Awesome Blogs and Why You Should Be Following Them

I mentioned in passing previously that the amount of blogs I follow were halved when I started re-creating my blogging direction. Sure, that meant unfollowing a lot of bloggers whom I loved, but didn't feel I was learning anything from or gaining anything out of, all the while keeping a small, but quality collection of blogs I have forever loved, but that also meant following a lot of new bloggers who wrote content I loved and that interested me.

Sure, some of these bloggers I've since unfollowed because there content wasn't quite what I was looking for, but many of them I continue to follow, and they've pushed me into and onto better and bigger things, and that's amazing. I'm going to run you through 12 blogs - book, blogging and business related - that I absolutely love, that you should really consider checking out too!

1. Paper Fury: I've been following Cait on her blogging journey for well over a year and I really don't think I'd have as much fun as I have had without her. She's intense, but in a really exciting way. She's immense, but not in a cocky, over-the-top way. She's awesome, and the best part? She knows it, and embraces it, she takes her crazy and makes amazing blog posts all book related through it. Everyday, I feel myself move further away from book-related blogging, and yet I'll always follow Cait, no matter what, because she's wonderful.

2. Chasing Faerytales: Mishma and Jillian are pretty new to my following list, but it's with good reason they're on there - I just love their content. Much like Cait, they are book-focused, but it doesn't feel like books are everything and life and air and- breatheeeee, you know? They talk books, but they talk awesome, important subjects too, and Mishma's discussions are just to die for, it's hard to believe I didn't follow them sooner. I'm always snooping (even if I'm not commenting) and I really rather love what they have going on, a lot.



3. It Starts At Midnight: I'm not a huge reader of reviews that much anymore, (hence my reviews are getting less and less themselves) but I will always enjoy Shannon's brashness when it comes to her discussions topics. She's always ready to take on a subject everybody knows and twists it, churns it, explores the angles and creates a fabulous post that I have no words for. Her voice and how she goes about things is just great, and I'm also just a tiny bit biased towards her design because I like it oh so much.

3. Bookmarked: Following Harvey was probably one of the best decisions I've made in terms of following people because his content and so so good. He's been making big changes on his blog in terms of content, design, privacy, and so much more, and it's been wonderful to see how he's grown, and how some of my posts have been great in inspiring him. Not only that though, he's got some raw, fabulous talent when it comes to blogging, and there has not been a post he's written that I haven't enjoyed, and that's saying something.

4. The Blogging Brew: I found Jessica while I was secretly designing Nellie and Co. through a tutorial, and ever since, I've been a follower of hers and don't plan to stop anytime soon. She does vanish for some periods of time (because college, bah, who needs study when you can blog, am I right?) but her content is always super concise, informative, fun and plain enjoyable. Her design also helped inspire some of Nellie's design, so all in all, a super wonderful blogger you just need to be checking out.

5. Allyssa Barnes: It's super super rare for me to like a blog who's blog colours focus a lot on pink, and yet I've fallen in love with Allyssa's blog hook, line and sinker. Her posts are top-notch, fabulous quality, her design is simple, functional and attractive and it's everything I love about a blog. She tackles the little topics that everybody wonders, and I'm always sharing her posts in Blogger Love, so that says something, right?



6. Nosegraze: Bah, nerves, what are they? I don't know, because as nervous as I used to be around Ashley, I'm really not now. I've loved Nosegraze for forever, and only got around to actually following her around a year ago and shame on me for that. Her content is amazing, and even though she focuses a lot on Wordpress, I still read and collect her posts because they're so valuable to people, it's so worth. She's wonderful, friendly and has one of the best blog-focused blogs out there.

7. Krista Rae: I really don't know what I thought when I found Krista. Her actual blog is still only new, but her content is so experienced and out of this world, I don't think I've not enjoyed a single post she's written. She picks up on the little details bloggers and business people alike could and should be paying attention to, and she makes everything so simple, personal and fun. She even has an awesome ecourse that you should really check out.

8. The Haute Notes: Rachel is the most recent of all bloggers to make it onto my list, and I think that makes it easy to see what makes me follow a blog these days. Her blog is clean and crisp, and her content and so simple but has tones of value, and I actually, surprising quite like her brands colours - I'm not a big pink person, even when it comes to pale colours, but it works, and the blue is like BANG. Rachel is seriously lovely, and her freebie Get Yourself Noticed Online course is really cool.

9. The Nectar Collective: So Melyssa is a badass blogger and business woman, but she's not to be feared. I was pretty intimidated by her blog presence, but then when I finally started checking out her blog and her content - wow. Such awesome advice. Such helpful tips and tricks. Such fabulous support and humanity she shows and each one of her posts, she's pretty fabulous and honestly, she has some of the best posts in my Blogger Love posts every month. She's a must read.



11. Femtrepreneur: I tweeted about Mariah and Femtrepreneur a few weeks ago and how I'd been looking for a blog like hers all my life, and I honestly, truly meant it. Her blog is just - look, you might not be looking to turn your blog into a business, god knows that's not my thought process right now, but what she teaches you, it's not just for the blogging business chappies and ladies, it's for everyone. It's super awesome advice anyone can listen to, and should listen to okay?

12. Elle and Company: Save one of the best for last with Lauren I must say. Elle and Company is just, out of this world. her content is absolutely the best I've ever read, her teachings and her general voice is just so simple and beautiful, and I've simply not come across a post in the time I've been following her that I haven't enjoyed, business or blogging related. She just has everything in the bag - she's talented, a fabulous teacher and with her Collaborative feature blooming, she's bringing everyone else in on her awesome too. Absolutely everyone should be following Lauren.

Name some blogs you love - why should I follow them?