Latest news with #ThriftBooks
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Move over dating apps — Gen Z is now having meet-cutes at book club
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. 'Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health,' said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. 'It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits.' According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include 'Fourth Wing,' 'Gone with the Wind,' the Harry Potter series, 'The Book Thief,' 'The Midnight Library' and 'The Outsiders.' And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were 'Little Women,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'The Help' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. 'In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way,' said Hagen. 'If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone.' POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS 'Little Women' 'Pride and Prejudice' 'The Help' 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'The Nightingale' 'The Silent Patient' 'The Women' 'Where the Crawdads Sing' 'A Child Called It' 'It Ends with Us' 'Moby Dick' 'Milk and Honey'Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025.
New York Post
29-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Move over dating apps — Gen Z is now having meet-cutes at book club
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Advertisement Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. 3 Men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). SWNS And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. Advertisement However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. 3 The study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. SWNS Advertisement And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. 'Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health,' said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. 'It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits.' Advertisement According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include 'Fourth Wing,' 'Gone with the Wind,' the Harry Potter series, 'The Book Thief,' 'The Midnight Library' and 'The Outsiders.' 3 Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. SWNS And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were 'Little Women,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'The Help' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. 'In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way,' said Hagen. 'If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone.' POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS Advertisement 'Little Women' 'Pride and Prejudice' 'The Help' 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'The Nightingale' 'The Silent Patient' 'The Women' 'Where the Crawdads Sing' 'A Child Called It' 'It Ends with Us' 'Moby Dick' 'Milk and Honey' Survey methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Book clubs beat dating apps for Gen X and Gen Z
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. "Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health," said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. "It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits." According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include "Fourth Wing," "Gone with the Wind," the Harry Potter series, "The Book Thief," "The Midnight Library" and "The Outsiders." And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were "Little Women," "Pride and Prejudice," "The Help" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. "In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way," said Hagen. "If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone." POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS "Little Women""Pride and Prejudice""The Help""To Kill a Mockingbird""The Nightingale""The Silent Patient""The Women""Where the Crawdads Sing""A Child Called It""It Ends with Us""Moby Dick""Milk and Honey" Survey methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025. We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are: Traditional online access panels - where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic - where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan. Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value. Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample. Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes: Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has "deduping" based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access. The post Book clubs beat dating apps for Gen X and Gen Z appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
CBS News
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Readers vote "Didn't You Used To Be Queenie B?" as the new book for Club Calvi!
Please consider joining our Facebook group by CLICKING HERE . Find out more about the books below. Club Calvi has a new book! You voted "Didn't You Used To Be Queenie B?" by Terri-Lynne DeFino as the Readers' Choice. In a video to readers, DeFino described her book as a recipe for redemption. "Take a celebrity chef hiding out in New Haven, Connecticut," she said. "Add a talented line cook struggling with addiction. Fold in a pinch of regret, a generous dash of penance, and a tablespoon of hope. Then whisk it all together into a cooking competition offering them both a second chance." You can read an excerpt below, and get your copy of the book to read along with Club Calvi over the next four weeks. Please join our Facebook group to participate in our discussions. The CBS New York Book Club focuses on books connected to the Tri-State Area in their plots and/or authors. The books may contain adult themes. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ From the publisher: Regina Benuzzi is Queenie B—a culinary goddess with Michelin Star restaurants, a bestselling cookbook empire, and multimillion-dollar TV deals. It doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous and curvaceous, with cascading black hair and signature red lips. She had it all. Until she didn't. After an epic fall from grace, Queenie B vanishes from the public eye, giving up everything: her husband, her son, and the fame that she'd fought to achieve. Her shows are in rerun, her restaurants still popular, but her disappearance remains a mystery to her legions of fans. Local line cook Gale Carmichael also knows a thing or two about disaster. Newly sober and struggling, Gale's future dreams don't hold space for culinary stardom; only earning enough to get by. Broke at the end of the week, he finds himself at a local soup kitchen in one of the roughest parts of New Haven, Connecticut. But Gale quickly realizes that the food coming out of the kitchen is not your standard free meal—it is delicious and prepared with gourmet flair. Gale doesn't recognize Regina, the soup kitchen's cranky proprietor, whose famous black mane is now streaked with gray. It's been more than ten years since Queenie B vanished into her careful new existence. But she sees Gale's talent and recognizes a brokenness in him that she knows all too well. The culinary genius in hiding takes him under her wing. Teaching Gale, Regina's passion to create is reignited, and they both glimpse a shot at the redemption that had always seemed out of reach. When Gale is chosen to compete on the hit cooking show, Cut!, i t's a turning point for them both. It's Gale's time to shine. And that means Queenie B might just have to come out of hiding… Terri-Lynne DeFino lives in Connecticut. "Didn't You Used To Be Queenie B?" by Terri-Lynne DeFino (ThriftBooks) $23 Osvaldo is an a******. She's done as he asked; not a drink or a snort or a pill all week. This week, of all weeks! Just so he and Julian would be at her side in her triumph. Didn't that count for anything? It was only three shots. Maybe four. If he can't cut her a small break, then f*** him. How the hell is she supposed to cope when every moment, from opening ceremony to the awards, rides on her shoulders. She has to be witty and sage and beautiful, all at the same time. Everyone wants a piece of her, and she has to give it to them or fade away like every other has-been in this business. This festival is everything. Everything! A new, more dignified stage of her career. The great Queenie B is back on her game. With the success of the festival, after last year's horror, she can slow down, maybe even let go of one of her shows. PBS has been trying to make changes she is unhappy with, anyway. Co-host? No way. Osvaldo doesn't have to take Julian and go, her beautiful boy crying, arms outstretched, right there in front of everyone. But he does, just to spite her. To punish her. Their friends, colleagues, all those wannabees pretending to be thrilled at seeing the two of them together again are now snickering as she stands on the steps of the stage. Waiting for her cue. No Oz. No Julian. Just Queenie B. She doesn't make a scene. Queenie blows a kiss, as if Osvaldo is only taking their over-tired, special needs child out of a stressful situation. He'll go along with the story, once he hears it. He doesn't want the bad publicity any more than she does. But he won't let her see Julian again, damn him. As if he has the right to keep her from her child. Which he does, according to the court orders. "Queenie?" She shakes herself out of it, shoulders back and chin up. Her heels are high, the steps are wobbly, and she's not exactly sober, but she nods to the kid wearing the headset and holding the clipboard. He points to the woman on the stage. Linda? No, Lydia. The woman PBS wants as her co-host. Lydia steps closer to the microphone. "Few of us in the culinary world are recognized outside of it. We are big fish in small ponds, but!" She raises a finger. "Our pond is getting bigger." Laughter. A few whoops. Applause. Lydia waits. She knows how to work an audience, Queenie will give her that. "We all owe a huge debt to our keynote speaker. Not only a brilliant chef, but a charismatic woman who has been instrumental in elevating our art to celebrity status. The two-thousands will usher in amazing things for the culinary world, for all of us. And we owe it in great part to our own, our magnificent, Queenie B!" The applause. It is dizzying. Queenie climbs the steps, the headset-kid giving her a hand. She looks amazing in her Zac Posen gown; her long hair drapes like an accessory. Her signature smile, the one made into a logo for both her shows, on cookbooks, menus, and personal stationary, sparkles in the spotlights more brilliantly than diamonds. It feeds her, this adulation. It proves them all wrong. Every relative and foster family who gave her back. Every smack and kick and curse aimed to break her. This moment validates everything. Almost everything. Queenie takes her place center stage, waiting. Basking. A pair of attractive, young men approach from the left. Unfolding the crisp, black chef coat they carry between them, they wait on either side of her. To slip her arms into the sleeves. To cover the designer gown with the one item of clothing worn by every chef, from the prep cooks to Queenie B herself. Arms raised over her head, she listens to the roar. Then she lowers her arms, lowers her head, and takes the bow they're all waiting for. The bow she has f****** earned. From DIDN'T YOU USE TO BE QUEENIE B? by Terri-Lynne DeFino. Copyright © 2025 by Terri-Lynne DeFino. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Return to top of page
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ThriftBooks® Launches ThriftBooks BuyBack Program Features for Bulk Booksellers
Seattle, WA, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ThriftBooks Global, LLC, the world's largest independent online seller of used books, is proud to announce the expansion of ThriftBooks BuyBack® to better serve bulk booksellers, libraries, and institutional partners across the United States. The enhanced program streamlines the process of selling large volumes of books, offering competitive pricing, simplified logistics, and dedicated support for high-volume sellers. The ThriftBooks BuyBack consumer program first launched in 2023. The program grew quickly, exceeding all expectations, and continues to welcome individuals to scan their personal bookshelves and home libraries, and then send their books, complete with free shipping, to ThriftBooks and receive either cash via PayPal or store credit. Today, ThriftBooks introduces enhanced features for bulk booksellers who have larger trades (800+ books), including managing the truck pick up with quick delivery and fast payment upon processing. With this expansion, ThriftBooks continues its commitment to promoting sustainability and the circular economy by extending the life of millions of books. Key Features of ThriftBooks BuyBack for Bulk Sellers: 'Bulk booksellers and institutions have always played a critical role in the book ecosystem,' said Martin Sandoval, Director of Supply Chain Management at ThriftBooks. 'Our enhanced BuyBack features are designed to make it easier for these partners to efficiently and profitably sell their books, while contributing to our shared mission of keeping books in circulation and out of landfills.' ThriftBooks will be present at the upcoming Los Angeles Festival of Books, the largest book festival in the United States, on April 26-27, 2025, at the USC campus in Los Angeles. The ThriftBooks BuyBack supply team members will be at booth #031 at the Los Angeles Festival of Books to answer questions and sign-up interested partners ranging from consumers to libraries to larger bulk booksellers. Interested sellers can also visit to learn more. About ThriftBooksThrift Books Global LLC is the world's largest independent online seller of used books, having sold more than 295 million used books since its inception. Founded in Seattle in 2003, ThriftBooks operates multiple processing centers throughout the US that purchase, grade, and distribute used and rare/collectible books. ThriftBooks sells across a variety of online platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Etsy, and others. provides a best-in-class e-commerce shopping experience, as evidenced by its 2025 Best Online Shops recognition, its 2025 Best Customer Service award seven years in a row, and its 5-star Trustpilot score with more than 2.1 million customer reviews. Customers who shop at enjoy everyday low prices and can earn free books through the company's much loved loyalty program, ReadingRewards. Media Contacts: Barbara Hagen for ThriftBooks [email protected] Attachment Barbara Hagen ThriftBooks 2533366996 [email protected]
