A Birthday Party for a Blog

Once upon a time there was a college student with a lot of thoughts about books. She loved to read, and she loved talking about the books she read just as much as she loved reading them. Most of this student’s friends did not like the same kinds of books as she did (understandable as she was really into post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction at the moment), so she decided to start a blog and talk about her books and random opinions to no one and everyone.

This is the story of how my first blog was started, now almost six years ago. However, that blog had a funny name and was not very professional – but then, it was never intended to be businesslike; it was just a place to voice my thoughts. When I decided I wanted to be more professional with my book reviews and started considering freelance writing, I decided to move to a new blog. I wanted this blog to have a vastly different layout and more professional name and atmosphere. After a little bit of research, I decided to stick with WordPress, and Reviews From the Stacks was born.

🎉 One year ago today I wrote my first post on this blog. 🎉

So much has happened so far in this little blog’s life, and I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of my favorite things from year one! If you’re interested, grab a slice of virtual birthday cake (since it’s virtual it can adapt and be whatever your favorite flavor is. Mine is sugar free red velvet), and celebrate!

By the numbers:

97: Number of Total Posts

31: Number of Books Reviewed in Year One

First Book Reviewed Here: Courage by Lauren Salisbury

Most Recent Book Reviewed Here: Throne of Grace by Cecily Wolfe

Favorite New Authors Discovered This Year: Julia David, Kellyn Roth, Victoria Lynn

Top Three Books From Year One: Beyond Her Calling by Kellyn Roth, Broken Chain by Julia David, and Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

Top Nonfiction Book from Year One: Vintage Christmas by Marlene Campbell,

Book Tags/Memes Participated In: WWW Wednesdays (approximately once a month), Monday Mini posts with varying themes including Monday Mini Mysteries in October, The Mystery Blogger Award, The Dashing Through the Snow Book Tag, The Bare Your Bookshelf Tag, and recently First Line Fridays (also about once a month) hosted by Hoarding Books

Favorite Things That Happened on Other Blogs: This year I discovered a ton of lovely book blogs and several fun community-building blog events. A few of my favorites include:

• The 5 Fall Favorites Party on Read Another Page, hosted by Rebekah Morris
  • This is probably the most fun and interesting blog hop ever. Also, it might be my favorite thing from all of the internet in 2018.
• Audra’s Book Blabbing reached 300 followers, so she had a giveaway and I won a book
• 12 Days of Christmas hosted by Faith at Stories by Firefly
• Top Ten Tuesdays over on That Artsy Reader Girl

So much has happened in this beginning year for RFtS! I can’t wait to see where this blog will go in the next year, the books that will be read, and the friends who will be found. Thanks for stopping by and celebrating with me!

I’d love to hear your favorite memory from your blog’s first year in the comments!

Until the next chapter,

Jana