Naomi Weisman is one of the five founders of Sole Sister Ramblers, and is the editor of our Rambler Cafe Blog. She's a Canadian-Australian mother of three who loves to Ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.
Reading has meant something profound to me for as long as I can remember.
I grew up in a very large, very busy, very noisy family, and while there was always love, there was rarely quiet. Somewhere along the way, books became my refuge. Reading gave me a place to disappear into when life around me felt loud and hectic. It gave me stillness. It gave me space. And maybe most importantly, it gave me the chance to travel far beyond my own world and into someone else’s imagination.
Through books, I have lived a thousand different lives.
I have walked through other centuries, other countries, other heartbreaks, other triumphs. I have met characters who felt like friends, and stories that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. Reading has always been more than entertainment for me. It has been comfort, escape, learning, companionship, and wonder all rolled into one.
And yet, for all my years of loving books, this is the very first time I have ever truly been part of a book club — and now leading one!
That, in itself, has been unexpectedly meaningful.
There is something incredibly special about reading a book on your own, in your own quiet corner of the world, and then coming together with other women to talk about it — to hear what moved them, what surprised them, what they noticed that I didn’t. It reminds me that while reading is often a solitary act, stories were never really meant to live in isolation. They deepen when they are shared.
What makes this Book Club Challenge even more special is that it is both international and virtual.Women from different countries, backgrounds, experiences, and time zones are all reading the same words — and bringing their own lives, perspectives, and interpretations to the conversation. I find that incredibly powerful. It turns reading into connection. It turns a book into a bridge. And it reminds me that no matter where we live, stories have a way of bringing us together.
That sense of connection begins long before the first page is turned.
One of the parts of this challenge that I love most is curating the reading list for the year. Choosing the books is never random. I spend a lot of time thinking about the stories that might move us, challenge us, delight us, and spark meaningful discussion.
I want our reading list to feel thoughtful and varied — books that take us across genres, places, time periods, and emotional landscapes. In many ways, it feels like mapping out a journey we’ll all take together, one month and one book at a time.
And then, month by month, that journey becomes something even richer because of the women in this community.
One of the most rewarding parts of this experience is seeing how differently the same book can land with each of us. One person is drawn to the writing, another to a particular character, another to a theme or moment that I may not have fully considered myself. Those reflections, insights, and conversations are what make this challenge feel so alive.
That’s why one of my favourite parts of every month is creating our Collective Book Review.
At the end of each book, I gather the thoughtful, funny, moving, honest, and insightful feedback shared by the community and shape it into a review that reflects not just the book itself, but our shared experience of reading it together. To me, that review is such a beautiful culmination of the month. It captures the heart of what this challenge is all about — not just reading a story, but experiencing it in community.
To me, this challenge is about more than just finishing a book.
It’s about creating space in our lives for reading.
It’s about slowing down long enough to reflect.
It’s about curiosity, conversation, imagination, and connection.
And it’s about sharing the reading journey with a remarkable group of women who make each book feel even richer.
Because sometimes the right book finds us at exactly the right time.
And sometimes, even better, it finds us in the company of others.
Learn More > Virtual Book Club Reading Challenge
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