3rd Annual Ottawa Book Blogger Meet Up - Sign up!

It's time for the annual Ottawa Book Blogget Meet Up. It's a fun afternoon of book chat, and a great chance to meet some fellow bloggers, so I hope anyone in the area will join us.

Planning is underway and we do need final numbers for a reservation, and there may be some prizes, and other goodies.

If you would like to join us the date is March 30, 2014 and we're meeting at 1 pm! The place is to be determined as we have to wait to see what numbers we have first, but we are thinking of a restaurant so we can grab lunch.

Please email aglassofwineblog@gmail.com with OTTAWA BLOGGER MEET UP 2014 in the subject line (so I can find it easily) by January 15. Please include your name, your blog name and a link to your blog. If you could also include your twitter name (if you have one).

The date of January 15th is firm as we will be planning and booking things at that point. Unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate late sign ups once sign ups are closed.

Looking forward to meeting everyone, and hope you can make it!

Ottawa Blogger Mix and Mingle + Giveaway

A group of Ottawa bloggers got together to talk books, and have a fun afternoon. We were joined by the lovely Allison Van Diepen. She was lovely and took the time to answer questions and mingled with all the bloggers.

We discussed love triangles, cover redesigns in the middle of series, books we are excited for, and blogging in general. Ciara from Lost at Midnight reviews was the only one to take photos, so I will link her recap once she has it posted.

I would like to thank all the bloggers that showed up! If you want to check out their websites I have provided links below:

Emilie from Emilie's Book World
Katie from Bookishly Yours
Ciara from Lost at Midnight Reviews
Meaghan from Feeling A Little Bookish
Kelsey from Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf
Stella from Fire Star Books
Ashley from Fire Star Books
Kim from Pingwing’s Bookshelf
Alexandra from the Only Connect
Maria from I Believe In Story
Jessica from Read My Breath Away

I am very much looking forward to meeting up again next year! Thank you again to the all the publishers who made this meeting extra fun by providing awesome gift bags and prizes for the event.

My own gift bag included

Mixed bookmarks and other goodies

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza (goodreads)
Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (goodreads)
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight (goodreads)

Takedown by Allison Van Diepen (goodreads)
Poison by Bridget Zinn (goodreads)
The Loop by Shandy Lawson (goodreads)

I also have a special giveaway. Since I had extra copies of Allison Van Diepen's new novel Takedown (Advance Reader Copy), I had her sign an extra and am giving it away. Simply fill out the rafflecopter entry form below. OPEN TO US/CANADA ONLY.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOKS

Cover of The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The cover is certainly eye catching. I have been hearing so much about this debut novel already, so I have high expectations. It sounds amazing, and I love that it's set in England. Check out the Goodreads synopsis for more details. Entertainment Weekly also has a sneak peek at a few pages of the novel up too.

MOVIE

Beautiful Creatures movie

So I have advance screening passes to see this on Wednesday. I am super excited to go! I read the first two books in the series so far, and think they could be pretty awesome movies.

Warm Bodies

Yes, again. Go see it now that it's in theatres. Yes it's cheesy, and fun. It is a movie that knows exactly what it is supposed to be, and doesn't take itself seriously. It's sweet, and Nicholas Hoult will seriously charm you.

OTHER

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Are you a fan of Pride and Prejudice? If so you HAVE to watch the modernized web series that Hank Green is currently working on. It's funny, touching and the characters are amazing. You'll really start to care about them. The entire story can be started from the beginning at the official website.

Ottawa Book Blogger Meet Up

The more stuff comes together for this, the more and more excited I get. Almost everything is ready to go for Sunday February 10th. Expect a recap on the following Monday!

So what are you obsessed with this week?

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOKS

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Look at this cover!! Now take a moment and read the Goodreads synopsis (I'll wait). This novel sounds like it's going to be filled with fun twists and the premise sounds intriguing. My curiosity was piqued when I read it was inspired by a true crime case (it's pretty obvious which one). I can not wait to get my hands on this.

TV

The Following

I was expecting this to be good. What I was not expecting? Kevin Bacon and James Purfoy to have such amazing "chemistry" (for lack of a better term). They play off each other so well. The end scene was straight up intense, and made the show. It had a very Lecter/Starling vibe to it, and I enjoyed every tense second of it.

This show kept me on the edge of my seat and I can only hope it keeps up it's killer pacing for the rest of the season.

MOVIE

Warm Bodies

I was fortunate to see this at an advance screening. I was not sure what to expect, but the movie really surprised me. Funnier than I was expecting, sweet and rather romantic. Nicholas Hoult was super charming as "R". I am dying to read the book now to see if the humour translates the same. The studio gave us these really cute and fun valentines.

OTHER

Ottawa Book Blogger Meet Up

This event is starting to come together, and it's going to be VERY exciting. I can't wait to recap it and am very much looking forward to meeting a bunch of new bloggers.

A Glass of Wine's second blogiversary

My little blog is turning 2 on January 28th. It's pretty crazy that so much has happened in the past two years! Look out for a giveaway to celebrate.

So what are you obsessed with this week?

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOKS

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

So I saw this cover in the publisher catalog while browsing. I think it's the official cover, but it's not released yet. I couldn't wait to share it though. I LOVE IT! It looks creepy, and awesome. The Goodreads synopsis is also pretty exciting (and shudder inducing)...

Sawyer Dodd has it all. She's a star track athlete, choir soloist, and A-student. And her boyfriend is the handsome all-star Kevin Anderson. But behind the medals, prom pictures, and perfect smiles, Sawyer finds herself trapped in a controlling, abusive relationship with Kevin. When he dies in a drunk-driving accident, Sawyer is secretly relieved. She's free. Until she opens her locker and finds a mysterious letter signed by "an admirer" and printed with two simple words: "You're welcome."

I can't wait to read it and I hope it's as good as it sounds.

2013 Novels

Now that 2013 is here I am excited about all the amazing releases to come. 2013 is shaping up to have some of the most fan girl inducing reads. I am already so excited about so many upcoming titles! Clockwork Princess, The Retribution of Mara Dyer, Dance of the Red Death, Isla and the Happily Ever After, Just One Year, and MANY more. Dare I say that 2013 is going to be the BEST year for book lovers?! (This will apply until I say the same thing about 2014).

The Walking Dark by Robin Wasserman

The lovely Brodie at Eleusinian Mysteries brought this book to my attention (Ok, so I stalk her on Goodreads and that's how I found this). It sounds amazing and creepy. I am feeling a creepy trend with books coming up and I LOVE it.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves. 

Eeeep! It's a fall release so still quite a bit to wait before reading this one. Thankfully there are many awesome sounding novels coming out this year.

TV

The Following

Now that it is January my thoughts are returning to my shows. Once Upon A Time can not come back fast enough (I miss Killian Jones). Luckily it starts again on Sunday. The other show I am desperate to watch is The Following. Kevin Bacon, Kevin Williamson, and Edgar Allen Poe inspired plot! So excited. I have been hearing how amazing this is, and I fully intend on becoming addicted to this show. January 21st needs to hurry up and get here already.

OTHER

Ottawa Book Blogger Mix and Mingle

I am busy planning a small little get together for the Ottawa bloggers. An afternoon of bookish talk and making connections with other bloggers is always fun, and I am very much look forward to this one. If you happen to be in the area, check out all the details by visiting the sign up post.

City of Bones read-a-long

I am in the midst of planning a read a long for City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I am hoping to make it a little bit different and fun if everything comes together. I should hopefully be able to announce it next week and start sign ups.

So what are you obsessed with this week?

Ottawa Book Blogger Mix and Mingle 2013 Sign Up

Last year some of the Ottawa bloggers got together for a little networking, book talk, and fun. We are doing the same thing this year, and this is the official announcement and sign up.

It's a fun afternoon of book chat, and a great chance to meet some fellow bloggers, so I hope anyone in the area will join us.

Planning is underway and we do need final numbers for a reservation, and there may be some prizes, and fun little games.

If you would like to join us the date is February 10th, 2013 and we're meeting at 1 pm! The place is to be determined as we have to wait to see what numbers we have first, but we are thinking of a restaurant so we can grab lunch.

Please email aglassofwineblog@gmail.com with OTTAWA BLOGGER MIX AND MINGLE in the subject line (so I can find it easily) by January 15. Please include your name, your blog name and a link to your blog.

The date of January 15th is firm as we will be planning and booking things at that point. Unfortunately we will not able to accommodate late sign ups. Please be sure to email by the cut off!

Looking forward to meeting everyone, and hope you can make it!