Monday, September 21, 2015

Happy Five Years To Me: A Look Back On Book Blogging + A Giveaway



Later this week (September 26th to be exact), my blog turns 5 years old.  I can still remember the day I sat down and wrote my first book review to be published here (it was Linger by Maggie Stiefvater -- and omg, look at that review! The image of the book is somehow gone & I almost replaced it before linking to it, but I thought.. nah! leave it! look what a newb I was! haha).  I still remember my very first commenters (looking at you Capillya, Carla, & Anna!).  And I still remember registering my very first twitter account because I thought, hmm I guess I need to use some social media with this thing.


Oh what a different world of book blogging it was back then.  I had no idea what an ARC was (and I didn't receive my first one until months later -- Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers).  There was no NetGalley or Edelweiss, but later the next year S&S would send out monthly galley grabs (who remembers those??!).  I purchased my books from the bookstore, or checked them out from the library -- that is how I acquired the books I read to review.  With time, as my blog grew, so did my relationship with publishers, and authors -- which opened up so many doors that I will forever be grateful for.  I've met some amazing people (in person, too!) through this industry.  Saying thank you for your friendship, your readership, and your generosity will never be enough.


Over the years there has been a lot of change with the way book blogs are perceived, to the people behind the scenes creating these personal, yet so informative sites.  I've seen so many friends say goodbye on their blogs, but I've also seen so many new faces emerge.  This corner of the internet is forever evolving.  But isn't that why change is so important?  Without it we'd forever stay in one place, and how boring would that be?!  As much as I miss the way it used to be, I'm still keeping an open mind about where this book blog may lead me to next.


This creation of mine is something that I am very proud of.  What began as just a hobby, has turned into a creative outlet that's opened endless possibilities.  Reading and talking about what I read will never grow old.  Whether I am typing the words here for the internet to see, or chatting up a student at work -- I will never stop sharing my love for the written word.  Stories are powerful, meaningful, entertaining, little creatures.  They fill me up, only to leave me starving for more!  If you're just starting out, my advice to you: have fun.  Try not to let the politics of blogging get you down, or the overwhelming need to climb that invisible ladder.  You have your own unique voice, and I promise there is someone out there who wants to read your thoughts.


Now what would this celebration be if there weren't any party favors?!  I'm a firm believer in paying it forward, offering kindness whenever possible.  That is why I am offering a Fall/Winter 2015-2016 book of choice to a lucky winner.  You may choose any book, just as long as it publishes between now (September 2015) and early next year (February 2016).  Thank you for being a reader of my words, and for inspiring me to continue on with this journey.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

+ Open internationally, just make sure Book Depository ships to you!
+ Giveaway ends on 10/1/15 @ 12a.m.
+ Please see my policies page for further contest rules.



54 comments:

  1. Congratulations on 5 years, Ginger! I remember how much I admired you and your blog when I was a baby blogger! Great to look back and see all you've accomplished. Wishing you many more great years to come!

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  2. Congrats on your bloganniversary! Personally I hope in 5 years to have finished my Master, get a job and have a family. As long as there is health for me and my family. Thank you for the giveaway!

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  3. HUGE happy 5 years!! It's amazing to think NetGalley and the likes weren't even up and running when you started out. I've been blogging for about a year and a half now, and if I can make it to 5 years, and still put up content half as good as yours, I'd be a happy camper. Five years from now I'll be the big 3-0. So much has happened, and changed, over the past 5 years, that I don't even know what the next five will bring. I don't want to scud myself by thinking out it too much either! Ideally, I'd like to do a masters, progress in my job, and maybe meet someone special... not too much to ask for, right? Lol R x

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  4. Congratulations on 5 years! Oh my goodness, 5 years time? I hope that I've beaten my chronic illness by then.

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  5. Congrats on the milestone , that's amazing!

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  6. Congratulations on five years!! It's always so funny and interesting to go back to the first days and see the development and how you've grown as a reader and reviewer ^_^

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  7. Congratulations Ginger! Wow, 5 years is such an accomplishment. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum, having just started 6 months ago, so I hope to be as dedicated and and enjoy the longevity that you have. Congrats again! :)

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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  9. Congratulations! I love reading your blog and I have found awesome reads from your reviews and recommendations! I have no idea what the next five years will bring but I hope I am as happy as I am now and that I keep growing personally and professionally! I also hope to read a lot of good books between now and then of course!

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  10. Happy 5th Blogoversary! Cheers for many more years to come!🎉

    In the next 5 years? I hope I could find a nice job that I can enjoy, and meet the guy that I am going to spend the rest of my life with 😊

    Thankyou for the giveaway!

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  11. Five years?! That is an amazing achievement! Honestly, I haven't got a clue where I'll be in five years, I'll be 25, and hopefully will have a good job, and stuff like that, but I'm not too sure :/

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  12. Five years?! That is an amazing achievement! Honestly, I haven't got a clue where I'll be in five years, I'll be 25, and hopefully will have a good job, and stuff like that, but I'm not too sure :/

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  13. Congrats on 5 years!!! Not too many can say they've been able to accomplish that! So awesome that you're sharing with community! Thanks for all you do for books, authors, readers! XX, Liza

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  14. Congratulations! I admire anyone who can keep their blog so up to date while reading all of those books and committing to a full time job - especially teaching! I will be graduating with a library science degree in January, so I hope to be in a new job within 5 years - and maybe writing a blog of my own. Of course, who knows where social media will be by then!

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  15. Congratulations on 5 years! I have considered starting a book blog for the past two years because I LOVE to read and I find that I can't discuss my love for reading with many people in my personal life. Perhaps I will finally take that leap and begin my own blog in the next five years. I definitely know that I will continue to write in my spare time and practice law during the day.

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  16. Congrats on five years! In five years, I see myself graduating from University with a vet degree. Ahhhh isn't that scary!

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  17. Happy blogoversary, G! I'm so glad that we've gotten to know each other through blogging and gotten to know each other even better over the past couple years! :)

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  18. 5 years is an amazing achievement! Here's to 5 more! I really hope to see myself working in the publishing industry in some facet. I'm not exactly sure what yet but it's something I'm currently working towards.

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  19. Congratulations on 5 years!!!! In 5 more it'll be 10 and that will be awesome! In 5 years I'll most likelybe in college, hopefully will have finished my first manuscript (I write sloooooooooowly), and maybe have a boyfriend or husband? I don't know. Working on it.

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  20. Congrats!!!
    I'm hoping we own our own home in five years. And have a cat and a dog. And maybe I'm doing well enough with my sewing/knitting that I can make some money from it. That'd be nice.

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  21. Congrats on your anniversary! In 5 years I better be teaching, since I'll be done with my MA.This had better happen!

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  22. Congrats with everything being tossed in the air lately I just hope to be happy and healthy in five years.

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  23. Happy Blogoversary! I hope to see myself with fabulous job in the book industry, possibly in publishing or as a librarian.

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  24. Congrats on 5 years! I've only had my blog for a year, I hope I can continue for as long as you have! In five years, I hopefully will still have my blog and I will have finished from grad school.

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  25. Congrats! 5 years! I see myself with a job in either finance or writing, and hopefully dating. :D
    Thank you!

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  26. Congratulations!!

    I can't even begin to think of what will be happening in 5 years time. Retired - I wish.

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  27. Aloha Ginger. Congratulations on 5 years!!

    In 5 years, I hope both Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land are completed in Disney World, so that my family can take a trip and visit. Florida is a little far from Hawaii and the children are too small to remember or ride anything. Won't stop me from going to Disneyland though ...

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  28. That's a tough one.. Hopefully whatever happens, me and my family will be healthy and happy. That's all that matters.

    Happy blogoversary, such a huge milestone! Wishing you many more amazing to come! :)
    Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  29. Happy blogoversary and congratulations on reaching 5 years! So many blogs ended up fading away after a year or two so it's always exciting to see one which has lasted so long. Mine isn't even two yet and sometimes I question how on earth I've lasted so long (I am terrible for sticking with things).

    Five years is such a long period of time, but also no time at all, isn't it? Looking at where I am now to five years ago I have no idea where I might be in another five years, hopefully in my own home with more than one bookshelf that's for sure! I also hope that I'm happy in whatever I'm doing, and potentially still blogging, but definitely still reading. Maybe I'll have even gotten control of my ever growing TBR pile!

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  30. Happy Blogoversary! I always love to hear when blogs reach that level of accomplishment. I wish I could have my own book blog but I lack the talent of running a web page and I am not good with expressing myself with words. So be proud of yourself and all that you share with us. I have no idea where I see myself tomorrow, much less 5 years from now. I hope to be in a new home because I don't really like here I am living now. Let's cross our fingers that happens for me. I know (and hope) I will still be reading as much as I do now in 5 years. Thank you so much for everything.

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  31. Congrats on the 5 years. I would like to say I see myself working at a hospital and living in my dream town, but first I have to survive this semester.

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  32. Congratulations! Happy Blogoversary!!! Five years is such an impressive commitment!
    Let's see, in five years I would hope to have a full-time job, which I enjoy, and maybe be in a serious relationship.
    Wishing you another five wonderful years for your blog :)

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  33. Happy 5 year blogoversary and many more to come! In five years, I hope to either be in my final year of graduate school or finally pursuing my future job! Thank you for this amazing chance! :)

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  34. Happy Blogoversary!!

    In five years I see myself in school and living in a different state.

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  35. In five years, I will be 38 years old. I see me and my husband having two absolutely precious little ones, living on 30 acres with horses and donkeys and cows and lots of dogs and cats and a couple of pigs. We will be a happy family, and that is the most I can pray for!

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  36. That is a hard question honestly! I am a live at the moment kind of person. I am not really a good planner. In five years, I will be 30! WOW! I'm getting old. Hopefully by then, I have my own business (preferably a cafe) I always wanted to create a place for hanging out. Probably, I would also display my books there!

    Anyway, congrazzles on the 5 years, G! <3

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  37. Hooray for five years of blogging, Ginger! That's an incredible accomplishment, and you certainly should be proud of it. I'm really glad that I got to know you early on in my blogging life, and that we've stayed friends since then. It's been lovely chatting books with you, and I look forward to even more chats in the future! <3

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  38. Tough question. I don't know where I see myself in five years, I'm just going to say, hopefully happy. Congratulations on your blogoversary, it's been one of my favorite sites to visit for the last couple years, I love that you feature a mix of YA and adult since I read both. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  39. I don't think very much about the future, I try to live in the present and let life be a surprise!

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  40. Happy blogoversary! Hopefully in five years I'm still surrounded by books! Thanks for the giveaway!
    Ann S

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  41. Oh my goodness, congrats on the 5 years!! That is AMAZING! Wishing you many more years to come. :) Oh man, where do I see myself in 5 years? I have no idea! I hope I'll be a published author, or have at least sold a book (when I actually finish one). I still hope to be blogging, if I'm able. But even if I don't, I'll still be sticking around in this community. And, I don't know, I just hope for some more goodness and happiness in my life in 5 years.

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  42. Very exciting! I've just started blogging and it's given me even more respect for those of you who have been doing this for a long time. It's more stressful than I realized! I don't even want to THINK about how much money I'll have spent on books five years from now.

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  43. In five years I'll be done with school, hopefully married, and living the dream as a YA librarian. Happy blogoversary!

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  44. congrats on 5 years! in 5 years i see myself traveling the world!

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  45. Ah, I honestly have no idea lol. I plan ahead, but I don't plan THAT much ahead! :)
    Congrats on your 5 year blogiversary, and keep up on the amazing work! :D

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  46. Congratulations on 5 years of blogging!

    Wow, five years... Let me see working in a juvenile correctional facility.

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  47. Congratulations on five years of blogging!

    In 5 years time, hopefully I'll be finishing up college and making plans to move back home.

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  48. Ahhh congrats! Love reading about your blog and I am so happy for your accomplishments. You were here when NetGalley and Edelweiss didn't exist...damn! Haha. Thank you so much for the wonderful giveaway. In 5 years, I am going to be panicking about college applications, essays, and just the future! (5 years, that's very scary to think uhhhh) ;D Happy blogiversary and I wish you great years in the future.

    ~Kaitlin @ Next Page Please!

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  49. Congrats on your blogiversary! I recently just had my first year and I know the feeling of happiness! :) In five years, I see myself in my third year of studying abroad! I already can tell it's going to be a great time. Thank you so much for the chance!

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  50. Such a milestone! 5 years! WOW and congrats! I have no clue where I will be in 5 years but I hope I am living in a nice house and hopefully will be starting a family.

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  51. First of all, congrats! That's quite a milestone. And thanks for the opportunity 😊
    Wow, what a question. In five years, I see myself finishing 4 year college and ready for a career in the medical field. I see my family in a happy comfortable home and my son as a happy, healthy and smart 10yo. I see my family mostly, but also my TBR list way longer and my already read list much longer as well. Maybe a better, more organized way to fight hungerto which I'm contributing. There's just too much to hope for in 5 years time.
    Thanks again.
    PS. I logged in the raffle as Gaby Perez. Mariana is my Google account.
    Congrats!!! 🎉🎊

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  52. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, Don't Forget To Be Awesome!
    5 years? Wow, end of college. I hope that I'll have made serious progress with my anxiety so I'll have made a lot of awesome friends, and that I'll continue trying to do book reviews/talks! My greatest hope is that I can afford as many books as I want! (However unlikely that is). I think we will all move up and forward in our future :)

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