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There are some interesting updates for the new year In the world of book clubs. There’s a new snail mail book club based out of NYC, an award-winning book club focused on social justice, and even a nice look at the trendiness of it all by Architectural Digest. There’s also a little something for your TBR—all discussed below.
Books have become a sort of It Girl the past few years. From BookTok and its 43.1 million posts to celebrity book influencers, there seems to be a definite trend towards being bookish. This comes even as efforts to ban books are at an all-time high. The interest isn’t just confined to the rich and privileged, though. Lately, more and more places have used books as a centerpiece to third spaces for underserved communities, like the L.A.-based Reparations Club. Sydney Gore covers that and all other matter of book trends here for Architectural Digest.
Here’s another example of book clubs’ growing popularity. Open Book Club is a book club that meets in real life in New York City, but also has a dedicated newsletter following. Well now they’re offering newsletter readers a little something more. They’re starting what they’re calling “the snail mail club,” which will be a $15/month subscription that sends the book of the month, plus a handmade book club guide with self-reflection and group discussion prompts.
This snail mail book club project comes after Open Book Club’s expansion, and I’m curious to see how the whole thing continues to grow.
I found out about the nonprofit Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop fairly recently and wanted to shout them out. They encourage personal development and fight against the carceral system by running book clubs and writing workshops for justice system-involved youth and adults. The justice system is one of the strongest arms of systemic racism, so their work can be considered antiracist as well.
They’ve also won beaucoup awards—from the Juliette Gimon Courage Award from Global Fund for Children from George Mason University to the Library of Congress Best Practices in Literacy Award, to the Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation (the organization that runs the National Book Awards, if you’re unfamiliar).
Suffice it to say, I think they sound like a wonderful nonprofit to support, and if you’re interested, you can learn more about how to get involved with them here.
In the Copiague School District in New York State, 4th-graders have a classroom book club. As with any other book club, they read their chosen book, then discuss it. Where their book club differs is that they add stickers that mirror themes from the book they read.
This is such a great way to combat the lower literacy rates that have been reported by teachers all over the country. Plus, I think adult book clubs could do with more stickers. Just saying.
Book Club Friendly Books Out This Week
Homeseeking by Karissa Chen
I mentioned this already when I told y’all about January’s best book club-friendly books, but I’m highlighting it again since it’s out this week. It follows Suchi and Haiwen, whose love story starts out when they are youngins in 1940s Shanghai, gets interrupted by certain decisions, time, and other relationships. Then, gets reignited 60 years later. Question is, will it be able to survive the weight of their pasts.
Immortal: A Novel of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan
Here’s another of my most anticipated 2025 book club books. If you read Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess, then you’re already familiar with the Chinese mythology-inspired world of her Immortal. This time, though, we follow Liyen, heir to Tianxia, who has to deal with a whole mess of trouble from the Immortal Realm. She comes up against grief, shaky court alliances, and even a little questionable romance, all as she tries to save her kingdom.
Rosarita by Anita Desai
This is three-time Booker nominated author Anita Desai’s haunting story about Bonita, a young woman enjoying being an artist in Mexico after leaving her home in India. One day Bonita follows a strange woman who claims to have known her mother—a decision that sets her down a path of memory and grief.
Single Player by Tara Tai
This is a fun, sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance that takes place in the workplace of two video game creators. Cat Li is feeling herself after getting hired at the perfect job, but then meets her new boss: the arrogant (and annoyingly fine) Andi. Zhang. You know the rest: the sparks spark, the enemies love, and we all rejoice.
**Below is an extended list of book club-friendly books out this week for All Access members**
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