Book clubs in Dorset

Below you'll find every active listing we have for book clubs and readers in Dorset

All listings in Dorset

Hollie (Wimborne)

A passionate reader, have just stopped working in the evenings and would love to join a book club!

Lori (Swanage)

Wide range of book interest. As long as it intrigues me in the first five minutes I’m hooked!

Betsy (Poole)

I’m 22 and live in Poole. My absolute favourite book genres are fantasy and romance but I also love classics and mysteries. I also love special edition books and spend way too much in order to have a pretty bookshelf. I would love some book friends to meet and swap recommendations with!

Jenny (Bournemouth)

I love books and walking and am new to area, so would love to meet some people and get out and about.

Jenny recommends:

Thursday Murder Club

by Richard Osman | Learn more and buy

Very funny, easy read, but gripping as well.

Elise (Wimborne)

Hey guys! I’m 24 and I’m looking to find new book recommendations and make new connections with people! I love crime and thriller books but I also love to mix a bit of fantasy/romance in there!

Dromwald (Blandford Forum)

Avid reader, in my 50s (sadly not for much longer), looking to join a book club that meets physically rather than virtually on either a weekly or monthly basis. I'll read just about anything but my preferred genres are Fantasy, Science Fiction and general thrillers. Currently reading The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, The Halflings Gem by R A Salvatore and Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad. Still looking for a book group in Blandford or surrounds but failing that if anyone is intetested in forming one please ley me know.

Andrew (Blandford Forum)

Hi, I enjoy most genres but stared to read a lot of fantasy from the start of the COVID lockdowns as I wanted to explore something different to our everyday experience. I read a lot of contemporary fiction from established and new authors. I usually have a classic book on the go and something light and funny. I read poetry most days. Plus I read a lot of books related to the broader area of Psychology which is my area of work. I have a good sense of humour, like a good chat , keeping fit and meditate regularly. I’ve always wanted to be in a book club but have either never had the time or my local one might focus on only one or two genres. I’m local to Blandford and as I’m self-employed I have wide availability. It would be good to meet other people who share a similar interest in books and literature and who are open to new reading experiences.

Andrew recommends:

Jean de Florette

by Marcel Pagnol | Learn more and buy

It captures the wonderful Provençal countryside and does with wonderful writing, great characters and a fantastic and captivating story.

Cathy (Bournemouth)

Hi , I’m Cathy 31yrs old. I love reading and collecting books . I love the smell of old books over new books. I enjoy reading but lack good motivation to continuously read . I enjoy visiting bookstores every chance I get and explore the book world. I love whodunnit mysteries , romance and sometimes history. I’m looking to join a club so I can enjoy discussing about the book with people of similar interest. Thanks

Cathy recommends:

The horrified heirs

by Erle Stanley Gardner | Learn more and buy

It’s a short whodunnit mystery read and I enjoy the pace at which the book travels without boring . He is one of my fav authors

Ryan (Poole)

Hey! I’m Ryan, a mid-20s bookworm looking to meet new friends who also read. I’ll read anything; classical literature, romance, fantasy, horror, nature writing, you name it.

Ryan recommends:

The Axeman’s Jazz

by Ray Celestin | Learn more and buy

Incredible crime novel, intro to a 4 book masterpiece

Eliana (Poole)

Looking to join a book club in Poole/Bournemouth/surrounding areas. I'm 28 and mostly into contemporary fiction, including LGBTQ+ and international stories.

Cheri (Gillingham (Dorset))

Hi! I'm 23 and an avid reader. My favourite genres at the moment are romance and fantasy. I'd love to find other people who have similar passion for reading as well as recommending new genres and books! :)

Sophie (Swanage)

Looking to join a swanage based book club, I’m not the fastest reader but I enjoy it enormously! Interested in a wide range of genres.

Hannah (Bournemouth)

I’ve just finished university and love to read, I would really like to find a book group to possibly make some new friends. I’m open to almost all genres but particularly enjoy fantasy.

Loz (Bournemouth)

I’m getting on a bit these days but have recently rediscovered my love for reading. I have a fairly eclectic taste and as I enter a new chapter of live, pardon the pun, I’m looking for a friendly book club local to Bournemouth to join and make my new found passion my weekly hobby.

Loz recommends:

Popcorn

by Ben Elton | Learn more and buy

Seamlessly and shamelessly moves you through a story of unadulterated fiction…..

Keith (Poole)

Written photo-histories of Speedway in the 1970s, textbooks for NVQs in Management, and now fiction and screenplays. Co-founder of Badman Publishing to support indie authors and indie bookshops as a co-operative (NFP). Love reading fiction and non-fiction; historical in both, also crime. Author of "The Bootlegger of Illinois", "DCI Harry Morgan; Casebook" "Cat- as in burglar". Available on Amazon and good booksellers.

Keith recommends:

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen | Learn more and buy

A great love story - insight into the Georgian period. Lovely prose. Lots of humour too

Agent Zig Zag

by Ben McIntyre | Learn more and buy

True life that reads like a great thriller. Incredible story of a criminal who became a war hero. The film "Triple Cross" (Christopher Plummer) does not do justice to the true story.

Forensics

by Val McDermid | Learn more and buy

From the modern Queen of Crime, a non-fiction book on Forensics. Fascinating read - very informative. Helped me with my writing my police-procedural "DCI Harry Morgan: Casebook". Lovers of Lincoln Rhyme novels by Jeffery Deaver will like this book.

Dissolution

by C J Sansom | Learn more and buy

Book 1 of a great series, featuring the Tudor lawyer Shardlake. Great writing brings the period to life. Characters you grow to love and fear for.

Wolf Hall

by Hilary Mantel | Learn more and buy

Part of a trilogy featuring Thomas Cromwell. Unusual prose, then the penny drops, we're in the head of Thomas, his thoughts, observations, actions are shared with the reader intimately. Made a great TV series from it.

A Gentleman in Moscow

by Amor Towles | Learn more and buy

I read this before the TV series. It is amazing. I could not have imagined being enthralled by the story of man imprisoned in a Moscow hotel after the 1917 revolution but it grips at the heartstrings.

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens | Learn more and buy

So much better than the movie. The tender story of a young girl growing up in harsh circumstances and the troubles she goes through.

The Defense (aka The Defence)

by Steve Cavanagh | Learn more and buy

Introducing Eddie Flynn - an non-conventional lawyer. Incredible plot twists. Great crime writer

The Sun is God

by Adrian McKinty | Learn more and buy

Agatha Christie meets Joseph Conrad. Murder mystery. The first book by AM that I read and I became a fan, especially of his Sean Duffy NI detective stories set during the troubles. His latest novels are The Chain, and The Island, both massive bestsellers.

Slow Horses

by Mick Herron | Learn more and buy

Espionage brought brilliant to life by the tv series starring Gary Oldman. The prose is amazing, the humour dark, the danger of double and triple-crossing. A great series of books.

The Power of the Dog

by Don Winslow | Learn more and buy

Part of a trilogy. Not the easiest read - quite detailed on the horrors and atrocities of the drug lords in Central and South America. A pageturner all the same.

Lucy (Sherborne)

Love reading a variety of writing styles.

Lucy recommends:

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

by Hwang Bo-reum | Learn more and buy

A warm, comforting read.

Chloe (Poole)

Recently moved back to the area and would love to find a book club

Barrie (Poole)

I do not wish to join your book club as I live far away, I have written a novel based in the Welsh Marches which may be of interest? I can send a free copy if I have a postal address. You can check me out via my website: www.barriehaynes.wordpress.com

Barrie recommends:

The Castledrove Shepherd

by Barrie J Haynes | Learn more and buy

It's short and very easy to read written in the present tense, number five in a series.

The Paperback Society 📚 (Bournemouth)

HI! I have recently set up a bournemouth book club for people in their 20s to meet and discuss books! We are just starting up and inviting others to join us, we plan to read 1 book monthly with monthly meet ups going forward. We all love different genres but are open to trying eavh others and giving our opinion on them. Give me and email if you are intrested in joining us, we have all met through here so its a chance to make some new friends as well xx 💒