Pictured: Staff pick at Bookstore1Sarasota. Photo courtesy of Laura Paquette.

Between work, school and the countless digital distractions of the modern age, it can be a struggle to carve out time to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures: reading a book. Many people set a goal to read more, by making it their new year’s resolution or setting up a Goodreads challenge to read a certain number of books but end up purchasing countless books only to watch them sit on the shelf, collecting dust. One way to start reading again and not become overwhelmed by the towering stacks of unread books is to join a book club.

Book clubs offer many benefits to readers. They provide a chance to have intellectual discussions about the reading material. They bring book lovers together in one space, allowing them to socialize, make new connections and view the works through the perspectives of others. They also provide a key element missing from many people’s reading goals, a structured reading routine. Most book clubs, like six offered by Bookstore1Sarasota, meet on a monthly basis, giving readers a realistic time frame for finishing the book to be discussed that month.

Bookstore1Sarasota hosts a variety of book clubs to meet reader interest. In partnership with CreArte Laino Cultural Center, they host the Amigos Book Club, conducted in Spanish. For poetry lovers, they run the Poetry Book Club, and for aspiring sleuths, they offer the Mysteries to Die for Vintage Edition Book Club. For readers with busy schedules, the Short and Satisfying Book Club and the Short Story Book Club offer an opportunity for a literary escape without a huge time commitment. One of the most timely clubs presented by the store is the Banned Book Club, which “is dedicated to reading and protecting the most important and threatened books of our generation,” according to Bryn Durgin, the shop’s director of programming. On Feb. 21, the Banned Book Club will read and discuss The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas.

Whether you’re in the mood for a quick read or a cozy mystery, join a book club at Bookstore1Sarasota to start a new chapter in your reading journey. For the most up-to-date information about the various book clubs, visit sarasotabooks.com.

Bookstore1Sarasota, 117 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, sarasotabooks.com.

Pictured: Staff pick at Bookstore1Sarasota. Photo courtesy of Laura Paquette.