June Reading Challenge
With June being the official start of summer reading time, I thought I would kick it off by diving into the most talked-about books of the summer. What better way to do that than to dive into the world of celebrity book clubs? I have researched and selected six of the most famous celebrity book clubs, and will read each of their June selections. Then I’ll make my judgments and report back on which ones I think are worth the hype and which ones I think you can go without reading.
I don’t know about you, but I tend to be a real mood reader, not scheduling what I’m going to read for the month but instead letting the books I finish inspire my next read. I also don’t usually tend to care for celebrity book clubs. I think a few of the most popular ones are not genuine and are another money grab for them. However, by doing this June reading challenge, I’m getting out of my “reading comfort zone” a little. Without further ado, here are the book clubs that I’ll be following:
Oprah’s Book Club
Well, her publisher’s book club, but sure, we’ll throw Oprah’s face on it, even though I find it hard to believe that she’s handpicking the books. However, she is also the OG when it comes to celebrity book clubs, making her splash back in 1996. She has been quoted saying, “Over the course of my lifetime, books have helped me know that I'm not alone, even when I'm at my loneliest." Aww, Oprah!
Her book club picks are a little different since she doesn’t pick by the month but instead what good books she has “read” lately. I picked up her latest pick, which is Long Island by Colm Tóibín. I’m actually quite excited about this one. I like Tóibín’s writing.
Belletrist Book Club
Emma Roberts and her friend Karah Preiss started this book club six years ago. It all started when they used to ship the books that they were done reading and loved across the country to each other with their thoughts and notes highlighted inside the book. I love this concept but cringe at the thought of it getting lost. I wonder if they ever gambled with USPS or stuck with reliable FedEx.
Their June pick is The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne, which doesn’t come out until June 11th. This is already on my TBR list, and I’m hoping to snag that bad boy from the library the day it comes out. Griffin Dunne’s family sounds super interesting. It promises to be more than a family memoir... Stay tuned. Good pick from Belletrist. I see you, Emma Roberts.
Read with Jenna
This is a fairly new book club that got started in 2019. Jenna Bush Hager’s purpose is to “delight, entertain, and challenge” readers. She picks each book, and then on The Today Show, she hosts interviews with the author. Talk about a dream job come true. Good for you, Jenna! You go, Jenna!
Her June pick is Swift River by Essie Chambers. She said this is one that has stayed with her, and she predicts it will stay with you too. This one was just released on Tuesday.
Reese’s Book Club
Oh yes, the Reese book club, where she focuses on “empowering women by choosing stories with women at the center.” Which is great, but you cannot tell me that her sole focus is not on monetizing “her” taste in books by making her picks into TV shows and movies. This bugs me because it’s disingenuous. She doesn’t care to get people reading; she just wants to create buzz around whatever she’s adapting into a movie/TV show. Booo, not a fan. However, I feel like if I’m going to read books from celebrity book clubs, I need to give hers a chance.
Her pick is The Unwedding by Ally Condie. It’s described as The White Lotus meets Agatha Christie. Hmmm… a popular HBO series meets an author whose books have been made into several successful movies. I digress.
TeaTime Book Club
When Dakota Johnson refuses to do something (like promote Madam Web), the girl stands her ground. This time, she is refusing to recommend beach reads or silly books in her literary fiction book club. She wants to focus not just on what is written on the page but on the deeper meaning and themes. On this club’s Instagram, they share things to help the reader feel more connected to the book, like interviews with the author and playlists to match the book. This is someone who isn’t pandering to an audience or looking to make a quick buck, and I appreciate that.
For June, she picked We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons. It deals with psychedelics and motherhood. Sounds intriguing.
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When looking up celebrity book clubs, I was shocked to see that Dua Lipa had one. I'm not sure how she has the time for book clubs with her busy schedule, but hey, if you love reading, you’ll squeeze in the time, right? Unlike Dakota Johnson, Dua is open to any and all books and just wants to connect readers and authors.
This pick is Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe. While this book certainly isn’t new (it was published in 2018), it is still buzzworthy and has been on my TBR list. Thanks, Dua!
If you’re interested in joining me on this reading adventure or have read any of these, let me know! I’d love to hear from you. Until next month, happy reading!
