Does anyone else struggle to read assigned/Book Club books?

[CaramelJones]

I'd love to join a book club but I can't read set books. I'm very much a mood reader and if I'm not in the mood for a certain book then I really struggle to read it. It means that I can't join in with readalongs. I often find myself returning library books unread because they weren't what I was craving.

It's very frustrating and I wondered if anyone else struggles with this?

I belong to a Bookclub, which meets monthly. I’ve not finished every book, and some I have finished, I haven’t enjoyed. However, it has expanded the breadth of books I’ve read.

Some in our group listen on audible. Maybe this is an option, especially if you are finding it hard to read the book.

Can you find an online bookclub? Or one that meets monthly or two monthly, so you can read your own books between the recommended ones?

Yep, me. That's why I have no desire to join a book club! It's not just the 'set book' aspect for me, it's the whole idea of organised amateur literary criticism . I'll happily chat about a book with a friend if it comes up as an impromptu conversation, but as a planned group activity? Nope (even though I did a heavily literature-based lamguages degree and teach literature)!

Yep! I left our work book club because out of 8 books, there was only one i would have chosen. I know the idea is to broaden your mind and read books you wouldn't normally choose, but with going back to work after mat leave and juggling DD / childcare / house / work, i just want to switch off and read books that i actually want to at the minute without being "challenged".

I can only get through them if there’s an audiobook. Otherwise, I simply have no time to do it and feel like a failure 😩

I have thought about it. And even spent time keeping track for a while of the books they and other clubs were reading.
Turns out my love of zombies, death and horror are not what normal club members love reading ( can’t think why 😂)

I also listen and read lots of books during the week. So I’m done with the book in a few days.
At the point they would meet I have read four / five other books by then and totally forgot what it was about.
Its a shame as I would love to join a book club and have real life people to talk to about books.

I've never joined one for that reason.

I don't really get the whole pressure to read books you 'wouldn't normally choose'. I'm quite selective about my books (as a slowish reader), read a wide variety and often base my choices on reviews/blogs/awards/ recommendations etc.

It would have to be a very specific mix of people in a book group for me to feel they'd make better choices for my reading materials than I would myself.

P.S. The truth is that you wouldn't love to join a book club - own it! - You don't have to!

I belong to a bookclub an d we meet monthly. I do struggle sometimes not least because two of our members have a penchant for earnest, grim and educational tomes. It has expanded my reading though.

What I do is I head for school pickup 15 mins early and then use that time read and chip away. Or I use audible and listen while cleaning.

I stick with it because I like the women in my group and we drink wine.

I belong to a book club and I just skip the months that I really don't fancy especially if the book is expensive! I have discovered some brilliant books that I would never have read otherwise though.

Thank you all for your replies and advice .

I'm glad that I'm not alone in this. I really do like the idea of a book club but it'd need to have a few tweaks. I read on here about a book club which has a theme each month and the members can read any book that relates to that theme, which would be much better for me. Also I'd prefer a more relaxed and casual discussion. Those book club questions that you get in the back of a lot of books now, make my heart sink.

I do wish though that I could just join a regular book club but I don't think that my attention span would ever allow for that. I don't have Netflix either because again I have to be in the mood to watch a particular show and many months could go by before I'm ready so it'd be a complete waste of money.

@Paranoidandroidmarvin ·

re: Zombies. You and me both!

I am happy with my book club cos we are friends anyway. Yes some of the books I never get around to reading/do not finish but the great thing is we try to include a wide range of topics from Auto biogs to classics, writers from Japan, Africa etc.

I do tend to love horror/thrillers/sci fi but have a wide range at home and also love recipe books especially if they have a bit about the Author's life/where they come from etc etc.

I joined a book club once and they all totally tore apart a book I loved and they totally didn’t get it. I just like what I like and read what I want to read. It doesn’t really bother me what anyone else thinks, even though it would be lovely to discuss books I liked with like-minded people. I usually have several books on the go at once.

I save my book club book until the end of the month. So I would read the other four or five first, then the one that needs to be fresh in my mind for discussion