AnnaBookBel comes of age!

Posted on by AnnaBookBel

I didn’t remember until late last night, but yesterday on September 15th, my blog reached 18 years old! Gosh, I never thought when I dipped my blogging toe into the water back on Blogspot in 2008 that I’d still be going – but I just love talking about and sharing books, the best kind of hobby. Thank you as always to everyone who visits, whether a lurker or commenter, your visits are much appreciated (unless you’re an bot or spam or an imposter of course!).

To celebrate, here are my books of the year for each year I’ve been going…
2025 – Muckle Flugga by Michael Pedersen
2024 – Orbital by Samantha Harvey
2023 – The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman
2022 – Mischief Acts by Zoe Gilbert
2021 – Diary of a Film by Niven Govinden
2020 – Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
2019 – Slow Motion Ghosts by Jeff Noon
2018 – To Throw Away Unopened by Viv Albertine
2017 – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
2016 – Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
2015 – Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller
2014 – Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton
2013 – Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo
2012 – The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
2011 – The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt
2010 – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré
2009 – Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
2008 – Blindness by Jose Saramago

There are so many books I adored in that lot. If I had to pick just one plus a runner up for best book of the years it would be Piranesi which was very special indeed, with The Spy Who Came in From the Cold as runner-up. But ask me again tomorrow and that may have changed.

And the front runner for this year so far – it’s Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Rie Qudan, but that could change too when I get to some of the new autumn releases…

I hope you enjoyed this tour through my books of the year. Back to reviews next.

P.S. Incidentally, I was awarded a ‘Vigesimal Veteran’ badge on Librarything this month too. I had to double-check vigesimal – it relates to the number 20. So 20 years on Librarything which was the precursor to my blog.

37 thoughts on “AnnaBookBel comes of age!”

  2. whatcathyreadnext says:

    Congratulations! I think only other bloggers can appreciate how much is involved in maintaining a blog for so long. Fabulous that your desire to share your love of books remains just as strong as when you started.

    Reply
  3. Nordie says:

    Congrats on the anniversary! I’m scared to work out how old my blog is!

    Looks like we only have one book in a shared read – Piranesi. Thankfully there are plenty of books to go around!

    Reply
  11. Diana @ Thoughts on Papyrus says:

    Congratulations! Piranesi is good, but Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is even better. Her true masterpiece. I am SO looking forward to Clarke’s new novella (short story?) – The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City. Apparently, it is set in the same universe as Jonathan Strange.

    Reply
    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Thanks Diana, I loved Jonathan Strange too – but it was 2004, so pre-blog! I have the new novella on order.

      Reply
    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Thanks Emma, 16 yrs is a long time too, so well done to you!
      I think Blindness turned me on to reading more in translation, having not really got beyond Tolstoy’s epics and Maigret previously.

      Reply
  14. Lory says:

    That’s something to celebrate! I started blogging 13 years ago, and remember how exciting it was to discover blogs like yours. I’m glad you’re still going strong, where quite a number from those days have stopped.

    I loved Golden Hill, too, and want to read more by Francis Spufford but have not gotten to it yet. And I need to reread Piranesi! But I could not get far with The Spy Who Came In from the Cold…maybe I’ll have another try some time.

    Reply
    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Thank you Lory. I’m the same with Spufford – I have several including his latest Nonesuch on my shelves. And ditto re Piranesi, although I’m thinking of the idea of a Jonathan Strange re-readalong now…. Le Carre is an absolute favourite of mine, and spy thrillers are an addiction for me – his are the most literary of the lot.

      Reply
  15. Helen says:

    Congratulations! My blog is a year younger than yours, although I always forget about my anniversaries. Golden Hill, A Gentleman in Moscow and The Sisters Brothers are some of my favourites as well.

    Reply
    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Thanks! I knew yours was a veteran blog too – I’m sure there are many more, but only Simon and Kimbofo that are still going were ones older than ours that I visited and encouraged me to start.

      Reply

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