Wanna Start A Book Club?

We are all trying to find our way through this quarantine using different coping mechanism's. The most recent tactic that has come to my attention? A book club.

It should not be a surprise that I am quite partial to this idea. I have mentioned on here before that two years ago, I started my own book club. Family Book Club, or as our custom (homemade) crew neck sweaters call it: FBC. I started it as a way to introduce my younger sister Chase into the world of fiction writing. We read through Harry Potter, All of the Riordanverse to date, and we also did a small tour through John Green early on as well. Not to mention "side quests" I went on with James and Chase separately, including The Inheritance Cycle, Thirteen Reasons Why, and 12 Rules for Life. FBC even went to book events! Needless to say in two years, we covered more ground than I thought we would.

It started as something simple, a way to help Chase grow but as a family. But it turned into more than what I ever could have anticipated. The heated discussions were something I definitely didn't anticipate, that's for sure. But it is my favorite part. A passion grew that we could all share and experience at the same time. And if one of us pulled in front of the other when it came to speed of reading, all that did was push the others to keep going. Nope, I definitely didn't anticipate that FBC would grow to mean so much to us, but it did. That's why I was thrilled when I heard from two different groups this week that they were thinking of starting a book club.

Book clubs are great for all the reasons I listed above. You grow closer together, you have discussions, you challenge each other, all while you learn. But more than that you also get to go on endless adventures. You get to live different lives and have experiences within the cover of a book than you could ever experience on your own. Now, this is not a message to "lose reality" but I will say sometimes it's already lost, like say during a quarantine? We are already out of our normal realities, so why not take the chance to embrace a new one? A book can do that and a book club can do that with people you want to share that journey with.

All that said, I think that a book club is a wonderful idea that I hope more will take advantage of. And it doesn't have to be fiction, though I do recommend throwing one in your line up every now and then. There are so many things to read out there, find a common interest between you and your friends or family, and start reading. Zoom, Skype, Facetime, Facebook Video, whatever! There are endless ways for your club to meet, no matter how far spread, to discuss your thoughts on the book. This can be as strict or as loose as you want it to be, I encourage you to make this your own because I truly believe it is something worth making. And you just might be surprised at what you create.

So, go, see who wants to try something new. Book worms and newbies alike, you never know who might be interested. After you gather the people, decided where you'd like to explore, ask the group: what genre would you all like? Next, pick your book, this might take sometime but don't be too afraid. You can start safe with something you've already read or jump into something new! There are no real right or wrong answers here. After that, set any parameters you want, if you need any at all. Keeping in mind: sometimes accountability is good but other times flexibility can be better, it's important to know your people. After that, all that's left is to start reading.

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Pro-tip:

Remember there are many different ways to read a book. Audiobooks, e-readers, and physical books all have different experiences that can accommodate different life styles. Make sure to choose what is best for you, you want to enjoy this experience, not make it another item on your to-do list. I have read to people at times if they wanted to know the story but couldn't read for themselves at the moment. This might seem a little dramatic but it was a fun bonding experience that I wouldn't shy away from if you need it. Remember, this is what YOU make it.

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I hope you find the idea of a book club inviting. So much so, that you send the invite. I also hope that if you do start a book club, you'll let me know how it goes and what you read! The biggest advice I can give is this: remember, you are on an adventure, embrace it and go with it. It is okay to become attached to characters or to cry while reading, all it mean's is that you grew a little bit without noticing. Enjoy your book and enjoy your book club, to the fullest extent you can. There is a new experience waiting for you around every page.

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Thank you for tuning in to this The Mess/Nerdom hybrid; it seems we've been doing quite a few of those! I hope you get to start a book club but even if you don't still make sure to do something that makes you happy this week. Start off strong and I will see you Wednesday for another installment of Nerdom. Make sure you stay safe and stay messy my friends.

Bonus Below-

FBC Update: Chase is finishing the last Riordanverse Book (to date)! As soon as she finishes we will be moving on to a Riordan Presents series next! Feel free to join along by messaging us on the My Mess Instagram to find out what book we're on! See Ya!