We Saved a Page for You.
Since 2023, I’ve read over 300 books—physical, digital, and audiobooks alike. After nearly 12 years of only reading for school, work, or survival, I finally picked up a book for leisure. That single choice to join some friends in reading a viral #booktok novel pulled me into a literary spiral that became this space: The PShelf Life.
This isn’t about literary accolades. It’s not about how many books an author has written, or whether it made the New York Times Best Seller list. It’s about the stories that made me cancel plans so I could figure out what happens next. The ones that made me text a friend the link to purchase. The ones I finished in one sitting—or couldn’t get past chapter one.
The PShelf Life is about what makes people feel something when they read.
It’s about the books you thought you wouldn’t be into, but ended up loving.
The ones everyone raved about, but you secretly couldn’t finish.
It’s not about being a perfect reader. It’s about being an honest one and recognizing your literary preferences.
And based on my self-proclaimed expertise, I believe I’ve cracked the code for helping you find your next favorite story, even if it wasn’t mine.
Plot. Pulse. Pace.
The literacy trinity of how I assess a book.
Plot: Shock Value—But Make It Make Sense
I need some kind of twist or revelation. A gasp. A “wait… what just happened?” moment that doesn’t feel forced, but like it’s been waiting since chapter one. If I’m not rewinding the audiobook or re-reading a passage just to make sure I caught it right? It might fall a few rows down on my PShelf.
Pulse: Full-Bodied & Well-Rounded
The writing doesn’t have to be perfect, but the story should be. Even if it’s niche or unrealistic, I want characters that feel lived-in, themes that land, and plots that connect. I want to close the book feeling like I just stepped out of someone else’s life, not a half-baked or rushed draft.
Pace: Respects My Attention Span
I’ll give you a shot—but you have to earn my time. If it drags, I’m skimming. If it loses me, it’s either a DNF (did not finish) or a LOR (left on read). I love books that move with intention, not necessarily fast, but with energy, tension, and momentum. Keep me invested past page 20.
It is that simple! Plot. Pulse. Pace. Then once you figure out the tropes you love, the ones you hate, and the ones you’re just tired of seeing, you realize reading isn’t just a habit, it’s a whole experience. A way to recognize your self in the pages of an unassuming book. A way to expand your imagination. A way to hold on to that satisfied feeling long after “The End.”
The PShelf Life is my corner of the internet where I document those moments—the ones that made me pause, shocked, spiral, search for the film adaptation, or wish I could read it again for the first time.
A wise woman named Beyoncé used her iconic “Cowboy Carter” album to say, “Genres are a funny little concept.” And she’s right.
So you won’t find just one type of story here.
You’ll find books I finished in a day.
Audiobooks that turned errands into therapy.
Personal development reads that shifted my mindset.
And playlists that mirror the emotional whiplash of chapter six.
And of course—the books I left on read. Because not every story deserves a place in your life. Read that twice.
This is not Goodreads.
This is not Fable.
I don’t care if it won a Pulitzer.
I don’t care what TikTok said.
If it didn’t make me feel something—it’s not going on the PShelf.
So here’s to the five-star reads and the LORs finally escaping my Notes app.
You might find a memoir next to a twisted thriller.
A soft coming-of-age beside a chaos-coded romance.
If it made me feel—it earned its spine.
Welcome to The PShelf Life.
Let’s turn the page.
