Starting a book club, anyone interested?

I've been wanting to do this for a while and figured I'd just ask. I'm looking to start a book club here in Little Rock, something casual. I read a bit of everything: mysteries, memoir, the occasional history book, whatever's been on my nightstand since March. I don't want a club where every pick has to be Serious Literature, and I don't want it to be all one genre either.

I'm in the Quapaw Quarter, so somewhere central would be easiest for me. A coffee shop is fine, or we could rotate living rooms once we know each other a little. Honestly with how storm season has been going, a living room has its perks, no one's stuck on a patio when the sky turns green.

I'm thinking once a month, maybe a weeknight evening or Sunday afternoon, and I'm flexible. Small group, 6 to 10 people would be great.

If you're interested, tell me what you've read lately that you liked (or hated, that's useful too). I'll see who bites and we can figure out a first meeting from there.

oh I'm in!! I've been wanting something like this too and never had the guts to start one. I'm out near Lake Maumelle so the Quapaw Quarter is a hike for me but honestly I'd drive in for a monthly thing, no problem. Sunday afternoon would be my pick, weeknights are rough with my kids' schedules.

Lately I finished The Thursday Murder Club and loved it, such a cozy fun one. Then I tried Where the Crawdads Sing because everybody and their mama said I had to and I just did not get the hype, so I'm happy to be the grumpy one in the group haha. Also in the middle of Educated right now and its really good but heavy, I have to read it in small doses.

Fair warning I buy most of my books at yard sales for like a quarter a piece so I have a stack of random stuff that no one else has probably heard of. Could be fun for a swap at the meetings if anyone else does that too.

Living rooms sound great to me, esp with the storms we've been having lately. Let us know when you pick a date!

Another vote for living rooms, mostly because I have strong feelings about coffee shops and they're not kind ones. Nothing kills a book discussion faster than a grinder going every ninety seconds and a guy three tables over taking a work call on speaker. If we do a coffee shop for the first meeting while we're all strangers, fine, but pick one with actual seats and go on a Sunday afternoon, not Saturday morning when every table is somebody's "office."

Megan, I'm with you on Crawdads. Pretty writing, then a plot that needed everybody to look the other way. Somebody has to say it and I'll happily sit next to you and be grumpy too.

For me, I do most of my reading in the fall because I'm in a deer stand for hours with nothing to do but be quiet, so my taste leans toward stuff I can put down fast when something walks out. Lately I liked Project Hail Mary and Killers of the Flower Moon, and I quit The Midnight Library halfway through. No regrets.

Sunday afternoons work for me too. Yard sale book swap is a great idea, I'll definitely be bringing a box of stuff I'll never reread.

Ha, the grinder every ninety seconds is painfully accurate. So far it sounds like Sunday afternoons, living rooms, and maybe one coffee shop meetup first so nobody has to invite strangers into their house right off the bat. That's fair, I wouldn't want to either.

Killers of the Flower Moon has been on my nightstand pile since March, so you might have just picked our first book. It's history but it reads fast, and there's plenty to argue about. And no shame on The Midnight Library, I'm not sure I'd have finished it either.

Megan, the yard sale swap is happening, I'm already eyeing my shelf. Let's aim for the second Sunday in June, so June 12, and give a few more people time to chime in here before I lock it in. If the sky turns green that day we'll just move it indoors, no debate.

June 12 works for me! Sunday afternoon is perfect because I'm usually done with the Saturday yard sale circuit by then and just want to sit down with a drink and talk about something besides who's haggling over a card table.

Flower Moon is a great first pick. I think I've actually got a paperback copy buried in a tote from a sale last summer, so I'll dig it out and save myself the trip to the library. Megan, I'm in on the swap too. I'll bring the box, and I make no promises I'll leave with fewer books than I came with.

One question for when we get to the living room rotation. Does anyone have a problem with dogs? I've got a rescue who is very good in company but will absolutely pick the person with the best lap and settle in like she pays rent. If that's a dealbreaker for anyone I'll leave her home and just feel guilty about it, no big deal.

For the coffee shop meetup, somewhere near you in the Quapaw Quarter sounds easiest. Maybe we can scope out one with a back room or a corner away from the espresso machine, like Heather said.

Dog is more than welcome by me. A dog who picks the best lap is basically a book club member already. If anyone has allergies, speak up and we'll sort it out when we get to the living room rotation, but for the coffee shop meetup it's a non-issue.

Good call on the back room. I'll scout a couple of spots near me this week and report back, and I'll look for one with real seats like Heather said. Sunday afternoon of the 12th, so probably 2 or 3 o'clock unless someone needs a different time.

So far that's Megan, Heather, you, and me. A few more would be great, so if you're lurking, jump in. You don't have to have a great reading list, just tell us one thing you liked or hated lately.

Quapaw Quarter here too, so count me in for the 12th. 2 or 3 both work for me.

Lately I've read The Boys in the Boat and I reread Friday Night Lights because football season feels a million years away.. loved both. Fiction is where I fall behind, so you all will have to push me a little. Flower Moon sounds good, been meaning to pick it up.

If your coffee shop scouting turns up anything on or near Main St let us know, there's always some new place opening downtown and I'm nosy about them 😄 Dogs are fine by me. Maybe a walk on the River Trail after if the sky behaves?