How to Pick the Perfect Book Club Read

A guide to choosing a book that sparks conversation, connection, and unforgettable chapters.

The time has come to suggest your next book for book club! As you start to wonder and scroll through your bookshelf, you may start to feel the pressure of what would be a great pick for that month.

Choosing a book club pick is more than finding something "good," it's about finding something discussable.

You want a story that lingers, stirs something, surprises people, or invites perspective. A book that not only can bring us together, but gives us something to dive deeper into discussion with.

Whether you are submitting your title for our next Unforgettable Chapter vote or picking a read for your own group, here are my go-to tips for choosing the perfect book club pick.

Go for Layers, Not Just the Likes

We all love 5-star reads, but selecting a book for discussion often goes beyond whether people liked it or not. The intention behind gathering together is to have open discussion about themes, characters, and experiences we normally wouldn't have with ourselves.

Overtime, a group gets to know one another, builds trust to have these open discussions and provides opportunities to see book topics through a different perspective. I suggest looking for books with:

• complex characters

• moral dilemmas

• unresolved endings

• big themes like identity, grief, power or love

  
  

These elements help open the door to different interpretations and great conversations.

Here are some examples of books with depth, and stories that offer more than surface-level plots.

• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller: This book explores infidelity, generational trauma, and long-held secrets.

• Babel by R.F. Kuang: An academic fantasy that grapples with colonialism, power and linguistic diversity.

• Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: Examines creativity, friendship, and identity over time.

Think About Tone and Season

Sometimes a book hits just right because of when we read it. Let your seasonal mood inspire your pick. Here are some examples based on the season:

• Summer:

  • Happy Place by Emily Henry: This is witty, heartfelt, and filled with vacation nostalgia

• Fall:

  • Starling House by Alix E. Harrow: Gothic, and mysterious with spooky Southern vibes.

• Winter:

  • Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan: A quiet yet powerful novella set in Ireland during Christmas.

• Spring:

  • The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry: A historical mystery set in WWII England blooming with hope, and rediscovery.

Prioritize Discussion Over Perfection

There is nothing wrong with selecting the ultimate crowd pleaser, just keep in mind, some of the best discussions come from books that have multiple viewpoints and leave people with questions. Examples of books that may provide differing viewpoints are:

• The Idea of You by Robinne Lee: A love story that challenges societal expectations around age, motherhood and desire.

• Evil Eye by Etaf Rum: Explores generational trauma and the cost of self-silencing, leaving readers questioning tradition and agency.

• The Push by Ashley Audrain: A psychological thriller that gets under your skin and sparks big debates around motherhood and nature vs. nurture.

Diversify the Voices

Books are bridges that allow your mind to cross over into a world outside your usual thinking. Here are some examples of books that help build that bridge:

• Honor by Thrity Umrigar: A searing look at women's rights, love, and justice in India.

• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende: A magical realist classic from Chile with political undertones.

• The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai: A multi-generational Vietnamese family saga rooted in real history.

• Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park: A vibrant, queer coming-of-age novel from South Korea.

When thinking about your next book pick, use this framework as your guide:

• Will it spark conversation?

• Is it accessible (length, language, content warnings)?

• Does it offer something fresh or unfamiliar?

• Can you picture a lively hour or two discussion around it?

Now, it's your turn...

When you submit your book for our next club vote, I invite you to reflect on what kind of conversation you'd like to have and be a part of. Think about what's resonating with you lately. What stories are tugging at your heart or stirring your curiosity?

The beauty of The Unforgettable Chapter is that we don't just read together, we dive deeper into every story, and that starts with a powerful pick.

– Ashleigh, from The Unforgettable Chapter

Want to read together? Join our book club or follow along on Instagram @theunforgettablechapter for deep dives, honest reactions, events and recommendations!

Wherever your next chapter takes you, may it be filled with stories that stay with you.