It’s funny to look back at when I first started blogging. At this point, I feel like blogging has always been there and can’t imagine not taking time to check out my favorite bloggers on the weekend and brainstorm new blog post ideas and scream about books with some of my closest friends who I, yes, met through book blogging.
As I’m writing this, I realize that blogging has been there for almost 1/5th of my life?! I feel like an old dinosaur or something, but I just couldn’t imagine it any other way, for all that blogging brought me.
Today, I thought I’d look back, go back down memory lane and cringe at the 1st month blogger-me trying to figure things out and cry at what I used to write. So let’s go back. We’re in late November 2014 and I’m there, sitting on my bed, 600 miles away from home (most likely in my pyjamas), after a long day at university, creating Drizzle & Hurricane Books with no idea what the heck I’m getting into.
I’m participating for this blog post in a very, very cool blogging tag I found out on AJ’s awesome blog, The Book Blogging Firsts Tag. This tag was originally created by Kristen @ Metaphors And Moonlight.
? First blog name and design?
Drizzle & Hurricane Books was, well, is, my first blog ever, I guess. I guess tumblr does not count as a sort of blog? I did have a tumblr, I did have a traveling tumblr filled with pictures of my sister and my travels. I never really had a blog before this one, though.
My first blog name was, well, Drizzle & Hurricane Books and that hasn’t changed.
My first blog design is one that I kept until February, 2017 and it was the theme Twenty Fourteen on WordPress. I’m not going to show you what my blog used to look like, because I like it so much better now, but I can show you the theme!
⌨️ First blog post?
I have written, this blog post included, 717 blog posts. Can you believe it? Because I can’t. Going back 700 blog posts, I realize that my first blog post was, well… a review! Back when I thought book reviews were the heart and soul of book bloggers. (I was wrong)
Related blog post: Do you have to review books to be a book blogger?
? First book review?
My first book review on my blog was Recovery Road, by Blake Nelson. This was most likely not my best review, yet not as terrible as I thought it would be, somehow? This book turned out to be a three stars, for me.
? First meme participated in?
It took me over a month to get started and participate in book memes – which is a shame, really, and most likely why I did not felt part of the book blogging community and felt a bit lost, too. Despite not doing them right now, you have to admit that memes are quite awesome to connect with the community, especially for the first time.
Related blog post: Why are book tags and memes so popular?
The first meme I participated in was, surprisingly, not Top Ten Tuesday (that was my second one!), but Waiting on Wednesday. I mentioned Vanishing Girls, by Lauren Oliver and it is to this day one of my favorite books of all times.
? First discussion post?
I find it really funny and also kind of suprising, because my first discussion post on the blog was actually… about writing and not about books. I talked about NaNoWriMo and my very first attempt at it, basically how I completely failed and how, somehow, it still was okay.
I can’t believe I was so thoughtful and calm about it? I also can’t believe I talked about writing straight away, when now it takes me ages to bring up the courage to write a blog post about writing and my WIP and mentioning how I am so terribly failing at it?
? First book blog I followed?
One of the first book blogs I followed and started chatting with was Ashley @ Socially Awkward Bookworm (I think we started blogging around the same time, too?) and… well, ever since then, we’ve chatted in comments and I’m proud and happy to say we still are. Ashley is such a wonderful book blogger I’m so happy to have followed.
Also this deserves a mention, because up next I have Kat’s blog, Life & Other Disasters and I can’t believe it’s been this long and I’m proud to say that Kat has an amazing blog and is one of the best people I’ve met through blogging and everywhere and you should follow her.
? First follower?
I can’t recall my first follower, but I know some mutuals I’ve started chatting with on a regular basis ever since I started blogging:
- Summer, one of the best bloggers and people I know, now unfortunately quit blogging;
- Joey, because our first interaction dates back from 2015 (and I feel old);
- Ashley & Kat, some of the people I first followed, too.
? First book I read because of other bloggers?
I think one of the very first books I’ve read really because of book bloggers, the hype and because everyone couldn’t stop thinking about it, was…. Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. I wouldn’t have heard about this book if it weren’t for book bloggers and I most likely wouldn’t have read it that quickly, either. I would have gotten it eventually, because it’s a contemporary, I’m a marshmallow and this sounds perfect for me, but sometimes… well it takes me time to get to some books?
I’m really glad I gave into the hype all these years ago, because to this day, Simon vs. is still one great, great book I do not regret reading.
I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my book blogging firsts, friends!
I’d love to hear these lovely bloggers’ firsts, if they would like to share them of course:
- Kat @ Life & Other Disasters
- Ashley @ Socially Awkward Bookworm
- Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight
- Beth @ Reading Every Night
- And you, if you would like to do it!
Bloggers, is your current blog your first one? Do you remember your first blog post?
What’s the first book – or the one you can remember – that book bloggers made you read? I’d love to hear from you in comments!
Shanti says
Virtually Read is of course my first blog, not counting some that I had to make for school, though it used to be called Weaving Waves Words (ugh at some point when wordpress has a nice sale I’ll buy us a proper domain name). I remember when you first started commenting on my blog and you were so enthusiastic and you made me want to read what you were reading. Looking back at my goodreads from 2014, it’s hard to tell which book exactly I read from a book blog recommendation but it was probably graceling or This Song Will Save Your Life!
Marie says
Awww, this makes me so, so happy to hear, Shanti ? <3 <3
I agree, it's so hard to remember clearly the books that came from recommendations, there are just so many out there. I need to read this song will save your life, it sounds amazing! <3
Xandra @ Starry Sky Books says
As a new book blogger, I’m still trying to figure things out, but it makes me happy that you can look back fondly on all of your firsts ♥️
Such a cute post!
Marie says
Aww thank you, so happy you enjoyed it ! I’m certain you will look back fondly on your firsts just as well 🙂 I hope you’re enjoying blogging so far 😀
Aj @ Read All The Things! says
I read Simon Vs because of bloggers, too! I love that book. I had a few blogs before my current one. They weren’t about books. I started blogging in 2005, when I was still a teenager. My current blog is the one I’ve kept alive the longest. I got bored with the others pretty quickly.
Marie says
Ahh that’s amazing! It means that books are the thing that stuck, that’s so cool <3
Thank you so much for your comment 😀
Yesha - Books Teacup and Reviews says
This is my first blog and one can say it features mostly reviews and other posts are promo posts as i’m not creative with discussion posts. My first blog post was a review on Colorful Notions: The RoadTrippers whixh is definitely not the best.
Marie says
Yay for first blogs! 🙂 It’s fun to look back on our first posts and to see how we’ve grown and how our writing has changed, too 🙂
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Priyasha says
700 Blog posts and counting that’s soooooooooooooooooo many .
congratulations ?// You deserve a standing ovation from me//
Happy reading !!
Marie says
Aww thank you so much, you’re too sweet! <3 <3
ashley @ socially awkward bookworm says
I love this tag! I will definitely be doing this one sometime soon. Thanks for tagging me! I am so happy that we have become friends early on and have continued our friendship. It’s been awesome seeing each other grow as bloggers and people over the years. I actually have my blogiversay coming up tomorrow! 😀 I think Simon vs. was one of the books that I first read because of bloggers too. I seen it everywhere!
Marie says
Oh you’re so welcome, I thought it would be fun to see your firsts, too, since we started blogging around the same time 😀 I’m also so happy that we’ve been on this adventure together for so long, that’s so great <3
thank you so much, Ashley <3
Miri ♪ Book Dragoness ♪ says
I just started blogging last month so I remember what was my first blog post, just an introduction 🙂
I haven’t read any books bloggers have recommended yet – but I have Illuminae checked out from the library because everyone seems to love it!
Marie says
Ahh yay, welcome to book blogging! I hope you’ll have tons of fun 😀
Ohh Illuminae is a good one – I really liked it and I’m not even a big science-fiction reader haha. I hope you’ll enjoy it! Happy reading 🙂 and thank you so much for stopping by <3
Miri ♪ Book Dragoness ♪ says
Thank you!! I’ve just started reading Illuminae and I’m loving the format! So creative and unique 🙂
Marie says
Ahh that’s so great, I’m so happy to hear it 🙂 I hope you’ll keep on loving it 🙂
meandinkblog says
This was so fun to read. Blogging for 5 years– that’s a great achievement. Well done and 717 posts is impressive — I’m only on 29 haha ?? You have a great blog!!! ?
This is my first blog and I do remember my first post– it’s basically a hello post (and not that great) so I don’t count it ? I can’t remember the first book that was blogger recommended but my tbr would definitely by so much smaller without bloggers. I am very grateful for all the bloggers!! ?
Marie says
aww thank you so much, you’re too sweet! <3 And don't you worry, you'll write more and more in no time and quantity doesn't matter, it's quality that does 😀
I'm so happy to hear that <3 I am also so grateful for book bloggers and their endless recommendations, I am so excited to read more and more books because of everyone and I love it so much!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3
meandinkblog says
You’re welcome ? yeah that’s true, along as you are enjoying it that’s what matters!! ?
Yes I probably wouldn’t know about so much great books without them ?
You’re welcome ? Happy Blogging ?
Marie says
Happy blogging to you too! <3
meandinkblog says
Thank you ?
Joey @ thoughts and afterthoughts says
I have this vague memory that our friendship started by proxy of Shelumiel’s introduction by way of one of his posts highlighting you (or something to that extent — maybe it was a comment). Anyhow, I’m so very pleased to see how far you’ve come and how much effort and commitment and passion you’ve put towards your book and travel-ish posts. And certainly cheers to many more memories and posts to come!
J.
Marie says
You have such a good memory, I admire that so much, wow ?
Aww thank you so, so much Joey, this means so much ?❤️ Here’s to many more years of blogging hopefully 🙂 thank you ❤️
Laura W says
This post is everything I want on a #ThrowbackThursday but on a Wednesday. I haven’t really been thinking about it but since I’m now rounding out my fifth year of blogging, I’ve been blogging for 1/4th of my life! Like you, I feel like an absolute dinosaur. I kind of had the same beginnings – I started off with some truly cringe-worthy reviews (you started off on a much better note, for sure!) and I didn’t really do memes until I was a good month in and I started finding all these amazing book bloggers who were actually TALKING to each other and I was blown away by this whole community I didn’t know existed.
Also, side note, that Simon meme is EVERYTHING.
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
Marie says
Ahhh Laura you should do a post like this, really 🙂 it is so fun to look back on these kind of things and see how much we’ve grown, too. I was blown away as well when I discovered the community and just how large it was, it is, it still astonishes me and I love it SO much. <3
Thank you so much!! ❤️
curlyhairgurlwithablog says
Just started by blog in october! i’m still learing everyday to get traffic, likes and comments on my blog. Its really cool that you looked back to your first post.
Marie says
Yay that’s so great! I hope you’ll have tons of fun blogging 🙂 thank you for stopping by!
Kat @ Novels & Waffles says
This was such a fun tag and I loved reading about your blogging firsts! WOW HOLY WOW OVER 700 BLOG POSTS? That’s so crazy – but in an amazing way. I think I’m at like….40 haha. But seriously, this was such a lovely post and it makes me excited to see how my own blog will grow in the coming years 🙂
Marie says
Ahh thank you Kat, so happy you liked it! 🙂 Ahah it seems like a lot right now, but it’s been over 4 years and I guess I have a lot to say? ? I’m also excited to see your amazing blog grow! <3 <3
Mel says
This post made me feel so nostalgic, Marie! I remember my first blog–it was called Bibliophilia: A Love Story and was on Blogger for a long time. I remember rereading some of my first reviews a while back and they were so short and terrible that it’s pretty laughable.
Thank you for this sweet post <3
Marie says
Aww, that’s such a sweet blog name! It’s funny to see how we grow as review writers over the years, too, I feel like my first reviews weren’t that great haha.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! ❤️
CG @ Paper Fury says
Aww this is such a fun throwback! And my blog used to be Notebook Sisters and the first theme was some awful blogger free template that I just…?I was not…good. I actually didn’t even KNOW how to blog or that you were supposed to have people comment/interact or have friends or a community. I KNOW RIGHT?! I was so clueless.?I loved getting to see an overview of your firsts! A bookworm internet friend recommend me Simon Vs too and like fast-forward 2 years and we’re really good friends now. So thank you, Simon, for building epic friendships for us.?
Marie says
I was a little bit clueless at first, when I found out there was like such a giant community, I was… astonished a little bit, like ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WOW ? It’s my favorite part of it all now for sure! <3
And yay!! I'm so glad you read Simon as well from a recommendation, it's such a great book ❤️
thank you so much, Cait!❤️
Azia says
Wonderful post! Even though looking back might make you cringe sometimes, other times it brings warm memories and a great marker of how far you’ve come and how much you’ve grown since then! It’s amazing how much can change in a short time! Love how Waiting on Wednesday was your first meme. I think Top 5 Wednesday was mine and then I stumbled on to Waiting on Wednesday not too long after! Also, it makes me so happy to see you enjoyed Simon. I read that one on recommendation too and completely fell in love with it. And the movie’s great too! Again, great post 😀
Marie says
Thank you so, so much! <3 I so agree with you, even if it makes me cringe, it also makes me see how much I've grown and I just look back fondly, too. I love it 🙂
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment, Azia <3
Hana Bilqisthi says
I have personal blog first then realize I think I better made one that about book only so then Hana Book Review is born, my first post is kinda introductory post then review 😀
congrats for writing 717 post 😀 that is amazing 😀
Marie says
Yay for books! 😀
Thank you so, so much Hana! ❤️
thebookishskies says
This post was just so adorable! I first met Drizzle & Hurricane books back in 2016, I believe, so definitely a while after you started. Therefore, it’s funny to think about fetus Marie, just getting started into her blog.
It’s so impressive to me that you’ve wrote 700+ posts? That requires so much creativity and commitment, so congratulations on that! I’m struggling to write posts now and I have like, 5? (Probably because I’m a perfectionist and want to be original in every single post).
Also, posts like these are always inspiring. As someone who’s just getting back into book blogging and getting used to the first awkwardness of it, it’s interesting to see that even your favorite major bloggers started like that once: being a little awkward, figuring out their schedules, writing posts they’re not entirely proud of… It makes me hopeful that my blog will also grow and I’ll become more confident on it as well.
Lovely post, as always! ❣️
Marie says
Aww thank you so much Lais, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I can’t believe we’ve known each other for so long, that’s amazing. I’m so happy you are back on the blogosphere ❤️
I get being a perfectionist, I spend so much time on everything, seriously it is annoying at times ? I am certain that you’ll grow more confident and certain of your blogging voice as the time goes on 🙂 it took me a little while and sometimes I still stumble and mess up and question everything ?
Thank you so, so much!! ❤️
Brianna says
Oh my goodness I love this post so much Marie! That’s seriously amazing that you have 700 posts. I truly admire how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished! It’s so inspiring to those of us who are somewhat new bloggers 🙂 Can’t wait to continue following your blogging journey???
Marie says
Oh thank you so, so, SO much Brianna, this means so much ❤️ I hope you’ll blog for a long, long time and will look back on your posts like that sometime too 🙂 I can’t wait for you to continue blogging as awesomely as you are right now ❤️
Malka @ Paper Procrastinators says
This is such a cute tag! I love how these questions really help you reflect on all the progress and changes you’ve made. I can’t wait until our blog is old enough to have a reminiscing stage!
Marie says
Aw I’m glad you liked it! It was a fun tag to do and really a must when you have blogged for a little while. It’s nice to see how you grow and change with blogging, too 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! ❤️
Kelly W says
My current blog is actually not my first blog. That first blog has disappeared into the internet ether, hopefully never to resurface. Back then I didn’t really realise book blogging specifically was a thing (I was… 13, I think?) so it was more general, although I did post reviews. Ugh, it was so bad. (Chalk it up to growth, I guess?)
Marie says
Oh, I think we all cringe when we look back at our first posts or first blogs ? I know I’m certainly not a fan of some of my earlier posts as well. But it’s good to see that we grew and got better with time and practice 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment!❤️
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
Thanks so much for tagging me Marie, I’ve been blogging for just over three years now (I think it’s three years) and going back to my very first post is definitely going to be a trip down memory lane for me too for sure! I like to think my writing has evolved a lot since then! 😀
Love, Simon was one of the first books I discovered through blogging, I feel like it was one of the books that got me back into the contemporary genre for sure. Everyone was reading and raving about it I needed to know what it was all about.
Great post, and here’s hoping there’s plenty more years on Drizzle and Hurricane books still to come. 🙂 ❤️
Marie says
Ahh you’re so welcome, Beth, you’re one of my oldest friends on here and it’s so good to have been able to grow as bloggers together 😀
I’m so happy Simon got you back into contemporary, you’re reading a couple more contemporaries now thanks to it and it makes me SO happy 😀
Thank you so much! <3 <3
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
Thanks so much, yeah I’ve definitely discovered some incredible contemporary books and there are likely many more still waiting on my TBR list. 🙂
That’s all right. 🙂 <3
Kyra says
Aw this was such a lovely post! <3 I've been blogging for 7 years this year (WHAT), and it's so great seeing how far I've come!
Marie says
7 YEARS? Wow that’s incredible!! I hope you’ll keep on blogging for many years to come <3
Feel free to steal this tag if you'd like to do it, I'd love to see your answers 🙂
thank you so, so much Kyra <3
Julianna @ Paper Blots says
this post was iconic and lovely to read ❤️ it’s so funny to think of smol marie!! also ur first discussion being about writing? amazing
Marie says
It’s so weird thinking of smol marie haha I can’t believe it’s been a little while, I feel ooold haha. I know right? Now I barely talk about writing, funny how things change haha.
Thank youuu so much Ju, you’re the sweetest <3
Taasia @ librapaintspages says
this was so interesting to read, marie! this is my first blog that i made, and i’m still trying to get the hang of things 11 months later ahaha?
i honestly can’t remember the first few books that bloggers made me read, because there were so many and it’s hard to keep track of recs. happy reading!
Marie says
Oh don’t worry about it, I’m always trying to get the hang of some things even years later, we are never perfect and there’s always more to learn ?
Agree, there are just SO many recommendations, I love it SO much! 🙂
Thank you so much!! <3
Stephanie says
Love this throwback! Reflect on where you’ve been can be so much fun! I really like doing that myself, to be honest. I just have to remind myself that I have to do new stuff too.
Marie says
I agree, it’s fun to see what we did and how we grew, too 🙂 Feel free to take part in this tag if you’d like to do it 😀
Thank you so much, Stephanie! <3
Laura says
Wow, this is such a nice idea, looking back at blogger firsts! I didn’t actually know you started blogging in 2014 as well! I started in July 2014, just after graduating from university. I wanted a bit of a creative outlet whilst I was just working in retail and looking for some kind of graduate job, and I also wanted to connect with other bookworms.
I think my first post was actually a review of Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. I had originally thought book reviews were going to be the biggest part of book blogging too, but wow, was I wrong! Discussion posts and lists seem to be where it’s at.
Amazing post! 🙂
Marie says
Ahh thank you Laura, so glad you enjoyed this post! Feel free to do this tag yourself if you’re feeling inspired 😀
It’s amazing that we started blogging around the same time, yay! I feel a little old, it’s been so long haha, but yet I love that we’ve been able to keep at it for so long 🙂
Oh same here, I thought book reviews were going to be everything, but they’re really… not haha 🙂
Thank you so much <3
Bibliophiles Unite! (@BibliophilesUn1) says
717 posts are such a great number! Way to stay dedicated to your craft! We’re a new blog around the sphere. Our first post, is about The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.
Marie says
Thank you so much! 🙂 I hope you’ll have tons of fun blogging! 😀
Norrie says
Ah, what a cute post! Turned me kinda nostalgic. My first blog ever doesn’t even exist anymore. It was kinda like a personal journal type one, so all posts were basically the same. Hehe.
I’m here trying to think what my first book was i read cuz of bloggers, but i haven’t a clue… :/
Marie says
Oh no that’s too bad – I know I would have liked to keep mine, just to be nostalgic and look over it every now and then. Or maybe it would be way too cringe-worthy and I would have deleted it all, who knows hahaha.
Oh damn. I don’t think I can recall all the books I read because of bloggers either, anyway, there are just too many 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, Norrie! <3
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious says
Marie I absolutely love this post so much! I am still on my first blog and still in my first year but I really like looking back as much as forward.
Marie says
Oh thank you so much Kaleena, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Maybe a few years in you’ll look back like that as well, for now there’s so much to look forward to, too! 😀
Lauren Becker says
Fun post! I’ve been blogging for over 11 years, so I think these would be tough to answer. LOL However, this IS my first blog.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Marie says
WOW. That’ s such a long time that’s amazing! Who knows, it might be fun to see your very first post again haha 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, Lauren <3
shar says
Wow! Congratulations on so many firsts! Shanti and I have been through 3 designs (with the second two being far, far better), and 2 names (virtually read is also better, but we didn’t change the URL which is bad. AH well). I am honestly in awe of how much you have grown as a blogger and I think you deserve all the success you have (and more TBH). It’s been so fun to see your blog change and I agree that this is my favourite design of yours (the first one was a bit cluttered and this is frankly GORGEOUS)
Marie says
Oh Shar, you’re honestly way too sweet, thank you so, so much for your words, they mean a lot ? <3
I'm so happy you like my current design! I much prefer it to the older one as well, in the end it was way too cluttered and messy haha.
Thank you so much <3 <3
Kat Impossible says
I love this tag! I am definitely going to participate in it for sure 🙂 but I can’t believe we’ve known each other for such a long time now. At the same time, I feel like – of course we’ve known each other for that long! I can’t quite place a time in my mind where I didn’t talk to you haha I am still the happiest little bean just for knowing you <3
Marie says
Yay, I’m so happy to hear it, I can’t wait to see your answers for that one <3
I know, right? It feels so strange because I can't imagine my life before then when we didn't even chat at all <3 <3 I am the happiest to know you, you're the best <3
Kat Impossible says
It’s official! The time before we became buddies does not exist haha it’s strikken from memory.
Marie says
It wasn’t that great anyway if we didn’t know each other 😛 <3
Michelle says
700+ posts! That is amazing, Marie ❤️
Your blog is amazing! It must be so nostalgic and interesting to look back at what must feel like a lifetime of blogging. My first post was also a book review. If I remember correctly it was for The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo and I obviously had no idea what I was doing. My first meme was Top Ten Tuesday and I participated in it for years!
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens was also recommend to me by so many bloggers and I am so happy it got recommend to me SO many times. A travel tumblr blog – this sounds amazing, Marie! I wish I could’ve seen that blog, I love all your travel posts and photos.
Once again I am so happy that I’ve met you through blogging and I hope that this year is a great year for you ❤️
Marie says
Aww you’re too sweet Michelle, thank you so much <3 I'll have to find the name to that tumblr again, I'm scared I forgot it haha. You're too sweet. I really liked having this travel photo journal of sorts <3
Thank you so much, you're the sweetest, I am so, so happy to have met you thanks to blogging, too <3
Michelle says
It’s really just a pleasure ❤️
At least now we have this blog & your Instagram where you also share some of your amazing travel photo’s, but YES hit me up with that Tumblr name if you remember it!
Marie says
I’ll investigate and will let you know if I find it haha ?
Raven @ Dreamy Addictions says
Loved reading this post! I’ve also read Simon Vs Homosapiens because of the bloggers and I really enjoyed it. I’m still using my first blog. If I have more time I might create another one in the future. I love your new blog header image btw!
Marie says
Oh thank you so much! Oh it’d be very cool to read another one of your blog, but just taking care of one already takes so much time haha 🙂
Ahh thank you, you’re so sweet, so happy you like it! <3
Angela says
What a fun look back, Marie! It’s always amazing to see how far we’ve all come!
Marie says
It really is fun! Feel free to do this too if you’re feeling inspired 😀
Dezzy @ The Thoughtful Voice says
This is such a great post, Marie! ? Wow you’ve been a blogger for more than 4 years; that’s absolutely amazing!! I’m so happy that you’re still here; you’re such a wonderful member of the bookish community ☺️ I’ve only been here since June 2018, so haha yes, I still remember my first post. It was a very short (and bad) review of P.S. I Like You by Kasie West. I made my blog and created that first post on a total whim, but I’m so glad that I did because I truly enjoy being a part of this community ?
Ohh I love Simon vs. (and the movie adaptation) so much; it’s the best ❤️ I don’t really remember what the first book that book bloggers encouraged me to read was, but I think it might’ve been I Was Born for This ?
Dezzy @ The Thoughtful Voice says
Oh and also Warcross by Marie Lu! ?
Marie says
Ohhh yes, great choice too! I need to read Wildcard someday ?
Marie says
Oh Dezzy thank you so, so much, you’re such a sweetheart thank you <3 <3
I am so, so glad you did and decided to join the community, can't imagine this adventure without you, I just love chatting with you so much! <3
AHHH YES. This is such a great first bloggers' recommendation, I loved I Was Born For This so much <3
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
My first blogs were on Skyblog… I feel old xD I loved this post, darling! xxx
Marie says
Oh oh… well to be completely honest…. me too and I feel VERY old ? I thought it better not to even mention here ???
thank you so much my sweechie <3
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
Mouhahaha, we are so old! <3
Marie says
We areeeeeeeee old haha. But we’re together so it’s all good haha ?
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
YES <3
Cailin @ Rose Petal Pages says
My current blog is my first blog! I started last April, and it’s really crazy to think that my one-year blogiversary is coming up in only a few months. I still think of myself as a newbie blogger and I think that’s because I didn’t make blogging as much of a priority as I would have liked to, and it feels like I’m going through a constant learning phase in every aspect of blogging. But at the very beginning, my one and only goal was to just start, and I’m really glad I did <3
Marie says
Ahh that’s so great, almost one year already, yay! <3 I get that, at first it's always a little hard to put yourself out there and to really know what we're doing, but… honestly, even now, I don't have any idea what I'm doing either, but I'm having fun and that's what matters haha 🙂 <3 I'm glad you started blogging, too, I'm really looking forward to chatting with you more! <3
Thank you so much for your sweet comments, it means so much <3
Cailin @ Rose Petal Pages says
I’m looking forward to chatting with you more, too! ☺️?
Marie says
Yaay!! ??
Olivia @ Purely Olivia says
Amazing post, Marie! Ah, you have been blogging for so long and that’s so wonderful, it’s awesome that you have so much to look back on and so much to be excited for in the future. 🙂 I loved reading about all your firsts!
Before Purely Olivia, I had another blog with Weebly for quite a few years (I started it in 2014) and…it still exists, but I pretend it doesn’t, because young Olivia was very…interesting.?
Marie says
Ahh thank you so much Olivia, I hope I’ll have many things to look forward to, too, blogging-wise, I’m excited about it 🙂
Oh oh…. well, now you’re making me curious about this blog hahaha ?
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
This is a really fun tag! I’m impressed that you could remember so many of your blogging firsts (or, at least, something close). 🙂
Marie says
Ahah I had to dig a little for some questions, I couldn’t remember my first post or discussion by heart, ahah 🙂
Thank you so much, Nicole! ?
malanielovesfiction says
sdkjlf this is such a nostalgic and wholesome and LOVELY post <3 <3 <3 <3
Marie says
Awww thank you, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you so much! ???
Madeline Bartson says
*picks jaw off of floor* I can’t believe you’ve written over 700 blog posts!! Also, I would LOVE to hear more about your writing. 🙂 If it makes you feel better, I’m pretty sure literally every writer ever thinks they’re failing at being a writer. It’s all part of the process, and I love reading about any part of the writing process. ?
Marie says
I can’t believe it either, I wonder just how I wrote so much sometimes haha.
Oh thank you Madeline, you’re so sweet! ? I wouldn’t have much to say at the moment, since I’ve been sort of on a break / slump / a little mix of both of these since December started, but I’ll have to think about it. I’m always so nervous to talk about writing now, I’m not sure why. Thank you, you inspire me so much ?
Briana | Pages Unbound says
This is such a cool post! I wouldn’t know the answers to half the questions either. First follower??? That was years ago! I hope they’re still following, though! :p
Marie says
Oh thank you, so happy you enjoyed it Briana! 🙂 Haha, I wouldn’t know either, but I hope they sticked around for sure 🙂
theorangutanlibrarian says
This was such a fun post to read! That’s an amazing number of posts!! I relate as well- my first post was a review too- I had no idea that people did other book posts back then (or about anything when it came to blogging haha). It took me ages to try a meme too. That’s so cool you’ve been following Kat virtually from the start! Simon is a fantastic book- I was introduced to it through blogging too 🙂
Marie says
Oh thank you so much, so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
I never thought there were so many bloggers and so many ways to talk about books when I first started ?
Thank you!! Yay, Kat was one of the first bloggers I followed, she’s the best <3
Sophie @ Blame Chocolate says
Aw, this is such a wholesome post, Marie! It’s so funny to look back on things and how much has changed, isn’t it? A bit of a bittersweet feeling, tons of nostalgia, but mostly just a great feeling inside <3
To be honest I can't barely remember any of my firsts! I'd have to go dig into my archives and see hahaha
Thanks for the trip down memory lane 🙂 <3
Marie says
It really is funny, it makes me happy and nostalgic at the same time 🙂 <3
You're so welcome, Sophie, thank you for you sweet comment! You should do this tag and dig into your archives, it's really fun to do 😀
Sophie Li says
Hello Marie!
Aw I love this blog post so much! It must’ve been nostalgic to look back on all the posts that you’ve made years ago?! When I first started I’d thought that book reviews were the essence of book blogging too (I’ve learned since then!) And Simon Vs is also one of the first books that I’ve read because of book blogging.
That’s amazing that you’ve made more than 700 posts! I’m sure combined together there would be enough words to make up a handful of novels 🙂
I am a much newer book blogger than you, however it’s already been 1.5 years (whoa!?) that I’ve been blogging, and I think it would be funny and interesting to look back at my old posts haha… I think I will give this tag a try as well 🙂 Great post Marie <3
Marie says
It was so nostalgic and so strange, too, to see the way I wrote my blog posts before and how I’ve changed and grown since then, too 🙂
If I put everything I wrote in my blog into a book, I’d have written a lot of novels already ? that should be a motivating factor, I guess… haha.
YES! ahh I’d love to see your answers for this tag, Sophie! <3 Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
Sophie Li says
Haha yeah I’ve been a bit nervous about reading some of my past blog posts, so I actually haven’t read any of my really old ones. I think I’m worried that they’ll be embarrassing?! In any case I am definitely excited to do this tag 😀
Marie says
Ahah don’t worry, I think we all are a little embarassed at our old posts… and who knows, maybe they won’t even be that bad 😀
Sophie Li says
That’s true 🙂 I guess I’ll never know unless I read them haha 🙂
Ilsen Leon says
Awww this is such a cute tag to come back to! Wow I can’t believe you written over 700 blog posts! Congrats! You’re one of my favorites so I love seeing more content from you! Also, Simon is one of my favorites and I would have read it regardless but I’m glad I read it at the right time!
Marie says
OH thank you so, so, SO much, this is honestly so sweet of you, that means a lot <3 <3 <3
Harbans says
Nice sharing. :))
Marie says
Thank you! 🙂
Harbans says
My pleasure.