this is the first time drafting a REAL blog post in a REALLY long time. i mean, sure, i shared my monthly recaps but those posts don’t require too much brainwork and i don’t count that as reaaaaaaaally blogging(?). but anyway, I’M BAAAAAACK from my summer hiatus. whether you started reading my blog today or two years ago, thank you thank you thank you for magically appearing on this site and taking the time to hear my thoughts and rambles. (has it really been two years already?!)

in all honesty, my blog actually didn’t start on this date – my bookstagram did! but i still consider today as my blogiversary because 1) i started my blog shortly after aka within the next few weeks and, 2) it’s percy jackson‘s birthday and PERCY JACKSON IS MY FAVORITE. *eats blue cake to celebrate* i thought it’d be nice to get a little sentimental and sappy since i’m not usually (as) sentimental or sappy during the other days of the year. so….

what does blogging mean to me?

…having a voice

before blogging, there were only a handful of people i could talk to. the people around me either didn’t care about the things i cared about, couldn’t understand my opinions, or just didn’t get it. but i realize now that there were many times that i simply didn’t feel brave enough to speak my mind. blogging gave me the opportunity to speak up.

…embracing yourself and growing up

i feel like the caterpillar in ALICE IN WONDERLAND when i ask, “whooooo areee youuuu?” a big thing i learned from blogging is to just ~be yourself~. i know i said that’s the WORST advice you could give, but it’s true. i remember when i first started, i’d try to “fit in” in the blogging world but here’s the thing: there are no rules in blogging. you can write whatever you want, or how ever you want. you can write nothing in your posts, or everything in your brain. do what you want and do it for yourself. blogging has allowed me to be more comfortable being ME in both real life and internet realms.

…learning to put yourself out there

as relieving it is to finally share your thoughts to people who care, it’s also scary. people can disagree; people can be irrationally mean; people can be secretly trolls and not actually people at all. or people won’t even know or acknowledge your internet existence – even though you’ve overcome the fears of negativity. which is to say, blogging has taught me to really put yourself out there. comment on other people’s posts, share things you love and promote your own work as well. most of the time, people aren’t intentionally ignoring you; they just didn’t see your post.

…knowing you belong

there is nothing more grateful i am for than the community. i can go on twitter and talk about my day and people won’t judge. people will actually RESPOND and talk about THEIR day as well! isn’t that amazing? knowing that, even as you change and grow, there will always be people there wanting to hear what you have to say. i wouldn’t trade anything for this caring community i’ve found. (and yes, that means you! the person reading this post! did anyone tell you you’re a fantastic person today? because you are and someone out there – echm me – is happy you exist.)

…feeling your hard work has paid off

there is nothing more satisfying than working on a really long post, and clicking publish (or schedule). even if nobody reads it, it is so satisfying to just finish it and put it out onto the world. there is nothing more satisfying than drafting and designing your website, and finally putting it out for everyone to see. (this must be what publishing a book feels like and IT’S GREAT) it’s that magical feeling of putting time, effort, and passion into this… THING and the endgame of something amazing.

i am so grateful for the day i stumbled upon a bookstagram picture on my explore page (before bookstagram was even a thing!); i am so grateful for finding these things called “book blogs”; i’m so grateful for all the friends i’ve made and people met; i’m so grateful for just, everything. THANK YOU. (okay i think that’s enough sappiness for today)

some of my favorite posts i’ve created thus far:

• 18 candles & lessons learned
• REVIEW + DISCUSSION: a court of mist and fury, by sarah j maas
• we’re haul in this together
• defining depth & scrutinizing shallowness
• hamilton book tag
• REVIEW + DISCUSSION: lady midnight, by cassandra clare
• can you make money from book blogging?
• a bookish ode to badlands
• the struggles of commenting
• REVIEW + DISCUSSION: the blood of olympus, by rick riordan

giveaway!!!!!

i’ll be hosting TWOOOOO giveaways in celebration for my blogiversary – one on this post andone on my youtube channel! they contain different prizes but end on the same date: august 31, 2016 at 11:59pm PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

terms and conditions:

• this giveaway is US only BUT the giveaway i’m hosting on youtube is open internationally!!
• you must be 18 or older OR have your parent’s consent to release a mailing address.
• you will be disqualified for picking up entires you didn’t do.
• you may only use one account to enter.
• if the winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, i will choose another winner.
• i am not responsible for anything lost in the mail.

good luck in the giveaway(s) and thank you for sticking around so far!! *hugs*