Book-Club Books

Book clubs bring together people who share a love of reading, providing a sense of community as well as an engaging way to interact with people with a shared affinity. So much is gained by an in-depth discussion of a collective read: discussing why a book landed well or didn’t, themes that resonated, and what was gleaned from the tale. Everyone provides a unique perspective and background.

Selecting a book can be a difficult process for book clubs, and each club approaches this process differently. Some groups allow the host to choose, some vote on submitted books, and some follow what a particular celebrity book club selects.

I recently reached out to The Wednesday Sisters, a book club launched by Sally Rohrbach and Jan Lusby in 2012. Their kids were in high school and/or college so they had more time to gather to chat about recent reads. To form the group, they reached out to other book lovers from their kids’ schools and sports teams, women mainly residing in Maplewood, Bellaire, and Meyerland. The first book they selected was The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton, and they chose to meet on the second Wednesday of the month, so the group felt the name The Wednesday Sisters was fitting.

The group gathers at someone’s home from 7-10 p.m. and has dinner (sometimes according to the theme of the book) and wine followed by a lively discussion in the last hour. The Wednesday Sisters, 18 in total but usually 10-12 attend monthly, often select books that a group member has read before and recommends. 

In December, they read The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, a story about a four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl who goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine. Her disappearance sparks a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a family, and remains unsolved for nearly 50 years. This 2023 debut is about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time.

Some of The Wednesday Sisters’ favorite past book-club books are:

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (historical fiction) – Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother’s death in childbirth and their father’s disappearance, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Yet it will be love, not politics – their passion for the same woman– that will tear them apart and force Marion, fresh out of medical school, to flee his homeland. When the past catches up to him – nearly destroying him – Marion must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony (nonfiction) – When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of “rogue” elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival; dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn't take them in. As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (fiction) – Eleanor Oliphant struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.

To aid clubs seeking to set their 2026 lists early, I am recommending some titles that will lend themselves to active and engaging conversations for book clubs. I selected books that published in 2025 so that club members can easily check them out from the library if they prefer. Here are some recent reads that will encourage dynamic conversations: 

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens (historical fiction) – Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that her past life in Bosnia during the war has caught up with her. There is a constant undercurrent of danger and urgency throughout the story as the events of Hana’s earlier years are revealed. This story of revenge, the horrors of war, and secrets that won’t stay hidden is a winner. And while the war scenes were hard to read, I was glad to learn more about the war in Bosnia. For fans of gritty historical fiction.

Tilt by Emma Pattee (literary fiction) – Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, she realizes there’s nothing to do but walk. As she walks, Annie reflects on her struggling marriage, her disappointing career, and her anxiety about having a baby. This is a fabulous book-club pick – there is so much to discuss and unpack. I was particularly interested in the societal response, climate and technological issues, and how such an event will impact a city. For fans of climate fiction, slow-burn tales, and compelling reads.

The Backwater by Vikki Wakefield (mystery/thriller)– The “Trailer Park Murders” made a ghost of Sabine Kelly 12 years ago after she confessed to setting the fire that killed her mother, sister, and seven others, and disappeared without a trace. Now, Rachel Weidermann, a recently unemployed journalist, has reignited her investigation into the murders and Sabine’s disappearance, setting off a brutal chain of events. The beautiful scenery and the rhythm of river life combined with the exploration of the themes of class, corruption, family, and justice made this a unique and engaging mystery. For fans of a strong sense of place and solid mysteries. 

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild (contemporary fiction) – Honor seems to have everything. She adores her daughter Chloe and her husband Tom. But her longing for another baby threatens to eclipse it all until a shocking event changes their lives forever. My recommendation is to go in blind on this one. The story is so unique – the events, the narrator, and the way it all unfolds. I felt like I was watching an impending train wreck with no way to stop it, and I could not put the book down. For fans of genre mashups and distinctive stories.

The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang (contemporary fiction) – This quiet, meandering novel follows Joan and the life she has created after moving to California from Taiwan. Ultimately, she wonders if anyone can feel truly satisfied. In pursuit of this question, she opens the Satisfaction Café, a place where people can visit for a bit of conversation and to be heard and understood. This character-driven novel is so immersive, and Wang richly cultivates Joan’s world – her family, her friends, and her inner thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Joan and wish I could personally visit the Satisfaction Café. For fans of introspective stories.

CULTIVATING CONVERSATION In A Guardian and A Thief by Megha Majumdar, who is the guardian and who is the thief? This question will challenge the reader throughout the entire book, which would be a good choice for a thought-provoking book-club discussion. (Photo: Cindy Burnett)

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke (mystery/thriller) – Following the murders of four wealthy members of an exclusive club in London, a young waitress named Katherine Cole is arrested, and five men begin to question how well they really knew her. Each narrator brings their own biases, blind spots, and agendas to their depiction of Katherine, making readers question whose version of events they can trust. This fascinating commentary on how people, especially women, are perceived has stayed with me since I finished it, and I enjoyed the exploration of power dynamics and conspiracy theories in today’s world as well as gender biases. For fans of novel and intelligent storytelling and thought-provoking tales.

We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry (mystery/thriller) – We Don't Talk About Carol is a deeply haunting, twisty mystery based on a 60-year-old cold case involving six missing Black women whose stories were forgotten by the world but never by their families. Berry expertly explores the themes of family secrets, community, trauma, and motherhood while unraveling a mystery that has some fabulous twists and turns. She also highlights the racial disparities that occur in missing person investigations, which made for tough but compelling reading. For fans of slow-burn mysteries, social commentaries, and topical issues.

A Guardian and A Thief by Megha Majumdar (literary fiction) – Who is the guardian and who is the thief? This question will challenge the reader throughout the entire tale. Set in near-future India when climate change has devastated the country and its population, A Guardian and a Thief centers around two families whose drives to protect each other and survive clash in heartbreaking ways. The book thoughtfully examines how morality and civility break down during a tragic event such as climate change. This profound and gut-wrenching story is a fast read that packs a very powerful punch. The audio production is outstanding. It is a good fit for fans of literary fiction, thought-provoking tales, and climate fiction.

Editor’s note: Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts an award-winning book podcast entitled Thoughts from a Page Podcast www.thoughtsfromapage.com, runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfrompage, and regularly speaks to groups about books.