The Book Whisperer is one today!

I’m one today!

A year ago today I wrote my first blog post. I took my first tentitive steps into the world of book blogging with my review of Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (and which nobody read). Over the next few weeks I tweeked, played around, changed my mind about which template to use – again and again and again – copied up more reviews from my Amazon account and practically did a cartwheel when somebody I didn’t know commented on one of my posts!

I had no idea just how huge the world of book blogging was and I was amazed by the wealth of fantastic sites out there that I had been completely unaware existed. In this first year of blogging, I have made (and even met) some wonderful friends who share my biggest passion – books! I have found people who write wonderful reviews, or have the same taste in books as me, or are just generally hugely welcoming and make me feel at home every time I visit their site and I love it!

Since starting my blog I have had over 50,000 hits – I have no idea whether that’s good or bad but frankly I am just amazed that so many people want to stop by and share in their love of reading with me and I am truly grateful for every single visit and comment I get 🙂

So, here is a little look at what have been the top posts this year:

  

The top two posts of all time

The most looked at post is called “The Best 11 Book Club Reads EVER!”. They are not necessarily my favourite ever books (although some of them are) but they are books that have generated the most interesting discussions at book groups I have attended. 

Then have a look at the picture of the postman, click on it and see if you can spot the difference.

 

 

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The three most looked at reviews

  

 

The above 3 books have had the most visits during this last year. They also happen to be among the books that I have enjoyed the most. You cam click on each book cover to see the actual review.

 

Most looked at author interview

I have interviewed several authors this year (all of whose books  I have thoroughly enjoyed reading) but it was Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, that has had most visits. I actually spoke to her on the phone (which I was really nervous about) and she was just lovely!

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A little thank you to all of you

By way of saying thank you for stopping by and commenting and keeping making sure that blogging about books still so much fun for me, I am having a little competition.

Here is a list of my Top 20 favourite books of all time (I have tried unsucessfully to narrow this list down and I can’t – in fact I had to struggle to get it down to only 20). I would like to send one of my favourite books to anyone who wants to enter. There are no rules other than please tell me which book you would like in your comment and why you chose it (no reason other than I am nosey ;)) and if you win I will send you that book. You have until December 15th to enter and then I will pick a winner using random.org

Here is my list of most belovèd books:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Wolf Totem by Jiang Riong

The Magus by John Fowles

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Animal Farm by George Orwell

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Blindness by Jose Saramago

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

East Lynne by Ellen Wood

The Collector by John Fowles

Corrag by Susan Fletcher

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

 

Good luck!