When I first started blogging on June 24, 2013, I never imaged the next words would ever leave my (virtual) mouth: Today, Pandora’s Books is 3-years-old!

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Three years!!! I never thought I’d see this day. Blogging started out as a short-term hobby, something to help connect me with other readers, to become more involved with the book community. I started blogging on a whim and had no idea where it would take me – and now here I am.

Year number three has been a little bit rough for me. My family has been through a lot (including the loss of my beloved chocolate lab, which has left me broken-hearted) and work has been increasingly busy. So blogging kind of took a back-seat. But the things I did accomplish this past year? Completely epic and mind-blowing!

Accomplishments:

-> 56,185 total page views

-> 2,983 Twitter followers

-> 439 Bloglovin followers

-> 484 Goodreads friends

-> 100 email subscribers

-> 585 blog posts (including this one!)
-> Attended ALA MW (American Library Association Mid-Winter Conference) for the first time in Boston with one of my amazing blogging friends, Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles and met a TON of blogger friends
-> Started two new blog features, Once Upon a Time and Television Tuesday
-> Participated in the HarperTeen Summer 2016 Tour, hosted by Hannah @ The Irish Banana Review
-> Participated in the blog tour for one of my favorite television shows, Reign! (Also hosted by Hannah @ The Irish Banana Review)
-> Helped Invaluable/Profiles in History/Lionsgate announce the “The World of The Hunger Games” Auction (Still in shock over this!!!)

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Despite all the ups and downs of 2015-2016, I still accomplished a lot and I’m incredibly proud of the things I did and the things my blog was a part of. Even though I fell behind on posting for my two new features (Once Upon a Time and Television Tuesday), I’m still proud of myself for implementing them. I’ve had so much fun with them and I hope to pick them both back up soon! I have some amazing authors planned for Once Upon a Time and I have some REALLY fun ideas planned for Television Tuesday. I also have some fun topics planned for my On Meredith’s Mind discussion posts! So.. Basically.. Nothing but fun things ahead!

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When Pandora’s Books turned one, I did a ton of blogger/author shout-outs – and accidentally forgot some people — Yikes!! Last year, I skipped the shout-outs to avoid that happening again! Because I’ve met so many amazing people on this journey and it’s REALLY hard to name everyone without forgetting someone. But three years is a BIG deal, so I do want to give a few quick shout-outs/squishy hugs to those who have been with me since the very beginning and those who have become incredibly amazing, supportive friends:

Stacie (Book Nerd Addict)
Stacee (Adventures of a Book Junkie)
Crystal (Bookiemoji)
Alexia (Pretty Deadly Reviews)
Alyssa (The Eater of Books)
Jessica (Stuck in Books)
Kris (My Friends Are Fiction)
Brittany (Brittany’s Book Rambles)
Mary (Mary Had a Little Book Blog)
Celeste (Book Rood Reviews)
Katie (Worn Down Glories)
Molli (Molli Moran Books)

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But so I don’t miss anyone, I also want to give one giant shout-out to ALL my blogging friends, all my author friends, all my co-workers who have become epic friends (I’m looking at you Cindy, Kelly, Brooke, Damaris, Jessica, etc!) and everyone I talk to every day. You’re all amazing. Without you, this journey wouldn’t matter at all and wouldn’t even be possible! I LOVE YOU ALL!

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I know I said this in my post last year, but it’s still 100% on point: This past year has been a whirlwind, but you guys have been there for me through the good and and the not so good. So, thank you – Thank you for being amazing. Thank you for accepting my weird, spazzy, fangirly self. Thank you for letting me be me. For letting me be a part of this amazing community. Thank you for sticking by me through everything that’s gone on in the last year. Thank you for giving me a home and for making me feel less alone. I know I mentioned this last year, but I was always the outsider in school, the weird girl who liked to read about aliens and vampires. The freak who – GASP – liked to WRITE about aliens and vampires. Man, I’ll never forget that day in eighth grade English when my study group laughed at me for telling them that.. It’s been SO INCREDIBLE becoming a part of the blogosphere, finding friends who GET IT when I need to flail about a book, swoon over a book boyfriend, or even cry about a book. YOU GUYS GET ME! So thank you! <3

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I have no idea what the next year will bring or where I’ll be this time next year, but I know one thing: with you guys by my side, I can do anything! So here’s to another year of success for Pandora’s Books and another year of adoring all you lovely people! Cheers!

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And now, to thank you for being awesome and standing by me for the last three years, a giveaway! Or.. Several giveaways! Three, to be exact. Two of the giveaways are US only and one is international!

First, for my US followers, I have two awesome ARCs (Cloudwish by Fiona Wood and Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist) up for grabs! You guys can enter one or both of the giveaways, but you can only win one! So choose wisely!

Then, for my International friends, I’m offering a pre-order of EITHER Cloudwish by Fiona Wood OR Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter forms below! But first, the rules:

-For each giveaway: Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-For International Giveaway: The Book Depository MUST ship to your country for free in order for you to claim your prize.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway