Book clubs are a tried and true way of making friends as an adult, exercising your intellect and challenging yourself to discover authors and books you wouldn’t have found on your own. But how do you get into one? You could start your own, but there are already a multitude of book clubs in Toronto that anyone can join at any time — and none of them are exactly like any other. So no matter what kind of reader you are (introverted, classics-obsessed, queer, non-fiction focused), there is a club that will welcome you with open arms. Here are 10 book clubs in Toronto for all of your reading needs.
Toronto Public Libraries
The Toronto Public Library system has a list of book clubs and writer’s groups which take place at different branches. The programs are scheduled for a full calendar year, with meet ups occurring monthly, and books chosen by the respective librarian. The meetings themselves are casual and relaxed, since they take place at the library itself. To register, you have to either visit a branch in person or call, but space is limited so you may end up on a wait list. Some participants recount waiting months before a spot became available, and note that the members tend to be longstanding. Selected reads are often contemporary and include books which have been shortlisted for awards.
Fresh Off The Press
Fresh Off The Press is an independent monthly book club hosted by Fanni Friedrich, focusing on new releases and books that spark conversations. Friedrich launched the book club in 2024 after losing the job that had brought her to Canada. At first devastated, she began to read more and more, and realized in doing so that she craved community, so she hosted a book club event, then another one, and another one, until it had become her full-time pursuit. Now multiple events are listed every month on event platform Meetup, typically listed at $25 a ticket. Alternatively you can purchase a passport for $50 on the Fresh Off The Press website, to gain access to unlimited events (as many as five a month). The books are primarily literary fiction, but not strictly since members vote on each month’s reading.
“Our goal is to help book lovers build new relationships, get out of their TBR (‘to be read’) comfort zone, and support indie bookstores through book sales,” reads the event page.
In January, Friedrich also launched Sip And Book Club events, incorporating alcohol into the evenings. The first one kicked off with Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and quickly sold out. On Instagram, Friedrich posts content about her reading journey in Toronto, including ideal places to read and bookstores to visit for fellow readers.
Queer Book Club
Queer Book Club launched in 2019 in Guelph, before it made its way to Toronto. The queer-faciliated discussion group typically meets on the first Sunday of every month and reads a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, including a mix of poetry, short stories, graphic novels and YA. The broad agenda is to “read diversely” queer stories, as well as BIPOC authors. To join, you can fill out an application form at the link in their Instagram bio. New members are added multiple times a year depending on capacity and attendance rates, and once you’re added, you’ll receive a welcome email with a Slack link where communications are shared going forward. For instance, book polls are listed in Slack so that members can vote on future reads.
Attendance is taken at meetings, not to create pressure to attend but to determine those who get to pick future books and when that will happen. The book club has also hosted themed events in the past, including book swaps, Books and Bottles (featuring alcoholic beverages), potlucks and a beach reading at Hanlan’s Point Beach.
Book Club for Humans
A non-fiction book club that invites philosophical and cultural discussion, Book Club for Humans involves multiple club meetings take place every month, as coordinated through Meetup. Books of the month are determined by the organizer (though suggestions are welcome), often spanning topics about weird quirks of human behaviour, paradigms, culture and thinking. Readers aren’t obligated to finish the book in order to attend, but are warned they will hear spoilers. They’re also invited to arrive 20 minutes early and stay after the meeting to get to know their peers. Outside of the main book club event, there are variants like Short-Read Socials, which creates space for those looking to have deep conversations with strangers, but who don’t have time to fully commit to a book or philosophy club. A topic is determined, such as mental illness, or financial advice, along with prompting questions to guide discussion, and participants are invited to bring in media related to the topic to discuss. Media links are also shared beforehand to start people off.
The Downtown Toronto Book Club
The Downtown Toronto Book Club is for Gen X/millennials (individuals aged approximately 29-60), coordinated through Meetup. Club meetings take place once a month at a local pub or bar. Attendance costs $3 to help cover platform costs, with any additional funds being donated to Amnesty International. Books are predetermined but the conversations are “lively, freewheeling, literary and fun,” states the event page. Readers are also invited to join 30 minutes before the event and stay after for a drink to socialize with the group. They also frequently meetup for other activities like sailing, theatre, dinner, spin, yoga, opera and election watch parties. Participants are encouraged to but not obligated to finish the chosen book in order to attend a book club meeting, as long as they don’t mind spoilers. Past books have included The Capital of Dreams by Heather O’Neill, Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro and Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson.
Toronto Ladies Book Club
A monthly book club for women that encourages literary discussion and joyful chatter, via Meetup. “This is a place for women to meet and talk, discuss and review fantastic reads. Don’t fret, there is nothing gentle about this group or the books we’ll read!” states the event page. The organizer describes the group as a vibrant and open-minded cohort who enjoy entertaining different perspectives. As such, the selected books feature a versatile line up of style, writing, personality and force, spanning all genres and formats. Previous books have included A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum, The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean and The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. Attendance costs $2 to help cover platform costs.
GTA Book club with a twist
What’s the twist? In this virtual book club, coordinated via Meetup, rather than everyone agreeing to read one book, each participant is invited to bring a book of their choice to share with the group. Readers are also welcome if they don’t have a book, but would like a recommendation for their next read. After discussions ensue, the group votes to determine the book they’re most interested in, and that book gets allocated for further discussion at a subsequent meeting. “The aim here is to establish a group of independent readers in the GTA who are curious about everything. Have you read an interesting book lately? Come and tell us about it!” states the event page. Books span all genres, with past examples including subjects like adventure, history, neuroplasticity, biotechnology, biographies, economics, politics and much more.
Classic Book Club
This (mostly) monthly book club, coordinated via Meetup, is for lovers of classic literature. The group meets in person to discuss predetermined works of literature, as well as for education about literature, like a presentation on the lifes’ work of Fyodor Dostoevsky. “We will read books together, share book recommendations, discuss the lives of the greatest authors, and analyze the characters we all know and love,” states the event page. Most of the books discussed are fiction, but occasionally a non-fiction book makes it onto the roster, spanning history, art, politics, philosophy and religion. Previous reads have included Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. Alternative events have been dedicated to more social gatherings like sharing a book of choice, or participating in a literary quiz. The group is a part of the Lifelong Learning Network which gathers educational groups to facilitate continual education.
Silent Book Club
The Silent Book Club one is more so a reading club, rather than a traditional book club, since there is no discussion format. Instead, people arrive at a specified location to read their own book, in the quiet company of other readers. There are nearly 1,500 Silent Book Club chapters which exist in over 50 countries around the world, led by local volunteers. A dedicated website features a map with all of the locations, as well as tips on how to start your own chapter. You can join a chapter in your location via the website, or find it on Meetup. In Toronto, you’ll notice that the events occur multiple times per month. There is no assigned reading, so instead participants are encouraged to show up with a piece of literature of their choice (inclusive of eBooks, audiobooks or comic books), order their own food and drinks, share what they are reading and settle in for an hour of independent reading. At the end of the hour, participants are invited to stay and socialize should they choose, but there’s no obligation. The club advertises itself as “introvert happy hour.”
Type Books
Queen Street book shop Type Books hosts a bi-monthly book club in store that is free to attend. These events are announced on social media, their website and in the Type Books “Type 10” newsletter. In April the book was The Wall by Marlem Haushofer, and on June 22, the book club will read The Day of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante, chosen by Type Bookseller and Pack Animal literary series co-host Emily Wood. Type Books also co-hosts Paradise Book Club, a bi-monthly screening series in partnership with Paradise Theatre on Bloor Street. Hosted by Kevin Greenspan and Claire Foster, Paradise Book Club explores the art of adaptation with a selection of films based on a wide range of novels, short stories and nonfiction. Each of the screened books are available for purchase in the Paradise lobby courtesy of Type. In April the screened film was The Virgin Suicides and in June it will be Querelle. Tickets are approximately $20 and $15 for students.
