Celebrating My 1 Year Blogoversary

My little baby blog has turned one!

I honestly am so overwhelmed that I have no idea what to write. You may experience a fair amount of word vomit in this post because I’m ecstatic and pumped up and okay, sentimental too.

Like how did this happen? Did I not just start blogging???

I can’t believe I’m celebrating the birthday of my smol brainchild! Okay technically my blog turned one sometime in January 2018 but WordPress messed up and didn’t send me any notifications so here I am, celebrating it with my own birthday because well as we celebrate the birthday of a crazy fangirl it’s only right to celebrate her creations too.

I’m kind of overwhelmed right now because reflecting upon my blog has made me realise how much it grew over time and how I slowly formed a following of friends and book fanatics who are absolutely insane to be continuously reading and loving my content. I mean I seriously look at all of you and think how did I get here and wow what did I do to deserve you all? And I’ve grown along with my blog too. I went from an extremely introverted and kind of lonely girl who thought she was alone with her crazy love for books to a girl who’s much more open and opinionated, with friends all over the world(the world?!!) who share in her madness for books and fictional characters and shower her with love and support. I has been a wild ride and I did want to give up many a times but you all kept me going so thank you for that and thank you for everything you all do and for merely existing and being here for me 🙂

Okay, enough of the emotional drama, let’s get to what you all are really here for.

Way back in I think February, I asked you all across Twitter and Instagram to send me any questions you may have for me and hoped that it wouldn’t flop. But instead I just got buried in a shit ton of love and questions and then just disappeared without giving you any answers.

Don’t blame me, blame WordPress.

Anyway, I’m finally here with all the answers you wanted so let’s get onto them without wasting any time!

LE QUESTIONS!

First off, the queen of YA desi books, Sandhya Menon herself asked me a question!

I held a celebratory dance before actually going ahead and reading her question XD

SANDHYA MENON

—>Did you ever get such a big book hangover that you had dreams about the characters?

Do I dream about characters?

Oh my god yes! I mean what else do dreams consist of? Pfft, we readers are at a far more advanced level than your average dreamers.

I think the first dream I ever had was about the Percy Jackson series. I was so deeply invested that I stayed up pretty late and binged a good chunk of the series. The dream was very strange due to the fact that I hadn’t really imagined what the characters actually looked like so it was just a stream of words accompanied by blobs of vaguely human creatures? I don’t know, I have zero control over my crazy dreams.

Since then I’ve dreamt about various characters including again Percy after I got a better hold on my imagination of how he really looked like XD

FANNA @FANNATALITY

Questions that my lovely friend Fanna asked:

—>Which book made you feel represented in literature for the first time?

Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed was the first book I read that featured an Indian-American MC who was a teenager which meant that there were several references to Indian culture and I could relate to the MC on a deeper level even though our personalities were completely opposite.

Another book with an Indian-American MC who made me feel represented in literature is There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon, a brilliantly written book that I had the opportunity to read an ARC of. It really struck my heart because not only was I reading about a character whose personality and reality was totally aligned with but she was also Indian? Definitely a rare opportunity!

—>If you could take three of your favourite characters to a dystopian setting who would they be?

Ooh this is such an interesting question!

I would probably pick Nico di Angelo from the Percy Jackson series, Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunter chronicles and Mari from Empress of All Seasons. The reasons behind my choices are that not only are these some of my favourite characters but they’re all fierce, talented and badass people who can easily get me out of any dystopian setting without getting me killed.

Because let’s face it, otherwise my useless self will be dead meat.

As a bonus their interactions are going to be insanely fun to watch plus they all make great eye candy 😉

—>What’s that one thing you never imagined to do before you became a book blogger but have done that now?

Just talking to people without freaking out and well actually getting noticed by real life authors! I still freak out when one of them likes my comments, replies or just holds a conversation with me like, WOW HOW AM I WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION?

What witchcraft is this?

I shall never know.

JUSTINE @BOOKISH WISPS

Some of Justine‘s wonderful questions had me thinking for a long time so if this post gets late it’s her fault 😛

—>Can you share 5 things that you’ve learnt from blogging?

At this point blogging has taught me so much that it’s become pretty much impossible to keep track of. But I’ll try to list five major lessons that I’ve learnt.

1. Drafting is a thing. You probably have to write a post five times over, at least two times before you get it right. And it takes time, every good thing does! You can’t try to squeeze writing a complete post from scratch between your afternoon nap and art class. Trust me, you’re talking to the master of multi-tasking and squeezing stuff to find time for everything.
2. You’re going nowhere if you refuse to interact with others and check out their content and just talk to everyone in general. This is one area where I had to push my boundaries and try acting like an extrovert. I had to make time to read and appreciate what others wrote, show concern over their life and just initiate conversations on my own and be brave. And after some time I just got used to it and started loving some parts of it 🙂
3. Quality>Quantity. Always. I joined with the intentions of posting twice or once a week but then soon realized that the community cares about the quality of the content they’re getting from you, not how many posts you can vomit at the end of the week.
4. No need to follow trends! Honestly, I thought I would face some backlash if I wasn’t reading classics, holding important discussions and definitely when I dropped my monthly wrap-ups which are the kind of posts you find on every single blog. But no, all is great! Just do you!
5. You’re actually worth much more than you think you are and this bookish community will love you to infinity for who you are. Except if you’re a hater and trash others, in which case BYE-BYE!

—>How do you choose or create content?

This is honestly so freaking hard.

Almost every topic has been explored by someone or the other so trying to do something fun that is new is….almost impossible. I usually try to pick topics that I haven’t seen anyone discuss. This obviously doesn’t mean that nobody hasn’t done it before, it just means that I haven’t seen anybody do it before.

If I’m taking on a common topic then I try and put my own twist on it.

And generally speaking, inspiration can strike me from anywhere and at anytime. It’s completely unpredictable. For eg. this year’s most popular post that I wrote, How Bloggers Are Legally Copying Content and Getting the Credit was the result of a browsing session on Pinterest where I came across a post that promoted copying content and was using it. And Thoughts I Have While Reading A Slow-Burn Romance came from the fact that I really wanted to write a bullet point post and was reading a fanfiction with a romance so slow that I wanted to throw my phone against the wall.

So yeah, you never know!

—> 3 books you would auto-recommend?

This question is plain CRUEL.

Regardless, I’ll try to answer the question while torturing myself for days at end.

After 17,000 hours:

NOBODY BREATHE, I THINK I GOT THIS!

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

Do not @ me on the series, this is the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life.

NANDINI @UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOKS

Quick note that this blogging journey would have been empty without my bookish soul sister, Nandini. Right, on to her questions!

—>Which is a book you love but don’t recommend/talk about enough?

*stares at her Goodreads until her eyes pop out*

Oh so here’s a book that is super underrated and I’m going to climb a mountain and hoist it in the air so that everyone can see and read it. The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James is a simply amazing sci-fi book that I somehow don’t talk enough about. See the thing is, I always like sci-fi books but never before have I fallen head over heels with a book from this genre. I literally have no words to describe it, you just have to go and read it!

—>What is the first book that you would buy with your own money?

Oh wow that is an excellent question.

Umm I don’t really know? See it would partly depend on what books are being or have been released at that time. But I would most probably buy a special edition of a book by one of my favourite authors 🙂

—>What is your favourite kind of blog post to read?

I love reading any kind of post that can make me love, especially listicles or posts written in the format of a list since they’re easier to read and can turn out to be insanely hilarious when combined with GIFs.

NOURA @THE PERKS OF BEING NOURA

Thanks for the wonderful questions, Noura!

—>If you were stuck on an island and had only 3 books with you which would they be?

I think I’m going to stick with the books I auto-recommended in Justine’s question 🙂

—>What books do you recommend to everyone?

I shall forever recommend all books by Becky Albertalli, Sandhya Menon, Rainbow Rowell and Rick Riordan!

—>What is your favourite post that you wrote?

Ooh I really love my Thoughts I Have While Reading a Slow-Burn Romance because I had a really fun time writing it plus everyone loved it!

YVONNE J. SMIT

—>Which book have you re-read the most and why?

I’ve re-read Carry On by Rainbow Rowell about 6 or 7 times followed by Simon vs Homo Sapiens Agenda 4 times. I’m not even going to give an explanation for Simon vs a this point, just know that it consumes my heart and soul.

Same goes with Carry On, actually. I love the two MCs Baz and Simon(I know, there are too many Simons to keep track of) because one of them is a cinnamon roll and the other is this I am evil personified so don’t love me guy and wow they just fit perfectly and are freaking adorable. Also it’s an A+ example of enemies to lovers trope done right and I let the slow-burn kill me everytime because we readers are forever ready to die.

—>Would you step out of your comfort zone and try out a new genre? If so which?

Okay, I’ll admit that I am clutching my comfort zone with both my hands and screech when I need to step out of it. Because a number of times I have done so only to be scalded by horribly written or plain boring books. But recently I have been stepping out of my comfort zone to try genres like poetry and self-help books, biographies and the occasional horror books too. And it’s not been that bad. So yeah I tried all these new genres, someone give me a cookie now.

SAHI @MY WORLD OF BOOKS

Sahi just had one sweet question and I really loved answering it 🙂

—>What do you feel is the best part about reading for you?

It’s hard to choose the best part but I guess it’s getting lost in the stories and characters. I pick up books whenever I need a break from the reality and my hectic life and within minutes I’ve forgotten about everything else and poof, I’m literally inside the book. I love how I can forget that a world other than the one I am reading about even exists. The characters seem so real and I keep smiling even without meaning to. I once read that a book is a ticket to travel and I 100% support that statement because I’m literally visiting fantasy worlds and far off lands, it’s simply euphoric.

SIMANT @FLIPPING THRU PAGES

Simant is such a wonderful friend to have and I had a fun time thinking of answers for her questions 🙂

—>A book that gave you a huge hangover?

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie completely blew my mind and I wasn’t able to get into any book after that for a while. I spent two whole days obsessing over the plot and the killer and probably about a week before I could go ahead and pick up another book.

—>What is the first book that comes to your mind when someone asks you to recommend books?

I already answered this one in Justine’s question so you can check out my answer there!

—>How would you convince me to read a dystopian novel?

The same way Nandini, Fanna, Shruti and convinced you to take the Pottermore quiz 😉

Aka taking a great dystopian like Hunger Games and repeatedly hounding you to read it long with a couple of death threats until you start and finish it XD

—>A genre you don’t like to read or never tried?

So despite my dislike for certain genres I’m pretty sure I’ve read at least one book of every genre at this point. I’ll say my least favourite genre is non-fiction, especially autobiographies and biographies. I’ve read and liked some self-help books but it is very rare, like Adam-Silvera-publishing-a-novel-about-happy-unicorns rare, that I like anything other than that in the genre.

@HUNGRYFORABOOK ON INSTAGRAM

—>How to make an interactive bookstagram post or feed?

Hmm, currently my bookstagram is everything but interactive but I guess part of it is my own fault because I haven’t been following the tip I’m about to give you.*

Just actively comment on other people’s posts, reply to their stories and generally interact with people. And please not the ‘great picture’ comments. They’re okay once in a while but don’t make a habit out of them. Deep comments that inquire about people’s lives and the topic they are discussing or even light comments on topics like not being able to get enough sleep are the most interactive.

*this is not me being a hypocrite, I’m just not getting enough time to scroll through the entirety of my feed and let’s face it, the algorithm majorly sucks these days

JESSICA @JESSICA BOOKS BLOG

—>When did you start reading and blogging?

I started reading as soon as I could! I literally have no idea when children start to read but yeah around that time or maybe even before. I remember that my mother used to read me and my sister stories out of two of my favourite Enid Blyton books(I absolutely devoured them at my library when my mom got little me a membership) and I used to keep pestering her to read more and more so I guess she was more than happy to get me started on my reading and get more time for herself, hehe.

As for blogging, I started my blog in December 2017 on I don’t even remember which site at this point. But I was very dissatisfied and quickly switched over to WordPress in January and I’ve never been happier 🙂

—>If people ask for your favourite author which is the first name that comes to your mind?

Let me start off by saying that I never used to have a favourite author because it’s so unfair and extremely hard, like Hunger Games hard to choose!

But my mind betrays me now and I honestly don’t mind because Becky Albertalli and Sandhya Menon have my whole freaking heart and soul.

LUANA @BOOK STORM

—>What is your favourite reading snack?

I snack a lot while reading because even though I’m clumsy I’m a pro at eating while reading, don’t ask me how. I would say ice-cream for when I’m reading on any electronic devices and um maybe noodles otherwise?

—>Hoodies or sweaters?

Hoodies all the way!

This may be a lesser known fact about me but I never wear sweaters. I legit went through last winter without donning them a single time(school does not count because school is a hellhole that rips away your choices in life). I’m always wearing my favourite black hoodie during the winters, you literally cannot separate us, I will die wearing that hoodie. I even wear it in the cold mornings during summers until recently when it disappeared and I panicked, only to find that my mom had finally wretched it out of my closet and sent it away for washing.

Okay now I miss that hoodie 😦

JORDAN @ changed their username…

I’m… not sure what to do? I asked for these questions months ago and at this point I have no clue whether Jordan is a her or him or they, let alone how to track them… All I can say is that I’m thankful for the interesting questions they asked!

—>If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?

Okay this answer may seem strange but I gave it a long thought. I want the superpower to grant people their wishes. Hear me out. Any wishes to anyone but it’s up to me if I want to grant it to them, so that way nobody can ask me to get power over the entire world and be a cause of mass destruction. Plus if I ever wanted something I could always ask someone else to wish it for me.

Hehe, I know I’m clever 😉

—>If you had the choice to re-write the ending of a book which one would it be?

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera. I mean the book was cute but the ending killed me okay? It wasn’t necessarily bad but like how dare they. I was in my head about that for two whole days. Anyone who has read it knows what I’m talking about, like those characters deserve better, don’t come at me with how open that ending was!

—>Your favourite Own Voice book?

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He absolutely stole my heart and made me sob like a baby. Plus I was gasping at every freaking plot twist, I did not survive this book. At all.

—>What is the most important lesson a book has taught you?

My memory is shorter than that of a goldfish.

So please don’t ask me to draw on a single memory. What I will say is that one of the most significant lessons books in general have taught me is that you should always be your true self and screw anyone who doesn’t like the real you because they don’t deserve you. Slowly applying this in my real life keeps making me feel less stressed and more happy.

SHREYA @BOOKWORMTOPIA

—>In general are your reviews more positive or negative?

Oh, definitely positive! I usually feel bad about writing negative reviews plus I’m generally a person who is easily pleased? In the past year though I have learnt to look at things more critically which has led to a slight rise in the number of negative reviews I right but it’s no way near the amount of positive reviews.

TANVI @A READER TO WHATEVER END

—>How do you manage to make time for everything?

I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW!

I’ve just been asked this question so many times and every time I just tell them that my life is a burning playground and I have no freaking idea how I end up managing to do all that I do. Okay maybe I have a little idea. I’m a freak when it comes to doing everything perfectly and planning it out and someone really needs to give me an award for multitasking.

And apparently I run on low sleep? I don’t know, is 5 hours less? I just crash on power naps and sell my soul for caffeine lol.

Seriously though, don’t do that to yourself. At this point it’s pretty much embedded in my sleep cycle but I do have days where I’m just drowsy and sleepy throughout so yeah…probably not the best thing to do.

And here we are!

Wow those were a lot of questions and a hell lot of fun that I had while answering them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul to each and every one of you that supports me and sends me love through your likes, comments, tweets, messages, shoutouts and what not. You melt me to the core and no amount of gratitude from my end could ever be enough!

So what are your thoughts on my answers? If you still have any questions I can always answer them in the comments below 🙂 How did/will you celebrate your blogoversaries? And do you know people who read till the very end, including these questions get all my hugs and blue chocolate chip cookies?