Hello readers! How is it going? Today’s post is to celebrate blogging for one year. I posted my 1st post one year ago yesterday. I’m so excited to share this journey with all my readers.
I am collaborating on this post with Leaf Pages, who recently celebrated her 1 year blogiversary, too! Please go over to her blog and give it some love and see her answers to all of these questions.
If you hit your 1 year anniversary anytime soon, don’t be afraid to make a post answering these questions, too, but make sure to tag me so I can see them! AND…at the bottom of this post will be a printable bookmark, make sure to check out Leaf Pages blog for hers as well!
When and Why did you start your blog?
Until February, my blog was on Wix. I don’t know why I thought that was a good idea! I thought about moving over to WordPress for a few months before actually doing it, and I’m so glad I did! It was lonely over on Wix.
This was my VERY FIRST logo! I created it on paint. I didn’t know about Canva yet, so I worked with what I had. It was REALLY hard to make that Giraffe!
What was your first post?
My first post was the Book Blogger Newbie Tag. I have since published ALL of my posts to WordPress, so you can find it here, too. Back then, I didn’t know how to add in photos or links, so my posts didn’t look too interesting.
What was the first book you reviewed on this blog?
I’ve actually only done 2 review on this blog. I prefer the format of reviewing on Instagram more. Usually on the blog, I just do a mini-review every book in my wrap ups. However, my first review was of Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant.
I don’t think the review is that bad! I expected to take a look at it and cringe, but it wasn’t terrible.
Into the Drowning Deep is a scifi-horror novel about killer mermaids. A group of scientists go to the Mariana Trench to investigate a previous team who went there and went missing.
If you like horror novels, I would 100% recommend this novel! Each horror scene was gorier and scarier than the previous one, which made for a great buildup.
What was your favorite post that you’ve created?
I am not even exaggerating when I say this post took MONTHS to create. It was one of my very first posts after switching to WordPress in February, but I had been working on it since November. Around this time last year, I started getting into book clubs and readalongs and I thought it would be nice to have a list of ALL the book clubs in one place that I could find.
I really need to do another one of these in the near future, but it took such a long time to make. From researching to taking down the links of the book club, EVERY hosts, and the photos to dividing them into categories to actually writing the thing took FOREVER. I also listed every book club book that was announced at the time. I know it would be worth a revamp because SO MANY new book clubs have sprung up since posting it.
I’m just so proud of myself for putting in all that work to try to spread the love for book clubs to all my readers!
How has your reading changed since you started blogging?
Blogging has led me to so many new books! Before blogging, I didn’t really read a lot of book blogs and didn’t even realize how large the community is. I only watched Booktube videos and now I get recommendations from Booktube, book blogs, and sometimes Bookstagram. I thought books would be the same across platforms and they weren’t.
Book bloggers that I’ve been reading from read a lot more indie pubbed authors, mystery/thrillers and cozy mystery books, which I LOVE! I just started reading cozy mystery books in December and it’s all thanks to book bloggers.
Another way is that I’ve been reading shorter books. I LOVE big books, but haven’t been reading quite as many since I started blogging. I’m not even sure why this is happening, but I’m hoping to go back to big books in my 2nd year of blogging!
Favorite books since you started blogging?
I did make a post earlier this year about books I added to my favorites shelf this year. On top of those, I also added one this month called I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. Julia (pronounced Hulia) was such an amazing character. She was sassy, angry at the world, and kind of mean. This girl was so depressed and just struggling to be herself in a world where people wanted her to fit into a mold. I LOVED every second of this book. I think if you liked The Poet X, this would be a great one to read next.
HOWEVER, I do think that this book is a bit mature for teens. It could be great for a much older teen, but the themes are pretty dark.
Besides your first Blogiversary, what else have you achieved since you started blogging?
I recently reached 100 followers! I can’t believe I achieved that one. I only had about 5 followers on Wix, so it blows my mind that I reached 100 in the first 6 months.
In the first month of being on WordPress, I managed to get ARCs on Netgalley. I had been trying for months on Wix and was denied over and over. It just feel validating to be allowed to get books early.
I’ve been sent 2 books by authors, one of which came all the way from Ireland and was signed. I’m excited that some authors even know who I am.
Another would be that I haven’t skipped reading for an entire month since 2019. I have read so many books every month in 2021 and it blows my mind! I’m happy that I have become more consistent with posting and reading.
Favorite book quotes since you started blogging?
Stats
The last thing I’m going to share is my stats and then the bookmark! I just can’t believe I have come this far. I just feel so lucky to have so many people who care about what I have to say. I genuinely never thought my blog would be as big as it is. I know it isn’t the biggest, but I’ happy with it! 😭
Here is my Goodreads stats thus far. Don’t ask me how I have 123 books read because I don’t know. It might have to do with that graphic novel phase I went through this spring.
My average rating is 3.8, which isn’t shown here. I haven’t taken a lot of risks with my reading this year and I’m not mad about it. I’m happy with how it’s been going.
It seems crazy to me that my biggest book is only 816 pages! The last 2 years I have read a book over 1,000 pages.
Here is my downloadable (and printable) bookmark
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!
Where to find me: https://linktr.ee/Allithebookgiraffe
Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/allithebookgiraffe
Business Inquiries: aw.lavender.giraffe@gmail.com
Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3W1IYSO63N67O?ref_=wl_share
Like my thumbnails? I create them with Canva. Referral code here: (this is not an affiliate link, every user gets a link like this one): https://www.canva.com/join/jkb-wws-hqb
Add this user on Goodreads for all your trigger warning needs: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/86920464-trigger-warning-database
Alli the Book Giraffe 
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