I love to find local bookstores and libraries (and a brewery and a coffee shop), especially when I'm traveling. I'd love to hear of small book stores that are doing the Lord's work out there, providing a community of readers a space to explore and find their next story!

I'd like to shout out two: The Purple Couch in North Andover, Massachusetts - literally can spend hours here and love their community projects. Treat Yo' Shelf Books in Mountain Home, Arkansas - drove by while I was visiting my mom out there and went in on a whim. The owners were a lovely couple and it's just the type of place that community needs.

Edit: I also thought of another one that really deserves some love. Felixology in Maynard, Massachusetts. It was opened by a woman, Libby, in honor of her son, Felix, who passed away at 29 years old from mesothelioma. The first time I visited, I spoke with her for a half hour about Felix and it was truly moving. He was an artist, and the store is gorgeously painted and decorated by his family and friends. Going in that store is like getting to meet him personally.

Hi PB club! Lately, I’ve realized that most of the stuff I read is from American authors, and as someone who doesn’t live in the US I’d love to expand my horizons. What are some of your favourite authors from outside America?

I just sorted through my whole tbr and sorted them into their corresponding shelves, and I feel so organized and content, I really don't know if I could be happier 🙂‍↕️ (only kind of kidding). I use my shelves to sort out my books by availability, whether it be Libby, Hoopla, or the library, and then I also sort by audiobook vs eyeball read availability. This makes it so easy when I go to pick my next book, or put something on hold.

Any genius shelf sorting out there that I'm missing out on? How do you sort through your books? Are your shelves more based on vibes or practicality?

Anyway, I love the shelf feature, I love pagebound, and I love you if you're reading this 💖

I get the impression that this book was specifically designed to be as easy to read as possible. There is no prelude to the action, barely even an introduction to the characters; we're immediately in medias res. Add the remarkably simple world building and the artificially shortened chapters, and you get an effortless yet engaging read. I'm not sure how much I personally appreciate that simplicity, but in terms of accessibility and potential popularity, it's a solid choice on the author's part.