Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2023
The Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2023 is a complete list of Reese’s book picks for 2023. I wanted to make this list to see how the book choices change and evolve from year to year. I have been a fan of Reese Witherspoon for a long time, but sometimes I get confused about which book came out when. To keep it straight, I wanted to divide the full list up by year and give reviews for the books that Kirsten and I have read
Kirsten and I read a lot of books, especially celebrity book club picks. We want to be able to ensure that we are reading the best books so we can give you the best recommendations. Sometimes picking your next book can be hard, and I hope this list helps. Have a look through this list of Reese Witherspoon book club picks for 2023. If you are looking for The Complete Reese Witherspoon Book Club List, I have that list too.
The Best Reese Witherspoon Book Club Books 2023
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
1.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
2.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
3.
Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2023
The House in the Pines
Author: Ana Reyes
Year: 2023
Genre: Thriller Horror
More info: January 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
aya was days away from moving away to college when he best friend Aubrey mysteriously dropped dead in front of her. She blamed Frank, an older guy who she had been hanging out with that summer although there was nothing to prove that he had done a thing to harm Aubrey.
Now, years later, Maya is trying to overcome an addiction to the drug prescribed to help her overcome the loss of Aubrey. When she sees a video of a woman who drops dead in a cafe and Frank is sitting with her, she sets off in a spiral again and needs to prove that Frank is responsible.
Trigger Warnings
Addiction
Why Jackie loves it
I love this book with a totally likable and yet, completely unreliable narrator. If you have not read this pick, run, don’t walk, to get it! It needs to be top of the list of your books for fall.
Why Kirsten likes it
Unlike Jackie, I didn’t love this story. I enjoyed it, but never connected with any of the characters. Still, it was cool to visit Pittsfield and see the places in the book come to life!
Find this book in: Beach Reads 2023 / Thriller Horror / Fall Books / Books with Unreliable Narrators / Reese Witherspoon 2023
The House of Eve
Author: Sadeqa Johnson
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: February 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Sadeqa Johnson is back with a stunning historical fiction novel set in Philadelphia and D.C. during the 1950s. Ruby and Eleanor both fall in love with boys from outside their respective classes, but they have wildly different relationship outcomes. Their relationships collide in an unexpected way at the end of the book, but before that, it felt like 2 stories in one.
Trigger Warnings
Racism, Miscarriage
Why Kirsten likes it
I liked the look at classicism and racial relationships in the 1950s. It was informative and entertaining, but I wish it didn’t feel like reading 2 books at once.
The Nightingale
Author: Kristin Hannah
Year: 2015
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: March 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is a remarkable story of two sisters who live in France. As historical fiction goes, this one set the standard for me. It is one of my all-time favorite books. It details how they survive the Second World War under Nazi Occupation. The sisters are separated by time and have completely different experiences in the war.
This book is one of the books that should be read in a lifetime. It is a total tear-jerker and should be essential reading! If you have not read this book and are looking for a pick for your next book club, you should consider this one. I will also point out that this is a book about WWII, not the Holocaust. While there is a subplot with a Jewish character, this by no means is a book about the Jewish experience during the war.
Trigger Warnings
WWII
Why Jackie loves it
The powerful story and the bonds of sisterhood in this book make it an unforgettable book. I cannot wait to see the movie adaptation
Why Kirsten loves it
I love historical fiction and read them all the time. This book was still filled with surprises and the writing grabbed me from the first page.
Adaptation Information
Elle and Dakota Fanning are set to produce and star in the film adaptation of this book which has been in the works for quite some time!
Find this book in: Books about WWII / Books Set in France / Books About Sisters and Sisterhood / Books About Female Spies / Books Becoming Movies / Best Reese Witherspoon Books / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Romantic Comedy
Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Year: 2023
Genre:
More info: April 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Sally Milz is a sketch writer for a late-night comedy show. She begins to write a sketch called the Danny Horst Rule, which makes fun of average-looking men dating gorgeous women, but the reverse rarely happens. Being set on a comedy show makes this the perfect setting for a funny romance!
When a pop music icon signs on as the musical guest and host for the show for the week, sparks begin to fly, but Sally doesn’t know if it is just in her head. After all, he is a gorgeous star!
Trigger Warnings
Pandemic
Why Jackie loves it
We love Curtis Sittenfeld and could not wait to read this book. This is a slow-burn romance that I loved. Part of the book takes place over email correspondence during the COVID lockdown and I could not get enough. This is one of my favorite summer reads for 2023 and true to its name is one of the best romantic comedy books of all time.
Find this book in: Celebrity Romance / Rom-Com Books / Novels about Music / Epistolary Novels/ Best Reese Witherspoon Books / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
Author: Crystal Smith Paul
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: May 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Upon her death, White silver screen star, Kitty Karr, leaves her entire estate to three young Black women. It results in a lot of questions, which Elise St. John, one of the recipients intends to find the answers to.
As Elise digs into Kitty’s past, she uncovers truths that could unravel Kitty’s legacy, Elise’s career, and the entire Sr. John family.
Trigger Warnings
Rape, Racism
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved this story about Kitty’s past. It starts with how she had to leave her family behind to pass as white, covers her career, and explores the choices she made to keep her secret. It was both thought-provoking and entertaining, making it a perfect pick for ultimate beach reads and also for book clubs.
Find this book in: Old Hollywood Books / Books Like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo / Hollywood Novels / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Cassandra in Reverse
Author: Holly Smale
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction
More info: June 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Cassandra Penelope Dankworth has just had the worst day of her life! She has been dumped, fired, and told to move out of her apartment. This is all very unfortunate for someone who likes things to be predictable.
After the worst day of her life (she was fired, dumped, and kicked out of her apartment) Cassie realizes that she can go back and change the past. She is determined to go back until she can fix everything that went wrong. But in doing so, something remarkable happens. Cassie begins to get a new perspective on people and situations. What if the past she thought she wanted wasn’t actually what she wanted?
Why Jackie likes it
This is such a fun and unique time loop book. It is a fast-paced book that is emotional, funny, and made me think. I did not love the ending and for me, that can make or break a book. It went from a five-star to a three-star read. However, I know that there are so many people who completely disagree. I would love to know your thoughts
Find this book in: Best Time Loop Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Yellowface
Author: R. F. Kuang
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction
More info: July 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Athena Liu is a literary star whose books are immediate best sellers. June Hayward went to school with Athena and thought she would be a star as well. However, she has found herself in literary obscurity.
One night, June and Athena are hanging out in Athena’s apartment when Athena dies in a freak accident (Content warning for graphic detail of choking). When June arrives home, she realizes she has Athena’s new unfinished, unpublished manuscript in her bag about the contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.
June decides that she will finish the manuscript and send it to her agent as her own work. She also lets them rebrand her as Juniper Song
Why Jackie loves it
There is so much to talk about in this book from obvious cultural appropriation and racism to secrets, lies, and entitlement.
Find this book in: The Complete Reese Witherspoon Book Club List / Books with Colors in the Title / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Tom Lake
Author: Ann Patchett
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction (Dual Timeline)
More info: August 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Age Range: 15+
Plot
In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return home and beg their mother to tell the story of her romance with a movie star from long ago.
Throughout their Mom’s telling of her summer theatre experience at Tom Lake, the daughters get the long-awaited answers to questions they’ve asked for years. The whole family also re-examines their lives and relationships through the new lens of information. While this is a pandemic story, it’s more of a plot device to get the family together than anything else. So don’t expect to be triggered!
Trigger Warnings
Pandemic
Why Kirsten loves it
Ann Patchett is an amazing storyteller and I love all her books, so it’s no surprise that this story is one of my best books of 2023 picks! I was completely enchanted by this story, especially because Meryl Streep reads the audiobook version.
Find this book in: Best Books of 2023 / Novels Set on a Lake / Isolation Books / Family Dramas / Best Reese Witherspoon Books / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Mother-Daughter Murder Club
Author: Nina Simon
Year: 2023
Genre: Mystery
More info: September 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
While recovering from her recent cancer treatment, Lana is living in a sleepy town with her daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jack. But the town isn’t as sleepy as it seems, especially when Jack finds a body at her after-school job. Soon all three generations of women are investigating the murder for different reasons.
Why Kirsten likes it
With its quirky cast of characters and wild high jinks, this mystery book was a total riot. I loved the multi-generation snooping and the ending even had me surprised!
Starling House
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Year: 2023
Genre: Fantasy
More info: October 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
I read this book from the New York Times best-selling author of Ten Thousand Doors of January and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Opal is a high school dropout who would do anything for her brother Jasper. She is determined to get him out of Eden Kentucky- the small town that is plagued with bad luck.
When Opal finds a job working at Starling House, the home of E. Starling, the author of The Underland who disappeared more than one hundred years ago, it seems too good to be true. The house is steeped in rumors of hauntings and strange things happening. And many of these rumors surround the house’s mysterious owner Arthur Starling.
Why Jackie loves it
This is an adult fantasy book that has a little bit of everything. It is part haunted house book, part fairy tale, part love story, and entirely a fast-paced, page-turning delight.
Find this book in: Haunted House Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels /Reese Witherspoon Book Club List / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Maybe Next Time
Author: Cesca Major
Year: 2023
Genre: Time Travel Fiction
More info: November 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
It’s all about Emma, a working mother of two who is reliving the day her husband dies on a Groundhog Day-like loop. She tries in vain to right her life and focus again on what is most important to her.
Why Kirsten likes it
I liked this novel, but it wasn’t my favorite Reese book club pick. I’m curious to see how this turns out when it gets adapted.
Adaptation Information
When Reese selected this story for her book club, she announced she’d be making a movie adaption of it as well. It’s currently slated to be released on Apple TV+
Find this book in: Time Loop Books / Books Becoming Movies / Reese Witherspoon 2023
Before We Were Innocent
Author: Ella Berman
Year: 2023
Genre: Thriller
More info: December 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Bess, Joni, and Evangeline were best friends until the summer before college, they traveled to Greece and Evangeline died. Ten years later, Joni is now implicated in a similar crime and Bess is her alibi.
Why Kirsten likes it
Reminiscent of the Amanda Knox trial, we see flashbacks of what happened all those years ago and follow Bess as she tries to discover if Joni is innocent. I enjoyed this story on my recent vacation, but also felt like I was missing a connection to the central characters.
Expert Tip
Reese has chosen so many great books since she started the book club in 2017, it can be hard to choose your next book. Here are some helpful hints:
- Are you a “Kirsten” or a “Jackie”? Have a look at our reviews of the books to help you choose
- This list includes books that may not be on other lists because we did not love all the books. Have a look at the thoughts section.
- If the description says “why I love it”, it’s a 4 or 5-star book.
- If it says “why I like it”, it’s a 3-star book.
- If it says “thoughts”, it was not a winner for Kirsten or me.
- If you love a certain genre, pick a book from that genre as your next read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best book from the 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club List?
2023 was such a great year for the Hello Sunshine Book Club. It was so difficult to choose just one. The best book of the year was Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
Was there a YA pick for the Reese Witherspoon book club in 2023?
No. Reese did not pick a YA book this year.
Related Content
Epilogue
What is your favorite book from the Reese Witherspoon Book Club of 2023?
Reese’s Book Club Reading List
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