Monday

Blogoversary Day 1 - Cupcakes for Everyone!


My first thank you goes to Emma from The Graphicness who designed this fantastic Blogoversary Banner and helped correct my awful punctuation!

I have been officially blogging for a whole year, and that feels so crazy to say. I feel like I'm just beginning in this world but, I've already passed the one-year mark. I'm still an amateur, and will continue to be for hopefully the next few years! When I first started this blog, I didn't know how long it would last and nor did I think about my one year blogoversary or reaching the amount of pageviews I have. I never realised there was such a wide community of young bloggers, with all the same aspirations as me and with the same interests. It's been incredible to get to be a part of something and to finally find people who just accept me and how crazy I may be.

I looked at other blogs in the beginning of last year, when I first opened my blog of April 29th 2012. I can still remember the day I opened it and the first thing my mum said was "Don't get too addicted". I was on Tumblr for a few days and was already wanting to blog but when I came across a tweet, and saw this blog on 'Blogger' it pulled me in. The organisation, the community, the design: I wanted to be a part of it. That's one piece of advice I may not have followed. How A Day Dreamers World even became a book blog, I don't know. I think it was how I saw someone else post a book review - which I'm sure was Amy from An Awkward Donkey and I had just finished Shadow by Michael Morpurgo. It all began there. A year of mad book reading and reviewing past me, I have basically travelled the world-and what may be the future. My work in school has become much better, and although I still can't use those apostrophes write, it's improved by more than I expected.

But, I never thought I would receive a book from a publisher. I never knew you could and through blogging my eyes have been opened to so many things. Sticking on the subject of books, when I got my first review copy through the post I was excited, and I still am. I wait for those books to arrive, and to begin with them. My love of books has done nothing but grow this year, along with what I read. This time last year I hadn't heard of Dystopia and books like The Hunger Games were not in existence to me. I had never embraced being a Geek, and was quiet and un-confident. This is where my blog means the most to me because of the lovely comments my fellow bloggers, and now friends have left me. I have been left close-to-tears(but not in a bad way) by your amazing comments, and emails I've received saying words about my writing I never thought I'd get. So, thank you! I wish I could reach through the screen and hug you. I've grown in confidence because of you and hopefully I've become a better blogger.

Thank you authors! It has been your guidance, tweets, interviews and support that has inspired me. I never thought I would get to contact some of my favourite authors and have them reply.

Kate Maryon, I owe a huge amount to you. Not only were you there at the beginning, you still am now. You are one of the nicest-people, and have the best advice - I could write a whole post on what you mean to this blog and me. In one word though, you're awesome.

Laura Harrington - You have given me some of the most incredible comments on this blog and through tweets and Facebook. As well as being the author of a book that had me in tears!

Holly Smale - Thank you for letting me express-my-inner-geek! x

Siobhan Curham - Oh goodness, Dear Dylan was incredible and I've had many conversations with you since reading it. Thank you for all your support!

S.C Ransom - For helping me get over the fact I had finished Small Blue Thing!

Also: Sarah Crossan, Marianne Curley(Who left me one of the best blog comments on my review) and every other person I'm going to feel awful about missing out.

Publishers, thank you for sending me books to read! I'm sure my parents would thank you too because without review books, I would have corrupted their bank-balance by now.

To all the people at the Crow's Nest, you have been the most amazing publishers and people, along with sending me my first bunch of review books.

Bloggers - thank you so much! I have a post tomorrow dedicated to how amazing you are!

A quick look-back on the year:

Pageviews: 16, 383
GFC Followers: 69
Bloglovin' Followers: 45! ( The last time I checked there was 22 - thanks for following!)
Posts: 181
Comments: 624
Most Popular Post: Music #3 Taylor Swift - which also makes me laugh because one of the only posts I did on music, is my most popular while this is a book-blog. It has had 1074 pageviews alone!

To think that this time last year I had never watched a Vlogbrother's video!

~My first giveaway will be held tomorrow~

11 comments:

  1. HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY, SOPHIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

    Congratulations on one amazing year of blogging! I know exactly what you mean by how much blogging has shaped our lives. When I started Bookhi, I had no idea that you could receive a book for review. I didn't know what an ARC is, what YA stands for and how the world of publishing works. You have achieved so much in a year and I am so happy to know you and your blog. Our conversations on Twitter are awesome :D

    Looking forward to the week of posts! The header Emma designed is fabulous :)

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    1. THANK YOU! :D
      It has definitely shaped them, but in a good way! I can't think of what I would be doing without this. I didn't know what an ARC was neither, or YA! Thanks Zoe, I'm so happy to know you too. And go Twitter Chats!

      Emma is so talented right? I love all her designs!

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  2. Happy Blogoversary Sophie!!!! *passes cupcake and ballon*

    Congradulations this is a great milestone and I wish you many more. You have been such a great blogging friend and your blog is incredible and was one of my first inspirations when I started blogging and still is. Blogging has been something that has changed my life and it's been just amazing. Thanks so much for you your involvement in my blogging experience - bigger then you think!!

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    1. Thanks so much for your email and kind words x

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    2. Thank you! *eats cupcake, pops balloon*
      Thanks Sunny, awh, I don't know what to say! Everything you say is so kind. Your completely welcome, and I can't wait to see what the next year holds.

      No Problem! x

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  3. HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY, SOPHIE! :D It's absolutely awesome that you have been blogging for one year, you have fantastic posts and I can't wait to see what other lovely posts you have for us in the years to come!

    I also had no clue you could receive books to review, I had no clue what dystopia meant and the books I read were mainly middle-grade as I didn't actually know about many YA books!

    You have achieved so much in your first year! Congrats!!! :D

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    1. THANK YOU!
      I've been so lucky to have your support, and I completely appreciate everything.

      I never knew about the world of book bloggers or that there were reviews! In a year I've been able to learn so much!

      Thanks :D

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  4. Hi Sophie! (Sorry, I have to post on a blogger account because my wordpress comment wont work, ughh, technology.) Congrats on 1 whole year! I'm sorta new to the logging world, and I can't wait to enjoy your blog over the next year. I love your posts! You're such an inspiration for other bloggers put there. I can't wait to talk to you more. :)

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    1. Hi Jack! No problem, thank you for making the effort to comment!
      Thank you, that's so nice and it means a huge amount! I can't wait to get to know you more either! :)

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  5. Happy blogoversary, Sophie! That's fantastic you've been blogging for a year and that so many people have supported and helped you along the way :D
    Here's to much more blogging!

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    1. Thank you, Rebekah! Everyone needs help, especially when your no good with all the techy-things in Blogging - Haha!
      Yes! *raises glass*

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read - and comment on - this blog post! I read and reply to every comment, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer!

See you soon!

Sophie Louise