This question is inspired by a disagreement I had with my kid this morning. I have set myself a yearly reading goal each year for well over a decade. For the first time in a long time, I’m going to struggle to hit this year’s goal, but I’m sure I will get there. My kid doesn’t set a reading goal for the year, and I couldn’t properly articulate why I do, or why it’s important to me. I do like reading a lot of books, and I do like having a bit of pressure to do that - but not enough to make reading feel like a chore or unenjoyable. Which has led me to wonder:

Why do you set a yearly reading goal? (Or not set a reading goal?)

dear pb,

exactly a month ago, i set out on a journey i had failed at many times in the last few years: read for fun again. so i decided to download pagebound and...

when i was a kid, i was inseparable from my literally-almost-as-tall-as-me book stacks i'd carry around, in the car, to school, etc. i was obsessed with reading. somewhere along the line, maybe early high school ish, it kinda fell apart and life got so crazy. now its been almost a decade since i can remember being obsessed with books, and i can finally say i'm home again. the reason for that is absolutely pagebound and all of you. ❤❤❤

i was flying home last week and in the airport i decided to buy a book (mind you i have 5 waiting for me in my suitcase.) and i pick up petty lies by sulmi bak, read the blurb, and decide in a few seconds yeah i think i will like this. the girl next to me was looking at books too and asked me, "how did you pick that book so fast? how did you know you were going to like that book?" i told her i read the blurb, it sounded like a vibe and i decided to get it. and that this is usually not me but recently i've gotten back to being obsessed with reading again. she told me how she was trying really hard to get into reading and was mainly reading self help books. i told her, i love that for you and i encourage you to explore all sorts of genres you might not have been open to. i told her, a month ago i started reading graphic novels on my journey to read more queer media, and found myself now reading nonfiction for a quest on pagebound that encouraged me to open my mindview. (as i'm writing this, i'm currently reading t. kingfisher's book (a wizard's guide to defensive baking) and i cannot believe after so many years of leaning away from fantasy, i'm enjoying the book and i'm happy it's in my life.) we talked a little while longer and i told her how much i love pb and why i feel its important to have a sense of community while picking up reading again, because without this place i'd still be lost and probably 0 for 4738249827 in terms of the number of tries getting back into reading. but now i am 1 for 4738249827 : ) i felt something shift in her and it seemed like she felt excited about reading because it seemed more accessible to her, knowing that there isnt a perfect way to get into reading or a perfect way to be a good reader.

i can't believe this - reading everyday, checking pagebound before my email or socials, finding and choosing safe and hopeful escapes instead of binging tv when tv isnt feeling good to me - is my life and i feel closer than ever to my younger self, who i have looked up to forever. i feel so much calmer, at home, safe, cozy, slow, at peace, curious, passionate than i have in a long time, with none of those feelings being tied to external things or my career. i've learned so much about myself, about the kind of person i want to be, about the world around me, and i've felt less alone. there's no way to thank PB and my fam on here enough for reuniting me with my first love. i know this is so so sappy and but its okay, i want this to read like a love letter because it is. thank you all for making this space what it is, and for giving me a way back to my younger self. my life is forever changed because of this place.

one month ago, while making my queer media archive on notion and then wanting to put it on goodreads but then deciding no that didn't work the last x times i tried to get back into reading, i remembered someone telling me about pagebound and decided to look into it. i never thought i'd be one month in, having read over 20 books (one being an AUDIOBOOK??? and so many graphic novels???) whereas i havent even read 20 books in probably the last 8 years combined (of my own accord). i have found a brighter, more bold voice on here, whereas i didnt feel qualified to have opinions on anything but my career/skills one month ago. i'm so glad i started slow, inching my way from queer comics on internetarchive (ask me for recs) to queer graphic novels to being maxed out on my library holds (for the first time since i was a kid) to completing quests and lists and finding new reading tastes to now getting to be a person who helps that happen for others too, in random airport gates.

if you see me on here, feel free to always say hi or suggest me a book or chat me up on literally anything. i promise you it will make my day and i hope to do the same for all of you, my lovely bookish friends. thank you for everything. thank you for making me me again.

i am so glad i am here. i am so glad you are here ❤

love; always and forever, yashvi

Hey all!! I recently got my first tattoo (an adorable dragon my friend drew for me!) and now im already thinking of my next one lol! Anyway I was wondering if anyone here has any bookish tattoos or plans to get one in the future? Not trying to steal ideas I'm just curious!