Houstonia’s The Must List tells you about something going on in Houston that you absolutely cannot miss.

There comes a time in every bibliophile’s life when they feel the tug-of-war between wanting to go out and be social and staying home, curled up with their latest read, a hot drink, and maybe even a furry (or feathery, or scaly) friend along for the adventure. Fortunately, Blue Willow Bookshop makes it so you don’t have to make such a staggering choice.

Every other month, the Memorial bookstore offers an option to do both at the same time, though please leave the pets at home. (Cheer up, though: They do have a shop dog, Jacky Dawson, who sometimes makes an appearance.) Its silent reading parties invite Houston-area booklovers to take time out of their day to hang out at the store with others, without the pressure of conversation or any other kind of extroversion. Unlike a traditional book club, participants bring whatever they’re currently reading, making the experience all the more personal and comfortable. No purchase is necessary to take part, though an RSVP helps the shop gauge attendance. “It’s just nice to gather and read,” says Blue Willow owner Valerie Koehler.

The true origins of these gatherings are unconfirmed, though Christopher Frizzelle, the former editor in chief of Seattle alt weekly The Stranger, is often credited with popularizing the concept in 2009. Silent reading parties subsequently grew more en vogue during the COVID-19 pandemic, when readers sought communal experiences—even if just quiet parallel play—and migrated to Zoom.

What these events entail beyond the silent, reading, and party aspects varies from city to city, venue to venue. Some host cocktail hours; others, live music. Blue Willow keeps things simple: bottles of red and white wines (yes, also free), a circle of chairs, a timer, and the occasional curious check-ins from a small, elderly mutt who doesn’t like being petted unless she explicitly places herself under your hand and asks for it.

The shop hasn’t been holding the silent reading parties for long—Koehler estimates about six months—but they don’t plan on changing anything about the event any time soon. Blue Willow knows it offers exactly what the book-reading public wants: “I think people just want to come and read and talk, like a book club,” Koehler says.

A typical party begins with light chatter as participants settle into their seats, pour wine, or tuck into lunch and a treat from the next-door Japanese-French pastry shop Chez Kobayashi (outside food and drink are allowed, since it’s held in the Blue Willow annex and not in the shop itself). After a brief welcome, the reading portion officially begins. The timeframe can vary, though the November event gifted participants an hour of quiet time together.

Afterward, readers are invited to discuss the books they’ve selected, giving others a chance to learn about potential new favorites. It’s helpful for Koehler, too, giving her a glimpse into how to best accommodate Houston’s wide-ranging literary tastes. “We learn every day from our customers about what they’re reading, what they’re excited about,” she says. “…That’s part of what we do here.”

She benefits from the parties, too, as a small business owner. Recommendations shared during silent reading parties give her an idea of what the community wants to see stocked on the shelves. For example, Allen Levi’s Theo of Golden, a novel about a mysterious man who finds pencil portraits in a coffee shop, then seeks to reunite the subjects with their respective artworks and learn their stories. The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage, another frequent recommendation, is a contemporary fairy-tale journey centered on a distant British royal who is called home to serve as queen after a devastating family accident, although she’d much rather continue medical school and work on an Australian farm with her friends. Two very different genres, but that’s to be expected. With 20 or so people per silent reading party, each event yields a new slate of titles—or warnings. It’s almost a guarantee that everyone will walk out with a thicker to-read list.