As someone who majored in English, authored a children's book, and developed an avid love of reading at a young age (thanks, Mom and Dad!), I've joined my fair share of book clubs. From in-class reading groups that were pre-selected by teachers to online book clubs with total strangers, I've heard plenty of opinions on plenty of books. I've even sat in on my mom's book club before!
While most book club picks receive a wide array of reviews, some titles have gotten much more memorable reactions. I remember the books everyone hated just as much as the ones everyone loved!
I'm only one person, and these opinions and observations are entirely my own, but these are some of the book club choices that I would — and wouldn't — recommend for your next book club pick.
Here are my ultimate crowd-pleasing picks for book clubs:
1. Practical Magic is my go-to fall read for any women's book club. With a plot that will keep you turning the pages and themes that almost anyone can relate to, this tends to get positive reviews all around.
Beneath the cozy, witchy surface, there are meaningful themes of sisterhood, family, and healing that friends and strangers alike can talk about for hours. There's no shortage of symbolism to discuss, and when you're done, you can watch the movie adaptation of the book!
2. The mystical vibes and unique concept drew me into The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki right away. A magical cafe run by giant talking cats with no set hours or location? Sign me up!
This cozy book was both easy to read and thought-provoking, and I loved the structure of the interconnected stories. The moonlit, mystical vibes and astrology themes made me want to visit The Full Moon Coffee Shop myself. Many book club readers also enjoy that it's not a very long read compared to other novels.
3. Although I initially wasn't sure how much I would connect with Remarkably Bright Creatures, I was captivated by both Tova, the protagonist, and Marcellus, the Giant Pacific octopus she befriends.
My book club found Remarkably Bright Creatures to be clever, heartfelt, and thought-provoking, with one of the most memorable narrators we've ever read. This book was also recently adapted into a film, which is available to stream on Netflix.
4. Fans of Broadway, Hollywood, or Gilmore Girls will love Kelly Bishop's memoir, The Third Gilmore Girl, Bishop weaves together images and scenes so well that I felt like I was dancing in the chorus line and strolling through Stars Hollow with her.
I don't typically recommend or enjoy memoirs or autobiographies for book clubs (there isn't much up for debate when discussing another person's life!), but reading Bishop's memoir alongside other Gilmore Girls fans was an unforgettable experience. Our book club temporarily became a Kelly Bishop fan club, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
5. Book clubs with fans of sci-fi may love a classic that's both action-packed and laden with symbolism, like Frank Herbert's Dune. Watch the movie together for an extra treat when you're done reading!
If you like diving deep into analytical discussions and worldbuilding, Dune and the rest of its series will do the trick. Although some of the books deal with less exciting subjects like political science and environmentalism, they also feature many action-packed scenes with gripping plots and mysterious lore. This is another long book that book clubs could spend several sessions discussing.
6. Glennon Doyle's Untamed found me at the perfect time. It offered a perspective shift that was neither judgmental nor guilt-inducing, using real stories from the author's own life that readers from all walks of life can relate to.
Several years ago, I sat in on my mom's book club as they discussed this book, and I was touched by how Doyle's stories inspired these women (who met through work) to be so vulnerable and supportive of one another. If I could describe the feeling of reading this book in just one word, it would be "empowered."
7. Yesteryear is a popular book club choice this year, and it's easy to see why. There's a lot to unpack on every page, from Caro Claire Burke's witty satire to the role of tradwife culture and the influencer economy.
I found Burke's writing both clever and compelling, which kept me hooked despite my strong dislike of the protagonist. As one of my book club friends said, this novel is full of characters you'll "love to hate." We could have discussed this book all night long, but I would've loved to talk about it twice, once while reading it and once after, to see how people's opinions may have changed.
8. The Lion Women of Tehran gives readers a lot to talk about, from the dynamics of friendships and social classes to the powerful symbol of the "lion woman."
This is another recommendation from my mom's book club. They enjoyed the political themes and relevance to today's social concerns, but their favorite part was the friendship between the two very different — but complementary — protagonists.
Whatever you do, please don't pick these for your next book club meeting:
9. The Life of Pi was nothing like I expected, and I have no idea why it was a reading-group assignment in school.
I thought it was a fantastical tale of survival starring a tiger and a brave young boy, and I guess it kind of was? My biggest complaint is that there are long, long stretches of background information that, while interesting, have nothing to do with the novel's main plot.
10. As much as I love the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series, there's no way I would have read it in a book club.
This series rekindled my daily reading habit during the pandemic, and for a while, it felt like everyone talking about it online was in one giant book club. That was so much fun, but I would never recommend reading this in an actual book club. This is a heavy, spicy, action-packed series with so much detail that reading groups could spend hours just getting everyone caught up on the minutiae.
11. Half His Age by Jeanette McCurdy was both funny and uncomfortable, but Waldo's desperation to be seen was also unnervingly relatable.
This is a book I didn't want to put down, but it would have been a massively uncomfortable experience to read this, or even talk about it, with a group. Not everyone has the same limits when it comes to sensitive subject matter, so I wouldn't recommend it.
12. Unless you're looking to become extremely worried and depressed about the state of human rights in our world, don't read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.
No, just no. This book is an extremely important and timely warning, but it's also extremely heavy given the state of the world today. Usually, I go to book clubs to have fun and connect with others, and this just doesn't do that for me.
13. Once I learned that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was originally a BBC radio show, it began to make a lot more sense.
I know I read this book, but I can hardly tell you what happened. Comedy definitely takes a higher role than clarity in this cult-classic series, but those with a serious love for sci-fi and defying the laws of physics will get sucked into this galactic world. However, it's rare that an entire book club loves this famous series. Maybe opt for the movie instead!
14. I loved the movie adaptation of Julie & Julia, but I truly could not get through the book.
I really, truly, tried to care about the protagonist of this book, but she was just too hard to cheer for. She was inconsiderate, especially to her husband, and the way she compared herself to Julia Child felt borderline narcissistic. This alone may not turn off book clubs, but most people are disappointed to find that there is very little actual cooking in the plot.
15. I had deja vu several times while reading The Midnight Library, and I could guess exactly what happened before it happened. But no, I hadn't read this book before — just several others like it.
If It's a Wonderful Life and Groundhog Day had a baby, it would be this. When talking about this book with others, I've found the conversation to be extremely short and not very positive. Nora spends most of the plot doing the same thing again and again, not giving readers very much to talk about.
16. So far this year, there's only one book I didn't finish: The Hobbit. I decided to read the series with several of my friends, but I didn't even get through the first book's ending.
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