diff --git a/components/bible/bible-reader-app.tsx b/components/bible/bible-reader-app.tsx
index 875e8c5..5d464be 100644
--- a/components/bible/bible-reader-app.tsx
+++ b/components/bible/bible-reader-app.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use client'
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
-import { Box } from '@mui/material'
+import { Box, Typography, Button } from '@mui/material'
 import { BibleChapter, BibleVerse } from '@/types'
 import { getCachedChapter, cacheChapter } from '@/lib/cache-manager'
 import { SearchNavigator } from './search-navigator'
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
   const [bookmarks, setBookmarks] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set())
   const [books, setBooks] = useState<BookInfo[]>([])
   const [versionId, setVersionId] = useState<string>('')
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const [booksLoading, setBooksLoading] = useState(true)
 
   // Load books on mount
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -35,40 +37,52 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
 
   // Load chapter when bookId or chapter changes
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (books.length > 0) {
+    if (!booksLoading && books.length > 0) {
       loadChapter(bookId, chapter)
     }
-  }, [bookId, chapter, books])
+  }, [bookId, chapter, booksLoading, books.length])
 
   async function loadBooks() {
+    setBooksLoading(true)
+    setError(null)
+
     try {
       const response = await fetch('/api/bible/books')
-      if (response.ok) {
-        const json = await response.json()
-        if (json.success && json.books) {
-          const bookMap: BookInfo[] = json.books.map((book: any) => ({
-            id: book.id,
-            orderNum: book.orderNum,
-            bookKey: book.bookKey,
-            name: book.name,
-            chapterCount: book.chapters.length
-          }))
-          setBooks(bookMap)
-          setVersionId(json.version.id)
-        }
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to load books: ${response.status}`)
+      }
+
+      const data = await response.json()
+      if (data.books && Array.isArray(data.books)) {
+        const bookMap: BookInfo[] = data.books.map((book: any) => ({
+          id: book.id,
+          orderNum: book.orderNum,
+          bookKey: book.bookKey,
+          name: book.name,
+          chapterCount: book.chapters.length
+        }))
+        setBooks(bookMap)
+        setVersionId(data.version?.id || 'unknown')
+      } else {
+        throw new Error('Invalid books response format')
       }
     } catch (error) {
+      const errorMsg = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error loading books'
+      setError(errorMsg)
       console.error('Error loading books:', error)
+    } finally {
+      setBooksLoading(false)
     }
   }
 
   async function loadChapter(numericBookId: number, chapterNum: number) {
     setLoading(true)
+    setError(null)
+
     try {
-      // Find the book by orderNum
       const book = books.find(b => b.orderNum === numericBookId)
       if (!book) {
-        console.error('Book not found for orderNum:', numericBookId)
+        setError(`Book not found (ID: ${numericBookId})`)
         setCurrentChapter(null)
         return
       }
@@ -80,24 +94,26 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
       // If not cached, fetch from API
       if (!data) {
         const response = await fetch(`/api/bible/chapter?book=${book.id}&chapter=${chapterNum}`)
-        if (response.ok) {
-          const json = await response.json()
-          data = json.chapter
 
-          // Cache it
-          if (data) {
-            data.id = chapterId
-            data.bookId = numericBookId // Keep numeric ID for consistency
-            data.chapter = chapterNum
-            await cacheChapter(data)
-          }
-        } else {
-          console.error('Failed to load chapter:', response.status)
+        if (!response.ok) {
+          throw new Error(`Failed to load chapter: ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`)
+        }
+
+        const json = await response.json()
+        data = json.chapter
+
+        // Cache it
+        if (data) {
+          data.id = chapterId
+          await cacheChapter(data).catch(e => console.error('Cache error:', e))
         }
       }
 
       setCurrentChapter(data)
     } catch (error) {
+      const errorMsg = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error loading chapter'
+      setError(errorMsg)
+      setCurrentChapter(null)
       console.error('Error loading chapter:', error)
     } finally {
       setLoading(false)
@@ -125,6 +141,25 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
     console.log('Bookmarks updated:', Array.from(newBookmarks))
   }
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Persist bookmarks to localStorage
+    const bookmarkArray = Array.from(bookmarks)
+    localStorage.setItem('bible-reader-bookmarks', JSON.stringify(bookmarkArray))
+  }, [bookmarks])
+
+  // On mount, load bookmarks from localStorage
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const stored = localStorage.getItem('bible-reader-bookmarks')
+    if (stored) {
+      try {
+        const bookmarkArray = JSON.parse(stored) as string[]
+        setBookmarks(new Set(bookmarkArray))
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error('Failed to load bookmarks:', e)
+      }
+    }
+  }, [])
+
   const handleAddNote = (note: string) => {
     if (!selectedVerse) return
     // TODO: Save note to backend in Phase 2
@@ -156,7 +191,22 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
 
       {/* Reading area */}
       <Box sx={{ flex: 1, mt: '80px', overflow: 'auto' }}>
-        {currentChapter ? (
+        {!booksLoading && error ? (
+          <Box sx={{ p: 4, textAlign: 'center' }}>
+            <Typography color="error" variant="h6">{error}</Typography>
+            <Button
+              variant="contained"
+              onClick={() => location.reload()}
+              sx={{ mt: 2 }}
+            >
+              Reload
+            </Button>
+          </Box>
+        ) : booksLoading ? (
+          <Box sx={{ p: 4, textAlign: 'center' }}>Initializing Bible reader...</Box>
+        ) : loading ? (
+          <Box sx={{ p: 4, textAlign: 'center' }}>Loading chapter...</Box>
+        ) : currentChapter ? (
           <ReadingView
             chapter={currentChapter}
             loading={loading}
@@ -177,7 +227,7 @@ export function BibleReaderApp() {
           />
         ) : (
           <Box sx={{ p: 4, textAlign: 'center' }}>
-            {loading ? 'Loading Bible reader...' : 'Failed to load chapter. Please try again.'}
+            Failed to load chapter. Please try again.
           </Box>
         )}
       </Box>
diff --git a/components/bible/reading-view.tsx b/components/bible/reading-view.tsx
index d7fe10e..229627c 100644
--- a/components/bible/reading-view.tsx
+++ b/components/bible/reading-view.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,14 @@ export function ReadingView({
   const [showControls, setShowControls] = useState(!isMobile)
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    const handleStorageChange = () => {
+      setPreferences(loadPreferences())
+    }
+
     setPreferences(loadPreferences())
+    window.addEventListener('storage', handleStorageChange)
+
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('storage', handleStorageChange)
   }, [])
 
   const cssVars = getCSSVariables(preferences)