40 Best Book Club Questions for Fiction Books

So you’ve started your book club using the tips in this post, and now you’re ready to kick it off with the best first book club meeting ever, thanks to this master list of the best book club questions.

Part of hosting a book club is getting the conversation started about the book you’ve all read. At first, it will be helpful to have a list handy that you can refer to. Over time, as people grow more comfortable with one another, the conversation will likely happen a lot more organically. But, even if it doesn’t, you can always pull from this list. While you won’t have time to do all the questions, and not all of them will even relate to the book you’ve read, it’ll give you plenty of inspiration to super charge your book club discussion.

20 Best Book Club Starter Questions:

When getting the conversation started, you’ll want to ask big picture questions. This will easily engage your members, even the ones that may have skimmed the book quickly (listen, we’ve all been there).

1. What was your overall impression of the book?
2. Were you sucked in right away or did it take a little while to get engaged with the characters?
3. If you were giving this a star rating out of 5, what would you rate it and why?
4. What did you think of the ending? Was it a satisfying wrap up or did it leave unanswered questions?
5. What was the biggest surprise for you when reading this?
6. Which character was your favorite and why?
7. Which character was your least favorite?
8. Would you want to visit the setting of the book? Why or why not?
9. Was there a moment when you wanted to throw the book across the wall or stop reading? What was it?
10. If you had to be friends with someone in the book, who would you choose?
11. If there was a love interest, did you find the person likable and a good fit for the MC or no?
12. On that note, did you like the main character or narrator? Why or why not?
13. Were you fully engaged throughout the story? If not, what were the parts that you started skimming or lost interest?
14. Was there a point when the suspension of reality was more difficult – meaning you found yourself just not believing what was happening?
15. If you could change one thing about the book, what would it be?
16. What do you think about the title now that you’ve read it? Does it fit the novel? If not, what would you change the title to?
17. What about the characters, do their names fit them? Would you change any of their names?
18. What did you think about the book pacing? Was it too fast, too slow, or just right?
19. Were there any gaps in the story that bothered you?
20. How did you feel when the book ended? Were you relieved or did you want more?

10 Thought Provoking Book Club Questions:

After you’ve covered the plot, characters, and ending, you may want to dig in a little deeper with questions like these:

1. What emotions did this book bring up for you? Were you surprised, either positively or negatively, with how you emotionally responded to the story?
2. What did you think of the author’s writing style? Would you read more of their work? If you have already, how did this book compare to their other work?
3. Did the book impact your opinions or feelings on anything? Did it open your eyes to see something in a different way?
4. What were some of your favorite lines? Was there anything you highlighted or wanted to remember?
5. Do you think this would make a good movie? If so, who would you cast for the main characters?
6. What do you imagine happens with the characters after the book ends? Or what do you wish would happen?
7. Did you trust the characters? Were any of the narrators unreliable?
8. What was your favorite part of the book?
9. What was your least favorite part of the book?
10. If there was an epilogue, what did you think? Did it add or enhance the story in some way?

10 Fun Book Club Questions:

Maybe you’re reading a funny, light book or you just have a group that likes to have fun. These questions will keep your members engaged.

1. Was there anything in the story that was a pet peeve or an ick for you?
2. What was something that made you laugh out loud – and for what reason (sometimes you’re not laughing because it’s funny, but because it’s ridiculous or makes you think of something, etc.)?
3. Did you notice any plot holes or unanswered questions?
4. What was the most memorable scene and why was it memorable to you?
5. Was there a moment or a line where it didn’t feel realistic or real to the characters to you (i.e., a younger character talking in a way that didn’t fit them or a character making a decision that didn’t fit with who they were up to that point)?
6. If you had a magic wand, what would you change?
7. Was it too long or too short? If it’s too long – what could be cut? If it’s too short – where would you want more?
8. How do you feel the book club fits the book? How could it be improved?
9. If you could ask one of the characters a question, who and what would it be?
10. Give one of the characters a yearbook “Most Likely To…”

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Would you add any questions to this list? I’d love to hear your favorites.

Have a fabulous day,

E