Roughly a year ago, I was sat in my room and I’d just set up my little blog. A year and 48 reviews later, I’m still sitting in my room but I am part of one of the best communities I’ve ever come across. It’s funny that just a year ago I never knew any of you and I didn’t even know book blogging existed. It’s like a whole other world that you don’t even know you’re a part of until you are and book blogging is one of the best decisions I have ever made. It’s lead me to books I never thought I’d read, authors I always dreamt of talking to, opportunities I would never have come across otherwise but most importantly, it’s lead me to you lot and without you lot, I wouldn’t be writing this post.
I’ve met so many different people of different ages, nationalities, some of which live all over the world. You’ve all got different lives, different families, different problems and that’s what I love about it – everyone is unique. You’ve all got a story to tell. My blogging friends are some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting and despite the fact that some of you live hours and miles away, across oceans and on the other side of the world, you’re all there, every second of the day in almost everything that I do.
In the short time I’ve known you, I’ve come to know more about you than some people I’ve known for over 10 years. I don’t know whether it’s because we don’t know each other in person or whether it’s our love of books but I feel like I can finally be myself with you all. You’re all beautiful and inspiring human beings who I’ve learnt so much from over the past year. I don’t need to name everyone – you know who you are. I’ve gained some friends for life and it’s all down to our shared love of books. It’s amazing what a simple book can do isn’t it?
So anyway, I wrote this post specially for my blogoversary. Thank you to everyone who has supported my blog over the past year. Thank you to every single one of you who has followed me, liked or commented on a post, retweeted me on Twitter – it’s the little things that count. Also, thank you to all the authors that have sent me their amazing books and especially Janice and the LLM ladies for being amazing and letting me review for you. Blogging has helped me rekindle my passion for reading and reading really can save you at the darkest of times so no one should ever underestimate the power of a book so I give you all permission to eat as much chocolate and cake as you want today to celebrate. Here’s to the next year!
You can’t have a blogoversary without a giveaway so I’m giving away two books! The first one is a paperback copy of ‘The Time of My Life’ by Cecelia Ahern and the second one is a eBook copy of ‘Death of the Mad Hatter’ by Sarah J. Pepper. They’re both amazing books and all you have to do to enter and win both of these books is leave me a comment below with your full name and a means to contact you (you can include something like your favourite book ever, if you wish!) and if you win and on Monday 28th April I will put all your names into a hat (or a bowl as I don’t have a hat…) and randomly select a winner! Good luck! (This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL, yay!)
Connectivity by Aven Ellis & The Dead Wife’s Handbook by Hannah Beckerman. Both are must reads and 2 of my favourites of the year so far x
Connectivity by Aven Ellis and The Dead wife’s Handbook are two of my favourite reads of the year so far x
I still have The Dead Wife’s Handbook to read, I’ve heard amazing things about it. Good luck 🙂 xx
Hey Lovely! I just realised that somehow I missed this fab giveaway! Congrats again for your fantastic blog and the best of luck with your new adventure touring! My favourite book ever will have to be HP!
No fear, you’re entered now! Thank you and good luck! 😀 xxx
Hey! Wow what a year, I know what you mean as in June mine will have been going a year too!! Where does the time go?! I can’t believe it! And such a fab giveaway your offering. You know me under @sam_smith73 😊 congrats and look forward to the next year of blogging!!!
I know, it flies by, it’s crazy! Thank you very much and good luck in the giveaway! 🙂 <3
Happy Blogoversary! I’ve met so many supportive and fun friends through various blogs and I’m thrilled to have discovered yours now. I’ve discovered so many new books through people’s posts and reviews and probably one of my favourite has to be Kate Lord Brown, I love her books. The Perfume Garden and The Beauty Chorus are fantastic reads.
Thanks Georgina! I can’t say I’ve read either of those books you mentioned but they do sound lovely! Good luck in the giveaway 🙂
HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY!! I just stumbled across your blog via Google Plus (Stephanie Keyes posted about it). Loving your blog too… really pretty and neat 🙂
And then I spotted the giveaway, OMG, I LOVE Cecelia Aherne!!
NAME: Suzy Turner
EMAIL: suzyturnerbooks@hotmail.com
http://www.suzyturner.com
Thank you! I love Cecelia Ahern too – good luck with the giveaway! 😀 xxx
Love this post more than I can say.
Also, send one of those cupcakes my way. They look GOOD xx
Thank you, I’m glad! 😀
I know, don’t they just? *dribbles* xx
*champagne corks popping* Here’s a toast to you, Jenny, and your landmark first blogoversary! ~clink~
We are delighted you are a part of our community and thank you for the energy you put into everything you do! You rock!
Thank you Patricia! Very happy to be part of your lovely little team – your comment means a lot! 🙂 xx
Happy Blogoversary again lovely! I love your blog and you would never guess that you’ve only been doing it a year! I have so many favourite books that I couldn’t possibly list them all, but I think one that will always capture my imagination is Peter Pan – such an amazing story and so timeless. xxx
Thanks beaut! I know, it feels like I’ve been doing it forever! Peter Pan is an excellent choice! Good luck 🙂 xx
Belated HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY, Jenny! We couldn’t do it without you! You’re a twinkling little star! 🙂 xx
Thank you Sheryl! That’s sweet haha :3 xxx
Happy 1st blog birthday 👏🎂. Thank you for the chance of winning either of the lovely book or e-copy. Asking me to pick a favourite book would be asking me to choose a favourite child, I have 3. So I have decided to choose a book that I have read this year and it left me with so many emotions….Beyond Grace’s Rainbow. You can contact me if I was a lucky winner by using the following e-mail:- kcflab95@talktalk.net or I’m on twitter @SheerieF
Well done and thank you xxx
Thank you!
I actually bought Beyond Grace’s Rainbow for my Kindle the other day when I saw it was only 99p (Who could resist?) I’ve heard so many incredible things about it so I can’t wait to read it! Good luck! <3 xxxx
Happy blogoversary Jenny! I love reading your blog- it led me to Now You See Me and started up my love of all things Jesse Eisenberg 🙂
My favourite book ever is I Remember You by Harriet Evans. It’s a simply gorgeous book set across two eras and ties two stories together beautifully. I really wish Langford was real!
Good luck on the giveaway! You can contact me on Twitter (@Lynsey1991) 🙂 xxxx
I’m so glad and I take full responsibility for your J.E obsession… 😀 I’ve never heard of that book before! Good luck! <3 xxxx
Happy blogoversary, Jenny! Happy to have you as one of the LLm review team.
Thank you Melanie, I’m happy to be a part of it! 🙂
Congratulations Jenny! <3 One year is such a huge milestone! I always love reading your reviews – they're so informative and descriptive – and I'm looking forward to hopefully having many more years of reading your blog! 😀
Thank you so much that’s such a nice thing to hear! :3 Good luck on the giveaway! <3
This post is so great! Conratulations <3
You know my email for the giveaway 😀
Thanks Kate! 🙂 I sure do, good luck! <3
Happy Blogaversary Jenny! Here’s to many, many more!
Mandy x
Thanks Mandy! 😀 xx
Oh wow Jenny – happy blogiversay! A whole year of reading and blogging and in that time you have been so professional and become so established in the book blogging world – yet you have still found time to organize a fabulous charity event. This is a good day to thank you for all you do – not only as part of Loveahappyending Lifestyle Magazine book review team – but for all the support you give authors and your service to readers by recommending the books you have enjoyed. Your comment that “no one should ever underestimate the power of a book” is so very very true.
So here’s to many more years of Jenny in Neverland!
Hip Hip Hurray!!
Love, Janice xxx
Aww Janice thank you so much for this lovely comment, put a huge smile on my face! Thank you for letting me be a part of your wonderful team and providing me with so many amazing books! Here’s to many many more 😀 <3 xxx
Happy blogoversary lovely! I wish you loads of more and loads of success in the future! I totally love your post and you know, I agree 100% on everything you say. Deciding to start blogging has surely been one of the best decision I’ve made. I’ve made friends whom I’ve otherwise not know, so many great people all over the world, who care about me and I care about them. They have become like a family, so cheers to blogging! Ok, I’ll say Ali Harri’s “The First Last Kiss’ is one of my faves. You know, deciding on one fave book is not easy:) Thanks so much for the chance to win either of those books, haven’t read them yet but sure would love to. In the mean time, see you in twitterville:) Loads of love XX
I totally agree, it is like having a whole other family! 😀
I’ve not read that book but heard lots of good things about it! Good luck! 😀 Lots of love! xxxx
Congrats on reaching this milestone.
Thank you 🙂
Congratulations on your blogoversary Jenny! Thank you for your support of us indie authors in your reading and reviews. Best of luck for getting through your readathon too. Have a great weekend and here’s to another successful year of blogging. Love emma
Thank you so much Emma, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with you all this past year!
My readathon is going…. Haha. Just powered through a book in 3 hours cos I’m a bit behind schedule! But yes, here’s too another amazing year! xx
Happy blogaversary, Jenny! 🙂 Your blog is one of my absolute favourites, and I think you’ve got a real talent for reviewing. Your reviews have led me to books and movies I might never have looked at before, so thank you for that. But most of all, thank you for being a wonderful new friend that I am truly grateful to have “met”. Here’s to many, MANY more years of friendship, and fabulous blogging! And, quite possibly, lots more pictures of Aaron Paul, Ben Barnes, the lovely Leo… I could go on… 😉 xx
Thank you so much Michelle, that’s such a lovely thing to hear 🙂 I’m glad you’ve found some new books/films from my review (even though your hubby with the awful taste in films didn’t like them…) *sigh*
Thank you too for being a wonderful friend and for the many long and hilarious conversations we’ve had! I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next but I’m sure lots of photos of Aaron, Ben Barnes and Leo will help, no matter what! 😉 Haha xxx
Congratulations Jenny! It’s a good week for blog anniversaries I’m having one too! 😉
All the best for another year of fab blogging! x
I’ve seen lots of blog anniversaries this month too! Maybe there’s something in the air in March that makes people want to start blogging… Haha. Thank you very much! 🙂 xx
Happy blogaversary! Congratulations on a year, and more to come.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy isn’t the best book ice read, but it’s one of my favorites.
Thank you and thanks for all the support since I started! Ooh I’ve never read that!
Happy Blogoversary again, Jenny! Thank you for all the amazing support this year too! It’s been such a pleasure to watch your blog grow, and here’s to many more happy years in Neverland! 😀 xx
Thank you so much Jaimie 🙂 It’s been great getting to know you and reading your amazing books! Definitely, I’ll toast to that *raises cupcake* xx
Happy 1st blogoversary, Jenny! What a year you’ve had and we love that you are one of the Loveahappyending Lifestyle book review team! It is amazing how strong this online community is and everyone has one thing in common, they love books! And now you are in the middle of your readathon – and reading my Angels Among Us series, so I won’t stop you … read, lady, read. Over halfway there – you can do it! Lxx
I am so happy to be part of your team, I still remember emailing Janice about it before I started! I’m 100 pages in and really enjoying it so far, thank you! 😀 xxx
Congratulations! That’s a great achievement!
What a great giveaway, and I agree this is a tough questions.
I’d have to say my favourite ever book is The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton because it is what started my love for reading.
I follow you on Twitter: @Katie89KT
Congratulations, again!
Katie xxx
Thanks Katie!
Never heard of this book before, good luck! <3 xxx