Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This is going to be a hodgepodge of a post as I attempt to get as close as possible to the full ten answers over the next two months. (I started compiling this list back in November).
1. Hospitals Have Libraries.
Or at least the ones in my area do! I didn’t have a lot of time to browse through them while dealing with various medical stuff for myself and my family last year, but they seem like great places to not only find something interesting to read but also to enjoy some peace and quiet and maybe learn some more about the illnesses or other conditions that have lead you to spend time there.
While I hope that no one reading this post ends up needing this knowledge in 2026, please visit your hospital’s library if you do end up spending time there and need a restful place to unwind. I can’t recommend this resource highly enough.
2. Many People Still Die of Tuberculosis
“Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection” by John Green dove into why this happens and what we can do to stop it. I knew this disease still killed some people, but I didn’t realize how large that number is or how cruelly unnecessary the vast majority of those deaths are.
It some ways it reminds of how people living with HIV in wealthy, developed countries now have life spans that are nearly as long as those of us who are HIV-negative while those who are HIV positive and living in developing nations generally have much shorter lifespans.
Learning stuff like this is why I love reading nonfiction.
3. Sometimes I Like Literary Fiction
After many false starts, I now enjoy this genre on occasion. It simply takes the right plot twist for me to settle into the slower pace of these stories. This isn’t something that will ever be a regular part of my reading habits, but I’m proud of myself of continuing to try every so often until I found a few titles that work for my tastes.
4. BookTok Isn’t for Me
I’m sorry to say that I’ve loathed every BookTok book I’ve tried and at this point I don’t know that I’ll try again because I don’t seem to fit into that demographic group at all. Kudos to those of you who do, of course!
5. I Love the Idea of Silent Book Clubs
A Silent Book Club is a group of people who agree to meet up somewhere like a bookstore, library, or coffee shop and read silently with each other.
This is exactly the sort of reading environment that I crave more of because you can pick any genre you like and bounce among them as often as you’d prefer. I just need to find one reasonably close to home and join in.
6. Bookstodon Is Essential
If you have a Mastodon account, I strongly recommend getting to know the @bookstodon@fedigroups.social community. There are readers of every genre there, and I’ve read and participated in so many wonderfully nuanced conversations about books with various folks there.
(My account is @lydiaschoch@mastodon.social if anyone wants to be buddies there!)
I had no idea that hospitals have libraries. I would have never considered it. I need to check out bookstadon. Thanks for the reminder.
You’re welcome. Enjoy!
I love the idea of a Silent Bookclub, they don’t seem to be a thing here though.
Thanks for sharing your #TTT discoveries
You’re welcome. I hope you someday get to try a Silent Bookclub.
so glad you discovered the pleasure of literary fiction.
My post: https://wordsandpeace.com/2026/01/27/top-ten-2025-bookish-discoveries/
Thank you. 🙂
I went to one Silent Book Club last year and I’d like to go to another.
Nice!
Interesting that hospitals might have libraries! I don’t think it’s a thing in DC, or at least it’s not something I’ve run across in library science courses.
Good to know. Maybe it’s a Canadian thing?
I am primarily a romance reader, so you would think BookTok would be my thing. Absolutely not. The few times I have taken a look at what is being recommended and loved, it’s no wonder the genre gets such a bad rap if these are the books being touted.
I’m sorry you’ve also had that experience. Yeah, the books that get pushed don’t seem very good. (Or at least not to your taste or to mine).
This is a great list, Lydia! Interesting fact about TB and also about libraries in the hospital! I wish that they’d have something like that here, but they most definitely do not.. 😮💨 I also love the idea of Silent Book Clubs! Gathering and reading with other book lovers in public without having to make small talk as a socially anxious introvert? Amazing—I’m sold! 😍
Thank you. I wish your hospitals had libraries!
And, yeah, I totally get you on the socially anxious introvert thing. 🙂
I love those facts at the beginning! Bootok is a bit too intense for me, and I need really got to grips with Mastadon. Its funny how the different platforms work better for different people.
Thank you. And it sure is. 🙂
Fab post! I love nonfiction for exactly the same reason!
Thank you!
I worked in a hospital for 11 years and if there was a library, it was very well hidden. Maybe one has been added since I left. I doubt it though. That hospital was bought out by a for-profit company and they have cut out anything that doesn’t directly make them money, including staff. *sigh* That’s a rant for another day. I think libraries in hospitals are an excellent idea though.
I haven’t had any interest in TikTok in general. My friend used to send me some BookToks but I don’t have any patience for it. I can read your thoughts faster than I can watch them. And it seemed to always be the same handful of titles that everyone else was reviewing. My, I sure am grumpy today, aren’t I? 😀
I do love the idea of silent book clubs but I have no idea how to find them.
Great list!
I’m sorry to hear that! I must have lucked out with the hospitals I’ve visited.
And, yeah, I can read faster than I can listen, too.
You can check this site to see if there are any silent reading clubs in your area: https://silentbook.club/
If you live near Cincinnati the Cincinnati Book Bus Depot [a nonprofit bookstore that give books to schools and kids] hosts a Silent Book Club https://cincybookbus.com/events/
Thank you for sharing!
I had no idea hospitals have libraries! That’s honestly so cool. Booktok books are generally hit or miss for me. Some are overhyped, but some also deserve the hype. I don’t really look at booktok videos anymore, so I have no idea which books they are talking about now 😂. I hope you make many more amazing discoveries this year! Thanks for visiting my blog 😊.
You’re welcome, and thanks for sharing!
Silent book clubs do sound amazing!
🙂
I never heard of Silent Book Clubs before, but I like the description. Sounds like something that would be good for me.
Cool!
I have never had a TikTok account, personal or otherwise, so I don’t know if I’d like BookTok, but just thinking about it, I think I’m good. I don’t need anything else that is going to try to encourage endless phone or computer scrolling. 😉 Thanks so much for visiting my list today!
You’re welcome, and I totally get that.
A lovely list. We have charity bookshops in hospitals. Chains are gradually moving in ie Costa, WHSmith, Marks and Spencer which is sad.
Have a great week!
Thank you for sharing. I liked hearing about the trends where you live.
There are far too many chains out there for my tastes as well.
Interesting facts. I need to check out bookstadon. Thanks for the reminder.
You’re welcome!
I’m part of a group that gets together at our local library a couple of times a month for a silent book club. We show up, sit together, read for 30 minutes or so, and then share what we’re reading or any other bookish thoughts we have. I’ve enjoyed it; the pressure of “assigned” reading at other book clubs is what has always turned me off.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/2025-reading-google-map-books-i-read-in-2025/
That’s how I feel about traditional book clubs as well. Your group sounds lovely.
I was in the hospital a few weeks ago and didn’t think to look for a library. Hopefully I won’t need this knowledge, but will keep it on the back burner, just in case! I think I would enjoy a silent book club as well, but haven’t heard of that around here. I am not on Booktok, it never appealed to me. Have a great week!
You, too! I hope you’re feeling better now.
I might’ve said this before, but I’m so glad about the way Everything Is Tuberculosis has opened people up to understanding TB! It’s such a huge problem still, and it’s so sad and awful. Almost everyone in the world who has TB could be cured if we only had the political will to make it happen… arrghhh what a thought. It was interesting reading Green’s book in the same year as studying TB during my MSc.
As far as I understand it, BookTok trends are driven so heavily by what pumps the algorithm that it almost doesn’t matter if you love or hate it… as long as you read it. I try not to pay attention to such things, but I haven’t really liked any books I was aware of BookTok loving, either.
I think we might have spoken about this before. If only there was the political will to cure TB.
That’s good to know about BookTok.
I don’t get TikTok in general and a lot of BookTok obsessions don’t work for me either. I do like a few but mostly they were books I liked before BookTok found them, haha.
I will have to look into seeing if our hospitals have libraries, it might be a good place to donate my books.
I hope your local hospitals do have libraries!
A Silent Book Club is something that I think sounds like the perfect fit. I always want to do a book club, but my social anxiety could never. haha. Being able to read around others and not be forced to make small talks sounds the best!
I totally hear you there.
BookTok isn’t for me either simply because I find TikTok to be a bit overwhelming.
Good to Know about the hospital libraries! I hope not to need to use one anytime soon.
Thank you. May you stay well.
I love how you included something you learned from books last year!
Thank you. 🙂
I keep hearing about silent book clubs and would love to try one myself!
Don’t they sound nice?
I love the idea of silent book clubs, although it does seem a little strange. And yes, I stay away from TikTok books too!
Cool. 🙂
Wow! That’s great that hospitals have libraries. I’m not sure the two near me do, however, since we’re considered “rural” here on the Oregon coast. Maybe in Portland?//I’m looking forward to reading John Green’s latest with my book group later this year. I’ve enjoyed both his fiction and nonfiction works.//I’ve never even looked at TikTok, so BookTok is out for me. 🙂 //
Thank you for sharing. I’m learning that the hospitals near me may be pretty rare in this regard.
I knew about hospital libraries and agree that they’re a wonderful resource. Nursing homes too (which I got to know quite well in recent years, and was very grateful for). I was shocked by what I learned about tuberculosis from that book as well. What a powerful and eye-opening (and upsetting) read. I went to a couple of silent reading parties pre-pandemic and thought they were amazing, but I haven’t come across any since — and I’d love to go!
A silent reading party sounds awesome! It’s been a long time since I visited a nursing home, but I’d bet they have some cool amenities for their residents.
I just finished reading Everything Is Tuberculosis and I was blown away by how much I learned too! I also love silent book clubs and I’m trying to see if I can find one near me. You made some great discoveries, I think! I love these!
Thank you very much. 🙂
Oh, neat! I didn’t know hospitals have libraries, though it does sound like a wonderful idea.
It’s quite helpful for sure.
A silent book club sounds amazing to be honest. I have not come across a library in a hospital before, but I do love the sound of that. A couple of years ago I was spending a lot of time in the hospital when a family member was there, so much so that the security guard always recognized me even with the mask. I think I would have loved if there was a library there.
Wow, it’s impressive that the security guard was able to do that. I wish you could have had a library to help you then.
What a neat list, Lydia. I’ve been in hospitals where they have libraries. Our local Veterans home also has a library. I don’t think BookTok is for me either. I barely make it through podcasts. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog last week.
You’re quite welcome, Cheryl. I struggle with podcasts, too.