May 2021 Book Club Roundup
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s hard to deny that “celebrity” book clubs create powerful launchpads for authors to get their darlings into the hands of thousands of readers. As a bibliophile who prides herself on having a finger on the pulse of the publishing industry, sometimes even I am blindsided by a selection of a book that I hadn’t heard of.
Such is the case with the May 2021 roundup, which has put many interesting titles on my To Read shelf that weren’t on my radar beforehand. With the exception of the Gilead novels featured in Oprah’s Book Club, I haven’t read any of them yet.
This month’s list features Roxane Gay’s book club for the first time, and sadly PBS NewsHour’s Now Read This program has been removed after they announced they’re shuttering it.
After you’ve scrolled through the selections, please let me know if I’ve missed any clubs I should add for next month.
Enjoy! ~Regina
REESE’S BOOK CLUB
What Reese said:
“Love note to self: the May pick is a juicy, secret-filled read that you’ll finish in a day and talk about for months.
The Last Thing He Told Me gives new meaning to the phrase ‘you can never judge a book (OR suspicious husband) by its cover’ with this gripping tale of love, deception and disappearance.”
READ WITH JENNA
What Jenna said:
“Now, more than ever, I love reading about women who chart their own courses. As a mom of two little girls and a young boy, I believe it is important to highlight fictional and nonfictional stories of fierce, independent women who don’t conform to what society says we need to be.
I have been a fan of Maggie Shipstead for a while. I read her book Seating Arrangements and I just love her writing."
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB
What Oprah said…
“The latest pick is not one, but four books, by Marilynne Robinson. Together, this quartet is known as the Gilead novels: 2004's Gilead, 2008's Home, 2014's Lila and 2020's Jack.
Marilynne Robinson is one of our greatest living authors, and in the Gilead novels she's written a quartet of masterpieces. The more closely I read them, the more I find to appreciate, and the more they show the way in seeing the beauty in the ordinary. I'm thrilled to share them all with you."
GMA BOOK CLUB
What they said:
“Swann's ‘wildly entertaining’ and bighearted debut novel blends classical mythology, secrets, scandals, and larger than life characters in a family saga only fit for the Lone Star state.
The book follows the Briscoes, a big family with nuanced relationships and complicated histories, whose pent-up grievances against one another have been brimming just under the surface for decades.”
BELLETRIST (Emma Roberts & Karah Preiss)
What they said:
“Both a coming-of-age story about family dysfunction and a reflection on mental health, And Now I Spill The Family Secrets is funny, poignant, and deeply inspiring in its portrayal of what drives a family apart and what keeps them together.”
#READWITHMC (Marie Claire)
What they said:
“In May, we're reading Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart, an expansion of Zauner's viral New Yorker essay in which the indie rockstar grapples with her mother's death and how it shaped her identity.”
THE AUDACIOUS BOOK CLUB (Roxane Gay)
What Roxane said:
“Libertie is the daughter of a physician. Both she and her mother are free black women. The novel begins near the end of the Civil War, Libertie as a child, helping her mother tend to the people in their Brooklyn Community. This is a coming of age story. It is very interior and Libertie is a fascinating, infuriating protagonist. She makes so many confounding decisions and is, at times, her own worst enemy. But still, toward the end of the novel, she finds a moral clarity that is admirable and serves as the catalyst for the ending. A very layered, beautifully rendered novel.”
GOOP BOOK CLUB
What they said:
“Caleb Azumah Nelson’s lyrical debut explores the depths of romantic love through a relationship between two best friends and young Black artists who meet in a London pub. You will fall for them quickly.”
STEPHEN CURRY’S UNDERRATED BOOK CLUB
What Stephen said:
“We tend to focus on individual strength, but true heroism often depends on the strength of many. As a father of daughters, I’m excited to see young women portrayed not only as fierce leaders, but loyal teammates.”
A.B.A INDIE NEXT #1 PICK
What they said:
“Great Circle is about two women 100 years apart: pilot Marian Graves and Hadley Baxter, the actress cast to play the famous pilot. This epic novel is fascinating, adventurous, and well-written, with great characters, historical details, and fantastic settings. Don’t miss this journey!”
LIBRARYREADS TOP PICK
What they said:
“An aching slow-burn romance focused on chaotic sprite Poppy and buttoned-up Alex and their twelve years of summer vacations. Set in present day Palm Springs and interspersed with flashbacks from the previous vacations, this story is full of yearning, friendship, and discussions of what it means to find a home.”
BARNES & NOBLE BOOK CLUB
What they said:
“Seventeenth-century New England was not a safe place, especially for women. The fear of sin and Satan’s power over faithful Puritans fueled mass hysteria and witch hunts. Any small action outside of being a ‘good wife’ had the potential to spurn allegations of witchcraft, so what was a woman to do if she found herself in a marriage marked by cruelty and domestic abuse? Chris Bohjalian’s latest unputdownable thriller feels timely despite the historical setting, full of twists and the impossible and sometimes terrifying choices women must face in the pursuit of safety.”
TARGET CLUB PICK
What they said:
“The Last Flight is thoroughly absorbing, not only because of its tantalizing plot and deft pacing, but also because of its unexpected poignancy and its satisfying, if bittersweet, resolution. The characters get under your skin.”
TARGET DIVERSE BOOK CLUB PICK
What they said:
“Her name's Antonia "Toni" Bennette (yeah, she's heard all the jokes before) and she's not a rock star. Neither are the Lillys—not yet. But the difference between being famous and being almost famous can be a single wrong note…or the start of something that'll change your life forever.”
ID BOOK CLUB (Investigation Discovery)
What they said:
“This book offers Lt. Joe Kenda’s memories of homicide cases that he investigated or oversaw. In each case, he examines the trigger that led to death. Even though the why of a murder case may not be critical in an investigation, it can sometimes lead us to the killer. And even if we solve a case without knowing the trigger, the why still intrigues us, disrupting our dreams and lingering in our minds, perhaps because each of us fears the demons that lie within our own psyche — the triggers waiting to be pulled.”
And that’s a wrap on yet another roundup!
See that box below that says “Comments?” You can write in it! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the roundup and the books themselves. :)