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Home » 7 Easy Ways To Host A Book Club

June 10, 2022

7 Easy Ways To Host A Book Club

Do you love a good book? Have you ever been part of a book club? If you haven’t but have always wanted to, you are in luck! Today, I am sharing 7 easy ways to host a book club.

I will also be sharing books I have read and loved and those that I am looking forward to reading this year!

For our first book, we will be reading The Maid by Nita Prose. I can’t wait!

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis

A Newbie Book Club Host

I love to read.

From as far back as I can remember books were a part of my life. I’m still lucky enough to have some of those books that I had when I was young. I always loved a good mystery. A little secret, Trixie Belden was my favorite. If you’ve never heard of her, she is very similar to Nancy Drew.

Anyway….I still enjoy mysteries however, my library has definitely expanded.

I like to set goals, and one of my goals for this summer was to start a book club. So I am doing just that!

Below are the easy guidelines that I am using to start my very first book club!

Affiliate links are used in this post. Read my full disclosure here.

1.) Creating Your Book Club Circle

The first and most important thing is to make sure you ask people who you know will be committed, will read the book and participate.

I am blessed to have five girlfriends that I’ve known since grade school. If you know how old I am…that is a long time!

We have shared so many life events together.

We are family… Friends who are family.

That being said, life is busy and we just don’t see each other as much as we would like. So I suggested we do a book club together and everyone agreed.

2.) Decide When To Meet

It’s important to define how often you will meet.

Depending on who is in your club and how busy their schedules are, you may decide to meet monthly or every other month. It’s important to consider everyone when doing this.

My group is going to meet monthly and I believe that’s a really reasonable goal. Meeting the last week of the month is a great option and gives your group the whole month to read the current book selection.

Here’s a thought. Rather than meeting on the weekend, why not try meeting in the evening during the week? Weekends are usually so busy for most everyone.

3.) Divide & Conquer

I love to entertain but so do my gal pals!

So rather than having book club at one location all the time, we have mutually decided that we will rotate houses to meet. There are only six of us so each person only has to host twice a year. The perfect amount to change it up.

The person who hosts will also choose the book of the month.

Everyone gets to have their personal input on the month they host and I love that!

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” – Walt Disney

4.) Make It Fun With A Theme

There are so many ways to add fun to your book club.

We have decided that the snacks, drinks, napkins etc., will represent the book we are reading, for the month. You’ll be able to do this with almost any book. Consider the location, the year, the food they eat and what they drink.

Has the book you’ve chosen also been made into a movie? If so, why not read the book then have a movie night. You can watch the movie together and then compare the book to the movie.

5.) Plan Discussion

Hopefully the books you chose will prompt discussion. It doesn’t have to be super formal but a good discussion about the book is part of the reason you read. Good questions:

Did you love it or hate it?

Did it keep you up thinking about it?

Can you relate to any of the characters?

If you are unsure how to start or what to ask, the author’s website will usually have questions for you to consider.

6.) Stay Connected

It’s always good to stay connected. I suggest a group text thread. That way if anyone has to cancel, has questions that come up, each member can communicate in the group thread.

A good thing to remember is everyone is busy and responds at different times. If you are looking for the whole group to acknowledge what you are writing or trying to communicate, make sure to be patient and give everyone time to answer.

7.) Have A Good Time!

Have a good time with your book pals! I know I put this as the last number, but in my opinion, it really should be the number one priority! Why do it if it isn’t fun?!

Well, that’s it! My version of 7 easy ways to host a book club.

If you aren’t in a book club, but would like to be, I hope I have inspired you to step out and create one yourself!

Last but not least, I will be adding a “Book of the Month” to my Mitten Moments the last weekend of each month. I’ll share what book the club read and my own thoughts on it. I’m always looking for something new to read and maybe you are too. Maybe my “Book of the Month” will give you your next fun read!

I hope my 7 easy ways to host a book club gave you the inspiration you need to start your own!

Happy reading, friends!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!

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Posted In: Blog

Comments

  1. Anne from Simply2Moms says

    June 11, 2022 at 8:57 am

    We love our book club! We meet at a wine bar so nobody has to actually host, but I love the idea of doing themed snacks. Maybe we need to switch things up next year?! You’ve got some great book titles suggested and we actually have read several of them as part of our club. Also, Trixie was one of my favorites too when I was growing up. ♥️

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:35 pm

      Hooray! I’m not the only one who knows Trixie! A wine bar sounds like a wonderful place to host! I’ll have to keep that in mind.

      Reply
  2. Julie Ciechanowski says

    June 11, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    I’m finishing the book “ The invisible life of Addie Larue“ literally as I text this, a Christmas gift from my future daughter-in-law! Great read! Looking forward to the inaugural book of our new book club “The Maid”!

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm

      Yes, I can’t wait! xo

      Reply
  3. Tammy says

    June 11, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    I love your ideas for hosting a book club especially the snacks, drinks, and napkins to be theme to the book. My daughter is part of a book club and enjoys it. It is something that I would enjoy as well. I may need to read this suggested book too.

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm

      Thank you, friend! I’ll let you know how it is!

      Reply
  4. Donna says

    June 11, 2022 at 5:51 pm

    I’ve never participated in a book club, but you made it sound so fun! Thanks for all your tips, I will definitely consider starting one!

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm

      I’m glad you liked it! Let me know if you start one! Have a great day!

      Reply
  5. Kim | Shiplap and Shells says

    June 11, 2022 at 6:05 pm

    I love all these great tips on starting a book club Kim. Sounds like a lot of fun. I’m going to share this tomorrow on Saltwater Sounds.

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      Gosh! Thanks so much, Kim! I’m so glad you liked it. I appreciate you!

      Reply
  6. Mary k Blaine says

    June 11, 2022 at 10:00 pm

    I am so excited for our book club! I love how you have put it all together and made it so easy for us! See you at the end of the month!

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      I’m looking so forward to it! xo

      Reply
  7. Kim says

    June 12, 2022 at 12:49 am

    Great ideas for hosting a book club Kim!

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      Thank you, Kim!

      Reply
  8. Tina says

    June 12, 2022 at 10:59 am

    Great “7 ways to host a book club”. Looking forward to it! Lots of good book ideas. So many different genres. Your book is full of good books I have read and some new ones for me to pick up.
    I always love to turn all the noise off and curl up with a good book before bed. Although sometimes I can’t put it down…

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:39 pm

      I love to get lost in a book, too! Especially in a cozy spot in with a cozy blanket! Looking forward to our book club!

      Reply
  9. Kimberly says

    June 13, 2022 at 9:13 am

    Great tips, Kim! I loved Nancy Drew as a child! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful tips on how to host a book club! I absolutely love to read!

    Reply
    • cottageinthemitten@gmail.com says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

      My husband bought me the first 30 Nancy Drew books for Christmas, last year! I love to collect books and it was a welcomed surprise! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  10. Michelle says

    June 18, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Thank you for inspiring me to read more, Kim. Books provide a little escape from the craziness of our day to day lives. I’m trying to remember the name of the book you were reading about finding the joy in everyday tasks such as laundry. Do you remember the name of that book? I also love the ring on your thumb, lol! I’m asking Emily to look for one as my birthday gift. xoxo

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Mitten Moments - cottage in the mitten says:
    June 18, 2022 at 8:48 am

    […] book club? Have you ever hosted or been in a book club? Since my last Mitten Moments, I shared 7 Ways To Host A Book Club. I give you easy and fun ways to start one of your own. I’ll be sharing my book choice each […]

    Reply
  2. Mitten Moments - cottage in the mitten says:
    June 26, 2022 at 8:00 pm

    […] Next week I’m hosting my first book club gathering and I can’t wait! A little secret…I have to finish up my book this weekend. I promise I’ll be done and ready! You can read how I am doing it in 7 Easy Ways To Host A Book Club. […]

    Reply
  3. Mitten Moments - cottage in the mitten says:
    July 3, 2022 at 8:05 am

    […] know I have already shared 7 Ways To Host A Book Club, but it has been so fun preparing for it. I’m happy to report that my first book club hosting […]

    Reply
  4. How To Create An Easy Outdoor Table Setting - cottage in the mitten says:
    July 19, 2022 at 7:07 am

    […] to my love of books, I started my own book club this summer. I recently shared my post 7 Ways To Host A Book Club. I would love to hear if you are part of a book club […]

    Reply
  5. Mitten Moments - cottage in the mitten says:
    August 6, 2022 at 10:00 am

    […] Let me just say, the food and friendship was a definite 10! If you want to know how to start a book club you can read my post on 7 Easy Ways To Host A Book Club. […]

    Reply
  6. Mitten Moments - cottage in the mitten says:
    August 6, 2022 at 10:00 am

    […] put this table together for an evening spent with my new book club. It turned out to be a great night and I think everyone loved the […]

    Reply
  7. How About the BEST Butter Pecan Cake Recipe? - Feet Under My Table says:
    August 9, 2022 at 11:33 am

    […] great offering for a book club like my friend, Kim, shares. I think her ideas about starting a book club sound perfect. Anyone want to join me?…let me know in the […]

    Reply

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About Me


Hi! I’m Kim!

Welcome to my Cottage in the Mitten! I am a native Michigander. I am a wife, mom and mimi. I love DIY, home decor, all things pretty, community with others, and sewing. I make blankets for a cause, hoping to help find a cure for brain tumors. I hope you love my site and pray it inspires you.

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