Best Book Club Books Recent (2026): 5 Compared

The best book club books recent are the ones that give your group something to argue about, because a book everyone agrees on makes for a quiet meeting. A pick that splits the room keeps the conversation going past the wine. We compared five recent book club books by publication date, format, series status and club picks, using only what each listing states.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Under Story	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Widows' Book Club	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Small Things by Keegan	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
4	The Midnight Feast by Foley	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Tell Me Everything by Strout	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Under Story

Chloe Benjamin·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A GMA Book Club Pick from September 2026, by the author of The Immortalists.

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Pros

• GMA Book Club Pick
• September 1, 2026 publication
• Paperback, ebook and audiobook

Cons

• No page count stated
• September 2026; very new
• No series stated

2

Widows' Book Club

Julia Jarman·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2026 comedy about a widows' book club, Book 4 of 4.

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Pros

• February 11, 2026 publication
• Book 4 of 4: Widows series
• Paperback, ebook and audiobook

Cons

• Book 4; start earlier in series
• No page count stated
• February 2026; very new

3

Small Things by Keegan

Claire Keegan·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A slim literary novel set in 1985 Ireland, listed as an Oprah's Book Club pick.

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Pros

• 128 pages, a short literary read
• First edition published November 30, 2021
• The listing states it won the Orwell Prize

Cons

• Reading age of 1 year and up is stated, which does not match a literary novel
• No grade level is stated
• Short at 128 pages for the format

4

The Midnight Feast by Foley

Lucy Foley·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 368-page locked-room mystery set at a luxury coastal resort, for readers who want a recent standalone rather than a series.

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Pros

• Published May 2025, the most recent publication date here
• 368 pages stated
• Locked-room mystery at a coastal resort

Cons

• Not part of a series, though the keyword asks for series
• The description centers on murder at a resort party, so check before buying for a teen
• No reading age or grade level is stated

5

Tell Me Everything by Strout

Elizabeth Strout·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

In a Maine town, a lawyer and a novelist form a friendship while a murder case unfolds.

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Pros

• The listing names it an Oprah's Book Club pick, a publisher-stated label
• Bob Burgess, a town lawyer, is a central male character alongside Lucy Barton
• Published September 10, 2024, with 352 pages in one volume

Cons

• The description includes a murder investigation, a mature theme to check
• Book 5 of 5 on the listing, with earlier characters named in the description
• The description calls it a novel of moods, so fast-plot groups may find it slow

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More picks to compare

• The Most Fun We Ever HadReese's Book Club Pick, 640 pages, family saga from 2021Check on Amazon
• The Mother-in-Law Book Club384 pages, October 2026, DuttonCheck on Amazon

Compare the picks

22 October 2026

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs relevance (recency, club pick status), readability, discussion potential and availability. The Under Story leads as a GMA Book Club Pick from September 2026, while the reused listings trail on minimal details. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best book club books recent

• Check the publication date; the two newest here are from 2026.
• Confirm the format; both detailed listings offer paperback, ebook and audiobook.
• Note series status; the Widows’ Book Club is Book 4 of 4.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these are book club picks?

Under Story is a GMA Book Club Pick. Tell Me Everything is an Oprah’s Book Club pick. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a Reese’s Book Club Pick (in more picks).

Which are the most recent?

Under Story (September 1, 2026) and The Widows’ Book Club (February 11, 2026). The Mother-in-Law Book Club is October 13, 2026 (in more picks).

Are these part of a series?

The Widows’ Book Club is Book 4 of 4 in the Widows series. The others list no series.

Still deciding? Our top pickUnder Story

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Related lists

See every book club books list and all fiction books lists.

More lists: book club books.