I can hardly believe I’ve been blogging for 5 years! I started slow, got involved with the community through memes, challenges and events, and then slowed down again these past few months have really slowed down due to home demands. This slowdown will continue for the next few months, but I will still be here, reading, writing, quizzing and visiting your blogs. Only on a more laid back schedule!
It’s really the community that makes it worth the time and effort. There have been one or two times in the past year when I’ve considered giving it up because I only have so much time in the day and while I love all of you, you aren’t the ones giving me hugs and kisses at night. But I would miss it so here I am 5 years in and looking forward to 5 more.
I’ll be going some Best-of-the Best posts this weeks with giveaways. For the first one I thought I’d compare my favorite lists over the years. The only big difference I see is that I read less romances these days. I bolded my 5 favorites from these lists (at least my favorite 5 today :)). My 5 faves from the last 5 years.
GIVEAWAY-Tell me what your favorite is from these lists and you’ll be entered to win a favorite pick of your choice! Make sure you leave your email too. I’ll draw a winner on Saturday. Look for more giveaways this week!
When I started on January 7, 2008 these were the books I listed as favorites from the year before…
the 5 Prey novels by John Sandford (Broken, Chosen, Mortal, Naked, Hidden)
Natural Born Lover by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows by JK Rowling
Sophie Metropolis by Tori Carrington
A year later and my 2008 list looked like this…
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
The Coffin Dancer by Jeffrey Deaver
Here are my 2009 favorites
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
My 2010 faves may be my favorite of the lists…
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
2011 had more great reading
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigani
Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
The Missing Ink by Karen Olson
And finally last year’s list
Thank you all for being such great reading buddies these past years and always steering my to awesome books I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Stacy's Books 
Congratulations on the blogoversary and thank you for sharing.
I’d like to be counted for the Sarah Jio book please.
mystica123athotmaildotcom
Congrats on the 5 years. My favorite is The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver. Thanks for having this giveaway.
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
Congratulations! I’d love to win Beloved by Toni Morrison… 🙂
nirmalachandrasiri(at)yahoo(dot)com
Congratulations! I would like to read Four Seasons in Rome. Thanks.
Happy Five Year Blogiversary, Stacy! I’m so honored to be on your best list for 2010, thank you. Meeting you and Bonnie at my book event in Hudson was a highlight of my tour. My gosh, it’s hard to believe it was 3 years ago!
Beth, meeting you was an honor 🙂 You are beautiful, gracious and inspirational. You deserve every success 🙂
I started blogging in June – just a few months after you and when I discovered your blog I thought you were a pro. (I still think that, by the way!) Congratulations on 5 wonderful years! It’s hard to pick a favorite from those lists but I think I’ll go with Saving CeeCee Honeycutt!
A pro, hahaha 🙂 Thanks, Kathy, I needed that!
Congratulations on your 5-year Blogoversary! That’s fantastic! I’m relieved you have decided to stick with your blog for the long haul…if you need to take some time off your should or even if you can only post 2 or 3 times a week but there would be a definite void in this community if your blog went dark for good. You have some terrific books listed here. Choosing a favorite is difficult but I just loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil!
Best wishes for a wonderful 2013 blogging year!
You are very sweet, Amy 🙂
Happy Blogoversary Stacy! I see many of the same favorites on your lists! I am anticipating reading In The Woods!
Happy Blogoversary Stacy! I see many of the same favorites on your lists! I am anticipating reading In The Woods!
Congrats on 5 years! They really do add up, don’t they? I think my favorite from your lists is Shadow of the Wind.
Happy, Happy 5th Blogiversary! My favorite from your lists would be The Glass Castle.
Five years = lots of dedication and discipline. I’ve only been at it for a bit more than a year, and I sometimes wonder how I’ll make it through another. I admire your blogging drive.
Your blog is so great, Scott. I need to switch how I get updates so I can read it more consistently. Off to do that now!
Congrats on 5 years Stacy! I’m with you–while it’s sometimes work to blog and there are so many other things (and demands), it’s hard to walk away from the great folks, huh? Glad to have you around. 😉 You’ve read some GREAT books! I loved Glass Castle and you’ve reminded me that I just downloaded Beloved on audio (narrated by Morrison!). It’s been YEARS since I read it so I’m looking forward to a revisit.
To many more…
Thanks, Trish. Us mothers of wee ones have to support each other 🙂
Do you know what? I don’ think I’ve read any of those I have Rob Lowe’s autobiography, but I’ve not yet gotten around to reading it. I first read a John Sandford book this year and loved it. I can’t wait to read more of his books.
Well, now you have a new list of great books!
Wow … 5 years!! I’ll be there this February. I think you do have to take a more relaxed approach after all that time or you’ll go nuts.
I think blogging definitely widens your reading horizons … I know I read more diverse books than I did before book blogging.
On your list, I think In The Woods would be one of my favorites because it was awesome and brought me to Tana French!
I can’t believe how relaxed I’ve let myself become in the last two months on the blogging front. It is a personal necessity but it doesn’t feel half bad!
Congratulations on five years, Stacy! I always look forward to seeing what you’ve been up to or have to share with us! Thanks so much for that!
Thanks, Kay 🙂 I always love when you stop by.
Congratulations on five years, Stacy! Boy, time flies, doesn’t it? I am so glad to know you. I love everything about your blog, but especially the opportunity you’ve given us to know you.
(You’ve got great taste in books! I love, love, love Pride and Prejudice. It’s one of my all time favorites.)
My husband would tell you he thinks maybe I’ve put too much of myself out here, so I’m glad you like that 🙂
Happy blogiversary! You know how much I love Pride & Prejudice. 🙂
Congrats on such a huge milestone! I’m so glad I discovered your blog last year. 🙂 Looking forward to many more years of conversation with you!
I’m going to pick two faves from your lists. Pride and Prejudice, of course. And the writer in me screams for me to pick On Writing. Excellent book!
Nice to know you too, Michelle!
Congratulations on five years!
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is my favorite from your lists. I just started reading A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler. It’s good so far.
I forgot to leave my email! It’s mittens0831 at aol dot com
Congratulations Stacy, 5 years is great and a little wow like – I am sad that I can’t get to your blog at work but I just downloaded Google and now I can.
There are a few I want to read on your lists but my favourite would be Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls or Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. As you say my choices today, lol
marceblogspot(at)hotmail(dot)com
Glad to know I can now help you pass the time at work, Marce!
5 years!! WooHoo!!!! I love your blog and the quizzes big time, even though I’m stumped more often than not! 😀
Rob Lowe’s books sounds great!
Quizzes back in February!
Congratulations! Five years is a long time in the blog world. My favorite from your list is Ender’s Game, which I read way back when it was published. That would be a previous century! lol
Congrats 5 years is an amazing effort. My 5 year blogoversary is in Oct, so many bloggers have come and gone. Glad you’re still going strong, a more relaxed schedule sounds great to me!
We have a few favourites in common … Saving CeeCee and The Chosen One are 2 I remember very fondly. I’d love to read The Violets of March 🙂
It isamazing how many friends you can make in 5 years and miss the ones who leave, isn’t it?
Wow, Congratulatins…and I don’t think I have read any of them oas you pick:)
I know I said this before but I can’t believe we’ve been chatting for like 5 years. You and some of our other favorite blogs are turning 5 in 2013. We run in the same circles. It’s crazy!
I have quite a few favorites: P&P, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, The Violets of March, Deathly Hollows
However, if I win I would like Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I never read it. I know the shame!
jennygirl73[at]gmail[dot]com
Thank you sweetie! and here’s to another 5 years 🙂
There’s a surprising (to me) comforting effect from blogging this long. You all are my peeps and count you among friends.
Congrats on five years!! My favorites on your lists are probably In the Woods and Ender’s Game.