I feel like every reader I talk to has a different definition of “cozy”! 😂 I think about the discussion of The Spellshop and how some people got stressed out because the stakes went up… or how since it included political and societal collapse it’s NOT cozy at all. I’ve even heard it to describe books like The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi and others I would NOT define as cozy at all.

I wonder if some people mean “whimsical,” or others mean “low-stakes,” and still others mean “fun.”

At this point I’m not sure how I would define “cozy” 😂 Help me out here! What is “cozy?”

hey everyone!!

so i've noticed a few things during discussions about characters in books, mainly on pagebound but also as well as in the wild and on social media. i have found that while it's very popular to like characters that are sort of "morally grey", especially in fantasy novels, there are a few guidelines they must follow. they have to be at least a little likeable, and a lot of that mainly revolves around their behaviour. how "bad" they are, how far their actions go to harm others.

for example: many characters who are written as "evil" but have a turning point sometime in a book or series don't commit acts that we would consider too evil. they're always things you can come back from– insults, temporary harm, threats. and even with pure villains, when audiences like them, they're still more likely to simply have killed someone rather than be a serial torturer, or violent to groups of people, or partake in some huge betrayal.

obviously i don't think any of those options should be things that make a character likeable, but it got me thinking: is there a point we draw a line? what actions are deemed "acceptable" for an antagonist or villain to do where they can still be redeemed or liked by a general audience, and what is too far? i would have thought murder to be across the line, because that's one of the worst things you can do in real life, but in books it seems to be much different.

do you guys have any thoughts? what are your personal lines for when you find a character irredeemable?

I'm currently reading 'Death of the Author' by Nnedi Okorafor, which is amazing so far. One of the things I love about the book is that you get the main story, but also chapters from the book the FMC is writing. I think you have to be insanely talented to make this concept work, because you basically have to write two books.

I have read one other book where this happens, 'Eliza and her Monsters' by Francesca Zappia, which was also amazing. So that made me wonder, are there more out there?

So if you know about books where you also get to read the book the MC is writing, please let me know! If I get enough responses I'll make a list out of it.

Update: Wow, this post got a lot more replies than I expected. RIP to my TBR. I have made the list and you can find it here.

This might be very niche but sometimes it bothers me that, no matter what fiction I read, there is always a lack of vegan food. I get that it is not the most popular diet/ way of living but as someone mostly vegan I can’t help but wanting to see it represented. So my question is, how do you feel about this and also, do any of you have rec for fiction with vegan food included?

I'm waiting for something to make me get into the atmosphere of an overflowing building under siege, but this is really very boring so far. I don't want to dnf two books in a row, but my expectations were VERY different (read: more horror). The Unworthy did the cramped monastery setting so much better and so much more viscerally that this feels YA in comparison. I'm also not a big fan of the pov characters so far. I hope my feelings will change cause the concept is so up my alley 😭

Hello. I am not really sure if this goes on here, if it doesn't, do let me know, please! And if you could direct me towards the correct area, I would appreciate it.

I have started getting more consistent with reading, instead of taking entire weeks to read 1 book, therefore I am gonna be more active on the book forums. And I have noticed for the first time yesterday, that there is a limit of posts we can make in 24 hours? I don't know if this is a new feature? If we can surpass it by contributing to the site/app, or I was just not aware of it due to not participating as much...

But it very annoying and disruptive. Especially when a book is specifically engaging, and I am trying to read it in 1 or 2 days, I am bound to make more than 5 posts... And I think it can get quite confusing for both the person sharing their thoughts and the people reading them when I have to compile opinions from different pages into 1 single post... I think that defeats the entire purpose of a feature like that?

And if I don't wanna compile everything together, because it ends up being messy and confusing, I have to basically keep my thoughts and not write at all. And I enjoy writing what I think as I read along, and I love seeing what everyone else thinks while reading along.

I am not going to lie, but that is the main feature I even use this app for. That's what makes this place unique for me. So the limit makes no sense.

I understand there can't be infinite posts for 1 book in such a short span of time, because people could spam to infinity and beyond, but 5 is just not enough?

I guess, I would to ask if there is any possibility into bringing the limit number a bit higher? Like, at least 10? 15? I think that gives us all a better chance of giving our thoughts on important bits and pieces we read without being too overwhelming. Cuz, again, 5 works maybe if you only read some pages per day, but if you read an entire book in 1 or 2 days, you can't fully express your thoughts.

I don't know if anyone agrees with me. I would love to know everyone's opinion, though. And sorry for rambling so much lol. I just feel stuck, like do I stop reading until tomorrow, or do I read and just not share what I think on here?

Be honest with me for a second.

Are you actually reading books right now … or are you collecting them?

Is your TBR a carefully curated reading plan, or a beautiful tower of good intentions? Are you finishing what you buy, or are you chasing the thrill of the next preorder?

No judgment. This is a safe space for the “I own it and I’ll get to it eventually” crowd.

Tell me: 📚 How many unread books are currently staring at you? 📖 And what’s stopping you from starting them?

Confessions encouraged.

Hi 👋🏻 While writing my review about Fourth Wing, I was thinking about how I had different standards/level of expectations for different kind of genre. For instance if I read Fourth Wing as a fantasy book, I would expect a lot more of it (better writing, a more detailed world building,…) but if I read it as a romance, I am more inclined to let pass some flaws because in my head romance is more about the overall feeling it provides rather than a perfect setting. So I had a hard time deciding in which way to read it and finally decided that for me it’s a romance in a fantasy setting and therefore I have to live with the fact that I didn’t enjoy the introduction to the world (which was a bit unclear for me and hard to fully immerse myself into it) but once I started reading it as a romance I committed more to the story and enjoyed it even.
And this made me realise that I have different levels of standards for different genre. For instance, I am more picky about sci-fi because it’s my favourite genre and I don’t want to be disappointed by them so I choose wisely, but with romance I just go with whatever I am in the mood for and I will not expect good writing or anything more on the technical side of being an author (like flaws in the editions) from it. And the same for non-fiction I will be a lot more picky about the topic and the author because I want to read reliable infos. And I realised that for like thrillers and mystery novels I have my to go authors and I rarely go away from them, because I know that they are good at what they do (and because I usually never expect the ending of who is the murderer and that’s great when it’s unexpected).

Now I am wondering if you also feel this with some genres and maybe with which genres in particular? So yeah what are your thoughts 💭

Our next Special Event will celebrate Japanese literature, culture and its influence on the world. Like the sakura (cherry blossom) trees Japan gifts other nations to promote cross-cultural exchange, we hope reading these books together will connect the global Pagebound community. We've intentionally selected a broad range of genres and authors to spotlight, so everyone can find a book they're interested in. This event will run from March 15 to April 15.

Check out the Special Events page (in the More tab on the app, or click the pink banner on the Discuss page on web).

The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura: a translated Japanese magical realism novel about a mysterious bookshop that appears during cherry blossom season (vibes: cozy, poignant)

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki: a metafictional novel about belonging & home, identity & immigration. Ozeki is the first practicing Zen Buddhist priest to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize (vibes: literary, meditative) - check triggers

The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji: a 1987 translated Japanese murder mystery novel (vibes: a classic "whodunit")

Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki: a memoir from Japan's most celebrated geisha in Kyoto's Gion district during the 1960s & 70s (the UK title is Geisha of Gion). Iwasaki was one of the geisha's interviewed by Arthur Golden for his book Memoirs of a Geisha that fictionalized her story. It included many inaccuracies, and here, Iwasaki sets the record straight.

What's a Special Event? Each quarter, we run a short 1 month readalong showcasing diverse voices in literature. Read one of the selections and comment or post in the forum during the Readalong to earn a special badge. Unlike Seasonal Readalongs, you do not earn a special badge for reading all the selections.

Excited to see the discussions for this event!

Happy Reading, Jennifer & Lucy

Hi friends! I’m a founder of a fairly popular online literary magazine that publishes mostly poetry but also art and flash prose. I was wondering if anyone else from that world is using PB: any other editors, readers, or writers? I also have my degree in creative writing & send my own poetry out to occasionally get published :)

I lost most of my IRL friends that I would bond over this with when college ended because everyone moved back home or went to grad school. I would love more friends that enjoy this kind of world, especially friends that are also poets/writers!

If this applies to you even in the slightest, introduce yourself below 🫶👀👇

I’ve been thinking a lot about the overlap between people who devour books and people who sink hours into video games.

If you’re a reader and a gamer, I’m curious: • What are you playing right now? • Do you gravitate toward story-heavy games, cozy games, chaotic multiplayer, RPGs? • Do you feel like gaming scratches the same itch as reading - or a totally different one?

And if you don’t game, I’d love to know why. No judgment - just genuinely interested in how these hobbies intersect (or don’t).

I’m fascinated by the reader/gamer venn diagram. Where do you land?

Alive.

Lunar New Year is here! Prosperity and great health to all!

But I need your help PB! I’m going to be inundated with visits and my weird family culture (I’m sure I’m not the only one with these) is that I’m not allowed to read books or use an “iPad” size device which means my ereader is out. I can only use my phone to read whilst visiting, and unfortunately my current library is very NSFW indeed.

Please introduce me your greatest SFW reads! Some preference:

• any genre
• non-fiction would be great too
• I’m not super keen on teenage/YA type books but if you think it’s amazing I’m gonna take a look!
• no school setting

SFW in this instance here would be if a kid peeks at my screen no one is gonna string me up by my toes.

Thank you in advance!