5 Creative Ways to Read Together
One thing I’ve learned through my journey as a book lover is that people who want to talk about books will always find the time. Maybe you can’t make a monthly meeting, or maybe you can’t commit to finishing the whole book in the prescribed time frame, but you can always recommend a book to a friend or swap a few texts about a shared read.
Some book clubs have strict rules to follow, some are a bit more loosey-goosey. I myself belong to several book clubs currently, all of which follow their own rhythm and have their own rules, but I have definitely been a part of more … stringent groups in the past. It was not my jam, so I found ones I like better. One thing is true across all book clubs though! Snacks and adult beverages are a MUST for any gathering, even if it is a video call.
Here is a list of the various book clubs I am participating in at the moment, maybe something here will inspire you to start or join a group of your own. I’m also including a must-have treat that I myself have enjoyed while engaging in meaningful discussion about books and authors. And don’t forget, book club should be FUN. If you are not enjoying your current group, find another one. Readers are everywhere!
1. Spicy Book Club
Meets: online every other month
Members: 15ish
I went looking for a “spicy” club after I couldn’t find any one in my real life to talk to about Jaymin Eve’s Shadow Beast Shifters series. Yeah, there are a lot of 50 Shades jokes thrown around (by me), but I’ve also been introduced to some great authors that I may not have discovered otherwise, including LGBTQ+ writers like Timothy Janovsky and others telling diverse stories from varied perspectives.
Perfect Pairing: Ancho Chili Chocolate Brownies! Sweet and full of heat, perfect for getting you warmed up. I used this classic Food Network recipe.
2. Rock and Roll Book Club
Meets: no official meetings, we just agree on a book, read at our own pace, and share occasional thoughts via text
Members: 3
Several years ago, two friends and I had the most incredible night of our lives seeing U2 at The Sphere in Vegas. We immediately started reading Bono’s most recent book Bono: Stories of Surrender, and that was a springboard to all kinds of other musical reads. Since then, we’ve read (or listened) to Every Little Step by Bobby Brown, Brandi Carlile’s incomparable Broken Horses, and Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton, among others.
Perfect Pairing: What a Fool Believes by Michael McDonald talks extensively about his time in the Doobie Brothers, so I opted for a doobie-inspired THC seltzer. My favorite is Houseplant, which is brought to us by Seth Rogan. I feel like we can trust him on this sort of thing!
3. Celebrity Book Club
Meets: online, monthly
Members: 10ish
If I were a person who could be embarrassed about what I’m reading, this club would be my greatest shame. I cannot get enough of the behind-the-scenes drama in the lives of people that we normally only read about on TMZ. It’s like an illness!
My favorite read for this club has been Through the Storm by Lynne Spears, Brittany’s mom (I knowwwwwwwwwwwwwww), but we’ve read some great bios and memoirs that I wouldn’t have gravitated to otherwise. I truly loved From Here to the Great Unknown, written by Lisa Marie Presley and continued by her daughter, Riley Keough, after Presley’s untimely death. An absolute must read that inspired a truly perfect pairing!
Perfect Pairing: Elvis LOVED his comfort foods. It doesn’t get any easier (or tastier) than a peanut butter and banana sandwich, one of the King’s faves. I do NOT recommend his beloved Fool’s Gold Loaf, which was literally a hollowed out loaf of bread stuffed with peanut butter, jelly, and sometimes bacon. There is a lesson in there for all of us, I think.
4. Round Robin Book Club
Meets: not at all! Not once!
Members: 15
Read the book, make your observations on the hard copy (stickies are fine but can get overwhelming, so I vote for writing-in-margins), and send it to the next name on the list when you are done. Not only is this perfect for a time-crunched reader who can’t make a meeting, but when you get your book back, it will be filled with notes and observations by other people as they took their own reading journey through the pages. A one-of-a-kind keepsake for your bookshelf!
Perfect Pairing: Be careful here, you don’t want to get the pages greasy! I suggest a non-crumby option like juicy grapes, and I love using frozen grapes as ice cubes in fruity adult beverages.
5. Silent Book Club
Meets: once every three months for four hours
Members: 14
Every three months, I head to a friend’s house or another cozy reading-friendly spot with my fellow readers, and we read in complete silence. The book itself does not matter one bit, everyone reads their own selection. The important thing is the camaraderie of sharing air with other readers. We usually read for three hours or so, and then have a discussion about whatever comes up. Of course food and drinks are included, but they must be SILENT. One of our members is a librarian and she WILL shush you.
Perfect Pairing: You cannot go wrong with a classic fruit and cheese platter for a Silent Book Club meeting. Skewered cheese cubes make no sound at all. Just pointing it out.
If the type of book club that you want to belong to doesn’t exist, create it! Someone is waiting to connect with you about a book that you both loved (or hated). Use the opportunity to explore new authors or genres and grow as a reader. And even if you don’t finish the book … you still get to enjoy the Perfect Pairings.