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Discover small, welcoming book clubs across Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and online.

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Three readers sharing books and conversation around a table

Upcoming book clubs

Browse by location, format, or the kind of book you want to read.

6 clubs

September

19Fri

Stories That Change How We Live

The Five People You Meet in Heaven · Mitch Albom
4 spots left
6:30–8:00 PMMetrotown, Burnaby
Max 6 participants
24Wed

Love as a Practice

The Art of Loving · Erich Fromm
2 spots left
7:00–8:30 PMMount Pleasant, Vancouver
Max 6 participants

October

03Fri

Who Gets to Be “Normal”?

Convenience Store Woman · Sayaka Murata
5 spots left
6:15–7:45 PMCity Centre, Coquitlam
Max 10 participants
09Thu

The Lives We Almost Lived

The Midnight Library · Matt Haig
3 spots left
7:00–8:30 PMKitsilano, Vancouver
Max 15 participants
12Sun

Rating the Human Experience

The Anthropocene Reviewed · John Green
6 spots left
10:00–11:30 AMOnline · Zoom
Max 10 participants
18Sat

Meaning in Difficult Times

Man’s Search for Meaning · Viktor E. Frankl
1 spot left
2:00–3:30 PMBrentwood, Burnaby
Max 6 participants
No book clubs match those filters.

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The Common Room · A quick guide

Good conversations start with a book.

Find a small group that suits you, share what you’re reading, and meet people who want to talk about more than the weather.

01 / Explore

Find your people

Browse upcoming clubs and look at the book, time, location, and group size. Some clubs read the same book; others let everyone bring their own.

02 / Join

Choose a gathering

Open a club’s page to see the details and available spots. Create a free account or sign in to join and keep track of your clubs.

03 / Meet

Bring your curiosity

Show up with a book, a question, or just a willingness to listen. The host chooses the format and shares the meeting details.

Want to host?

Choose whether everyone brings a different book or reads the same one. Add a date, venue, description, and maximum group size.

Explore book club types →

Keep a personal bookshelf

Save books you’ve read, are reading, or want to read next. You can start on this device and create an account to keep your shelf across devices.

Open My Books →
Browse Book ClubsCreate a Club →
← How it works

Find your format

A book club for every kind of reader.

Select a format to see how it might work. Start with a group that reads the same book or one where everyone brings their own, then make the gathering yours.

Explore a book club

BYOB Book Club

Everyone brings a book of their own. Each person shares an idea, scene, or question that stayed with them, and the group follows the threads that connect the books. No shared reading assignment.

Bring Your Own Book
Browse Book ClubsCreate a Club →

Upcoming book club

When
Where
Group size
FormatSmall group · Guided discussion

The Common Room

About us

Finding the right book club wasn’t easy. Sometimes we weren’t drawn to the chosen book. Sometimes we wanted to talk about nonfiction and the ideas it stirred up, but couldn’t find a group for that.

The Common Room started because we believe there should be a book club for every kind of reader. A small group where an introvert can feel at ease. A bigger group where ideas bounce around the room. A nonfiction club for people who love asking questions about how we live. A club devoted to one topic, or one where everyone brings a different book. We wanted to help people find a club that feels right—or start the one they wish existed.

We also want to take away the pressure to be a perfect reader. Life gets busy. You don’t need to finish a whole book to have something worth saying. Sometimes one chapter—or one page—stays with you for days. And if you haven’t read anything, you might still want to come and listen. Someone else might notice something you missed, or put words to something you’ve been thinking about. Hosts can set their own expectations, but we hope more clubs will make room for people to show up as they are.

We love books for what they can teach us. But we also love what happens when people talk about them together. You might turn up to discuss a book and end up getting to know someone you wouldn’t otherwise have met.

The Common Room

Frequently asked questions

1. How does it work?

Browse upcoming book clubs, find one that interests you, and sign up for a meetup. Each event page tells you what kind of club it is, where and when it meets, and what to bring.

2. Do we all read the same book, or can I bring my own?

Both are possible. In a Bring Your Own Book club, everyone brings a book they’d like to talk about. In a Same Book club, everyone discusses the book chosen for that meetup. Check the event page to see which type you’re joining.

3. Do I need to finish a book before coming?

Usually, no. Bring Your Own Book clubs are meant to be low pressure: you can talk about a whole book, a few chapters, or just something you’ve started reading. For Same Book clubs, check the event description to see how much the group plans to discuss.

4. What happens at a meetup? Will I have to speak in front of everyone?

The host will welcome everyone and guide the conversation. You might introduce your book, share a thought, ask a question, or simply listen for a while. You don’t need to give a presentation or have a polished opinion.

5. Is it free?

Yes. All book clubs are free of charge. But if the club meets at a café, you may want to buy your own drink.

6. Who will be there? Can I come alone?

Absolutely. You don’t need to know anyone beforehand. Each club brings together people who are interested in books and conversation, and the event page shows the group’s maximum size.

7. Where do the book clubs meet? Is it safe?

Clubs usually meet at libraries, cafés or other public spaces. Browse upcoming events and use the location filter to find one that works for you. For in-person clubs, we recommend choosing one that meets in a public place, especially if it’s your first time meeting the group.

8. What kinds of books are welcome?

Many clubs focus on nonfiction, but the theme depends on the event. Some welcome any book you’d like to share; others focus on a particular topic or choose one book for everyone. The event description will tell you what to expect.

9. How do I know if a club is right for me?

Read the event description for its book theme, format, location, and group size. If you’re new to book clubs, a Bring Your Own Book meetup can be an easy place to start: there’s no shared reading deadline, and it’s okay to listen as you settle in.

10. What happens after I sign up? Can I cancel?

Check the event page and your signup confirmation for the meetup details. If your plans change, please cancel your spot so someone else can join.

11. Do I have to join regularly, or can I come just once?

You can come to one meetup and see how you like it. There’s no expectation that you’ll attend every time.

12. Can I bring a friend?

Yes! Please ask your friend to sign up too, so the host knows how many people to expect and can save them a spot.

13. What if I’m shy or haven’t been to a book club before?

You’re welcome here. You can start by listening and join the conversation when you feel ready. You don’t need to be an expert on books.

14. Will there be spoilers?

A Same Book club may discuss the ending, so check its event description before joining. At a Bring Your Own Book meetup, it’s considerate to ask before sharing a major spoiler.

15. Can I join if I don’t read very often?

Of course. You don’t need an impressive reading list. Curiosity and a willingness to hear other people’s perspectives are enough.

The Common Room

Contact us

Have a question, found an issue, or want to suggest a book club for the platform? We’d be happy to hear from you.

Emailhello@leafandletter.club

AI HOST

Set up your conversation
01

How are you reading today?

Choose the format and I’ll guide the conversation from there.

02

What kind of book are we starting with?

Pick the question set that fits the conversation.

BYOB group with both? No problem — you can switch between Fiction and Non-fiction anytime once you start.

BYOB·Fiction
Warm-up

Start easy.

A low-pressure opener so everyone gets a voice early.

BYOB·Fiction
1 of 10 Connection

Why ask this?

Follow-up

That’s a wrap

End with the people.

Before everyone leaves, thank them for what they brought to the conversation — not just the book they brought.

The Common Room

Welcome back.

Log in to manage the clubs you host and keep track of the clubs you’ve joined.

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People who joined this club.

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Book clubs you’ve joined as a participant.

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Edit club

Update the details people see in your listing.

Create a book club

One question at a time.

Step 1 of 911%

What kind of book club are you creating?

Choose the format that best describes how members will read.

Please choose a club type.

What is your book club called?

A simple, memorable name works best. Pick a suggestion or write your own.

What book will everyone read?

This only appears for Shared Book Clubs.

Who wrote it?

What kind of books fit this club?

Please choose an option.

Which Lower Mainland city is the club in?

Choose one city so people can find clubs near them.

Where will you usually meet?

You can keep this broad for now and update it later.

How often does your club meet?

Choose the rhythm that feels realistic for your group.

Please choose how often your club meets.

When does your club usually meet?

Choose a regular meeting day.

When is the next meeting?

Choose the actual date of the next meetup. This is what people will see in the upcoming clubs list.

How many people are you hoping for?

What should people know before joining?

Describe the atmosphere, who it’s for, and what a typical meetup feels like.

Ready to create your listing?

Here’s how your information looks. When you create the club, it will be saved to the database.

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