“The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts” is the story of an ordinary woman living in Philadelphia with her family. After the death of her father, Anna Maye is forced out of her home, and she must make her own way in life.

She spends her days working at a local chocolate factory, where she becomes close to an older coworker, Louie, who has an ill wife at home. After his wife’s death, Louie marries Anna Maye. This marriage is rife with ups and downs as both characters learn to understand each other and embrace their new lives together.

The novel is an insightful exploration of Anna Maye’s experiences as a 30-something woman, looking at how she navigates her complicated relationships with her family, Louie and herself.

“The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts” is a hidden gem for your next book club. It contemplates heavy but universal themes like alcoholism, adultery and family relationships. It is full of possibilities for discussion, and it will appeal to readers of all ages and backgrounds.

“Home Is Not a Country” is a unique novel, written entirely in verse. It follows the story of Nima, a young woman who struggles to find her place in the world.

She feels conflicted identities: heritage from her mother’s side, who was raised overseas, and her experience growing up in a small suburban town. The novel follows Nima as she begins a journey of discovery, using elements of fantasy and magical realism.

Saifa Elhillo is known for her poetry collections, “Girls That Never Die” and “The January Children.” She regularly performs for audiences in person and online. You can check out her work on YouTube.

This novel will encourage your group to tackle subjects like identity, family and the immigrant experience — all very relevant in today’s political landscape. You can even give your book club an extra dimension by listening to Elhillo’s poetry and hearing her words as she intended them.

Editor’s Note: If you liked Mohammed El-Kurd’s poetry collection, “Rifqa,” you may enjoy Saifa Elhillo’s thoughtful and poetic insights on identity, family and home.

“The Language of Flowers” is a beautiful debut novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It follows Victoria, a young woman who has recently left the foster care system. She reflects on the abuse she experienced as a child, using her passion for flowers as a way to process her emotions.

This novel is an emotional and raw exploration of one woman’s journey to find herself again. It deals with tough issues like foster care and abuse, sparking important discussions around love, forgiveness and second chances.

“The Language of Flowers” is rated 4.09 on Goodreads, with reviewers praising Diffenbaugh’s ability to create a flawed but engaging main character. Many readers connect with Victoria’s story.

Published in October, 2025, “Grabtown” is a story of secrets and lies in small-town Connecticut. The novel follows Cassandra and Anastasia, twin sisters who discover an unpublished murder mystery among their late mother’s belongings.

As the twins debate whether to publish the story, they start to question how much of it is really fiction. The novel soon becomes about their quest for the truth. They start to question everything, including their relationships, family and the people around them.

“Grabtown” is a great choice for your next book club. It’s an intriguing novel, with a unique yet relatable sibling relationship at its center. The book is full of suspense and mystery. It gets to the very core of sisterhood and family ties.

“Pages For You” by Sylvia Brownrigg is a lesser-known coming-of-age story that deserves recognition. Following the story of young Flannery Jansen, a college student who pursues a romantic relationship with an older graduate student, Anne, “Pages For You” is full of evocative prose that just jumps off the page.

The novel is short, so it’s an accessible choice for your book club. It’s easy to read, but it’s full of shrewd observations about love and relationships. “Pages For You” may particularly interest young adult readers or those looking to expand their LGBTQIA+ reading selection.

Sylvia Brownrigg has also written a sequel to her novel, “Pages For Her.” This book follows Flannery as an older woman, now married with kids. She reflects on her relationship with Anne, including all the love and heartbreak that came with it.

Online reviewers praise “Pages For You” for its characterization and descriptions of love. However, some readers criticize the ending of the novel.

Editor’s Note: Check out my in-depth review of “Pages For You,” including my honest thoughts on Sylvia Brownrigg’s characterization of both Flannery and Anne.

“A Town Like Alice” is a modern classic that was published in 1950. It follows the story of Jean Paget, a young woman captured by the Japanese army in Malaya during the Second World War. She is forced on a march across the country with a group of women, befriending Joe Harman, an Australian soldier who risks his life to help them.

Back in England a few years later, Jean comes into an unexpected inheritance. She uses her money to travel back to Malaya and repay the local people who helped her during the war. She then travels to Australia in search of lost love, where she starts a remarkable new life.

“A Town Like Alice” is about the power of love over hate and the inner strength that we all possess, themes that will resonate with readers today. It’s an uplifting novel for your next book club and full of extraordinary characters.

The novel is also a great choice for movie fans. Released in 1956, Jack Dee’s film adaptation of “A Town Like Alice” leaves out a significant portion of the original novel. Your book club can discuss whether the novel really is better than the film, and compare creative formats.

“Something Wild” by Hanna Halperin is a raw look at the cycle of abuse, following the story of two sisters, Tanya and Nessa Bloom, who travel back to Boston to help their mother pack up their childhood home.

There, they must confront the secrets of their adolescence, looking back at their childhood and everything that came with it. “Something Wild” considers how the past can haunt the present and how our childhoods affect the relationships we build as adults.

Goodreads reviewers praise the novel for Halperin’s emotional writing style. The book resonates with those who have lived through abuse, providing an immersive and respectful insight into the generational cycle of trauma.

“The Air Raid Book Club” is a beautiful story about Gertie Bingham, a London bookstore owner on the brink of retiring to the seaside. However, after hearing about the plight of Jewish families in Hitler’s Germany, Gertie decides to stay in London, taking in a teenage refugee, Hedy, who has been sent to England by her parents to escape persecution.

Gertie and Hedy form a connection, starting up a book club to distract their local community during the Blitz air raids. They show their members that books can provide solace in the darkest of times, helping each other through loss, heartbreak and unimaginable grief.

Set during the Second World War, this is a good book club read. Not only is it about a book club, but it’s also a chance to learn about a dark and transformative time in world history. It considers the importance of human connection, love and books.

Fans of historical fiction like “Corelli’s Mandolin” by Louis de Bernières may also enjoy “The Air Raid Book Club.” Both novels are a heartwarming and heartbreaking look at life during World War Two.

“Her Perfect Plan” by Anuradha Goswami was first published in April, 2025. It is a dark thriller about trust, secrets and lies. The novel follows Molina, a woman who thinks she has it all: a loving husband, a successful business and the perfect son.

However, not everything is as it seems. After seeing her husband with another woman, Molina starts to question everything she thought she knew. This is a story of revenge and power. It considers just how far one woman will go to avenge herself.

“Her Perfect Plan” is a twisted and exciting read for your next book club. It brings up thoughtful moral questions for readers to consider. You’ll find yourself asking: Did Molina go too far?

“We” is a dystopian novel by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin, first published in 1924. Set in the 26th century, it’s thought to have influenced future dystopian novels like “1984” by George Orwell, despite being considerably less well-known.

In Zamyatin’s novel, he foresees a world ruled by “Benefactor,” an all-powerful dictator who oversees a totalitarian society, known as OneState. The citizens are devoid of creativity and freedom, until one day a mathematician discovers that he has his own individual soul.

The novel was suppressed for over 60 years in Russia, so it will spark excellent conversations about banned literature, political theory and the power of individual freedom.

Perfect for fans of “1984” by George Orwell and “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley, “We” is praised on Goodreads for its prose, depth and characterization. It will get your group talking about dictatorship, rebellion and humanity.