The SLC Shelf: October 2026
Hey, book besties!
October is shaping up to be one of our busiest months EVER, and we have so much to share with you!
Between opening our very first office and community space, launching another brand, hosting our first Utah County book fair, and welcoming new faces to our team, things have been a little chaotic around here (in the best way possible).
We've got some seriously exciting things coming up, so grab your pumpkin spice latte, get cozy, and catch up on everything happening in our little corner of the bookish world.
The Vibrant Book Club is growing up!
If you've been following along on Instagram, you might have noticed that we're not exactly the best at keeping secrets. 😂
After months of behind-the-scenes work (and some of you turning into actual detectives in our comment section), we're finally ready to introduce our next chapter: VBRNTT! (Pronounced Vibrant)
As our community has grown, so have our dreams. What started as a little book club has become so much more: book fairs, friendships, community events, a growing online shop, and now our very first physical space.
We wanted to create a brand that could grow alongside all of it.
So, what does this mean for The Vibrant Book Club?
Don't worry, we're not going anywhere!
The Vibrant Book Club will continue bringing you all the book clubs and social events you love. Smuttastic Book Fair will continue bringing the bookish chaos, and our growing collection of products and accessories will have a home under Curated by VBRNTT.
VBRNTT is simply the new umbrella bringing everything together.
At the heart of it all, our mission hasn't changed: making connection easier, creating community, and giving you more reasons to get out of the house and make new friends.
We'll be officially celebrating our new branding at our grand opening on October 17, and we can't wait to show you what's next.
🏡 WE'RE OFFICIALLY OPENING OUR DOORS!
After months of planning, we're finally opening our very first VBRNTT office and community space in North Salt Lake!
And what better way to celebrate than with an entire weekend of shopping, crafts, and hanging out with our favorite people?
We're kicking off the celebration with a little bit of everything!
Piercings + flash tattoos available
FREE DIY bookish postcard station
Light snacks and refreshments
Swag bags for the first 50 guests
Shop our products in person and celebrate our new branding!
Sunday is all about slowing down, making new friends, and having a cozy morning together.
Coffee, matcha, and tooth gems
Free pastries
Book swap
FREE DIY bookmark station
Free mini tote bag with purchases of $75+
Both celebrations are free to attend, but we encourage you to RSVP so we know you're coming!
Introducing Sunday Fore!
Did somebody say golf?
We're officially launching our newest brand, Sunday Fore, on Tuesday, October 20, and you're invited to celebrate with us!
Sunday Fore is all about making golf fun again, with cute accessories, a little personality, and products you'll actually want to bring to the course.
Your ticket includes:
Three hours of unlimited golf play
A Sunday Fore golf towel
Access to our DIY customization bar to personalize your towel
An exclusive first look at our products
20% off retail purchases during the event
Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.
Whether you've been golfing for years or you've never picked up a club, we'd love to see you there!
🎃 PROVO, WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!
Our First-Ever Utah County Halloween Book Fair
Saturday, October 24 | The Vale, Provo
We're bringing the bookish magic to Utah County for the first time EVER!
And because we love spooky season, we're making it a Halloween book fair.
Here's what you can expect:
40+ amazing authors, makers, and vendors
Books, bookish merchandise, and unique finds
Spooky season vibes
Halloween photo opportunities
Costumes encouraged!
Best of all? It's completely FREE to attend!
Bring your book besties, dress for the occasion, and come support some incredible small businesses.
🌙 TO THE STARS WHO LISTEN...
ACOTAR 6 Release Party
Tuesday, October 27 | Heat Nightclub, Salt Lake City
The wait is almost over, and we're celebrating the release of the next ACOTAR book in true Night Court fashion.
Join us for a magical evening inspired by Prythian, complete with themed food and drinks, bookish fun, and plenty of fellow ACOTAR-obsessed readers.
We only have a handful of spots remaining!
Want to grab your copy of the book, too? Make sure to check out our preorder options so you can celebrate the release with us.
NOVEMBER EVENTS JUST DROPPED!
Just because spooky season is coming to an end doesn't mean the fun has to stop.
We've started releasing our November calendar, and there are even more opportunities to make new friends, get crafty, and spend time with the girls.
One we're especially excited about?
🕯️ The Girls' Table: A Witchy Friendsgiving
Think cozy fall vibes, a potluck-style dinner, new friendships, and DIY oracle cards!
We're gathering around the table for an evening of good food, creativity, and a little bit of magic.
Bring a dish to share, come as you are, and leave with new friends and your very own handmade oracle card deck.
Plus, keep an eye out for more cozy gatherings, book clubs, and creative events being added throughout the month!
💌 OUR LITTLE TEAM IS GROWING!
One of our biggest goals has always been to make finding community a little easier, no matter where you live along the Wasatch Front.
And we're so excited to share that we've recently welcomed TWO new team members!
Our new Davis County host, Zennah, will be helping us bring more book clubs, socials, and community events to Davis and Weber Counties.
We're also welcoming Sarah, our new Utah County host and social media intern! Sarah is a fellow book lover, and we can't wait for her to help us bring even more fun events and content to life.
Please give both of our newest team members a warm welcome!
And if you've been wishing for more events closer to home, keep your eyes peeled. We're working on it!
What's the difference between a banned book and a challenged book?
October 4–10 was Banned Books Week, and as a community of readers, we think it's important to keep this conversation going all year long.
You might hear the words banned and challenged used interchangeably, but they're not quite the same.
📖 Challenged: Someone has formally requested that a book be removed or restricted from a school, library, or other institution.
🚫 Banned: A book has actually been removed from access following a challenge or other decision.
Books can be challenged for many reasons, including language, mature themes, religious viewpoints, and discussions of race, sexuality, or identity.
At The Vibrant Book Club, we believe stories have the power to create empathy, spark conversations, and help us understand experiences different from our own.
That's part of why our Banned Book Club is so important to us. Reading is about more than entertainment. It's about curiosity, connection, and the freedom to explore new ideas.
A little challenge for you this month: Pick up a book that's been challenged or banned somewhere and learn why.
Have you read a banned book that changed the way you see the world? We'd love to hear about it!
I feel like the past few months have been a complete whirlwind, but honestly, I'm so excited about everything we're building right now.
Between traveling for our Idaho book fair, getting our new office ready, onboarding new team members, and working on our rebrand, I've been doing approximately 47 things at once. 😂
But it's all starting to come together, and I can't wait for you to see what we've been working on.
Outside of work, I've been trying to soak up every little bit of fall while it's here.
Lately, I've been loving:
🍂 Fall walks with an audiobook
🎧 Listening to Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros on Audible
☕ Switching back to hot coffee now that the weather is cooling down
🧥 Living in oversized hoodies
📚 Having an actual space where I can work, be creative, and hopefully spend more time with all of you!
One thing I've been thinking about a lot lately is how much community really matters.
When I first started The Vibrant Book Club, I really just wanted to create a place where women could show up, feel welcome, and make friends without it being so awkward or intimidating.
And now we're opening an actual space where we get to do exactly that.
It's a little surreal.
I'm so grateful for every single person who's attended an event, brought a friend, purchased something from our shop, or simply cheered us on.
I hope our new space becomes somewhere you feel comfortable showing up, even if you don't know anyone yet.
Can't wait to see you there!