Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Banned Books Week Hop!

2012 is the 30th Anniversary of Banned Books week, an annual event celebrating ALL books, and the rights of authors and readers alike to color outside the lines.  I decided to participate in this event because I am a firm believer that people need to get out of their comfort zones, and often the reason a book will be banned is because of a refusal to do just that.

To prepare for this giveaway, I did some research into what books have been banned. Off the top of my head, the only book I could think of was The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, one of my faves; like most people who read it in highschool, I saw myself as a modern, female Holden Caulfield.

What surprised me in reviewing a list of the most frequently challenged books from 1990 - 2001 (see the list) was how many of the books I would have listed as some of my childhood favorites and/or the most influential books I'd read.  Before you take a look at the list, make a list of some of your favorite books - you might be surprised how many are on the list!

Some books I would give two (or more if I had them) thumbs up:

• A Light in the Attic Special Edition - by Shel Silverstein
• How to Eat Fried Worms - by Thomas Rockwell
• Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. - by Judy Blume
• The Giver (Giver Quartet) - by Lois Lowry

There certainly are books that I have no desire to have my thirteen-year-old daughter read, and I can say that after taking a painful course in college on Toni Morrison's writing, I certainly object to me, personally reading any more of her books.  However, I certainly don't feel that I have the right to make decisions about anyone else reading them. It is ridiculous to think that one person should make that type of decision for another.

My prize for this hop is either a $10 Amazon.com gift card, which you can use to pick out your own book, as I feel that anyone literate enough to be reading this is capable of picking out their own reading material.

The Rafflecopter will be available starting September 28th, and will accept entries until October 6th.  After entering, be sure to check out the rest of the sites hosting their own giveaways in the hop.  And check my Giveaways page for more prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Stuck in a Good Book Blog Hop!

With this giveaway hop, each blog is supposed to have a giveaway based around a book they just couldn't put down.  For me, this is simple.  My absolute favorite book in the past ten years or so has to be Into the Forest: A Novel  by Jean Hegland.

If you're a fan of dystopian books, this will be right up your alley.  I don't want to give away anything more than necessary, but the plot revolves around two sisters who are surviving in a world that has fallen apart around them.  Please note: there is a big distinction between surviving and thriving, and these girls are surviving.

This is beautifully written, and really is just an amazing story.  I'd like to give one reader a paperback copy of the book from Amazon (US readers only), OR, you can choose a $10 Amazon gift card, and you can pick out your own book.  You can just let me know when you win!!

To enter, just complete the rafflecopter form below (it will be live starting on September 20th), and be sure to check out some of the other blogs involved in the hop below that! And be sure to check out my other Giveaways!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back to the Books Blog Hop - $10 Amazon GC!

This is an easy one, folks!  I love checking out other people's blogs, and blog hops are the way to go when you want to get eclectic.  My favorite kind, unsurprisingly, is a giveaway hop.  This awesome hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer (one of my favorite book review sites), and Buried in Books, which was new to me.

I decided to participate because I love to read. I'm so thankful that I managed to pass the trait on to my daughter, whose favorite pastime is hanging out listening to Pandora and reading on her Kindle.  Life is good in the Brainerd House.  This hop is great because you have the chance to visit over 200 blogs offering book-related giveaway.  My choice is an Amazon.com gift card, because I'd rather let you pick out a book than restrict you to my choices. May I make a recommendation? Recently, I finished Deborah Harkness's novels A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night (the first two books in the as yet unfinished All Souls Trilogy).  They get two enthusiastic thumbs up, but you can get whatever you'd like - heck, feel free to buy some awesome Christmas DVDS (I recently expanded my collection with the help of Amazon's resellers).

Entering is simple, just complete the Rafflecopter form, and then, if you have time, check out some of the awesome other blogs!! And be sure to check out my other open giveaways!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Make sure to check out the rest of the giveaways!!!

Decisions, Decisions

In case you hadn't noticed, it's almost March.  If this were a normal year, it would be March, however the leap year has left us with an extra special day: February 29th.  Maybe it's the fact that the date is four times more significant than usual today, but I'm really feeling the fact that I have yet to buy a calendar at home.  Last year, I scored a super deal on the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies calendar some time at the end of January/Beginning of February.  No such luck this year.

There's a sweet spot when buying a calendar - some time between Christmas and the end of January, when the prices get lower and lower and lower.  Sadly, February 29th is way past that date, and now I have to pay as much (or more) for a calendar as I would have in September.  I'm confused as to why I didn't win a calendar; honestly, I did try, but the fates were against me in all things calendar related this year.

Here are my top choices:

• Gig Posters: Rock Art for the 21st Century
• The Princess Bride
• Posh Family Organizer (this one is actually not very cool, however is $6 and qualifies for Prime shipping)

Yes, I admit it, there's really no contest, I'm going to shell out the almost $13 to get the Gig Posters, and I'm going to plot all year long to do something really awesome with the pictures at the end of the year (SPOILER ALERT: that cool thing will be throwing it away in January).

Are there any cooler ones out there - I've definitely found what I want for 2013 - too bad the 2012 ones are going for over $150: 

2013 Friedensreich Hundertwasser Wall Calendar 

Why doesn't everyone want to buy me stuff?

I like stuff as much as the next girl.

Okay - honesty time - I like stuff waaaaaay more than the next girl.  Some might say I have a hoarders-like love of stuff.

That being said, one of my favorite pastimes is creating Amazon wish lists.  I think I might actually like the act of wishing for stuff more than actually having it.   Once I have it - all the anticipation is gone - I suppose one could say that, for me, the anticipation of stuff has heroin-like qualities.

What does this all mean?  Basically that the period of time between October 31st and December 24th is, to me, like a bipolar's high. 

Desired item of the day?  This is easy - and ohhhh how I want it! I yearn for it!!!!



Probably someone should buy this for me.

If no one is available to buy this for me - someone should lie and say they know someone planning to buy it for me.

It's just a suggestion.