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

I just got approved to volunteer at some libraries near me and I’m nervous😭 have any of you volunteered at a library before? How was it?

hello friends! i’ve really loved whenever we do little getting to know each other games on pb club, so i wanted to start another little one! if you want to, i’d love to hear about some of your favorite things, and what makes them so special!! everyone here is just so passionate and excited about the things they love and it always makes my heart so happy to see :) you can answer multiple for one, you can just do one of the following or do them all, whatever you’d like!

• favorite book (for me: station eleven)
• favorite movie (for me: the martian among many others)
• favorite character (for me: ellie williams my beloved)
• favorite tv show (for me: station eleven or the haunting of hill house)
• favorite video game (for me: the last of us i and ii, i also love bg3 and stardew)
• favorite non-reading hobby (for me: video games)
• favorite random interest (this is really just an excuse to yap about something nobody ever directly asks about but maybe you know a lot about - for me: alien abduction stories 😭 and also the now-gone great movie ride at disney’s hollywood studios not in a disney adult way but in a media studies way)
• favorite color (for me: yellow)
• favorite animal (for me: cats and manatees)
• favorite meal (for me: all things pasta)
• favorite musical artist / album/ song (for me: samia anything by her) and if you have any other favorites of any other category you want to share, please do!!!!