Ever since I was young, reading has always been a solace of mine. It got me through a lot of tough times. When I was a kid and had trouble making friends; when I was in middle school and school was causing huge pressures; the summer before 9th grade when I was terrified of the change that was happening soon. However, its been a while since I had time to sit down a read a book start to finish, so I thought to myself, Hey, why not use all this free time to read again? So, when I was assigned to review an online book club, I jumped at the chance. And I can honestly say this activity is one that I will be participating in again.

After research, the book club I decided on was one run by Haley Solano, a songwriter, singer, lifestyle blogger, and social media consultant for various brands. April’s discussion was on Heidi, written in 1880 by Johanna Spyri. The novel is about a sweet little girl under her grandfather’s care and her adventures in the Swiss Alps.

Unlike other book clubs, this one has been exclusively online since its beginning, which means this club has a clear format, without the struggle of having to adjust to being online. The way the club is set up is simple and easy to follow, making it easy for readers even as young as middle school. Once a month Solano sends out an email blast/posts on her Instagram about the book that will be discussed that specific month, and then a week later she posts the first of 3 discussions that will take place over the books.

Each discussion posted has a set of questions to think about, and then readers post their thoughts in response to Solano’s own thoughts, and readers are encouraged to respond to one another. This is a clear and concise way of communicating, which I highly appreciate because I can focus all my attention on the questions asked and not on how I am supposed to post my feedback. Her blog is also beautifully put together and catches the eye perfectly.

Overall, this club is one that I will be frequenting again in the future. It was a great experience and helped me get in touch with a younger me and helped me disappear into another beautiful world.