owlibrary

28, queer, psych student 📚 Will read almost anything as long as it holds my attention, whether fiction (mostly queer) or nonfiction. Libraries save lives 🤩

426 points

0% overlap

My Taste

A Natural History of Dragons (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #1)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

Reading...

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

O posibilă problemă de viață și de moarte

A Short Introduction to Ancient Philosophy

A Bookshop of One’s Own: How a Group of Women Set Out to Change the World

Feel It All: A Therapist's Guide to Reimagining Your Relationship with Sex

owlibrary is interested in reading...

Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World

Irene Vallejo

An enthralling journey through the history of books and libraries in the ancient world and those who have helped preserve their rich literary traditions Long before books were mass-produced, those made of reeds from along the Nile were worth fighting and dying for. Journeying along the battlefields of Alexander the Great, beneath the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, at Cleopatra's palaces and the scene of Hypatia's murder, award-winning author Irene Vallejo chronicles the excitement of literary culture in the ancient world, and the heroic efforts that ensured this extraordinary tradition would continue. Weaved throughout are fascinating stories about the spies, scribes, illuminators, librarians, booksellers, authors, and statesmen whose rich and sometimes complicated engagement with the written word bears remarkable similarities to the world today: Aristophanes and the censorship of the humorists, Sappho and the empowerment of women's voices, Seneca and the problem of a post-truth world. Vallejo takes us to mountainous landscapes and the roaring sea, to the capitals where culture flourished and the furthest reaches where knowledge found refuge in chaotic times. In this sweeping tour of the history of books, the wonder of the ancient world comes alive and, along the way, we discover the singular power of the written word.

owlibrary is interested in reading...

Becoming Better Grownups: Rediscovering What Matters and Remembering How to Fly

Brad Montague

A New York Times-bestselling author looks for the meaning of a good life by seeking advice from the very young and the very old. When his first book tour ended, Brad Montague missed hearing other people's stories so much that he launched what he dubbed a Listening Tour. First visiting elementary schools and later also nursing homes and retirement communities, he hoped to glean new wisdom as to how he might become a better grownup. Now, in this playful and buoyant book, he shares those insights with rest of us --timeless, often surprising lessons that bypass the head we're always stuck in, and go straight to the heart we sometimes forget. Each of the book's three sections begins with the illustrated story of "The Incredible Floating Girl." Brad weaves this story together with lessons of success, fear, regret, gratitude, love, happiness, and dreams to reveal the true reason we are here: to fly, and to help others fly. Beautifully designed and featuring Montague's own whimsical 4-color illustrations that appeal to the kid in all of us, Becoming Better Grownups shares the purpose and meaning we can all discover merely by listening, and reveals that--in a world that seems increasingly childish--the secret to joy is in fact to become more childlike.

owlibrary created a list

Hopecore books

by owlibrary

42 books

For when things seem hopeless. We can always try again and again ❤️

This list is a community project, I asked in the club and received multiple suggestions which I then added onto a list: fiction and nonfiction, fantasy, contemporary, sci-fi, the main theme is just hope. Some people said their recommendation might not fit very well but I added it anyways.

Also, in the og post, I mentioned The Good Place and if people have recommendations tending to that, so some books are related to that.

💫

🕊️

🐣

owlibrary commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

19h

owlibrary

Hopecore books

I hope this wasn't asked before. I tried searching Hope and I didn't see anything related to what I want to ask.

Initially I wanted to ask if there are books you'd recommend with the vibe of the Good Place (I just finished a rewatch), but as I realise this might be too specific, I wonder if you have hopecore books recommendations. (Or hopepunk) Basically what it sounds like, books that give you hope. If the prompt with the Good Place helps in any way, I welcome those recommendations as well. Basically I want books that I can read when I feel down or hopeless and to remember that as long as we live we can try again and again and again and do better. I hope this makes sense. Looking forward to any recommendations!

PS: my first thought about this category would be Lord of the Rings but I've yet to read the books, sadly.

owlibrary is interested in reading...

20h

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1)

Octavia E. Butler

In 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future. Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others. When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

Post from the Pagebound Club forum

20h

owlibrary

Hopecore books

I hope this wasn't asked before. I tried searching Hope and I didn't see anything related to what I want to ask.

PS: my first thought about this category would be Lord of the Rings but I've yet to read the books, sadly.

owlibrary is interested in reading...

20h

The Tortoise's Tale: A Novel

Kendra Coulter

A century of American history unfolds through the eyes of a giant tortoise with a heightened awareness for live music, the location of edible flowers, and the nuances of human behavior in this spellbinding debut novel. Snatched from her ancestral lands, a giant tortoise finds herself in an exclusive estate in southern California where she becomes an astute observer of societal change. Her journey is one of discovery, as she learns to embrace the music of jazz and the warmth of human connection. The tortoise’s story is enriched by her bond with Takeo, the estate’s gardener, who sees her as a being with thoughts and feelings, not just a creature to be observed. The tortoise’s mind and heart are further expanded by Lucy, a young girl who names the tortoise Magic and shares a friendship that transcends species. Together, they witness the estate’s transformation into a haven for industry titans, politicians, and rock stars, each leaving their mark on the world and on Magic’s heart. The tortoise embraces her role as a muse with gusto and witnesses how diverse human harmonies and the mighty winds of social change both uplift people and tear them apart. Over the course of her lifetime, the estate changes ownership, bringing raucous Hollywood parties, and animals both familiar and unexpected. There are also threats, as the estate’s idyll is not immune to the ravages of a damaged planet. Through each era, the tortoise remains a refreshingly honest, humble, and endearing narrator whose unique vantage point illuminates the transcendent power of compassion, the unexpected connections that shape how we see ourselves and each other, and the wide-reaching effects of choice—or the lack thereof. The Tortoise’s Tale is a whimsical yet profound exploration of humanity’s entangled journey, a call to recognize the interconnectedness of all life, and the potential for healing. Kendra Coulter’s debut novel is a moving portrait of resilience and hope, perfect for fans of Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures.

owlibrary is interested in reading...

20h

Secret Life of Fungi

Aliya Whiteley

Fungi are not like us – they are entirely, magically something else… Erupting, spreading, decaying, changing.Aliya Whiteley has always been in love with fungi – from a childhood taking blurry photographs of strange fungal eruptions on Exmoor to a career as a writer inspired by their surreal and alien beauty. This love for fungi is a love for life, from single-cell spores to the largest living organism on the planet; a story stretching from Aliya's lawn into Space and back again via every continent. Despite their familiar presence, there's still much for us to learn about the eruption, growth and decay of fungi’s connected world – one that Aliya lays out before us, linking fungal geography and history with myth; fiction and culture with science.From fields, feasts and fairy rings to death caps, puffballs and ambrosia beetles, this is an intoxicating personal journey into the life of extraordinary organism, one that we have barely begun to understand.

owlibrary commented on GloriesUnsung's update

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Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

GloriesUnsung

Thoughts from 15%

spoilers

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owlibrary commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

owlibrary

Comment in the updates

I'm sure the title is not very explicit but I don't know how to explain it. Basically I've seen that other people can update their reading progress and say what they want in the main...window. (I wish I could attach pictures to show with examples.) When I updated my reading progress on the book I'm reading it only showed me that I can comment on the post, separately. But I'd like to have my thoughts next to the progress bar too, not separately in a comment. Does this make any sense? I don't know how to explain better, sorry.

Post from the Pagebound Club forum

owlibrary

Comment in the updates

owlibrary is interested in reading...

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

Sarah Wynn-Williams

An explosive memoir charting one woman’s career at the heart of one of the most influential companies on the planet, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to Facebook, the decisions that have shaped world events in recent decades, and the people who made them. From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite. Sarah Wynn-Williams tells the wrenching but fun story of Facebook, mapping its rise from stumbling encounters with juntas to Mark Zuckerberg’s reaction when he learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election. She experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, all while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in.” Careless People is a deeply personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decade—told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.

owlibrary commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

sarahconte

how did you choose your top 5?

personally, i picked mostly childhood favourites because they felt like a safe choice!

how did you guys pick? are they the books that emotionally scarred you the most? the ones you find most relatable? or just your absolute favourite, nothing deeper ✨

i’d love to know!

owlibrary is interested in reading...

A Confession

Leo Tolstoy

Describing Tolstoy's crisis of depression and estrangement from the world, A Confession is an autobiographical work of exceptional emotional honesty. It describes his search for 'a practical religion not promising future bliss but giving bliss on earth'. Although the Confession led to his excommunication, it also resulted in a large following of Tolstoyan Christians springing up throughout Russia and Europe. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

owlibrary commented on owlibrary's update

owlibrary made progress on...

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)

Martha Wells

26%

owlibrary made progress on...

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)

Martha Wells

26%

owlibrary is interested in reading...

The Strings of Murder (Frey & McGray, #1)

Óscar de Muriel

A spellbinding concoction of crime, history and horror - perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Creek. Edinburgh, 1888. A virtuoso violinist is brutally killed in his home. Black magic symbols cover the walls. The dead man's maid swears she heard three musicians playing before the murder. But with no way in or out of the locked practice room, the puzzle makes no sense... Fearing a national panic over a copycat Ripper, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Ian Frey to investigate under the cover of a fake department specializing in the occult. However, Frey's new boss - Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray - actually believes in such nonsense. McGray's tragic past has driven him to superstition, but even Frey must admit that this case seems beyond reason. And once someone loses all reason, who knows what they will lose next...

owlibrary commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

WanderDMD

New to Pagebound, but Excited for 2026!

Good morning, everyone! I started the day finishing my first book of 2026, and I am hopeful that through connecting on Pagebound. LibraryThing, and StoryGraph that I might make 2026 my best reading year ever -- which would be saying something.

I've felt a little out of the reading loop for a while. I'm a high school English teacher, so I inevitably find myself rereading titles I've already read. This can be quite the obstacle to reading for enjoyment, but that changes this year!

Looking forward to meeting good people here. Feel free to drop a hello. Would love to connect and get some good recs on titles to read in the future.

Happy Reading, David

owlibrary commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

marinarosana

Edited

Whats your reading origin story? 📚✨️

How did you get into reading? I know maybe a simple question, but I got into reading because of my Godmother, she was a librarian for a school board and always gifted me books for Christmas and birthdays growing up. They would always be different genres and always something i would never choose myself. This made me really appreciate stepping outside your comfort zone to find something you may like (or may not like lol). Last year, we decided to share a read together and again it was something I likely would have not picked up myself, but I was left with that feeling of appreciation for stepping outside your comfort zone and nostalgia for the old traditions manifesting itself in different ways.

So how does your story go? Have you been a reader since before you can remember? Was there a teacher or loved one that showed you the joys of reading? Or did you stumble upon reading later on in life?

Tell me, I'm nosy!!

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