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Bright Green Door

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My Favorite Book Club Suggestions & the Books I’d Skip

June 22, 2018 By BrightGreenDoor

In the past few years I went from barely reading at all, to becoming an avid reader. Then, this year I got an audible subscription as well as started using Overdrive to borrow audiobooks from the library. Whenever I read an amazing book I immediately want everyone around me to read it as well so that we can talk about it! I wrote a post all about “How to Start a Book Club“, and I’m in the beginning stages of starting another one here! Whether you’re in a book club, or just looking for a good read, here is my list of book club suggestions (as well as the books I’d skip!)

**Post Contains Affiliate Links**


  1. The Nightingale– Historical fiction is my favorite genre and Kristin Hannah is REALLY good at writing it. I’ve read all of her books and this one was my favorite.
  2. The Kitchen House– I LOVED this book but it was a bit dark for some of the girls in my book club. We all agreed that when read with the sequel “Glory Over Everything” the darkness is redeemed. I’d almost only choose this book if you’re willing to read the sequel the following month. It’s a definite MUST READ to me!
  3. The Undoing of Saint Silvanus– Over the years I’ve enjoyed many bible stories by Beth Moore, so I was excited to read her first non-fiction story. It really was suspenseful and kept me up late waiting to see what happened next! I also enjoyed that it shared the gospel story without being unrealistic.
  4. Old Heart– This book isn’t very well known but it should be! It was such a sweet and endearing story that took some twists that I didn’t expect!

  5. At Home in the World– I really loved this book and it inspired me to want to travel with my kids! For anyone that loves travel and has a family this is a great read!
  6. Bread and Wine– This was a really fun book club book because we all cooked the recipes from the book! Even without a bookclub it is a really easy and enjoyable read.
  7. Small Great Things– This book was SO good. One of those books that you think about LONG after you’re done reading it. Possibly my top recommendation of this year! I’ve heard some dissension about how it’s a white woman writing a black woman’s perspective on race, sort of “stealing” her story. With that said though, I think she wrote the black and white perspectives beautifully.
  8. The Sound of Gravel– I went into this book unsure about where it would go, but I love that it taught me so much about a different perspective of American life and poverty. It’s a memoir and I found myself wanting to know even more once it was over.

  9. Dear Carolina– This fiction story felt so real and relevant to my life. Combining my love of interior design, and my experience as an adoptive mom. I’ve read all of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s books and I’ve enjoyed them all but this one stands as my favorite.
  10. The Great Alone– This is another Kristin Hannah book that I couldn’t read fast enough! I found myself wanting to head to Alaska as I read this one! If you’re looking for realistic fiction with lots of emotion and suspense this is it!
  11. Americanuh– This book is written by a black Nigerian woman living in America and gave stories from her perspective on life in both Nigeria and America. It was really funny and enlightening at the same time.
  12. The Girl You Left Behind– This is another historical fiction that had me really curious about how the stories were going to intertwine. Once I figured it out I couldn’t stop reading!

  13. The Personal History of Rachel Dupree– This story is written from the perspective of the first black homesteader in South Dakota. It sort of combined my love of American Pioneer stories, with stories of race!
  14. The Light Between Oceans– This is one of those books that where you identify so much with the main character, that even when they’re doing something wrong you want them to succeed! Until you hear the other side! I don’t want to spoil it, but as a mother, and an adoptive mother, this one had me torn in both directions.
  15. Redeeming Love– This is a rare book that I’ve actually read multiple times! It’s such a good fictional story that teaches about God’s love. I think this is a must read for everyone!
  16. The House Girl– Another historical fiction that dates back to slavery and intertwines with a modern day story.

** I also couldn’t pick a favorite, but over the years I’ve read every book by Mary Kay Andrews and Adriana Trigiani. They’re all fiction but they both write stories that suck you in and are easy quick reads. These are almost always my beach or vacation reads!

Books I wish I’d Skipped

Time is precious and so is money, and it’s such a disappointment to waste either on a bad book! Here’s the books I wish I would have saved my time and money on:


  1. 11/22/63– This is a Stephen King book that is WAY outside the norm of what I like to read. It was entertaining but it was LONG and also seemed like it had some boring parts that could have just been skipped. I still think about some of the concepts from the book. If you’re a fan of sci-fi than it might be a good read but for me it was just too far outside of my realm.
  2. The Summer Before the War– I read about 2/3 of this book and just could NOT get into it. This surprised me because typically I love reading WWII era historical fiction but this one just didn’t do it for me.
  3. A Man Called Ove– This is another book that everyone raved about that I just never really got into. Honestly, this is one I would have been happier to just watch on Netflix and save my time!
  4. Water for Elephants– This book has a really good story, but was just too crude and vulgar for me. It’s sort of like a movie with sex scenes and swearing that do nothing for the movie.

I hope that these book club suggestions were helpful and will inspire you to pick up a book! Honestly, only about half of these are books I “read” the old fashioned way. The rest I listened to while working on projects! I’ve found that listening to a book keeps me entertained far longer than a podcast, especially when working on a really big project!

I wanted to mention that I’ve been loving GoodReads for keeping track of books. It’s a free way to keep track of books I’ve read, am reading, and would like to read. Feel free to give me a follow over there! Also please let me know if there’s any books that I should add to my list!

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Comments

  1. Rebekah says

    June 22, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    I watched the movie “A Man Called Ove” and enjoyed it. I don’t know if I would’ve finished the book, though. I’d recommend giving it a try 🙂

  2. Anne Swenson says

    June 22, 2018 at 6:08 pm

    Have you read any of Charles Martin’s books??? He just released a new one, Send Down the Rain. Others are A Long Way Gone, Life Interrupted, The Mountain Between Us…lots more. He is a Christian man and my favorite author. When he writes a book, my bookclub reads it. I have read all but one or two of the books you listed, so I think you will love CM….

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 24, 2018 at 3:05 pm

      Thank you so much for the suggestion. It sounds like I’d definitely like his books. I’ll add them to my Good Reads List now!

  3. Kristy Harvey says

    June 23, 2018 at 6:06 am

    I love these suggestions and so appreciate you including Dear Carolina!! I love knowing it’s your favorite 💕💕 thank you so much. I hope you’re having a great summer, Jess! xo

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 24, 2018 at 3:07 pm

      Oh absolutely! I recommend it to friends all the time!

  4. nancy says

    June 24, 2018 at 12:03 pm

    The Marin County Free Library sponsors several book clubs in various towns throughout Marin County, CA…three in the day time and one in the evening. I belong to the Novato Thursday Night Mystery Book Club. We meet once a month for an hour to discuss the book we’ve all read, the author and rate the book on a scale from 1 to 10. We’ve even had local authors come join us. Books are chosen with the help of a librarian four months in advance. We are provided with paperbacks and are allowed to keep them for six weeks rather than the usual three week check out. If your library doesn’t have a book club, maybe they can help you form one. I find that meeting at the library allows us to concentrate on the book rather than have the group dissolve into a “coffee klatch.”

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 24, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      This is such a great suggestion. I’m going to look into it and see if our library offers anything like this! I have been a part of bookclubs that become more of a social club than a book club! I love being able to discuss the books!

  5. Kay says

    June 24, 2018 at 12:52 pm

    Please read The Clan of the Cave Bear series. I’ve read it multiple times and listened to it several times on cassette and CD.

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 24, 2018 at 3:10 pm

      Sounds interesting! Different than what I normally listen to but I’m open to different genres!

  6. Tina says

    June 25, 2018 at 2:10 am

    Since you enjoy historical Christian fiction, let me recommend 2 series that I thoroughly enjoyed. The first is a 3 book series by Mindy Starns Clark & Leslie Gould, ‘Cousins of the Dove’. This is a very light read with a storyline which intertwines modern day with the historical family background. It also has Discussion Questions which could be used in a small group. The second series is by Jack Cavanaugh, ‘American Family Portrait’. It follows a family Bible through 9 books of different eras in history., beginning with ‘The Puritans’. I had never read historical fiction before and this was the best entry into this genre. Both series are on Good Reads. Hope you enjoy! Keep up the great work!

  7. terrillr says

    June 25, 2018 at 8:12 am

    I love Kristin Hannah’s books, Francine Rivers is another favorite, and I enjoyed The Kitchen House and sequel. I’ll have to check out your other recommendations, as I think we have similar tastes in books. Other favorite authors are Dan Walsh and Liz Curtis Higgs. You might check them out when you have time. I’ll be back to this thread to see what/who others recommend too. 😀

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 25, 2018 at 10:24 am

      Thank you for the suggestions! I’m adding books by both of them to my Good Reads list now. I love getting personal recommendations. Glad you enjoy so many of the same books as me.

  8. Dawn Berry says

    June 25, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    thanks for the suggestions Jess!

    If you love historical fiction one of my favs is, The Invisible Bridge- by Julie Orringer

    hope your having a good summer!

    • BrightGreenDoor says

      June 25, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you so much! I hadn’t heard of this one! I’ll add it to my list right now.

Hi, I’m Jess!

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