So I have managed to keep this blog alive for 730 days.

730 WHOLE DAYS PEOPLE!

This is coming from the girl who can barely keep a plant alive for more than 72 hours. Seriously. One of my tiny humans gave me a plant once, and point blank told me it was really hard to kill….and what did I do? I killed the freaking plant in 2 1/2 days. (I’m telling you, that’s a talent, and clearly no one should ever give me a plant!)

But this post isn’t about killing plants, or the wonderful crazy tiny humans for that matter, this post is all about the fact that exactly 2 years ago today, I started The Never Ending Book Basket.

If I’m being 100% honest though, the actual anniversary for this blog was on Saturday, but I didn’t post about it. At all. Why you ask? (You probably didn’t ask yourself that question, but I’ll answer it for you anyways…) I was at the Indies Invade Philly book signing this past Saturday surrounded by hundreds of book lovers and some of my favorite authors ever. Not a bad way to spend my 2 year blogiversary, if I do say so myself.

So yeah, I’m a few days behind on this post. Whoops. But it literally took me 2 years to get business cards for this book blog, so I feel like being a few days behind on this post is all good.

As I sit here writing this post, I have to tell you that I’m still kind of shocked that it’s really been 2 years since I started this thing. It all started with one crazy idea on my way home from work, and it turned into something more than I could ever imagine. It changed my life. And I don’t say that lightly at all.

This blog has given me things, and books, and experiences, and people I will never forget.

It has given me friendships I know that I’ll cherish forever. It has allowed me to meet some of the best people on the planet, and given me so many memories to last a lifetime. It has also given me the opportunity to “meet” people from all over the world, who are all fabulous and clearly share a love of books and reading.

This blog has given me the chance to push myself, discover what I’m truly passionate about, and has introduced me into a world and community that I want to be a part of for as long as I can be. It’s also clearly given me books. Lots, and lots, AND LOTS of books. So many amazing, unforgettable, life changing, consuming books that have stolen my heart and mind and body and soul more times than I could count. I have read and discovered so many new books and authors and genre’s through this blog and this community of book lovers, and I could honestly go on and on about how fucking awesome that is.

Starting The Never Ending Book Basket has given me so so much, and all I can say is THANK YOU!

Thank you to the people who support me and keep me going with this thing day in and day out. Thank you to the amazing authors who have so generously let me read and review their books, and who never bat an eye at the fact that my typical review is at least 1500 words long. Thank you to the people who support my page, or this blog, or just say hi every once and awhile. You’ll never know how much all of that means, because seriously, it means the absolute world to me. Thank you to the other bloggers and readers and people of this community that make it the fantastic thing that it is. I truly love spending time with you all, and you make it such an enjoyable place to be.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank. You.

I can’t say it enough. Truly.

If I could give you all hugs, I would.

Now last year when I celebrated 365 days of blogging I made a long list of the many things I’d learned through blogging, and I want to do the same thing this year. Only this is the new and improved version, and it’s a hell of a lot shorter because I’ve learned that sometimes less is more. Sometimes. So without further ado…

Things I’ve learned in 730 days of book blogging:

• I am still wordy as fuck. Like it’s legit. I do not stop writing when I review. I just keep going and going until I’m pushing 2000 words. What can I say? When I love a book, I love it hard, and I just want to share that as much as I can, which leads to all the words. And then more words, and then so many more words. So I hope you like me wordy because that is not changing. Ever.
• Meeting you’re favorite authors in person is THE BEST. The absolute best. This past year I went to a lot of book signings. Like 6. That may not seem like a lot, but I feel like it was. (I think my mother and my wallet would attest to that as well.) I went to signings in 5 different states, up and down the East Coast, with none of those signings actually taking place in the state I reside in, so that meant lots of time in the car. Traveling hours upon hours in the car was so very worth it to meet and hangout with some of the best and most talented authors around. Those ladies are amazing, and have given me memories and adventures and fun times that I will always remember. They’re also as sweet as can be, and meeting them all in person just made me love them all more and so very excited for the next time I can fangirl all over them. Yep. I fangirled. HARD. (And I LOVED every second of it!)
• I buy books like I breathe in air. All the time, and wherever and whenever the occasion calls for it. My book buying EXPLODED this year. Literally. I have soooooo many books that I have yet to read, and I’m honestly shocked TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive has not been contacted on my behalf because of the number of books I have….but while some people may look at that book pile and think “Why the hell would you buy so many books?” my response is WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU NOT BUY SO MANY BOOKS? Besides, there are way worse things you can spend money on…like methamphetamines or Nickelback concert tickets, so clearly me spending my huge nonexistent salary from molding the minds of the tiny humans on books isn’t too bad. Right? Right. I’m glad we all came to that agreement.
• Romance is my jam, and I won’t apologize for it. I am an avid reader. I read just about anything, and have LOVED books from many genres, but romance is where my heart lies. Pun intended. I LOVE a good love story, and I won’t apologize for that, and better yet, I don’t have to. Just because it’s a romance, doesn’t mean it won’t blow your mind with everything it’s got. Just because the two characters have sex, doesn’t mean it’s smut. Just because it can be flowery and sweet and make you melt and swoon, doesn’t mean it won’t give you reality or flaws or authenticity or complexity too. Just because it’s a love story, doesn’t mean it holds any less merit or literary amazingness. It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I love books and reading, but I can’t tell you how many times people give me some wonky face or make a flippant or snarky comment when they ask me what I like to read and I reply romance. They don’t get it, and they don’t have to, but I’ve come to realize that people can think and believe what they want about romance books, but until they give it a chance, they’ll never know what they’re missing. So I’m still over here with my love stories, believing in happily ever afters and enjoying every emotionally murdering, swoonworthy, heart stopping moment that it takes to get to them.
• Amazon’s review policies suck balls. And if anyone from Amazon is reading this right now, I love you with my entire heart (even though I say mean things about you) and please don’t ban me from writing reviews. Okay? Okay. But really Amazon, if I want to use the word asshole in my review, or fuck, or shit, or hell for goodness sakes, I should be able to. Sometimes you need to emphasize with an expletive. Oh, and please stop bouncing my reviews for no reason, or banning me from writing them. This is America and it’s a fucking book review, let’s take a god damned chill pill on the policing. Okay? Okay.

So I think that about caps it off. I’ve learned a lot, and probably have a million more things to learn, but I’m still here with my blog alive and kicking, and I feel like that must mean something. This past year has been a whirlwind, and I can’t believe it’s already November and that this blogiversary is happening.

730 days of blogging down, and hopefully many more to go!

Starting this blog was one of the best decisions I ever made. It makes my life crazy and interesting and so very very fun, but most of all it fills my heart and my mind and my soul. Every. Day.

If you’ve ever visited this page, gone to the blog’s Facebook page, visited me on Goodreads, or just been there with me through this crazy wonderful ride. THANK YOU. I truly can’t say it enough. Y’all are the best.

So here’s hoping this is just the first of many continued blogiversary posts to come! Thanks for joining me on this crazy, book filled ride.

I hope you’re ready for more, because I know that I sure as hell am, and I can’t freaking wait.