Ohana Reads 2nd Blogiversary!

   2 years, that's how long I've been blogging. Holy crap, it feels like only yesterday that I celebrated my 1st Blogiverary.
   In the past year my goals have stayed the same, along with the exception of adding a few more. I still want to be a published YA author, so I still use my blog for practicing my writing. (Even though I still haven't gotten anywhere with my draft.) But along with my writing, I've also decided on what career path I'd like to take when I'm older. I'd like to work in publishing as a publicist, so with blogging I find that I'm slowly learning the ways of the industry. So I'm killing two birds with one stone!

   This year has definitely been different from my first year of blogging. This year I've gotten into a routine of things when it comes to posting, I schedule everything in advance and I have more than one post each week. Unfortunately with gaining a routine and focusing all my time and effort into my posts, I've found that I have neglected a few of my blogger friends as well as Twitter chats and advertising posts. I'm sorry for all my friends who are reading this, this will definitely change this year.

This is my Break Down of the Year:

Over 107, 900 page views

161 Published Comments

269 Total Posts

My Top Series Enders of 2013 being my most viewed post...at 47, 316 views
The Vengeance Road Blog Tour being my most viewed post of 2015... at 218 views

28 Bloglovin Followers

13 GFC Followers
29 People have me in their Circles

708 Twitter Followers

83 Facebook likes

337 Instagram Followers

   Like I said last year, obviously I focus more on some sites more than others, so you can see the big differences there. I'm thinking of dropping a few of my sites this year (Facebook, GFC), and focusing all my effort into a select group. (I.E Twitter, Google+, and maybe Bloglovin')

   Even though I wasn't as active when it came to talking to all the people and bloggers that I became friends with last year, there were still a good group of people who made my previous year great and I'd like to highlight a few of them. 

People Who Made 2015 Great:

Kaitlin from Next Page Please!

Kit Kat from Let The Pages Reign

Kristie from Lost in Ever After

Brittany from Brittany's Book Rambles

Jessica and Amber from The Book Bratz

Crystal from Bookiemoji

Adi Alsaid

and Finally,

Stephanie from Doodle's Book Reviews
I met Stephanie online a few years ago before really becoming a blogger, she's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet and I'm glad to say we've grown closer friends throughout the year. Stephanie is one of my best friends, I even call her a sister, and I'm glad to be able to call her so. She was there for me throughout the past year, and I hope that she'll stick with me for the next years to come.

Highlights of Ohana Reads 2015:

   1. Becoming more known to publishers, for some people this might not be a big deal but I've found that with being in Canada, bloggers have a harder time being noticed by the publishing houses. With some of the houses just being American, we don't even have a chance at all. So yes, to me this was an accomplishment and a highlight.

   2. I've kind of adopted my local Indie, McNally Robinson, this year. With joining their Two Thumbs Up Program, (Even though technically my membership ends in February), and their First Reads Book Club. It's been a blast always visiting them, and always feeling at home with the books and workers there.

   3. In October, my sister and I went to a Author Round Table Dinner for MYRCA, a Manitoba Literacy Choice Awards group for kids in grades 6-8, promoting books from all over Canada. Throughout the night we were seated with 3 different authors who rotated seats with other tables for each course. I was lucky enough to have been able to sit beside Kelley Armstrong, Larry Verstraeten, and Colleen Nelson, as well as see a family friend Maureen Fergus again. It was such an amazing feeling to have been able to be around so many book loving people from Winnipeg, most of the time we don't get bookish events, so it was a pretty amazing experience for me. It was also the first time being around such a large group of book people since YALLFest 2014. Since the dinner, my local public library system has asked to host me on their Teen Website as one of their favourite bloggers of 2015, and I've been invited from a local publishing to help promote their books. 

Goals for 2016:

 
   1. I want to start talking to bloggers more! When I say more, I mean I'd like to participate in more discussions and become close with my blogger friends again. So commenting on blog posts, talking to bloggers on twitter, and more twitter parties are definitely a must.

   2. Advertising Posts! Writing posts are pointless if no one is reading them! So this year I'm going to be trying my best to spread the word, and get more people reading my posts!

   3. Giveaways! I love to spoil people, and promoting books, so why not do more giveaways and do both at the same time? With learning about Book Depository this year, and their free international shipping, I'm going to try and do a giveaway every few months! Whether it's on my blog, or on Twitter!

   Thank you all for such a wonderful year, It couldn't have been as successful without all of your support and love! I just know that 2016 will be a great year! So to end my 2nd Blogiversary with a bang, I have a giveaway for you all! 

- Ohana Reads Giveaway Policies apply. (Check out the policies page)

- Open to any country that can receive books from Book Depository!
- Winner gets to choose from any book pictured or any book from one of the series pictured.

- Giveaway runs until February 6th, 2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

   Once again, a huge thank you to everyone for such a fantastic year. I honestly couldn't have survived it all without all of your support! I can't wait to see where 2016 will take us!