Latest news with #FourthWing
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Move over dating apps — Gen Z is now having meet-cutes at book club
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. 'Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health,' said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. 'It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits.' According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include 'Fourth Wing,' 'Gone with the Wind,' the Harry Potter series, 'The Book Thief,' 'The Midnight Library' and 'The Outsiders.' And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were 'Little Women,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'The Help' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. 'In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way,' said Hagen. 'If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone.' POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS 'Little Women' 'Pride and Prejudice' 'The Help' 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'The Nightingale' 'The Silent Patient' 'The Women' 'Where the Crawdads Sing' 'A Child Called It' 'It Ends with Us' 'Moby Dick' 'Milk and Honey'Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025.
New York Post
4 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Move over dating apps — Gen Z is now having meet-cutes at book club
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Advertisement Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. 3 Men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). SWNS And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. Advertisement However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. 3 The study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. SWNS Advertisement And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. 'Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health,' said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. 'It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits.' Advertisement According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include 'Fourth Wing,' 'Gone with the Wind,' the Harry Potter series, 'The Book Thief,' 'The Midnight Library' and 'The Outsiders.' 3 Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. SWNS And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were 'Little Women,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'The Help' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. 'In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way,' said Hagen. 'If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone.' POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS Advertisement 'Little Women' 'Pride and Prejudice' 'The Help' 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'The Nightingale' 'The Silent Patient' 'The Women' 'Where the Crawdads Sing' 'A Child Called It' 'It Ends with Us' 'Moby Dick' 'Milk and Honey' Survey methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Book clubs beat dating apps for Gen X and Gen Z
Are book clubs the new dating app? Nearly one in four book club members have had a meet-cute at their reading group, according to a new survey. The poll of 2,000 Americans who attend a book club found that a surprisingly high number (23%) have met someone they're interested in romantically at their club. Interestingly, men were significantly more likely to report having met a romantic interest at a reading group compared to women (38% vs. 16%). Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the study found that 44% of respondents would rather meet a romantic partner at their book club rather than on a dating app. And out of all generations, Gen X (45%) and Gen Z (47%) were most likely to opt for a book club meet-cute over a dating app. However, more than half of book club members (56%) confessed they like to keep their book club membership a secret from others in their life, with men being notably more likely to feel this way compared to women (69% vs. 48%). Investigating how much reading they're getting up to, the study found that book club members read 10 books, on average, in the last year. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they found it difficult to meet others with similar literary taste prior to joining a book club. And respondents' top reasons for joining reading groups, according to the study, were to read new books (68%), socialize (63%) and to make new friends (59%), with Gen Z and millennials (both 61%) being more likely to join book clubs in order to forge friendships, compared to older generations. Seeing where they meet, 42% of book clubs meet in-person, 11% meet online and 43% meet via a combination of in-person and online gatherings. Nearly all respondents (93%) agreed that meeting with a reading group has been therapeutic and 98% said it's improved their mental health. "Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers' romantic lives and friendships, they're also hugely beneficial for book club members' mental health," said Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks. "It's incredible to see that readers are joining reading groups for the literary aspect as well as the social and wellness benefits." According to the survey results, Gen Z's favorite genre to read with their book clubs is romance (44%) while millennials (42%), Gen X (45%) and baby boomers (54%) all enjoy mystery books the most. When asked what they're currently reading with their group, popular books respondents cited include "Fourth Wing," "Gone with the Wind," the Harry Potter series, "The Book Thief," "The Midnight Library" and "The Outsiders." And uncovering their all-time favorite group reads, popular titles listed were "Little Women," "Pride and Prejudice," "The Help" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." Most readers (63%) said that social media has influenced them to read more in the past year and 57% follow book influencers on social platforms. Looking at where they're most active on social media, Gen Z respondents spend the most time interacting in book communities on TikTok (60%) while millennials (62%), Gen X (64%) and baby boomers (54%) are most active on Facebook. "In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings and even on social forums. They're also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way," said Hagen. "If you're curious about or interested in joining a book club, we encourage you to do it. There's a group out there for everyone." POPULAR FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READS "Little Women""Pride and Prejudice""The Help""To Kill a Mockingbird""The Nightingale""The Silent Patient""The Women""Where the Crawdads Sing""A Child Called It""It Ends with Us""Moby Dick""Milk and Honey" Survey methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans in book clubs; the survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 17 and April 24, 2025. We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are: Traditional online access panels - where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic - where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan. Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value. Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample. Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes: Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has "deduping" based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access. The post Book clubs beat dating apps for Gen X and Gen Z appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fourth Wing fans must read magical new fantasy by BookTok star Hazel McBride
A Fate Forged in Fire is perfect for fans of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and House of the Dragon by George R. R. Martin From Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses to Powerless, there's no shortage of existing romantasy series to get into. But for readers looking for something new to sink their teeth into, the first book in a new duology featured in Goodreads' list of the most anticipated 2025 romantasy novels could be the answer. A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride is a Celtic-inspired romantasy. Tìr Teine was once a territory built on matriarchal rule, but it has been without a female heir for centuries. Aemyra, a blacksmith's daughter gifted with rare fire magic, has hidden in the shadows, waiting for the king to die so she can bond to his dragon and protect her fellow people. But when her plan is foiled, Aemyra finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game of politics and plots, involving Prince Fiorean a dragon rider and fire wielder who also happens to be her biggest adversary. Speaking to Mirror Online ahead of the book's publication, Hazel, who has over 70,000 followers and 6.5 million likes on TikTok, discussed how TikTok has helped boost the popularity of the romantasy genre in recent years. "There's always corners of the internet that can be toxic and I think you have to go in with an open mind," she said. "But as a bookish community in general, they're so supportive and they really do just come together. And I think it is a community made up primarily of women, I think that's what's also helped to give rise to the romantic genre as well. "It is a genre primarily written and read by women. So it's only natural that we talk about it and recommend it to our friends. "I think there's a certain safety in it as well, especially potentially when we're seeing a rise of violence against women in our reality, to read a man written by a woman. It's a nice escape to read about these female main characters who are being treated so incredibly well and having all of their needs met. It has this kind of escape of yes, this is our hope, this is what we want, which I think is really lovely." Being a TikTok creator comes with its challenges too, however, with Hazel explaining: "The way TikTok works, it's not like other social media, like Instagram or Facebook and YouTube [where] people who are seeing your content are like 90 per cent people who follow you so they know your backstory, they know who you are, they won't be so quick to take things out of context. "Whereas on TikTok you're just fed random videos most often from people you've never seen before. And if that's the only video that they see, they might form a different opinion of it, or the algorithm could feed it to the wrong side of TikTok." Sharing her advice for other authors on TikTok, Hazel continued: "But I think it's I think it's overwhelmingly positive. But I think any author that's using it needs to protect their mental health and understand that it's okay to have a boundary here, whether that's, you know, I only post a certain amount every week, I only talk about certain things, et cetera." A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride is published in hardback at £20 by Renegade Books on May 27, 2025. You can find out more and order it here.
Buzz Feed
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
19 Popular Books That Are Actually Really Overrated
Sometimes, I don't know how to trust the book recs on BookTok. It's easy to say that art is subjective, but occasionally a book will blow up to such a degree that when I get my hands on it, I ask the universe, "What am I missing here?" So when Reddit user sbucksbarista asked, "What are the worst books social media has introduced to you?", I had to share the answers with you fellow bookworms. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover surrounding It Ends With Us is cringeworthy. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Normal People by Sally Rooney A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas The Midnight Library by Matt Haig They Both Die in the End by Adam Silvera Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin someone tells me they didn't like Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. A Little Life by Hanya Yanaginhara Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller The Martian by Andy Weir Maybe the movie was just better. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Dark Matter by Blake Crouch someone hates on Blake Crouch. Big Swiss by Jen Beagin Bunny by Mona Awad Babel by R. F. Kuang Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica And my favourite: Any popular horror novel that's not Stephen King! I have my own personal "big misses" that BookTok tricked me into reading, including Cloud Cuckoo Land, Our Missing Hearts, and The God of the Woods. Now, tell me in the comments the popular books that YOU think are maybe our thread will get as heated as Reddit. And make sure you follow BuzzFeed Canada on TikTok and Instagram for more!
