by Charlie Fabre
New year, new you! Right? Wrong. New year, new BOOKS!!! And what better way to discover new books than by joining a cute little book club? I joined lots of book clubs in 2022, so here is a list of some of my favorites from last year, and some new ones for 2023 that I’m excited about.
Curl Up Club by @jennim
This is the book club for all the non-fiction and knowledge-hungry people in the world, led by YouTuber and mom Jenn Im (a wonderful gal, go watch her vlogs). Every few months, Jenn picks a book to read and most of the time they are non-fiction books which discuss deeper topics of anthropology, philosophy, science, etc. It’s very much all about learning and opening your mind up to new and challenging ideas.
So far, this book club hasn’t been running every month (life gets in the way, hey?) but I think that’s a good thing as it allows you a lot of freedom in your monthly reads without making the club feel like a chore. Jenn also organizes live online discussions at the end of the month which are free to sign up to. A great way to meet people and have a good fun chat about the book and the thoughts it provoked.
Find Curl Up Club on Instagram @curlupclub
Astro Book Club by @verso_recto
Now this, this is a book club I LOVE! Anushé from @verso_recto on Instagram started this book club in 2023, so it’s very very new, but the potential is there and it’s one I’m so looking forward to being a part of as the year goes on.
Anushé, a friend of mine, and like me, is a big fan of star signs, and her goal for 2023 was to read a book by an author of a different sign in every zodiac period. For example, it is Capricorn season until Jan 20th, so time to read a Capricorn author like Tolkein or Donna Tartt. Thus, the Astro Book Club was born.
What I really like about this club is the freedom of it. Anushé didn’t want to impose a specific book each month, instead the choice is up to the reader. Any books on your shelves written by the right sign, pick it up and read it now! For this month I have read Men Without Women by Murakami and I plan on squeezing in Just Kids by Patti Smith if I can – both books that have been on my shelves forever, and I now have a good reason to pick up.
This is a very chilled book club with no real rhyme or reason – read whatever you like so long as it has the right zodiac energy!
Find Astro Book Club on Fable @ Anushé’s Astro Book Club or on Instagram @verso_recto
Women vs. the Void by @libraryofzoe
“Reading literary fiction about women + the banality of existence” is the tagline for this club, and I am obsessed. The rise of women’s fiction and this nihilistic and existentialist atmosphere was on the rise during all of 2022, so obviously a book club on that topic was bound to happen. The club is only a few months old having started in August of last year, but it’s already featured some real gems and great discussions.
Past books have included Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami, a great introduction to her work, All’s Well by Mona Awad, and most recently Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan. I won’t spoil January’s pick, but it sounds amazing. These clubs are aging like fine wine, and there’s still time to pick it up and join!
If you like literary fiction and women and sad and strange vibes, this is the book club for you. Zoe also hosts a few end of the month discussions – one online, one in person – to really get to know the book and find your tribe.
Find Women vs. the Void on Fable @ women vs. the void or on Instagram @voidwomenbookclub
Sad Twenty-Something Book Club by @lbh.reads
Similar to Women vs. the Void, but not quite, Leah started the sad twenty-something book club for all of us confused young people navigating the world somewhat blindly, and her choice in books for each month reflects that mood very well.
Leah’s picks include a lot of Bookstagram favorites and books that fall under the ‘hot girl/sad girl” trend (as the name for the club suggests). Mostly what I like about this club is that it’s very much what Leah likes to read – these books are all to her personal taste, her favorite authors, etc. And really isn’t that what a bookclub is about? Sharing your favorites with other people and spreading the love?
Leah also has a discord for the book club where people can connect and have deeper and longer discussions about the books and make other recommendations as well.
Find Sad Twenty-Something Book Club on Instagram @sadtwentiesbookclub
The Cult of Classic Literature by @fairy_bl00d
Author of On Sun Swallowing, Dakota Warren started the Cult of Classic Literature club and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a club for enjoying classic literature and making it more accessible to all. Dakota’s general aesthetic is girly meets gothic meets evil and devilish, but in a very cool and relaxed kind of way. For this club, expect classic literature, yes, but probably literature of the darker kind with a penchant for academia, rituals, religion, etc.
January’s pick is Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky and reading Russian literature as a group is a lot less daunting than going at it alone.
A great club for anyone who wants to read the classics but isn’t quite sure where to start and is possibly even a little afraid of them. The discussion forum is a great help as well for all those needing a hand deciphering meaning or understanding context – all necessary knowledge for classic reads – and despite the outward appearance, this is a wholesome community for book lovers.
Find The Cult of Classic Literature on the app Fable @ The Cult of Classic Literature
Personally, I’m a casual book club member, in that I pay attention and keep up with the discussions, but I don’t always read the book of the month because of lack of time or simply not being in the mood. But I love clubs as they’re a great way to stay in the loop and get inspired for other reads as well. It keeps me motivated, and I get to discover new books I otherwise may not have read.
Happy reading in 2023!
swim press 