Hello, Guys. My city has been raining 24/7 for 2 months, but when it doesn't rain, it's as hot as an oven before it rains again. SEA struggle, I guess :/

I hope where you live isn't like this (⁠づ⁠￣⁠ °￣⁠)⁠づ. Because of the constant rain, I've rewatched Coraline 4th times. Really liked the isolated but comfy(?) feeling. I kinda want to read something that you guys think will suit the vibe. Any recs?

Thank you.

I can't read without having backround music. It helps me focus even if I start singing along with the music at some point, I still continue reading. I found this out when I started getting into books. I found myself reading and understanding the books with more ease and with a faster pace while listening to music. I usually listen to shoegaze, indie, synthpop, electronic, metalgaze, actually any type of gaze and electronic. Maybe sometimes I sprinke in some rock and alternative rock and punk. It really depends on my playlist. Even songs with lyrics are fine for me!🎶🎶

There's a radio show in the UK called Desert Island Discs. It's a bit of an institution and has been broadcasting since the 40s. The premise is as follows: Each week a guest, playfully referred to as a "castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight audio recordings (usually, but not always, music), a book and a luxury item that they would like to take if they were to be cast away on a desert island. The castaway often has a sentimental reason for their choices, and will discuss the significance of the selection with the presenter.*

• N.B: as well as the book of their choice, they’re given The Complete Works Of Shakespeare and The Bible, or an alternative religious book of their choosing.

SO, flipping the concept round to suit this community, my discussion prompt is: what would be your EIGHT books, ONE musical recording, and ONE luxury item to keep you company as you are castaway? As per the additional books in the original, I'm throwing in a "Complete Works" by an author of your choice (not forcing Shakespeare on everyone!!) and a religious text if you want them as free choices!!

To go first, mine would be: Anthology of Twentieth-Century British and Irish Poetry, edited by Keith Tuna (this would keep me busy and remind me of home/family) The Expendable Man, by Dorothy B Hughes (one of my faves, would not get bored rereading) The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame and illustrated by Inga Moore (sentiment) And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie (one of my favourite authors, again wouldn't tire of rereading!) To The Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf (never read it, but SO keen to and I believe it's one of her masterpieces!) Unwell Women, by Elinor Cleghorn (to remind me that despite being castaway many have suffered worse fates than I!) Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (I've watched the 1992 BBC series so many times that reading this would be like having Alison Steadman with me on the island! Sentimental and entertainment!) I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman (I think rereading this in my new setting would strike new resonances!) I will take the Shakespeare complete works option!!

My music choice would be 'The Lark Ascending', by Ralph Vaughan Williams (nostalgia, love and really could listen to this all day!)

My luxury item would be a king-size patchwork quilt.

Looking forward to seeing the books, recording and luxury choices!!

P.S.: if you fancy a laugh, I do recommend looking at some of the luxury items that people request. You can find lists and lists on Wikipedia. My favourite was someone who requested the entire Victoria & Albert Museum (one of the best/biggest museums in London) which feels like a real cheat code!!

There's a radio show in the UK called Desert Island Discs. It's a bit of an institution and has been broadcasting since the 40s. The premise is as follows: Each week a guest, playfully referred to as a "castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight audio recordings (usually, but not always, music), a book and a luxury item that they would like to take if they were to be cast away on a desert island. The castaway often has a sentimental reason for their choices, and will discuss the significance of the selection with the presenter.*

• N.B: as well as the book of their choice, they’re given The Complete Works Of Shakespeare and The Bible, or an alternative religious book of their choosing.

SO, flipping the concept round to suit this community, my discussion prompt is: what would be your EIGHT books, ONE musical recording, and ONE luxury item to keep you company as you are castaway? As per the additional books in the original, I'm throwing in a "Complete Works" by an author of your choice (not forcing Shakespeare on everyone!!) and a religious text if you want them as free choices!!

To go first, mine would be: Anthology of Twentieth-Century British and Irish Poetry, edited by Keith Tuna (this would keep me busy and remind me of home/family) The Expendable Man, by Dorothy B Hughes (one of my faves, would not get bored rereading) The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame and illustrated by Inga Moore (sentiment) And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie (one of my favourite authors, again wouldn't tire of rereading!) To The Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf (never read it, but SO keen to and I believe it's one of her masterpieces!) Unwell Women, by Elinor Cleghorn (to remind me that despite being castaway many have suffered worse fates than I!) Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (I've watched the 1992 BBC series so many times that reading this would be like having Alison Steadman with me on the island! Sentimental and entertainment!) I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman (I think rereading this in my new setting would strike new resonances!) I will take the Shakespeare complete works option!!

My music choice would be 'The Lark Ascending', by Ralph Vaughan Williams (nostalgia, love and really could listen to this all day!)

My luxury item would be a king-size patchwork quilt.

Looking forward to seeing the books, recording and luxury choices!!

P.S.: if you fancy a laugh, I do recommend looking at some of the luxury items that people request. You can find lists and lists on Wikipedia. My favourite was someone who requested the entire Victoria & Albert Museum (one of the best/biggest museums in London) which feels like a real cheat code!!

I found Pagebound kind of by chance when choosing a “trying different book apps” video to have on as background noise while doing some household tasks and was really intrigued by the design of the app, as well as the forum feature, prompting me to check it out. I’ve tried countless book-related apps where I created an account, but always found something missing for me — even though I never could figure out what it was. I’m still not sure how exactly to put it into words, but whatever it is — Pagebound has it.

I have always loved reading, but the discussions that happen on some other apps about books (booktok, bookstagram, booktwitter, etc) would inevitably steer me away from being an active member of the community itself (how many times do we have to say that yes, audiobooks DO count as reading, no readers should not stalk authors and authors should not stalk readers [or respond to low rated reviews in reader-oriented spaces], yes reading is actually VERY inherently political, etc etc etc).

But the community and the overall atmosphere here on Pagebound has absolutely reignited my enthusiasm to talk about books with other readers! This app has brought me back into the book community, offering so many avenues for dialogue, a plethora of recommendations, and pretty badges that feel like a reward for doing one of my favorite things 😌

All of that to say, I am curious to know how others discovered Pagebound, and what has made you stay/become an active user!

In addition to the feeling of community, my favorite tech features in the app are the forums and the quests! What are yours?

If you could pack one suitcase and move into any fictional home immediately - where are you going?

Drafty castles absolutely count. So do crooked cottages, dramatic cliffside mansions, hobbit holes, chaotic city apartments, enchanted libraries, and suspiciously affordable small-town farmhouses.

Are you:

🌧️ Living your best moody life in a crumbling estate?

🌿 Baking bread in a cozy woodland cottage?

📚 Secretly hoping your house comes with hidden passageways and a mildly concerning attic?

🕯️ Choosing vibes over structural integrity?

Drop the book + the home + one reason you’d survive (or absolutely wouldn’t).

Bonus: what’s the first thing you’re decorating or rearranging when you move in?

Let’s see where PageBound is relocating.

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