For those times when you maybe didn’t quite make it to the end of the book, a list of all-purpose book club discussion questions can help you be ready to start off a meaningful chat about any fiction book, no matter the content!

Questions that are too difficult or require too much thought can sometimes make your book club discussions feel like homework — and that’s the last thing you want. But if you pick questions that are too easy, the discussion just feels fluffy and sometimes a little silly — cue those cringy feelings of social awkwardness. To help prevent this, I’ve developed a simple formula that guides you through a book club discussion that’s both thought-provoking and fun!

Our book club is pretty casual when it comes to discussing the book — never got around to reading it? Come anyway! We’re casual with our snacks, too. Despite that chill vibe, I still like to have fun with themed book club snacks when I’m hosting. I’m also a working mom of three with a busy schedule, so I look for shortcuts that allow me to create themed food without a lot of time or complicated steps! When our book club picked After the Flood by Kassandra Montag, I knew my snacks were going to be nothing but ocean, ocean, ocean … because naturally there is a lot of water in that book!