The Best Books for Book Clubs to Read in 2024, So Far

What are the best books for book clubs that we’ve read recently? I’m so glad you asked.

I come from a long line of book club–loving women. I grew up going with my mother and grandmother to their clubs as a teen, then founded my own shortly after moving to New York City from California in my 20s. To me, the best part of a book club—and yes, we do actually discuss the book for at least 15 minutes—is the community I have found and discussions I have had with other smart, hilarious women from all walks of life and perspectives.

But if your book club is anything like mine, you probably spend the last 10 minutes of every meeting scrolling your phones simultaneously, trying to come up with ideas for the best books for book clubs. So, when considering how we at Glamour could best contribute to the already rich tapestry of book recommendations online, I immediately thought of this pain point. I polled Glamour staff along with other readers we trust—our own ad-hoc book club, if you will—on the best books they read recently that they thought could spark a robust conversation with a group of women.

What followed was a truly diverse list of books of multiple genres that all have one thing in common: They are definitely book club worthy. So stop scrolling and pick your wine glass back up; here’s our curated list of the best books for book clubs.

(Note, this list covers books that were released either late last year or through June of this year. Stay tuned for even more summer reads.)

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A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

On the surface, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams is a love story that connects two artists across generations. But in reality, it’s a story about a young woman who takes a chance on herself and her dream. Ricki Wilde is a 20-something from Atlanta who comes from a wealthy and meritocratic family. Since childhood she always felt that she didn’t fit in, and maybe there’s good reason for that. Her inability to fit in, in addition to meeting her fairy godmother, leads her to Harlem.

As she immerses herself in her new community, which is filled with the history of the Harlem Renaissance, she meets a man. She feels an extraordinary but unexplainable draw to him, with multiple run-ins that don’t seem coincidental. Williams draws readers in with a modern day love story, sprinkled with colloquial humor and Louisiana voodooism. She balances Harlem’s intersection with music throughout history, and what the Harlem Renaissance offered Black Americans in the 1920s. Across generations, Williams uses Ricki’s business as a flower shop owner to pay homage to historical figures and places from that time. All of this, together with intense sex scenes, makes this a perfect book for the hopeless romantic and history buff.

-Monique Wilson, editorial assistant

Out now