I still remember quite clearly the birth of The Unlikely Bookworm. I was working for a beauty PR agency in Chelsea, having spent the best part of a year interning at various publishers with he hope of securing an entry level role in publishing. Alas, it wasn’t to be, and having drained both my determination and finances after a year of rejections, I segued into PR instead. My boss – alongside everyone else I came into contact with – knew of my endless passion for books, and so suggested I start a blog.  We had a brief brainstorm in the office over what said blog should be called, and thanks to my dear friend Eleanor, The Unlikely Bookworm was born.

I cringe when I think of how this blog used to look; having almost no technical know-how I downloaded WordPress and one of the free themes on offer, picked a more cursive font on offer from Word for my ‘logo’, and started to write. Back in those days – when blogging wasn’t the thriving business it has since become – all I was concerned about was writing, and seeing those words come to life on screen.

I used screen shots of the front covers of the books I reviewed – no bigger than a thumbnail; unimaginable now, I know – and cared nothing about who was reading it; if indeed anyone was at all. I still remember the joy of the first free book I was sent to review by my friend Jess – a copy of The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau – and to this day, few things excite me more than a book shaped parcel arriving in the post. I knew nothing about SEO, nor sharing on social media, nor the endless opportunities this blog would bring, and over the past five years of blogging, it’s been a big and endless learning curve.

Had I known back then that five years down the line I’d still be blogging, and more passionate about it than ever, perhaps I would have named it differently. The Unlikely Bookworm has been an extension of my identity for such a long time, it’s truly taken me months to come to terms with rebranding and relinquishing the name by which I’ve been known for a number of years. It’s not been a decision I’ve take likely, and I hope that those who have followed my journey thus far will continue to do so in the coming months.

There will still be a place for my personal posts – on life down under and my ongoing journey towards making Australia my home – but my focus will be on creating a dedicated space for book lovers; featuring reviews, beautiful bookstores, literary city guides, competitions and more.

Five years of blogging at The Unlikely Bookworm has done nothing but further whet my appetite for all things literary, and I hope that in the years to come I can continue to share my endless passion for power of books.

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