all the departments 

*looks up* Wow! This post is a little dramatic. LOL But I'm just being honest here about what blogging means for me and how it affects me (good or bad... but mostly good). I'll probably delete it once I come back to my senses, but until then...

I wish you all a great, productive year!
Read, have fun, take care of yourselves and smile as often as possible! ♥ 

P.S. Don't forget about the giveaway! ->

xoxo
Deea

Looking Back... And Looking Forward

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow! I can't believe it's already 2012! Time flies! And I guess it's that time of the year when we look back at what meant 2011 for us and set our goals for 2012, right? Yikes!

Warning: This is going to be a long post - and mostly irrelevant ramble. ;)


2011 was pretty hectic for me... Not bad, but not as good as 2010 had been either. Sometimes it felt like time stood still, yet a lot of things changed. I changed. (But I guess that's normal at this age, right?:P) The only constant in my life had been my love for books. And this blog had been my outlet, my journal. I put a lot of myself in it and maybe it didn't seem that way, since I hadn't been always constant with my posts, but trust me, it was very important to me. Sometimes maybe too important, because I cared about every single word, post, comment, visit, question that went this way. I wanted to do something just for myself. And that's what I did. That's why not many people I know IRL know about it, or if they do, they don't read or comment about it. (not as far as I know, anyway LOL). A lot of fun, joy, love, excitement and eagerness went into it, but also a surprising amount of work, frustration, anxiety, impatience and stress. But the thing is - somehow it was a welcome stress. A great distraction from the real world. And all that joy and excitement definitely make you forget about those rare moments when you feel stressed and overwhelmed and consider quitting.

It's amazing how receiving a shiny new book in the mail or a thoughtful comment can make you smile and instantly feel better on an otherwise craptastic day. An email from your favorite author, reading a book that deserves 5 stars or more or receiving a much coveted ARC can make your week. And for moments like that, I love blogging and this whole community and all those negative things I mentioned above are irrelevant and easy to forget. And I wouldn't give this up - not even when I can't find my words, I have no inspiration, or I have a blasting headache that makes it hard to think, especially in a language that is not my own.

Speaking of this community... Being part of it is one of the most fabulous and rewarding things ever! I met so many amazing readers, bloggers, authors and their support and all the good vibes they send my way is surreal! I consider all of them my close friends and I'd love to meet them IRL as well - I'm sure we'd have a blast! 

Oh, wow... I set up to write about something, but this post became something else entirely. You can consider it a sort of blogoversary ramble. *nervous laugh* Because yeah, I started this book blog a year ago. And one year later, I still get worried about authors reading my reviews (because of all the 'what if's - what if I got it all wrong, what if I somehow offended them, what if they don't like it, what if I'm not making any sense, what if I didn't get what was actually important etc etc). It still takes me way too long to write reviews. I'm still too chicken to approach certain authors and publishers. I still get jealous over other bloggers' amazing, flawless writing.  BUT I still LOVE it - and this community - that's what actually matters, right? Besides, I think I finally found my voice and a pattern (well, sort of). And just like IRL, I don't like to do things just to be done or halfway (*points at self* perfectionist, remember?), so if I don't feel like posting something or if I'm not completely satisfied with what's coming out on the page, I don't write a post just to fill in a day. If I lose followers because of that, so be it. I want to really love and enjoy what I do, and maybe others will like it too eventually.

I'm not setting out any goals for 2012 because, truth be told, I suck at lists. Especially at TO DO lists. The big FAIL written all over my last year's resolutions list proves that. :)) What I want this year is to be more organized and open minded - everything would be so much better and easier! Also: 


This would work in all the departments 

*looks up* Wow! This post is a little dramatic. LOL But I'm just being honest here about what blogging means for me and how it affects me (good or bad... but mostly good). I'll probably delete it once I come back to my senses, but until then...

I wish you all a great, productive year!
Read, have fun, take care of yourselves and smile as often as possible! ♥ 

P.S. Don't forget about the giveaway! ->

xoxo
Deea
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