Tuesday, September 09, 2014

3 Year Blogoversary!

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Say what? Oh man! Has it been 3 years already? I feel like it was only a few months ago that I was brand new to this community, trying to figure out my way around blogging and finding out there was a whole community of book loving people out there. And these posts are really hard for me, because I feel like I can’t put into words what a wonderful experience blogging has been to me. It’s been an exciting and incredibly fun 3 years, and I plan to stick around for another lil while. 😉

 

A quick look-back!

First design (oh dear lord!):
I’m not really sure why I chose pink. I don’t mind pink, but if you knew me you wouldn’t say I’m a very pink person. But hey it has coffee too so it wins at some things!
OldBlog

My first reviews (on the blog) – Adult and YA:
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My first print ARC book haul:
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Best part of blogging!

Blogging can be a lot of fun. You get surprises in the mail, you make connections with publishers and authors (starstruck is still me!), you get to review books before they release (which is pretty cool!). Blogging can also be sometimes frustrating, dramatic, and hard work. But the friends I have made, and being a part of this community, is more than worth the hard times. This whole bookish community is really something that I didn’t know I was even missing before I started blogging, and I could never see myself not having all of you guys in my life. I’ve made friends who have become as close to me as my childhood buddies. I have met people – authors, bloggers, publishers – that I never thought I’d be lucky enough to meet. I have had 2 experiences at BEA that I will never forget for my entire life. You guys!!! You just don’t know how much you all mean to me! ♥

 

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

As many of you have learned, my co-blogger has decided to step away from blogging to make more time for life and family. So obviously there will be a few changes on the blog. I will still be blogging regularly – but as I have a much busier life now than when I started blogging (on maternity leave) I can’t promise a post will be up on every single day, nor should you expect 4-5 reviews a week like I used to be able to do. I’m now aiming for 2/week, 3 if I had a good reading weekend 😉

With that said, I do plan to do more discussion posts, as well as more personal posts (updates on my life in general and themed posts about things I love or what I like to do aside from books). I’ve been noticing these more in the blogosphere lately, and I love getting to know these bloggers better, so I figured it might be fun to get more personal, sometimes. I also want to take part in more blogging events. Things like the End-of-year survey that the lovely Jamie organizes every year. Really, I’ll post whatever suits my fancy, but I’ll make sure that whatever I post, my heart goes into it. Which means, if I don’t have anything to post, I simply will take a day off – I think we’ll all survive if I do that, right? >.< Posting daily was something I was really proud of achieving for the first 2 years of blogging, but it takes a toll on you and having a toddler and a full time job, now, I don’t want to turn blogging into a chore (and then the content suffers anyways!).

 

Giveaway!

Of course I won’t let you go through all my blah blah without dishing out a prize, right? Well I’ve got a few ARCs that I think some of you might be interested in winning. 2 of them are release already, but they were books I both really enjoyed so I think included them anyways. But, there’s another prize for some book depository books as well! 😉

Details:
This giveaway has 2 prizes. One is an ARC prize pack pictured below (US/Canada only), prize 2 is your choice of 2 books from the book depository (open INTL)!
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  • Prize 1 open to US/CAN – Prize 2 open INTL
  • Full contest terms and conditions found on Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

Latest posts by Giselle (see all)

69 Responses to “3 Year Blogoversary!”

  4. Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books

    Congratulations, Giselle! Such an accomplishment. No worries about not posting every day – I still don’t understand how anyone does that. As much as bloggers need breaks from posting, so, too, do readers need breaks from reading all the posts. I hope your next three years are just as good. 🙂

    • Giselle

      Thanks! 🙂 I do find them a lot of fun to read on the blogs I follow, so I figured I’d give it a try myself. I just need to figure out some topics I don’t want to just babble about nothing bbaha. I like those that have pictures, too 😉

  10. Alicia Batista

    CONGRATS on turning 3, Giselle!! That’s HUGE!! I love your blog, and I’m thrilled that you still find the time in your busy schedule to bring us some awesome post! I hope you have many, many, MANYYYY more years to come in blogging! 🙂

  13. Nereyda @Mostly YA Book Obsessed

    Wow, 3 years! Time flies huh? Congratulations. I remember your pink blog! You’re actually one of the few blogs that is still around that I followed when I first started blogging. I just noticed that almost everyone else I followed in the beginning is gone and that’s a bummer.
    Wishing you many more years!

  20. Carmen B.

    Congrats Giselle! 3 years is a long time, but somehow I always thought you’d been at it waaaay longer than me and I just realized it’s not even a year more o.O I think it’s amazing how well-organized your blog is and how often you post, especially considering you also have the book tours to run (you know, not to speak of real life)! So don’t worry about missing a day or two 🙂 I’m also looking forward to the more personal posts.
    Thanks for the giveaway 🙂

  22. Kristin

    Congrats! I just started blogging today and found your blog and I am enjoying it so far! So hopefully you continue for many more years and I can be along for the journey!

  24. miki

    Congratulations! And don’t worry even only 2 reviews from you will be great it’s the quality that counts not the quantity and yours are excellent^^

    thank you also for the giveaway!

  27. Alexa

    Congrats on the 3 years. My blog was recently 4 and I didn’t really do a lot for it because I was in the middle of moving but I get where you are at. I once thought I needed to post every day but that was never going to happen for me and even though I have a wonderful co-blogger and other associate reviewers we still don’t get a post up every day and I’m ok with that. I agree with sharing what is important to you and what you can put your heart into.
    Happy 3 years!

  29. Jennifer Bielman

    YAAAAAY! Congrats girl! I can’t believe it’s only been three years. I can’t wait for more discussion posts and I like the idea of personal posts. Though I hate doing them personally. I hate talking about myself, lol.

  34. Katie

    Giselle, I loved your first design! 😀 That’s what it looked like when I first found you, and it has evolved beautifully over the years. I remember emailing you for advice when I first started BlookGirl, and all of the fun days/nights when the three of us (you, me, Jenni) would chat via some method or another 🙂

    Congratulations on three wonderful years!

  35. Michelle @ Book Briefs

    Congrats on 3 years Giselle! Your blog has always been one of my favorites. I heart the heck out of you lady! And your blog tours are also some of my favorites. You are so nice, and your posts are always awesome. I know blogging every day does take a toll sometimes, and with everything else you do you would need more hours in the day! I hope your new blog schedule is one that works for you! I will love your blog no matter how many posts you have up!

    Looking forward to many more wonderful years with Xpresso Reads! You are full of awesome! 🙂

    • Giselle

      Aww thanks, hun! And your blog is one of the first I ever followed and about one of the only ones left after all this time from those I was first following! So sad to see all these bloggers disappear!!

  40. Reanna

    Happy three years, Giselle! You’ve been a very busy lady, and you’ve come so far. I’m really looking forward to reading those new posts! I hope you have many, many more wonderful years blogging <3

    Oh…and the pink wasn't THAT bad 😉

  41. Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

    Congratulations on the 3 years of blogging Giselle, you have come a very long way since your first design it seems! It can definitely get busy, but it sounds like you’ve got your priorities straight 🙂 Great new direction for the blog, I look forward to them!

  42. Carina Olsen

    Aw, YAY 😀 Congrats on three years. <3 That is awesome 🙂 Ack. I'm turning three next month. Time has gone by so fast o.O I love blogging too. <3 You are awesome. Thank you so much for the giveaway as well 🙂

  43. Pili

    YAY! Big congrats Giselle! 3 years is fantastic!
    Don’t worry for adjusting the blog to the time you have now, we’ll all be around here!

  45. Michelle

    CONGRATS! I seriously love blogoversaries. Your blog is amazing, Giselle, and one of my all-time favourites, especially from the beginning! You were one of my first bloggy buddies! Cheers to more years of amazing blogging! 😀

  46. Michelle

    CONGRATS! I seriously love blogoversaries. Your blog is amazing, Giselle, and one of my all-time favourites, especially from the beginning! You were one of my first bloggy buddies! Cheers to more years of amazing blogging! 😀

  47. Jennifer @ Some Like It Paranormal

    Happy Blogoversary! My 3 years will be here soon too! I used to post waaay more when I first started as well but with life I think we have to constantly adjust. I think expanding and trying new personal posts sounds great! Busy lives mean less reading but I think our blogs can evolve and be whatever makes us happy! Enjoy it!

  50. Blythe J

    Congrats on 3 years! Glad you have enjoyed yourself! Your first layout was cute (I think im a big fan of the coffee too) but I love your layout now as well. Well wishes for many more years as a blogger!