Reese Witherspoon’s book club has become one of the most dependable reading guides in publishing. Since 2017, Reese has picked one book each month, almost always a story with a woman at its center. Below you’ll find the full Reese Witherspoon book club list, the newest 2026 picks, and practical tips for reading along.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Reese’s Book Club |
| Founder | Reese Witherspoon |
| Parent Company | Hello Sunshine (founded 2016) |
| Launched | June 2017 |
| First Pick | Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman |
| Pick Frequency | One book per month |
| Core Focus | Stories with women at the center, often by women authors |
| Genres Covered | Literary fiction, thrillers, romance, historical fiction, memoir, nonfiction |
| Total Picks | 100+ titles |
| Spin-Off Clubs | YA Book Club (October 2020), Sunnie Reads for Gen Z (2026) |
| Ownership | Hello Sunshine sold to Blackstone-backed Candle Media (August 2021) |
| Where Picks Are Announced | Instagram and the club’s official channels |
| Notable Adaptations | Little Fires Everywhere, Daisy Jones & The Six, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Last Thing He Told Me |
How Reese’s Book Club Works
Reese’s Book Club picks one new title each month and announces it with a short video or post from Reese. Most picks are new releases, so readers start the same book at the same time. That shared timing is a big reason the club feels like a community, not just a list.
The club runs under Hello Sunshine, the media company Reese founded in 2016. That link matters. Many picks become TV or film projects later, which is why so many fans read the books before they hit Hulu, Apple TV, or Amazon Prime.
Over the years, I’ve noticed a clear pattern in the selections. Reese prefers character-driven stories with strong female leads, emotional stakes, and a hopeful thread, even in dark thrillers. If you like books where a woman solves her own problem, this club will rarely let you down.
How Books Are Chosen
Picks are chosen well before publication. A team of book scouts and editors reads early manuscripts, and Reese makes the final call. This explains why the club often names a book months ahead and why publishers compete hard for the spot.
Hello Sunshine has also used pre-empt deals to secure film rights to promising books early. The club favors women’s voices and debut authors, and it regularly highlights underrepresented writers. Its LitUp fellowship mentors new writers, and some fellows, like Allison King and Ashley Jordan, later became picks.
When Picks Are Announced
New picks usually go live early in the month, mostly on Instagram. The club’s app and newsletter then add discussion questions, author interviews, and reading guides. If you want to catch picks on release day, following the club’s Instagram is the simplest method.
Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2026
The Reese Witherspoon book club 2026 lineup leans toward sequels, historical drama, and twisty thrillers. Two of the year’s biggest picks return to worlds readers already love. Here is the full list of 2026 picks so far:
| Month | Title | Author | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | The First Time I Saw Him | Laura Dave | Thriller (sequel) |
| February 2026 | In Her Defense | Philippa Malicka | Courtroom thriller |
| March 2026 | Lady Tremaine | Rachel Hochhauser | Dark retelling |
| April 2026 | Into the Blue | Emma Brodie | Love story |
| May 2026 | The Fine Art of Lying | Alexandra Andrews | Literary thriller |
| June 2026 | A Pair of Aces | Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray | Historical fiction |
| July 2026 | A Founding Mother | Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie | Historical fiction |
| August 2026 | The Wild Beneath | Kelly Anderson | Magical realism |
| September 2026 | Big Little Truths | Liane Moriarty | Domestic drama (sequel) |
The year opened with The First Time I Saw Him, Laura Dave’s sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. Hannah and Bailey are back, and Owen’s past comes knocking again. It was a smart January pick because many readers had just finished the Apple TV series.
The September pick, Big Little Truths, takes readers back to the world of Big Little Lies. Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Bonnie, and Renata return, now dealing with teenagers, a new principal, and a mysterious package. For fans who first met these women on screen, this one feels like a reunion.
Standout 2026 Picks Worth Reading First
If you’re short on time, start with A Pair of Aces. It follows Polly Adler, a famous Manhattan madam, and Eunice Carter, a Black female prosecutor, as they go after Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York. It’s fast, sharp, and full of real history.
Lady Tremaine is the boldest pick of the year. It retells Cinderella from the stepmother’s side, focusing on motherhood, family pressure, and the cost of seeming perfect. Note that it touches on sexual assault, so check content notes first.
A Founding Mother tells Abigail Adams’s story, timed for America’s 250th anniversary. The Wild Beneath, a dual-timeline novel about a tsunami, a sailboat, and losing a parent, adds a touch of magical realism. Together, they show how wide the 2026 range is.
Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2025
The Reese Witherspoon book club 2025 picks mixed romance, survival stories, and quieter literary fiction. Two LitUp fellows made the list, which shows the club is building its own pipeline of writers. Here are the main 2025 picks in monthly order:
| Month | Title | Author | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | The Three Lives of Cate Kay | Kate Fagan | Literary fiction |
| February 2025 | Isola | Allegra Goodman | Historical survival |
| March 2025 | Broken Country | Clare Leslie Hall | Love story / thriller |
| April 2025 | All That Life Can Afford | Emily Everett | Literary fiction |
| May 2025 | Great Big Beautiful Life | Emily Henry | Romance |
| June 2025 | The Phoenix Pencil Company | Allison King | Historical / magic |
| July 2025 | Spectacular Things | Beck Dorey-Stein | Family drama |
| August 2025 | Once Upon a Time in Dollywood | Ashley Jordan | Romance |
| September 2025 | To the Moon and Back | Eliana Ramage | Debut fiction |
| November 2025 | Wild Dark Shore | Charlotte McConaghy | Literary thriller |
| December 2025 | The Heir Apparent | Rebecca Armitage | Royal romance |
For many readers, Broken Country was the strongest pick on the Reese Witherspoon book club list 2025. It mixes a love story between Beth and Gabriel with a slow-building mystery in a rural village. The pace builds steadily, and the ending stays with you.
Isola stands out for its setting. Based on a real 16th-century woman, Marguerite, it follows her survival after being left on a remote island. Wild Dark Shore, set near Antarctica around a seed bank, offered a similar slow burn with a sharper modern edge.
For lighter reading, Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry pits two writers against each other for one big story. The Heir Apparent closed the year as a holiday-friendly read about a medical resident who suddenly becomes heir to the British throne.
Reese Witherspoon Book Club List in Order (2017–2024)
Reading the Reese Witherspoon book club list in order shows how the club grew. Early picks leaned toward established literary fiction. Later years brought more debut authors, thrillers, and diverse voices. The tables below cover the full years where every month is confirmed, followed by early highlights.
2024 Picks
| Month | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January | First Lie Wins | Ashley Elston |
| February | Redwood Court | DéLana R. A. Dameron |
| March | Anita de Monte Laughs Last | Xochitl Gonzalez |
| April | The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo |
| May | How to End a Love Story | Yulin Kuang |
| June | The Unwedding | Ally Condie |
| July | The Cliffs | J. Courtney Sullivan |
| August | Society of Lies | Lauren Ling Brown |
| September | We Will Be Jaguars | Nemonte Nenquimo |
| October | Slow Dance | Rainbow Rowell |
| November | The Comfort of Crows | Margaret Renkl |
| December | City of Night Birds | Juhea Kim |
First Lie Wins became the breakout of 2024. Evie Porter lives under a fake identity, working for the mysterious Mr. Smith, and her latest target, Ryan Sumner, starts a cat-and-mouse game. The Unwedding earned comparisons to The White Lotus with its Big Sur resort setting.
2023 Picks
| Month | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January | The House in the Pines | Ana Reyes |
| February | The House of Eve | Sadeqa Johnson |
| March | The Nightingale | Kristin Hannah |
| April | Romantic Comedy | Curtis Sittenfeld |
| May | Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? | Crystal Smith Paul |
| June | Cassandra in Reverse | Holly Smale |
| July | Yellowface | R.F. Kuang |
| August | Tom Lake | Ann Patchett |
| September | Mother-Daughter Murder Night | Nina Simon |
| October | Starling House | Alix E. Harrow |
| November | Maybe Next Time | Cesca Major |
| December | Before We Were Innocent | Ella Berman |
2023 was one of the club’s strongest years. Tom Lake, set on a Michigan cherry orchard, is a must-listen on audiobook thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration. Yellowface offered sharp satire about publishing, and Starling House made a perfect fall read.
2022 Picks
| Month | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January | Honor | Thrity Umrigar |
| February | The Christie Affair | Nina de Gramont |
| March | The Club | Ellery Lloyd |
| April | True Biz | Sara Nović |
| May | The Dictionary of Lost Words | Pip Williams |
| June | Counterfeit | Kirstin Chen |
| July | Honey and Spice | Bolu Babalola |
| August | Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister |
| September | On the Rooftop | Margaret Wilkerson Sexton |
| October | Our Missing Hearts | Celeste Ng |
| November | Tiny Beautiful Things | Cheryl Strayed |
| December | The Marriage Portrait | Maggie O’Farrell |
Early Highlights (2017–2021)
The first years built the club’s reputation. These are the picks that defined its voice:
- June 2017: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (the very first pick)
- September 2017: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- December 2017: The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
- July 2018: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
- September 2018: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- March 2019: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- May 2019: From Scratch by Tembi Locke
- November 2019: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
- January 2020: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- May 2020: The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
- June 2020: The Guest List by Lucy Foley
- March 2021: Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
- May 2021: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
If you want to understand the club fast, read three of these: Eleanor Oliphant, Little Fires Everywhere, and Where the Crawdads Sing. Together they show the mix of quirky heroines, family tension, and mystery the club still chases today.
Biggest Reese Witherspoon Book Club Winners
People searching for a “Reese Witherspoon book club winner” usually want the picks that became the biggest hits. The club doesn’t hand out awards, but a few books clearly won, through sales, bestseller runs, or screen adaptations.
| Book | Pick Date | Why It Stands Out |
|---|---|---|
| Where the Crawdads Sing | Sep 2018 | 10M+ copies sold; major movie adaptation |
| Daisy Jones & The Six | Mar 2019 | 2M+ copies; Amazon Prime series |
| Little Fires Everywhere | Sep 2017 | Hulu series with Reese |
| The Last Thing He Told Me | May 2021 | Apple TV series with Jennifer Garner; 2026 sequel |
| From Scratch | May 2019 | Hello Sunshine adaptation |
| Tiny Beautiful Things | Nov 2022 | Hulu series |
| First Lie Wins | Jan 2024 | Breakout thriller and longtime bestseller |
Where the Crawdads Sing is the club’s biggest success. Kya, the “Marsh Girl” of North Carolina, carried a coming-of-age mystery that stayed on the NYT bestseller list for years. It proved that one book club pick could reshape a debut author’s career.
The adaptation track record is what sets this club apart from other celebrity book clubs. Because Hello Sunshine often holds screen rights, a pick can move from page to screen within a few years. Reading the book first has become part of the fun for many fans.
Picks That Divided Readers
Not every pick lands. The Giver of Stars faced controversy over similarities to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which also features Kentucky’s packhorse librarians. The Club and Great Big Beautiful Life also got mixed reviews from longtime members.
In my experience, the club is most reliable with thrillers and historical fiction. Its romance picks tend to split opinions more. If a pick isn’t in your favorite genre, reading reviews first can save you from a book that isn’t for you.
Reese Witherspoon Book Club Picks by Genre
Grouping Reese Witherspoon book club picks by genre makes it easier to find your next read. The club covers a wide range, but a few categories clearly dominate.
- Thrillers: First Lie Wins, The Guest List, Before We Were Innocent, Wrong Place Wrong Time, In Her Defense, The House in the Pines
- Historical fiction: The Nightingale, The Henna Artist, A Pair of Aces, A Founding Mother, Isola, The Marriage Portrait
- Romance: How to End a Love Story, Honey and Spice, Romantic Comedy, Great Big Beautiful Life, Into the Blue
- Literary fiction: Tom Lake, The Most Fun We Ever Had, Such a Fun Age, Our Missing Hearts
- Memoir and nonfiction: From Scratch, Tiny Beautiful Things, The Comfort of Crows, We Will Be Jaguars
- Speculative and magical: Starling House, Maybe Next Time, The Phoenix Pencil Company, The Wild Beneath
Thrillers are the club’s strongest category. They’re quick reads, they make great discussion picks, and many are adaptation-ready. If you’re new to the club, a thriller is the easiest entry point.
Memoir and nonfiction picks are rarer, maybe one or two a year. They’re often the most personal choices. From Scratch, Tembi Locke’s memoir of love, loss, and Sicily, is still one I recommend to readers who think the club is only about fiction.
Reese’s YA Book Club and Sunnie Reads
Reese’s Book Club launched a YA club in October 2020 to reach younger readers. It focused on teen stories with diverse heroines and #OwnVoices authors. Notable YA picks include Firekeeper’s Daughter, You Should See Me in a Crown, Tokyo Ever After, and Furia.
In 2026, the club introduced Sunnie Reads, aimed at Gen Z readers. It keeps the same idea, monthly picks with a strong female lead, but leans into the genres younger readers love, including fantasy, fake-dating romance, and thriller retellings.
For parents and teachers, the YA picks from 2020 to 2025 make a strong reading list. They tackle identity, family, and belonging without feeling preachy, and many come with free discussion guides.
How to Follow Reese’s Book Club
Keeping up with the club is easy once you set up a simple routine. Here’s what works best:
- Follow the club on Instagram to see each pick as soon as it’s announced.
- Download the club’s app for discussion questions, author chats, and reading guides.
- Keep a printable PDF checklist of the full list so you can tick off the books you’ve read.
- Try the audiobook version for picks known for great narration, like Tom Lake.
- Join a local or online group to discuss each pick with other readers.
Most picks come with 30 or more discussion questions. First Lie Wins had 35, and Wrong Place Wrong Time had 33. These guides work well for in-person book clubs, especially if your group struggles to keep conversations going.
A tip from my own reading: don’t try to catch up on every past pick at once. Start with the current month’s book, then fill in older favorites between new releases. That way you stay part of the live conversation without falling behind.
FAQs
What is the latest Reese Witherspoon book club pick?
The most recent pick on this list is Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty, chosen for September 2026. It’s the sequel to Big Little Lies. New picks are announced at the start of each month, so check the club’s Instagram for the October 2026 selection.
What was the first Reese’s Book Club pick?
The first pick was Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, announced in June 2017. It set the tone for the club, a quirky, emotional story centered on one memorable woman.
Did Reese Witherspoon sell her book club?
Reese sold Hello Sunshine, the company behind the book club, to Candle Media in August 2021. The deal valued the company at around $900 million. Reese remained on the board and still personally chooses the monthly picks.
Do Reese’s Book Club picks become bestsellers?
Very often, yes. A Reese pick usually gets an immediate sales boost, and many reach the NYT bestseller list within weeks. Where the Crawdads Sing is the most famous example, with more than 10 million copies sold.
How many books are on the Reese Witherspoon book club list?
The club has picked more than 100 titles since 2017, not counting YA picks. With one pick per month, the list grows by roughly 12 books every year.
Is Reese Witherspoon’s book club free to join?
Yes. Following the picks, using the reading guides, and joining online discussions is free. You only pay for the books themselves, though many libraries keep current picks in stock.
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