Cozy Up With Bookstagrammer Carla for the Best Recommendations

Stunning aesthetics, flawless recommendations, and a passion that bursts off the page: meet our Bookstagrammer of the week @carlasarchive.

Book Culture Bookish Socials General Fiction Recommendations Romance
Collage featuring three square photographs taped with pink to a background of rumpled white fabric with pink bows and hearts on it. The photos are, from left to right: a stack of books, Carla from @carlasarchive holding up a book, and a flatlay with books and flowers.

Half of the joy of reading is getting to talk it out with someone finishing up the same book. The twists, the turns, the jaw-dropping, the crying, the kicking of your feet in the air, the dissection: we all deserve a friend as passionate as ourselves about the written word. Bless the Bookstagrammers who make their pages feel like the giddied confidences of a friend just as concerningly obsessed with the new romance release as you. Our Bookstagrammer of the Week, Carla, known on Instagram as @carlasarchive, is one of these angels. Complete with stunning aesthetics, detailed reviews, and themed recommendations for whatever reading hole you’ve dug yourself in, Carla’s Bookstagram is a must-visit.

Bookstagrammer Carla in a pale yellow shirt, with her hair perfectly curled, smiling and holding up a hardback cover of Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi. The cover is a sparkling blue eye crying glittery tears.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

Carla of @carlasarchive

Why did you start your Bookstagram? What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world?

I always loved reading as a kid, but I really got back into it during the pandemic. That was when I realized I didn’t have a space to share my love for books — and posting about what I was reading on my private Instagram just didn’t feel like enough. A friend of mine had a Bookstagram and encouraged me to start one too, so I did! It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

The royal blue romance book cover Funny Story by Emily Henry lays open on a white bed beside multiple other Emily Henry books open to their white title pages. Beside them sits a knit white fruit bag containing lemons.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

Where are you from?

I’m from Argentina, but I’m currently living in Spain.

Favorite Bookstagrammers:

Honestly, practically everyone I follow — and so many I haven’t even discovered yet! Lately, I’ve been leaning more into edits and creating them myself, so I love seeing how creative people get. It’s so inspiring.

A close up of a page from a novel with the bottom paragraph annotated in yellow marker. Carla switches between highlighting, squiggly underlines, straight underlines, circles, and little sun beams to annotate the lines. Underneath the book lies a yellow marker and colorful sticky notes for books.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

Favorite Books and Authors:

Some of my favorite books are The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the Magnolia Parks series, Daisy Jones & The Six, the Windy City series, and Under Locke. As for authors, I love V.E. Schwab, Elsie Silver, Rebecca Rathe, and Lauren Asher — I could reread their books forever and never get tired of them.

Fictional Crush:

Isaiah Rhodes from Play Along, Dex Locke from Under Locke, and Theo Silva from Reckless — I’m so down for them.

On a white bed side table sits a glass vase with purple flowers, a white mug with red and purple hearts filled with coffee, and multiple Elsie Silver books. The two exposed are Wild Eyes and Reckless.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

5 Books on your TBR:

To be honest, way too many to even count. But on my immediate TBR, I have Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde, The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings, and Wild Side by Elsie Silver.

What’s a book on your TBR you’ve been putting off reading, and why?

The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. There are so many books, and I just know that series is going to break me. I’m kind of intimidated by it — even though I’m pretty sure I’ll end up loving it.

What’s Your Special Approach to Content?

On top of white sheets a fringed white blanket peeks off camera with a gingerbread man candle in a glass jar with red and white twine around it. Below the mug is an open book with an illustrated page of a man in a red formal coat with his black top hat coming off staring at a woman dressed in all white holding his face and kissing his cheek.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

I’m really just here to enjoy myself and share my love for books! I love writing reviews — not only because they support authors, but also because they might inspire someone else to create an account and share their own passion. I try to keep things genuine and focused on what I’m loving at the moment, and I think that’s the most important part of it all.

Name a popular author/book/book series that you haven’t read yet but want to:

Callie Hart! I’ve heard so many great things about her, and I’ve been dying to read (and listen to) Quicksilver. I think the only reason I’ve been putting it off is that I’m not quite in the mood for fantasy right now — but hopefully, I’ll get to it soon!

Name a publisher/publishing company that never misses with their new releases:

Berkley! I love them — and I love how floppy their books are. It might sound a little weird, but there’s something about the texture of their pages and covers that just hits differently. I’m sure someone here knows exactly what I mean.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo, published by Berkeley, sit on top of pristine white ice skates laying on a white sheeted bed. The cover shows two ice skating partners amidst a dramatic lift.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

Favorite indie bookstore:

Secret Kingdoms! If you’re ever in Madrid, I highly recommend checking out their bookstore. It’s the best place to buy books in English here, and the staff and atmosphere are so warm and welcoming. They even have a cozy spot to sit and read while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. I absolutely love it there.

What does your Bookstagram mean to you?

Being here feels like hanging out with a huge group of friends from all around the world. I’ve connected with so many amazing people, and I’m truly grateful for every one of them. It blows my mind to think that if I hadn’t created this account, I might never have met any of them.

On top of white sheets is a blue cheetah print bikini with the romance book Deep End by Ali Hazelwood on top of it. The cover shows two hands, one with nail polish and the other with tattoos, holding each other.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

Favorite book cover:

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with First Time Caller by B.K. Borison, In Good Company by Kat Singleton, Love Arranged by Lauren Asher, and The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings. Their covers are absolutely gorgeous!

What are your favorite creative avenues to explore when putting together a post for your page, and why? (graphics, editing the photos, creating edits, etc)

I first started by annotating books because I love highlighting my favorite quotes — it makes it easier to go back to them when I want to reread parts. Recently, I’ve also gotten into making edits to show the vibe of the books I’m reading. It’s such a fun way to bring the story to life.

A fern green background with drawn and painted cucumbers; on the top of the page has a partially visible cucumber, the center has two cucumbers laying on top of each other with a quote above reading "You have no idea what I like", and the bottom has three cucumbers on top of each other. Between the bushels of cucumbers a quote reads: "'I think I have a pretty good idea. Let's not forget how we met,' he says. 'I remeber it like it was only this morning. You, me, the cucumbers.'"
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

What do you like most about Bookstagram?

What I love most about Bookstagram is how welcoming and kind everyone is. You might never have talked to someone before, but if you’ve read a book they liked or shared something they enjoy, it’s so easy to connect and make friends. Before you know it, you’re not just part of a community that loves sharing their passion for books — you’ve found friends who truly care about you and want the best for you.

A gorgeous bouquet of white tulips with thick green leaves coming out of a white bag with a kindle resting on top. On the kindle Beneath Cherry Blossom Memories by Myka Loren is displayed.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

What’s a memorable or favorite interaction you’ve had with an author or follower?

Meeting Stephanie Garber and V.E. Schwab — two of my absolute favorite authors — was unforgettable. Getting to talk to them and share how much their books have impacted me is something I can’t put into words. Another moment I’ll never forget is receiving my first PR package. I never imagined that would happen to me, or that someone would choose me to help hype their book. Even now, I still feel so honored.

Advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers:

Don’t stress about finding your aesthetic or taking the perfect picture. Like everything in life, we all start with what we have and what we know, and you’ll improve over time! Just remember — you’re here to have fun and share your love for books.

On a white bedside table sits the romance novel In Good Company by Kat Singleton with a pink background surrounding a couple in matching forest green in front of a country club. Behind a vase of purple flowers is the books decorated package that contained the remainder of the contents on the table: multiple stickers, a Pembroke Hills Country Club bookmark, and graphics of the couple from the book.
IMAGE VIA @CARLASARCHIVE

All the thanks to Carla for taking the time to chat with us. Driven by her passion for books and a search for like-minded book lovers, Carla reminds us that reading is about connection: with yourself, the written word, and the book community at large. Don’t forget to follow Carla; if not for the stellar recommendations and reviews, then surely for the beauty of her page.


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INTERVIEW OUTREACH VIA SANJANA PATEL / BOOKSTR
FEATURED IMAGE VIA ELISABETH RAUSCH / BOOKSTR