Thank You + Giveaway

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR AWESOMENESS!**

How do I start this post?

An explanation, I suppose. I've been gone so much lately that it's as if this blog is more of a phantom than an actual thing, but still I see you followers here--and just, your continuous support makes me want to weep. *hugs all* *wipes tears*

Alright, so you all deserve the truth. The reason why my posts are so sporadic is because of time. Or, rather, lack of it. I think most of you know that I'm a high school student, though there are only like, three people in the blogging community who know my real age. I'll reveal it someday. :) But anyways, so while I'm juggling school, I have three jobs (one full-time, two part-time), at least four hours in meetings a week, full weekends dedicated to debate tournaments, musical theatre shows, choir performances, running the fansite for Insignia, researching for academic competitions, and bagpipes lessons, just to name a few things, and while I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to all of these things, you can probably see that I have pretty much no time to read and/or blog.

But I've quit two of those jobs, and I'm finally learning how to really balance everything. It's not a perfect system, and I'm still not reading enough, but I hope that the posts I can now regularly get out will be good enough. I'm so sorry that I've been such a ghostly presences as of late, but that will change. It's time to truly thank you all with my words and action, not just fleeting apologies.

So there's my explanation. But that wouldn't exist without you guys, and so I want to take this moment to thank some of the most important people in my online life (in no particular order):

1) Monica from Cover Analysis, Jazmin from Wonderful Bookshelf of Jaz, and Rachel from Beauty and the Bookshelf . These people are some of the biggest reasons why the blogging community is so amazing. They give me so many amazing memories and so many times I've found myself asking them for advice, because I know they understand me and it's just such a satisfying, beautiful thing, you know? To have friends who know you for who you are and who would fan-girl along with you even though you've never met in person.

2) #TeamKilt. This. This is the reason why I started blogging. Oh, TeamKilt, there are NO WORDS for me to describe my love for you. For those of you who don't know, #TeamKilt is the  fan group for Jeri Smith-Ready's amazing Shade trilogy. (You can find my reviews of Shade, Shift, and Shine by clicking on the respective titles. Also, find more information on this amazing group of people at the fansite) Back in the summer of '11, when the lovely YA-Sisterhood held their first YA Crush Tourney, and I saw my beloved Zach on there, and- oh man. I'm going to cry now. I'm gonna do it. Darn it darn it darn it. Anyways, long story short: Zach's presence in that competition spurred me to create my own blog, and here we are, more than a year later, and my love for that series is still as strong as ever. (Also, wow, did I really not put up a post for the blog's anniversary? *grimaces* Okay, wow, totally shame on me.)

3) Goodreads buddies. I know, I know. This year was such a tumultuous year full of Goodreads author-blogger fiascos. But let's not focus on that. I want to bring attention to the fact that Goodreads connected me to a lot of amazing people, like Wendy, Steph, and Exp., who, though I don't very often chat with anymore, I quite admire. (If you want to find my Goodreads, here it is.)

4) Twitter peeps. Twitter. Oh, I know this thing is getting long, so here it is in one sentence: I used to be confuzzled by Twitter, but now I don't know what I'd do without it. #ObsessedButHappy (Shout out to Rory, even though you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I don't think!)

5) YOU. Can I just-

Thank you. Thank you for reading my words, my thoughts, even though I am as unreliable as they come. I'm thankful for each and everyone of you, whether or not you subscribed or followed, because that doesn't matter--what matters is that you gave up part of your day for me, and no matter if it was a minute or fifty, I will forever be grateful.

Ah, darn it. WHY am I always so freaking sappy?!?!

So. Before we go, I have a giveaway for you guys. Because come on, it's Thanksgiving. (And haha, if you scrolled down here just for the giveaway, that's totally okay. I know, I do it, too. :) )

DETAILS:
-You must be at least 13 years old, or have parental consent to enter the giveaway if you are under 13.
-There are two giveaways. One is international, the other is U.S. only. Please be careful to enter in the one that applies to you! (i.e. If you're from the U.S., you  can enter in both. If you're from somewhere other than the U.S., you can only enter in the international one. Sorry! I'm trying to save all my money for college. >.< The Christmas giveaway will have international giveaways for all, though!)
-There are multiple ways to enter. However, you only need to complete the free entry to be considered "in" the giveaway.
-You are not required to follow the blog to enter. Still, a follow would be appreciated, if you like the stuff I post! :)
-The giveaway will end on December 1st, 2012.


GIVEAWAY #1 (INTERNATIONAL): 

Prize: THREE winners will receive swag packs, full of bookish goodness! Enter through the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway #2 (U.S. ONLY): 
Prize: ONE winner will win either a signed ARC of Every Day by David Levithan, a signed ARC of Beta by Rachel Cohn, OR a signed hardcover of Legend by Marie Lu.
-If you want this prize but live internationally, I suggest coordinating with your friends in the U.S. to see if you can work something out! Again, sorry!)

Enter through the Rafflecopter form below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! <3