Local Book Club Reads
2025-2026
1. Any holiday book. For our December discussion, read a holiday book of your choice!2. Any Kristin Hannah book. Read any Kristin Hannah book this month.3. All My Rage ( Tahir, Sabaa ). In Juniper, California, best friends Sal and Noor navigate the fallout of a fight and their challenging home lives. Sal struggles to save his family's motel as his mother's health declines and his father descends into alcoholism. Noor secretly applies to college, yearning to escape her oppressive uncle. Their bond and futures are tested by grief, betrayal, and the weight of their pasts. Realistic fiction, immigrant experience, lyrical, character - driven.4. Art thief ( Finkel, Michael ). Michael Finkel tells the unbelievable true story of Stéphane Breitwieser, who stole hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of art from European museums and galleries over nearly a decade. Driven by an insatiable love for art, not profit, Breitwieser's audacious heists and the eventual dramatic fallout are chronicled in this captivating tale of obsession. Nonfiction, suspenseful, richly detailed, well - researched.5. Birnam Wood ( Catton, Eleanor ). In New Zealand, the idealistic guerilla gardening collective Birnam Wood clashes with a mysterious American billionaire who buys the land they covet. As they become entangled with his seemingly philanthropic project, their motivations and loyalties are tested, leading to betrayals and dangerous consequences in this tense thriller. Psychological suspense, literary fiction, character - driven, fun read.6. Everyone in my family has killed someone ( Stevens, Benjamin ). Narrator Ernie Cunningham finds his family gathering for a reunion at a ski resort as his brother is released from prison for murder. When another body turns up, Ernie, a crime fiction enthusiast, navigates his family's dark history, where everyone, including him, has caused a death, to uncover the truth behind the new killing. Mystery, large cast of char acters, clever.7. Everything is Tuberculosis ( Green, John ). "Everything Is Tuberculosis" explores the history and persistent global impact of tuberculosis, despite it being curable. Through the story of Henry, a young patient in Sierra Leone, Green illuminates the social and economic inequities that allow this disease to remain a leading cause of death. He argues that our choices, not just the bacteria, perpetuate this crisis. Issue - oriented, inspiring, richly detailed, well - researched.8. First Lie Wins ( Elston, Ashley ). Evie Porter is a con artist living under a false identity, hired by the mysterious Mr. Smith to infiltrate businessman Ryan Sumner's life. As she gets closer to Ryan, her carefully constructed lies become entangled with real feelings and a dangerous past. When her true identity is threatened, Evie must navigate a web of deceit to survive and uncover the truth behind her mission. Thriller/suspense, intricately plotted, likeable characters, fast - paced.9. Good Dirt ( Wilkerson, Charmaine ). "Good Dirt" follows three interconnected storylines across generations. From a Black couple striving for land ownership in 1950s North Carolina to their descendants grappling with inheritance and identity in the present, the novel explores themes of family secrets, the enduring legacy of the land, and the complexities of love and belonging. Historicalfiction, family saga, multiple perspectives, emotionally intense.10. Heartwood ( Gaige, Amity ). Experienced hiker Valerie Gillis disappears on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Game Warden Beverly leads the desperate search while Valerie's fractured letters to her mother reveal her struggle for survival. Simultaneously, Lena, a birdwatcher, becomes an unlikely armchair detective. As their narratives intertwine, a gripping mystery unfolds, questioning how and why we get lost and how we are found. Thriller/suspense, literary fiction, multiple perspectives, unputdownable.11. Intermezzo ( Sally Rooney ). "Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney follows two brothers in Dublin grappling with their father's recent death. Peter, a lawyer, navigates complex relationships with two women, while Ivan, a young chess prodigy, begins a surprising relationship with an older woman. The novel explores their individual grief, evolving sibling bond, and the search for connection in the aftermath of loss. Literary fiction, multiple perspectives, complex characters, lyrical.12. James ( Everett, Percival ). "James" reimagines Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from Jim's perspective. It vividly portrays Jim's internal thoughts, feelings, and intelligence as he endures the journey down the Mississippi River. The novel offers a powerful and nuanced exploration of race, freedom, and humanity through Jim's eyes, subverting the traditional narrative. Intricately plotted, moving, suspenseful, witty.13. The Mighty Red ( Erdrich, Louise ). A North Dakota community grapples with the 2008 financial crisis and environmental changes tied to sugar beet farming. Amidst economic hardship, a fraught wedding between Gary and Kismet intertwines with family secrets and the challenges of love and survival in a changing landscape. Literary fiction, strong sense of place, multiple characters, slow simmer.14. No two persons ( Bauermeister, Erica ). "No Two Persons" intricately weaves together the lives of ten seemingly disparate individuals connected by a single house over decades. Each chapter reveals a unique perspective and hidden link, exploring themes of memory, connection, and how the spaces we inhabit shape our stories and relationships across time. Short stories, books about books, thoughtful, character - driven.15. Pachinko ( Lee, Min Jin ). C hronicles four generations of a Korean family living in Japan, facing discrimination and hardship. Starting with Sunja's unexpected pregnancy in 1930s Korea, the saga follows their resilience, ambition, and the complexities of identity and belonging as they navigate a society that often rejects them. Own voices, moving, reflective, character - driven.
16. Project Hail Mary ( Weir, Andy ). Waking up with amnesia on a spaceship, Ryland Grace discovers he's humanity's last hope against a sun - dimming crisis. With the help of a surprising alien friend, Rocky, he must piece together his memories and science to find a solution before Earth becomes uninhabitable. It's a race against time filled with humor and scientific ingenuity. Science fiction thriller, intricately plotted, well - crafted dialogue, unputdownable.17. Summer of Songbirds ( Harvey, Kristy Woodson ). "Summer of Songbirds" reunites lifelong friends Mary Hollis, Eliza, and Vivi in their North Carolina hometown. Facing personal challenges and a potential threat to their beloved summer camp, they lean on their enduring bond. The novel explores themes of friendship, change, and finding strength in connection amidst life's transitions. First person narrative, multiple perspectives, feel - good, atmospheric.18. The God of the Woods ( Moore, Liz ). A shocking crime in a seemingly idyllic small town in Pennsylvania unravels generations of secrets. When a young boy disappears, the tight - knit community is forced to confront hidden truths about their past and the darkness that can lie beneath a veneer of normalcy, revealing the complex relationships and long - held resentments within. Literary fiction, stylistically complex, thought - provoking, suspenseful.19. The great believers ( Rebecca Makkai ). "The Great Believers" intertwines the 1980s AIDS crisis in Chicago with a contemporary search for a lost inheritance in Paris. As Yale grapples with loss and his friends fall ill, years later, Fiona seeks answers about her estranged daughter's connection to his past. The novel explores themes of love, grief, ar t, and the enduring impact of a devastating epidemic. Literary fiction, parallel narratives, complex characters, moving.20. The Midnight Feast ( Lucy Foley ). A storm traps guests at a remote, luxurious hotel on a tidal island. As tensions rise and secrets surface, a murder occurs during a lavish feast. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel weaves a suspenseful tale of isolation, hidden connections, and the deadly consequences of long - held resentments among the stranded group. Well - developed characters, menacing, fast - paced, atmospheric.21. The Thursday murder club ( Osman, Richard ). Four elderly friends in a retirement village meet weekly to discuss unsolved crimes. When a local developer is murdered, the amateur sleuths find themselves in the midst of a real investigation, using their wit and life experience to uncover secrets and catch a killer. Multiple perspectives, well - developed characters, sardonic, moving.22. The Waters ( Bonnie Jo Campbell ). Follows the strong - willed and unconventional Linda in rural Michigan as she navigates a life shaped by the wild landscape and her family's unique history. When a stranger arrives and disrupts their isolated existence, Linda must confront hidden truths and fight to protect her way of life and the delicate balance of her world. Well - developed characters, leisurely paced, atmospheric, feel - good.23. We were the lucky ones ( Hunter, Georgia ). Chronicles the true story of the Kurc family, Polish Jews separated at the start of WWII. Through their individual journeys across continents, enduring unimaginable hardships and near - misses, the novel highlights their unwavering determination to survive and reunite against the backdrop of the Holocaust. Biographical fiction, moving, cinematic, well - researched.
