Nerd Alert... Bookclubs Rock!

As many of you have probably figured out by now, I am pretty much a book worm.  To me there is nothing better than relaxing with a good book... either poolside, beach side, on my patio, in my favorite chair, in bed... wherever.... I just can't get enough of reading.  I was the girl that when I was younger my parents would find me reading under the covers in bed with a flashlight.  I am pretty sure that trying to read in the dark is eventually why I needed glasses.  Ever since I can remember I was OBSESSED with reading and of course my obsession has not gone away even as an adult.  I have tried to share my love of reading with others, to the point that if I am invited to a baby shower or a child's birthday party you better believe that kid is getting a book as one of their gifts from me.

In being such an avid reader, I am sure that it comes as no surprise to any of you that I am involved in multiple book clubs.  And yes, you did read that right, multiple book clubs.  Granted, most of them are online book clubs that involve me writing blog posts about what I have read, but that still counts, right?!  And I have been known to video chat with some of my friends in a mini-book club setting because you know, there is nothing cooler than G-chatting with a couple of your girlfriends to discuss books.  In addition to the online book clubs and G-chatting with friends, I also helped to start a book club for the alumnae chapter of my sorority and we meet every other month to discuss various books.
In honor of the fact that book club time is right around the corner, I am going to share with you Nine reasons why I think it is amazing to be a part of a book club!

one// Reading Rocks!!  In cased you missed the sentiments in the intro to my post, yeah, I pretty much think that reading is the bees knees.  It is one of my favorite things to do and it just rocks!

two// It is a fabulous excuse to get to hang with the girls.  I absolutely love my Saturday afternoon book club meetings with the girls.  While we do spend time discussing whatever book we have read for the month, we also get time to catch up, gossip, etc.  It is always such an amazing time!

three// Wine, beer or cocktails are usually involved.  I don't know about you guys, but anything that involves wine, beer or cocktails is an automatic win in my book.  My one book club meets at a Brewhouse every other month, and when I do the online ones I can almost always be found chatting with a glass of wine in my hand.

four// It gets me to read things that are outside of my comfort zone!  I can't tell you how many books I have read that are not part of my normal reading list... A few I remember being particularly skeptical about because I had never read anything like it before and then after reading it... I was hooked!!

five// You discover new authors and genres you never would have thought that you would like.  Going along with number four and reading books outside my comfort zone, book club has opened my eyes to all sorts of authors and genres I never would have imagined myself reading.  Books about witches and vampires and such... other than the Twilight series I never would have touched anything like that... HOWEVER thanks to book club, The Discovery of Witches series by Deborah Harkness has become one of my favorite series.  I also learned that I do like the sappy stories written by authors like Kristin Hannah.  Book club has helped me to realize that my reading tastes really are more diverse than I ever thought they were.

six// Making new friends.  Since joining multiple book clubs I have met a bunch of fabulous women who like me have a fascination with reading.  Some of these women have become friends that I talk to on a regular basis outside of book club and I truly can't imagine my life without them.

seven// Keeps your brain active.  Keeping my brain active is something that is very important to me. With my current job situation I feel as though I am wasting my education, so I need to make sure that I am doing things to keep my mind functioning on the level that I know it should be at.  Don't want my brain to turn to mush from not using it on a regular basis!

eight// Great break from the work week.  There is nothing like knowing I have book club to look forward to to get me through the week!!

nine// It is always fun to go see the movie version of the book that you have read for book club... you can even make a girl's night out of it! I am the kind of person who really loves to read the book before I see a movie because 9 times out of 10 I enjoy the book better than the movie.  That being said, I always enjoy going to see the movie version of books with my girls... and have even been known to go to the midnight premiers of said movies.  Speaking of... Who is up for 50 Shades when that comes out on Valentine's Day?!?!?

Are you part of a book club? If so, what is your favorite thing of being part of one?