New Year Reflections...

Some might be aware that I had a book blog for three years before I started Sunny Buzzy Books. 

It was called The Book Lovers Codex and I used it as a space to post book reviews and take part in reveals, tours, blitzes and the like. 

I loved my little blog, it didn't get much interaction in the way of comments and communication with readers but it had a couple of thousand followers on twitter and facebook so I like to think it played a part in sharing the book love despite not really being a part of 'the community'. 

By that I mean I didn't spend much time getting to know fellow bloggers. I didn't visit other blogs, or comment, or participate in giveaways and hops... I just stuck to my own little corner of the bloggiverse and minded my own business. 

In the third year of The Book Lovers Codex I didn't post much. 

I didn't read much. 

Life had gotten so busy and I'd fallen into a dark little place. 

I wanted (needed) to reduce stress and decided to simplify my life and eliminate unnecessary drains on my time. 

So I deleted my beloved but hideously neglected blog. 

I deleted it's social media pages. I deleted the associated email account. 

I was done.

This was around last February and it was so freeing. 

The guilt of neglecting my blog and any sense of futility that arose when I did motivate myself to post disappeared. 

It really was a good move...  

Until I wasn't.

I missed my blog. 

I'd made enough subtle changes in my life that I had slowly started moving from the dark place. 

I started reading again.

I missed having somewhere to write up the book thoughts.

It really didn't take that long before I realised I'd been a right berk in deleting everything - it was April - but it was long enough to prevent me from recovering any of the past.

If I wanted to blog again, I needed to start from the beginning.

So I did. 

Sunny Buzzy Books was born in May 2017.

This time, however, I was doing things a bit differently.

I was going to write reviews how I liked reviews and I wasn't going to compare myself - or my reviews - to other bloggers and their lengthy and beautiful book dissections that I read on goodreads. I was just going to be me. 

I wasn't going to stress myself out with constant promo pieces - cover reveals, blitzes, tours, arcs - and I haven't. 

(Much. August was a bit hectic but I pulled myself back after that...)

I decided I wanted to connect more with other bloggers and I have. 

I visit blogs when I have time, reading and commenting on their posts and enjoying it. 

I take part in book memes and hops because I want to post more than book reviews this time around and the meme's and questions always give me something to think about - write about - and writing those posts has uncovered the sassy opinionated part of me that had slowly been smothered to the point of near death. 

I hold a giveaway once a month to give back to readers and, I'm not going to lie, to entice people to read the blog. Sunny Buzzy Books is still a new blog and I need a way of getting it 'out there'. Although, at the end of the day, I'll write the blog regardless of whether anybody reads it because I enjoy it but it's nice to think that it's not all for nothing! lol. 

In the past, I'd agree to read pretty much anything that sounded like it was my type of book. I had a happy request finger on Netgalley. I never had time to read whatever I wanted whenever I wanted as I always had a review copy of something to 'get through'. 

Now I'm extremely picky about my arc's / review requests. 

I'll only request/accept a book I'm desperate to read, and had on my TBR, or something that sounds freakin' amazing and I can't wait to get my hands on... Basically, something I'd be buying and reading anyway regardless of whether I'm granted a review copy to inhale a few weeks early. 

This helps keep me happy, engaged and sane on the reading front. 

This year, I want to continue Sunny Buzzy books as I have begun.

I want to continue writing more than just book reviews.

I want to continue keeping the 'promos' to a minimum and only sharing things I'm genuinely enthusiastic or interested in. 

I want to continue visiting other blogs.

I'm going to maintain my stance on ARCs and Netgalley. 

I'm going to continue to REFUSE to be bullied for reviews by pushy authors - yep, that actually happens! - and I'm going to continue marching to the beat of whatever drum makes me happy.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

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