9th Blogoversary and Giveaway

9 years! I can't quite believe it, but here we are. I remember like it was yesterday when I first started this blog as a professional development opportunity.  I am so thankful I have stuck with it through the many changes in my life as well as the many changes in the book blogging world.

I'm also so thankful for this community of book lovers and the many publishers, PR firms, and other bookish professionals that I have had the opportunity to work with through the years.  I am most appreciate of you guys though!  I appreciate every email, note, recommendation, and comment. Truly I do! Thank you for sticking with me all these years.

To celebrate, I am giving away TWO books and there will be two winners. One giveaway will be for ARCs and the other for a book of the winner's choice.  (The lists are below.) This giveaway is for US readers only due to shipping costs. Please remember to refer to my giveaway rules before entering.  Thank you again for the BEST nine years. I love talking books with you guys and I hope that never changes.

ARCs:

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

The Fever King by Victoria Lee

Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle

Freedom Trials by Meredith Tate

Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan

Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

We Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler

Little Do We Know by Tamara Ireland Stone

The Color of Lies by C.J. Lyons

Afterimage by Naomi Hughes

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery

It Should Have Been You by Lynn Slaughter

Between Before and After by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

No Place Like Here by Christina June

Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne

Finished Copies From My Stash:

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

The Similiars by Rebecca Hanover

Vendetta by Iris Johansen

Tradition by Brendan Kiely

The Final Six by Alexandria Monir

Bright Ruin by Vic James

Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter

Double Blind by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon

The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis

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Good luck and thank you for 9 great years!

8th Blogoversary and an International Giveaway!

I can't believe I am typing this, but then again, I am not surprised. It's been 8 years since I wrote my first post. Books have always been a constant in my life, so I'm not surprised that they still are a priority.  With two little kids running around, it's been a bit more challenging to make time to read, but if it's important to you, you'll do it, right? 

Plus, I think it's important, more than ever, to carve out time for what sets our souls on fire...for what really gets us excited. And for me that has always been books.

These past 8 years have been so fantastic. Here are some highlights:

Meeting Sarah Dessen (one of my favorite authors)

• Met many great authors including one of my favorites, Sarah Dessen!!!
• Worked with various publishers, 
• Had my reviews published in a magazine

Interviewing Jenny Han (squee!)

• Interviewed MY FAVORITE AUTHOR (JENNY HAN!) in front of a live audience (still pinching myself!)
• Celebrated over 1 million hits
• Partnered with various podcasts, companies, and websites like zulily

My display for Independent Bookstore Day

• Was a featured blogger at Independent Bookstore Day
• Went to cocktail hour at Highclere Castle and met Lady Fiona Carnarvon, author of Downton Abbey books 
• Received so many ARCs which I am very, very grateful for. 
• Made some great bookish friends and found a wonderful community

It all started as a professional development activity when I was teaching and has really grown from there. It's become part of who I am.

I am so thankful for all the comments and support. It means the world to me! To thank all my loyal readers, I am hosting an international giveaway for $20 worth of books of your choice from the Book Depository. Please make sure the Book Depository ships to your location and please refer to my giveaway rules.

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Again, thank you for 8 great years. It's been an incredible adventure.

My New Adventure with Usborne Books and More

Hey, all! I wanted to share my new adventure with you guys. I am an Independent Consultant for Usborne Books and More. My kids love these books and they have some of the best children's books that I've come across. 

Are you familiar with these books? Here are some of the bestsellers:

In our house we love Secrets of the Seashore, That's Not My Puppy, Jungle Sounds, Inside a Castle, and all of their incredible activity books. My son has been loving the 100 Paper Planes to Fold and Fly this summer.  

What I love about Usborne Books and More is that they offer engaging children's books for just about every age, genre and interest. My son goes through different phases of interests ranging from dinosaurs, pirates, castles to sea life and Usborne has books about each and every topic.  They also have incredible baby books that my littlest has been enjoying since birth.

If you are interested in checking out what we have to offer, please stop by my shopping site and don't hesitate to contact me on Twitter for book recommendations.  Also, if you are on Facebook and you'd like to learn more about hosting your own Usborne Books and More Facebook party in order to earn free books for the child in your life, let me know. It's very easy!

I've been LOVING connecting people with great books for their children! If you have any questions, drop me an email or find me on Twitter.

Have a great day and thanks for visiting!

Disclaimer: Usborne Publishing Ltd. (UK) has no connection with these pages and does not sponsor or support their content.  

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Facts About Me

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a bit different than the usual lists featuring books. This week, I am sharing ten fun facts about myself.  Let me know what you think!

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1.  I've biked down the longest, steepest paved road in the world...twice! It's otherwise known as Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui. Biking through the clouds is an experience I will never forget.

2.  Deep down I am a bit of a tom-boy, which is good I guess since I have two sons.  I love football and play fantasy football every year. I have won my league's championship (twice!) and got second place once.

3.  I love young adult fiction, as you know, but as I get older, I am more and more interested in historical fiction. I find history to be so fascinating and love various time periods, such as America in the 1940s, Tudor England, and Victorian England, etc.

4. I am only a second generation American.  In recent years, I have started studying genealogy and joined Ancestry.com.  It has been an amazing experience tracking down my ancestors and learning about their lives.

Me at The Jane Austen's House Museum in Chawton, England 

5. I love to travel! Some of my favorite travel destinations are: Key West, Jamaica, London, Ireland, and Hawaii. My most recent trip was to London and I fell in love with the city and the countryside.

6.  I am a certified Reading Specialist K-12, a certified English Teacher 7-12 and hold my middle level certification as well.

7.  I married my best friend on December 20, 2008 in Pennsylvania.

Vatican City, Rome, Italy

8.  When I was in Rome, I saw the preparations for the Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square. The Vatican is quite a sight to behold.

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9.  I LIVE for summertime happy hours. My favorite happy hour spot is at The Deauville Inn in Strathmere, New Jersey. Nothing beats their sunsets over the bay and sipping your favorite drink with your toes in the sand. My second favorite spots are in Key West: Conch Republic Seafood Company and Kelly's Caribbean Bar and Brewery. Nobody does happy hour quite like the Florida Keys.

Me at Ernest Hemingway's House in Key West, Florida

10. If you want to learn more about me, check out my "About Me" page for more info.

Thanks for checking out some fun facts about me.  It's always fun to learn more about the person behind the blog.  Thanks for visiting! This meme is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

A Blog Break!

Guys, I am taking a blog break to spend time from my family and recover since we recently welcomed a second baby boy to our family. 

Declan Dennis

Born on April 19, 2016 at 4:44pm 

I'll be sure to share more details soon and if you are interested, I am posting pictures on Instagram. Declan made a surprise appearance a bit early, but all is well! Big brother Dylan is thrilled and both boys have been keeping me very busy.

I'll still be reading and sharing all of my beach reads for my Summer Kickoff Feature in a few weeks. I wouldn't dream of missing my favorite time of year! You can keep up with me on Goodreads as well to see what I've been reading.

Thank you for visiting and for all your support these past few years. I'll be back soon!

6th Blogoversary and an International Giveaway!

Somehow it has been six years since I started blogging about books. I really can't believe it. I remember when I first started as part of my professional development plan at work. I am so glad I have stuck with it!

You guys have seen me through some awesome vacations, some low moments in my life, some high moments in my life, the birth of my son, fangirl moments, surreal moments, and so much more. My blog has been a place for me to go to talk about books and I've made some great friends along the way. For that I will always be grateful.

The other day I was thinking about the fact that I have stuck with blogging for so long. Why do I do it? I do it because I love it.  I love to read and share my thoughts with all of you and in turn, I get to hear your thoughts and recommendations as well.  I don't do it for hits, for popularity, or for the publishers. I do it for me. And I think that's why I haven't thrown in the towel yet. I've witnessed many blogs come and go over the past six years.  My advice? Do it for you. Do what you love. Read what you love. Don't worry about what other blogs are doing. Be kind. And never stop making it fun. 

So, with that said, I am showing my gratitude for six years of awesomeness by hosting a fun giveaway. It's an international giveaway for up to $20 to spend on books of your choice at the Book Depository as long as it ships to your location. 

The deadline for the giveaway is February 7th.  Please refer to my giveaway rules. Good luck and more importantly, thank you for six great years. 

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That Time I Interviewed Jenny Han!

Thanks to Chester County Book Company, I had the opportunity to help out at their event for Jenny Han to celebrate the release of P.S. I Still Love You. Now if you know me, you know that Jenny Han is hands down one of my favorite authors, if not my FAVORITE.  I adore her Summer series and really love To All the Boys I've Loved Before as well. Her writing is perfection and I love the way she portrays families, friends, and love. For me, Jenny Han can do no wrong, so having this opportunity was really exciting, but also nerve-wracking for a super fan like me!

Thankfully, she was very, very nice and so easy to talk to. Side note: I also was really obsessed with her shoes and outfit.  She's got a great fashion sense.

Here I am interviewing Jenny Han. Photo courtesy of Chester County Books

Anyway, back to the interview! It was a live Q&A session in front of the people that came for the signing, so that was a lot of fun and a little bit different than I expected.  I asked Jenny all of those questions that I had been wondering for years. Here are some of the highlights:

1) What was her inspiration for The Summer I Turned Pretty? Is Cousins Beach real? Can I go there? 
Spending summers with family and family friends in the same beach house is what inspired this book. She took some inspiration from Nags Head, North Carolina where she vacationed with family for many years.

2) Which character does she relate to the most? 
Lara Jean from To All the Boys I've Loved Before

3) Kitty is one of my favorite secondary characters in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Who is she based on and can she have a spin-off? 
Her own sister! (No sequels for spin-offs were mentioned)

4) What happened with the possible The Summer I Turned Pretty TV show and any other possible movies or TV shows in the works?
The option expired. (Cue my tears.) However, To All the Boys I've Loved Before has been optioned by Overbrook Entertainment (Will Smith's company) and Will Smith is set to produce it. Fingers crossed we get to see this on the big screen!

5) What book is she currently loving right now? 
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. It was interesting to hear her talk a bit about this book and how she used it to organize things, everything but her shoes though. (love that!)  Her favorite book of all-time: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

6) What is on her Netflix queue? 
Everything from Outlander, to 24, to some British shows.  She talked about how binging on shows has kept her up till the wee hours of the morning and before she knows it, it's 6am. 

Another shot of the interview - photo courtesy of Chester County Books

I also loved hearing her talk about random things, like her love for Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I could see some similarities between that classic and the sisters in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Their love of being home, spending time together, baking, etc. I never really made that connection till she mentioned it. 

The the audience members got to ask some questions and then it moved to the signing portion of the evening. It was truly a memorable experience. I could have talked to her all night! 

I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. If you haven't read The Summer I Turned Pretty or To All the Boys I've Loved Before you must check out both series. The books are contemporary young adult literature at its best.

Independent Bookstore Day

Guys, I know I said I wasn't going to post until May 1st, but I just had to share this fun news with you all. Saturday, May 2nd, is Independent Bookstore Day and one of my favorite bookstores, Chester County Book Company, is hosting a fun event that I want to share with you guys. 

To see if any of your local bookstores are participating, check out this link.  Here's some of the fun activities that are going to be happening. There will be sixteen exclusive books and art pieces for this year's event available only at "Independent Bookstore Day" bookstores on May 2nd.  The items are awesome! There are signed prints, signed essays, a Margaret Atwood stencil, a literary map of the seas, and so much more. I'm sort of in love with these literary tea towels. How cute are they?

At Chester County Book Company, they are also doing a "Blind Date with a Book" to give away free Advanced Reader Copies of some fantastic books and other fun events in store! In fact, I am included in their blogger book recommendations for the day! I'm thrilled to be involved.

Is there anything better than your local independent bookstore? Whenever I get the chance, I am always visiting my independent bookstore; they are so important to our communities! I have attended some fantastic signings at Chester County Book Company, including Emily Giffin and Sara Shepard. There's no place like your local independent bookstore. 

I encourage you to visit your independent bookstore this Saturday to check out some of the awesome events happening in honor of Independent Bookstore Day and to just celebrate books in general.

A big thank you to Chester County Book Company for including me in your festivities for the day. I am honored!

What do you guys love about your independent bookstore? Will you be attending Independent Bookstore Day?

Happy Reading,

A Visit to Jane Austen's House

Jane Austen's House Musuem - Chawton, England

When I recently traveled to England with my husband's work and found out that the hotel we were staying at was in Hampshire, the countryside, I immediately started to plan our day trip to the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton.  I'm so glad visited and wanted to re-cap a few highlights with you guys.

Chawton village

Jane lived in this beautiful country home for the last eight years of her life. The quaint town of Chawton is absolutely adorable. I could have spent a whole afternoon just wandering the town. 

While living at Chawton, Jane edited Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey as well as Pride and Prejudice while living there. She wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion while living there.  

The museum houses many Austen artifacts, such as her writing table, her much talked about turquoise ring, various pieces of Austen furniture, her books, and you can even view pieces written in Jane's own handwriting.  Also, on display was The Watsons, a manuscript, which was never finished. It was incredible to see Jane's writing and her editing with my own eyes.

Various displays at the Jane Austen House Museum - Chawton, England

I also really enjoyed seeing the original bakehouse, the Austen donkey carriage, as well as what Jane's bedroom would have looked like. She apparently she shared it with her beloved sister Cassandra; I had no idea they were so close.  Also on display were various costumes from Austen films, such as Mansfield Park.

Jane Austen's Writing Table - Chawton, England

What really struck me the most after visiting was the size of Jane's writing table. I, for one, would have definitely needed more space, but obviously this worked for Jane. I was very impressed. Could you guys function on a table that small?

I had a great time touring Jane Austen's House Museum. The Chawton "cottage" was beautiful and I loved seeing artifacts as well as personal items that were once Jane's.  The gift shop was a Jane Austen fan's heaven and straight up out of Austenland. I had to refrain from buying all the "I love Mr. Darcy" souvenirs which were affixed with Colin Firth's picture. Not sure I've seen that in the US! 

Me visiting the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton, England

If you are a Janeite and ever find yourself in the English countryside, I recommend visiting this interesting house.  Let me know what you guys think of my trip to Jane Austen's House Museum and let me know what's your favorite Austen novel? (Mine is Pride and Prejudice, naturally, with Persuasion being my second favorite!)

That Time I Drank Champagne at Downton Abbey

My husband told me nonchalantly that we would be having cocktail hour and a private tour at Highclere Castle (a.k.a. the film location for Downton Abbey) one night on during our trip to England. He knew that this would be the highlight of the trip for me. To say that I am a fan of Downton Abbey is a huge understatement.  I LOVE, love this show and own all of the seasons.  So, here's my recap of the evening.

We pull up to Highclere Castle and it was seriously right out of the TV show. You could easily have cued the music and the opening credits, because I felt like I was on the TV show. It was surreal. I half expected Carson to open the front door for me.  After I took pictures of the outside and fell over in disbelief, I entered the first room, The Saloon, and was overwhelmed with its vaulted ceilings and gorgeousness. It looked exactly like the Downton Abbey. Pinch me.  I even pointed out a familiar lamp that is always on the TV show. Even my husband recognized it!

There were butlers passing around appetizers and glasses of champagne.  My first thought: this is super fancy. I had no idea what to expect. I normally spend the day changing diapers.  I immediately convinced my husband to follow me to the library.  It was set up exactly like the TV show, except that it had family pictures throughout and certain pieces of furniture were roped off.  I wandered around the library (still in shock) and admired all.the.books. Seriously. SO many books and they all looked like valuable antiques. As a book lover, I was in awe. In the corner there were musicians playing various instruments and photographers wandering around taking photos.  I'm pretty sure I was the girl in the room with her jaw hanging to the floor.

We were able to tour some of the other rooms on the first floor (The Drawing Room, The Saloon, and The Smoking Room) and many of the rooms on the second floor. The staircase in itself is a sight to behold. What was so great about this private tour was the fact you could meander through the hallways and rooms at your own pace. There was no official tour guide, but instead workers placed throughout and you could ask them questions if you had any. It was incredible, especially to see the red room and Sybil's room. 

The tour continued in the cellar and we were able to check out all the Egyptian artifacts. In case you don't know the 5th Earl of Carnarvon discovered King Tut's tomb with Howard Carter in 1922. I seriously did not expect Highclere to house that many artifacts. It was really atmospheric in the basement and a nice surprise addition to the tour.

After a stop at the gift shop (I refrained from buying all the things), we headed back upstairs for more drinks and appetizers.  Then in walks Lady Fiona Carnarvon.   I am not sure many people recognized her, but since I have watched the PBS Downtown Abbey special many times and have read her book, Lady Catherine, the Earl and the Real Downton Abbey, I nearly fell over. She was dressed casually and seemed so approachable. Also, George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, entered the room as well and started conversation with his guests. I listened to Lady Carnarvon speak a little bit about things and her favorite sights in London, but once people realized who she was, she had a permanent audience hanging following her every move.  

I went back into the library, naturally, and saw people were sitting on certain pieces of furniture. I eyed the red sofa. You know, the one that The Countess of Grantham sits on all.the.time.  Just as I had hoped, people got up from the red sofa and I made a beeline for it. I sat down and looked around for Lady Mary. But no seriously, it was incredible. My husband walks in and asks me what I am up to. I reply, "Oh, you know….just hanging out in Highclere Castle's library sipping champagne and listening to music. The usual."  Umm. No. Never in a million years would I have expected to visit Highclere. It exceeded my expectations. I will be watching season five of Downton Abbey differently this year and that night will go down as one of the most memorable nights of my life, although I am still in shock that it actually happened. 

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Later that night when we got back to our hotel room, there was a copy of Lady Catherine, the Earl and the Real Downton Abbey signed by the author sitting on the bed.  I squealed. The perfect ending to the perfect night.

So, are you guys Downton Abbey fans? Are you looking forward to season five? If you ever have the chance to tour Highclere Castle, I highly recommend it. Let me know what you think of my night at Highclere. 

P.S. I would have taken photos of the interior of Highclere, but photography was strictly prohibited unless you were the hired photographer. People didn't necessarily follow this rule, but I am a rule follower by nature and respected the family's wishes.