Book club: Are you in one? If so what does it cost (if anything) and what do you like/dislike about it?

[namechangeaaargh]

I've been in one for a few years but they are changing the format to a monthly direct debit subscription model which is expensive and wouldn't suit me even if I could afford it so I'm out. I understand why they have done it (it's run by a book shop) but the way they have gone about communicating the change has been shoddy - I can't elaborate on this though as it's outing.

I enjoy talking about books and getting ideas about new books to read from others and there are a few people there that I like and/or respect but I dislike some of the other aspects of it, including being in an immensely annoying virtue signalling WhatsApp group for it, books that look awful/I don't want to read winning the vote quite often and also the club being 99% white, 99% middle class and 99% female grates sometimes but I suspect probably all of these factors are common to many book clubs.

I'm pondering whether to try and set up my own small group next year but I'm not sure about the hassle factor.

If you're in one (or more), what does it cost and what do you like/dislike about it?

If you're in one (or more), what does it cost and what do you like/dislike about it?
Doesn't cost me a bean because I borrow from the library.
But I agree about the quality of book choices. I'm getting fed up of being asked to read dross. I don't think I did a DNF until I joined a book club!

I'm in a book club.

It was set up by two sisters who roped in a few mates. Those mates then invited a couple of mates. So, it started off quite big but has gradually shrunk to six of us.

We meet every six weeks or so to discuss a book that's been selected by random number generator - we each nominate a book then random number generator selects one.

I like having an excuse to meet up with similar aged women every so often. But I mostly hate everyone else's book choices. it fucks me off immensely when you show up at book club and at least two people will say "I haven't read it" or "I haven't finished it". I also hate that we spend about ten minutes discussing the book before moving on to some basic, beige nonsense like children or weddings.

Being in a sort of friendship-based book club means you can never ever leave.

The one I'm in costs nothing. One person runs it, but in a very light touch way, just confirming dates/venue and doing a brief write up of people's thoughts after getting together. Everyone takes it in turn to choose a book and to host. If someone hasn't had chance to finish, or even read, the book, that's fine

Discussion of the book could take 15 minutes or 2 hours, everyone's view is respected. If there's not much talk about the book, conversation moves on to other things! It's a very supportive group of women and lots of friendships have been formed. Oh and people pass the book on if they finish it quickly.

Don't think our group would be for you @Limth

I'm not anymore, I left because they kept choosing books I had zero interest in. It was free though, we'd meet at a venue and buy our own food and drinks if we wanted anything.

I’m with a group of about 8 - we all had kids at the same nursery but they are now mostly at uni. It doesn’t cost anything although I usually take a bottle of wine or do some food if hosting.

Years ago a teacher at the primary school set up a book club for the kids and one bright spark asked if they had to bring wine. 😂

Yes I am in a book club.
We started the club after someone posted on our local community FB group if there were any local book clubs. There weren't, but many people commented that if there was one then they would be interested in joining, and so we set one up.

We meet once a month, its free to join. Each month we have a theme or genre for our next book, people come along with their suggestions and we have a vote to decide the next book to read.
We now have over 200 members online and a core group of about 20 or so members who regularly come along to the meetings.

What do I like about it, mainly the friendships I've made. Most of us didn't know one another before joining the group.

What dont I like? Nothing really, although it can be quite stressful finding and agreeing somewhere to meet. Our previous venue closed so we had a few months where we tried new places, but we now have sole use of a lovely tea room that opens in the evening for us.

I'm in a book club that has been going forn around 15 years, with a few changes in membership over that time, but a few stalwarts. The books come from the local library in sets and we pay about £5 a year each subs for this. Meet the last Friday of the month in each others houses - membership around 8-12 women. I love it - I ready books I would never normally read & always finish because its for the book club. A few members seldom read/finish the book but a hard core like me always do and we have great discussions before moving onto village gossip.

I left because one woman basically took over and was SO bossy. I was amazed by the way other women just caved in and went along with everything she did and said. We were supposed to rotate meeting at each other's houses and the host chose the book. She started to choose who was next and kept excluding a few people, including me. I had set it up in the first place so she wanted rid of me - I gave her what she wanted. But also we hardly discussed the book. Some people never read it. It was more like a social circle. When I realised how much I was dreading the meetings, I gave up.

I've been in a book group for 24 years. We all had DC at the same village school although in different years.

We meet monthly, rotating the hosting. Whoever is the next host gives out 8 copies of their book choice at the previous meeting. So there's an expense there, but it is great to have identical copies so that when we are referring back to events we all have the same page numbers etc. The host provides drinks and crisps and is responsible for getting the conversation going.

We tend to have a break over the summer. And in December we meet for a meal but don't discuss a book.

Everyone reads the book, no matter how much they hate it. I can't remember when someone last DNF a book. The book discussion usually lasts for about 90 minutes but sometimes longer.

I guess it costs me about £100 when I host - 8 copies of the book, some wine and some crisps.

I've moved away - although still go back for the book group every month - and have joined a book group in my new town. It operates very differently - we meet in a wine bar and buy our own drinks. We also buy our own copies of the book so some people have paperbacks, some have hard backs, some have kindles. It really doesn't work as well. I'm not sure it's any cheaper as I usually have 2 glasses of wine, plus the cost of the book. In fact, over the year it's probably more expensive!

We don’t pay to be in our book club, but we meet in a local pub that reserves a big table for us so there’s an expectation to buy a drink each. (They do have a fancy coffee machine and a nice tea selection, so those who don’t drink/don’t mid-week drink are fine.)

We buy or borrow our own books. Because of this, several members like having the list done 12 months at a time. We confirmed the 2026 list end of October. The upside to this is we have time to get the books, either for the library or bought. One member is particularly good at sending round a message when a future book is in the kindle 99p deals.

I don’t like the lack of flexibility to fit in interesting books.

We used to put up a selection of books for each month’s category and get members to vote but this time round there weren’t many suggestions so we’ve just settled for finding something for each genre.

Im in a work one. Nice mix of ages/genders/ethnicities. We take it in turns to pick the book. I like that I get to read things I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up.

Oh and it’s free. We meet on teams/ in person for half an hour to chat about the book.

I always thought book club was a euphemism for wine club to give you a valid excuse to escape your house, partner or children

We do the same as we're based from Scotland to Cornwall. Some use the library, lots use Kindle deals. I've read things I would never have tried otherwise and I inflicted my choices on others

I’m in a neighbourhood book club, started by one of my neighbours but now mostly run by consent (iykwim). There are maybe 12-15 people in total but only 4 consistent regularly and never more than 8 at any meet-up. We meet around every two months, at one of our houses (we take turns) and we all contribute snacks/drinks but no cost.

As with many above we do not honestly discuss the books for very long, probably less than a third of the time spent between discussing last months book and choosing next months one and the rest general chat - but I do really like it. We read a wide variety of books, chosen generally by discussion with anyone free to propose or veto.

I have been in 3 book groups and none of them cost anything. What are you paying for? I can’t think of why there would be any expense?

My first two groups met at each others houses and we all provided the snacks and drinks. The one I go to at the moment is in a library which provides tea/coffee and biscuits. In all of the groups I’ve been to people either get or order the book from the library, buy (usually second hand) or listen on Audible. I find it extraordinary that there are groups where one person buys a new copy of the book for everyone. That seems inexplicably extravagant. Is it Queen Camilla’s book group?

We read a wide variety of books, chosen generally by discussion with anyone free to propose or veto.
Ooooh, I like the idea of a veto. No more Quirky Cupcake Café by the Seaside and/or at Christmas.

The expense is currently a few quid because the club is run by a bookshop and there are costs associated with being open in the evening when the shop is normally closed. The cost is going up to between £10 and £15 per month which will include a copy of the book. They're probably doing it because not enough people buy the book from the bookshop but the new way of doing things is inflexible (it's a direct debit every month rather than buy the book only when you want to attend) and (for me) unaffordable.

I'm being cagey about the amounts involved because there is one more book club to go before it changes over and I prefer not to be outed until I have been to it.

Mine is super laid back we all write suggestions and chuck them in a bag and pull one out and that’s the book! We all meet at a local restaurant where you can order on the app so all sort ourselves out so it’s easy and low key!! It’s great that I’ve read lots of things I’d not choose myself and lovely to be out the house (have a toddler) for some adult company!

Have you looked at your local library- where I work we have several popular ones where you pay a nominal fee yearly and the library gets the books in for them….. you do have to choose from a list (albeit a very very long list and the librarians will try their best to source enough copies of something is wanted)

Our book club was started by a queen bee type. She often overrules other people's book choices, so I have given up suggesting anything. She gives off English literature teacher vibes and loves to tell us how clever she is and how she was head of this or head of that before she retired.

The other members are lovely though and more than make up for the queen bee. We don't pay anything other than to buy the next book. We meet in the pub once a month.

I belong to a book club at my local library. It meets once a month or so and we get some input into the books chosen. It costs £2 a go, which gets you a cup of instant coffee if you want one, and the remainder is a ‘donation’ to the library. A member of staff leads the discussion (with a fairly light touch).

My main ‘gripe’ with it is that we can only choose books that the library service can get enough copies of (usually 8-10). Each month we discuss one book, pick up the next, and choose the book for the month after, So we might all agree to read a particular science fiction book, but next time when we meet, the library have sent a romance, or some historical fiction, because that’s what they’ve got a lot of copies of!

We generally discuss the book for up to an hour, and then people hang around for a while chatting. To be honest this is often the best bit - people recommend books, discuss what else they are reading, and occasionally drift off to the cafe next door for some better coffee.

Its been good for me to join, as I’ve read a wider range of books than I’d usually choose, and as I’m fairly new to the area it’s a good way to meet people, but forming friendships is slow.

We get a box of book club sets provided by the library and library charges for this service - so we all pay around £5 a year in 'subs'. So one of us picks up a box with around 10 -12 copues of a book and then the host returns. It works well and seems reasonable the library should charge for making up these sets.

There is a book club at my local library but according to the website it is during the day so not suitable unfortunately. I will go in and speak to them at the weekend just to check whether there is an evening one but I know they are not open in the evenings so it seems unlikely.

I belong to a small book club and it does cost but each individual has some control over high those costs might be.

We all have to read the book: some buy it new; others buy it second hand; others listen to it through an Audible subscription or a free Borrowbox subscription and some borrow it from the library.

So, the price of reading the book can range from zero to say £12.99.

We meet at a local restaurant. Some buy wine and a full pizza or fish and chips and others a bowl of soup and a cup of tea so that bill for each individual also varies by quite a bit.

I think the only truly without cost bookgroup would be to settle on a book that the library can provide multiple copies of and meet in a free venue such as the library. Even to host in each other's homes will involve some cost to whoever is hostess: she could hardly provide a glass of tap water each and nothing else.

I do think it's rotten though that you have been priced out of your group and it is unfair that you will have no choice about how much you want to pay to read the book. I hope you find another, @namechangeaaargh