Guys, I can’t believe my blog anniversary is here AGAIN. I’ve been doing this consistently, almost every day, for FOUR years now! FOUR! My blog has become my home, my passion, my tiny slice of the internet where I can connect with people all over the world who share my love of reading, and I couldn’t be more thankful and proud! This little blog has seen me through some MAJOR life changes, from graduating college to moving back home to getting my first big kid job, to buying my first home to getting promoted to my second big kid job…and there’s so much more coming up!
A Bit About My Blogging Journey: I started my WordPress account in the fall of 2012. I initially used it as a lifestyle blog to chronicle being an undergrad, my love for fashion, decorating my first apartment, and, of course, the life of my cats. I posted a little here and there, and the next summer I decided to start posting the occasional book review as well. It wasn’t until I started reading my favorite childhood series (Harry Potter) through a critical and academic lens for my study abroad course that I realized there was SO MUCH I had to say about all of my beloved YA books and that SO MANY of them had such strong themes for analysis. Two weeks after I returned home to the states I posted pictures of my trip and officially re-branded myself as a book blog on February 6, 2014. Girl in the Pages was born!
Throughout the past four years the site has gone through a LOT of changes, from redesigns, moving to self hosting, becoming active in the Twitter and Bookstagram communities, and just generally being prone to my whims and experiments with learning how to run a website. My blog has also chronicled a lot of major life events for me, from graduating college to working full time to vacations and traveling for book events. Though my blog focuses on books, in many ways it’s a living scrapbook for the many milestones in my life as well.
Number of posts published: 591
Number of Books Read: 285
Favorite Features/Collaborations from the Past Year: The Nostalgia Project, California Here We Come, Rereading Sarah Dessen, A Court of Thorns and Roses Series Reread
Favorite Bookish/Blogging Events from the Past Year: YallWest Round 3, Stephanie Perkins Tour, Meeting Meg Cabot, Laini Taylor, Caraval Launch
Favorite Posts from the Past Year: How I Used My Kindle in the Past Year, Beyond the Books, Falling Into Fantasy, YA For Different Ages, How Much Are You Reading Annually, Getting to Know My Goodreads Review Style, Incorporating Feedly Into My Blogging Routine
I stand by what I say every year- blogging wouldn’t be what it is without the community, without all of the amazing individuals I get to interact with and flail with and fangirl with. Some of my absolute favorite people in the blogosphere who keep me motivated to keep writing everyday are: Lauren @ Bookmarklit, Kristin @ Super Space Chick, Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books, Madalyn @ Novel Ink, Christy @ Tales of the Ravenous Reader, Laura @ Blue Eye Books, Lauren @ Seriesous Book Reviews, Ashley @ Nosegraze, Becky @ Blogs of a Bookaholic, Alicia @ Kernels of Nonsense, and honestly so much more! Thank you all for your positivity, your encouragement, your love, and your presence in this community!
I really loved the theme of my giveaway the past few years, so I’m going with it again! The winner will win a copy from the Book Depository (up to a $15 value) of any book that I’ve reviewed on my blog. You can see a list of all eligible titles in my review index. (I’ll admit the review index isn’t the most up to date, so you can also check out my Bookshelf section to see all of the titles I’ve read/reviewed by year- all are eligible!) The giveaway is open internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to you free. I do check EVERY entry, so no cheating please! You must be 18 or older to enter. I am not responsible for anything lost in the mail.
Congratulations on your Blogiversary! Time flies when you’re having fun!
Thank you!! I can’t believe it’s been four years but I’m excited for many more ahead!
Congratulations on 4 years! That’s amazing!
Thank you!! 🙂
Congratulations! Four years is amazing!
Thank you so much, Kristin!
HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY! I remember you were one of the first blogs I followed, I think before you went self-hosted? My memory is a bit fuzzy haha. Anyway, on to many more years!
Yes! I started over on wordpress.com, it’s so good to see that so many other book blogs that started around that time are still around!
Happy Blogoversary!
Thank you!
Happy blogiversary! I’m so happy to have you here, obviously <33 My fave collaborator and blogger and friend!
THANK YOU LOVE YOU TOO <33333
Happy Blogoversary Cristina!!! I’m so happy we were able to collab together on the ACOTAR re-read and I look forward to buddy reading London Belongs to Me later this year<3!
Thank you so much Kristin! I hope we have many more collaborations in our future! And yes, excited to read London Belongs To Me this year!
Congratulations! So happy for you. Thank you for sharing your book posts. Here’s to many more years of blogging success.
Thank you, Danielle!
Congratulations on your fourth blogoversary, Cristina!! It’s so crazy how times flies… I’m also approaching my fourth blogoversary (next month) and that means that next year it will have been FIVE YEARS! This is just so strange. Anyway, I hope you have an absolutely wonderful fifth year of blogging and thank you for the giveaway!
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
PS I’m pretty sure the inspiration goes the other way around 🙂 I always enjoy reading your in depth reviews and your incredibly thoughtful discussion posts. The blogosphere would be a much less colorful place without you 🙂
Congrats on 4 years too! I feel like there’s so many wonderful bloggers who started in 2014 and I’m so glad so many of us are still around. Can’t wait to see what you post in the year ahead (and hopefully we both make it to the big 5 year mark!!!)
Also thank you for the sweetest compliment ever!! I feel like it’s been a while since I had a thoughtful discussion post up but it means a lot to me that you’re still reading and commenting after all these years! <333
Congrats on 4 years, Cristina! 🙂 You are honestly such an inspiration to me, and I’m in awe that you are still so active and putting out so much great content after four years! I just realized that my own fourth anniversary passed last month without me even noticing, so that’s how I’m doing after four years. 😉
Thank you so much, Karin! <3 I'm so glad you enjoy my content and that our blogs are both still around! Congrats on 4 years as well, it's amazing that you're still reading and reviewing and I can't wait to read your content in the year ahead!
Wow, is it that time again already? Congratulations! What a great achievement. Your so consistent as well with your posting, which I know from experience is not as easy as it seems to do! I’ve actually lost track of how old my blog is now…and it’s been pretty dormant for about a year so I do really appreciate the mention.
I’m really hoping to return to the blogosphere soon so watch this space!
Looking forward to lots more great posts from you in the future. Long may it continue. 🙂
Thank you so much Becky! It’s crazy how time flies, isn’t it? I’m glad I appear consistent with my posting, I often feel like I’m barely keeping on schedule! Really looking forward to seeing you post in 2018! <3
Happy Blogoversary, Cristina! I’m so happy to have found your blog and that we’ve become friends. <3 You are consistently killing it with wonderful content! Here's to four more awesome years!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Madalyn! I’ve enjoyed talking books with you and becoming bookish friends with you over the past year <3 I'd love to do a collaboration with you one day!
Congrats and Happy Blogiversary!
Thank you, Kay! 🙂
Happy blogiversary, Cristina! You were one of the first bloggers I followed and felt like I really connected with. I can’t imagine my first years of blogging without you. Thank you for the shout out.
Thanks so much Alicia! I just sent you an email, you’ve won the giveaway! 🙂
Yay! Thanks so much, Cristina!
Congrats on the 4 years of Book Blogging Cristina!! I’m so lucky we’ve been able to meet @ Yallwest & hopefully we can meet at many more in the future! + Looking forward to more from your amazing blog~ <3 <3
Thank you so much!!! Are you going to YallWest again this year?
Congrats on 4 years! It’s CRAZY how the time flies! We started our blogs around the same time and it’s been great seeing everything you’ve done over the years! All the best for 2018 <3
Aw, thank you so much Lauren!! I’m glad that we’ve both kept up our blogs over the years, as I’ve really enjoyed following you and reading your content! Here’s to many more years of blogging!
Congrats on 4 years Cristina!!! That’s a big accomplishment!! I love reading your posts and will continue to in the future 🙂
Thank you so much for the kind wishes, Michelle! 🙂
Congrats on 4 years!! Keep up the great blog!!
Thank you!
Ahhh happy blogiversary!!! Looks like you’ve had an amazing 4 years! This year will make 7 for me O_O
Thanks Jessi! Seven years is an incredible accomplishment, I hope you have many more years of book blogging in your future! 🙂
Happy blogiverssary Cristina! Time really flies, 4 years is such a long time! Here’s for more amazing years ahead!
Thank you so much, Tasya!