Book Club Rules
For ALL types of book clubs!
Forming a book club is a wonderful way to make time for yourself during any phase of your life, while also providing a way to challenge your mind and learn from others' unique perspectives.
In order for book club to be successful, it must adhere to a basic set of guidelines, or, as we like to call them, the book club rules! If all members agree to the rules, you can look forward to a lasting book club where you will be sure to form a close bond and allow your minds to learn and grow from each book you read.
Rule #1
1. The first rule of book club is that you MUST read the book. This rule is self-explanatory, and may seem silly since you OPTED in to the club; however, time and life can get in the way of our intentions at the best of times. That said, you simply must read the book in order to participate in engaging and fruitful discussions when you meet. And trust us, if you google reviews for the book to try and cover up a no-read, you WILL get found out!
Rule #2
2. What happens in book club, stays at book club. We're serious! Book club discussions can push us deep into emotional territory, and that means often getting personal. Meetings need to be a safe place where all feel comfortable sharing without the worry of personal lives going public.
Rule #3
3. It is okay for members to respectfully disagree with each others' opinions; however, it is NOT okay for members to argue with, shame, or denigrate anyone over a difference in viewpoints. Everyone comes from varying religious, political, educational, and personal backgrounds, and part of what makes a book club successful is learning from each unique perspective. It's healthy to have civil debates where you challenge each other's views, but it is NOT okay to take it a step further and make anyone feel that their opinion is not worthy or meaningful. Remember, NO JUDGEMENT and KEEP AN OPEN MIND!
Rule #4
4. Stick to the meeting format EVERY month. It is very easy for a book club to turn into a monthly social gathering where members end up discussing everything but the book. While it's nice to have some catch-up time, if you stray too far from the purpose of the meeting (book discussion) it becomes unfulfilling. Trust us, we've been there. If the club sticks to the format every month, it helps keep everyone accountable. See the left sidebar for meeting format. Be open to adapt and change as necessary once the club gets into its personal rhythm.
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Meeting Format
You can modify/adjust this whether you are meeting in-person or virtually. The basic format stays the same.
Also note: "hostess" refers to the person who chose the book for that meeting whether it's an in-person or online book club.
- Arrive to the meeting and briefly mingle, chat, and catch-up. 10-15 mins.
- Gather in a circle/quiet down via virtual call to review a synopsis of the book given by the hostess. Members may chime in with details if needed. 5-10 mins.
- Questions & Discussion round. All members should come prepared to the meeting with one discussion question related to the content of the book. Each member shares their question, and each member answers in a round-robin format. 60 mins.
- Book rating. Starting with the hostess, go around and allow each member to rate the book and briefly explain the reason for their rating. See book rating chart on this page. 10 mins.
- Closing. Next month's hostess announces the book club selection (come prepared with a backup book in case some members have read your first choice). Next date is chosen. 10mins.
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CROWNSTAR Rating System
1-star is a book you super struggled through, and may not even have finished. There isn't a scenario in which you can see yourself recommending it to anyone; rather you keep it filed away to remind yourself NOT to do so.
2-star is a book you finished, but it left you feeling unsatisfied, dissatisfied, or wondering over the author's intent. It's possible you may recommend it to someone, but only with the forewarning that you aren't sure how you felt about it, and you mostly want to discuss opinions with another reader.
3-star is a book you enjoyed reading, felt satisfied with the ending, and potentially feel the need to discuss it with other readers. You would recommend to the right person, and are glad to have read it.
4-star is a book you loved and would recommend to almost any type of reader. You were changed in some way by it's content whether that be a life lesson, new knowledge, a different way of looking at something, etc. You also definitely want to discuss it with other readers.
5-star is the category of "best books I've ever read" and this is because you are desperate to share and talk about it with other readers; it has taught you something as it pertains to your own life whether that be new information you didn’t know before, a new way of thinking, or a major change in your opinion; you might even consider reading it again. The fine line between a 4-star and a 5-star rating is that to award a book with a 5, it has to have moved you in such a way that you will never forget it, even as time goes by and you don't remember every last detail; it holds a little piece of your readers' heart.
a .5 star can be added to any of your 1 - 5 ratings as needed. Generally, you do this when you are right on the edge of bumping a book up or down. You might also use this to rate a book post-discussion. For example, a book you gave a 3 to for being an average story, may turn into a 3.5 if you have a great discussion over it!
Food for thought...
We don't only suggest 5 star books here. Why? You may ask. Well, because sometimes a book that earns a 3 or 3.5 CROWNSTAR spurs the BEST book club discussion! Sometimes, books that people really, truly hate create the most passionate book club discussions!
So, look at our rating scale. HOW we rate each book always follows this formula; but keep in mind, less than a 4 or 5 doesn't mean it's not worth reading!
Two FAB 5-crownstar books:
