It's My Birthday and I Can Lounge If I Want To (+ The Winner's Curse Giveaway!)

So it's my birthday.

I'm not going to say exactly how old I am, partly because I'm at an age where it's not all that much fun getting older (for me, anyway), and partly because I'm not quite sure of the exact number right this moment and don't feel like getting up to check. Let's just say I'm a year older and leave it at that. Like a good adult I'm working today, and like a good homebody I have no special evening plans other than a nice meal and a good movie at home. After the insane month of sickness I've had, relaxing is just the way I want it.

This should be a big celebration for someone though, so I've decided that someone should be you by throwing a spectacular giveaway! After many, many months of trying to get my hands on an ARC of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, I ended up with two just as it released. (So is my life.) But lucky for you, that means I'm giving away the second copy! The Winner's Curse is turning out to be the book of Spring 2014, so if you haven't already you definitely want to give this a read! (I'm devouring it just as soon as I finish Strange & Norrell - almost there!) I'm also throwing in some awesome bookish swag, which includes signed bookmarks, stickers, and temporary tattoos. Consider them the party favors. ;)

And to make this a proper celebration, I'm making this giveaway INTERNATIONAL!! I know I have many Followers in other countries, and I want you to be able to join in on the party! :)

So enter below to win, and good luck!

Goodreads

Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Open Internationally!!
• Cheaters do not prosper - be warned I check every entry!

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Birthday Week Picks & Giveaway!

It's my birthday week!!! \(*0*)/ *throws confetti* And what an awesome week it will be! Not only am I expecting some awesome books in the post, but it sees the release of both a book and a music album I'm super-excited about! I'm literally vibrating with excitement right now! XD

My birthday week plans consist of a lot of heavy reading and stalking the mail carrier - glamorous and exciting, I know! :} I hope to get some writing done too, if at all possible - maybe my Muse will show up for the cake and give me some of her precious time as a birthday present (a girl can dream. ;).

For this wordly blog, the week will see a review of one of my favorite 2013 reads on Monday, mention of one of my most anticipated 2013 reads for Waiting on Wednesday, and a shiny new Currently... post on Friday! I'll also be squeezing in a book teaser on Tuesday - from Kiera Cass's upcoming The Elite!

But enough about my fabulous plans - what are these releases I'm so excited about?? Without further ado, my 2013 birthday book and music picks!:

BOOK PICK 

Title: The Art of Wishing

Author: Lindsay Ribar

Summary: Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Why: I heard about this book when they announced its release last year and was immediately struck by just how me it is. I've been scrambling to get an ARC for months (reading a book in paperback is the only way I truly enjoy it), and I finally won myself a copy last week - from the author herself!!! It arrived in the mail yesterday, to much squealing, and I now own a personalized, signed copy! My birthday = MADE.

Releases: March 21, 2013

Find It On: Goodreads

MUSIC PICK

Artist: Kacey Musgraves

Album: Same Trailer Different Park

Why: I became addicted to the song Merry Go 'Round when they first played it on the radio many months ago, and it hasn't lost it's hold on me since. A snippet listen has found that the rest of the album should prove just as awesome (Dandelion, especially), so I'm looking forward to a Tuesday trip to Target to grab me a copy!

Releases: March 19, 2013

Find It On: Amazon

GIVEAWAY!

And now, to give you a reason celebrate my birthday with me, I'm giving away another one of my favorite 2013 reads - Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger! (You can find my gushing review of it here.) I was lucky enough to snag another ARC, so enter below for a chance to win this awesome read! (U.S. only - sorry!) Good luck!

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Thank you to everyone for celebrating my birthday week with me! I hope you have as awesome a week as I do! :)

Me & Harry Houdini

What do me and Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist and magician, have in common today? Answer: a birthday! If still alive today, he would be 138 years old. Me, I'm a little younger than that. ;) I actually learned quite a bit about how he spent his later life debunking spiritualists in my Project V research, which made me feel even closer to him.

I didn't find out about sharing a birthday with Houdini until only a few years ago. Before that, it felt like absolutely NO ONE shared my birthday, and it was lonely. :( Originally my birth certificate read that I was born on March 25th, because I was born so late (somewhere around 11:30pm). But Mother made them correct it, forever sticking me with this forsaken day of birth.

Today I gave March 24th a lookup on Wikipedia, and have learned I also share a birthday today with the American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, and American football star Peyton Manning. (There were a lot more, but these were the only ones I really recognized.)

A pattern I did recognize, however, was that today is a big birth day for sports stars. ... So, what am I doing here?