It's been a while...

It's been a while since a lot of things. Since I've updated this blog (nearly a year!), since I've really had time to read consistently, since I've been as plugged in to the YA blogosphere.

Went for a walk with a friend one night last week, and we stumbled upon a secondhand bookstore. And then I found this gem for only $1! Double Spell by Janet Lunn, first published by Penguin back in 1968. I remembered reading this as a child (which would've been in the late '90s/early 2000s), so it was super exciting to find a copy still in really good condition and for so cheap.

So I think I'm going to try to get back into a pattern of reading frequently, one book at a time. And maybe this blog will see a bit of a revival in the coming days...

So what books from your childhood are you still nostalgic for?

Wanted: Book Recommendations

Hello there, Blogosphere! It's been a while, hasn't it? The past couple of months have been insane, from finishing up the semester to exploring a foreign continent. It's been a grand adventure for sure.

Looking back at my Top 10 of 2011 and Top 10 of 2010 posts recently, I realized that, as sad as it sounds, as of right now I haven't read enough books for pleasure this year to do such a post. So - since I'm heading home for a bit of a break soon, I'm hoping to get in some quality reading time.

But looking at all the offerings available, I'm at a bit of a loss - where should I start? What books (recent or classics) should I devour this upcoming month? Which novels have been absolutely standout and really resonated with you? What stories have kept you up into the wee hours of night, unable to leave the fictional world the words created?

Cheers!

Winner Announcement + Scholastic's Charity Auction

Just a couple of quick news announcements today. First off, the winner of the A Discovery of Witches book + buttons giveaway is LiLi from ChicaReader - congratulations! If you didn't win this time around, never fear - pop by here and enter for a chance to win Blood Trust and First Daughter. You have until May 20th, 11:59 P.M.

Secondly, Scholastic is hosting a charity auction.

"Twelve top children’s book illustrators created original artwork for Scholastic’s month-long online charity auction (which opened for bids on May 5th) to benefit Reading Is Fundamental and Reach Out and Read, two amazing literacy organizations that have lost all federal funding, making it even more difficult for them to help the kids who need it the most.

To view the spectacular original artwork by all 12 artists, simply go to www.scholastic.com/readeveryday. From there you can then pick a favorite, place a bid, and put books into the hands of the neediest kids - and they’ll have a piece of original art by a beloved children’s artist that illustrates the important role of books in all our lives."

It's for a great cause and there's a ton of really awesome artwork, so it's definitely worth checking out & spreading the word about!

Have a great week guys! Cheers :)

An Update

Ahoy, all - long time no see! Alas, it's been awhile since [Lucid Conspiracy] has had a real update, and I apologize for that and for being MIA the last couple of weeks.

Mid-term season has been pretty brutal, but things are expected to slow down a little for the next couple of weeks before we get to Finals. And hopefully, in that time, Lucid Conspiracy will come back, thriving & fighting :)

As you can see, Lucid Conspiracy's gotten a new look make-over. With a new & improved structural foundation, here's to the content following being also of the new & improved genre. Cheers!

PS - Any opinions on the new look?

Happy New Year!

Here's to 2011; let's make it the best one yet! :)

Back in Commission

Hey all, first off -

Huge apologies that I've basically been MIA from Lucid Conspiracy. First semester of college/university has been absolutely insane (but also absolutely ah-mazing). Alas, it didn't leave a lot of time for blogging. I still don't feel ready to let [the blog] go yet though. So, good news is that I'm now home for the Winter holidays, which means it'll hopefully give me a chance to get caught up on blogging (and hopefully pre-schedule numerous posts into the new year, if all goes well :)

For the pending reviews, posts, etc. really sorry about the delay and all, and keep your eyes peeled as those come up over the next few days! :)

So... what have I missed in my hiatus from the YA blogosphere?!