One Year Blogoversary!!

Banner designed by Jessica @ Lovin Los Libros

Wow... I can't believe I have been blogging for an entire year now. This has been an incredible experience and I am so glad that I found a hobby that I really enjoy and am finally passionate about. I feel like blogging has not only given me a hobby to fill the boring hours of my life but also taught me a lot about myself. I have met people online through blogging who I feel closer to and have more in common with than some of my friends in real life. It was fun to look back through and see my first review and how much they have developed and evolved. My life has changed so much over the last year and I recently celebrated my 28th birthday. Despite the tough times I dealt with in the last year, blogging got me through it and I have all of my followers and especially my blogging besties to thank for that. So THANK YOU!! Thank you for being incredibly supportive of my blog and reviews. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and reading my posts. Thank you for reminding me how much I love reading and helping me build a passion out of it.

I have enjoyed Every. Single. Moment. of blogging but I thought I would just share my Top Ten Favorite Blogging Moments of Year One!

10. My First Review: I think this is a huge moment for any blogger and we don't really realize it until we look back and think, "This is where it all started." The first review I ever wrote for this blog was a combined review of Obsidian, Onyx and Opal by Jennifer Armentrout. It's a terrible review but it's mine and I'm keeping it. :-) 

9. Saturday @ Starbucks: This is a Top Ten moment for me because I am completely left-brained so actually coming up with my own feature and a catchy name too was a defining moment for me. :-) 

8. 100th Blog Post: This was an exciting moment for me. I mean I never realized my blog would get so big and that I would hit 100 posts. Happy Day!!

7. Book Signings: Before blogging, I was COMPLETELY unaware of author meet and greets and book signings. I now have bookshelves full of signed books by some of my favorite authors and I have blogging to thank for it!

6. 100 Followers: I am definitely a small fish in a big pond when it comes to the blogging world so to be honest, numbers don't mean that much to me. However, when I hit 100 followers, I think that was on of the most exciting days for me. Of course I have so many more now but there's just something magical about that first 100. 

5. 25 Days of Book Boyfriends: This was my first joint venture with a couple other bloggers, Jessica @ Lovin Los Libros and Theresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives. I never could have imagined the amazing turnout we got and how successful it would be. I can't wait for the Second Annual tour this December.

4. Acknowledgements: The first time I saw my name in the acknowledgements from a book by an author that I adore, I definitely flailed. I don't read and review for recognition but I won't lie and say that I don't feel a little warm inside when I see my name there. 

3. Authors: Seriously, interacting and getting to know authors has been AMAZING! One of my absolute favorite things that blogging has enabled me to do. I love ALL the authors but I want to give a special thanks to Lauren Blakely, Heather Lyons, Rachel Harris, Jen Frederick, Aven Ellis and Jasinda Wilder. Interacting and getting to know these ladies has been FABULOUS. Not only are they incredibly talented but they are down to earth women who make you feel more like a friend than a reader or a blogger. 

This is for you Aven :-)

2. Chelsea & Jessica Get Brazen!: Having the fortunate pleasure to buddy up with Jessica @ Lovin Los Libros to do a weekly feature where we read, review and discuss an Entangled Brazen book is a huge highlight for me. Jessica is a creative genius and when we read a Brazen book together to get out of a bad book funk and then she came up with this idea and asked me to partner with her, I was thrilled. A Brazen a week is super sweet! Haha!

1. #GwB: Probably the BEST thing about my first year in blogging is all of the awesome people I have met and become friends with. I am so, so lucky that I got involved with a group of girls on Twitter and we effectively named ourselves and our group Girls with Books or GwB. We started this group out of a twitter read-along of Girl with Guitar by Caisey Quinn and I will never forget that day. This book will always hold a special place in my heart because of the group of friends that was created from it. 

Tonya @ Lilybloombooks: Girl, you are one of the funniest people I know and I love reading your posts. You are also sweet, kind and generally awesome! Can't wait to meet in NYC! XOXO

Danielle @ What Danielle Did Next: You amaze me with the reviews you write. I hope you're writing a book because I think it would be fabulous. You are also an absolute doll and one of the sweetest girls I know. <3 Love you!

Trish @ Between My Lines: Trish, you are such a wonderful woman and great friend. You write some of the best discussion posts and I love how thoughtful you are. I adore you! <3 <3

CeCe @ Steaming Mug of Books: Cece! Damn girl, you make me laugh. I love that we have the same dirty mind and that all of our bookish conversations on twitter turn into a conversation about hot guys. When we meet in NYC, we're gonna have some real fun together. *Muah* <3

Wendy @ Bookscents: Wendy! I am beyond thrilled that we not only connected through blogging but get  be friends in real life. It is so amazing to have a friend close by that has the same bookish passion as me and someone to go to signings with too. Also, we may have to hit up a few pubs for some Hawks games in the fall. Love you girl!

Jessica @ Lovin Los Libros: Jessica, you are like my soul sister! It is unbelievable to me how much we have in common and I swear we love the exact same books! I so wish that we lived closer because we would paint the town red. I can't wait to meet up in NYC!!

I also want to thank these girls for their friendship and support during a difficult time in my personal life this last year. The fact that I could share something so personal with them means the world to me.

I honestly, truly LOVE every single blogger, reader and follower out there. My blog is what it is today because of all of you and I 100% mean that. 

To honor all of you amazing people, I have a fabulous giveaway. There are 2 separate giveaways. One for US Followers and one for International Followers.

US Only Giveaway:

Grand Prize: Signed copies of Under the Never Sky, Through the Ever Night and Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Second Prize: Signed copy of Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi 

Third Prize: Signed copy of Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Rules:

1) US only due to shipping costs

2) Giveaway ends March 20th.

3) Winners will be selected by March 24th and prizes sent that week.

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International Only Giveaway:

Grand Prize: $30 Amazon Gift Card

Second Prize:$20 Amazon Gift Card

Third Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card

Rules:

1) International followers only please. US Giveaway is above.

2) Giveaway ends March 20th.

3) Winners will be selected by March 24th and prizes sent that week.

a Rafflecopter giveaway