Shelfie: Rafaela Silva
From fangirling over fantasy novels to weaving her own, Rafaela’s life is a blend of books, design, and deep-dives.
Dear reader,
Welcome to Shelfie, the only part of Binge-Read where we can shamelessly judge people by their bookshelves (just kidding, no shelf-shame here!). Each edition, a reader spills the [drink of their choice] on their reading rituals, turn-ons and turn-offs, the titles that rewired their brain and even their own writing. Bonus points for messy nightstands and endless TBR piles. Want to show us yours? Reply to this email.
SHELFIE: RAFAELA SILVA
THE MEET-CUTE
You see her in the corner of a bookstore, rereading the same sentence four times — not out of confusion, but reverence. That’s Rafaela. She doesn’t just read books; she inhabits them. With a background in design and digital communication1, she crafts meaning out of every medium. She’ll talk to you about cinema like it’s a second religion, share a history or cultural deep-dive nugget in a casual conversation, and probably cry over a perfectly placed semicolon. Also, her cat comes with the deal.
→ Connect with her on Instagram and Substack
THE DATE
The candles are lit, the beverage is poured — now tell us everything. This is where we get to know your reader self: the first book you fell for, the weird little habits, the genres you ghost, and the stories that left a mark. No small talk — we want the good stuff.
What book made you a reader?
(The gateway drug — we all have one.)
Sabriel by Garth Nix. I already read a lot before this book, mostly O Clube das Amigas novels2 and the occasional adventure story.
But after Sabriel, something clicked — I dove headfirst into fantasy and started seeking out more complex, intricate reads.
It was quickly followed by Crónicas de Allaryia3 by Filipe Faria and the Avalon series by Marion Zimmer Bradley — the books that shaped both my teenage years and the reader I grew into.
Have your reading tastes evolved over time?
(How so?)
Maybe. I go through phases — possibly even circular ones. A few years ago, I read nothing but fantasy and dystopias, with zero patience for literary fiction or, heaven forbid, non-fiction. Now, those are my staples, and romance and fantasy have become the exceptions (although still very beloved). But like I said, I move in stages. I’m a mood reader.
Which five books shaped your life, your voice, or your worldview?
(Childhood favourites, heartbreak companions, rereads that haunt you — all fair game.)
Sabriel by Garth Nix
The book that paved my way as both a reader and a writer.Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
The first book by what would become my favourite author.The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Not an extraordinary book on its own, but I read it at the right time, and it left a lasting mark.A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The book that made me cry the most, suffer the most, and feel the most in general.Death with Interruptions by José Saramago
The book that made me start reading Saramago and, consequently, take more risks with Portuguese authors.
Describe your ideal reading scenario.
(Location, lighting, beverage, ambience — paint the full picture.)
It depends on the mood. Sometimes, it’s the corner of the sofa—lamp aglow, coffee mug within reach, and music drifting from the TV. Other times, it’s in bed with a mug of tea on the nightstand, my cat curled up on my legs, and the quiet of an empty house. Or, it’s out on a terrace, with a slice of cake, the street noise buzzing below, coffee or cold tea, the sun warm on my back and a breeze on my face. Those are my favourite places, but I don’t read exclusively there. I read anywhere and at any time.
Do you have a reading ritual or a weird habit?
(Must finish the chapter before closing it?)
I don’t know. I always like to read a little before bed, even if it’s just a single page.
I usually juggle two books at once: a physical one and an ebook.
The ebook is my bedtime read, light off, so my boyfriend can sleep. Does that count as a ritual? I’m not sure. I also like to mark sentences that resonate with me — sometimes with post-its, sometimes (depending on the book) with a pen. But nothing too out of the ordinary, I guess.
Which book do you press into everyone’s hands?
(Your go-to literary evangelist moment.)
Death with Interruptions by the Portuguese writer José Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature. Especially for those who’ve only read Baltasar and Blimunda or The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis — books that, while interesting, don’t quite capture Saramago’s mystique.
Death with Interruptions is sharp, sarcastic, and surprisingly accessible, with a brilliant socio-political critique at its core.
The premise? Death goes on vacation and no one dies — now what? How does a whole nation respond? It’s speculative fiction at its best.
How do you treat your books — with reverence or reckless abandon?
(Are you a note-scribbler, dog-earer, spine-cracker, or pristine-pages kind of reader?)
It depends on the book, the edition, and whether it’s mine or borrowed. By default, I don’t usually dog-ear pages or use regular ballpoint pens (only erasable ones). I try to crack the spine gently, and I avoid damaging books whenever I can. But there are exceptions. When I really, really love a book, I throw caution to the wind and make it mine. A used book is a loved book.
Ebooks, audiobooks, paperbacks, hardbacks — where do your allegiances lie?
(Or are you format-fluid?)
Fluid format. I like to always have both a physical book and an ebook at hand, so my Kobo goes everywhere with me, and 90% of the time, there’s a paperback in my bag too.
I often say my main criterion when buying a new bag is whether it can fit a book.
Between hardbacks and paperbacks, I’m team paperback all the way. I especially love British editions — their size and paper quality make them light, practical, and easy to carry. I wish we had more formats like that in Portugal: practical and budget-friendly. As for audiobooks, I have nothing against them, and I go through phases where I’ll listen to two or three in a row. But they’re not my go-to. My ADHD brain struggles to stay focused unless it becomes a hyperfixation.
What’s one genre or type of book you usually avoid — and why?
(No judgment. Well, maybe a little.)
Self-help. I just don’t have the patience for the demagoguery, the condescension, or the way so many of these authors seem completely detached from real life. That’s not to say the entire genre is bad. The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi, for example, is a brilliant book on self-love and self-reflection. But she’s a trained therapist, not some random Joe mouthing off.
What are you currently reading, and how’s it going?
(Be honest. We love a spicy DNF.)
Right now, it’s Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë and Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder — two very different reads, and both peculiar in their own way. Agnes Grey is one of those classics that’s effortlessly readable, flowing smoothly while capturing the essence of its time. Nightbitch, on the other hand, is a contemporary novel that’s more challenging, layered with subtle messages that provoke reflection and introspection. I truly believe every mother should read it.
THE LATE-NIGHT TEXTS
We know your reading life — now spill on your writing one. Whether you’re a full-time writer or a sometime poet, this is your moment. What are you writing, what haunts you, and what quote gets you through chapter two?
Do you write, too?
(Secret novelist? Fanfic queen? Occasional journaler? Tell us everything.)
Secret novelist, retired fanfic queen, occasional journaler.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—and I was writing fanfiction long before I even knew what it was.
At 12, I was crafting Supernatural scenes from my own perspective, slipping in original characters. By 13, I wrote my first book, which, in hindsight, was basically a Sabriel fanfic. Not long after, I discovered that what I was doing had a name, and fanfiction became a steady companion until about three years ago. I only stopped because life got in the way, and I shifted focus to an original project that’s been tucked in a drawer since 2021. It’s almost done; I just need to focus on the editing and final touches, but I’ve been procrastinating.
Has reading shaped the way you write — or vice versa?
(How does your inner reader and writer get along?)
Absolutely. My writing is a salad bowl of all my favourite authors and stories — from Marillier to Saramago, Nix to Murakami, Filipe Faria to Yanagihara. My reader self and writer self get along quite well, I think. They share a common voice.
There’s a saying that goes something like, “write what you’d like to read,” and that’s exactly what I do — and always have.
The whole idea behind writing fanfiction is just that: I wish this story had unfolded differently, or those characters had taken a different path. I wonder how they'd have fared in a new setting, or how the story could have ended. So, I wrote my version of those stories and characters. I don’t write fanfic anymore; I think I’ve outgrown it, but it definitely shaped me as a writer.
What’s one piece of writing advice that’s stuck with you?
(A quote, a rule you live by, or something you happily ignore.)
After reading Stephen King’s memoir, I became an unconscious adverb hunter — he mentioned them so often, it’s impossible not to. But only when I’m writing fiction, funnily enough (look at it!). In everyday life, in my newsletters, I don't even think about it. On the flip side, I read a lot of literature on writing and absorb countless tips without even realising where they came from.
What are you working on now, or what was the first manuscript you ever finished?
(A glimpse into your current WIP, that drawer novel from 2012, or your first published book. We want the behind-the-scenes.)
A fantasy novel where a witch hunter is captured by the enemy, joins their ranks, and uncovers the shocking truth that everything she believed about the world was a lie. It’s not groundbreaking, but I’m working on weaving it into my own voice and original story.
THE FINAL SPREAD
This is where we bare it all — messy bookshelves, bedside stacks (with bedside manners?), cute reading corners and lovingly curated nooks. We’ve your confessions, now we want the visuals. Show us the spines you’ve dog-eared, the piles threatening to topple, and that one chair you always mean to tidy. Your shelf. Your story. Your final spread.
[Click on the photos to see them in all their glory.]
If you enjoyed this issue, don’t forget to spread the word — the more, the merrier! I’d also love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to reach out. It helps keep this community growing and thriving.
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It’s a Portuguese collection of standalone novels for young readers, each featuring a female protagonist navigating her own journey.
Sadly, it’s not translated into English.
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This was lovely. Once again, thank you so much for inviting me. And thank you for the shout out to my design project! Can't wait to check other people's shelfies. :D
Also, the Supernatural fanfic!!!!!! Same!!