Are you ready to dive into great reads, meet fellow book enthusiasts, and discover new perspectives? The Aurora Public Library District’s book discussion groups offer you the perfect chance to do just that! From romance and nonfiction to African American authors and open-ended discussions, APLD’s book clubs cover a wide range of genres and interests, so there’s something for everyone. Here’s a glimpse of some of our newer book club additions and how they’re creating connections and enriching the reading experience for all!
If you’re a romance enthusiast, the new Happily Ever After Book Club (HEA) is designed just for you! Led by Rupangi Bakshi and Becky Clark, HEA explores everything there is to love about romance novels. “This romance book club offers an opportunity to explore diverse perspectives within the genre,” said Bakshi. “With countless sub-genres such as historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and LGBTQ+ romance, book clubs can introduce readers to new authors and stories they might not have discovered on their own.” Romance fiction is one of our most popular circulating genres in the library, but often people dismiss it as formulaic. At their heart (pun intended), romance novels are all about people searching for connection. “I’ve been a romance reader for a long time–it’s my favorite genre to read!” said Clark. “I wanted to share that love with our customers, get to know other romance readers, and introduce romance fiction to new fans.” HEA meets on the third Saturday of each month at the Santori Library with a hybrid option for online participation. We hope you fall in love with the upcoming chosen titles!
If you’re not into romance and looking for a book club that lets you choose your own reading material, What We’re Reading Wednesday might be the perfect fit. This relaxed, virtual book chat on the first Wednesday of each month is also led by Becky Clark and offers a casual way to connect over reading. “This group started during the pandemic as a way for us to virtually connect with other readers and we enjoyed it so much we kept going even after in-person events started back up,” says Clark. During these lively sessions participants share recent books that they’ve enjoyed, often sparking recommendations that help each other discover new favorite titles. “One of our attendees was in a major reading slump, and coming to the meetings helped her re-connect to a series that she loved. She shared her reading progress at our meetings, and when she recently finished the series, we cheered for her—it was a milestone!” Clark recalls. The relaxed, open format of What We’re Reading Wednesday is perfect for growing your “to-be-read” (TBR) list and hearing from other passionate readers, all from the comfort of your own reading nook.
This format also lends itself well to teen readers who are sick of assigned reading in school. Our new Choose Your Own Book: Genre Book Club provides a unique space for teens who want to read books THEY enjoy! “A teen at one of my programs told me she would be interested in a book club, but she never seemed to like any of the featured books,” said teen librarian Phoebe Metz. “Reading should be fun and not feel like homework, which it often does, particularly for students. I really want to encourage choice and exploration with this book club, so people can try a lot of different things.” This club’s flexible format lets teens choose the titles they want to read within a certain genre, allowing everyone to become an “expert” on their chosen book and enjoy a fun, relaxed discussion. The first meeting of the Choose Your Own Book: Genre Book Club meets Sunday, Nov. 17 and encourages participants to read a title with Native American characters or written by a Native American author. The choice is theirs!
Joining an APLD Book Club is a wonderful way to enrich your overall reading experience! These discussion groups provide a chance for the community to meet and engage while learning about new experiences. Learn more about all our offered Book Discussion Groups at www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/BookDiscussions or by calling the library at 630-264-4117. Happy reading!
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.