Good ReadsCozy Up for Fall With These Books Chosen by Celebrity Book Clubs

“Furia” by Yamile Saied Méndez

Camila Hassan is living a double life of sorts in her hometown of Rosario, Argentina. At home, she is living in the confines of her parents’ expectations, while chasing her dream of being a soccer player on the field. Her life becomes complicated as she navigates her ambitions, secrets and a guy she used to love coming back into town. This book is Reese’s pick for October 2020.

“The Lightness” by Emily Temple

Olivia’s dad mysteriously left for a meditation retreat but never returned. A year later, she retraces his path to make sense of his disappearance. The Lightness, a choice from Emma Roberts’ Belletrist book club, “juxtaposes fairy tales with quantum physics, cognitive science with religious fervor, and the passions and obsessions of youth with all of these, to explore concepts as complex as faith and as simple as loving people—even though you don’t, and can’t, know them at all,” according to Good Reads.

“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle

Untamed is a deeply personal story from the author about she discovered the voice within herself. Emma Watson called the page-turned a “completely unmissable essential” via Instagram. 

“An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are living the dream until he’s sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime she knows he didn’t commit. He is released five years later but things have gotten ~tricky~ after Celestial turned to Andre, the best man at their wedding, for support. “This stirring love story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control,” the author explained.

“Educated” by Tara Westover

This powerful memoir follows Tara through her life as someone who was raised by survivalists. She was 17 the first time she stepped into a classroom and self-taught herself enough to be admitted to Brigham Young University. The page-turner has received tons of praise, including being named Book of the Year by the American Booksellers Association.

“Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and NY Times bestseller, this read is about a trio of unlikely friends — Eleanor, Raymond and Sammy — who save each other from their lives of isolation. If you needed more of a reason to pick it up, the actress is producing a movie about the book.

“Family of Origin” by CJ Hauser

This pick comes from Emma Robert’s Belletrist book club. After Nolan Grey finds out his biologist father has died, he has his estranged half-sister, Elsa, try to pick up the pieces while fighting a past that’s trying to destroy them all over again. “Elsa and Nolan are flawed, lovely characters. Nolan is enduringly sweet, if feckless and politically apathetic,” NPR explained in a review of the book while noting that Elsa is “slightly more complicated.”

“Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girls Confabulous Memoir” by Kai Cheng Thom

The brilliant Emma Watson introduced this read to her book club, Our Shared Shelf, in 2019. “Set in the Street of Miracles, our protagonist (who happens to be a kung-fu expert and pathological liar) joins a gang of glamorous warrior femmes. It’s a story of broken hearts and healing sisterhoods,” the actress described it in an open letter.

“It just LOOKS like a fun adventure,” she noted about the beautiful cover. “And indeed, it walks the tightrope between contradictions – serious and fun, fantasy and reality, poetry and prose, memoir and fiction, delicate and violent.”

“Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng

This novel “explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster,” the author explained. Set in the Shaker Heights neighborhood of Cleveland, the seemingly perfect Richardson family has their lives stirred up by a mysterious mother and daughter. Little Fires Everywhere has seriously been ~everywhere~ and it was named Best Book of the Year by NPR, Amazon and more.

“Marilou Is Everywhere” by Sarah Elaine Smith

Another Belletrist pick, Marilou Is Everywhere follows 14-year-old Cindy. She’s lonely, poverty-stricken and her single mom left her in the care of her older brothers. However, things take an … interesting … turn when she takes advantage of a situation after a girl in her town goes mysteriously missing.

“Nearly every page of the novel features a breathtaking turn of phrase; the book is almost otherworldly in its beauty and power,” NPR wrote in a glowing review of the book.

“Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur

This collection of poetry has earned a spot on the NY Times bestseller list. The author explained that Milk and Honey deals with “the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, femininity. The book is divided into four chapters. Each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache.”

“My Sister the Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Nominated for the 2019 Booker Prize, you won’t be able to put down this thriller. “Korede’s sister Ayoola is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead,” the description of the book said. “Korede’s practicality is the sisters’ saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood (bleach, bleach, and more bleach), the best way to move a body (wrap it in sheets like a mummy), and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures to Instagram when she should be mourning her ‘missing’ boyfriend.”

“The Beauty Myth” by Naomi Wolf

If you love feminist reads, The Beauty Myth is for you. Journalist and writer Naomi Wolf explores the obsession with physical perfection and how today’s standard of beauty affects women.

“One Day in December” by Josie Silver

A story about star-crossed lovers, One Day in December follows Laurie, who is struck by love at first sight after seeing a mysterious man outside her bus window. She spends a year (hopelessly) looking for him. She finally meets her mystery man … because he’s her BFF’s new boyfriend. Ugh!

“The Last House Guest” by Megan Miranda

After Avery Greer’s friend Sadie Loman’s death is ruled a suicide, the Littleport, Maine resident has to work to clear her name after the facts get twisted. The thriller is full of unexpected turns, making it a perfect fall read.

“The Proposal” by Jasmine Guillory

Nikole Paterson says no to her boyfriend of five months after he proposes in a very public way — using the scoreboard at a Dodgers game. However, through that embarrassing experience, she meets a handsome doctor named Carlos Ibarra. Their fling is full of food, fun and fantastic sex until it gets complicated.

“Whisper Network” by Chandler Baker

This is another thriller that you won’t be able to put down. After the CEO of Truviv, Inc. dies, Ames will likely take over the company. Sloane, Ardie, Grace and Rosalita all have different relationships with Ames, who’s had ~whispers~ circulating around about the way he treats women. However, this time, they have decided that enough is enough.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

Kya Clark is a “Marsh Girl” in a quiet town on the North Carolina coast, who locals think murdered a man named Chase Andrews. This murder mystery turns into a beautiful coming of age story when Kya begins to open herself up to a new life … until the unthinkable happens.