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Friday, November 25, 2011

100 Book Celebration and a Contest!!

I DID IT!

I DID IT!

I read 100 books!


Actually I did it a couple months ago, and I'm up to about 125 now, but I'm never one to be on time for anything, so this post comes a little late. Actually, I've been trying to think of the right way to talk a bit more about this 100 book goal without sounding preachy. And well, here goes...


Why read so much?

My perception about writing in general and my own writing in particular has changed a lot in the past year, and I think that a lot of this has come about because of all the reading I've done. I read books that made me laugh out loud. I read books that turned me into a big bawl-baby (and resulted in funny looks from family members). I read books that were just so-so. I didn't read any books that made me throw them against the wall (although that has happened in the past). I tried to pick apart the differences between them. I stowed away in my memory some lessons on POV, plotting, characterization, and especially on what makes great prose. I didn't memorize character names  - I am horrible with names - but I did devote to memory when an author did some little thing that I liked. For example, when Jaclyn Moriarty had Bindy Mackenzie write little notes to herself in the third person. Or the way that Brigid Lowry (Guitar Highway Rose) described things not in long drawn out sentences but by using lists. Finally, I made my own list, a collection of those dozen or so books that tore my gut out or made me grin so much my cheeks hurt. It's these books that I'll come back to time and again throughout my writing journey. And yes, I'm jealous of these writers. They got everything right.  I know that I may never be as good as they are, but I can hope.

Perception

Let's be honest here. Almost every newbie writer thinks his/her book is the hottest thing since sparkly vampires became in vogue. I loved my first book. I loved my characters and I had a bit of a crush on my LI. I think the writing was good, and I even think if the market weren't quite so saturated with paranormal YA, that it would do okay on the shelves. Note there, I said that I think it would do OKAY. Not smashing and not a best-seller. Just okay. I know that I sound like I'm down on myself, but I'm really just being honest. Reading a lot has given me perception, and this is not a bad thing. I'm still querying Nikki's Wish, and I'm still hopeful. I know there are a lot worse books out there so I certainly have a chance. But I'm also okay with it if NW isn't my debut. In fact, I might even be glad if it's not. My new WIP has a much bigger, and more unique, concept. I think that my writing has improved. I think if I were to debut with my new WIP, that I'd be better off overall. So, no tears here. Just growth. I've grown as a reader, and in turn as a writer.

And now for the CONTEST!! 

There will be two winners and each will get their choice of one of the books in the picture below.
These are my 5 star lovelies, the books I drooled over, the books that kept me up late at night just so I could finish them. If you should win, these will be the books you get to choose from. Not because I have a thing against gift certificates or letting people choose the book they're dying to get, but rather because these are the books that I really want to share my love for. I want to promote them and discuss them and all that good stuff because they are now near and dear to my heart.





To enter, just leave a comment below telling me your favorite book this year!
You can get one extra point for tweeting the contest or mentioning it on your blog.
You can also get one extra point if you're a follower.
Honestly I don't care about follower numbers, but some publishers seem to and this will help me get more ARCs *insert cheesy grin*.

Add up your entries: 3 possible, and please remember to include your email address to your comments so I can get in contact with you.

Contest is international (wherever The Book Depository delivers) and will end on December 9th!! 

ALSO - SCROLL UP TO THE LARKSTORM POST TO SEE HOW YOU CAN GET BONUS POINTS FOR THIS CONTEST!!!






65 comments:

Sarah said...

JEALOUS. I only got to read 27 books so far this year. Congrats! My favorite read was probably either The Magician King by Lev Grossman or The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Speech Delay Mamma said...

Woo congrats on reaching 125! I'm barely reaching 75!

Follower and I tweeted for you :)
https://twitter.com/#!/ChanelleGray/status/140149375698612224

Lori M. Lee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Raven M said...

Hmm. Favorite book this year? I think I'm going to have to go with either Across the Universe or Anna and the French Kiss.

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/ravenamo/status/140155630508978177

And I followed your blog! :)

Thanks for the contest and congrats on reading 100 books this year! <3

Email: raven.ashley187@yahoo.com

Bidisha said...

CONGRATS, Angie! That is amazing. You did it. Now you're going to snag that agent/pub as well :))

My favourite book of the year so far has to be Shirley Marr's FURY.

And that's a fantastic assortment of books you've got there!

Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/bee_muses/status/140158120709197824

<3

Angelica R. Jackson said...

Lately, my favorite book is whatever I've just finished. Finally got around to Ship Breaker and loved it (just ordered copies for Christmas gifts) and read Daughter of Smoke and Bone before that, and that was my favorite for a while. Ask me again next week!

And put me down for 2 points, please!

Yahong Chi said...

Oh, hands down? Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony Johm. I think I exploded the second time I read it. (Don't even ask what happened the first time I finished it. <3)

Congrats on reaching 100!

yahongchi @ gmail . com

buddyt said...

I think my favorite book so far this year was The Knife of Never Letting Go.

It was something very different and really made an impression on me.

Thanks for the contest and for opening it to worldwide entries.

Much appreciated.

Carol T

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

I Follow via GFC = buddyt

Marieke said...

Oh wow, WELL DONE you!!! I definitely agree about your comments - reading more definitely improves your writing (and the way you think about stories, imo). Very excited to see a lot of my favorites are on your list as well :)

And my absolute LOVE is definitely on there... Melina Marchetta's FINNIKIN. It's also the book that, above all others, pushed me to perfect my own writing. Simply adore it! :)

I'm a followers, so +2

mariekeyn squiggly thingy gmail dot com :)

Gemma Cooper said...

Congrats Angie - 125 is one hell of a lot of books!

Lots of my favourites are in your list - but my absolute fave this year was A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

2 points for me :)

Rachael Allen said...

Congratulations on the 125! And can I just say, this is an amazing list. My favorite book for this year is one of the ones on your list: Anna and the French Kiss.

ka.thy br.adey said...

Congrats reading so many books, Angie! Thanks for the contest!

2 points for me :)

My favourite was Anna and the French Kiss!

Katie Ashley said...

Congrats on reading so many books and for being a sweetie with the contest.

My favorites are Anna and the French Kiss and Catching Jordan!!

I tweeted(to the wrong adtd2books, but ya know, it's there!, I'm a follower, and I commented

+3 entries!!!

Unknown said...

congrats on getting to 125! it's a great number :)

my fave book this year? jeesh. there are just so many! I loved BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY. that was just...GUH! heart-wrenching. and of course, DIVERGENT. also, loved RAW BLUE and BLOOD RED ROAD, too.

so I gave you my answer and I'm a follower, so that gives me...
2 entries!
lastword(at)yahoo(dot)com

Megan at Book Brats said...

Congrats on reaching 125 now! Amazing achievement and well worth it!

My favorite book this year was Embassytown by China Mieville. SOOOO good!

I am a GFC follower as Megan and tweeted at https://twitter.com/#!/bookbrats/status/141035722315542528 so 3 entries for me!
bookbrats(at)gmail(dot)com

Jennifer said...

gfc jennifer

tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/jlkalman26/status/141171442069938176

jlkalman26 at gmail dot com

my favorite book this year was blooelines, thanks.

Melanie_McCullough said...

My favorite book of the year is Like Mandarin. I absolutely adored it!
GFC Melanie_McCullough
Melanie.M.McCullough at gmail dot com
2 Total Points

ebaker said...

Congrats! I think my favorite book that I read this year was Delirium but I have many great books in my TBR pile :)
GFC: ebaker
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/iheartmykindle/status/141218115123027968
Thanks for the great giveaway!
e(dot)baker219(at)gmail(dot)com

Heather Dougherty said...

Yay on 125! My favorite books this year... Anna and the French Kiss or Dark and Hollow Places.

I tweeted and followed.
Great contest!! :)

hddougherty (at)att(dot) net

Tressa said...

My recent favorite was Love On the Line by Deeanne Gist.
GFC follower.
tressa dot sherman at hotmail dot com

2 entries

throuthehaze said...

Congrats! Divergent was one of my favorite books this year

I follow you via GFC (Throuthehaze)
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Suz said...

Thanks for this amazing giveaway - I would love to win!
- favorite book this year was Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
- tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/SuzReads/status/141549440891764736

total points = 2

susanw28 (at) mindspring (dot) com



https://twitter.com/#!/SuzReads/status/141549440891764736

LisaILJ said...

You chose some great books, and some of them I would definitely put as my favorites that I read this year. I don't know if I can pick an absolute favorite though. I would say it is between Divergent, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Where She Went, and Anna and the French Kiss. All were so different, I just can't chose.

GFC follower: LisaILJ
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/LisaLLibrarian/status/141936084627099648

leyser73 at yahoo dot com

+ 3 entries

Unknown said...

Hi ! Great giveaway! I read a lot of books over the summer. I like the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer but a Beautiful Dark was good too.

lmarste@yahoo.com
GFC - Lena Marsteller

P.S i read the chosen one. It was really good. I read two years ago I think though.

Nylez @ Book Quotes and Lyrics said...

Thanks for this giveaway!
My fav book i read this year would be A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness!loved this book!


GFC: Nylez
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/chixmoza/status/141726379623464960


nylesor85(at)yahoo(dot)com

illalwaysluvu99 said...

My Favorite book this year was Delirium by Lauren Oliver

GFC: illalwaysluvu99

Noelkincaid@yahoo.com

Sylvia said...

My favorite book this year is Divergent by Veronica Roth! I LOVE IT:) I follow via GFC (Sylvia)!
Thanks for this contest:)

sylvia_uy4 at yahoo dot com

Angie said...

Note to self: give bee 5 more entries. :)

Love all the recs so far, guys! Keep them coming!

sweety said...

Thanks for the INTL giveaway!!

My favorite book this year is Bloodlines by Richelle Mead :)

sweety225(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Oh I've read too many books this year to pick a favorite! Let's go with Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder. I don't know if that counts since technically it's a book coming out next year but I already read it :)

Thanks!
mariahoverlockATgmail.com

Dovile said...

Of all books I've read this year I loved The Host by Stephenie Meyer the most. Of books published this year, I liked Molly Harper's 'How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf' the best.

Thanks for the chance!

I'm also following you via GFC (Dovile), so that gives me a total of 2 entries.

spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

Melanie said...

Hmm...my favorite book this year? I cannot name just one. I must mention two because I love them equally in such completely different ways. For YA, hands down, my fave of the year was Anna and the French Kiss. For MG, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian.

sweety said...

Thanks for the INTL giveaway!!

I am a GFC follower : sweety

I commented about my fav book this year(Bloodlines by Richelle Mead) in another comment above!!

so,total = 2 entries

sweety225(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Angie said...

Entry: I really loved The Hunger Games series. I just read them this year and they're my fav right now. Thanks for the giveaway! And Congratz!

GFC: Angie

Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/osnapitzAngie/status/143044559767748608

Total Entries: 3

Email: osnapitzAngiex3(AT)aol(DOT)com

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the contest! My favorite book this year was The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab. I'm a GFC follower as Stephanie Parent.

Total Entries: 2

thaliansmhc at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I'm a GFC follower.(Kah_Cherub) ;)
thank you for the international giveaway! Congrats! I also went over the 100 mark. :) Oh, my favorite was probably The Hunger Games.

kah_cherub at hotmail dot com

elin said...

Thank you for the giveaway! My favorite book this year is The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams chima.
Tweeted:https://twitter.com/#!/pinkflower636/status/143647640310120448
GFC: pinkflower

emilymeimei204 at yahoo dot com
3 entries

Literary Meanderings said...

First of all, congrats on reaching your reading goal! ^-^ Mine for this year is 175, and I have like 6 more to go (I think it's 6...). Yay!

Annd, thank you for the wonderous giveaway! New follower :)

GFC: Bookish Sarah
Email: sarahbookish(AT)gmail(DOT)com

(2 entries)

miki said...

Congrats and thanks you for this giveaway

my favorite read this year is psychangeling 1 by nalini Singh

isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

1entry

Anonymous said...

Sadly, I'm way behind on 2011 releases. But my favorite so far was Chime by Franny Billingsly. Thanks for the giveaway!

tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/Dani_Nguyen/status/144488342229221376

email: daniellesaunders1984(at)hotmail(dot)com

Andie said...

Favorite book: Divergent.

Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/andietwbas/status/144491203763777536

I'm also a follower. Thanks for the great giveaway!

theworldbehindashelf(at)gmail(dot)com
+3 entries

Aleksandra said...

Congrats :)

My favorite book: The Restorer by Amanda Stevens, but from YA book this year: Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry!

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Sandra_s_Page/status/144510692656029696

I'm also a new GFC follower as Aleksandra.

sandric.sk at gmail dot com

Thanks for the giveaway! Great book choices :)

Gena Robertson said...

Omigosh,great books you are offering! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!!

Best book I read this year has been Captivated by Deb Apodaca. I just fell in love with it!

Happy Holidays!

Gena Robertson
robertsongena@hotmail.com

Best said...

Thanks for the contest! And good job on having read all those books!

My favorite book this year must be Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
I'm also a follower.

scarletsparks208@gmail.com

Best said...

I forgot to add up my entries. It's 2. :D

MamaMunky said...

Congrats! I reached my goal of 52 a few weeks ago, I'm now at 56.

My favorite book this year was Nefertiti by Michelle Moran.

I'm also a follower +1

2pts total.

LindseyAylward@yahoo.com

mimz said...

Congrats on reaching 125! My fav book this year has to be The Historian.

GFC follower mimz

xjustakidx(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sayeth said...

I'm only up to 33 this year, but usually I'll read 40-50. My favorite book was A Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.

mrsethjones(at)yahoo(dot)com

MrsB Reads said...

Congrats!

My favorite book this year is Divergent. Love!

GFC follower TchrBrue

kbruechert at gmail dot com

alainala said...

congrats!! ive read some good ones.. Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison was awesome.. CC Hunters Born at Midnight was really really good as well!!

alainala AT hotmail DOT ca

alainala - GFC

RandomReviewsYA said...

WOW! I've only read, like, 50 books (maybe a few more :P).

I follow you via GFC
And I TWEETED! https://twitter.com/#!/Random4Books/status/144624273036816384

~Brittany Burton
randomforeverbooks@gmail.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

My fav book of the year-Hourglass
+1 GFC- Lisa Richards
+1 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/144626402698866688
+5 Posted about Larkstorm on my blog http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/2011/11/december-giveaways-elsewhere-on.html
total=8
alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

Emily said...

Congrats on reading 100 books! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

My fave book this year was Divergent by Veronica Roth (one of them anyway)

GFC follower: echika

Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/simplyglamxoxo/status/144724142443339776

3 total entries


email: echika[at]insightbb[dot]com

Unknown said...

Congrats on your reading! My favorite book this year has to be A Kingdom Besieged by Raymond E. Feist I am a huge fan!

I am a GFC follower: veronicam46

So that's 2 entries for me!

Great giveaway! :)

*Jam* said...

The best books I've read this year were Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth!

GFC follower: *Jam*

milagp1(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)br

Violette said...

The best book(s) I read this year were definitely the "Hunger Games" trilogy!!

GFC follower: Violette S.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/violettestar/status/144830336696721408

violettewaits{at}gmail{dot}com

So...three entries?? :D

Thanks!

Tabathia B said...

a discovery of witches

+1 gfc followr

= 2 entries

tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

Rebecca said...

Book- Divergent
+ gfc follower (rrgreene62)

2 entries

rrgreene62(at)gmail.com

Ashley said...

+1 I have read some awesome books this year. I loved your list! One of my favorites was Tighter by Adele Griffin...ghost stories always worm their way to the top of my list. (:

+1 I posted this contest on my sidebar at http://booksobsession.blogspot.com

+1 I'm a new blog follower!

booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Amanda S. said...

My fave book this year had to be Wither by Lauren Destefano. I was sooo good I love Rhine story and when I finished book I wanted sequel right away so if you haven't read this book you need to drop everything and go purchase and read it ASAP!!

+2 points for me tweeted at https://twitter.com/#!/LynnetteFaye/status/144959197237354496

jaygyrl03@yahoo.com

kristina shields said...

congrats! my favorite book was tiger's curse by colleen houck! great read!

follower: kristina shields

total= +2

spicedice45@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Gah! Favorite book...that's like asking me my favorite kid! No can do! But...
When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead
Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta (oh wait...that might have been last year...)
Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

I guess I'll stop there.
Oh, and also I am a follower (through google reader!)

Dana Levy
+2 points

Anonymous said...

Gah! Favorite book...that's like asking me my favorite kid! No can do! But...
When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead
Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta (oh wait...that might have been last year...)
Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

I guess I'll stop there.
Oh, and also I am a follower (through google reader!)

Dana Levy
+2 points

Reading Mind / The Loyal Book said...

mmmm...I think this year the best book I read is...well, my beloved Demon's Surrender by the wounderful Sarah rees Brennan!

GFC follower reading mind

aliasgirl at libero dot it

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