Wow! You have so many years of blogging to celebrate! 🙌 I’m celebrating 8 this summer. I’m sorry about your hate mail. 👎 Authors need to remember that reviews are for other readers. I feel sad when someone gives my 5 star read 1 star…..so I can imagine how negative reviews hurt their feelings. But still, they need to avoid engaging. I know there’s been a couple of authors who have a bad rep for attacking reviewers. I’m glad we’ve connected in the happy bookish blogosphere! #readingpeoplearethebestpeople ~Carol @ ReadingLadies

LOL, I cannot see you as the Simon Cowell book blogger!! It made me laugh out loud. I need a more relaxed approach to my blogging. Love stopping by, have a great week!

I use Goodreads, too, but my reviews on it are so short as to not really be a review. I can't make myself settle long enough to even write a reviewish comment there. Ha!

I have had my present blog for almost then years, but I did have another blog for about a year before that. I remember you commenting once about your snarky reviews, and I found that hard to believe, but I'm glad you eased up on your own, Susan. I am still doing blog tours and every year say I am going to cut back, but I haven't yet. Some good observations here.

Hi! To think 19 years ago you were a young mom and 18 years ago I was 45 getting my divorce and blogging became a lifeline for me. I have a ton of time to read, and I even went to school to get my editing degree, but life happened and I’ve been caring for my parents and now just my mom. Great blog!

A great read with wonderful insights from an experienced blogger! It's a huge accomplishment to have stuck to anything, let alone reviewing (which is so time consuming) for so long! I really enjoyed reading your takes on what you choose to review versus what you don't, as that's something I struggle finding a balance with myself.

Love your list, Susan! Thank you for coming up with this week’s prompt. I love Goodreads! Happy Tuesday!

I've seen a lot now people mention having cut down on reviews over the years, and that's something I've done too. It's nice to balance the with reading purely for enjoyment without having to express/justify your thoughts lol

Possibly the best opening line to a blog! So funny that you didn't remember submitting it. It was a great prompt, so thank you!!

I hadn't even heard of book tours until your post, I'm learning something new everyday as a newbie book blogger!

I replied to your comment on my own blog asking how long you've been doing this, but I see now it's 20 years!! That's incredible.

And I'm definitely going to read through your old blog posts as I just have to see the Simon Cowell you 😂

Wow! Almost 20 years already! That's incredible! I've been blogging since 2009 so just 3 years after you and I still have fun with it as well! I've seen many changes over the years, watched many friends "retire" but I still chug at it because it's something I like doing. I still find that I like to give the shortest of book summaries, usually only giving a little more umph than what's in the synopsis because as a reader looking for new reads, that's what I look for in reviews. ESPECIALLY when the plot rarely gets mentioned. There have been books where the synopsis was so vague I was like, what genre is the book apart of?! Luckily those were just in the early days, but I've found I still like to include this in my reviews because it's what I want to see in reviews. I've always gone by "write the kind of review you'd want to read!"

Sadly I've also seemed to have gotten off publishers lists. I truly blame Covid for that because the review books have been few and far between these years. I still request on Edelweiss and Netgalley but have been getting a slew of rejections recently so that's even putting me down after I highlighted all my credentials in my request.

Here's my Tuesday Post

Have a GREAT day!

Old Follower :)

Two decades of blogging!!! WOW! *bows down* I want to go and read your old Simon Cowell reviews. Some of the older WLABB ones would fit that, too (not written by me). I feel so many of these points but really love that you are still a Goodreads person. I love GR and it gets a bad rap from too many. Still the best place for bookish stuff, if you ask me.

I love that you’ve been blogging for so long!

It makes me sad when blogs go quiet. I wish their authors well.

Loved this post, Susan! I remember you back in those early years. My current blog is 10 years old, but I had another one before that. I agree with many of your changes and have the same challenges myself. I've finally gotten to the point where I blog as I like, etc. I do rarely write negative things about books, but I think part of that is realizing over and over that we all like different things. And that's OK. What might work for me might not work for other readers. Blogs and especially attending a couple of book groups for 18 years has helped with hearing other perspectives. I miss several bloggers, but like you, I'm glad that some have stuck around. I'll be here as long as I can. Big hugs to you - one day we might even meet in person. Take care!

I have been blogging for over twenty years also, just not in the books space. I would use Xanga for blogging, like a journal, when I was in high school (1998). Then I made a blog about becoming a new young mom, which allowed me to get to know other young moms. I have been using Blogger/Wordpress for a few years for blogging about books, as my children have gotten older and I had more time on my hands.

Book Tours! Gosh I remember thinking how they'd grow my blog LOL LOL LOL Good post--and thanks for reading mine!

I very rarely do book tours anymore! I will only do them if it's something I really want to read or already have an e-arc for. The schedule is too much and they have so many rules now. I never gain much traction so it doesn't feel like it's that beneficial with the stress. Great post!

I've been blogging for over 20 years now (I started with Blogger in 2004, though I did nuke my first blog and start over) and lots has changed. One big one is the amount of personal stuff I write about has decreased dramatically.

I agree about your last point too, though. I've seen a lot of blogs go silent, for a lot of reasons, and it makes me sad. On the other hand, I do have one or two long-term blog friends that I'm still in touch with from my early days of blogging, and I cherish that history even though we've never met in person.

Ah, yes! All the blog tour days. I used to join quite a few of those. I also used to accept all the things. That kind of gradually fell away and now I rarely review or request "just anything," and overall, I think this is really good! :) Congrats on almost twenty years! That's awesome. :) Thanks so much for visiting my list this week.

20 years is amazing! I started in 2021 so am still reviewing every book and going on Blog Tours. My reviews have got longer, but then the Blog Tours require it (well one had a minimum word count, the rest is my guilt 😂)

Hopefully we both have many more blogging years in us - I'm mid 30s - 35 specifically - and have a 6 year old and a 22 month old!

Have a great rest of the week!

Initially I loved to blog for the free books I was sent. Now? I do not ask for them, and I do not review anything sent to me I did not request. I read what I want and review what I want!

I don't do very many book tours anymore either. I have too many books to read as it is. My TTT: https://bonniereadsandwrites.com/2025/05/13/top-ten-tuesday-ways-in-which-my-blogging-habits-have-changed/

You suggested a very fun topic this week :) Thanks for helping me take a trip down memory lane with my blog! 20 years is incredible and I hope that I'll be able to say that one day. I've got a while to go but already feel like a 'veteran' considering how many blogger friends have disappeared over the years and how many new blogs keep cropping up (too many to keep up with)! I can relate to so many of these changes that you mentioned, and I for one am thankful for how much I've grown as a reader and blogger over the years. Many lessons were learned! 🤭

Great post! And a bit lengthy haha, but your blog has undergone multiple changes over the years.

My TTT (I'm laaaaaate): https://laurieisreading.com/2025/05/17/top-ten-tuesday-ways-in-which-my-bloggin-reviewing-style-has-changed-over-time/

I've been blogging for about 15 years now. I started initially because I was leading an international book club where the members moved around all the time. One of them asked me to start a blog when she left. So, I have more or less had an online book club since then. I have not changed much. At the beginning, I wrote reviews about every book I ever read. Now, I don't have that many books to review since I've gone through them all but participate in challenges like Top Ten Tuesday or Classic Club etc. But I still do the same kind of reviews.

Loved reading your list, Susan. I've been blogging since 2007. Funny that we were both at the same time in our lives when we picked up blogging. I think I recall a few of your snarky reviews. :) I've always enjoyed checking in here when I can, and one day I might follow your lead and write off book tours entirely. Thanks for sharing.

Wow! That is some serious time in the book blogging world! I'm at 12 years I think and that feels pretty long as it is. I haven't changed that much though I'm much pickier about the books I take to review and the sources they come from. It is sad how many people have disappeared from the blogging world. There are a number of people I still wonder about. Great list!