Hi, I’m Cassie!

Books have been my safe place since I was a kid.

I grew up outside of Baltimore, Maryland, where I was the youngest child of three, sports obsessed (yes, I played lacrosse), and a major horse girl. But more often than not, you could find me on the back porch with my nose buried in a book. The characters on the page offered me comfort and a place to truly be myself.

Some of the earliest reading fandoms I joined were Twilight and The Hunger Games— stories that connected readers across cities, ages, and life experiences. I scoured forums for theories, I enjoyed a midnight release party or two, and I went to see our favorite books premiere in theaters.

My reading regimen slowed during my college years. I lost a little bit of the joy felt when browsing a bookstore and picking out a new paperback. But during graduate school — one of the hardest seasons of my life — I found my way back to reading as a form of escape and comfort. That year, while earning my Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology, I read over 110 romance and romantasy novels. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it.

Fast forward to 2025. After six years in the public health world, I found myself craving that same joy — the magic of reading in community and connecting with others in real life. That longing became Book&Gather: a bookish community designed to bring readers together through fun, curated events in collaboration with local businesses and fellow book lovers near and far.

While reading is usually a solo activity, I truly believe it can be an integral way to build community and connect with others who share a love of stories.