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Finding an online book club is easier than ever. It may not offer physical kinship over a shared book, but it makes up for it with sheer variety—and there are heaps of ways to find the perfect online book club in 2025.
1Social Media Communities
Social media continues to be a gathering place for book lovers. You don’t have to search too hard—type “book club,” your favorite genre, and the social platform you want to be on.
Facebook has both private and public book clubs for reading suggestions and discussions. Dedicated groups discuss specific genres and regularly host reading sessions. For instance, I stumbled upon a vibrant science fiction community on Facebook where we read and discussed classics like Dune alongside its movie adaptation.
Instagram, too, has bookish communities. Once you start searching, they will appear on your feed. You will come across the globally popularReese Witherspoon book cluband more specialized ones likeEmma Watson’s book club for feminist literature.
As a bonus, I always enjoy participating in “Insta Book Club Live” sessions, where authors occasionally join to chat about their work.
Always read through the posting etiquette rules followed by each community. They can be different in each group.
2Explore Niche Reading Apps
The popularity of reading apps contradicts the myth that people no longer read.Fablehas become my favorite hunting ground for virtual book clubs and recommendations. It has taken over from Goodreads, which is still great for social book reading challenges, likethe yearly Goodreads book challengeand joining book discussions.
Here are a few more reading apps for finding online book clubs:
There are plenty more niche book clubs, too.
3Dive Into Genre-Specific Forums
Forums aren’t as flashy as apps or even as trending like Instagram and TikTok. But they remain a staple for book lovers. Think of your favorite genre, and you will find a forum that works like a book club.
Reddit can be your first port of call for finding them. So, Reddit’sr/booksandr/suggestmeabookcontinue to be excellent resources for finding book clubs and recommendations. For book clubs, try a subreddit liker/bookclub. The community-driven nature of these subreddits and their crowdsourced wisdom will help you find interesting suggestions quickly.
I foundBookTalkvia Reddit. Genre-specific forums likeSFFFWorldfor science fiction have different subgenres or themes. Goodreads also has a variety of discussion boards on niche topics, such as theCatch-Up Book Club.
You can always do a regular search for book forums. My results with alternative search engines have been mixed, thoughForum Scoutreturned good results.
Use Reddit search filters to narrow down the results. To cast a wider net, selectRelevanceandAllTime.
4Join Discord Servers
You will come across manyGoodreads fan clubs on Discord. Instant messaging apps like Discord can host a large number of participants, and Admins can create separate channels as reading groups for specific books. Voice and audio calls are a plus for impromptu chats. A few public libraries even have Discord channels!
Follow these steps to search Discord for book clubs:
You can useDisboard.orgto search public Discord servers tagged with “bookclub.” If you don’t find what you want on Disboard, tryDiscord.meinstead and search for book-related servers. My tip is to start with a smaller Discord book club and see if it suits you.
Lost your reading habit? Try a Discord channel likebooksandteafor a nudge.
6Use AI Recommendations
Did you know thatChatGPT can deliver better recommendations than Goodreads? A custom GPT likeBookscan search the web and return answers to your query. While its main job is to recommend books, you’re able to also use it to find book clubs.
The Storygraphapp uses artificial intelligence to track your reading habits and recommend books. ItsBuddy Readfeature is just what it sounds like—a mini-book club where you can read with friends. AI can suggest community members with whom to pair up.
Your favorite AI chatbot can even act as an intelligent reading partner. I try to understand difficult books (like Ulysses by James Joyce) with the help of ChatGPT. As ChatGPT is now interactive with voice, I can chit-chat with it. It’s nice to ask for help when you come across a challenging read.
Use AI’s help critically. While they can analyze and suggest, they cannot fully engage in deep discussions like a human-led book club.
7Attend Virtual Literary Events
Many book festivals and literary events now offer an online face. They often encourage book club-style open discussions. Famous authors usually participate in such festivals, so it’s an excellent opportunity to chat with them.
Many online components of literary events may not follow the idea of a book club. Instead, they can be live Q&A sessions, workshops, networking events, or even an author-led training webinar. These events are an excellent way to find like-minded readers and (fellow) writers.
For instance, theEpigraph Literary Festivalis a free biannual virtual event.
You can enjoy the Brooklyn Book Festival at theirVirtual Festival Dayfrom anywhere worldwide (though this is yet to be confirmed for 2025).
TheNational Book Festival,held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., focuses mainly on author talks. However, the festival offers video resources if you may’t attend in person.
Search event listings on websites like Eventbrite and Meetup. Otherevent-tracking apps for your smartphonecover a variety of local happenings.
So, finding the perfect online book club in 2025 is easier than ever. Social media discussions, AI-driven recommendations, or virtual book club platforms can meet diverse needs. Even if you are into niche genres (Biopunk, anyone?), there’s a digital community waiting for you.
