Reading ORDINARY TIME was just a lovely experience. I have listened to the podcast for The Bookshelf for a long time and even went on a little overnight trip to Thomasville back when I lived in Georgia, but Annie B. Jones’s memoir exceeded my expectations.

The premise of the book is staying still in a world constantly in flux, and I related to the essays more than I thought I would. For a long time, being a transient, constantly-on-the-move military spouse was a major part of my identity. I moved back to my hometown three years ago, and at times it has felt like a big adjustment. Annie’s thoughts about staying rather than doing something that feels “big” or glamorous resonated so deeply with me. I also especially loved her writing about faith. As a person of faith myself, I don’t usually want to read prescriptive how-tos about what I should or should not be doing with my life—I want to read individual experiences. The author’s faith life is very different from mine, but in a world where religion increasingly feels like something that is mocked or negative, I appreciated her beautiful, expansive meditations on her own experiences.

I found myself brought to tears multiple times. I literally want to read an entire chapter out loud to one of my friends because there was a nugget of wisdom that made me think of her. I already know I will be returning to ORDINARY TIME again, probably before the year is over. This book is a gem, and I’m grateful to have read it.

As a lover of books and bookstores, I was interested to read Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put, written by bookstore owner and podcaster, Annie B. Jones. This is a memoir that is written in essays, but it feels like you are listening to a friend. Annie grapples with the idea of setting down roots and staying put, even when others are leaving for bigger places. She shares stories about loving the life you have, even though it wasn’t what you originally imagined for yourself. She writes about community, friendship, faith, and love, but also about struggles, loss and the feeling of being left behind. And, of course, we hear about what it is like to be a bookstore owner and podcaster. This book surpassed my expectations. I loved it! Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Listeners of Annie’s From the Front Porch podcast won’t be surprised that her writing is as thoughtful and relatable as she is on the podcast. I absolutely adored this book of essays.

Ordinary Time is about just that — our ordinary lives and the lessons we can learn through staying or leaving. As someone who lives in a small town, married to my high school sweetheart, in a house where I can see from my house both the home I grew up in (where my parents still live) and my grandma’s house, there was so much that I related to in this book. Her stories of people coming and going in our lives, finding joy in the ordinary, navigating challenges in our faith lives and finding peace and contentment in our lives and in our relationships were quiet, thoughtful and poignant.

This book made me laugh, made me nod in recognition, and made me tear up more than a few times. This book truly felt like listening to stories from an old friend.

When I tell you that I loved this book so much, I mean that I am still thinking about essays weeks later and I read this during my busiest work time of the year where much of what I read doesn’t stick with me for long. I plan to buy a copy for a friend and another for my forever shelves.

While some essays were super relatable to my life, others were very different experiences that helped me understand some things friends have gone through.

The whole time I could hear Annie B Jones’ voice in my head since I listen to her every week through her podcast. It brought an extra special experience even though I want listening to the audiobook.

Rating:
Loved it!

What you’ll find:
Stories about life in the South
Heartfelt essays that will draw you in
Humor and emotion

For some, the notion of moving to a big city to have a big and important life is their teenage or young adult ambition. And, for some, this becomes a reality. Yet, for others like Annie B. Jones, life has a way of ebbing and flowing, and keeping you closer to the home you've always known; where new dreams are made and where you still make a difference.

Owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia, and host of the podcast “From the Front Porch,” in this, her debut memoir, Annie gently reminds us of the power of belonging, connection, and staying.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperOne for access to the ARC.

Ordinary Time is a thoughtful and reflective essay collection by podcaster and bookstore owner, Annie B. Jones.

Podcast host and independent bookstore owner, Annie B. Jones reminds us in a series of thoughtful and reflective essays that we can have an extraordinary life by living fully in the ordinary.

My Thoughts:
Podcast Host and Bookstore Owner
I have been a long-time listener of the From the Front Porch podcast by Annie B. Jones. In fact, I listed it as one of my top five favorite bookish podcasts in this recent post. In this week’s episode of the podcast, Annie shares an audio excerpt from Ordinary Time.

Annie is also owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore, in small town Thomasville, Georgia. I’ve enjoyed watching her grow her business, serve her community, and thrive during the Pandemic. She’s innovative, creative, thoughtful, kind, reflective, brave, and humorous. You’d want to be friends if you lived in her town. The Bookshelf provides efficient and personalized services to all online customers.

The Cover
Unless you’ve followed Annie, you might not know that the cover of her book is a graphic representation of her beloved bookstore.



Essays
The thoughtful, gentle, and reflective essays in Ordinary Time cover a variety of topics that are relatable to many readers. Annie Jones is authentic, thoughtful, transparent, and kind. You could easily read one essay a day (in order or randomly). The tone of the essays is conversational, and you will feel like you’re sitting across the table from a friend. Annie is similar to you and me, living her ordinary life in thoughtful and meaningful ways.

The author has put together a Spotify playlist to enhance your reading experience (one song per essay)

Affability
The book has many quotable passages and thoughtful gems. One of the fun gems I enjoyed thinking about is the virtue of affability.. “Simply put, the virtue of approachableness.” Or from the Modern Catholic Dictionary, affability ‘”partakes of justice in that a person adjusts to other people, giving each one the respect he or she deserves.” Annie exudes affability.

Content Consideration: miscarriage (you might be encouraged to know that she is now 7 months pregnant!)

Recommending Ordinary Time:
I enthusiastically recommend Ordinary Time for readers looking to add more reflective nonfiction to their TBRs. It would make a terrific book club selection because of the variety of essays and topics, or a thoughtful gift for Mother’s Day.

Thanks #NetGalley @HarperOneBooks for a complimentary eARC of #OrdinaryTime upon my request. All opinions are my own.

I am a longtime fan of Annie B. Jones' podcast, From the Front Porch, in which she shares her current reads and stories from running a small-town bookstore. Our reading tastes don't perfectly align, but there is a significant overlap so I was very interested in reading her first book.

Ordinary Time is a collection of essays examining what it looks like in life to stay, even while others move away from hometowns, away from childhood faiths, away from careers, etc. I enjoyed this collection quite a bit, but there were only one or two essays that really resonated with me as something I wanted to reflect upon further. If you like her bookstore and her podcast, you'll like this book. I appreciated that even though I didn't listen to the audiobook I am so familiar with Annie's voice that it felt as if she were reading it to me while I read the digital version.

Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones is an absolutely lovely reflection on her life as the owner of a small town bookstore in the South. I have been looking forward to this release and picked it up right away- the next thing I knew, I had read half the book in one sitting. I have had the delight of getting to know Annie while visiting The Bookshelf in downtown Thomasville, Georgia quite a few times over the years and as a long time listener of her podcast, From the Front Porch. Reading this book feels like having a conversation with Annie on her porch swing with a cool drink while the sunsets. She has built such a beautiful book store with a wonderful community of staff and readers. And Annie's writing truly reflects that beauty and wonder. In Ordinary Time, Annie shares stories about staying put when everyone and everything else moves, struggles in business, and the ups and downs of a life well lived. Her format of different types of staying create a memoir in essays that is perfect of fans of John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed. I read this in print but cannot wait to check out the audio.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an e-Arc. Thoughts and review are my own.

This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I still really enjoyed it. Finding myself living back where I grew up after 10+ years away, I felt I could relate to a lot of what the blurb promised. The vast majority of my friends are no longer here and the ties that bind them are dwindling as well. I was hoping for more essays on this bittersweetness of this “staying”, I wanted the whole book to really focus on it because lately have been feeling the heavy/sad part of it deeply. My childhood friends are off where their adventures and lives have taken them, and my old CT friends are far away. And here I am…However, I did appreciate her other meditations on “ordinary” life, which I felt was the true theme of the book - our jobs, families, and everyday routines. How meaningful (and extra-ordinary!) it can be to belong to a community and enjoy the simple daily pleasures of things you love (hello to my books, John Mayer, and Jellycats!) It made me reflect on my own small community and how much I cherish all the connections I have, and hope to have, here - both new & old. My kind neighbors, my new church family, the local bookstore that knows me by name…To me, and the author Annie, these things are more valuable and life-giving than a big city adventure. (And she doesn’t knock those who leave - we love you still!) Thank you so much to HarperOne and NetGalley for the advanced copy! I’m so glad to now follow Annie and her bookstore adventures on IG! I really would love to go to one of her retreats someday! This book will be published tomorrow, 4/22/25!

What makes this book truly special is the author's openness. She doesn't shy away from sharing her struggles, disappointments, and the moments when life didn't quite match her carefully laid plans. Her honest thoughts on these unexpected turns remind us that sometimes what we receive isn't what we wanted—but exactly what we needed.

The writing style feels like a conversation with a wise friend who's willing to share an open conversation of triumphs and losses. Her small-town perspective brings a refreshing authenticity to universal themes of resilience, community, and finding purpose.

This would make an excellent book club selection!

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

I love this book and Annie’s writing. She can turn a subject like line dancing in a gymnasium full of senior citizens into a reflection on faith and belonging. For me, she belongs up there with writers like Wendell Berry and Marilynne Robinson for her ability to see holiness in the everyday and to inspire faithfulness and compassion in readers.

It's like sitting down with a best friend and discussing all of life's mysterious and wonderful events. Small town Southern life, books, friendship, romance and the mystical and majestic relationship with God. I grew ip in the South and this made me yearn for a trip back home. Not to be missed!

Annie is a well known name in the book world, and this personal collection of essays is only going to endear her even more to readers and book people. I really resonated with her musings on being a person who stays, and while I don't share her experiences with faith, the book doesn't preach. It feels like a story of fierce love for place and people, and it feels like a quiet conversation with a friend.

This is one of the greatest things I have ever had the pleasure of reading. These stories and anecdotes met me exactly where I am, which is fifteen minutes from the house I grew up in. I have never felt more seen or understood in my life. This is a warm hug. These stories make you feel comforted and supported by a friend who loves you. I am so shocked at how proud I feel of where I live and the small town job I have. Thank you.

A special thanks to NetGalley, HarperOne, and Annie B. Jones for a free digital ARC of this book!

This book is about what it means to stay put while everyone else is leaving, and how to cherish what you have in the process. I really appreciate the effort and reflection it took to write a book dedicated to the slower stories, the ones that aren’t usually shared in the book industry. I loved the energy of this book! It was so wholesome and uplifting. From being a reader, introvert, stayer, Christian, to even the Noah Kahan reference at the end, this book resonated with me deeply. It’s been a mindset I’ve been slowly trying to adopt, my dreams of running away seeming less necessary as I realize just how much I have right in front of me. I think both Ordinary Time and Noah Kahan’s music share that feeling of staying put extremely well, better than I’ve ever personally seen in the media before. Through sharing her own struggles of being misunderstood, she helps her readers feel seen in a way that she didn’t feel for a long time. So, I wanted to take a moment to thank Annie B. Jones for that.

That said, this book was longer than I think it needed to be. It started to get quite repetitive, and some lessons just dragged on a little bit. That’s not to say I didn’t love all the great slow sentiment in each chapter… I just think it could’ve been edited to be a tad bit more concise.

This book inspired me to quit placing mobile orders just because it’s ‘easier.’ To smile and say hello to strangers. To show up to funerals. To try new things, even if I’m not sure I’ll like them. To take a moment to appreciate the sunset. To remember what I used to love in childhood. To be Ringo. To join a book club. To stay put.

“When was the last time you loved something, and it showed?”

I’ve been following Annie B. Jones and The Bookshelf for years, so I was excited to see she was writing a book. In fact, I just knew I had to choose it for our book club’s next pick.

I related to a lot of Annie’s story. The oldest daughter, a business owner, resident of a small town, a person who “stays put”—these things often define me, too. And funny enough, as I was reading this book, I was also saying “goodbye” to one of my closest friends.

Annie’s writing style and her ability to capture big feelings and unique people are reminiscent of other writers I love.

This phrase is corny and overused, but I don’t know how else to describe it: Ordinary Time is a breath of fresh air. A delight.

I've been listening to Annie B. Jones on her podcast "From the Front Porch" for a few years, following along with her reading and her life running an indie bookstore, so I was so happy to hear she was releasing a book, and that I got to peruse an early copy. Annie's voice translates to her debut book so well; even without the audiobook, I could hear her voice as I read it, and her writing is exactly how she seems on her podcast and social media: warm, approachable, and thoughtful.

I am also a southerner, but one who moved to the big city; I've never planned to move or live in a small town, but the idea of a "small" or "ordinary" life is a relatable one you don't see discussed often. I also relate to larger ideas that Annie tackles, like those around making and keeping friends, finding community as an adult, and relationship to your family. I'm not religious, and don't look for writing on the subject, but I didn't mind a section being devoted to here, as Annie brought her particular perspective and reflections to it in a way that felt open and a natural fit. The overall subject of the book is perhaps a bit narrow for the book, and the themes and ideas could feel a bit repetitive at points, but not so much that I got bored or frustrated. The book is still a cozy, hopeful, and affirming read, and one I'll remember when I reflect on life feeling quiet.

Her writing is approachable and enjoyable, especially to this elder millennial. I found many of her observations and experiences relatable as a fellow Southerner who grew up around the same time that she did. Each chapter reads like a short, standalone essay, but the parts of the book fit a larger theme of staying when others leave. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the relationship between older sisters and younger brothers, an often overlooked dynamic.

From the moment I heard Annie B. Jones was publishing a book, I knew I'd want to read it, regardless of its subject matter.

Nine years ago, when in Thomasville, Georgia, for a wedding of one of my husband's college friends, we wandered through the shops on their quiet main street and stumbled upon a bookstore. When I crossed the threshold, I knew I'd found a special place. We browsed for quite a while, and walked away with a giant picture book of funky animal art prints that was on clearance (with the dream of someday hanging them on my kids' walls -- and I'm happy to report that seven of those prints do adorn my 5yo and 2yo's walls) and a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. It wasn't until probably a year later when I discovered the From the Front Porch podcast and became an avid Annie B. Jones fan. And even then, I felt like I already knew her a bit from just being in her store for an hour.

Annie is a beautiful writer. Anyone who follows her instagram knows that. Her captions are some of the loveliest words on the platform. I'm pleased to say that beautiful writing translates equally well into a longer format in this, her debut collection of essays about the art of staying put. While her childhood dreams always had her in the bustle of a big city, Annie's realities kept her tucked right where she grew up. Through careful reflection but without taking herself too seriously, she meditates on why there is plenty of joy to be found in that life too.

While I didn't think a ton of this felt new (like I said, I've been reading her musings for years) and think that readers unfamiliar with Annie might get even more out of this, I still loved my reading experience. I love the concept as a whole -- giving honor to the ordinary. I underlined a ton, and cannot wait to translate those underlines to my print copy when I go to one of her few book launch events next month. Hopefully plenty of other readers will too, once this beautiful little book releases next week. Congrats, Annie!

Many thanks to HarperOne and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Annie's essays on small town life, and building true friendships in an area that is already a close-knit community is heartwarming. Annie B. Jones is a treasure on her podcast "From the Front Porch" and this book just adds to reason to adore her.