20 Best Book Group Books (2023 Update)

Written with a trenchant, sardonic edge, the group is a dazzlingly outspoken novel and a captivating look at the social history of america between two world wars. "juicy, shocking, witty, and almost continually brilliant."–cosmopolitanaward-winning mary mccarthy's most celebrated novel follows the lives of eight vassar graduates, known simply to their classmates as “the group.” an eclectic mix of personalities and upbringings, they meet a week after graduation to watch kay strong get married. after the ceremony, the women begin their adult lives — traveling to europe, tackling the worlds of nursing and publishing, and finding love and heartbreak in the streets of new york city. through the years, some of the friends grow apart and some become entangled in each other's affairs, but all vow not to become like their mothers and fathers. it is only when one of them passes away that they all come back together again to mourn the loss of a friend, a confidante, and most importantly, a member of the group.

An instant new york times bestseller / an oprah's book club pick in the spirit of the known world and the underground railroad, an award-winning "miraculous debut" (washington post) about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever in the waning days of the civil war, brothers prentiss and landry–freed by the emancipation proclamation–seek refuge on the homestead of george walker and his wife, isabelle. the walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. prentiss and landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two confederate soldiers. the young men, recently returned from the war to the town of old ox, hold their trysts in the woods. but when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. in the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of old ox. with candor and sympathy, debut novelist nathan harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting georgia in the violent crucible of reconstruction. equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, the sweetness of water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances. one of president obama's favorite books of 2021 winner of the ernest j. gaines award for literary excellence longlisted for the man booker prize longlisted for the 2022 carnegie medal for excellence longlisted for the center for fiction first novel prize a best book of the year: oprah daily, npr, washington post, time, boston globe, smithsonian, chicago public library, bookbrowse, and the oregonian a new york times book review editors' choice a july indie next pick

A new york times and washington post notable book a 2018 best of the year selection of npr * time * bustle * o, the oprah magazine * the dallas morning news * amazon.com oprah’s book club 2018 selectionwinner of the women's prize for fictionwinner of the 2019 aspen words literary prize winner of the 2019 naacp image award for outstanding literary work—fictionlonglisted for the 2018 national book award for fiction“a moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young african-american couple.” —barack obama “haunting . . . beautifully written.” —the new york times book review “brilliant and heartbreaking . . . unforgettable.” —usa today “a tense and timely love story . . . packed with brave questions about race and class.” —people “compelling.” —the washington post “deeply moving . . . thought-provoking." —bill gates “epic . . . triumphant.” —elle newlyweds celestial and roy are the embodiment of both the american dream and the new south. he is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. but as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime celestial knows he didn’t commit. though fiercely independent, celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. as roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. after five years, roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to atlanta ready to resume their life together. this stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. an american marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward—with hope and pain—into the future.

Jennette mccurdy details how she overcame harrowing struggles as a child tv star—including anorexia and bulimia, addiction, severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and a traumatic relationship with her mother. a heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by icarly and sam & cat star jennette mccurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. jennette mccurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. so she went along with what mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. she endured extensive at-home makeovers while mom chided, “your eyelashes are invisible, okay? you think dakota fanning doesn’t tint hers?” she was even showered by mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. in i’m glad my mom died, jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. cast in a new nickelodeon series called icarly, she is thrust into fame. though mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“hi gale!”), jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. these issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the icarly spinoff sam & cat alongside ariana grande, her mother dies of cancer. finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. told with refreshing candor and dark humor, i’m glad my mom died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

“this funny and fresh take on a classic tale manages to comment on gender roles, racial disparities, and white privilege all while creeping me all the way out. so good.”—zakiya dalila harris, author of the other black girlsteel magnolias meets dracula in this new york times best-selling horror novel about a women's book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small southern town. patricia campbell’s life has never felt smaller. her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. the only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of charleston women united by their love of true crime. at these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the manson family as they are about their own families.one evening after book club, patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor's handsome nephew, james harris, into her life. james is well traveled and well read, and he makes patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. but when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, patricia has reason to believe james harris is more of a bundy than a brad pitt. the real problem? james is a monster of a different kind—and patricia has already invited him in. little by little, james will insinuate himself into patricia’s life and try to take everything she took for granted—including the book club—but she won’t surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

Fill your therapeutic toolbox with innovative, experiential exercises to enhance any group! judith belmont, m.s., has gathered this collection of the therapeutic toolbox: 103 group activities and t.i.p.s. (treatment ideas and practical strategies) from more than 30 years of clinical experience coupled with her passion for hands-on mental wellness education. these straightforward and universally relevant how to exercises are smartly spiral bound so you can easily make copies for your clients. all the tips are geared to helping participants take a proactive approach and experience change, not just talk about it. within the t.i.p.s. approach, each of the 103 activities, handouts or strategies is broken down even further into t.i.p.s (theory, implementation and processing). this unique approach makes every tip easy to understand and put to practice. you will find blueprints for group success in icebreakers, role plays, mindfulness, stress resiliency, communication skills, imagery, personal growth, group cohesiveness and skill building.

A baker in cape cod, massachusetts, must travel to paris to uncover a family secret for her dying grandmother—and what she learns may change everything. the sweetness of forgetting is the book that made kristin harmel an international bestseller.at thirty-six, hope mckenna-smith is no stranger to bad news. she lost her mother to cancer, her husband left her for a twenty-two year old, and her bank account is nearly depleted. her own dreams of becoming a lawyer long gone, she’s running a failing family bakery on cape cod and raising a troubled preteen. now, hope’s beloved french-born grandmother mamie, who wowed the cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of alzheimer’s. but in a rare moment of clarity, mamie realizes that unless she tells hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in paris. and then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends hope to france to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery. hope’s emotional journey takes her through the bakeries of paris and three religious traditions, all guided by mamie’s fairy tales and the sweet tastes of home. as hope pieces together her family’s history, she finds horrific holocaust stories mixed with powerful testimonies of her family’s will to survive in a world gone mad. and to reunite two lovers torn apart by terror, all she’ll need is a dash of courage, and the belief that god exists everywhere, even in cake…

The instant new york times bestsellervoted goodreads choice award best horror novel of 2021a good morning america buzz pick“the horror master…puts his unique spin on slasher movie tropes.”-usa today – a can't-miss summer read, selected by the new york times, oprah daily, time, usa today, the philadelphia inquirer, cnn, lit – hub, book – riot, bustle, popsugar and the new york public library – in horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. they made it through the worst night of their lives…but what happens after? like his bestselling novel the southern book club’s guide to slaying vampires, grady hendrix’s latest is a fast-paced, frightening, and wickedly humorous thriller. from chain saws to summer camp slayers, the final girl support group pays tribute to and slyly subverts our most popular horror films—movies like the texas chainsaw massacre, a nightmare on elm street, and scream. lynnette tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre. for more than a decade, she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, working to put their lives back together. then one woman misses a meeting, and their worst fears are realized—someone knows about the group and is determined to rip their lives apart again, piece by piece. but the thing about final girls is that no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

The reading group follows the trials and tribulations of a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books.over the course of a year, each of these women become intertwined, both in the books they read and within each other's lives. inspired by a shared desire for conversation, a good book and a glass of wine-clare, harriet, nicole, polly, and susan undergo startling revelations and transformations despite their differences in background, age and respective dilemmas. what starts as a reading group gradually evolves into a forum where the women may express their views through the books they read and grow to become increasingly more open as the bonds of friendship cement. this p.s. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Children's fiction, classic. contributors: gertrude chandler warner – author. format: paperback.

Ever wish you had a place to capture your conversations about books? join the club! whether your meetings are organized affairs or excuses to gather with friends, this brightly designed journal gives you plenty of space for writing, a reading list of crowd pleasers, and fun icebreakers so you can show up and share. inside you'll find * entries to catalog the discussion for each meeting * plenty of pages to record your personal thoughts * space to note what you ate and drank * suggestions for fun activities to try during your meetings * curated lists of compelling books to read together book club: a journal acknowledges the wide range of interests and reading habits within book clubs, with recommendations organized in a way to help readers discover new voices from all kinds of backgrounds. never again will you have to search far and wide to find your next great read!

#1 new york times bestseller – oprah’s book club pick – “an instant american classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the american century thus far.”—dwight garner, the new york times – the pulitzer prize–winning, bestselling author of the warmth of other suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped america and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. – named the #1 nonfiction book of the year by time, one of the ten best books of the year by people – the washington post – publishers weekly and one of the best books of the year by the new york times book review – o: the oprah magazine – npr – bloomberg – christian science monitor – new york post – the new york public library – fortune – smithsonian magazine – marie claire – town & country – slate – library journal – kirkus reviews – library the hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. it is about power—which groups have it and which do not.” in this brilliant book, isabel wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in america as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how america today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. linking the caste systems of america, india, and nazi germany, wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. using riveting stories about people—including martin luther king, jr., baseball’s satchel paige, a single father and his toddler son, wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. she documents how the nazis studied the racial systems in america to plan their outcasting of the jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. finally, she points forward to ways america can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity. – beautifully written, original, and revealing, caste: the origins of our discontents is an eye-opening story of people and history, and a reexamination of what lies under the surface of ordinary lives and of american life today.

About the author: kids and adults alike love roald dahl s deliciously wicked books. loved for their gleefully evil villains and their often mischievous sensibility, dahl s books introduce us to fantastic creatures and bizarre places — and encourage our imaginations to run wild.

**the instant new york times bestseller**amazon's #1 book of 2022 so farbbc radio 2 book club pick good housekeeping best books of 2022glamour best books of 2022'full of heart and humour . . . i loved it.' ruth hogan'will stay with you for a long time.' anstey harris'i defy you to put it down once you've started' cynthia d'aprix sweeneyafter tova sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the sowell bay aquarium. ever since her eighteen-year-old son, erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago keeping busy has helped her cope. one night she meets marcellus, a giant pacific octopus living at the aquarium who sees everything, but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors – until he forms a remarkable friendship with tova.ever the detective, marcellus deduces what happened the night tova's son disappeared. and now marcellus must use every trick his old body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late… shelby van pelt's debut novel is a reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.' you won't be able to put it down because when you're not reading this book you'll be hugging it.' jamie ford'truly original and touching' helen hoang'unique and luminous' booklist starred review__________________________reader reviews'i couldn't put it down' 'marvelous, heartwarming, brilliant''i enjoyed every second''i was gripped from the first page' 'i was completely charmed by this story'

From the bestselling author of the hit netflix series, virgin river! in sullivan's crossing, #1 new york times bestselling author robyn carr has created a place where good people, powerful emotions, great humor and a healthy dose of common sense are the key ingredients to a happy life. sullivan's crossing brings out the best in people. it's a place you'll want to visit again and again.dr. leigh culver loves practicing medicine in timberlake, colorado. it is a much-needed change of pace from her stressful life in chicago. the only drawback is she misses her aunt helen, the woman who raised her. but it's time that leigh has her independence, and she hopes the beauty of the colorado wilderness will entice her aunt to visit often.helen culver is an independent woman who lovingly raised her sister's orphaned child. now, with leigh grown, it's time for her to live life for herself. the retired teacher has become a successful mystery writer who loves to travel and intends to never experience winter again.when helen visits leigh, she is surprised to find her niece still needs her, especially when it comes to sorting out her love life. but the biggest surprise comes when leigh takes helen out to sullivan's crossing and helen finds herself falling for the place and one special person. helen and leigh will each have to decide if they can open themselves up to love neither expected to find and seize the opportunity to live their best lives.

Things aren't always what they seem on waverly lane… after moving to the outskirts of charleston, south carolina, shelby anderson decides to form a book club to get to know her neighbors and build a new life after her old one imploded.little does she know that the women who show up with homemade cookies and perfectly manicured nails have a whole host of secrets of their own.will her new book club lead to lifelong friendships or put her in the middle of drama she doesn't want or need?

Raise your reading game now! in this book you will read how to establish your group, countless ideas of books to read, what aspects of the books to consider or discuss and what to move on to next. you'll find 40 themed book challenges, like these: -books about popular music -modern prize-winning novels -travel books -single volume fantasy -distant lives -inspired by classics here is all you'll need to get started straight away, whether it is just you or you have a group of friends joining you. read more. reader wider. read better.

*** the feel-good novel of the summer and a richard & judy book club 2018 selection *** 'wow. just wow. if you liked me before you, you'll love you me everything' sunday times bestseller clare mackintoshset in the french countryside over one hot summer, you me everything is a tender novel about finding joy and love even in the most unexpected places. jess and her ten-year-old son william set off to spend the summer at château de roussignol, deep in the rich, sunlit hills of the dordogne. there, jess’s ex-boyfriend and william’s father, adam, runs a beautiful hotel in a restored castle. jess is bowled over by what adam has accomplished, but she’s in france for a much more urgent reason: to make adam connect with his own son. jess can’t allow adam to let their son down because she is tormented by a secret of her own, one that nobody – especially william – must discover. by turns life-affirming, heart-wrenching and joyful, you me everything is a novel about one woman's fierce determination to grab hold of the family she has and never let go, and a romantic story as heady as a crisp sancerre on a summer day. 'a classic, bittersweet love story. like jojo moyes, catherine isaac’s writing is enjoyably sweet and funny, as well as moving' judy finnegan'emotional and powerful – and also hugely enjoyable. it's a love story in every sense of the word' claire frost 'you broke my heart and made it soar! a sensitive subject, beautifully handled. loved it’ jill mansell 'heartwarming, thoughtful and very special' jenny colgan 'reminiscent of one day' sarah vaughan ‘too early for a book of the year? i don’t think so! i adored you me everything. i lived it. i loved it. i will never, ever forget it’ linda’s book bag ‘a shimmering setting, a rekindled love and a looming tragedy … i tore through it and loved it to the last word’ louise candlish ‘i laughed, i cried and i even cheered. i have a feeling you me everything will be the book everyone is talking about in 2018’ kate’s book spot 'what a beautiful, heart-wrenching read' rea's book reviews 'i'm in pieces; such a stunningly eloquent, heartfelt story. this will be the book everyone is talking about' penny parkes'fabulous, you are all in for a major treat' milly johnson 'one to watch out for' book angel

A group of friends, a few bottles of wine and a good book. what could be better? the women who form the reading group are as varied as the books they choose to read: designer-clad nicole has the perfect domestic set-up – apart from a serially unfaithful husband. her best friend harriet's husband is perfect; but harriet just doesn't love him any more. clare is desperate for a baby – and is wrecking her marriage in the process, while cressida is terrified she's pregnant. susan is watching her mother's sad, slow decline, comforted by her family; polly wants to marry again, but will jack cope with hers? can they find the answers in the pages of a good book?

Booksellers know very well how ubiquitous the reading group has become, and the book club companion is full of innovative ideas designed to entertain their members and enrich the book club experience. inside, club members will find: – the 10 indispensable titles across several literary genres including beloved lit, brit lit, book club favorites, classic lit, black lit, noir lit, literary respite, nonfiction that reads like fiction, and memoir- childhood favorites- "guilty pleasure" titles- conversation starters and tips for keeping discussions lively- theme gatherings and special places for meetings- drink and food recipes- craft ideas- and much more