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A stack of books with reading glasses on top, representing the “Between Two Covers” segment from The Next Chapter bookstore.

Shelly Mutom of The Next Chapter bookstore highlights local book clubs and fresh reading recommendations in this week’s Between Two Covers.

Headshot of Gabriel Escalera

By Gabriel Escalera

What Local Readers Are Turning Pages On

May 6th, 2026

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On today’s edition of Arts Today, we return to our recurring segment Between Two Covers, where we explore the books that are shaping conversations in local reading circles, independent bookstores, and community book clubs.

This month, we’re joined by Shelly Muton from The Next Chapter, a local hub for readers who gather regularly to share recommendations and dive into stories that spark discussion well beyond the final page. Muton offers a look at what her book club has been reading lately, highlighting a mix of contemporary fiction, rediscovered classics, and a few unexpected titles that have stirred lively debate among members.

According to Muton, the group’s recent selections reflect a growing interest in stories that balance personal narrative with broader social themes—books that invite readers not just to follow a plot, but to sit with questions about identity, community, and change. Alongside the formal selections, members continue to trade informal recommendations, building a kind of evolving reading list shaped by trust and curiosity.

As always, Between Two Covers is less about reviewing books in isolation and more about understanding how stories live in conversation—between readers, across genres, and within the rhythms of everyday life.

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