✨ Welcome everyone!

You know those moments that just click ? Where the world slows down, the page pulls you in, and suddenly everything feels… right? Often, I find myself returning to a ritual that does exactly that.

No pressure, no productivity, no “catching up.” Just me, a lit candle, a square of chocolate, music in the background, and a book I’ve been thinking about all day. It reminds me how powerful it can be to intentionally create space to read.

I realize some people may be a little out of practice or haven’t ever tried it! So, I put together a little guide to help you build your own reading ritual. Whether you’re a night owl or a Sunday morning cozy daydreamer, this is for anyone craving a moment of stillness inspired by a candle and a story.

You’ll find scent pairings, playlist recs, tiny rituals, and my favorite indulgences (yes, chocolate included 🍫).

Let’s set the mood…

📖Your Reading Ritual

A 5-Step Guide to a Bookish Escape

 

🌙 Introduction

There’s something sacred about curling up with a good book. It’s not just about the story, it’s about how you enter it. This guide helps you shape your own reading ritual: a sensory invitation to slow down, light a candle, press play, and escape into the pages with intention. 

Let’s begin.

 

① Choose Your Setting

Your environment shapes your experience. Whether you're reading in bed, on the porch, or on a cozy corner of the floor, choose a space that feels yours. 

📍 Try this:

• Dim the lights or let the golden glow set the tone
• Tuck in with a blanket or big pillow
• Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb
• Place your book where you can reach it. Have your reading light charged and ready or your e-reader charged and ready to go.

This is your threshold. Cross it mindfully.

 

② Set the Mood with Scent

Scent has the power to transport your mind just like a good story can. Use a candle to anchor your ritual and evoke the emotion of the book you're reading.

🕯 Candle Scent Ideas that are popular for reading:

• Fantasy or Romance → Soft florals, honey, amber
• Thriller or Mystery → Leather, smoke, dark woods
• Historical or Literary → Tea, parchment, spice
• Dark Academia → Tobacco, old books, bergamot
• Witchy or Magical → Clove, myrrh, resin, incense

Light slowly. Let the scent bloom while the story unfolds.

 

③ Play a Mood-Setting Soundtrack

A good playlist adds texture to your reading. At Torch & Tome, we’ve curated bookish Spotify soundtracks to suit your mood. Whether you’re deep in a high fantasy epic or nestled into a rainy-day classic, I believe we have something for you.

🎧 Choose a playlist:

• “Witchy & Otherworldly”
• “Rainy Day & Dark Academia”
• “Feeling Like Royalty”
• “Spicy & Slow Burn Romance”
• “Country”
• “Romantasy & Soft Magic”
• “Reading In The Wild”
• “Heartbreak & Healing”
• “In My Villain Era”
• “Elsewhere”
• “Epic High Fantasy”
• “Train Like A…”
• [Link to The Library to browse]

Press play and let the music melt the noise around you.

 

④ Create a Small Ritual

A ritual marks the moment. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just intentional.

🔮 Try one of these:

• Brew a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and hold the warm cup in your hands for a moment.
• Grab a favorite snack. Savory, sweet, nourishing, homemade, or even a guilty pleasure! I absolutely love having a bowl filled with Dove Chocolate’s by my bookshelf. 
• Light a candle and tune in to your sense. At least 2 of our 5 senses will do!
• Breathe deeply for 3 slow counts
• Keep a soft blanket or something cozy near you

Let this moment feel like crossing into another world.

 

⑤ Sink In Without Guilt

Read without multitasking. Let the laundry wait. Let the to-do list dull in the corner of your mind. Maybe even turn your phone off. This time is yours.

📚 You don’t have to finish a chapter. You don’t have to highlight, annotate, or perform your reading. You just have to be in it. Let the pages and your mind carry you wherever they go.

 

💌 Want More Rituals & Playlists?

Visit The Library  at www.torchandtomecandleco.com for more curated reading rituals, candle pairings, and Spotify soundtracks.

 

💫 With love & quiet magic,

 
Carefully crafted. Rooted in nature. Inspired by story.