My 100th Blog Post

This is my 100th blog post. I don't know how I managed to keep this up for almost an entire year but I did it. I feel like Christmas is a good time to reflect on all the good things that have happened the year, and also set myself a few goals for second year of blogging. I hope 2018 will be just as productive as 2017 had been. 

I'll be discussing my 2017 blogging highlights and going through my goals for 2018, I really hope you've enjoyed my blog so far and are excited for what is to come!

By far, my highlight of this year was taking part in a 24 hour readathon for a charity close to my heart. Raising £240 for charity probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't start blogging last January. If you'd like to read more about my fundraising you can follow this link to read all about it and read guest posts from authors and bloggers as a part of the event. 

This year I attended my first big book event, YALC. I've been to conventions before, but there was something so unique about YALC. At times it was crazy (the stampedes for ARCs was a bit too intimidating for me) but for the most part it was such a calm and relaxing environment and I felt at home amongst my fellow bookworms. I met some amazing authors, bloggers and even Benedict Cumberbatch! You can read my full post about YALC here. 

I also got to take part in blog tours this year, I received my first ever ARC and finally plucked up the courage to tell my favourite authors how I feel about them. I never imagined that I'd be able to tweet an author and them actually reply, it seems silly now because I know authors are usually happy to respond but it all seemed so unbelievable to me a year ago. 

I started blogging to fill in the gaps between university lectures, now that I've finished uni and have a job I'm simply blogging because I can't not. I've been bitten by the bug and don't want to be cured, I'll always been so grateful for how accepting and welcoming everyone has been. I've made some amazing friends and I genuinely love them. 

Graduating university was a lonely prospect, not seeing everyone daily and having that level of social interaction that I was used to with people who weren't my family. So I joined the Northern Book Bloggers and we meet at least once a month to do a book club, it's been a great distraction from work and getting to know the girls has been a pleasure. Guys we need a group photo because that would have looked great here, just saying. 

Goals for 2018 and beyond: 

• To be nominated and maybe even win a blogging award, this would just be amazing and such a confidence boost. I think at one point or another that everyone feels the need to have that validation - I'm no different. 

• To get my blog quoted in a physical book. This year I was quoted at a book event by an author and I have a couple of quotes on Amazon, so my next goal is a printed quote/acknowledgement! 

• To reach 40,000 views. I recently hit 20,000 and I would love to be able to do it again next year. Part of me wanted to aim higher but I don't want to be in too competition with myself, if I can match my achievement for this year I'll be happy. 

• To get invited to a blogger event and actually be able to attend. I've only had a couple invitations to events but unfortunately travelling to London with a weeks notice hasn't been financially feasible, but I'm hoping that in 2018 it could be done!

• To improve in general. I'm still a fairly new blogger and I feel like i've learnt so much this year from other bloggers, who I can now call friends, I'm excited to see what I can learn next and who I will meet in the process. 

I want to say a special thank you to my Northern Blogger friends, Charlotte, Aimee, Steph, Cora and Hannah. To Zoe, my rock. To Amy, to Liv and everyone else who has helped me out this year! I love you all. 

Thanks for reading <3 Blogmas will be more Christmas-y tomorrow I promise!