I liked this. Contests didn’t detain us from the mission. I am finished “Ghosts Of Nova Scotia” tonight! My update mentioned 4 were too much in 3 days. It’s doable in winter. Summer in our nice country yard… still a few flowers to plant, 3 gardens to water, 7 kitties to watch. My 12 year-old Siamese and 1 year-old white tabby are here right now. :-)
REBECCA M. HALE “How To Moon A Cat” – 2011
DARRYLL WALSH “Ghosts Of Nova Scotia” – 2000
I’ll read the wonderful true story about “That Quail, Robert” and “A Dream Of Unicorns” for other circles. There are 5, with more pending. I await permission to use reading done since January 1st. I’ll tell you about them and other wonderful titles. Don’t know anyone who reads my stuff ! The Canadian author event is July only (country’s birthday was July 1st). The rest go all year. I’ll be able to mix my reading nicely.
For “Once Upon A Read-A-Thon“: I completed every challenge but one (major guessing on ‘YA best friends’), and this is my wrap up! Mind if I share observations to help the next one?
(1) Include ‘CDN’ when referring to currency or region. Seeing “Amazon.com and Amazon.uk” felt like: “hey, we exist”! Activity hosts didn’t seem to know Canada has an Amazon warehouse too. Gift certificates from .com are stuck there. Our currencies are equal, .ca gives us free shipping, and no customs fees. :)
(2) Remember school days: “bring enough treats for everyone”. Finances are tough but I’d decline to host, rather than say “Canada only”. We aren’t over-seas. Mail across our border is cheap. But fair to also shell out for Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, Antarctica, Russia, Middle East.
(3) If the prize is a Book Depository shipment, tastes are too personal to say “pick this or that”. I’m surprised so many adults read YA/vampires. But best not assume everyone does. I’m begging! ;-) All the above amounts to: never assume American-only, YA, or vampires. LOL!
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Thank you Reading Angel and all activity hosts for comfortable, flexible, fun! I admire the generousity of giving $60.00 and am stunned by it. Wherever you got it; this is a large prize. I sure hope to win it tomorrow! :) xoxoxoxo
RIEDEL FASCINATION 
Great job getting two books read:) You did a lot better than I!!
Just a few observations based upon your observations.
1. Most would love to open up all contests international but it does cost more in postage…even if it is over the border. Also it’s cheaper to give away books that are already owned & just pay domestic shipping than to buy new ones thru Book depository, Amazon.ca etc to give away. (Personally, If I only hosted Intl contests then I would be hosting 1-2x a year rather than 1-2x a month. Something is better than nothing and preferable to just donating the books to goodwill.)
2. This was pretty much a YA readathon as all the hosting blogs are declared as YA blogs…therefore they cater to their readership and the parameters of what they want to represent themselves as when determining some prizes.
You’re probably right about favourites of some mini-challenge hosts. Once-Upon was for everybody, not gathering one age or theme. But I meant the internet overall. Wow, the amount of YA and vampires. Sad if people linger on one kind of music or book. If people like the above but explore elsewhere, that’s great. Just good to not assume everyone’s on that bandwagon, broaden public activities. I participated anyway – research works! LOL
Such content repeating over & over makes me excited to find something different, even if it’s new to me. I’m loving your witch event. Banners on your blog (tsk tsk) also have me loving way too many others! ;)