Book-Club Books

Book clubs are a great way to experience and learn about new books while enjoying the fellowship of other readers. One of my favorite aspects of participating in a book club is hearing other people’s thoughts on a book, what stood out to them, and what they gleaned from the story because everyone comes to a book with a different perspective.

Trying to select books in a book club can be an arduous process, and there’s a myriad of ways that clubs decide what they will read. What makes a good book-club selection? Generally, the best ones are books that contain engaging and timely themes to discuss or ones that highlight an unknown place, event, or person.

Curious to learn more about a local book club and what they have recently read and loved, I reached out to the Between the Lines Book Club, a group of women who created their book club in 2023 and live mainly in Bellaire. Most of the women had children who attended Horn Elementary in the 1990s and early 2000s, and they wanted to get together regularly to enjoy each other’s company as well as discuss literature. 

The group meets monthly, and each November they gather to set the list for the upcoming year. They make a list and assign a book to each month based on the group’s discussion. In December, they read and enjoyed West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge, historical fiction which is inspired by the true story of two giraffes transported across the United States in the late 1930s when the country is still reeling from the Great Depression. She weaves in real-life individuals along with fictional characters to bring this rousing story to life. The books they have enjoyed the most and recommend to other book clubs are:

The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis (historical fiction) – This dual-timeline tale toggles between the 1940s and decades later and centers around two women that are bound by the same vintage wedding dress. As they develop a friendship, they uncover secrets, heal wounds, and come to realize the power of love and human connection.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (historical fiction) – Belle de Costa Greene worked as J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian and curator of his private library housed in a townhouse off of East 36th Street. While she became one of the country’s most prominent librarians, she hid a devastating secret – she was a Black woman “passing” as a white woman and moreover was the daughter of the first Black graduate of Harvard. The Personal Librarian chronicles Belle’s life and legacy and what it was like to be torn between success and the desire to be herself. 

Here are some more selections that will encourage dynamic conversations. I have selected some books that will lend themselves to lively discussions and thought-provoking conversations for book clubs looking for some inspiration. Three of the choices published in the second half of 2024, and the rest will publish in the first two months of 2025.

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi (magical realism) – Mr. Hirasaka operates a magical photo studio that people visit when they die to select the montage of photos they will experience as they pass on to the next world. His studio also allows them to relive one precious memory before passing into the afterlife. The story follows three vastly different individuals: a 92-year-old woman who lived a wonderful life, a middle-aged man burdened by his troubled past, and a young child who lived a short but grim life. The book demonstrates that every decision, no matter how small, ripples outward to affect others in ways that may never be fully understood by those involved. It is a short book that can be read in one sitting.

BOOKS FOR BOOK CLUBS Looking for a good book club selection for 2025? Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell or I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin would provide lots to discuss.

I’m Starting to Worry about This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin (fiction) – Lyft driver Abbott nervously accepts an offer of $200,000 cash to transport a woman named Ether across the country with a large black box. But she has a list of rules he must follow: He cannot look inside the box; he cannot ask questions about the box; he cannot tell anyone what he is doing; they must leave immediately; and he must leave all trackable devices behind. As the internet community speculates about what’s in the box as well as sparking rumors that this duo is preparing to launch a terror attack, the tension mounts. The impact of technology and social media on our world are at the heart of this unique and quirky tale.

The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley (contemporary fiction) – Jane Pyre is the former lead singer of The Lightning Bottles, one of the most popular duos of the 1990s who heads out on a search for Elijah, her husband and the other half of the musical duo. Jane and Elijah shared a deep bond and were both extremely talented, but the pressures of stardom and the music industry cause them to crash spectacularly. When Jane rents a house in rural Germany, she encounters a teenage mega fan who believes that Elijah is alive, and the pair set out to find him. In a cleverly crafted manner, the pair follow clues left in artwork to attempt to locate Elijah. Readers who grew up in this era will revel in nostalgia as they read this book which references maps, call-in shows and countdowns, Walkmans, and music trivia and details from the time period. 

Homeseeking by Karissa Chen (historical fiction, publishes Jan. 7) – This deeply personal literary debut illuminates the massive scope of the Chinese diaspora through the love story of Haiwen and Suchi, childhood best friends turned soulmates, and their 60-year journey to reunite with each other. Across dual timelines, Chen takes the reader through the Sino-Japanese war and the Chinese civil war, crisscrossing multiple continents while addressing the themes of the trauma of war, love, courage in the face of hardship, and the immigrant experience as well as what it means to be imprisoned by the past.

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen (historical fiction, publishes Jan. 21) – When Ruth Handler pitches to her board of directors her idea for a doll unlike any the country has seen, she is met with skepticism, but she is undeterred. Unlike the other dolls on the market in 1956 that only allow girls to pretend to be mothers, this new doll looks like a grown women with a fabulous wardrobe and lots of career options. This is the story of how Barbie became iconic and how a strong woman who believed in herself and her dream made it happen. Barbie and her story are having a moment, and this book contributes while explaining her legacy and popularity.

Dead Money by Jakob Kerr (thriller, publishes Jan. 28) – Jakob Kerr worked as one of the first employees of Airbnb and is intimately familiar with the world of start-ups and Silicon Valley, and his experiences inform this twisty, humorous, and clever thriller. The controversial CEO of tech’s hottest startup Journy has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. Mackenzie Clyde, a fixer for the venture capital company that invested heavily in Journy, is brought in to consult and help solve the murder, but her help is not welcomed by the FBI. This intelligently constructed mystery into the wild and wacky world of the tech industry and startups where nothing is as it seems will keep readers on the edge of their seats. 

BOOKS FOR BOOK CLUBS Looking for a good book club selection for 2025? Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell or I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin would provide lots to discuss.

Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell (fiction, publishes Feb. 18) – When Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision to grab a few clothes and her two young daughters and flee, she knows that leaving is the right thing to do, but she finds that staying away is much harder than the leaving was. With no job and little support, she struggles to find a home for her girls and herself as her emotionally abusive husband Ryan launches an unrelenting campaign for her to return home. Navigating the broken Irish housing system and constantly second-guessing herself, Ciara bravely fights the odds in this compelling tale of survival and the effects of enduring the long-term consequences of emotional abuse. O’Donnell’s vivid prose brings to life the unsettling brutality of gaslighting and coercive partner control where the bruises are not physical and keeps the suspense taut and gripping.

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.