Two years coming, but here I am.

Hi,

So, it's been just about two years since I've posted in my blog. I've thought about my blog a lot over those two years and I've checked in on it a lot. Just to make sure it was still there I guess. Maybe because I knew one day that I would really return here even though at some point I had once told myself that I probably wouldn't.

Life happens. I said that in my last post almost two years ago. Life did happen, in retrospect, I really wasn't in a very stable place in time then. But during the last two years, a lot has happened. I'm not going to go into detail, but I'll just say that I'm much happier now. When I started blogging, I was just a few months into being fourteen. Now I'm seventeen. I was in eighth grade, and now I'm a junior in high school. I've grown up a lot, and I've changed a lot.

Throughout the last two years, whenever I would visit my blog, I would see something that would jut amaze me beyond belief. Every single one of you still were following my blog. Every time I saw that I smile. So thank you.

I'd like to say that I'm going to be back now. I know it won't be like it was before I left. But in a way, I think that might be better. I can go at my own pace. Two years ago, when everything was happening, I really slowed down on my reading. Maybe, maybe, a book a month. If that. That continued on for a long while. I slowly started picking up a bit more, but nothing like when I was blogging.

Now, though, for the past three months or so, I've been reading very consistently. With the help and excitement of my best friend, Kendal, I started reviewing books on my goodreads again. Everyday in our Intro to Business class we would be on the computers, browsing through goodreads because it was one of the websites our school didn't block. I've just become increasingly more into reading and writing again by searching through all the books that I missed from not having kept up with everything. Anyhow, Kendal started her own reviewing blog (you can view it here, she just started and she's doing fantastic already. She's such a talented writer.), and I've been helping her here and there (mostly with HTML) and I noticed myself becoming more and more interesting into reviewing for my blog again.

So here I am. I'm back now and let me tell you that I'm so relieved. It's something I missed so much, you won't ever know. I haven't been here for two years and I know a lot of stuff is different and a lot of new bloggers are here and a lot of them have gone, and I haven't talked to any of you for a very long time, but I'm here now and I hope I can catch up with you all.

But first let me thank any one of you who are reading this. Everyone of my past followers are my inspiration and I would not be here if it weren't for you guys. So thank you.

Sadly . . . I've Decided.

Hey everyone. Long time no post, right?

I'm sorry about it. I feel like I've left everyone down.

I've written this post to announce something. And that is that, after much thought, I have decided to take a break from blogging indefinitely. I definitely did not want it to come to this, but it has. I wish I could keep posting, but I've tried, and it just hasn't worked out. I feel this is my only option right now if I want to someday (soon hopefully) to start Reading Keeps You Sane up again.

I wish I could tell you why, but the internet is too big of a place to put something private up, so I can't. If you want a better reason, and you know who you are, just email me. I'll be happy to let you know why.

I hate to do this weeks before the two year anniversary of my blog, but it's what it's come to.

So hopefully I can get back to how it was, and become a part of this wonderful community again.

Thanks to my faithful readers, I'm sorry I've let you down.

So....

....I feel terrible. Not like I'm sick or anything. I feel terrible that it's the middle of November (my birthday actually) and I haven't posted one thing yet.

I don't have much of an excuse but school and hanging out with friends (and if you knew me in real life you would understand this better), I joined this club thing at school that's been fun and I've learned a lot and has also kept me busy. But otherwise, I really have no reason other then that I just have been in a different mood that I haven't been in in a long time.

But anyway, I just made a goal that I am going to start posting again, starting with a few cover posts from the Tenners that I missed.

I know some of you probably don't like "Sorry I haven't been posting, I'll do it more, I promise" posts, but I did feel like I needed to explain where I've been. So, that's where this is coming from.

So keep a look out for a few posts soon, I'm going to go finish enjoying my birthday. :)

Notice:

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to say something really quick. I'm completely behind on my email, and I know pretty much everyone who emails me reads my blog, so I just wanted to do a blog post to everyone awaiting email replies from me. I've been pretty busy, extremely tired (like bedtime at nine o'clock tired!), and I'm a bit sick now too.

And while I'm somewhat on the subject, and yes I know some of you hate those posts of why I haven't been posting and all, and I'm pretty sure you've noticed the emptiness of my blog for the last week or so, but the truth is that ever since school started I haven't been able to finish a book, that might be a reason, but the reason also might be that ever since I finished reading FIRE by Kristin Cashore, which just blew me away, no book has really come to my attention and I haven't been able to keep reading it. Yes, FIRE was that good. So anybody want to suggest anything to me? Like a book that would make it so I don't want to stop reading? My goodreads page is in the linkbar above my header. And thanks in advance. Like really, I know if I just read a book that can excite me again like FIRE did, I'd be back in my reading habit again.

Thanks, my faithful readers. I can't wait to get back in the groove of things again.

Eeek!

Hey everyone!

This summer the ever-so-lovely Kay Cassidy invited me to be apart of her Booklover of the Week feature on her amazing-fantastical-most-awesomeist blog, You 2.0, and I'm finally up! I'm excited and nervous at the same time!

So go on over and try to guess my lie on the three truths and lie part at the end of the post, and even for commenting you get entered into some fabulous contests!

Go-Go-Go! Here: Booklover of the Week

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell Cover! Plus: Calling All Tenners!

It's here! It's here! And to quote Khy, It's EFFING FIERCE! Love it!

Also, I just wanted to do a shout out to any soon-to-be authors who have their debut books coming out in 2010 who read this blog. I just wanted to let you know, if you haven't heard of this awesome community, or you have an is too nervous to join, about this INCREDIBLE YA livejournal community for the debut authors of 2010 called the, if it's not obvious enough, Tenners. Anyway, there last day to join in this Thursday, so hurryhurryhurry! You do not want to miss out on the stalking/fangirling/drooling that us bloggers do over your debut books. I don't know about the rest of you bloggers, but I *heart* debut* books.

Here's the post where the awesome tenner, Lindsey Leavitt, tells you a bit of details and gives you the link to join!

Thank YOU!

Sometime from yesterday, Friday, at 6 pm to today, Saturday, at 4:32 pm I went from being at 299 followers to being at 305 followers! Imagine how shocked and pleased I was!

I don't know how much to thank all of you, my fabulous wonderful followers! It means so much to me that people other then me read this blog, haha. My blog means the world to me and to have all of you amazing, intelligent people following my every word, it means more then you will every know.

I wish I could thank each and every one of you separately but, alas, I can't. I wish I could have this huge extravangant giveaway, but I don't have money for shipping or anything exciting to give away. So I guess I'll have to stick with a just a stong THANK YOU! I'm sorry there isn't anything else I could do to thank you for reading my blog, but just know that it means the world and more to me.

Gone

Hey everyone!

Summer's just about to end in a month already, can ya believe it? I can't. It feels like it should be at least June still.

But anyhow, the point of this post it to tell everyone that I will be leaving for San Francisco tomorrow morning for four days. And then this upcoming Sunday I'm going back home to Minnesota after more then two months in California with my grandparents. So I don't know when I'll post again. It might take a few days before I comfortable again but I hope to get going on my review books that have been piling up at home this summer. Along with the books that I bought this summer, which if you're wondering, as I know some of you are, I am shipping most of them in a big box that weighs 30 pounds and I have some in my luggage too. I just hope none of them get ruined.

What you can expect is two WoW posts that I already have scheduled and hopefully my T2T post for Ballads of Suburbia (GO BUY IT NOW!) if I can get it written. And if I don't: Don't hate me Yan!

Anyhow, I shall be back in a week at the latest! Thanks for hanging with me in this poorly posting summer on my blog.

Come and See!

I changed my template and am in complete love with it. I've had to work with it and the colors but everything's a go now, except I'm still working on getting the comment section not-so squished. The header might be changed eventually also, but not for at least two or so weeks. Otherwise, tell me what you think!

P.S.: I know! I need to announce the contest winners. Keep holding still! I'll get to it when I can.

Check THIS out!

Seriously, here's the link. Comment with thoughts!

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20291381,00.html?xid=rss-yahooheadlines

You 2.0

The sweet Kay Cassidy has finally started her blog, You 2.0, today. Her blog will feature Author and Librarian Spotlights and The Tuesday Teen Author Challenge and the Booklover of the Week, which I happen to be apart of on September 23!

Kay Cassidy is the founder of the Great Scavenger Hunt Contest and her debut novel, The Cinderella Society, which sounds freaking awesome, will be puclished by EgmontUSA in 2010.

So check her out here.

Announcement About OTO

On The Outside (OTO) is being postponed for the time. I don't have the time to get to authors about it and get everything scheduled. I have a few scheduled and they might pop up every few times, but for now it is postponed for the time being of my vacation.

But I'm also open to authors who want to do any, all you have to do is email me (preferably with it done already!). But all you have to do is answer this question with a guest blog size post thingy: How did the title and/or cover of your newest book come to be? If you need more help with it, you can read the ones I have already done here.

Anyone can do this! Old books, books that aren't out yet. books that just came out, whatever! Just email me and I'll get it set up! It's a great way to promote your book!

Excuses . . .

. . . of why I haven't posted anything since last Thursday.

• I went to a movie and shopping on Friday. (Terminator was goooood.)
• I had to get ready for my trip to LA on Saturday.
• I went on my trip to LA with a spontaneous decision to go straight to LA instread of spending two days in Santa Barbara on Sunday. And I went to Knott's Berry Farm for a few hours.
• I was at Disneyland all day, in fact it is 11 PM and I just got back from being up at 7 AM this morning.
• I am moving hotels tomorrow, going on a celebrity homes tour and possibly the zoo.

And yes, I am sunburned and I had a ton of fun. I took videos on my grandfathers camcorder, so you possibly might see those sometime.

Guest Blog By ME

Over at Heather Zundel's awesome blog, The Secret Adventures of WriterGirl! Heather is out of town for two weeks this summer for a humanitarian aid trip in Thialand and to fill up that space she asked fellow book bloggers to do some guest posts! There are some great guest blogs up and you should definitely check them out, especially mine, which is posted TODAY!

Heather gave me absolute freedom on what I wanted to write about and I decided to write about the awesome friends I have made since I started my blog, so be sure to check it out and check out the others too!

In My Mailbox (14)

IMM was inspired by Alea and memefied by Kristi.

This week I received more books then whats been the usual. There won't be pictures or summaries or links though.

THE RECEIVED:

It's Not You, It's Me by Kerry Cohen Hoffman

Alea sent me this one for T2T because she had been sent an extra copy and I hadn't received one yet. It's a lot shorter then I expected from a HB, but it looks short and sweet.

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Sarah actually sent me this one, she's so sweet! I'm doing an OTO with her, um, TOMORROW, so check it out, it's a really good one!

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

I won this ARC at a contest over at Laura's blog. I had really wanted it too, I'm glad that all the books I have in this series are ARC's though. I like things to match. :)

THE BOUGHT:

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

So I went to Borders and bought some books. This one looked really good. It wasn't on my list, but I saw it and just wanted to own it. Sarah at Sarah's Random Musings was going to let me borrow her copy, but I wanted to buy it instead.

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

I've wanted this book for a really long time, so I'm glad I got to buy it! It looks really good and the HB is to pretty.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

I actually didn't know what this book was really about until I saw it and picked it up, and it looked so good I had to buy it too. I hear it's really good, but people also said not to read it until I get the sequel, too bad Borders didn't have it stocked! I probably would have bought it too!

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

You can thank Khy for making me get this book, it looks really cute and I've heard great things about it, but I was told to get a debs books and this is the one to get, so I can't wait to read it!

So, that's it. Well, not really. I received my Little, Brown books, but they came from UPS the day I left for California, so they are in MN right now. I'm having my mom ship them to me tomorrow, hopefully she does! I reallllllllly want them.

And to anyone who is wondering, my flight went perfectly and I got home safely and It's been going good! Though my grandma was sick, so I might catch a little something. Oh, well. It leaves time for reading. But, my grandpa let me use a laptop he had for vacations for the summer and I am LOVING having a laptop. I just lay in bed and have it on my lap! It's perfect!

Also, I am going on a trip the end of the second week of June down to Santa Monica for awhile, then to LA for a bit, and we're going to go have a special lunch with Sarah Dessen too and meet Khy! So, whooo!

Where Am I?

Where am I?

Well if you're reading this before 7 AM Central time today, then I'm probably still in Minnesota. And if you're reading this post anywhere between 9:15 AM (central) and 11:20 AM (pacific) then I will be flying from Minneapolis to San Fransisco! And if you're reading this post from 11:20 AM (pacific) then I am definitely in California by now.

How exciting is this? Very much exciting. Did you remember my post about what I am going to do this summer in March? If not, then you should probably read this post first.

Before I say stuff. I just want to say how much of a hectic week it's been. Monday was Memorial Day and no school. Tuesday I had to finish all of my finals in all of my classes. Wednesday I had to wake up at 4 AM and drive 6 hours to Minneapolis to go on my class trip to an Amusement park and get back at around midnight. On Thursday (yesterday) it was my last day of school and I had to turn in all of my textbooks and everything. Then I had to finish packing while being exhausted. Then I had to get up at 4 AM again to get ready for the plane and by there at the latest by 6 AM since my plane leaves at 7 AM. So yes. Pretty hectic.

And before I continue I just want to say that I am writing this post up on Wednesday, May 20th, so most of those are assumptions of what is really going to happen.

So, now. I just want to say something exciting I am going to do this summer and some things to be aware of on the blog.

First of all. There will be changes. I will still post at the very least once a week because I have all my WoW posts scheduled from now until the week after I get back for CA. I hope to be able to keep up with reviews and IMM and OTO good, but I honestly don't know how I am going to do everything.

The first three weeks, from now until June 21, my grandma has off so I will probably be a ton busy doing stuff with her, like traveling to LA, going to the beach, among others things. So I really just don't know how I will be able to keep up with everything. By the last week of school, when my grandma goes back to work it will cool down a lot. I will be working with my grandpa on doing stuff with him still though.

I will try my very hardest to keep up with everything, but don't take my word on it just yet.

Now, I have some freaking ecstatic news that I am finally happy to share with you. I haven't found the perfect time to share it yet, so I will do so now. It has to do with what I am going to do while in CA.

Well, I am going to see an author. A very amazing and talented and popular author on June 19th at 3:00 PM in La Verne, CA. Up, the very amazing Sarah Dessen. Who is like my favorite author. Amazing isn't it? She will even be my first author signing! Yippee! And there is more! I will be able to go to it with my awesome blogger friend Khy! How amazing isn't it? I am so very freaking excited you have no idea.

I also plan to go to a ton of museums. My grandma really wants to go to a few and so do I! If you know any great museums in the LA area or somewhere else in CA please tell me so I can go!

Oh, and I will be able to go to an actual real live BOOKSTORE! I haven't been in a real live three-dimensional bookstore in like two years. So this is so amazing. I plan to buy a ton of books. Some are Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott (Yes! I haven't read them yet!), Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten, Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog, Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart and a ton, ton more! I can't wait until I get to actually be in a bookstore again. I think I might make my grandma take me to one ASAP! :)

So that's it! I'll try my best to keep up! If you are waiting for an email reply hopefully you know why I haven't gotten back to you so quickly, but I will!

Thanks everyone! And wish me luck on traveling alone!

*I do not take credit for the picture.

New Personal Blog

I finally made one. I figured since I'm reaching a high point in my teen years that I think I should do something to document them. So the blog is born.

You will here me rant, ramble on and on, and just write about pointless things that I care to share in my ever so dull life. So if you want to share my teen years with me, in a way, they why don't you head on over to my new blog, One Umbrella in the Rain, and follow or subscribe.

Thanks!

And The Winners Are . . .

I'm SO sorry it's taken this long, I have a good, honest reason though! I started watching the first three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And, well. Yeah, it's obviously addicting. BUT, I finished it, so hopefully this weekend I'll get some reviews written of the 10 (I think, there might be more, but far as I know, it's standing at 10 now) I need to write.

Before I say the two winners of my contest to win a personalized signed copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, I want to tally up the answers to the question I asked.

I will say everyone who got more then one vote, and in order of the most votes:

What fictional YA character would you most like to date and why?

1)-Edward Cullen (Twilight saga)-25

2)--Jace (Mortal Instruments series)-9

3)---Wes (The Truth About Forever)-6
3)---Seth (Wicked Lovely)-6

4)----Shane (Morganville Vampire series)-5
4)----Owen (Just Listen)-5

5)-----Spencer (Suite Scarlett)-4
5)-----Dimitri (Vampire Academy series)-4

6)------Alex (Perfect Chemistry)-3
6)------Cabel (Wake trilogy)-3

7)-------Dexter (This Lullaby)-2
7)-------Luke (Lament)-2
7)-------Ron Weasley (Harry Potter series)-2
7)-------Jasper (Twilight saga)-2
7)-------Char (Ella Enchanted)-2
7)-------Nate (Lock & Key)-2
7)-------Kartik (Gemma Doyle trilogy)-2
7)-------Emmett Cullen (Twilight saga)-2
7)-------Lucius (Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side)-2

So, it looks like Edward from Twilight is the big winner! Yeah! Do you agree with this? Why? Why not? Let's see some discussion going on!

This contest was a huge success. We had 191 entries total, and 135 answers to the question!

Now, to the two winners! Randomized by random.org.

First we have comment number 172, comment 172 was made by: xdaisyx! Congratulations! xdaisyx's comment was on who she wanted to date was: "I would have to say Emmett from Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer because he's pretty funny. Also Dimitri from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead."

Second we have comment number 24, comment 24 was made by: Jocelyn! Congratulations Jocelyn! Jocelyn's answer to who she would love to date: "Tough question. I guess....Seth from Wicked Lovely? Let's just go with that one :-)"

Congratulations everyone who won! Sorry to everyone who didn't! Jocelyn and xdaisyx, you shall receive and email from Beth soon!

Hopefully a review will be coming your way soon enough!