I need that Jenny Slater gif where she's like I had to stop learning about space because it made me too crazy, but it's me every time this guy says something like ~the origin of all indo european terms for debt come from the same origins as sin.

This post is based on some thoughts I had after watching the video "performative readers, ‘book girlies’ & the aesthetification of books", by The Book Leo. It is a great video, I do recommend you to watch it!

But, basically, she gives her thoughts about how nowadays, especially with BookTok and similar, reading is becoming 'a performative act', and an aesthetic created around reading. She also talks about how people judge others based on what they read, like if someone only reads fantasy, then this person is not a true reader, is shallow, and all that blablabla that I believe most of us have already heard one day. And there is also the other extreme of people who follow a certain aesthetic and only read (or at least they appear to read) classics, are intellectuals, and simply put are the contrary of what she called 'book girlies' aesthetic.

Well, all that said, the video got me thinking about my own position as a reader, and what reading actually means to me:

A little background: I am graduated in language and literature, Portuguese and Ancient Greek in Brazil, and now I'm getting my PhD, in Classical Literature. So reading is a part of my job, and a big one. Not only that, but also reading the classics. Iliad, Odyssey, tragedies... and it is tiring. To the point that I took a break from reading as a hobby, and just now I'm getting back at it. And as a hobby, I only read the fantasy romance stuff. Am I less of a reader for it? Comparing to someone that read classical literature for fun? No. My point is: I don't think we should consider less of a reader someone that only read fantasy, romance, or fiction in general. Or think that a person is more intelligent than another because they've read classics only. Coming from a country where the latest researches show that the number of readers is decreasing fast, if you read, YOU ARE A READER. The type of literature doesn't matter. Just read what you like, and think, criticize, take notes, interact with the book you're reading.

Thank you for reading this long post! What are your thoughts on it?

I read this book before I joined Pagebound so there aren’t any of my notes in here but I want that Halloween badge so I’m making this one now it feels like cheating 😭 but unfortunately I don’t want to reread the book since I read it so recently

How are you guys hearing Caz’s voice in your head? Idk why I can’t stop hearing him in a comically deep man’s voice and I keep trying to switch it to something cuter but that’s just who he is now 😔

Hi everyone 🌝

Hoping for some help with my bookish dilemma... I'm leaving for a family vacation next week, and I FINALLY got an email from my local library saying "The Spellshop" is waiting for me (I've been waiting a while for it so very excited to finally get it 😅). But knowing I'm going away, I'm wondering if I bring it with me?

Have you ever travelled with a library book? Am I overthinking because I love my local library too much? I'm pretty careful with books but still have that worry in the back of my head/also curious to hear others' thoughts!

I've got a question for you all: Why you show the badges you currently have? (I mean the three on your profile) Like why then and not the others?

This makes me want to watch even MORE SNL clips😭 i feel like a lot of the YouTube compilations are more recent sketches (which is fine) but clearly there is other content since this show has been around for 50 years now. Just wondering what everyone’s fave sketch is👀

I need men on their knees, tears streaming, desperately begging for forgiveness. In the books I've read, their attempts to grovel are never enough, and the FMCs forgive them far too quickly.

I'd appreciate any recommendations! Any genre, any trope, just: 𖧹 no cheating 𖧹 no bully books 𖧹 for dark romance: no SA between the main characters

Thank you!