about us

Shelf Love was born out of the idea that reading books — print, digital or audio — is the ultimate act of self-love.

Our mission is to inspire personal growth and transformation through the love of books and the power of community.

At the core, we are a community of book lovers and wellness aficionados uniting to inspire personal growth and transformation. Each month we’ll choose a book (or two!) to read together as a community. We’ll host gatherings online dedicated to the themes and lessons of the featured books. As much as this is about great life-changing books, it’s more. It’s about community and building a practice of self-love that is sustainable, accessible and transformational -- and most importantly, FUN -- on your own terms.

empowering self-love

It’s a beautiful world we live in, where terms like wellness, self-care and personal development are so mainstream you’ll hear them strolling down the grocery store aisle. Meanwhile, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the secret to happiness is in that next course, fancy fitness class, mastermind or coach. We aim to empower you to use these tools when they serve you, but also remind you that you are whole and capable without them. 

In this journey, it’s important to remind ourselves that self-love is a feeling, a presence, a state of being; while self-care consists of the actions you take to manifest self-love. So most of the time when we talk about self-care, we’re not talking about manicures, vacations and massages. We’re talking about prioritizing the actions that support the feeling of self-love. It means taking time to be in a relationship with ourselves. It means cultivating vulnerability, joy, compassion and boundaries in our lives. And it means building a supportive community to empower you.

the power of books

It’s no surprise that books are our tool of choice around here. In whatever form you prefer -- digital, audio, or paper. Why, you ask? It’s quite simple really. Books are perhaps the most sustainable & accessible tools for growth, and finally they are cool again. They require space for quiet, introspection and relaxation, and the right books offer a platform for vulnerable conversations. You’ll find that our monthly book selections are chosen based on availability, diversity and topic — across all genres — and must inspire growth or positive change of some kind. 

While books are our tool, community is our platform. It brings us back to our roots as human beings and is such a crucial element to self-love and wellness. Our meetups, our online community, every container that we create together is built on a foundation of compassion and acceptance. Think … book club meets support group, with your soon-to-be-friends. We value the fun, connection & accountability of the traditional book club model (thanks Mom!) and partner it with the confidentiality & compassion emphasized in therapeutic environments.

How It Works

Our gatherings are not like your typical book clubs. Conversations will be thoughtful and lightly guided with prompts and exercises — and largely focused on how the topic affects our personal experiences. It’s a time to share, and even more importantly, to listen. 

Because of this, you’ll never have to worry about not having time to read the book. If you do, excellent! If you don’t, you’ll still have plenty to contribute to the theme and conversation. For busy parents, entrepreneurs, students, you name it -- this is for you! 

Truth is, sometimes all you need is a good book and good people to share it with.

OUR FOUNDER

Cassie Allinger

Shelf Love founder, Cassie Allinger, is a digital marketer & growth consultant by day — and an entrepreneur & Moon Club ambassador by night.

She’s passionate about bringing the therapeutic power of books to the world in a way that is accessible & sustainable.

After a lifetime of healing various physical and emotional wounds — mostly through books and community — she was inspired to create the book club she always dreamed of, in a way that can be of service to others.

She’s an avid reader, often telling folks to watch Matilda if they are curious about her childhood reading habits. These days she’s focused on balanced, slow reads that support relaxation, growth & education.