Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster holds multiple book clubs throughout the month for different genres. There is one for scifi/fantasy lovers, hopeless romantics, thriller enthusiasts, horror junkies, nonfiction nerds, or literature fiction aficionados. Last month I attended the romance book club and immediately fell in love. The assigned book was “Love is a War Song” by Danica Nava. It’s a book I would have never picked for myself, but I really enjoyed it. The meeting is only an hour long, but it’s a fun thing to look forward to every month. The discussion is very laid back. There was an easy flow between light hearted conversation about our favorite and least favorite parts of the book and serious, intellectual conversation about how indigenous people are portrayed in the media or the complex relationships between the mother and daughter in the book. The atmosphere wasn’t awkward at all. I felt comfortable to share my opinions and everyone listened with respect, even though I was the youngest one there.
Pocket Books Shop monthly book clubs offer a nice reprieve for students who enjoy reading. It can be difficult to make time to read for pleasure, but by attending a Pocket Books’ book club they have the opportunity to read something other than textbooks. Additionally, Pocket Books makes an effort to choose a variety of books within the club’s genre. They highlight authors from different backgrounds and cultures and each book is different from the last. It allows attendees to read books they may not have chosen for themselves. As an added bonus, Pocket Books has taken special care to assign books that fit with the holiday spirit as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas approach.
I would recommend Pocket Books book clubs to everyone, but they hold a bunch of other events every month too. In October, they’re celebrating the grand opening of their second location on Prince street in Lancaster. They’re also holding a party for the 20th anniversary of Twilight, a build-your-own beaded bookmark workshop, a pop up with SeoulMatesKorean Kitchen, a meet and greet with author Layne Fargo, and so much more. It’s an unrated novelty in Lancaster that’s definitely worth checking out.
