strange and random happenstance

The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy by Paul Magrs
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 12th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

If you live in a house where you have stuffed animals with very distinct and vocal personalities, ranging the gamut from sarcastic to profane to inebriated, then this is the book you've been waiting all your life for. And hopefully the stuffed animals will be fans as well. Though I know my Dad's monkey Salbert would probably downgrade the book for having no mention of Kim Novak. Thankfully the book doesn't mention Joey Bishop or we'd have real problems. And yes, wherever Sal is he knows what time it is in Vegas. While everyone might not have someone in their life at this moment giving constant commentary, we've all had a stuffed friend like this at some point in our life. Paul has Panda. Some of us know him as Art Critic Panda, but I am sure he has a plethora of aliases. If you read this book without any context, even though I do love that Paul added a picture of the trio at the back of the book, you are in for an entertaining time. Panda is saying what we are often thinking about but at too decorous to say. Though I would occasionally like to let loose with a stream of profanity Panda-style. The art varies in quality, but sometimes just the simplest of lines captures Panda and his posture so perfectly with so little that I wish I could draw like that. In particular I'm thinking of him exercising and looking lovingly at a bottle of gin. Yes, Panda does love his gin. There were also times when I wished that the drawings had been organized thematically or had some overarching story, but then I remembered this is a parody. I realized I couldn't properly critique this book without first reading The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I remember when this book came out and it was everywhere. There were large drifts of it in Barnes and Noble because if I recall correctly they made it their book of the year. Well, that book does have some amazing drawings, in a wide range of styles, and occasionally there is something profound said, but for me it was too saccharine. My teeth hurt after reading it. It was too goody goody trying to be something more and occasionally ending up sounding like your friends in college when they got high and thought they'd discovered the answers to life. But reading that book made me appreciate Paul's book so much more. He got the artistic shifts, the lack of structure, everything down pat, but with a wonderfully cynical edge, which is totally my wheelhouse. So yes, you can read this book in a vacuum, but I'd say read the book after doing your homework, you will enjoy it so much more!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Art Critic Panda, Barnes and Noble, Charlie Mackesy, Cynical, Joey Bishop, Kim Novak, Pandas, Paul Magrs, Sal, The Boy the Mole the Fox and the Horse, The Panda the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy: A Parody, Vegas

Bookstore: Bookworm Books

Location: Kennewick, Washington

The Official Patter: "Serving the Tri-Cities since 1974, we are a community staple. We sell new and used books, and encourage all bookworms to come on in and grab a great read. The Bookworm first opened in Richland and is now owned by Cindy and Mark Bitzer who are the the third owners. Cindy started as an employee in 2005 and bought the business with her husband in 2009 when the previous owner decided to retire. Being readers and fellow book lovers helps Bitzer and her employees make suggestions to customers looking for something new to try. Bookshelves hold many of the 250,000 books the Bookworm carries in stock. Comfortable chairs are arranged to give customers a chance to peruse their selections."

Why I Love Them: Bookworm Books is kind of an odd choice for me to include, mainly because I have dealt with them only the once, but it was so memorable, and they went over and above what I expect of a bookstore that they deserve to be featured here, even if our acquaintance to date is fleeting. From their pictures online they look like a wonderful little store, much like Books and Company in Oconomowoc. The kind of store that feels like one you'd stumble on during vacation, but also perfectly suited to cater to their local customers. I'm a huge fan of Patricia Briggs and seeing as her Mercy Thompson books are set in the Tri-Cities I like to think that Mercy herself has stopped by occasionally to pick up a book, we all know how much she hates large malls and Bookworm Books is in a cozy little L-shaped strip mall.

Best Buy: And it is because of Patricia Briggs that I reached out to Bookworm Books. On her 2016 book tour promoting Fire Touched Patty and her much missed husband Mike took ill and much of the tour was called off. Therefore she never made it to Murder By The Book and I was at loose ends as to where to get my signed copy. Thanks to NetGalley my buying patterns with my favorite authors have changed over the years because I usually have read an ARC of their recent books and then have the luxury of buying a signed copy online instead of racing to my Barnes and Noble on release day to devour the most recent story. And yes, this IS how it used to be, just ask my Dad who ran out to get me Patty's Fair Game when I was sick. That book literally healed me people! But back to Fire Touched. I saw she still had a signing coming up at Bookworm Books and being as it's near Patty's house I figured, even if she's sick she'll probably eventually show up and sign stock. Well the event went on but because of some snafu my copy was only signed, not inscribed. Instead of writing me an apology about this fact they instead had the store manager send the book to Patty who then resigned it and even did a coyote doodle! And they still apologized! Because having to send the book to Patty meant there was a delay in getting the book to me. I was literally sitting at my computer jaws gaping when they sent me this email. They were apologizing for fixing a problem that most bookstores would have just made me accept. But they "wanted to make sure it was signed as [I] requested." Seriously Bookworm Books, above and beyond, standing ovation here! Get on your feet people and give them the respect they deserve! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Above and Beyond, ARCs, Barnes and Noble, Books and Company, Bookworm Books, Coyote, Fair Game, Fire Touched, Kenniwick, Mercy Thompson, Netgalley, Patricia Briggs, Support Your Brick and Mortar, Tri-Cities

Bookstore: Barnes and Noble 82nd and Broadway

Location: New York, New York

Why I Love Them: What's interesting about visiting any city is that after a couple of visits there are a few places that become your "go to" places. You have your favorite restaurant, your favorite museum, your favorite movie theatre, and your favorite bookstore. In recent years the main reason I was visiting New York was to visit my friend Jess, but I was also applying to grad school, and therefore my world became her world, which for quite some time was the Upper West Side. First up around Columbia University and later near the American Museum of Natural History. The Upper West Side has one Barnes and Noble located on 82nd street, two blocks from the American Museum of Natural History and right around the corner from Jess's apartment during one of my long stays. It also happens to be located as a convenient disembarkation point if you're riding the subway to any location on the Upper West Side. Therefore if Jess and I were discussing a book and saying that we thought the other should get it, we'd just get off the subway and wander into the 82nd Street Barnes and Noble and see if they had the book we were discussing. Oddly enough they usually did. They had impeccable buyers for this location. One time I remember I got on the express versus the local on the subway, but that wasn't a problem, because it meant I could swing by Barnes and Noble and grab a drink and a book before getting back to Jess's.  

Best Buy: Though my best buy just inadvertently ended up being my best buy. Back in 2005 a few of my friends and I were meeting in New York to continue on to Halifax for a thesis gallery show our mutual friend Sara was staging. The trip happened to coincide with one of my fellow travelers birthday. So Jess and I went to the 82nd Street Barnes and Noble one day after lunch because Jess wanted to buy Sarah Dunant's The Birth of Venus for our friend Orelia. I didn't know too much about the book other than a few years previously when I had been visiting Jess in Boston she had been raving about the book. She was still raving about it and it was going to be Orelia's present. I picked up the book and was reading the back and thought, damn, this does sound good, so I bought myself a copy hoping to read it on my vacation. In fact what with reading Anne of Green Gables, I was going to Canada AND visiting Prince Edward Island after all, and then finding a cool Elizabeth Gaskell book called Lois the Witch I just HAD to read immediately, I don't think I picked up The Birth of Venus until I got home. But when I did it was better than I could have hoped for. Art, mystery, intrigue, nuns! It made me realize that historical fiction could be awesome. In fact, I'd go so far as to say The Birth of Venus gave birth to my absolute love of historical fiction, and I thank Jess and the 82nd Street Barnes and Noble for that just as much as the book!    

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: American Museum of Natural History, Anne of Green Gables, Barnes and Noble, Elizabeth Gaskell, Lois the Witch, New York, Sarah Dunant, Support Your Brick and Mortar, The Birth of Venus, Upper West Side

Bookstore: Barnes and Noble Union Square

Location: New York, New York

Why I Love Them: The summer I was in New York after I visited Books of Wonder I wandered a few blocks east and stumbled on the original Barnes and Noble. This is a Barnes and Noble that is no more. The obvious reason is seen in what I was doing that day. I was heading to the Barnes and Noble located on Union Square and overlooking that famous park. This is an iconic Barnes and Noble in an old brownstone, whereas the original store, just a block away, while the beginning, didn't really embrace how the store had evolved since it's founding to be the powerhouse brick and mortar store it is today. Therefore a few years ago the original location shuttered it's doors and the Union Square location became the new flagship store. When you read about the mega signings and events that Barnes and Noble is hosting, this is the location where it all goes down. Story upon story of exposed duct-work and gorgeous pillars, so that while it still feels like a Barnes and Noble it also feels like something more. It feels older. More steeped in publishing history than your average chain store. And that's what makes this location so unique. That while it is the flagship of a chain store and has all the amenities you'd expect, it has a personality all it's own. This is what makes it a must visit store. Oh, how I hope to one day make it back to New York and get to go to a signing here. Now that would be truly memorable.      

Best Buy: Now this is going to be another one of those weird "best buys" that I've sporadically written about and that all seem to have happened in New York. The first time I went to New York was in June of 1996, but compared to the horrid humidity I had just left behind in Washington D.C. the heat was nothing. Plus I was ferried about by taxis almost everywhere due to being sick with a sinus infection. The second time I went to New York, the trip I was on when visiting all these bookstores, was again in June, but I wanted to walk the city. I wanted to see and do things that the rest of my family was unwilling to do on my previous trip. The thing about summer heat, especially for anyone who lives in a city that has many trees, is that you never really appreciate how freakin' hot it can get when the heat is funneled down the side of buildings that have been baking in the sun all day and the pavement is just radiating so much warmth you expect it to buckle under your feet. I longed for trees and streets that had shady sides. Therefore my visit to Barnes and Noble was practical. I needed to hide from the heat and cool off. Which means my "best buy" was whatever beverage and food I picked up at the cafe. I don't remember what it was, but I remember the sheer bliss of sitting at a table in a huge and completely empty cafe near a window overlooking Union Square with amazing air conditioning pouring down from the ceiling. I didn't buy any books, but still this is one of the best memories I have of a Barnes and Noble and no books were involved!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Air Conditioning, Barnes and Noble, Books of Wonder, Cafe, Chain Stores, Heat, June, New York, Summer, Summer in the City, Support Your Brick and Mortar, Union Square, Washington D.C.

Bookstore: Barnes and Noble Oakbrook Center

Location: Oak Brook, Illinois

Why I Love Them: The Barnes and Noble at the Oakbrook Center is a pretty typical Barnes and Noble for it's kind. Meaning for a Barnes and Noble attached to a shopping mall and having an outdoor entrance leading to the parking lot and an indoor entrance leading to the mall. It's pretty cookie cutter; two stories, rather narrow, and could be a Barnes and Noble basically anywhere. In fact it really looks like the one outside Milwaukee. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Sometimes it's nice to go to a foreign town and be surrounded by the familiar. Why do you think that when you're traveling so many of the restaurants you see along the road are ones you could find in your own backyard? To some it's depressing, to others it's comforting. For me, it is how it is and it's nice to know that I can at least count on the layout and the signing protocols to be the same. Because let's face it, there's only a few reasons I stop at a Barnes and Noble while traveling, I'm there for a signing, there's something particular I'm picking up, or I'm going from point A to point B and I know I can be assured a restroom and a Starbucks. So thank you Barnes and Noble for your events and for a safe space to pee. What is so nice about this particular Barnes and Noble is that right around the mall is a restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi. The restaurant is basically your mall version of a French Bistro, but somehow, unlike Barnes and Noble, it doesn't feel like a chain. There's lovely crunchy warm bread with jam to spread on it! Scallops that are to die for. And just so much food that I want to order that I wish there was one in Wisconsin! Perhaps one day...  

Best Buy: As for why I trekked south to a Barnes and Noble in Illinois? Well that's all due to my best buy, Patricia Briggs's Frost Burned. Patricia Briggs rarely comes to the Midwest. In fact, since I've been a fan of hers I think this is the ONLY time she has set foot within a few states radius of me, and believe me this is something I pay attention to. For years I had relied on Murder by the Book with a few outlier bookstores, Mysterious Galaxy, and The Bookworm, for signed editions, but I finally had a chance to get one signed in person! Patricia Briggs might just be my favorite Urban Fantasy author out there... or at least a solid tie with Charlaine Harris, because I really love Charlaine and her books were my gateway drug into this genre. I think I'd have to meet Patricia a second time, because I've meet Charlaine twice, so she does have a competitive edge... But what I loved so much about seeing Patricia Briggs is that she really knows her readers. She knows they are shy introverts for the most part and when you get up to see her in the signing line she asks you what color pen you'd like your book signed in. She told me it's a way to get the ball rolling, because color choice is a very personal decision, notice my pink? After that the conversation flowed more easily and I got to tell her about my all time favorite creature in the Mercyverse, the Otterkin, who appear in River Marked. She then told me the inspiration for those evil water dwellers and how it oddly tied into the Chicago area. This just made me love those evil Otterkin even more, if becoming even more wary of Otters! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barnes and Noble, Charlaine Harris, French, Frost Burned, Illinois, Mercy Thompson, Mercyverse, Midwest, Mon Ami Gabi, Otterkin, Otters, Patricia Briggs, River Marked, Support Your Brick and Mortar, Urban Fantasy

Bookstore: Barnes and Noble East

Location: East Side of Madison, Wisconsin

Why I Love Them: I'm not quite sure when the Barnes and Noble higher-ups decided that the east side of Madison needed some book love, probably around the same time the Waldenbooks in East Towne Mall closed, but in 2004 a new Barnes and Noble opened in Madison. Much smaller than it's west side counterpart and having the disadvantage of being attached to the food court of East Towne Mall, it has still found a place in my heart over the years. Beyond the parking lot nightmare, the echoing noises and smells from the food court, this Barnes and Noble has a different vibe. While the stock is condensed due to size restrictions, whomever is responsible for the culling has somehow curated sections better than the west side location despite them having more room. In particular the sales section and the science fiction and fantasy section are top notch. They almost always have exactly what you are looking for, and back when I was desperate to fill out my Terry Pratchett paperback collection I turned to this Barnes and Noble and was very successful. At this point my brother would say I am being remiss if I didn't mention their CDs and DVDs. Their selection is spot on, I seriously don't know if this store just has better buyers, but if there's something rare and unique you are looking for you are sure to find it here.    

Best Buy: But what I feel really sets this Barnes and Noble apart from it's west side counterpart is their signed books. I don't know how they get so many in! I know that Barnes and Noble as an organization has been trying to get more customers through signed edition but these are usually only available online so to find them in-store, to just stumble across them, it makes my book loving heart pitter-patter with glee. They always have a plethora of Patrick Rothfuss, seeing as he lives up in Stevens Point and this Barnes and Noble is right off the interstate north it makes sense. But he isn't my best buy, that would be Blood and Beauty: A Novel About the Borgias signed by the author, Sarah Dunant. While I will wax lyrical later on about my love of Sarah Dunant and another Barnes and Noble in New York City, I still must provide a little context as to why this is my best buy. Back in 2005 I read Sarah Dunant's The Birth of Venus and something inside me clicked. I had always liked the concept of historical fiction, but I had never found a book that I instantly loved, until The Birth of Venus. If not for this book I would have probably given up on the genre and never found my favorite authors, from Lauren Willig to Tasha Alexander. I had been needing to buy Dunant's newest book, Blood and Beauty for awhile, and months after it's release I felt really bad about not supporting a favorite author, and then, there in Barnes and Noble was a signed copy. The reasons for dragging my feet were clear, I was meant to find this signed edition and add it to my library! Thank you Barnes and Noble! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barnes and Noble, Blood and Beauty, East Towne Mall, Historical Fiction, Madison, Patrick Rothfuss, Sarah Dunant, Stevens Point, Support Your Brick and Mortar, Terry Pratchett, The Birth of Venus, Waldenbooks

Bookstore: Barnes and Noble West

Location: West Side of Madison, Wisconsin

Why I Love Them: While Borders had opened in Madison four years earlier, RIP Borders, the opening of Barnes and Noble seemed like a far bigger deal. Or maybe because 1996 was when I officially came out of my cocoon emerging as the a book worm I was destined to be and therefore I greeted this store's opening with outstretched arms waiting to be filled with all they had to offer. There were literally weeks of events leading up to the official opening and because my mother was a school librarian I was lucky enough to tag along with her before the store actually opened to the public. The size of the store was mind-boggling to me. I'd never been in a bookstore before with TWO levels. There was so much my mind couldn't take it all in, I didn't know where to even start. But over the years since then I have spent so many delightful hours in the company of friends in this store, both real and those found between the pages of a book. As for all the Harry Potter midnight releases? Cherished memories! I still have my original and battered Barnes and Noble membership from the very first month they started the program in 2001. While you might think that supporting a chain is not as noble as supporting an independent store, keep in mind, these stores are in just as much jeopardy and in my mind, there's plenty of book buying I need to do in my life so I'm happy to spread it around.  

Best Buy: And as for my best buy... now this is a VERY unique one. For as long as I can remember EVERYONE in my family has been a fan of Edward Gorey. Whether it was because of his intricately detailed sets from Mystery! to his darkly humorous books we have always loved his work. Even to the point that I was personally willing to wear white t-shirts because they had his work on it, and it takes a lot for a girl to be willing to wear white, let me tell you! When Barnes and Noble had their big opening they had some unique limited edition items for sale. While I was initially drawn to everything Michael Crichton, from hardcovers to a very fetching omnibus, my gaze finally landed on this rather large box that claimed to be Dracula: The Definitive Edition Signed by Edward Gorey. As it turns out Barnes and Noble had partnered with Gorey to take his designs from the 1977 stage adaptation of Dracula starring Frank Langella as the Count and made a very nice edition of the book. Though of these editions 750 were signed by Gorey. This was one of them! This was signed by EDWARD GOREY! Yes, at $100 it was rather pricey, but to me it was and is priceless. All I knew was that I would have something he had touched and that filled me with glee. I didn't notice until I got it home that the gorgeous black tray that could be tied shut with an equally black ribbon didn't include just the book. There was also a signed lithograph! Mina looking like she'd just stepped out of the opening credits of Mystery! One day I will have to get that lithograph framed, until then I will covet it with the tenacity of a dragon with her treasure.  

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barnes and Noble, Borders, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Edward Gorey, Frank Langella, Harry Potter, Limited Edition, Lithograph, Madison, Michael Crichton, Mystery, Signed, Support Your Brick and Mortar

Ok, so yes, you're probably all beyond jealous that this just showed up in my mailbox. Yes I'm going to go read it immediately and forsake all others, all homework, laundry and food... well, maybe not the laundry and the food... there comes a point... But I just had to do a little happy dance and a little gloat for those who would understand how awesome this is seeing as I'm sure you all have March 30th circled in red on your calenders. But you too could own it now and not later! How you ask? Well... I did already spill the beans to a few of my other blogger buddies, but turns out Barnes & Noble is shipping NOW! Yes, now! This second! It could be on it's way to you and you, like me, could be having some Alexa Tarabotti fun this weekend, versus having a social life. But what's spring in Wisconsin without the forecasted 5" of snow after a near 70 degree day? Well... what are you waiting for? Go Buy!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:15 PM 4 comments  

Labels: Alexia Tarabotti, Barnes and Noble, Changeless, Gail Carriger, Parasol, Soulless, The Parasol Protectorate, Wisconsin

Thank you all for entering my 50/50 Competition and answering my curiosity about what books remind you of summer. I large number of you chose Harry Potter, (though this could have been due to my mentioning it, but I'm still going to declare Harry a winner anyway) followed closely by Sarah Dessen, Kristen Cashore, Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins. The books ranged from historical to sci-fi to classics, but our winner had a soft spot for....one of the authors already mentioned...cryptic much?

I just love that due to when books are read, or where they are read, they become associated with a certain time or place, one book might remind you of a cold winters day, another might remind you of hiding in your room late at night reading past when you should have gone to bed, while another might remind you of a perfect day. Summertime reminds me of many books, heavily of Harry Potter because of reading it out on the porch in the overwhelming heat because it was the quietest place I could find and I had to read it immediately. But I am also reminded of the first time I read George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice, I try not to read overly cold books when it is cold, that would be sadistic. But there is also A.S. Byatt's Possession, which I remember being a summer read I was not overly fond of, but still distinctly summer. Finally there is the Lloyd Alexander Westmark series, just as good, if not better then Prydain, everyone should read it!

But enough about me reminiscing, the winner of my lovely prize pack is.....2point0blog! Who loved the Olympic feel of The Hunger Games! And I'm sure everyone remembers Catching Fire is released today!

I would also like to give a runner up prize to Brimful Curiosities, if only because her book was The Land Remembers by Ben Logan and my parents published that book!

Thank you all for the wonderful turnout for this competition, the first, but by no means the last! I already have some interesting prizes for the coming months, one is a biography about I man I truly admire for his dark sense of humor and his artistic abilities. Another, which I will be announcing soon, perhaps even before the week is out, has to due with an author I recently mentioned in my "Tuesday Tomorrow" post and who I'm lucky enough to hear speak in the coming weeks! Road trip for book talks, is there anything better? Well...maybe contests....

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:06 AM 3 comments  

Labels: 50th Post, Barnes and Noble, Contest, George R.R. Martin, Giftcard, Harry Potter, Kristen Cashore, Lloyd Alexander, Prydain, Sarah Dessen, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Westmark

Thanks for stopping by, but this competition is now closed, to see the winner go here. Look for a new competition in the coming weeks.

We are just hours away from the announcement of the winner of the lovely Barnes & Noble $25 Gift Card and I thought perhaps those who haven't entered yet might need a little nudge. So here, for the first time (because I haven't said it anywhere else...though I did tell some friends on facebook, but nevermind them) is the disclosure of the "Super Secret Bonus Prize." The thank you, as it were, to all those lovely people who got me to 50 followers!

The full prize pack:
A $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble
A copy of Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris, a must for every Biblophile!
A Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Bookmark. Harry has a lot of fans posting on this blog.
A set of Book Darts, great for marking your book without marking your book, if you know what I mean.
An Alice in Wonderland quote magnet
And a beautiful little notebook

All yours if you go and enter the competition right now! I'm accepting entries until 11:59PM TODAY, August 31st, 2009. The winner will be announced at midnight, or shortly thereafter.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:28 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 50th Post, Alice in Wonderland, Barnes and Noble, Book Darts, Contest, Ex Libris, Giftcard, Harry Potter

Thanks for stopping by, but this competition is now closed, to see the winner go here. Look for a new competition in the coming weeks.

The 50th Post Competition, now renamed the 50/50 Competition continues! That's right, thanks to you wonderful folks I hit my 50 followers goal! Thank you all, you know there's a special place for you all in the great library of my dreams. But remember, if you haven't entered yet you still have the weekend to be in with a chance to win the $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble! PLUS the super secret, I've hit 50 followers bonus prize. So go enter already! Already entered you say? Find some family members or friends who like books who might be willing to share. Good luck to you all, the contest ends at 11:59PM CST on Monday, August 31st, winning entries will be posted at midnight, or shortly thereafter.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:40 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 50th Post, Barnes and Noble, Contest, Giftcard

Me! Who'd you expect? (But you might have a little something coming your way...) I'd very much like to thank Misty over at Book Rat for this lovely summery themed Lemonade Award, pretty and thirst quenching, I kid you not. Go check out her site, it's pretty darn awesome, though perhaps she should be reprimanded for introducing me to Better World Books (mmmm more books), and help her get some more followers, everyone needs followers!

The Award:
Lemonade Award!

What's it all about (Alfie)?:
The Lemonade Award is for sites which show great attitude and/or attitude!

Rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Nominate your favorites and link to this post.

The Nominees:
Esme at Chocolate & Croissants, Writings About Cooking, Travel, Everything French

Pixie, Stacey and Jess at Page Turners...Better Underneath the Covers

Austenfan at Reality Bites, Fiction Does it Better

Abby at Abby (the) Librarian

Genevieve at Genevieve's Blog...Something Bookish

Briana at The Book Pixie

Meghan at Meghan's Book Blog

Liyana at LiyanaLand!

Book Butterfly at The Book Butterfly

Yan at Books By Their Cover

Also, because I'm so lazy, I won another award, the very sweet Humane Award, awhile back from the lovely Kristen over at Bookworming in the 21st Century but have yet to post it or spread the love. So more nominations for my fellow bloggers and book buddies, many from goodreads!

The Award:
The Humane Award

What's it all about (Alfie)?:
Is to honor certain bloggers that are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn't for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. This award is to thank them for their growing friendships through the blog world.

Rules:
I didn't get a number as to how many, so I'm just doing my five favourites!

The Nominees:
April at Good Books & Good Wine, you get an award!

Misty at Book Rat, you get an award!

Kate at The Neverending Shelf, you get an award!

Erica at The Book Cellar, you get an award!

Susan at Well-Mannered Frivolity, you get an award!

Well, I bet you're all exhausted after that lengthy awards ceremony, that Martha Graham dance number inspired by the complete works of the Russian masters was unique...but I hope you are all leaving happy and have found some new blogs to follow (after mine of course). Also don't forget my 50th Post Competition is running till the end of the month and it really looks like I'm going to hit 50 followers, so I'll have to think of something really cool and special for the winner (rubs hands together diabolically with slight maniacal laugh).

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:30 AM 13 comments  

Labels: 50th Post, Awards, Barnes and Noble, Bloggers, Book Rat, BookWorming in the 21st Century, Contest, Giftcard, Goodreads, Humane Award, Lemonade Award

Thanks for stopping by, but this competition is now closed, to see the winner go here. Look for a new competition in the coming weeks.

So this here post, the one you are reading right now, at least I hope you are reading it, is officially my 50th post. To commemorate this wondrous feat (at least to me), I am announcing my first ever competition! I've been storing up book swag and loot for awhile now and have been waiting for a suitably grand occasion. Right now you are probably thinking, whatever the occasion, just get to the prizes, and I'm getting there...so prizes you asked? You probably guessed it by the lovely picture above, but the prize is a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble! You know you want it! All those books you could get....Now onto "THE RULES."

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter.
2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Monday, August 31st at 11:59PM CST
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: In honor of the end of summer and the beginning of another school year...What is your favorite Summer Read? Doesn't have to have been read this summer, but what book evokes the true spirit of summer to you? Harry Potter perhaps? Charlotte's Web by chance? A thriller verses a classic? A true beach read? I want to know!

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +5 if you are already a follower (yes you lucky 5 people you!)
  
• +10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. Also please leave a link!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 6:35 PM 111 comments  

Labels: 50th Post, Barnes and Noble, Contest, Giftcard