Firstly, IM SO EXCITED THE APP LAUNCHED!!!

Honestly I’m not used to thinking deeply about the plots in media that I consume, but I want to get better with media literacy. When you’re reading, how do you think through things and put your reactions into words, and are there methods to organizing your thoughts?

I’m not sure how or when to post on forums other than the moments that I have strong emotional reactions, and then the posts I make just sound immature 😅

It’s interesting and a little intimidating to see reviews that have multiple paragraphs with analysis and plot description, does anyone else get a little self conscious about posting?

Hey, page-turners 🤗 So, I used to lend out my physical books without even a second thought (now I only read ebooks and audiobooks, which means I don't have that problem anymore). But, man, not everyone’s in a rush to give them back, are they?

There was this one time I bought an absolutely beautiful art book when I was at the Louvre (felt super fancy, not gonna lie), and I let a friend borrow it. He loved art as much as I did, or so I thought. Yeah, that book never made its way back to me. The worst part? I barely even got to look through it myself. Ugh, talk about regret. 🤦‍♂️

What about you? Are you cool with lending your books out, or do you kind of feel like you’re just saying goodbye forever? 📖😊

Hey, so I noticed that there are some fanfictions here on Pagebound (i looked in the "similar books" or "in the same collection" and saw a story I know to be a fanfic) and I reached out to the team. I got the answer that a lot readers want them here (with a bit nice input on how much work they are doing here for us - still amazed by it) and I would want to know why or your thoughts regarding this!

As a fanfic author and reader myself, I am confused as to why you need a Book Forum for a Fanfiction. Why is this here? I learned that reviewing a Fanfiction on a platform as such - because it is similar to Goodreads - is a Big No-No. You do not review a fanfic this openly. It is not a published story and therefor has to be handled differently. Fanfictions are a conversation - from a fan for other fans. It is engagement you do inside the fandom, not outside of it. So I am widely confused. Please explain it to me? Maybe I am missing a part of information here. (just to be clear: reading is reading, no matter in what shape or form it comes in, in my opinion. I personally only log fanfictions on ao3 directly or with Booktower, because it is meant for such things. But I do not understand why fanfictions should be on here with their own forums - they are fanworks, talk in the Fandom Forum maybe? And I personally do not count fanfictions to my reading goals - mostly because I read works that are still not done and I personally do not count them to my reading goal. but it is okay if others do.) I can not see anything good coming from reviewing fanfictions on here. But again, maybe I am missing something.

i watched a video recently of someone who was talking about the tropification of the suffering of marginalized communities by authors who do not identify with those marginalized groups (ex: straight authors writing about queer suffering, white authors writing about slavery, etc.) because they cannot fully do it justice, instead end up contributing to the romanticization or tropification of these topics. how often have you come across books where you've seen this happen (feel free to shout it out, esp if it's a well known title)?

i am reminded of the reason why i dnf'd the women by kristin hannah - the book was about the vietnam war and the experience of a nurse among the american soldiers. i felt that not only did this book not bring attention the atrocities that were committed by the american soldiers, it failed to acknowledge the reason for which this war was started (quite frankly, barely a reason beyond entitlement and wanting power). (to me) it felt like the war was being used as a background to allow the main character to uphold her family's military legacy.

I'm so excited about this app, I can't help but have ideas on where the app can go. While I am still navigating all the cool features, I am thinking of other additions that I would like to see!

1. Unique Icons: While I love the little illustrations, I want to add a more personalized icon for my account. In other social apps, I'm drawn to seeing my friends icons and knowing immediately its them. This isn't a deal breaker for me, but I think it would be a nice touch!

2. Ways to share with friends/direct messaging: This could be controversial, but I would like a way to share books/reviews with my friends like how Spotify has a messaging part of the app where you can send DM's of songs. This could be getting more social media than it needs to be but I want to know what others think!

3. Personalized pages: Going along with my first point, I think it would be so cool to be able to code your own page, like how Tumblr was back in the day. I don't think it has to be that in-depth as Tumblr, but it would be fun to visit someone's page and have it feel like their own personalized vibes.

I'd love to hear what everyone is thinking/what their likes and dislikes are so far! Ive been waiting for something like this for forever!!

Do you ever have the urge to read many books at the same and you end reading any because u simply can't choose?

Public services are lovely beautiful things. There are many public services I take advantage of but one of them that I think the majority of us can appreciate is libraries! We have so many librarians on here (a reminder, infinite forehead kisses to you all) and just people who enjoy going to and being at the library for the books, programs, and resources!!!

I've mentioned VERY briefly before about how Amazon and other capitalistic centered for profit companies have a goal to eliminate most public services but right now Amazon is targeting libraries!!! BOOOO!!! Amazon is taking their physical book store plan a step further to start planning our AMAZON LIBRARIES.

Guys I think we are all smart enough to know it's so that politicians with enough influence and palm greasing from Amazon can say "We no longer require this public service it's not even good! They never have the books and you have to even wait for ebooks!" And then they can GET RID of libraries and use what are actually SUPER small portions of our taxes and instead of funding thousand of libraries there will now be one or MAYBE two "Amazon libraries" in states with low literacy and we will be flooded by large marquees that say AMAZON GROCERY, AMAZON ELEMENTARY, AMAZON LIBRARY, AMAZON MALL, AMAZON CAR DEALER, AMAZON SHIPPING AND POSTAGE, ALL of them requiring a monthly membership that would far outweigh any taxes you pay AND THEN you will still have to pay those same taxes! Because they will now be a former library funnel of revenue that Amazon will argue they need as support from the government and THEY WILL GET IT.

We will still pay the same taxes for all of our public services we will just also have to pay a membership to Amazon on top of it.

I am URGING, BEGGING, PLEADING, all of you who can, PLEASE go and get a library card. Go get your local city, county, state, university, what have you! In the US you are often entitled to a card for where you WORK as well as where you LIVE. People from outside the US please share tips, tricks, advice, or just anecdotes about your library and how you sign up for the library and how to get additional memberships.

Here is a link to an Instagram video where a librarian explains how AMAZON and AUDIBLE are making ebooks, and audiobooks incredibly scarce for libraries!!! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPWpZVKkcHH/?igsh=MXF6ZjZ0YmozZmM0bQ==

Although this quest leans more literary, I'd love to get a rec thread going of books from all genres that center unhinged women. Pop in your nominations that should be included in the quest also!

This is the wet dream of every character.ai user (derogatory)

I’m subscribed to the big 3 (Fairyloot, Owlcrate, Illumicrate) but I’ve been craving some variety since they’re all pretty romantasy-focused which isn’t my vibe - looking at potentially something like the Goldsboro SFF box next. There are so many different types of boxes now, which is your favorite?