We are finally able to (cautiously) branch out with our own version of a Spring reawakening! One of the things many people have been clamoring most for over the past year is reconnection. After a long period of separation, it feels nice to catch up with others about all the bad habits we picked up during quarantine. Hopefully, some good ones took root as well. If you have been able to rediscover the vicarious adventures provided by reading, are you now eager to share what you have harvested? There are many options for participating in book discussions these days—from large online forums to community events to small groups to an informal chat for two. The abundance of choices means that you can decide your own level of involvement and be selective about what groups to join. The larger clubs are good for those who want to get a range of perspectives with little structure and accountability. The more intimate ones provide greater control over the selections and conversation, but also may require a bit more participation and effort. For this month’s blog, I wanted to provide some resources for those of you seeking new ways to interface with fellow book lovers. You can join or start as many clubs as you can keep up with!

• Here are links to some established online book clubs and forums addressing a variety of interests and dedication levels:

goodreads.com

reddit.com/r/bookclub/

silentbook.club

• Don’t know where to begin starting your own club? Maybe one of these resources can help you get started:

libguides.ala.org/bookdiscussiongroups

litlovers.com/start-a-book-club

• Books and movies about Book Clubs:

litlovers.com/start-a-book-club

goodreads.com/A_Book_About_a_Bookclub

bookclubs.com.ng/7-movies-about-books-you-should-see

• For ideas/suggestions of good picks to provide an engaging discussion (and good suggestions for solo readers, too):

readinggroupguides.com

bookbrowse.com/bookclubs/

• General discussion questions and topics to guide conversations:

bookriot.com/book-club-discussion-questions/

oprahmag.com/book-club-questions/

• Of course, I would be remiss if I did not put in a link to some of the best book clubs around— our own Groton Public Library’s:

gpl.org/events-and-activities/book-groups

April's Featured Reviews

Recent Readings

I just finished reading Miracle Creek by Angie Kim; An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (for the GPL Mystery Book club!); and the audiobook version of Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.

Right now, I am reading Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone and Face: One Square Foot of Skin by Justine Bateman (both due to be published later this month); and I am listening to The Power by Naomi Alderman.

How do you share your love of reading with others? Do you belong to any good groups looking for new members? Let me know at (jnmegan@gpl.org). As always, I truly appreciate your suggestions and feedback, and I hope to hear from you.

Until next time: Be well and be well-read!

Joelle

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So, who am I, anyway? I am a resident of West Groton, with a husband, 4 teenaged children and a Samoyed puppy-all of whom are systematically destroying our house during the COVID crisis. I am currently working part time at the Groton Public Library and in a former life I was employed as a Director or PR/Marketing at a high-tech consulting firm. My BA is in Psychology, but most of my time was spent in college earning a Concentration on the Novel. That is all to say that I make no claims at being an expert of any kind and my thoughts, opinions and mistakes are solely my own. I am just a person whose passion for books has continued to grow from the moment I was first able to grip and gnaw on them, and I have been devouring them ever since.