The Best Literary Fiction Picks From Reese's Book Club

For avid readers, there's nothing like getting lost in a beautifully crafted piece of fiction. The emotional rollercoaster, the lifelike characters you meet, and the captivating storytelling are some of the reasons you can't stop turning the pages. As soon as you finish the book that left you in awe, you're rushing to find the next good one, but with all of the books published year after year, finding your next amazing read can be a bit overwhelming. 

That's where book club picks and recommendations like those from Reese's Book Club come in. Since its launch in 2017, Reese's Book Club has become a trusted source for finding the next amazing book for readers from all demographics. Reese and her book club have mastered the art of selecting novels that amplify diverse voices, which are used to tell thought-provoking narratives. With a keen eye for literary fiction, her book club's picks offer fresh and compelling perspectives that readers can resonate deeply with. And though you're guaranteed a good read if you choose any book from Reese's list, there are five literary fiction picks that we believe stand out above the rest.

Not only was Alka Joshi's debut novel "The Henna Artist" one of May 2020's historical fiction picks from Reese's Book Club, but it was also nominated for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel and Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction of the Goodreads Choice Awards. The book gained worldwide recognition and earned spots on multiple best-seller lists, on top of being a New York Times best seller. This book is the beginning of the author's Jaipur Trilogy series, and maintains a 4.18-star average with nearly 200,000 reviews on Goodreads.

"The Henna Artist" is set in 1950s Jaipur and tells the story of seventeen-year-old Lakshmi, who escaped an abusive marriage and built a new life as a skilled henna artist. She's worked hard to pave her own path and is now the most sought-after henna artist by the wealthy women of the pink city. Not only has she won over their hearts with her captivating henna, but she's also become a right-hand woman to some of them, offering well-grounded advice. Things seem to be going quite well for Lakshmi. But it might be too good to be true as her haunted past shows up on her doorstep — her abusive husband appears with a woman he claims is her sister. Will Lakshmi be able to protect the life she has built? Or will her haunting past unravel everything?

When Maurene Goo's "Throwback" was chosen as a Winter 2024 pick for Reese's Book Club, their Book-Lover-In-Chief said, "We loved the blend of heart and humor in highlighting mother-daughter relationships, and we can't wait to hear what you think about our Winter YA Pick!" The novel is a unique portrayal of life as an Asian American immigrant, a good mix of humor and heartfelt emotion, and time travel. It brilliantly captures the highs and lows, as well as the generational clashes, of a Gen Z teenager and her relationship with her mother.

Samantha Kang has a hard time understanding her mother, Priscilla. They see things too differently and have never really gotten along, and it sometimes even feels as if her mother is trying to live out her own high school wishes through her daughter. That is, until they get in a huge argument. Despite Samantha's wishes to move forward, she's taken back in time. Samantha wakes up to find herself in the '90s, where she meets her mom as a high schooler. The craziest part is that Samantha feels like she could be friends with '90s Priscilla. Her time-traveling journey helps her begin to understand her mother in a way she could never before. Will she be able to return to the present and mend their broken relationship for the future, with the understandings she's gained from the past? 

Of all the books that receive buzz, one novel that is consistently named over and over again on reader top 10 lists is May 2017's pick "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine." One kind deed changes Eleanor Oliphant's carefully composed world. When she and Raymond, the scruffy and kind IT guy from work, help an elderly man named Sammy get back on his feet after a fall, the most unlikely friendship begins to form. Eleanor has spent years keeping human connection at bay, avoiding small talk and sticking to rigid routines. But her new bond with Raymond and Sammy brings her out of her shell of solitude, and she realizes the only way to heal from your past is by opening your heart.

With one Reddit user saying, "...it was one of the best books I've read in 20 years!" as they recommended it to users, this story will have you binge reading. What's even more impressive is that Gail Honeyman wrote this debut novel while working a full-time job. The novel has been nominated for countless awards, such as the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, and like many other popular BookTok titles, it's in the works to be adapted into a film.

While "Me Before You" may be Jojo Moyes's most famous book, "The Giver of Stars" was one of Reese's picks for November 2019. In this work of historical fiction, Moyes explores compelling themes like female friendships, resilience, and the transformative power of books. This book will take you to 1930s Kentucky and delve into the lives of a group of women who come together to do something special and meaningful for people. Moyes writes an emotionally rich narrative and crafts a telling story about hope and purpose.

In 1930s Kentucky, there's a group of women who deliver books on horseback, known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. Through these book deliveries, they not only deliver literature but also deliver courage, hope, and knowledge. Among these women is an Englishwoman named Alice Wright. She married an American man, hoping marriage would set her free. Instead, she finds herself feeling trapped in a small town and suffocated with her controlling father-in-law breathing down her neck. Desperate for another escape, she jumps at the opportunity to join Eleanor Roosevelt's travel library and comes to discover an unexpected sisterhood with the other four women librarians. Together, these courageous women will go above and beyond to help people understand that stories can transform people's lives. This story is a mighty tribute to the resilience of women, their powerful friendships, and their ability to overcome the most unthinkable adversities.

Award-winning author Elif Shafak's "The Island of Missing Trees" was a November 2021 pick for Reese's book club, and it's obvious why. Shafak works magic with her literary prose and tells a story of rich cultural history, the deepest emotional connections, and the intricacies of self-identity, which are sure to resonate with readers. The narrative will take you on a journey of love, loss, grief, and the power of memory.

Long ago, on an island, there stands a taverna with a beautiful tall fig tree. This tree was anything but an ordinary fig tree, as it could remember the past and observe the emotions many humans have felt. One day, the tree watches two teenagers, Kostas, a Greek Cypriot, and Define, a Turkish Cypriot, meet by chance and fall in love. The tree witnesses the two teens' secret meetings and their unfortunate departures as war engulfs their lives. The war-torn island is changed forever, but the tree remains, holding people's memories. Decades later, Ada is the daughter of Greek Cypriots and lives in the bustling city of London. In her garden is a beautiful ficus tree, and that tree and its roots are Ada's only link to the dark secrets of her family's past. The ficus tree will become an anchor in Ada's life as she navigates years of history that unravel secrets to understand her family's story, identity, and place in the world.

Reese's Book Club has done an exceptional job at representing diverse voices from around the world, giving readers a glance into a wide range of cultures and perspectives. When selecting works for this list, we prioritized books that readers might consider unexpected, going beyond the more familiar picks by well-known authors. Of course, there were some already famous titles we just couldn't resist and had to include.

With this list, we hope to introduce stories that will challenge our readers and expand their horizons. To that end, we reviewed each book's synopsis, and opted for the ones that had compelling and intriguing narratives. After narrowing our list down to fifteen books, we combed through reader reviews on literature subreddits to gauge how each title was received, allowing us to determine our top five.