Hello and welcome to The Messy Bookshelf. We are so happy that you’ve decided to check us out and embark on our crazy reading journeys with us. This blog is a passion project hosted by two lovely ladies: myself Danni, and my BFF and partner in crime, Bear. We started a book club called The Sizzle Shelf with just the two of us, in August 2025. This book club was primarily focused on smutty romance books but we have since expanded into some other genres as well. We quickly realized that if we didn’t start keeping some kind of record of our book club books, we would forget what we had and hadn’t read. This realization led to the idea of starting a public blog where others could see what we were reading and where we could be part of a literary community that promotes reading as a passion and hobby.
We chose the name “The Messy Bookshelf” for the double entendre. Life has a way of being messy and is never straightforward—just like our TBR list, which is a disaster that only grows with each new book recommendation. We felt that it perfectly encapsulated the dual nature of life and our love for reading. A messy bookshelf has a certain charm, knowing that its contents are well read and beloved for the stories and knowledge they hold. It also felt appropriate because Bear’s bookshelves look more like a dragon hoard than actual bookshelves. Seriously though, she has no organization for those things. 😅
A word from Danni:
My love for reading began when I was a kid. My mom used to read me stories before bed, and all the different worlds we explored within those pages really cultivated a love for reading that I enjoy now more than ever. My top genres are romantasy, historical romance, and science fiction. My guilty pleasure, though, is absolutely a great smutty novel.
As a reader, my favourite format has always been paperback. I love the way a paperback smells and how it feels in my hands as I physically turn the pages. Although, admittedly, most of my reading these days happens on one of the many book apps available. My favourite place to read is curled up in bed under a minimum of three blankets, with a cup of coffee or tea beside me, and my two cats sleeping on my feet. When I’m not staying up ridiculously late past my bedtime, completely engrossed in my latest read, you can find me playing cozy video games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, or organizing my Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards.
A word from Bear:
Hello everyone! Bear here. I’m the second half of the dynamic (messy) duo running this blog. Just like Danni, my love for reading started with bedtime stories. My dad was famous among my siblings and me for his character voices while reading us the Percy Jackson series. My mother, on the other hand, preferred standalone stories, such as All About Sam (which is where my brother got his name).
I’ve been a voracious reader since about grade three, and reading is one of the things that makes me the happiest and calmest in the world—alongside singing and knitting. My reading taste is eclectic, to say the least, though romance and fantasy are definitely my top genres. Oh—and do alien romances count as a genre??? Generally, I’ll read just about anything if it’s written well… and occasionally books that aren’t so well written but are pure entertainment. I can’t wait to share all of my reading escapades with you this year! (You might get tired of hearing from me, fair warning.)
Love,
Bear XOXO💕
This blog will feature book reviews of what we’re currently reading, along with some fun challenges and other ideas we have to keep things interesting. We’re very opinionated about our books and hope to cover a wide range of genres and stories. If this sounds like something you are interested in reading then we are happy to have you here. Happy Reading!📖
