Loading
2023 celebrity book club picks
Recommended reading by Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Jenna Hager, and other celebs.
Published on March 7, 2024
Alice Sadie Celine
Sarah Blakley-CartwrightCeline, a radical feminist and Berkeley professor, attends a play starring her adult daughter Sadie’s best friend, Alice. Celine and Alice’s attraction is instant, if not surprising. And so begins a sultry affair — kept hidden from Sadie. Blakely-Cartwright’s adult debut (the Read with Marie Claire December pick) is a sly take on the love triangle trope that highlights how mothers, daughters, and best friends shape and wound one another.
Hot Springs Drive
Lindsay HunterAs a mother of four, Jackie is tired of feeling at odds with her own body, so she embarks on a dramatic weight loss journey to reclaim her power. That one choice sends devastating ripple effects through her life and the lives of everyone she loves, ultimately culminating in the brutal death of her best friend. “Hot Springs Drive” — published by Roxane Gay’s imprint and chosen as the December read for her Audacious Book Club — is a story of envy and destructive desire.
Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
Siddharth KaraKara, a professor and expert in modern slavery, explores how the smartphones and laptops that power the developed world are rooted in heinous human rights violations. Part exposé, part call-to-action, this alarming book sheds light on the realities of Congolese cobalt miners (including children), who suffer under brutal conditions and poverty so that we can scroll, stream, and stay connected. “Cobalt Red” is Amerie’s Book Club selection for December.
Maybe Next Time: A Novel
Cesca MajorEmma’s hectic life comes crashing down when, after a fight over a forgotten anniversary, her husband is killed in an accident. When Emma wakes the next morning, she realizes she has a chance to repeat that fateful Monday — and possibly save Dan’s life. Major’s novel (the November read for Reese’s Book Club) puts a modern marriage spin on “Groundhog Day” as Emma reckons with her priorities, mistakes, and family relationships.
Let Us Descend: A Novel
Jesmyn WardDrawing on Dante’s “Inferno” and America’s sordid history, one of the greatest writers of our generation delivers the gut-wrenching story of an enslaved girl with a powerful ancestry. As Annis makes the grueling journey between plantations by way of New Orleans’ slave markets, she relies on lessons passed down from her mother — teachings that connect her with nature, protective spirits, and herself. Ward (“Sing, Unburied, Sing”) astounds yet again in this Oprah’s Book Club pick for November.
Class: A Memoir
Stephanie LandIn her first memoir, “Maid,” which inspired an Emmy-nominated Netflix series, Land detailed how she worked to support her daughter and break free from an abusive marriage. She continues her story in “Class,” as she struggles to balance higher education and motherhood, dreams and harsh reality. An eye-opening look at America’s insufficient social support systems and the vicious cycle of poverty, “Class” is the Good Morning America Book Club selection for November.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
Rashid Khalidi“In the name of God, let Palestine be left alone,” says a 1899 letter from the mayor of Jerusalem to the father of Zionism, Theodore Herzl. As we know, this plea went unheeded. Over a century later, Khalidi — an descendent of the letter-writer — delivers an account of the continued conflict between Israel and Palestine. Khalidi’s Palestinian perspective is a vital contribution to the conversation, and he remains balanced in his analysis of past mistakes and potential pathways forward. Read along with the Noname Book Club this November.
One Hundred Days: A Novel
Alice Pung“In the name of God, let Palestine be left alone,” says a 1899 letter from the mayor of Jerusalem to the father of Zionism, Theodore Herzl. As we know, this plea went unheeded. Over a century later, Khalidi — an descendent of the letter-writer — delivers an account of the continued conflict between Israel and Palestine. Khalidi’s Palestinian perspective is a vital contribution to the conversation, and he remains balanced in his analysis of past mistakes and potential pathways forward. Read along with the Noname Book Club this November.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
Angela Y. DavisNoname’s second November selection is a collection of thoughts by Davis, a renowned activist and academic. The author’s passion and insight are on full display as she explores many examples of injustice, from America’s prison system to Palestine, and how we must take action to stop the harmful practices and policies that have plagued people of color for centuries.
The List: A Novel
Yomi AdegokeWhen an anonymous list naming abusive men in the media industry makes waves online, journalist Ola Olajide finds her life, career, and relationship caught in the crosshairs. Ola’s fiancé, Michael, is one of the accused. But it can’t be true. Can it? Moving between Ola and Michael’s perspectives, Adegoke’s U.S. debut examines our current, conflicted, and post-#MeToo moment. Two book clubs choose “The List” for fall reading: Read With Marie Claire (November) and Good Morning America (October).
Death Valley: A Novel
Melissa BroderA woman wanders a desert (literally and figuratively) in Broder’s transporting novel. Working through complex emotions about her dying father and chronically ill husband, the narrator hikes the brutal terrain of California’s Death Valley, where she discovers a portal (in a cactus, naturally) to mystical experiences. The Belletrist Book Club read for October is about an existential crisis — but also memory, grief, and the power of storytelling.
Everything Is Not Enough: A Novel
Lola Akinmade AkerstromIn this sequel to “In Every Mirror She's Black,” three Black women living in Sweden navigate pivotal choices that will directly impact their careers, families, and senses of self. Akerstrom makes space for her protagonists’ mistakes and redemption, and explores how a culture known for equality can still alienate peripheral communities. Author and actress Jennette McCurdy chose “Everything is Not Enough” as the October read for her book club.
Bright Young Women: A Novel
Jessica Knoll“Bright Young Women” is a fictionalized account of Ted Bundy’s deadly attack on a sorority house in 1970s Florida. Knoll, author of “Luckiest Girl Alive,” which inspired a Netflix Original movie, doesn’t name the killer. Instead, she focuses on the women who are most affected by his perverse actions and how they use their trauma to seek justice. This is the October pick for Read with Marie Claire, and Kirkus calls it “a stunning, engaging subversion of the Bundy myth — and the true-crime genre.”
Starling House: A Reese's Book Club Pick
Alix E. HarrowOnce home to a prominent author who disappeared long ago, Starling House is now abandoned — and supposedly haunted. Opal’s main priority is escaping her poverty-stricken Kentucky town, but a job at Starling House entangles her in a web of old secrets that infect her dreams and may alter her future. Hugo Award-winning Harrow pulls readers into a dark, gripping exploration of trauma and suppressed societal evils in this Reese’s Book Club selection for October.
How to Say Babylon: A Memoir
Safiya SinclairAward-winning poet Sinclair (“Cannibal”) came of age in Jamaica under an authoritarian and often violent father, who expected his children — particularly his daughters — to adhere to the strict values of the Rastafari movement. Poetry (given to Sinclair by her mother) became her solace and, ultimately, her escape. Beautifully rendered, this memoir reckons with how a painful past can shape a bright future. This is the October Read With Jenna selection.
No More Police: A Case for Abolition
Mariame KabaThis compelling, well-researched, and eloquently stated argument for abolishing America’s police and prison systems focuses on supporting the community through social services, rather than punishing them with violence. Analyzing the many ways our current society fails the most vulnerable, Kaba and Ritchie are forward-thinking and passionate. Noname’s first book club selection for October is worth reflecting — and acting — upon.
Devil in a Blue Dress (30th Anniversary Edition): An Easy Rawlins Novel
Walter MosleyThe Noname Book Club’s second October pick is the first installment in Mosley’s “Easy Rawlins” series, which includes 15 novels (so far). In 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins, a Black war veteran who recently lost his job, is hired by a local gangster to locate a missing woman, but the search quickly becomes a deadly endeavor. Mosley uses a detective mystery plot to offer social commentary on racism and capitalism.
The Immortal King Rao
Vauhini VaraIn an alternate (but eerily plausible) future, the world is controlled by a tech corporation founded by King Rao. After his death, Rao’s daughter Athena attempts to alert citizens (called Shareholders) of her father’s dangerous technologies. From AI dominance to climate change, Varna’s dystopian story feels more like a warning of ever-present danger than science fiction. “The Immortal King Rao” is Amerie’s book club read for October.
Witness: Stories
Jamel BrinkleyBrinkley, a National Book Award finalist for his debut, “A Lucky Man,” crafts a collection set in New York City. The characters in these stories all bear witness to loss, injustice, or other forms of grief, and they must weigh the risks of speaking up with the costs of staying silent. Intimate, devastating, and reflective, each vignette is more immersive than the last. Roxane Gay chose “Witness” for her Audacious Book Club read in September.
Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier
Marisa MeltzerMeltzer dives deep into a brand that changed the beauty industry — and the woman behind its success. Though her initial obsession was fashion, Emily Weiss became a household name for her skincare and makeup brand, Glossier, which evolved from her popular blog, “Into the Gloss.” Learn more about Weiss’ unyielding ambition and vision, and how Glossier became a nearly $2 billion enterprise that millennials and Gen Z-ers rave about, in this Marie Claire Book Club pick for September.
Terrace Story: A Novel
Hilary LeichterAnnie and Edward live in a small urban apartment with their baby. When Annie’s colleague, Stephanie, visits one evening, a closet in their home mysteriously transforms into a beautiful terrace. This is the premise of Leichter’s National Magazine Award–winning short story, which she expands on in this novel — Amerie’s September book club pick. Three additional stories revolving around the terrace explore love, grief, and family in time- and space-bending ways.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night: A Novel
Nina SimonAfter a cancer diagnosis, real estate mogul Lana Rubicon moves in with her estranged adult daughter, Beth, and teen granddaughter, Jack. When Jack discovers a dead body and is falsely connected to the crime, Lana is determined to solve the mystery, reclaim her independence, and reconnect with her family. Simon’s debut, the Reese’s Book Club selection for September, is a relationship-driven crime caper with women’s empowerment at its core.
EVERYTHING/NOTHING/SOMEONE: A Memoir
Alice CarrièreCalled “spellbinding” by both Kirkus and author Jennette McCurdy (who selected this title for her book club’s September read), Carrière’s emotional memoir chronicles a chaotic upbringing as the daughter of two troubled creatives. Exploring mental illness, self-harm, and ultimately recovery, “Everything/Nothing/Something” is emotionally complex and packed with resilience.
Amazing Grace Adams: A Novel
Fran LittlewoodOnce, Grace Adams had a thriving career and a happy family. Now, she’s 45 and grappling with an aging body, impending divorce, and estrangement from her teen daughter, Lotte. Littlewood’s debut moves between the past and the present, where we find Grace making her way across London to deliver a birthday cake to Lotte, hoping to reconcile. This story, which strikes a chord with readers across all phases of life, is the September pick for the Read With Jenna book club.
Tom Lake: A Novel
Ann PatchettIn Reese Witherspoon’s August book club pick, Lara’s three adult daughters return to the family cherry farm to quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lara fills the long hours by sharing stories of her early adulthood, when she had a brief acting career and a whirlwind romance with a rising film star. Patchett (“The Dutch House”) laces beauty and meaning into every strand of a dual-timeline story narrated by the iconic Meryl Streep.
Family Lore: A Novel
Elizabeth AcevedoIn her adult debut — the Good Morning America book club read for August — Acevedo (“The Poet X”) follows the always spirited, often magical lives of the Marte women. Several members of this Dominican American family are blessed with gifts, like Flor’s ability to predict the time and nature of everyone’s death. She plans her own “living wake,” bringing the family together as they’re all dealing with dramas, crises, and surprises. This is a woman-centric family saga written with heart and humor.
Ripe: A Novel
Sarah Rose EtterCassie works a grueling job at a tech startup, where the irony of Silicon Valley wealth amid rampant homelessness in San Francisco is on full display. A pervasive sense of dread haunts Cassie, along with a black hole only she can see. Is the world ending, or is Cassie losing her mind? Corporate greed and our depression-riddled age are at the forefront of this increasingly surreal novel — the Marie Claire selection for August.
The Many Lives of Mama Love (Oprah's Book Club): A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing
The Many Lives of Mama Love (Oprah's Book Club): A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing
Lara Love HardinLove Hardin’s memoir chronicles her storied life and the road to redemption after her stint in jail. Packed with anecdotes wilder than fiction, “The Many Lives of Mama Love” deals with drug abuse, identity theft, and the entrapment of the judicial system, all of which the author overcame before rebuilding her life as a successful writer and literary agent. This book offers hope to those who feel defined by their worst mistakes. Oprah and Jennette McCurdy (“I’m Glad My Mom Died”) both chose this title for their book clubs.
My Husband: A Novel
Maud VenturaIn Ventura’s debut (originally published in French), a woman’s seemingly perfect life is threatened by her unhealthy obsession with her husband. The unnamed narrator goes to great lengths to assuage her insecurities, which only makes matters worse. Tense and addictive, “My Husband” is the August read for Emma Roberts’ Belletrist book club.
The Militia House: A Novel
John MilasIn Kajaki, Afghanistan, Corporal Alex Loyette and his unit venture off to explore an abandoned — supposedly haunted — militia house. After their eerie adventure, haunting experiences drive the troop to a breaking point. Milas, a debut author and former Marine, deftly uses gothic horror to mirror the anxieties and traumas of war. “The Militia House” is psychologically unsettling and palpably tense, and Roxane Gay selected it as the August read for her Audacious Book Club.
Assata Taught Me: State Violence, Racial Capitalism, and the Movement for Black Lives
Donna MurchIn the Noname book club pick for August, Murch delivers a collection of essays that reveal the breadth of her historical knowledge related to Black radical movements in America. From police violence to mass incarceration, Murch gives vital context for today’s Movement for Black Lives and traces its evolution from the Black Panther Party, as well as the lasting impact of political activist Assata Shakur.
Banyan Moon: A Novel
Thao ThaiAfter the death of her beloved grandmother, Minh, Ann Tran reconnects with her estranged mother, Huơng, at their family home, a gothic-style manor on the Gulf Coast. Banyan House, like the Tran family, has many secrets that could either permanently sever Ann and Huơng’s relationship or help rebuild it. Told from three perspectives, Thai’s first literary foray is a family saga about Vietnamese American women whose choices echo through generations. “Banyan Moon” is the July 2023 Read with Jenna book club pick.
Rivermouth: A Chronicle of Language, Faith, and Migration
Alejandra OlivaCalled “required reading” by Publishers Weekly, Oliva’s affecting memoir-in-essays chronicles her work as a translator for migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Witnessing firsthand how America’s detention centers and immigration policies strip the hungry, terrified, and hopeless of their dignity, Oliva presses for empathy and a more humane future. This is fuel not only for righteous anger but also for immediate action. Roxane Gay picked this memoir for her July book club read.
Yellowface: A Novel
R. F. KuangKuang, author of bestselling BookTok sensations “Babel” and “The Poppy War,” delivers a sharp satire that skewers white entitlement and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry and beyond. June, a white writer, steals a manuscript from her recently deceased Chinese American rival, then publishes it under a racially ambiguous persona. No less than three book clubs (Roxane Gay, Marie Claire, and Reese Witherspoon) chose “Yellowface” as one of their summertime reads.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Novel
Emma TörzsEstranged half-sisters Joanna and Esther are brought back together to protect the magical books, written in the literal blood of scribes, that their father revered. Mystery after mystery unravels in this luscious debut that’s quickly been elevated to must-read status. Both Good Morning America and singer Amerie selected “Ink Blood Sister Scribe” as their June book club picks.
The Coldest Winter Ever
Sister SouljahLauded as the best book of the “hip hop generation,” Sister Souljah’s first novel is a raw, honest look at what inner city life is like. Souljah’s more recent novels follow characters from this favorite, and the massive popularity of each one continues to fuel what she told Time magazine is “a renaissance, or what Chuck D of Public Enemy would call a revolution, of reading.” Rapper Noname selected this for her book club to read in June.
The Communist Manifesto
Karl Marx“The Communist Manifesto” needs no introduction, as Marx and Engels’ 19th-century political ideas continue to be widely discussed today. It doesn’t matter whether you rue or relish capitalism’s continued dominance, this text is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand one of modern history’s biggest political battles. Rapper Noname calls for her book club comrades to read it this June.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?: A Novel
Crystal Smith PaulA sweeping debut on how racism and misogyny alter our stories and shape future generations, this novel begins with the death of an elderly Hollywood starlet. When a shocking secret is found in her old journals, it shakes her wealthy Black neighbors, the St. John sisters, to the core. Reese Witherspoon chose “Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?” as her May book club read.
The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)
Abraham VergheseThe long-awaited latest by Verghese and Oprah’s Book Club pick for May is a family saga that unfolds over much of 20th-century India, giving readers a glimpse of the nation’s changing cultural landscape. It follows three generations of a family that’s simultaneously cursed with tragedy and blessed with gifts of sharp intelligence and creativity. Whether he's describing the gorgeous landscape or a breakthrough medical procedure, Verghese’s lush prose is rare and moving.
The Anti-Cool Girl: The award-winning, bestselling brutal and hilarious memoir and the first Jennette McCurdy book club pick for 2023
The Anti-Cool Girl: The award-winning, bestselling brutal and hilarious memoir and the first Jennette McCurdy book club pick for 2023
Rosie WaterlandMcCurdy’s nonfiction book club pick for May is this darkly comedic memoir by Waterland, an award-winning author, podcaster, and comedian. Much like McCurdy’s own memoir, “The Anti-Cool Girl” traverses heavy topics, including child abuse and feelings of never measuring up. But Waterland’s account is hopeful, resilient, and endlessly funny, and she proves the value of self-compassion and unabashed authenticity — even if you’re the antithesis of “cool.”
Adelaide: A Novel
Genevieve WheelerWheeler’s affecting debut is relatable to anyone who’s experienced unrequited love (all of us). Adelaide Williams is a 20-something American woman living in London when she falls for dreamy and emotionally unavailable Rory Hughes. Their relationship — or lack thereof — is a gut-wrenching rollercoaster that draws readers in with as much humor as heartbreak. Marie Claire chose “Adelaide” for their May #ReadWithMC selection.
The Lagos Wife: A Novel
Vanessa WaltersNicole belongs to the Nigerwives, a group of foreign women who married into high society in Lagos, Nigeria. Her life seems picture perfect — until she vanishes without a trace. Nicole’s aunt Claudine travels to Lagos to find her niece, and her search slowly reveals the truth about Nicole’s not-so-idyllic life and marriage. Walters’ adult debut (the May pick for the Good Morning America Book Club) uses a thriller plot to dissect power imbalances, patriarchal cultures, and the choices women make to survive.
The Audrey Hepburn Estate
Brenda JanowitzThe CBS New York Book Club, led by TV journalist and author Mary Calvi, chose this tale for its May selection. Emma Jansen returns to the sprawling estate where she grew up, hoping to save it from demolition. There, she comes face-to-face with two men from her past, igniting fresh feelings and a complicated love triangle. Janowitz bases her story on the 1954 Audrey Hepburn film “Sabrina,” and weaves in chapters about Hepburn’s life to deliver a fun blend of history, romance, and mystery.
A Likely Story: A Novel
Leigh McMullan Abramson“A Likely Story” was the April pick for the CBS New York Book Club and Emma Roberts’ Belletrist Book Club — and called a “brilliantly observed standout debut” by the latter. It follows Isabelle Manning, who grew up with famous parents and desperately wants to follow in her father’s literary footsteps but is struggling to make a name for herself as an author. A story of art, legacy, and family secrets, this book includes a “novel within a novel” manuscript by an unknown author, which drums up the intrigue.
Camp Zero: A Novel
Michelle Min Sterling“Annihilation” meets “The Handmaid's Tale” when Rose, a Korean American sex worker determined to provide for her mother, and Grant, a teacher trying to escape his family’s reputation, arrive at a climate refugee settlement in remote Canada. Sterling’s thrilling plot moves quickly between Rose, Grant, and an all-women society called White Alice. Tensions build in each storyline as it becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems. Jenna Hager Bush chose “Camp Zero” for her April book club selection.
If I Survive You
Jonathan EscofferyEscoffery offers a linked story collection about a Jamaican American family struggling to overcome racism, poverty, and natural disaster. Trelawney, the youngest son, is the most prominent character, and we see much of his family’s search for identity and belonging through his eyes. Escoffery draws readers into the rich vibes of 1970s Miami in this story of the immigrant experience. Amerie, a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, chose “If I Survive You” for her April book club pick.
Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else)
Olúfẹ́mi O. TáíwòIn the April book club selection by rapper Noname, philosopher and Georgetown professor Táíwò dissects the origins of identity politics and explores how elites, including white, cis, and wealthy Americans, have captured the term for political gain. Ultimately, “Elite Capture” is a call to action for real systemic change rather than performative rebranding.
Black Candle Women: A Novel
Diane Marie BrownWeaving between present-day California and mid-century New Orleans, “Black Candle Women” follows the Montrose women, who must confront a curse that’s plagued their family for generations after Nickie, the youngest Montrose, brings home a potential suitor. Jenna Bush Hager chose this family saga for “Read With Jenna” in March, saying “This magical story is full of voodoo and hoodoo, love and loss, and the importance of family through thick and thin.”
The House of Eve
Sadeqa JohnsonTwo young Black women in 1950s America fight to keep their dreams afloat in the face of unexpected circumstances. In Philadelphia, Ruby Pearsall longs to attend college, while Eleanor Quarles, a Howard University student, is set to be the first graduate in her family. Both of their lives are upended after finding love. Johnson’s powerful historical fiction revisits a time when women, particularly those of color, grappled with limited choices and seemingly predetermined futures. Reese Witherspoon picked it for her February book club.
Maame: A Today Show Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Jessica GeorgeJenna Bush Hager’s February #ReadWithJenna pick follows Maddie, the dependable one in her British Ghanaian family, who finally chooses to prioritize herself and build the life she deserves. George’s novel is a coming-of-age journey featuring a vulnerable protagonist readers can simultaneously identify with and root for. Bush Hager and Universal International Studios are working on a TV series adaptation of “Maame.”
Really Good, Actually: A Novel
Monica HeiseyMaggie is, of course, not really fine, actually. Divorced before the age of 30 and still in graduate school, Maggie is riding millennial wit for all it’s worth as she joins online dating apps and takes up new hobbies like ax throwing in an effort to figure out what, exactly, went wrong in her relationship. (One of many reasons for the split: “because we finished watching ‘The Sopranos’ and never started ‘The Wire.’”) Marie Claire selected comedian and screenwriter Heisey’s debut novel for their February book club.
The Hard Road Out: One Woman’s Escape From North Korea
Jihyun ParkEscaping from North Korea once is a herculean task, yet Park managed to escape twice, finally settling down in London. Her story, written in collaboration with South Korean Seh-lynn Chai, is a grim look at the reality of life in North Korea, and the large price that has to be paid to escape. Amerie picked this “harrowing read but also a hopeful one” as her February book club pick.
Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture
Zeba Blay“To be carefree just means to accept oneself in every iteration. To be able to hold joy and pain equally, and find the value in both of those experiences equal,” author Blay told Harper’s Bazaar about the concept of carefree Black girls, a phrase she helped coin in 2013. In this collection of essays, which Noname picked for her January book club, Blay expounds on the perception and treatment of Black women in popular culture, from Michelle Obama to Lizzo.
Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval
Saidiya HartmanDeviance and defiance run through professor Hartman’s history about the oft-forgotten Black women at the turn of the 20th century. “Few, then or now, recognized young Black women as sexual modernists, free lovers, radicals and anarchists, or realized that the flapper was a pale imitation of the ghetto girl,” Hartman writes. With grace and generosity, this book reconstructs their stories into a must-read of American history. Noname picked “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments” as one of her January book club selections.