Blogiversary Giveaway: Celebrating 13 years of Shaz's Book Blog

I can't believe another year has passed since I set up the blog 13 years ago (technically the anniversary is tomorrow but I've decided to host the giveaway today). Although I'm personally still on a bit of break from reviewing (I've decided I'm probably going to be on a break for the rest of the year and hoping to resume reading and reviewing in the new year), I'm still hosting regular reviews from Emma.

Normally I would host a couple of giveaways, a bundle of goodies as well as a Halloween themed bundle plus a giveaway from Emma for a £10 Amazon evoucher, but due to increased postage costs I've decided to combine them all into one. 

Bank Holiday Weekend Giveaway: Win a bundle of Bookish Goodies

As it's a bank holiday weekend and the start of my week off work I've decided to celebrate with a giveaway for this bundle of goodies. Sadly my reading and blogging mojo is still very much absent but I'm hoping that a relaxing week may recharge my batteries and I'll finally be able to get back into the swing of things but thankfully Emma is holding the fort with her fabulous reviews.

Birthday Giveaway: Win a Red & Black Bookbandz & £10 Book Voucher

It's my birthday today and although it's traditional on birthdays to receive gifts, and I can truly say I have been totally spoilt, I also wanted to share the love and give a little something back and thank you lovely followers for all your support over the last 12 years.

So today I have a giveaway on the blog for this Red, Black & Silver bead Bookbandz (bought from Karen on FB, check out her page here for more of her fabulous creations). I had also planned on buying a book token but didn't get around to buying one so I'll either buy one this week or else will order a £10 Amazon voucher to make up the prize. *Updated - National Book Token has now been bought so will be sent with your BookBandz.

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a bundle of Bookish goodies

I can't believe another year has flown by as it feels like only yesterday we were celebrating last year's blogiversary but here we are on the 12th anniversary of setting up Shaz's Book Blog! 

Sadly for me nothing much has changed in the last year and it's been very hit and miss on the review front and I've read nowhere near as many books as in years gone by. But thankfully Emma has been a trooper with her fantastic reviews, especially over the Summer months when I haven't reviewed anything, so at least there has been something to share on the blog. 

Despite my reading and blogging slump I couldn't let this occasion pass by without running a giveaway or two to celebrate, the first of which is for this bundle of goodies below. 

Bank Holiday Giveaway: Win a bundle of Bookish Goodies

I can't believe August is almost over and in one way I'm glad that time is going by so fast but in another way I want time to slow down. Life for me is still a little up in the air which is seriously affecting my concentration levels meaning that I'm still reading very little so no reviews likely to be coming anytime soon. Fortunately Emma is holding the fort with her fantastic reviews and I'm hoping to resume some author features on the blog in the upcoming months to counter the lack of reviews.

As I've got a bonus day off today due to the bank holiday weekend I've decided to celebrate by hosting another giveaway for this bundle of goodies.

Valentine's Giveaway: Win a Romance themed bundle

Although I don't celebrate Valentine's Day personally I couldn't let the day pass by without doing a giveaway as after all we all deserve a treat or two.  

As I'm always buying bookish bits I already had the totebag, book sleeve and BookBandz in my box of goodies so just needed to buy a romance themed book and some sweets to make up the bundle. So when I saw Looking Out for Love by Sophia Money-Coutts on offer in Sainsbury's I couldn't resist buying a copy along with the Love Hearts sweets 😉   

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a Spooky 👻 themed bundle

Over the years I have run a few Halloween themed giveaways so decided to include another one as part of this year's blogiversary celebrations but as always the hardest decision was what to buy to include in the prize bundle. 

I narrowed the book choices down to 2, The Whistling by Rebecca Netley and The Haunting Season, a short story collection featuring new and original tales from Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Elizabeth Macneal, Natasha Pulley and Laura Purcell. So to help me choose I ran a poll on Twitter and the winner was...  

Long before Charles Dickens and Henry James popularized the tradition, the shadowy nights of winter have been a time for people to gather together by the flicker of candlelight and experience the intoxicating thrill of a ghost story. 

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a bundle of Bookish goodies

I know they say time flies as you get older but it doesn't really feel like a year ago since we celebrated the 10th anniversary of setting up this blog. But here we are, another year on and sadly it's been another up and down year for me personally but I'm now on some new medications so I'm hoping that my energy levels will start to improve so that I can get back into the swing of reading and blogging. 

Fortunately, Emma has been holding down the fort with her reviews as otherwise there wouldn't be much to post as I haven't even had the energy to organise guest features with authors but I'm hoping to start featuring guest content again in 2023.

I couldn't let this occasion go by without running a giveaway to celebrate, in fact there will be 3 over the next week. The first is for this bundle of goodies below. 

Easter Giveaway: Win a bundle of treats including After the Rain by Lucy Dillon

Today there will be not 1 but 2 giveaways coming up on the blog, the first which of is for this bundle of goodies which includes a copy of After the Rain by Lucy Dillon and a few extras treats.

After the storm it's time for a fresh start . . .

First, the clouds... 
Tara Hunter is a therapist on a mission to restore Longhampton's community spirit after catastrophic flooding. But with her boyfriend AWOL, her family fragmented, and only a cat for company, Tara's own life is crumbling.

Then the storm... 
On top of everything, Tara's father - last seen as he walked out on her when she was ten years old - is suddenly back, with a surprising offer that could change everything.

And after the rain... 
Dr David Dalloway is Longhampton Wellness Centre's new star counsellor. He's charming, caring and has a knack for reading people's minds - which is the last thing Tara needs right now. Will having David and her dad around make for a bigger storm on the horizon? Or is this Tara's chance for a fresh start?

Valentine's Giveaway: Win a Romance themed bundle

I'm not one that normally celebrates Valentine's Day, or Galentine's Day as I've seen featured in recent years, but this year I decided to do a small giveaway as we all deserve the chance to win a treat or two. 

Regular followers of the blog or who follow me on Twitter or Instagram will know that I'm always on the lookout for bookish items for potential presents or giveaway so I already had a couple of these items but then bought the rest to make up the bundle below. 

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a Green Beads & Silver Book Charm BookBandz

For today's blogiversary giveaway I have decided to give away this gorgeous green beads & silver Book Charm BookBandz 😍

Regulars of the blog will know that I have been a regular customer of Karen's and have no idea how many orders I have placed for these gorgeous handmade elasticated bookmarks over the years but they've also proved pretty popular when given as presents or offered as giveaway prizes in the past. Sadly Karen is currently taking a break from making them at the moment but I am hopeful that she will start making them again in the future as after this giveaway I only have 1 left as a potential giveaway prize/present.

Giveaway: Win a gorgeous Green Bead & Book Charm BookBandz

I don't know if it's the same for you but for me at the moment it feels like one day blends into another, especially when the weather is so damp and overcast (where's our Summer?!), so I have decided to brighten up the midweek hump with a giveaway for this gorgeous BookBandz 😍

I've lost count of the number of these handmade elasticated bookmarks that I have bought from Karen over the years as they make great presents for friends and family or for giveaway prizes but I also have quite the selection that I have kept for myself 😉

Valentine's Giveaway: Win a Purple Beads & Silver Heart Charm BookBandz

Today is International Book Giving Day and Valentine's Day so it seemed only fitting to do another giveaway to celebrate, and what better accompaniment to any book than a bookmark.  Once again Karen has come up trumps and handmade this gorgeous BookBandz for me, a purple/lilac and Silver Heart Charm Bandz 😍

Regular followers of the blog or who follow me on Twitter or Instagram will know how much I love these as I've shared photos of many of the bandz that I have bought over the years (for myself, presents for friends or giveaways) - check out Karen's photo album on her FB page here for more of her gorgeous creations. 

12 Days of Festive Giveaways: Win a Gingerbread Man Bookbandz

It's the final day of the 12 Days of Festive Giveaways but I'm spoiling you with this absolutely gorgeous Gingerbread Man BookBandz.  I am a huge fan of these elasticated bookmarks that are all handmade to order by Karen, and have quite a selection of them myself that I use on my books... with one of these on your book there's no danger of losing your place if you accidentally drop it!

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win a Purple/Lilac Book Charm BookBandz (suitable for HB or larger PB)

I can't believe it's that time of year again, a time to reflect and celebrate another year of blogging and sharing a love of all things books ably assisted by my good friend Emma.  And this year my blogiversary weekend also coincides with Salisbury Literary Festival so over the last few days I've been to 7 fantastic events featuring a diverse range of authors. I've really enjoyed being a part of the build up promotion to the festival so it's been great to go and listen to the authors in person who I've had as guests on the blog over the last 6 weeks.

I'm not sure whether it's the change of season at this time of year but yet again this year I have hit a bit of a bump in the road with regards to my reading over the last couple of months, partly due to a new health diagnosis that has meant a whole change of mindset, but also I have a few things going on workwise which has also left me a bit frazzled.  But I'm hoping to get back on track over the next couple of months as I have some exciting books in my TBR that I'm really looking forward to reading.

Valentine Giveaway: Win a Heart charm BookBandz & Romance book of your choice*

As it's Valentine's Day I have decided to share my love of BookBandz by running a giveaway for this gorgeous red & silver heart charm Bandz handmade by Karen, check out her FB page here. But that's not all as I've decided that you cannot have a bookmark without a book so I'm also giving you the chance to pick a romance novel of your choice (up to the value of £6) - contemporary, romantic comedy, saga or historical - which I'll then order to be posted direct to you from either Amazon UK or The Book Depository.

Birthday Giveaway: Win a Tote Bag, BookBandz & Book

Even though today is my birthday I wanted to do a little giveaway to share the love and thank you lovely followers for all your support over the last 6 years.  The last few years have been a bit rough for me personally but the book community is a wonderful thing to be a part of and there's always someone on hand with a listening ear or a few words of support to provide the pick-up needed.

I recently did a poll on Twitter to see what people wanted for a giveaway choice, the options were tote bag, BookBandz, book or voucher and the winning choice was a book.  But I've decided to be generous and offer a prize package of this 'My Weekend is all Booked' tote bag, gorgeous Chocolate BookBandz handmade by the lovely Karen (check her out on FB) and a book of your choice from the selection of books below 😍

12 Days of Christmas Giveaways: Day 12

It's the final day of these 12 Days of Christmas giveaways so there are only 2 prizes remaining to be won (I'll update the giveaways page later with yesterday's winners and the prize numbers they've selected).

Each giveaway will last two days, and there will be two winners selected who will pick a number at random on a first-come basis.  The numbers correspond to the prizes below but it would be too easy if the order below matched with the numbers so who knows which prize you will win 😉

12 Days of Christmas Giveaways: Day 11

It's the penultimate day and only a handful of prizes left for today's winners to pick from (I'll update the giveaways page later with yesterday's winners and the prize numbers they've selected).

Each giveaway will last two days, and there will be two winners selected who will pick a number at random on a first-come basis.  The numbers correspond to the prizes below but it would be too easy if the order below matched with the numbers so who knows which prize you will win 😉

12 Days of Christmas Giveaways: Day 10

It's hard to believe it's day 10 already of these giveaways, and only 6 of the prizes below left, but two more followers will have the chance to win one of the prizes below (I'll update the giveaways page later with yesterday's winners and the prize numbers they've selected).

Each giveaway will last two days, and there will be two winners selected who will pick a number at random on a first-come basis.  The numbers correspond to the prizes below but it would be too easy if the order below matched with the numbers so who knows which prize you will win 😉