For this month's featured book club, we introduce Tetbury Book Club, who are 'fairly new' to the scene. Despite this, they have already got a great bookish community- they even have a book scoring system! 

When did your Book Club launch?

In April 2019. 

How did that come about?

I moved to the area and wanted to meet other avid readers and it was a good way of integrating into the town. 

Talk to me about how it’s developed over the years. 

I set it up on Meet Up and immediately received many requests to join the club. Not everyone who has joined on the Meet Up site comes to the meetings, but we now have a core group of around 8 –10 people who come regularly.

Describe your book club in three words.

Friendly, diverse and organised.

How do you choose your books?

At one of the earlier meetings, we all bought two suggestions. The rest of the group then voted on which one they would prefer to read. That way all the members contributed to our reading list.

How often do you meet?

We meet once a month.

Where do you meet?

In our local pub in a back room that they let us use. 

What is the format of your meetings?

We spend the first hour or so reviewing that month’s book. We all take it in turns to say a little bit about it. We then score it out of ten so we can look back over the year and see which have been the most popular books. The remainder of the time we talk about other books and authors and any events that might be coming up that we may be interested in going to.

What are you reading right now?

The Beekeepers Promise by Fiona Valpy.

Do you have a favourite format of book (ebook, hardback, paperback, audio)?

The majority of the group prefer the paperback although a few members have used audio and ebooks.

What are your favourite books of 2019 so far?

Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Circe by Madeline Miller have been our most popular. 

Do you collectively have a favourite author?

No, we don’t. We are a varied group with very different interests.

Do you collectively have a favourite genre?

Again, as a group we are very diverse. We have members who enjoy classics, others that enjoy something lighter to read, whilst others enjoy travel and biographies. It’s good for the group because we are all reading books we may not have entertained previously.

Has there been a particular highlight of your time together?

I think as we are a fairly new group, we have all been amazed at how a group of people can come together as strangers but very quickly become good friends.

If you were to give anyone out there some advice on setting up a book club what would it be?

Be open to all genres, let all members have a voice and keep it well structured.

-Tetbury Book Club Monday evenings group

Tetbury Book Club is proud to announce that Crime writer, Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home, is coming to have a book talk with them in November. I'm so jealous, have fun guys! 

You can Follow Tetbury Book Club on Facebook!

Tetbury Book Club 

If you enjoyed this article why not check out our other Book Club Features?