Well, well. Look who made it through an entire year of blogging! Truly, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would have such a wonderful experience. And I owe it all to you– the lovely readers and fellow bloggers who inspire me to keep on reading and blogging every day.
Not only did blogging give me a platform to share my bookish thoughts, but it helped me to discover so many amazing blogs and bloggers, without whom my days would be far more boring! I am so scared of even mentioning anyone, because I really don’t want to forget anyone, so I forgot you please, please know that I only forgot for this one moment, not in general, and I will smack myself later! But, I do want to take this opportunity to give a shout out to some of my favorite blogs and their respective bloggers that I love commenting back and forth with, tweeting, commenting on Goodreads, etc, and of course spotlighting their amazing blogs so that you all can read them and enjoy them as much as I do. In no particular order:
How did this blog come to be, one year ago? Okay, story time! So, I had found out that book blogging was a “thing” only recently. I saw some links in some Goodreads profiles, and then of course, became addicted to reading blogs. And then one day, I thought it only made sense to have my own, because there was so much I wanted to say that I had no other outlet for. I had been blogging for about two years on my personal blog, which is here, but I don’t update it regularly anymore. So I started a book blog! It was actually called “Shannon Hearts Books” (yeah, original, right?) and this was my first post. I changed the look of the blog a lot during those first few months, so who knows what it even looked like. I think it was kind of grey for awhile, and it had this ridiculous looking header:
Yeah. Anyway. So my first post was October 8. Guess what happened on October 9? Baby. This one, to be exact — >
You can read about his dramatic entrance here, if you are curious. But, suffice it to say that after an unexpected birthday, and NICU stay, my new little book blog took a backseat. Eventually, I decided to get things started again, but I was so nervous. Truthfully, I don’t even think another human knew this blog existed until maybe March, when I first posted a Top Ten Tuesday, and actually linked it up! I had finally gotten around to changing the name, and the look. The name, of course, is a Catching Fire reference, with a double meaning, since I pretty much do not start reading until at least midnight, after the kids have gone to bed. Oh, and the blog looked like this:
I actually liked the look, but I hated how narrow the display was, and after I exhausted any and all html options, I gave in and bought this lovely creation you see today. (Incidentally, Kelsey was great to work with, and you can find her link at the bottom of every page!)
Part two coming up! But for now, how about I give you a book? Which one? Any one. Pretty much any one that has ever been on this blog. Ever. And, if you search, and it hasn’t been on the blog, just comment about it somewhere and remedy it 😉 Oh and, it’s INTERNATIONAL as long as TBD ships to you! Oh, and I should note: I am not usually a fan of mandatory entries, but because this is 100% to show how grateful I am for all my followers, I am making following in some way mandatory, because I feel like it wouldn’t be fair otherwise 🙂 Also, I have updated my policies (BIG thanks to Kaitlin!), so be sure to take a look, and as always, please read the Terms and Conditions!
My favorite book is The Book Thief 🙂
Congrats on making it to your first anniversary! I just recently found your blog, but I do love reading through your discussion and review posts 🙂 I hope you continue to enjoy blogging for many years to come <33
Happy blogoversary! (please pretend that I just handed you a dozen balloons to celebrate) Yay, congrats on making it one full year! =)
I must say you are one of my favorite bloggers, I love reading your posts and commenting back and forth with you, and am seriously feeling kind of honored to have made your list. =)
I can’t wait to see part 2!
I forgot about the giveaway question! It’s such a hard question….I would like to pick the entire Percy Jackson series and its spinoff…but if I have to be more specific I would pick The Titans Curse. =)
Congrats!! you did extremelly well in one year in my opinion so you can be proud . i hope you will keep enjoying it as much for a long long time
now your question…. oh my it’s so hard….hobb bargain by patricia briggs ( it’s was a hard tie with moon called by teh same author but moon called wins for personnal reason ot for the story it’self)
Congralutions 😀 !
hmm.. my favorite book is, I think, Junk by Melvin Burgess !
Thank you !!
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field. It was the first book I owned. I was to young to read it, but everyone in the house read it to me. Sadly, it disappeared in a move.
Congratulations on a year of beautiful blogging. I loved your post on winning giveaways. It generated such a great discussion.
Happy Blogoversary! My favorite book is Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
jmesparza821at gmail dot com
Happy Blogoversary! My favorite book of all time is Gone With The Wind. Thanks for having this giveaway.
Congrats on a year!
I would have to pick Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie as my favorite book.
CONGRATULATIONS 😀
Congrats for having your first blogoversary! 😀 Among the book blogs that I follow, yours is the one I mostly visit since your thoughts about books and reading are the *closest* to mine.
It’s hard to choose my favorite but okay, it’s Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. It shows the effects of war could do to everyone around you and yourself. And the most gut-wrenching and… heart-breaking.
Thanks for this awesome giveaway! 😀
Congratulations! My favorite book is The Second Mango by Shira Glassman. Thank you for the giveaway!
Happy blogoversary!! So tough to pick just one favorite! I would have to go with The Giver by Lois Lowry. Thanks for this amazing giveaway – I would love to win!
Only one book! You are truly dastardly for making us make such choice! 🙂
I’m going with Unwind by Neal Shusterman, but I make no guarantees that I’d answer this question the same way every time. 🙂
Happy blogoversary!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Congratulations!! Happy Blogoversary 🙂 🙂
My favorite is The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness 🙂
Congratulations! My favourite book is Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite book…hmmm. There is a saying in the military that the best duty station is either the one you just left or the next one you’re going to….for me this applies to books as well. I’m just finishing up a read/listen (I read the book while listening to the audiobook) of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. These books were so wonderful that I’m going to have a hard time choosing what to read/listen to next.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
If I should pick only one, then its The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for me.
Well, happy blogoversary! And thanks for the giveaway 😉
Happy blogoversary, I wish you many more!
My favorite book is The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher.
Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
My favourite book is Sabriel by Garth Nix :-O Ja’dore. I cannot express how much I love it.
Happy blogoversary! One year is a big milestone and I must say you are looking fabulous with your wonderful template skin thing.
<3
Happy Blogoversary! 🙂 I wondered where you’d been the past few days. I’m sorry to hear about the problems with your blog. (either the comments section is still buggy or I’ve just sent this post a few times…) Thank you SO much for mentioning me! 🙂 You’re evil, choose just one book? I guess I’d have to go with Harry Potter. (I cheated a little) I found out about book blogs through goodreads too. I’m sure glad my sister found that site and sent it to me. Thank you for the contest! 🙂
My favorite book is Hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I know many people don’t like it; they find Nora annoying and all, but this is actually the first and only book I ever fully re-read.
Happy Blogoversary!! My favorite book would be Touch of Frost because it starts Jennifer Estep’s wonderful Mythos Academy series. Thanks for the giveaway!! 🙂
For real! this is such a difficult question… It hurts my heart lol jk… well kind of. I will have to say that my favorite beyond all favorite book is…. Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. Yeah, that’s the one.
Happy blogoversary! I hope you have another amazing year in the blogging world, because I absolutely adore your blog! and thanks for the fantastic giveaway! 🙂
Ah! Picking just one is such an impossible question. I’ll go with my favorite Colleen Hoover book because I have her on my mind wanting to read her next book….Slammed!
Happy Blogoversary! That is wonderful. You have to ask a difficult question don’t you? Mine I guess is On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves. It just won me over. Thank you for sharing all that you do with us. Keep up the amazing job!
Happy Blogoversary!!! My favorite book of all time is From The Mixed-Up Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler. I knew then I wanted to travel to NYC and explore the world!
– meghann
IT IS YOUR BLOGVERSARY WHAT WHAT WHATTTTTTTTTTT!!! That’s so awesome! And is that your baby? I can’t get to the post that talks about him, but he’s so cute. AND HEY LOOK A SHOUT OUT! Thanks Shannon!! You play a huge role in my blog too 😀 😀
You’re old blog layout looks so cute hahahahah! I went through so many layout changes as well!
OH OH. my favorite book? Ummmm. uhhhhhh. poop.
For now it’s gonna be….um…..SHANNON WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME. I’m going to pick The Mediator Series. I KNOW IT’S NOT A BOOK IT’S A SERIES BUT TOO BAD
Happy blogeversary girl!!! This is a hard question and it took my like 20 mins to come up with answer but i choose Clockwork Princess by Cassie Clare
HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!! *chucks confetti in the air*
Congrats!! That’s a huge feat 😀
Oh no, favorite book?? Why do you have to put me through this stress, I feel like I’m betraying all my lovely books. But, I will have to go with….Harry Pot-or maybe Obsidian-All Our Yesterdays was pretty good. I’m gonna go with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Classics.
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Happy Blogoversary and thanks for the giveaway!!!! <3
That’s so hard! Um…I’m gonna have to say…Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor:)
Happy blogoversary!! :DD Uhm..This is hard…My favorite book is…Partials. I have always had an attachment to that book ever since it was published
Happy Blogoversary! My favorite book is Don’t Breath a Word by Jennifer McMahon.
HAPPY, HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY SHANNON!!! I didn’t know you’d only been at this a year! (Actually, I probably did, but I forgot). Aaaanyway, I adore you and your blog. I’m so glad I “met” you through this, and I’m hoping you’re around for years to come. And I’m so honored to make your favorite blogs list. It seriously means so much to me, and so do your thoughtful and heartfelt comments on my blog. Oh boy, I’m getting a little mushy. But really, your blog is one of my favorites and I can’t wait to see what year 2 brings. Here’s to many more years of blogging for you! <3 <3
UNFAIR QUESTION IS SO UNFAIR. Do I really have to choose a favorite? Just one? Fine. Okay. I love the ending to Nora Roberts’ Circle Trilogy (which is the only series I’ve ever reread completely), Valley of Silence. Love this trilogy, love her writing, love these characters. And talking about it just makes me want to reread them. Again. So, there! I picked a favorite. Are you happy? 😛
*smushes cake in your hair* OH YOU LITTLE ADORABLE 1-YEAR-OLD BLOGGER. HUZZAH HUZZAH!! YOU HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR! THE INCREDIBLE AWESOMENESS!!!! And you had some wizard designing skills with that header for Shannon Hearts Books for sure. *nods* 😉
Ohhhh, I can’t answer such mean questions like what is your favourite book. DARN IT. Can I just say ALL of Maggie Stiefvater’s books?? Can I get away with that?
YAY! One year! Nicely done.
Favourite book? Are you serious? How am I supposed to choose?
I suppose I’m going to have to go with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
The False Prince
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. 😀 Thank you!
Fav book Moonfire by Linda Lael Miller
I love so many books, I will just say one of my fav authors Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.
Happy blogoversary! My favorite book would be Robin Benway’s ‘THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY, and JUNE’! (Thanks for the giveaway!)
Happy Blogversary!!!
Tricky question but I suppose it would be Lightning by Dean Koontz.
I’ve been trying to get on here the last couple of days (it worked for me yesterday, yay!) BUT HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY! The firsts the hardest, right? I HOPE. Hey the ridiculous header didn’t look that ridiculous, shhhh. You have a little fighter there, a very dramatic entrance, love him. 🙂
Favourite book, that’s torture! So to make it easier on myself, I’m avoiding all the awesome series’ (Including The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Vampire Academy) so yeah, now this is real easy, one that’s left a real impression on me, Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne.
HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY again, and here’s to many more!
Congrats on your first blogoversary! It’s so amazing to reach that first milestone!
And I can’t choose only one favourite book. It depends on my mood and you really can’t compare different genres. So nope, I am not going to answer that question.
I hope your site issues are fixed soon, site issues are so stressfull! I can see your site just fine, nothing looks wrong or out of place.
Congratulations on this wonderful milestone – Happy Blogoversary! I have so many favorites, but I will pick a recent favorite Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs – it was a great read 🙂 Thank you for celebrating your joy with us and the treat of a giveaway opportunity.
Congrats!!! So exciting!! I would say mine is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell! It’s so cute I’d read it over and over again 😀
Congrats! My favourite book evah is Coraline, I keep on reading and rereading and cherishing that baby xD
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.
Happy blogoversary! May this coming year be filled with even more awesome books to read and review and chat about =)
My favourite book is hands down Tolkien’s LOTR =)
My favourite book is The Selection by Kiera Cass! but Hush, Hush is pretty close. 🙂
My favorite book is – GAH why just one?
Fine.
Les Miserables.
But I will be a rebel and add a second one. Chronicles of Narnia!
My favorite book would have to be To Kill a Mockingbird. Thanks for this giveaway and congrats on your first blogoversary. I love seeing your posts.
Congratulations on your first blogoversary! *huuugs* I love your blog. My favourite book would have to be Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
My favorite book is definitely The Fault in Our Stars, though The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Hunger Games trilogy tie for second. 😉 -Tori
My favorite book is either Fangirl or Throne of Glass. I can’t decide, but you’re lucky I even narrowed it down to these two 😉
Congratulations on one year! Here’s to many more! As for my favourite book, that is SO difficult! I think I’m going to go with The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan.
Happy One Year Blogoversary to you!!!! That is amazing, and I can’t wait for number 2! So, since you are forcing an answer out of me, I suppose I will have to answer. Just so you know, this is so freaking hard and it actually hurts me to have to leave off about a million other favorites, but since I must here is my answer…………………………………………………………………………………….Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (To all of my other favorite stories, you are amazing too and I love you no less…. BUT i was FORCED to answer a question in the hopes of acquiring a NEW favorite, and I could not pass up the chance. Hope you forgive me. Sincerely, me)
Congratulations and Happy Blogoversary!!
Favorite book is First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones.
Thank you for the giveaways and hope you have more blogoversaries to come! *Cheers!*
my favorite book so far is we were liars!
I love The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer so so much!
Congratulations and thanks for the giveaway.
My favorite TWO books of 2014 (because I cant decide!) is The Stolen Songbird and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. But I’d have to say my overall rereadable book besides Twilight 😉 is Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan.
Congratulations!!! And thank you so much for the giveaways
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
Aah, I hate being asked this question, it’s practially impossible to answer!! Umm… okay something by Jennifer L. Armentrout… or Gena Showalter… ooh, Rainbow Rowell! Love them all but I think I’ll stick with Fangirl for now (because it’s sitting on my desk) but I love so many other books too 😀 Happy blogoversary!
Happy blogoversary!!!!
One of my favorite books is Eleanor and Park 🙂
Happy blogoversary!
My favorite book is Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon 🙂
Thanks for the great giveaway 🙂
My favourite book is Saving Francesca, I’ve read all of Melina Marchetta’s books and for some reason I always love revisiting this one. I adore the characters and I enjoy how the plot progresses. It’s just a really fun read.
ONE? That is so not fair. How will I choose between all of Rainbow Rowell’s works? What about Melina Marchetta? HARRY POTTER?!?!?!
I guess, if FORCED to choose, I would select Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
I love Fangirl! Would have to be my favorite book I’ve read so far this year.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, hands down! Congrats on the anniversary, that’s very exciting! And thank you for the wonderful giveaway! 🙂
Las nueve vidas de Jeremy 🙂
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier 🙂
Happy Blogoversary and thank you!
Happy Blogoversary!!!!
I’m going with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
Happy Blogoversary! My one year is coming up soon as well… seems like much longer doesn’t it? If we are talking about classics and thought provoking novels then my favorite book is Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. But, my favorite novel recently published novel is The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Any book that can make me laugh out loud and also cry has got to be incredibly engaging. I definitely recommend it!
I’d probably have to pick On the Island. Thanks!
Happy Blogoversary! Are you sure I can’t just keep listing books forever?? It’s entirely possible, you know. If I have to choose, my absolute favorite book (as of right now) is Girl Overboard by Justina Chen.
Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay!!:)
It would have to be Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Even though I love them all right now that is the one I was to re-read the most.
OH GOSH. That question is so difficult to answer because I don’t have ONE favorite book lol I love them all! However, I would have to say My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult!
This is an incredibly hard decision, but I would choose Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
Thanks for the chance to win!
My favorite book is Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan!
That’s the worst question someone could ask me! 😛 LOL!!! I loved The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson so gonna go with that one.
Happy blogoversary and thanks for a giveaway! 🙂