Book Clubs

Adult (18+), New Adult (18-30) and Young Adult (13-17)

Goldfinch Grownups Book Club

We warmly welcome you to our friendly, inclusive Goldfinch Book Club, hosted by Lou, our book manager and local author, whose passion for books knows no bounds.

Our club meets in the shop, surrounded by all things bookish. There’s also a licensed bar, and we all know how books and wine go well together. But a cup of tea can be just as fun, especially when paired with a good book, and friendly company.

We meet on the last Wednesday of the month at Goldfinch Books, 24 High St, Alton. There are 2 groups (4-6pm and 7- 9pm)

Dates are in the Events section of the website

If you would like to join us, and expand your bookish horizons, you can purchase the Goldfinch Book Club subscription available in the Store (details below).

Subscribe

More Info

Subscription NOTES:

  1. Monthly Standing Order £14 includes book.

  2. Your 1st subscription fee will be taken on the day you subscribe, and the next one will be one month later. You can cancel any time.

  3. Your first book will be ready by 1st January (or before). If you subscribe part way through the year, your first book will be ready on the 1st of the month after you subscribe.

  4. With subscription, you will be allocated a Book Club Membership #Number which you must use when making your choice of book (on the months when there is a choice).

  5. Book packaged and ready for collection by the 1st of the month if not before.

  6. Some months there will be a choice of book from a list. Choices should be advised to us via a website poll as soon as possible after choices announced (on the book club page). If you don’t choose via the poll then a choice will be made for you and that book allocated to you for that month.

  7. You get the book whether or not you come to that month's book club (it’s not mandatory to come in person…!). Note that you may, if you request, exchange the Book Club book for another book in the shop (before reading it).

  8. Book Club Members are able to bring a guest to Book Club on occasion and we ask that the guest pay a club fee of £5 at the bar (excludes book). This is to allow people to bring a friend to see if they may like to join, or if they have a visiting guest for example. If guests are to come regularly then we ask that they buy a subscription (or subsidised subscription if appropriate).

NOTE: A small number of subsidised subscriptions are available - these are for those who would otherwise not be able to manage the membership fee, and for those who volunteer with Goldfinch. These memberships are exactly the same as standard membership and include a copy of the book every month (please email gary@goldfinch-books.com for details and a code)

Principles:

  1. In general, chosen books are not to be too ‘high-brow’ literary, although there may be some on lists that fit this description.  Where this is the case, there will be options.

  2. A mix of ‘all read the same book’ and ‘options from a list’ will be used with a combination of prize shortlists and genre ‘champions’

For more information, contact: lou@goldfinch-books.com and/or gary@goldfinch-books.com

The 2026 Plan:

  • JAN: Gary’s uplit pick -all read a book from list of 3 - Bloomsbury giveaway to be included.

  • FEB: Traditional approach (with a twist, TBC): all read the same book.

  • MAR: Jude’s Crime Corner top crime paperback of the year so far - The Chase, Ava Glass - Author Talk.

  • APR: Women’s prize 2026 (fiction) longlist – choose from the paperbacks listed (options from a list).

  • MAY: Ella’s Non-Fic pick - all read the same book

  • JUNE: Jeff’s sci-fi list - choice of 7 titles, various genres.

  • JUL: The 2025 Booker winner (paperback) – choice of Flesh or My Friends (an alternative “not the Booker” option).

  • AUG: Kat’s Romance pick for the summer: all read the same book. Booklovers by Emily Henry.

  • SEP: British Book awards shortlist (paperbacks) – pick any one to read - options from a list of 4.

  • OCT: The 2026 Carnegie winner for YA fiction – all read the same book.

  • NOV: The 2026 Pulitzer winner (paperback) – all read the same book (but note: an alternative “not the Pulitzer” option will also be available.)

  • DEC:  Social event and surprise tailored Xmas book choice from Lou and the team!

Goldfinch New Adult (18-30) Book Club

We are excited to announce our new 18-30s Book Club called Finches and Fiction, hosted by Ellen and Kashifa!

First session is Monday 19th October 2026 at 7pm

Ellen has always loved reading, and has recently graduated from the University of York with an English Literature degree. Since moving back home to Alton, she has realised that there aren't a lot of socialising spaces for young people like there is at University.

Kashifa was searching online for a community space that shares her love for literature and could help her meet new people. Goldfinch caught her eye and visiting the bookshop led to her meeting Ellen. Kashifa hopes that a Book Club dedicated to people aged 18 to 30 would give young people a space to connect and create friendships.

Finches and Fiction meet on the last Monday of every month, 7-9pm at the shop.

There are plenty of books to browse and a bar that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as delicious cakes! Please see the Calendar View for the upcoming dates for this Book Club. If you would like to join, you can purchase a monthly £14 subscription in the Store (more details below).

Subscribe

More Info

Subscription NOTES:

  1. Monthly Standing Order £14 includes book.

  2. Your 1st subscription fee will be taken on the day you subscribe, and the next one will be one month later. You can cancel any time.

  3. Your first book will be ready by 1st of the month following the date of your subscription(or before).

  4. With subscription, you will be allocated a Book Club Membership #Number

  5. You get the book whether or not you come to that month's book club (it’s not mandatory to come in person…!). Note that you may, if you request, exchange the Book Club book for another book in the shop (before reading it).

  6. Book Club Members are able to bring a guest to Book Club on occasion and we ask that the guest pay a club fee of £5 at the bar (excludes book). This is to allow people to bring a friend to see if they may like to join, or if they have a visiting guest for example. If guests are to come regularly then we ask that they buy a subscription.

NOTE: A small number of subsidised subscriptions are available - these are for those who would otherwise not be able to manage the membership fee, and for those who volunteer with Goldfinch. These memberships are exactly the same as standard membership and include a copy of the book every month (please email gary@goldfinch-books.com for details and a code)

For more information, contact: ellenmorrish@outlook.com

Goldfinch YA (13-17) Bookclub

2nd THURSDAY of the month

5pm TIL 6pm.

COME AND JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT ALL THINGS YA.

Club fee £2 each monthly session.

Intended for ages 13+

Good YA literature can challenge, educate, move and inspire us in its pages - compound this with the tangle of emotions at an age when our perspectives, relationships and experiences are new, strange and intense, and we have a powerful mix. YA has us asking ourselves and each other big questions, the exploration of which can provide solace in a confusing, messy world.

For more information, contact: katguenioui@gmail.com