this book really spoke to me and was unlike anything I have read! I am a huge fan of Annie and The Bookshelf and this short story collection did not disappoint.

I’ve been an Annie B. Jones for years, ever since I started following her on Instagram in 2020. I now subscribe to her private Instagram channel to read her book reviews and I love her taste and her book recommendations. Needless to say, I was thrilled when she announced she was coming out with her own book.

In “Ordinary Time” Annie writes in essays about her life as a small town independent bookstore owner. As a mother, daughter, sister, and friend. As a reader. As someone who has stayed and planted roots in the same corner of the world where she grew up. And as a person of faith. So much of that identity resonated with me. So many of those topics interested me.

And I really enjoyed this book. That said, I did, at times, wish she had gone a tad bit deeper? But also, that may have been my bias as someone who already feels like she knows Annie thanks to social media. Readers coming to this book fresh may feel differently.

I particularly enjoyed her essays about intergenerational community, about the joy in loving things in big loud ways, about staying in one phase of your life far longer than you and those around you thought you would. And as a millennial with similar cultural taste and touchstones to Annie, I loved so many of the pop culture references she made. I felt seen when she talked about the way that she was so touched by Ringo Starr when she fell down a deep, deep “Get Back” rabbit hole in 2021.

Note – there is a lot more talk about Annie’s Christian faith, a lot more pages dedicated to that, than the book’s description lets on. So if that would not resonate with you, this may not be the book for you.

This is a book that readers, old souls, Southerners, and sentimentalists will love. It’s a book that was a comfort to read. And I hope it is not the only book we will ever see from Annie.

As someone who was never the one to “stay” I was hoping for some perspective in this book and I think a few of my friends I’ve made along the way could truly related to this book and I felt compelled to share it with them. While I found the book easy enough to read, I struggled to see the point of some of the chapters and the way the author referred to them herself as essays made it feel less “put together” in my opinion.

She talked of her podcast multiple times and how it included books and small business content which I was particularly interested in but when I went to browse the episodes, it didn’t seem there was as much business content as I was hoping for.

Either way, this was an enjoyable, relaxing read with an interesting perspective on life.

Ordinary Time is a collection of essays that are about an ordinary life in an ordinary town. This book started and ended very strong for me. I related to these essays the most, so I was disappointed when I found myself struggling through the middle. I don't want to speak too negatively on it since this is truly someone's lived experience, there were just large sections that weren't for me...and that's ok! Because I know there is someone out there who was nodding and saying "YUP" the entire way through. On the whole I found it enjoyable and would rate in the low 3s.

I enjoyed this memoir in essays, but found the flow a little stilted. It didn’t feel as seamless as I would like and the theme of “staying” didn’t feel like it wove its way effortlessly throughout all of the essays. I would have preferred it be marketed as a reflective memoir without trying to emphasize staying. Overall though it was thoughtful and well-written!

It's been a long time since I highlighted as many passages in a book as I did while reading Ordinary Time! Such a cozy read, full of lovely musings about friendship, family, faith, home. It was light enough to read over the course of 24 hours, while profound enough to keep me thinking about it after I finished it. I read it while visiting a childhood friend and shared passages with her from the chapters on friendship, and she decided she's going to read it once it comes out!

A lovely memoir all about place, home, and finding contentment where you find yourself. Loved hearing about how Annie B. Jones became a bookseller, and the twists and turns her path has taken.

I have listened to Annie B. Jones’ podcast for years, and this is exactly what I wanted her book to be. I have enjoyed hearing her stories in her podcast, but the opportunity to read them in a manner where they had time to be fully explained and thought of so introspectively was a treat. As a reader, I enjoy books that take me out of my mundane life and on grand adventures, but it was refreshing to read a book about an ordinary woman doing ordinary things—just like me. The short story set up of the book served Jones well & has me longing for more from her in long form format!

I will cherish this book dearly! It felt like chatting with your closest friend with a cup of coffee! I can't wait to purchase a hardcopy for my forever shelf.

Reading memoir should be like you're sitting with the author over a long weekend swapping stories. Ordinary Time is like you're sitting with Annie on a front porch swing listening to her share her life with you. It's personable, funny, and life-giving. I loved it! Thank you, Annie for sharing your stories with us!

Thank you, NetGalley & HarperOne for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Enjoyable and helpful read! In Ordinary Time by Annie B Jones, the author tells us about her journey in adulthood and touches on some very helpful and thoughtful provoking themes. These include our need to constantly adjust our expectations of what our lives are “supposed to” look like and the importance of community. In her story about running a small town book store, Annie touches on the topics of friendships, careers, locations. She also shares her story of intentionally seeking out friendships and community while also learning to let go of people when their season of friendship ends. I also appreciated her perspectives on learning to be a boss, changing faith journey, and the sheer beauty of a simple life. Highly recommend!

I am a faithful listener to From the Front Porch, and am pleased to say that the author's first foray into writing is even better than expected. I see a young Ann Patchett in her, and hope she will write more in years to come.

when we’re younger, the idea of moving away, wiping the slate clean, and starting again is so appealing. you can shed the skin that held you captive from birth through high school graduation and start fresh, reinventing yourself at every turn. the world is yours!
in annie jones’ book, ordinary time, she explores the (groundbreaking) idea of staying put. staying in your hometown (or very close to it), staying married to the man you met the first year of college, and staying true to the things that light you up. through a series of essays, annie examines her life and the factors that led her to stay. how she’s proud of the life she’s built even though it meant a lot of loss and loneliness at times, while those she loved spread their wings and left her.
this book is a gentle reminder that the cozy familiarity of home can be just as awe inspiring as the bright lights of the big city.

thank you to harperone for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

The author has a popular podcast (which I've never heard of) and has run a small, independent bookstore for the last decade. She talks about growing up in a small town, watching many of her close friends and classmates move away to larger cities, then herself moving away to another lovely small town existence. In her new surroundings, she made the effort to acquire and keep new friends that enrich her life. Another topic was the lifelong importance of church in her family's life, where circumstances led she and her husband to explore alternative churches. Another difficulty was navigating the unpleasant role of being boss at her bookstore, and the painful experience of having to demote or fire people (it seemed to hurt her more than the employee).

I really thought I would connect with this being a quiet, introverted person who lives in a small town and finds refuge in reading. However, I was increasingly bored with the content and decided to DNF @ 50%. Maybe these chapter entries are more attractive to people who listen to her podcast, but for me they were too "ordinary" and did not engage me.

Thank you to the publisher HarperOne who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

What a sweet collection of stories and lessons from one of my favorite bookstore owners. Annie is wise, down to earth, and eager to share her experiences. I hope she keeps honing her craft.

This is a collection of essays about how an ordinary life is not a bad one, and how it feels to stay when everyone around you seems to leave.

This book feels like it was written for me. It won’t be for everyone (nor should it be), maybe some people will be surprised by the religious themes throughout, but if you can relate, you’ll really relate. I felt at times as though I was talking to my future self, which you can image was hopeful and a bit teary.

It’s a quiet book, one that begs to be revisited again and again.

I love Annie, her bookstore, and her podcast; it was lovely to get to know her through her words.

Thank you HarperCollins for the early copy!

Pros: I was so excited when I received this book from NetGalley because I love listening to Annie B. Jones’s podcast From the Front Porch. Although I read the kindle version of this book, I could hear the author’s voice in my head as I read (and hope to reread it as an audiobook). This book is full of thoughtful and honest essays on growing up and living a quiet life while also blooming where you are planted. I especially enjoyed the essays on being in a book club (and have recommending this book to my book club) and leaving a church. My favorite part of this book was how relatable the author is—we are elder millennials who are also eldest daughters, played American Girl Dolls and school but were not into summer camp, and are known to look for grammatical errors in church bulletins. I think many readers will find her to be just as relatable and will be thankful to read her words on staying put.

Cons: None!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperOne for the opportunity to read this book.

Being a librarian, I love books. I also love hearing about books, and listen to several book podcasts, including "From the Front Porch" with Annie B. Jones, who is an independent bookstore owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville GA. I live in Western NY, I'm also probably closer in age to Annie's Mother, but I related so much to her debut book of essays, "Ordinary Time". I personally love essays, and was happy that Annie used this format to tell us about her life and thoughts. I related to her struggle with being an introvert, yet working in a very public facing job, and how books can help us connect, escape, and stay sane. The essay on obituaries is one that really resonated with me - I have felt the heartbreak of realizing a favorite patron has stopped calling, or coming into the library and doing the dreaded google search to see the sad news. Her decision to leave her church, her struggle to find a new place to worship and live - all made me feel seen. This book feels like a warm hug - Annie seems so grounded and authentic. I hope one day I can visit The Bookshelf, or attend a Reader's Retreat. I am going to totally use her "I am going to collapse in on myself like a dying star" instead of going in the back room and singing my "I hate people" song when I've had too much face time. Thank you, Annie, for reminding us that life is better with a little bewilderment, and to learn to accept the good things that come our way, even if they are very ordinary. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy.

I read this book on the recommendation of a friend, and I enjoyed the experience, just not as much as I hoped. I found several of the essays interesting and applicable (especially those about being a lifelong reader) with moments of humor paired with insight. However, the majority of the essays were not relatable for me.

As someone who left home as soon as I graduated, I did not share in many of the authors experiences which lessened my enjoyment somewhat. I think this book is best for someone who has remained in their hometown and can more easily relate, but I think all readers can enjoy it on some level.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! All opinions expressed are my own.

Annie Jones has written a beautiful collection of personal essays. Her thoughtful writing on life, relationships, and home is worthwhile reading. Can’t wait to hear her read the audio herself.