Blogoversary Winners (Finally)

First of all, let me say that I am totally and completely embarrassed it has taken me so long to getting around to announcing these. I had the winners decided about a week after the blogoversary contests closed back in October, and I have just been too busy to post them. Then my computer ate the spreadsheet with everyone’s info on it… it’s been a mess all around.

Oh well, better late than never, right?

Here are the winners for all 30 prizes offered during the Blogoversary contests. Yes, the announcements are late, but the good news is you should all get your prizes in time for Christmas! Speaking of which, there will be MORE prizes up for grabs come December. But more about that later this week…

As I mentioned, I have misplaced the mailing addresses (and in some case email addresses) that everyone submitted when they entered. If you see your name in the winning cases below, please email me at shadyglade AT mail DOT com to tell me where to send your books. Also, with so many prizes, we did have a few people who won multiple things, so double check the whole list before sending yoru email.

Congrats to all the winners! Don’t forget to email me!

Lot #100: YA Mystery Box – Audrey

Lot #101: Recycled Book Purse – Marie N.

Lot #102: Paranormal/Fantasy pack – Rosie Carlo

Lot #103: Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer – Jennifer S.

Lot #104: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #105: Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl – Jennifer S.

Lot #106: Ghost set – Mary DeBorde [M.A.D.]

Lot #107: The Edge on the Sword by Rebecca Tingle – Jennifer S.

Lot #108: Babymouse, Our Hero by Matt and Jennifer Holm – Kristen H.

Lot #109: What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books by Amy Gash – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #200: Mystery ARC box – Angie L.

Lot #201: Handmade Pumpkin Bookmark – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #202: Tamora Pierce Prize Pack – Kristen H.

Lot #203: The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber – Ashley (Book Labyrinth)

Lot #204: Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes – Angie L.

Lot #205: Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot – Jennifer S.

Lot #206: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson – Mina H.

Lot #207: Ghosts of Kerfol by Deborah Noyes – Robin B.

Lot #208: NERDS pack – Jasmyn

Lot #209: Ingo by Helen Dunmore – Melissa @ 1lbr

Lot #300: Graphic Novel Mystery Box – Debbie B.

Lot #301: Dark Divine Nail Polish – Trisha W.

Lot #302: History Prize Pack – Stephanie/Bookworm1858

Lot #303: Lady Grace Mysteries: Betrayal by Patricia Finney – Jasmyn

Lot #304: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine – Jennifer S.

Lot #305: Raiders' Ransom by Emily Diamand – Lieder Madchen

Lot #306: Real Princesses: An Inside Look at the Royal Life by Valerie Wilding – Lieder Madchen

Lot #307: Pride and Prejudice Prize Pack – Melissa @ 1lbr

Lot #308: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo – Jenna

Lot #309: ARC Prize Pack #2 (Thank you again to Kristen of The Book Monsters for donating this prize!) – Lieder Madchen

Update on Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge

So I have some good news for some of you. A couple weeks ago some of my readers stumbled across my Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge, only to express disappointment that they had discovered it so late.

I figured why not spread the joy, so the challenge has been extended until the end of the year! Which is good for me too, since because of other commitments (*cough* Cybils *cough*) I didn’t meet my goal yet, but am on track to finish by the end of the year. The challenge will now finish on December 31, 2011.

I’ve also found a prize for us. At the end of the year, one participant in the challenge will be randomly selected to receive a brand new hardcover copy of Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales, Ms. Pierce’s new book that came out last February.

If you want to win, you need to have signed up to participate in the challenge using Mr. Linky on the original page. And if you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for?  Signups remain open for the length of the challenge.  It only takes 1 book to participate, and you can read that by January, can’t you?

Blogoversary Giveaway Extravaganza: Prize Preview #3

And here we are at the final prize preview for the Blogoversary Giveaway Extravaganza.  Here I am presenting the final 10 prizes that will be given away starting October 5th.  More info can be found on the introduction page, and details will be coming soon.  Don't forget registration on October 2nd!

If you missed the previous prize previews, you don't know what kind of awesome prizes you're missing.  Check out the first and second posts to see what else you'll have to choose from. 


Lot #300: Graphic Novel Mystery Box
By now, you should recognize the wrapped ribbon boxes. It means it's another mystery box! After four years on the graphic novels nominations committee, I've had a lot of graphic novels come and go in my house. Plus, I've found plenty of graphic novels on my own too. So if you like graphic novels, or wanting to give them a try, this is the prize for you. I've got traditional comics, unique art styles, manga, color, black and white, and a mix of all genres/ages/bindings. The winner of this lot will get at least six books (probably more) many in new/like new condition.

Lot #301: Dark Divine Nail Polish
You may have recognized this prize from contests past. Well, in cleaning out my shelves the other day I found I still have a bit left. This lovely fuchsia purple/pink shade has been perfectly matched to the color of the The Dark Devine by Bree Despain. So now you can paint your nails just like the model on the cover! This lot includes two bottles, one for you and one for you to share (or keep for yourself, whatever you want :).

Lot #302: History Prize Pack
Now don't run anywhere when you hear the word history. This pack actually includes a couple good books. For those of you who do Twitter, what do you think history would look like in 140 characters or less? Well, you can find out in Historical Tweets by by Alan Beard and Alec McNayr. And then if you like to take a more *ahem* accurate version of history, this pack also includes Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis. So you should be pretty well covered in the history department.

Lot #303: Lady Grace Mysteries: Betrayal by Patricia Finney
Speaking of history, this prize combines some of my favorite things: historical fiction and diary books. Add in a little mystery and the fact that this series takes place in Queen Elizabeth I's court, and you have a win-win combination. If you haven't heard of these books yet, this is your chance to try them. This prize is a like new hardcover.

Lot #304: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
Speaking of favorite authors as I did in the last prize preview, I would be remiss if I didn't include Gail Carson Levine on my list. She does excellent fairy tale books, although this isn't one of them. It may contain princess, dragons, magic, and adventure, but this is a tale that's all her own. If you haven't tried this one yet, you really should pick it up. Pretty much all of Levine's books are wonderful.

Lot #305: Raiders' Ransom by Emily Diamand
Here's one for those of you who love dystopian fiction. Although in this future melting ice caps have flooded nearly all of England, and technology is feared above all else. Rarely do books surprise me anymore, but this one succeeded in doing that. I imagined I would mildly enjoy it (hence the reason I picked it up in the first place), but by the middle of the book I was so concerned about what would happen to the characters I had to finish it. Plus it has a kitty in it. Always a plus. :)

Lot #306: Real Princesses: An Inside Look at the Royal Life by Valerie Wilding
It looks like this list is the one for princesses. But this book is a little different for a couple reasons. One, it's actually non-fiction, and two, it's in picture book format. Still, I really enjoy this book. It talks about a lot of modern princesses I didn't know existed, and it has a special section about tiaras! Sorry, I just like sparkling things. Still, it was interesting to get a look inside a modern princess' life, as well as some historical facts about famous princesses too. Great for older and younger readers alike.

Lot #307: Pride and Prejudice Prize Pack
Wow, did that title have enough "P"s in it? I love everything Jane Austen themed. Her original novels, movie adaptations, sequels, retellings, books about her life. So yeah, just about everything. This prize pack is great for all you closet Janeites out there. The winner will receive three gently used paperback Austen themed books: Mr. Darcy's Dream and The True Darcy Spirit by Elizabeth Aston (both sequels to Pride and Prejudice) and a copy of Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer (Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's point of view).

Lot #308: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Here's another book that if you haven't read it yet you really should. There's a movie version too, but I think the book is better. It's another one of those fairy tale books that really isn't based off a real fairy tale, but has that feel to it. Despereaux is so cute, you just have to love everything about him, including his big ears. This prize is a like new paperback.

Lot #309: ARC Prize Pack #2
Yes, it's another mystery box full of ARCs! This one was generously donated by one of the blogoversary guest posters, Kristen of The Book Monsters (Thank you Kristen!). And because it's the second box, and since this is the last prize to reveal, I'll give you a hint about some of the books that are in here. In addition to some mystery titles, this box will contain ARCs of Still Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley (signed), Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Death Cloud by Andrew Lane and some others. So trust me, this is going to be a great prize!

So that concludes the prize preview. Don't forget to come back on October 2nd to register, so you can win some of these awesome prizes.

Blogoversary Giveaway Extravaganza: Prize Preview #2

If you missed it yesterday, don't forget to check out the first Prize Preview post.  There's some more details about how this contest will work so if you haven't seen it, make sure you don't miss it.  And here's another reminder that these open blogoversary challenges close soon, so this is your last chance to earn extra points to win the fantastic prizes below:

Lot #200: Mystery ARC box
In the same vein as yesterday, this is a mystery prize box. I've got a lot of ARCs laying around the house recently, and it's time to send them off to new homes where they are enjoyed. The winner of this lot will get at least 6 ARCs, some more recent, some older, and all genres/ages. Will you get more? What will be in the box? It's a mystery, you'll have to win it to find out.

Lot #201: Handmade Pumpkin Bookmark
I love bookmarks, and I love making them just a much. The winner of this lot will get this lovely pumpkin bookmark. Okay, so it looks a little different. The colors aren't variegated like this, but otherwise it is the same pattern (this is the only picture of this pattern I had). The bookmark is hand stitched by me, and it's perfect for those fall afternoons spent reading.

Lot #202: Tamora Pierce Prize Pack
A blogoversary celebration with my favorite things wouldn't be complete without Tamora Pierce books. The winner of this lot will win a box of assorted Tamora Pierce titles. They aren't in order, and there's some from several different series (although all of them are Tortall books). This would be a great prize if you're considering going for the Tamora Pierce Reading Challenge. These books are gently used paperbacks.

Lot #203: The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber
Here's a prize for those of you who sometimes get sick of YA and want to venture into adult books. In addition to share some of my favorite books, my mom wanted to donate a book by one of her favorite authors to the prize pile. It's a cute short little chick-lit type romance. So if you don't like this kind of book, maybe you know someone who does. Christmas is coming up soon, you know. :) This prize is a like new paperback.

Lot #204: Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes
You know how I am about fairy tale retellings. Here is one that's a little less well-known. It's the tale of Rapunzel (sort of) set in modern times. If you like fairy tales retold as much as I do, then this like new hardback would look perfect on your bookshelf.

Lot #205: Nicola and the Viscount by Meg Cabot
I love Meg Cabot's books. They're always full of lots of fun, cute romances, and some great humor. This gently used paperback is a recent reprint one of her earlier books (before the Princess Diaries struck it big). This is what I read on the plane home from Florida last summer, and it kept me nice and entertained during the 5 hour flight home. Plus, it's set in the Regency period, so that's always a bonus for me.

Lot #206: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
I've never travelled the world. Well, I've done the World Showcase at Epcot, does that count? But I have to say that world travel is definitely on my "want for the future" list. Perhaps that's why the plot of this book appeals to me so much. A scavenger hunt across the world, how fun is that? This prize is a like new paperback.

Lot #207: Ghosts of Kerfol by Deborah Noyes
Here's another ghostly book to satisfy your appetite for a Halloween read. I actually had never heard of this one before until it was nominated for the Cybils awards in the year that I didn't do graphic novels (2007? I can't remember). Anyway, this is definitely an overlooked book. This collection of short stories is actually a bit of a retelling too, since they are all inspired by the same short story, "Kerfol" by Edith Wharton. This prize is a like new hardcover.

Lot #208: NERDS pack
Now before you say something, it's not what you think. NERDS actually stands for the National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society. And okay, they actually are nerds, but these nerds are spies! This is one of the funniest series I've read in a long time. Just about every page had a quote I wanted to save. This pack includes a gently used paperback copy of the first book, NERDS, and a like new paperback ARC of the second, M is for Mama's Boy, both by Michael Buckley. I promise you, you will never look at nerds the same way again.

Lot #209: Ingo by Helen Dunmore
One thing to say about this one: mermaids. They seem to be the new thing in YA lit. Personally I've loved mermaids since I grew up on Disney's version of The Little Mermaid, so I love this swing to all things with fins. Vampires are so passe you know. ;) This series is a little less well-known in the United States since it was original published in the UK. With this gently used paperback, you have a chance to read the first book in the trilogy and get caught up in a new mermaid series while you wait for all those new ones to be released.

And that concludes our second prize preview. Are you excited yet? Keep your eye out in the next day or two for the remaining prize preview which will include the final 10 prizes. Remember registration for the auctions opens in the early hours of October 2nd. Everyone who registers is guaranteed 10 points to "spend" on the auctions. But if you want to earn extra points, you can complete the blogoversary challenges (linked above), or complete something from the list below:

• Follow the blog (email, Google Friend Connect, RSS, etc.) +5 for old followers, +3 for new followers
• Comment on posts September 1-25 +1 per comment
• Grab the Blogoversary button +5 (in the right sidebar or bottom of this post)
• Link/Tweet/Post about the Blogoversary and/or just the contests +2 per link/tweet/etc.
• Contribute a guest post during the blogversary +7
• Judged for the 2011 YA Bloggers Book Battle +3

Blogoversary Giveaway Extravaganza: Prize Preview #1

I was thinking about the upcoming Giveaway Extravaganza that will wrap up the blogoversary activities, and I realized something.  Although I told you how the giveaway will work, I haven't given you any idea of the prizes!  So over the next three days, I will be posting "prize previews" so that you can see all 30 prizes (aka auction lots) for the giveaway.

If you're new to the blog or the blogoversary, you can read all about the Giveaway Extravaganza here.  Basically, it will proceed like a silent auction and you earn points to "bid" with by completing challenges/tasks.  The breakdown of how you can earn points is on the details post, and also check out this post for links to all the additional active challenges.

As a reminder, everyone will need to register for the giveaway to win these prizes.  Registration opens early on October 2nd morning and auctions will start October 5th.  But enough of details, you want to see the prizes, right?


Lot #100: YA Mystery Box
Everyone loves a good mystery right? Well, here's one for you... what's in this box? This box includes a mix of YA books of all bindings, genres, release dates (recent and not so recent) and conditions (new and old). How many books will you get? Well, at least six, but beyond that, it's a mystery!

Lot #101: Recycled Book Purse
Okay, so it's not this exact book purse (I got this picture from Google images), but you get the idea. I just learned how to make these cool little bags out of recycled hardcover books. Aren't they cute? The inside is lined with fabric and creates the perfect little tote that will get lots of envious looks and compliments. As soon as I finish the one I'm working on, it will be offered to the winner of this lot.

Lot #102: Paranormal/Fantasy pack
Kind of a weird combination, and yet somehow they work together. The winner of this lot will get two gently used paperback books: a copy of Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde and a copy of Sunshine by Robin McKinley. Both stories were groundbreaking in that they re-imagined the creatures they are about long before such stories became popular (ie pre-Twilight vampires).

Lot #103: Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Patricia C. Wrede has to be one of my all-time favorite authors. I really enjoy this series of hers. It's a little more grown-up than her Enchanted Forest books and is set in an alternate history version of Regency England where magic is common. This is the first book in the series, so you can fall in love it and continue on from there. This prize is a like new paperback copy.

Lot #104: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Ally Carter is another one of my favorite authors. And although I enjoy Heist Society just a little bit more, I really do enjoy the Gallagher Girls series. Who wouldn't want to go to a private school for teenage girl spies? Sadly, this is the second book in the series, so you are responsible for getting your own hands on a copy of the first one. On the other hand, you'll be glad you have the next one right on hand after you finish it. This prize is a like new hardcover.

Lot #105: Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
You know how I love retold fairy tales. This one, as you might have guessed from the title, is mostly a retelling of "The Goose Girl", but with a few other elements mixed in there and a lot of the author's own original stuff as well. This was one of my Young Adult Literature professor's favorite books, and it's a short and sweet read. This is a like new paperback copy.

Lot #106: Ghost set
This lot contains a set of two gently used paperback ghostly-themed books. This set includes The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick and Time Windows by Kathryn Reiss. If you've been wanting to stock on some books that are great reading for the upcoming Halloween holiday, these two will set the mood.

Lot #107: The Edge on the Sword by Rebecca Tingle
I really love historical fiction, and I think a lot of times it can be overlooked in YA lit. So I'm really exited to over this new paperback copy to you. This book goes wayyyy back in history, to the late 800s in Dark Ages England. Plus, it has a kick-but female heroine, which I always enjoy reading about, even if I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce her name (Æthelflæd).

Lot #108: Babymouse, Our Hero by Matt and Jennifer Holm
Can I say how much I love this graphic novel series? I was introduced to the Babymouse books after my first year serving on the graphic novel committee for the Cybils awards in 2006. Although written for tween readers, Babymouse's adventures are relate-able for all ages, and I love how she has frequent asides with the narrator. The later books also have lots of great pop culture references too, which makes them lots of fun to read. And did I mention they are completely printed in pink? Love it!

Lot #109: What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grown-ups from Children's Books by Amy Gash

I saw this little hardcover book at the store the other day, and I just had to pick it up. I love little quote books like this, and it was about kids books, so how could you lose? It's got lots of great quotes from the classics (Alice in Wonderland, Roald Dahl, etc.) and some from some more recent books too, like Harry Potter. It's the perfect little book for those who like to be reminded that sometimes kids books are good to read. :)



And that concludes the prize preview for today. Look for the other 20 prizes to be released in the coming days, and don't forget to complete those challenges! There's only a few days left to do so...