Choose your reading experience

We originally started our RIAL Book Subscription delivering new release hardcover books for adults (featuring characters 18 years or older) to our members. One year later, we added a Young Adult reading option, which is a category of books that is largely adored by both teens and adults. And in the fall of 2024, we introduced our RIAL Christian Book Subscription for believers who want to edify their entertainment with Christian fiction.

Choose your payment plan

Customers have always had the option to pay for their RIAL Book Subscription on a month-to-month basis. However, after receiving inquiries from customers who wanted to gift our subscription to family members and friends, we added a 3-month payment plan, which has since become our most popular payment option. Plus, it includes an annual savings of $20 per year.

Choose your genres

Based on our bookselling experience and market research, we’ve discovered that giving our subscription members six genres to choose from ensures that they receive a diverse range of books while keeping things simple. Analysis paralysis can rear its ugly head when there are a lot of options to choose from and our RIAL Book Subscription takes the stress out of shopping for books. Some customers choose three genres while others choose all six. Either way, we’re happy to put brand new books into the hands of eager readers like you.

Add our RIAL Book Subscription to your cart

After customers choose their reading experience, payment plan, and genres, they must add their RIAL Book Subscription to their shopping cart then head over to checkout to complete their purchase. New members receive a welcome email containing additional information about our subscription like the 20% RIAL Member discount, which will automatically be applied to any book inside their cart at checkout except sale items.

Ready to join the best book subscription service around? Let’s get started!

The post This Charlotte Bookstore breaks all the Book Club rules first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Here’s why you might like our Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription

Shelves Bookstore’s Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription is a great option for believers who want to edify their entertainment and do a better job at guarding their eye gates. This membership option is specifically designed for readers seeking clean novels written by authors who are disciples of Jesus Christ. Our RIAL Subscription is in a class of its own and gives you all the perks of being in a book club without forcing every member to read the same book.

Save money on Christian fiction

All avid readers know that the cost of new books can add up pretty fast. Thankfully, our Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription helps you avoid browsing for hours in search of something good (and clean) to read, while also preventing you from overspending and busting your budget. Your Friendly Neighborhood Bookseller handles the legwork for you and delivers a brand new recently published Christian book to you each month. Our payment plans are affordable and saves you money too, and the cherry on top is that all active RIAL Subscription Members receive a 20% member discount off every book on our website.

The element of surprise

This is one of the winning ingredients in our recipe for success! You tell us what type of books you want to receive each month and we pick a book based on your personal reading preferences but you won’t know what you got until you get it. Our Reading Is a Lifestyle Book Subscription Members absolutely love this element of surprise, so if you enjoy a bit of suspense, start here.

Fellowship with other Christians

Studying the Holy Bible with a group is an incredibly enriching experience and hanging out with other disciples of Jesus Christ discussing new Christian books is pretty special too. As our subscription continues to grow, we’re always looking for ways to create opportunities of genuine connection for our members, including hosting Zoom events with the authors of our monthly book subscription picks.

Want to meet other believers? Take a moment to enroll in our RIAL Subscription. Obedience to the Father is at the heart of what we do at Shelves Bookstore and we can’t wait to serve you!

The post Redeem your time with a Christian Book Subscription first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Embers of Truth by Avrie Swan

Not only is Avrie Swan a cat lover and a librarian but she’s also the Christian author of the Peshtigo Fire Chronicles series. Her debut novel Embers of Truth follows a fiery heroine who teams up with a gruff detective to catch a thief only to later realize that the real danger may be trusting each other. Set in the 1800s, this historical fiction novel has the right dose of mystery and suspense, and we had no doubt that our Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Subscription Members would love the story when we selected it as one of our monthly book picks.

No One but You, Oreva by Enewerome

Enewerome is a Nigerian-based author of Christian Romance novels two of which have been Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Book Picks. She loves writing faith-based stories that give readers hope and butterflies minus the spice that’s commonly found in contemporary romance novels. Her dual POV novel No One but You, Oreva is inspired by her & her husband’s own love story and while you’re browsing, we highly recommend that you check out her debut novel Ready to Be Loved by You, too.

The Hunted Heir by Jayna Breigh

Jayna Breigh is a lawyer and Christian author who writes stories full of legal drama. Her debut novel The Hunted Heir follows an anti-social private investigator named Nona Taylor who only attends church once a year to beg God for forgiveness for driving her twin sister out of the house to her unexpected death. We won’t give the rest of the story away but there’s a high-stakes legal investigation and a fake marriage engagement too. Either way, we knew that our Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Subscription Members were in for a suspenseful romantic treat when we picked it.

How does Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription work?

Great question! One of the things that sets Shelves Bookstore’s Reading Is a Lifestyle Book Subscription apart from other book subscription services is that after you tell us what genres you’re open to reading, we pick a newly released adult paperback book for you each month written by a Christian author. The best part is that you won’t know what book you’re getting until you get it. Think of it as a surprise gift to yourself from yourself each month. By the way, new subscription members who live in or near Charlotte, North Carolina have multiple delivery options to choose from at checkout, including Local Pickup.

Shelves Bookstore also hosts book signings

Although our monthly Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Member Hangouts are virtual conversations with authors from around the world, we occasionally host in person book signings as well with amazing Christian authors like Vanessa Miller in celebration of her novels Something Good and What We Found in Hallelujah. We’ve also had the honor of hosting a book signing for our local community with preacher, podcaster, and author Brenda Palmer for her debut book The Journey of Yes, which was immediately followed by a conversation and Q&A led by award-winning trauma therapist, speaker, and Christian author Kobe Campbell (Why Am I Like This?).

Signing up for Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription is easy

In addition to affordable payment plans that save you money, every member of our Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Crew automatically receives 20% off any book purchases made on our website. You also get access to free books and in the event that you want to take a break, you can pause your subscription for 90 days at any time through your Shelves account or cancel your subscription. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. Click here to get started today!

The post It’s not Book of the Month but it is Christian fiction first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Your journal is a safe space

While it’s true that we can do and see a lot of cool things on the internet, I think we can all agree that the internet is not the safest place to share our most intimate thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I mean is it really wise to tell ChatGPT or your 12 YouTube subscribers that you’re thinking about getting a divorce? A journal on the other hand belongs to you not the world wide web and you can write whatever you want in it then put it somewhere safe from prying eyes until you’re ready to open it again. No one has to know what’s on the pages of your journal; not Mark Zuckerberg or Sam Altman just you and God. And in an era of data breaches and cyber security hackers, I’m sure privacy is something that we can all appreciate.

Journals can be customized to your liking

Unfortunately, we can’t customize every single web page that we frequent (which would be a nightmare!). Even most of our social media profiles have a fixed template and artificial intelligence (AI) has its limits too. Sure, AI learns from the information, questions, and inquiries that we feed it and I have no doubt that there’s some incredible AI software out there making people’s lives much easier. Still, I am fully persuaded that being able to customize a journal in a way that’s unique to you is top tier and can help improve your overall well-being. So, whether you prefer bullet journals, junk journals, photo journals, commonplace journals, or using a journal for freestyle writing, the possibilities of what you can do with a journal are endless!

Journals aren’t trying to persuade you to think a certain way

Artificial intelligence (AI) require programming. That’s right. A human being has to program your favorite AI software to do what it does when it does it. Thankfully, your journal isn’t software unless you use a digital journal. It’s a blank canvas meant to hold your secrets, your best ideas, your favorite memories or whatever else you think is important. For example, our Praying Is a Lifestyle journal is the perfect place to jot down what you discern despite what others might be trying to force you to believe and it’s available in 4 colors.

Journaling can help you process your feelings

While I do believe that Google Search Engine is one of mankind’s greatest inventions, I don’t rely on it to make sense of my thoughts & emotions. The same can’t be said for everyone though. I’ve read news reports about people using ChapGPT for therapy and let’s just say that results vary. However, I am a living testimony that putting your feelings on paper inside a journal can help you make sense of what you feel, why you feel that way, and clear your head so that you can hopefully move forward in peace. It’s also pretty cool to look through old journals to see how much you’ve grown without having to rely on a random Facebook Memories notification.

Clearly, journaling is a very important part of my lifestyle and I hope you will consider making it a part of yours too. By the way, our “Be Discerning Not Distracted” journal is currently on sale!

The post Here’s Why Journaling will Outlast Artificial Intelligence first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

What year did you start dating?

Enewerome & Ikennam: We started dating August 2017 and broke up August 2020. Then we got back together in March 2021, got engaged that same year in July and got married in September (all in 2021).

Share something that the LORD has showed you about yourself in marriage.

Enewerome: The Lord has definitely taught me to be more patient, to learn what battles are worth fighting or addressing and which ones to ignore. 

Ikennam: The Lord has taught me to love my wife as Christ loves the church, which has consequently taught me to be more patient with things other people might consider as flaws. For example, the relationship between Christ and His bride (the church) is one of sacrifice on His part because even when the church is less than perfect, His love still stands.

What is one of the most rewarding things about being married?

Enewerome: For me, it would be our daughter. I love so many things about my marriage but seeing God’s gift to us in human form tops it all. If I weren’t married, I wouldn’t have her. So, she’s the most rewarding part of my marriage.

Ikennam: I would say that getting married has brought God’s increased favor and blessings in my life. I’m a living example of Proverbs 18:22.

What is one of the most challenging things about being married?

Enewerome: In the first few months, seeing firsthand how different we are was a lot! It’s one thing to date someone and another thing to marry them and move in together. Initially, I would complain about how my husband wasn’t doing things the way I liked, and I became a nag. I had to learn to be more accommodating and also remember that I was also doing things the way he wasn’t used to.

Ikennam: The first year of our marriage was not all rosy. We had our differences, and it took a lot of work and patience to get used to the fact that we weren’t raised the same way. And so naturally, we would do things differently.

How has marrying another Christian impacted your faith in Jesus Christ?

Enewerome: When I get an instruction or revelation from God, the first (and oftentimes only) person I tell is my husband, and he encourages me. Before we got married, he supported the publishing of my first Christian romance story and that support has only increased. Also, the vision I have for our home is exactly the same one he has and it just makes parenting our child the godly way less stressful.

Ikennam: Marrying a fellow believer makes marriage so much easier since we are on the same page. I don’t have to enforce or explain certain spiritual exercises that are necessary for our family. It generally makes it easier for me to serve God as I have my wife to encourage me. 

What advice would you give to couples who are engaged to be married?

Enewerome: If you are a believer, make sure your significant other is a believer too. Not just a believer in words but someone who shows the fruit of the Spirit in their everyday life. They should also be doctrinally compatible with you so that there won’t be clashes in your home regarding certain Christian practices. You should also be certain that you are both on the same page when it comes to your non-negotiables for a happy and healthy marriage. This can include how you handle finances, how many kids to have, if you want kids and when you want them, what church to attend after marriage; if it’s a long-distance relationship, who will be moving; etc. In addition, learn how to manage your family and protect your partner from them as the need arises. Finally, the closer you are to the Lord, the closer you will be to one another. Never leave God out of your relationship and future marriage.

Ikennam: Keep God at the center of your marriage because the longevity of your marriage is determined by how close your relationship with God is. Read books on marriage and learn how to have healthy communication and conflict resolution.

Describe your love story in one word.

Enewerome: Fated

Ikennam: Fulfilling

Order your copy of Enewerome’s novels No One But You, Oreva and Ready to Be Loved by You at Shelves Bookstore. Become a Reading Is a Lifestyle Book Subscription Member and receive an automatic 20% member discount off every book in your cart at checkout (excluding sale items). This discount goes into effect as soon as you add our subscription to your cart!

The post Jesus Christ is the foundation for the best love stories first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Who’s your favorite character in the Ruby Vaughn Mystery series and why?

Savanna: Ruby, of course. She’s a strong-willed, snarky woman doing what she wants in a time when women needed a man’s permission to do anything.

Stephanie: Ruby is my favorite. I love a flawed protagonist who is aware of who they are, what their shortcomings are but who knows that they are meant to be doing what they are doing.

What do you enjoy most about author Jess Armstrong’s writing style? 

Savanna: Jess knows how to bait you with just enough information or romantic tension to get you hooked and then not resolve it until the end.

Stephanie: She keeps the action moving and keeps you enthralled, wanting to get to the next page, the next halter, the next book as quickly as you can.

What type of reader would you recommend the Ruby Vaughn Mystery books to?

Savanna: Anyone who wants a little bit of magic and romance with their historical mysteries.

Stephanie: Anyone because it has plenty to appeal to readers of many different genres. There’s even a little bit of will they/won’t they romance.

Describe The Curse of Penryth Hall and The Secret of the Three Fates books in one word?

Savanna: Suspenseful

Stephanie: Highly addictive

Receive a signed bookplate from author Jess Armstrong, including glossy book cover stickers of all three books in the Ruby Vaughn Mystery series when you preorder The Devil in Oxford from Shelves Bookstore. Take it a step further and become a Reading Is a Lifestyle Book Subscription Member and start enjoying our automatic 20% member discount off any book in your cart at checkout (excluding sale items). This discount goes into effect as soon as you add our subscription to your cart!

The post Your favorite award-winning book series first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Everybody who’s popular in the American church isn’t following Jesus

I am very careful about who and what I subscribe to online, especially in regard to Christian content. Unfortunately, there are people within the American church who initially started their ministry devoted to giving glory to Jesus Christ but have since lost their way. Like Brenda, I’ve been on my own journey of radical obedience to the LORD and guarding my ear and eye gates is vital, especially in this era of U.S. history where deception and propaganda are at an all-time high. As a minister of the gospel, one of the things that I repeat often is to be discerning and not distracted. I even designed a journal with the same message for fellow writers and notetakers who love God as much as I do.

Shelves Bookstore is hosting a book signing with Brenda Palmer in Charlotte, NC

If you’ve been here for the last 12 months or so, then you know that God has been shifting Shelves to align with His will. In addition to launching our Reading Is a Lifestyle Christian Book Subscription last Fall, we plan to host both virtual and in person events with Christian authors similar to the book signing that we’re having with Brenda Palmer on Friday, July 18, 2025, which is officially sold out! Award-winning trauma therapist and Charlotte-based author of Why Am I Like This? Kobe Campbell will lead our conversation with Brenda and I have no doubt that their discussion about the reality of faith, trust, and endurance will edify everyone in the room.

Brenda’s debut book The Journey of Yes is also one of our July ’25 Reading Is a Lifestyle Book Subscription Picks. New members have three subscription options to choose from, including two affordable payment plans plus subscription members get an automatic 20% discount off any book on our website at checkout whenever you shop with us.

The post Brenda Palmer gave God her yes first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

What are some things that you learned during your publishing journey?

One of the biggest things I learned through publishing was that it’s okay to ask questions. When I first decided to try and publish my book, I was clueless as to where I should start. I didn’t know any authors or agents and had no idea what resources were available to me. That’s when my family suggested [that] I email some of my favorite authors and ask them. At first, I was terrified! Why would they bother responding to me? Imagine my surprise when they did respond and offered me lots of incredible advice, including some suggestions for conferences and groups I could check out. So, if you’re looking to start writing or [want to] publish a book, never be afraid to ask around!

At what point did you decide to write your debut novel?

Was your novel inspired by a particular person or event?

Historical fiction has always held a special place in my heart. As a history major myself, I am a big fan of the past—especially when it comes to local history. That’s what drew me to the Peshtigo Fire and inspired me to create a series around it. I also love creating characters and giving them their own special personalities. That’s where the fiction part became important to me. I love the freedom that writing historical fiction gives me while still allowing me to explore the topics I love most.

So, who did you write Embers of Truth for?

Embers of Truth is a novel written for lovers of adventure, mystery, and romance. It was made for people who enjoy reading about snowy nights and warm gingerbread. It’s written for those who have experienced hard times and know what it’s like to triumph over them. Lastly, it was created for readers who want to read novels that glorify God in a clean manner. If that sounds like you, feel free to add Embers of Truth to your TBR [stack] today!

Get your copy of Embers of Truth at Shelves Bookstore or save 20% on Avrie’s debut novel when you sign up to become a Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Member. Three subscription options to choose from, two affordable payment plans.

The post Publishing historical fiction first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

At what point did you begin to take your writing seriously? 

When I finished my manuscript [for my first novel] and shared it with my first readers, I started to feel like a real author. They had positive feedback that made me think I might actually be able to publish my novel.

Please explain your writing process for A Homecoming in Shady Springs? 

What’s the backstory behind A Homecoming in Shady Springs?

Some friends of mine shared a mailbox while they were in college but never actually met until years later. That thought sparked an idea for a novel about a boy and a girl sharing a mailbox in a similar way. After I wrote A Summer in Shady Springs, I had the perfect characters for the “mailbox story.” Later, I got interested in split-timeline fiction and knew that would be the best way for Henry and Catherine’s story to unfold. The university they attend is inspired by my alma mater, Harding University. I’ve had many readers tell me they loved recognizing places in the book!

Who would you recommend your novel to?

If you enjoy stories with a little humor, a little grit, and a lot of spiritual growth, you’ll love A Homecoming in Shady Springs. (Christian women who love to read are my favorite people!)

Interested in reading Sarah’s novel? Buy your copy of A Homecoming of Shady Springs today or choose from 1 of our 3 Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription options and save 20% on her book as a subscription member.

The post Life is better with you first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

When did you start your writing journey and why? 

I’ve always loved reading and writing. I won my first writing contest in 1st grade and continued penning stories for fun as I grew. Romance was my favorite genre and unfortunately, my reading appetite grew so fast that I found myself picking up books with content I never should have read as a teen–let alone as an adult. I remember when God began to lovingly convict me over what I was reading. I complained to Him that I couldn’t find books I loved within the Christian market (this was thirty years ago!) and He said, “Well then write them.” [It was] in that moment, [that] I gave my reading and writing over to Him. It would be another 25 years before I was actually published. All those years in between feeling called to write and my first book being released were filled with God growing me and my writing abilities to the place where I was ready [to] become a published author. His timing is always perfect.

Who or what inspired The Novel Adventures of Natalie Daughtry? 

Do you only write mystery novels or have you ventured into other genres too?

I started with straight romance where the story focuses solely on the character’s journey to be together. There’s a lot you can do when you walk with a character through struggles, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing those books. But I found with each one, that I naturally added a little more to the plot and I loved the aspect of being able to add additional elements to my writing. While I don’t see myself venturing into the historical, thriller, or fantasy genres, I do see a continued use of mystery, adventure, and suspense in my books. And romance. Always romance!

What lessons can readers learn from your characters in The Novel Adventures of Natalie Daughtry?

That avoiding conflict because it feels too hard only makes things harder. That talking things through allows you to see others’ perspectives and discover yours might not have been correct. To not make assumptions; to forgive [and] with God, reconciliation is possible. That marriage is hard work, but oh so worth it! That not everyone’s gifts look the same, but they’re all given by God and all of value–even when the world wants to say otherwise.

What advice would you give to new or aspiring Christian novelists?

Pray. Pray. Pray. Sink your worth and identity into God because this business is filled with rejection and loud voices. If you’re not anchored in Him, you’ll be swayed by all the outside influences that can build you up or tear you down. Writing is what you do, not who you are, and God has a different audience for each of us. And remember, God’s timing is always right.

Get your copy of Susan’s novel The Novel Adventures of Natalie Daughtry from Shelves Bookstore and enjoy a 20% discount at checkout as a Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Member!

The post A novel of adventures first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.