I'm currently writing my Master's Thesis while also working two jobs and I feel like I don't read anymore. It's very frustrating to me, especially since I found pagebound and just want to participate in all the fun but I just cannot find time, and if I can, I'm just too tired to read.

Is anyone else struggling like this or has had these periods of time? Does it ever get better? I don't want to lose interest in reading but it feels like I'm forgetting about it more and more.

I am just throwing this out here because it has been on my mind today. With the app being newly released, there are going to be a lot of excited new users here. (I was one of them!) Not everyone can read between the lines of what is “expected” or “wrong” in the vague FAQs. Many of us come from other book spaces and socials, so it is only natural that we bring some of that energy here too.

What has been disappointing is how quickly that excitement can fade when every post feels policed by other users. It started to feel less like a fun community and more like being told by my mom that I could not express myself because “those are the rules.” You all had to learn when you started, but there are not clear black-and-white outlines for what people have been policing on posts.

I was genuinely thrilled about this space. I even recommended it in several of my book groups, but I also had to warn them that it does not really feel like a safe space to post whatever your happy heart desires. I wanted to share this because it has happened multiple times over the last day, and I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

I can see how great this space can be, and honestly it has been weighing on me all day. I just hope moving forward we can make it feel more welcoming and encouraging for everyone, especially those who are new and simply want to share the joy of reading.

Edited to add what exact experience:

I made a list with books from Elsie Silver not all of them but the ones I liked. Someone then commented to guide me guidance that is not what list are for. Deleted the list.

Made a post in PB Club and do not remember the exact wording but it was asking for spooky vibe recs. Someone commented to guide me to look in the forum.

Posted in the PB Club, where can a new user learn so I don’t do something wrong again to try and learn. Given guidance to see the FAQs. I read the FAQs.

This is what I read: Copied this from the FAQ section More generally, a couple questions you can ask yourself before posting: 1.Will my post spark discussion? Does it provide enough context for someone to respond? 2. Is it something others have posted before and can I just comment my thoughts instead? Not every post needs to be insightful or analytical. Reactionary/funny commentary is great when it’s related to the book.

Where should I post what? For book or series-specific posts, post to the book forum. For your post to be sorted in readalong order, make sure to enter a page number or percent. For general bookish chatter, post in the Pagebound Club. For genre/niche convos, post in the Quest forums.

Thinking I had a good understanding. Made a post asking about other options people are using for their kindle oasis with very specific questions like the durability, pros and cons, etc. Also how did this work getting away from Kindle Unlimited? Someone commented and guided me to the forums again.

I just went back to look over the FAQs in the app and the same things are mentioned. It’s vague.

Copied straight from posting guidelines in the app:

Other ways to talk about books For general bookish chatter not specific to a book or series, post in the Pagebound Club. For genre/niche convos, check out the Quest forums. Head to the Discuss tab to see what the community is posting about.

I also do not see anywhere in the FAQs guidelines about list so who determines what qualifies as a good list as well?

This is why I shared my first comment and have now added this for the true context for better understanding.

What... what a crazy ending?!! First Vin becomes a God and then my adored Sazed becomes the God?? The ending happened so quickly after so much build up, I was still crying over Elend and Vin when I was like wait a second - what? Will need a bit to recover from this one lol.

Also, final thoughts on Sazed and religion. His struggle with faith, return to faith, and ascension to divinity himself, this whole creation myth, him talking about Vin, Elend, and Kelsier being happy in the afterlife, also the obsession in the whole series about being "a good man" - Brandon Sanderson's Mormonism was undeniable 😬 which I'm not sure how to feel about. I adored Sazed's struggle with religion and exploration of truth vs. faith and did like that he returned to faith as a believer. It made sense for his character! But his elevation to godhood feels like a reward for having returned to faith, which sends an odd message after all of this philosophical theology throughout the series... am I overinterpreting this?

As we know, the list feature on here is for curating a collection for the community - but I thought it might be fun to hear about what people have put on their library shelves for themselves, too! Beyond TBRs, favorites, and personal reading tracking/planning, what have you used the library feature on here for?

For me, I made a shelf called "Friend recs I trust" which is basically what it says on the tin. It's an ever-growing collection of books I really want to get to & that I heard about from friends, some of whom I have known since I was a teen, and whose existence has touched and shaped my life in a way where I truly don't think I am the same person I was before I met them. (It also includes recs from newer friends who I think are having this effect on me, of course!)

I'm also considering starting a series of shelves labeled "the year of [insert something fun/nice/memorable that happened in that year]" to sort through my fave reads annually haha. How about you all?

i've tried several times to get through a Sanderson. having been convinced to give Mistborn another go, i find myself liking the overall plot and "magic" system, even if the writing style puts me off. hoping i make it through the next 2 books

Uhoh. I accidentally started this at 1.0 speed instead of my normal 1.5 and the narrator instantly reminded of Kronk from Emperor's New Groove. I cannot shake the mental image.