Welcome to Our Little Corner of the World!
Friday Night Readers is a Substack bestseller! Subscribe now to join ~65,000+ subscribers and social media followers, who skip “Friday night dinners” to find comfort in cozy Stars Hollow-style living.
You'll instantly receive a 9-page free printable checklist of the 475+ books mentioned on Gilmore Girls, so you can easily track your progress in our monthly reading challenge. We make reading traditional and modern classics both easier and more fun by pairing them with the show.
I’m Jules—Just Like Rory Gilmore, But in Real Life
Hi! I’m Julianne “Jules” Buonocore.
I’m a former lawyer turned reader and writer, here to help you read, write, and live like a Gilmore. I’ve read 1,000+ books in my life (100+ per year now!) and studied English lit. You might’ve seen me on The Today Show’s Read with Jenna Book Club, BuzzFeed, Reader’s Digest, The Atlantic, or my book, the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls—a reference guide and reading journal for fans.
I live in suburban Philly with my husband and two cats. I’m into literary fiction, family sagas, simple living, Philly sports, and everything Trader Joe’s.
I started taking the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge in 2021 while rewatching the show for the first time since it originally aired, and I never stopped. It gave my literary lifestyle so much more purpose and joy to read these impactful books and understand what the characters are talking about on the show. That’s why I help cozy bookworms read like Rory and rewatch the show instead of doomscrolling, too.
My message to you:
Reading with us is an invitation, a safe space, and a place where reading meaningful books feels fun. It’s ok to pick up Rory’s favorite Russian classic, and it’s also ok to pick up a Dr. Seuss favorite Lorelai refers to in her fast talk. And it’s never too late to start.
Here’s What Free Subscribers Get
As a free subscriber:
Free printable checklist of the 475+ books mentioned on Gilmore Girls (WITHOUT episodes)
Occasional notes, posts, podcasts, and videos
Previews of paid content, like our (unofficial) monthly Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
Start here:
Go Deeper with a Paid Membership
If reading, writing, and living like a Gilmore is your “your lifestyle, your religion,” a paid membership gives you the full Stars Hollow experience. It’s cozy, connected, and creative!
Here’s what paid subscribers unlock for the price of a monthly jumbo coffee:
Printables:
15-page index of the 475+ books on Gilmore Girls WITH episodes
And more, so you can have more feel-good fun tracking your reading progress
Exclusive Posts:
Full access to our unofficial Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
And more exclusive content, so you can easily get inspired and informed while spending more of your free time reading
Full Community Access:
Engage in exclusive comment threads and chats with bonus content
And more, so you can embrace friendly human connection as you would in Stars Hollow
Extras:
Occasional surprises and bonuses from me to you
The satisfaction of being a patron of my independently published art and mission
A few paid members shared:
“I became a [paid member] as soon as you offered it and have not been disappointed. […] your work is appreciated and I look forward to all your content.”
“I just upgraded to a paid subscription this morning. I love all the bookish content you share, and it’s helped me actually enjoy reading again. Thanks for all you do!”
“Thank you so much Jules for creating this reader-centered community, providing such a unique value for readers + Gilmore Girls fans like me. You consistently put out high-quality & thoughtful content and I can’t wait to see what else you have in store! I have a feeling this fall will be even more fun than usual, now that I’m in the Friday Night Readers club!”
Founding Members Perks
Exclusive content in the “Room to Write” section:
The highs, lows, and messy middles I’ve lived through as a former lawyer turned full-time writer who wants to see you achieve a sustainable creative business, too. I’m building in public on Substack, sharing the most and least impactful strategies I’ve implemented, and keeping it authentic and transparent along the way. In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf said, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write[.]” Nearly a century later, Rory Gilmore found her own room to write on the reboot of Gilmore Girls. And here, I’m going behind the scenes on mine. It’s our room to write.
Ready to Read Like a Gilmore?!
Subscribe to Friday Night Readers now for your free checklist of the books on Gilmore Girls. Then, upgrade to a paid plan for the full experience in our bestselling Substack publication.
Housekeeping
Contact me: jules@fridaynightreaders.com | Work With Me
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