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14 Online Book Clubs You Can Join Right This Moment
Find the right one for you.
I don't know about the rest of you, but whenever I'm reading a good book, I spend every waking moment wanting to talk about that book. The trouble is, most of the people around me are not reading the same book, and they have no interest in hearing all my feelings about Octavia Butler over a glass of wine at 11 PM. That's where a book club comes in. Book clubs are the perfect way to keep reading, talk about what you're reading, and make friends with other readers. And you don't even have to leave your house to join one. Here are some of the most popular online book clubs to get you started.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, book clubs grew in popularity as everyone was stuck at home, with the New York Times reporting “a significant spike” in the #bookstagram content on Instagram during the pandemic. Much of this growth has been driven by celebrities creating adult book clubs online, many of which garner thousands of views a session. Starting a book club with your friends or co-workers is still very much an option, but if it's hard for you to get together or if you're looking for some new reading inspiration, these are the online book clubs you should know about.
The Rumpus Book Club
The Rumpus Book Club does charge a monthly fee, but members also receive a new, unreleased book every month for their reading pleasure. Participants are then invited to hop online for a discussion with the author, which is pretty much the dream book club scenario.
Oprah's Book Club
You can't possibly talk about nationwide book clubs without talking about Oprah. Lucky for all of us, Oprah's Book Club is still around to bring us all challenging and inspiring stories, straight from Oprah's shelf.
Free Minds Book Club
Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop is a slightly different kind of book club: instead of getting together to read, members help incarcerated youth get access to books, support, and writing instruction. You can get involved by donating books, donating money, or giving writing feedback through the multiple Free Minds programs.
The Book Riot Insiders Quarterly Group Read
At just $7 per month — or $69 per year — Book Riot Insiders get a whole lot of bang for their buck. As you might have guessed from the name, Quarterly Group Read members read one book every three months to satisfy one of the tasks on Book Riot’s annual Read Harder challenge. Books are chosen by Book Riot staff and Insiders subscribers, and readers can participate in a bookish live chat at the end of each month.
Action Book Club
If you want to join a book club, help your community, and still be able to make your own TBR list, check out Action Book Club from the Little Free Library. Members get together with friends, choose a book from Action Book Club's recommended list, carry out a positive community service project with support from Action Book Club's resources — and then share their work online to spread the word.
OHKA
OHKA is a queer, Black book club. An offshoot of Prim, a digital storytelling platform founded by K Bailey Obazee, the club hosts virtual conversations, screenings, and more.
Reese's Book Club
Reese Witherspoon curates a lovely monthly book club through Instagram, hosting author questions and social media discussions to accompany each book she picks.
The Midnight Readers
If you love YA and are looking for an active book club where you can discuss all your faves, The Midnight Readers is the place for you. This Goodreads-based book club caters to night owls and chooses its monthly reads from the best in recent YA fiction. Recent selections include Shadow & Bone, The Princess Will Save You, and Red, White & Royal Blue.
Between Two Books
Florence (of Florence + the Machine) runs this book club, with help from a few regular contributors and a rotating cast of celebrity guest stars. In addition to offering regular recommendations, Between Two Books hosts virtual readings and Q&A’s, featuring literary stars like Olivia Laing, C Pam Zhang, and Lola Olufemi.
Belletrist
Belletrist, run by Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss, chooses both a book and an independent bookstore to feature each month. Be sure to check out the Belletrist blog, which features interviews with authors as renowned as Joan Didion.
Noname Book Club
Rapper and poet Noname launched this book club with the goal of highlighting voices from marginalized communities. Previous picks have included Eve L. Ewing’s 1919, Toni Morrison’s Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination, and Angela Davis’ Are Prisons Obsolete?
New Adult Book Club
The New Adult Book Club boasts a huge community of readers on Goodreads, who enjoy reading and discussing "New Adult" literature (think YA books, with slightly more mature themes and content). It's a great place for NA aficionados to explore the genre and discuss the steamier side of young adult fiction.
Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club
In addition to hosting scores of virtual literary communities, Goodreads has its very own official book club, too (well, kind of). The Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club reads fan-favorite books every month; group members vote on the books they want to read, and then discuss the books together on the Goodreads forums.
Get Lit With All Of It
The New York Public Library and WNYC’s “All Of It With Alison Stewart” joined forces to start a virtual book club amid the pandemic. Each month, Stewart hosts a conversation with the author of the monthly pick; readers are also welcome to join the conversation on social media and through librarian-led discussions.
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