Reading, for me, started as a solitary act. It began with reading Wattpad novels on multiple devices. It led to convincing my closest friends to read my favourite ones so we could gush about them together. Eventually, one of them introduced me to the fascinating world of print publication. I started picking up all the fantasy series I had missed out on. I read them with wide-eyed wonder, gasping every few pages. And one of my favourite things was to go to school the next day and discuss it with my friend. They’d give me the next book in the series, and we’d fangirl over each one together.
With more years of reading, my choice of themes, genres, and eras got diversified. I read more and more as I kept getting introduced to newer perspectives. Except now, there was no one to discuss these books with. I love being filled with marvel and joy from words on a paper. But I also love being able to share this joy. I was able to do this again at Book Riot, my online bookish community.
In online spaces, it’s easier to find people who share your interests. And by sheer probability, there’s a good chance that someone’s read the book you REALLY want to talk about. Personally, it’s helped me diversify my reading in ways I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. It has also taught me to have nuanced and mindful conversations about what I’m reading. The online community I’ve found has enriched my reading life and my non-reading life in more ways than I can articulate. So here’s a list of some of the best places to discuss books online in 2022. I hope you find something that works for you too!
Silent Book Club
Their website puts it best when they say, “Welcome to introvert happy hour.” This book club has no assigned reading. You can read whatever you choose to in the shared company of fellow book lovers. You can, of course, discuss, rant, or gush about what you’re reading, but it’s not a requirement. They have several online meetings and you can choose the time frame that works best for you. Also, they have a lot of local chapters around the world if you want to experience this concept in the physical world.
Our Shared Shelf
This online book club was started by Emma Watson during her work with UN Women. It focuses on books about equality and empowerment. Emma and her team stepped down from managing this book club in 2020. However, the members continue to pick titles to read and discuss them passionately and consistently on this shared online shelf.
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OHKA
This is a queer and Black book club. It focuses on work by African, Caribbean, and Afro-Latine authors. On their website, you can find an author’s catalogue, video readings, narrative podcasts, and much more. You can also check out their Instagram page to peruse through their monthly picks. They conduct events on the last Friday of every month. It serves as a space to celebrate and cherish Black writing.
Rebel Book Club
Join this membership-based book club if you love nonfiction or are curious about the many wonderful nonfiction reads but don’t know where to start. Members vote and choose one book out of three carefully curated choices. Everyone reads the title that wins. They send out newsletters on Monday and have weekly book insights shared over chat. On the last Tuesday of every month, they have virtual and in-person meets attended by authors and experts. It’s a great way to connect with people who want to learn about the world through reading nonfiction.
Reese’s Book Club
The motto on their website reads, “Women: May we write them truer, raise them higher, and read them here.” If that message resonates with you, you should definitely check them out! The founder, Reese Witherspoon, chooses a book each month with a woman at the centre of the story. This book is read, cherished, and discussed by the members. The website also has other exciting things like merch, curated and customizable book boxes, and a writer’s fellowship for underrepresented voices.
Book Lovers Club
This is a Discord server with over 23k members. It’s a vibrant online community of book lovers who we read multiple books together each month. Multiple authors are also a part of this server, and they enjoy engaging with their fans. Everyone is welcome to join the server, so do check it out.
Between Two Books
Florence Welsh, the frontwoman of the band Florence + the Machine, started this book club in 2012. She did this when prompted by a tweet by an Irish teen. It is led by the original members and features guest recommendations from artists, writers, musicians, and directors. Between Two Books has a brilliantly curated isolation reading list with great recommendations for multiple themes.
r/bookclub
This is Reddit’s official book club that comes up with multiple book choices every month. You’ll usually find four or more choices including a free online downloadable read from Gutenberg, a classic novel and a “monthly mini” free online read. They also have a 3-month long “Big Read” for longer books that might take more than a month to get through.
Each book has its own schedule and discussion threads. You can follow the schedule and participate in those threads. You can also start your own discussion about any current or former books. The discussion threads are really active with people frequently engaging in the comments. You can also mark your discussions with the right tags to avoid giving out accidental spoilers!
Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club
They call themselves the “official unofficial Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club.” As the name suggests, they read Goodreads Choice Awards–winning books throughout the year! But that’s not it, they also read the nominees, new bestsellers, and interesting book series. This book club isn’t involved in the official selection process of the awards. It’s a good place to discuss popular books across a variety of genres.
For even more places online to discuss books, check out our article 15 Online Book Clubs To Join in 2020.
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