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Welcome back to Insider Pix, where we uncover what entertainment and culture insiders are watching, reading, and listening to! Next up:
Tarah Theoret
Tarah Theoret is Vice President of Community Growth & Engagement at NetGalley, where she leads community strategy, audience growth, and Booktrovert. With nearly two decades of experience in book marketing, she's dedicated to helping readers discover great books and publishers reach new audiences.
Booktrovert turns 1!
Created and powered by the team at NetGalley, Booktrovert celebrates readers with free ebook giveaways, a personal reading library, and bookish games—all in one place. To celebrate 365 days of building the ultimate reader’s playground, Booktrovert is giving away limited-edition merch to the bookish community!
Tarah’s 5 Picks
A 5-star-worthy book you’d recommend to anyone?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is my go-to book recommendation for just about everyone. It’s mysterious, romantic, and one of the most vivid books I’ve ever read. My dream is that there will be a movie adaptation soon…
Best TV show you’ve watched recently?
Widow’s Bay has been on my weekly watch list—it’s the perfect blend of humor, horror and a wonderfully atmospheric setting. Also, the aloofness of Kate O’Flynn and Matthew Rhys, paired with Stephen Root’s steadfastness, makes for a captivating trio. I just finished the season 1 finale and waiting for season 2 is going to be a true test of patience!
Best movie you’ve watched recently?
We watched Remarkably Bright Creatures for family movie night recently. It was delightful—lots of laughs, a few tears (mostly from me), and just a great time.
A hidden gem you wish more people knew about?
Free Little Libraries—they are an introvert’s dream (much like Booktrovert). I actually have one in my front yard, and it’s wonderful to see the neighbors checking out the books, or the regular cyclist dropping off a recent read. There’s a handy map so you can locate any in your area, then take a book and/or leave a book!
Your go-to weekly podcast?
Good Hang with Amy Poehler brings me so much joy. I haven’t missed an episode yet. She’s hilarious and genuine and seems to bring out the best in her guests.
Pix: Discovery is at the heart of Booktrovert. What's the best book recommendation you've received recently?
TT: Hands down, it’s Lucy Score’s Story Lake series, which was recommended to me by my best friend. It's pitched as 'a Gilmore Girls meets Schitt's Creek redemption rom-com,’ and it completely lives up to that description. It's the perfect, comforting read whenever you need a good laugh and a feel-good escape.
Pix: How can Booktrovert help readers who find themselves in a reading slump?
TT: The ultimate cure for a reading slump is instant gratification and taking the pressure off! Booktrovert helps readers break out of ruts by turning discovery into an adventure. Between playing daily bookish games in our Arcade, entering our ebook giveaways and sweepstakes to win and start reading immediately, we give readers instant inspiration. Pair that with our personal Library to track and manage your goals, and you have the perfect antidote to a reading slump.
Pix: Booktrovert is celebrating its first anniversary. What's been the most surprising thing you've learned about readers over the past year?
TT: We have a saying at Booktrovert that ‘reading isn’t just a hobby—it’s a lifestyle.’ While we wholeheartedly believed that when we started, it has been so fulfilling to see how deeply our community actually demonstrates it.
We witnessed this firsthand at BookCon, where readers continuously flooded our booth to claim a free ebook based on their Booktrovert personality. Our entire team felt their incredible warmth and passion—from the amazing bookish outfits they wore, to their genuine concern for how long we'd been standing on our feet, to them asking us what we were currently reading. I’ve worked in publishing for over 18 years, and I’ve never felt more connected to the heart of the reading community than I did that weekend.