What is a really great book for a book club? That gets everyone talking and excited and passionate about it in some way?

Question

Caroline · Answer

The God of the Woods: yes, it’s long, but it’s impossible to read without having something to say. bonus - it’s multiple POVs so you can discuss whose resonated with you most etc.

Karen Fischer · Answer

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle: This was the first book that came to mind. I liked it because it opens with this notable scene, and take a lot of interesting twists and turns. It's also really relatable, i.e. being in a rut, not being sure about what the future holds, or being sure of at least one thing, and not wanting it to happen, but one cannot twist the hand of fate.

Amy · Answer

Heart the Lover (Lily King)

Wynne · Answer

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado: This book is incredible. It’s a memoir about queer IPV, which is a topic you should probably know more about. It’s written in a super interesting way where each chapter is in a different style/genre. Carmen Maria Machado is a genius.

Sophia Lucchesi · Answer

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino: My absolute favorite read of the past few years, and one of the more unique coming of age novels I’ve ever read.

Julia · Answer

A Marriage at Sea (Sophie Elmhirst): My favorite book of 2025. I’ve made so many people in my life read it so we can talk about it together.

Elena · Answer

They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib: Brilliant human, brilliant poet, brilliant writer, brilliant music appreciator, brilliant mind, brilliant heart of brilliance, there is no one like Hanif!!

An ode to the music that gets us and gets us through life. He made me cry reading an essay on Fall Out Boy.

Gave this to my partners dad who hogs the aux and he LOVED it.

Elena · Answer

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood: A rare non fiction favorite, and a book that broke me out of a long reading drought and made me laugh out loud so often that even strangers felt compelled to ask what in the world I was reading.

The author is a poet who moves back in with her parents when her husband is getting eye surgery. The twist is that her father is a Catholic Priest and Patricia is not religiously persuaded. My therapist thinks I idealize Patricia’s ability to turn anything (even pain) into a beautiful cosmic joke that only she is in on. Maybe I do! All I know is ever since I read this I have felt like I can approach heavy feelings with more lightness. Every sentence is lyric genius and stands alone.

Elena · Answer

Learning To Be Me by Greg Egan (short story): The best short story ever written? Perhaps!! In my opinion, it poses THE most thought-provoking and prescient philosophical questions about technology, identity, and what it means to be alive.

I have reread this story about once a year since I first came across it a decade ago and it only feels more relevant.

Breanna Lambert · Answer

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver: Had such a fun book club discussion after reading this book. Definitely will make you analyze your own moral compass and have you arguing about who was in the right and wrong