After close to two years, the book club that I belong to finally got together. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until I saw everyone once again — though it did feel a tad odd to congregate in the same room with several people (we’ve all been vaccinated, by the way).

We usually meet about once every six weeks at a different member’s home to discuss whatever book we chose as a group during the last meeting. Our discussions are light, frequently lively, and given that many of the members are either related or very close friends, the conversations often veer into personal stories and anecdotes.

I especially love book club because I’ve read books that I probably never would have tackled on my own — books that have become fast favorites. It’s also opened my eyes to different genres and styles, as well as exposure to other cultures that I never read on my own. So in this way, book clubs can broaden our horizons and push us outside of our comfort zone. For many people, book clubs also provide people with a good reason for reading on a regular basis.

Additionally, I find it fascinating how even though we’ve all read the same book, the opinions and understandings of it could vary so greatly. Often, aspects of the story are brought out that I had neither noticed nor thought of. In this way, our discussions cause me to think about a work of fiction in an entirely different light — and that’s the fun of it! I love hearing all the different perspectives people have on the book.

Most of all, I love being able to talk about a book with others who have also read it. I love being part of a community where we have a passion for reading in common. Often after finishing a book, my mind is racing with new ideas, thoughts about it, or I might even be overtaken by the emotions that the story sparked within me. Being in a book club allows me to share my experiences before, during, and after reading a book.

As an added plus, you can often borrow books from other members. Our book club is fantastic about this — many of the members share books with the rest of us, and I’ve discovered several new and loved series in the process.

For this month’s book, we read “Sadie” by Courtney Summers. This was a much more emotionally intense and darker story than I had initially thought before going in. I won’t say that I enjoyed it (as it wasn’t the type of book that one “enjoys”), but it was good and I am glad it crossed my path. Next month, we’re reading “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman, a much lighter (and sillier!) read.

So yes, if you’re given the opportunity to join a book club, I heartily recommend that you take advantage of it. I love mine!