Book blogger spotlight: Readers in Wonderland
Australian blogger Rebecca Daly and US-based Alise McGriffin have collaborated on the YA blog Readers in Wonderland since 2013. Daly’s blogging style incorporates GIFs and images to keep it visually engaging, and she has ‘recently fallen in love with the bookstagram community’. She spoke to Books+Publishing for our ‘Book blogger spotlight’ series.
Describe your blog in under 50 words.
Readers in Wonderland is a young adult book blog with reviews, pretty pictures and fangirling.
What makes your blog unique?
I think all the ‘5’ posts we’ve been doing. Initially, I started my ‘5 Things About X’ reviews because I was short on time and it allowed me to quickly describe the best things about the books and use fun GIFs. It ended up being more popular than expected! The photos in all the posts are another new addition that’s making our posts a bit more unique.
When and how did you get started?
I personally started blogging back in 2010 on a non-book blog. It was around 2011-2012 that I started two different book blogs (I wanted to change the format of my posting halfway through) as a way to discuss the books I loved because none of my real friends were interested. In 2013, I stumbled upon a request for a co-blogger on Readers in Wonderland, so I applied. I haven’t moved from that blog since!
How do you find out about new books?
The main way I find out about new books is through other book blogs and Goodreads. It is only in the last year or two that some Australian publishers have approached me with offers to be signed up to their blogger database and it still seems surreal!
What audience do you reach?
Our blog is mostly read by other book bloggers, so 80-90% women, ranging in age from 14-30s. I haven’t checked the exact stats of the blog in a while, but we have over 3000 feed subscribers (through Bloglovin’ and Feedly), and over 590 email subscribers.
What other book blogs do you regularly follow?
There are so many fantastic book blogs out there, I wish I had time to read more of them! Some notable Aussie ones I read often are Happy Indulgence, Paper Fury, The Loony Literate, Commas and Ampersands and Angel Reads. Some international bloggers I love to check out include The Bandar Blog and My Friends are Fiction.
What has been your most popular post?
My most recent popular post is ‘It’s Time for an Intervention’ where I discuss my new book-buying ban.
What’s your favourite social media platform, and what recent trends in social media have you noticed in book blogging?
I must say I’ve recently fallen in love with the bookstagram community on Instagram, which is definitely one of the biggest new social media book blogging trends. There’s so many amazing photographs of gorgeous books filling my feed. It’s so pleasing to scroll through!
What are you reading now?
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare and the audiobook of A Feast for Crows by George R R Martin.
Tags: book blogger spotlight
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