I have over 40 general book clubs that I follow, with several having sublists / groups. My intent when I started was to see what was out there and get out of my reading comfort zone, at least insofar as I would see what was on offer. I combed through 2025, and the first six months of 2026. I have considered WAY too many books, that is clear.

But not only am I considering too many, some of the clubs almost seem like nothing but noise for me. Take this month’s demotion — Library Science, run by Kaia Gerber and Alyssa Reeder. I have been tracking their chosen titles for 10 picks over the last 18 months. Ten picks and ten solid no responses from me. I didn’t opt for ANY of them.

• Ruins, Child by Giada Scodellaro (April 2026)
• I Want to Show You More by Jamie Quatro (February 2026)
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (January 2026)
• Make Sure You’re Around After You’ve Gone by David Lowery (January 2026)
• Nymph by Stephanie LaCava (October 2025)
• The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig (September 2025)
• Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan (June 2025)
• Early Thirties by Josh Duboff (March 2025)
• The Wickedest by Caleb Femi (February 2025)
• Set My Heart on Fire by Izumi Suzuki (January 2025)

None of them were “bad” books; they were simply not for me. They have a clear editorial bent, but the signal they are strongly laying down is not one I am picking up. Which means it isn’t simply “noise”, it’s just not the right signal for me. And so I bid adieu to the club. I fear I’m leaning a little too commercial in my old age, but there is only so much time for reading…

Yet I wonder…Have you read any of those ten books? Did I miss anything amazing?