20 Fall Book Club Books That Your Group Will Totally Love

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I belong to several book clubs, and I’m always so excited for fall because it feels like the book selections are always amazing when the year is coming to an end. 

If you have your own book club and have been thinking about what new books to add to the roster for Fall 2025, then you’ll want to check out these books.

I actually plan to start my own little book club here on the blog at the beginning of next year, and these are the kinds of books I think I’d love for myself or for my book club to discuss. 

For every recommendation I give, I make sure to add some discussion starters that you can use to get the conversation going in your group.

When I end up reading any of these books, I’ll put together full discussion guides – questions and all that wonderful stuff – sort of like a book club kit.

But since I haven’t read many of them yet (in fact, some haven’t even been released), these are just questions I pulled together based on the synopsis.

That’s just to say: if you have a book club and you’re thinking about how to select books (remember, I have another post about how to do this in the best way possible), you might want to pick any of these options!

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Two students, Alice and Peter, can’t stand each other, but when their brilliant (and grumpy) professor dies in a magical accident, they must join forces to bring him back from Hell. 

Alice is determined because her future depends on his recommendation, even if that means risking her life. Peter wants the same thing. 

The story asks: what will you give up for success? 

It’s a strange, exciting journey filled with magic, danger, and complicated feelings. 

Honestly, it makes you wonder if ambition is worth all this trouble. I’m so curious how their rivalry will end.

Possible Discussion Starters:

• Would you risk your soul for your dreams?

• How does rivalry shape Alice and Peter’s decisions?

• Is ambition always dangerous in this story?

• Did you feel sorry for Professor Grimes? Why or why not?

• What does Hell represent in the book? Is it just a place or something deeper?

The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley

This one touched my heart. It’s about young moms who have been judged by everyone but are quietly building something special together. 

Adela is sent away when she gets pregnant, but in Florida, she meets Emory and Simone – girls raising kids, loving each other, and holding onto dreams when no one else believes in them. 

It’s raw, full of heart, and shows that strength comes in messy, small ways. 

I loved how these girls created their own family, even when life tried to break them. You can feel the love and the hope on every page. Their friendship is the real magic.

Possible Discussion Starters:

• How does motherhood shape each girl’s future?

• Is Padua Beach a place of punishment or freedom?

• What does “growing big” mean for these girls?

• How do friendship and love save them?

• What did the truck symbolize in their lives?

Hot Girls With Balls by Benedict Nguyen

Green and Six are Asian American trans women playing in the men’s pro volleyball league, juggling love, jealousy, fame, and a messy sports world. 

Their romance is complicated by rival teams, the pressure to stay famous, and their secret fears. 

I love how real this feels – how hard it is to balance dreams, love, and identity in front of the world. 

It’s funny, sharp, and secretly very sad too. You can’t help but cheer for them while wondering: is success really worth this much pain?

Possible Discussion Starters:

• What pressures do fame and sports bring to their relationship?

• How does gender identity shape their experiences in volleyball?

• What is the cost of public life for Green and Six?

• Did you trust their love? Why or why not?

• Is this story more funny or sad or both?

Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven

When Ellis dies young, his whole family breaks apart. His mom teaches to forget, his dad falls for someone else far away, and his sisters try to fill the hole he left. 

But when Ellis’s old girlfriend arrives pregnant, the past stirs again. 

I loved how every family member carries their own sorrow and their own secret. 

Possible Discussion Starters:

• How did Ellis’s death change the Samuelson family?

• What does Bug Hollow symbolize in the story?

• How did each family member handle their grief?

• Was Sally’s role as caretaker fair or unfair?

• Did you feel hopeful for this family in the end?

How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast

Molly tells the story of growing up with a famous, wild mother who was everywhere – except home. 

I liked how honest and sharp her voice is, because she doesn’t pretend it was perfect. 

Her mom, Erica Jong, was brave and bold in public but distant in private.

Now, as her mother fades into dementia, Molly struggles with love, anger, grief, and forgiveness. 

It’s about what you do with a mother you never truly had and how, in the end, love still lingers. 

Possible Discussion Starters:

• How did fame affect Molly’s childhood?

• Did you feel sympathy for Erica Jong? Why or why not?

• Can you love someone you don’t really know?

• How does dementia change Molly’s feelings toward her mother?

• What does the title “How to Lose Your Mother” mean to you?

I Want to Burn This Place Down by Maris Kreizman

Maris Kreizman writes funny, thoughtful essays about growing up believing that if you worked hard and did the right things, life would reward you. 

But now in her forties, she’s realized that the system is broken and not built to help people like her (or most of us!). 

I love how brave and open she is about the disappointment and anger she feels, but also about the hope that we can build something better. 

It makes you think deeply about life, dreams, and fairness, but it’s also witty and full of heart.

Possible Discussion Starters:

• Have you ever felt let down by things you were taught to believe?

• What essay stood out to you the most?

• How do you think people can stay hopeful when systems fail?

• Did any parts make you laugh or feel seen?

• If you could tell your younger self the truth about life, what would you say?

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

Jess is tired of putting everyone else first – her family, her ex, her job – and decides it’s time to chase her real dreams. 

When she leaves for Italy, it feels like such a brave, beautiful step. 

The way she discovers art, new love, and her family’s secrets is so heartwarming. You can’t help but root for her as she figures out life on her own terms. 

Possible Discussion Starters:

• What do you think gave Jess the courage to finally make changes?

• Could you ever pack up and move somewhere new like she did?

• Which part of Italy did you want to visit most after reading?

• How did her family shape her choices?

• Did the ending surprise you or feel just right?

Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings

This book made me think about sisters, choices, and the big mysteries of life. 

When strange doors appear all over the world, twin sisters Ayanna and Olivia see them differently. One wants to explore; the other is unsure. 

But when one sister disappears, the story gets really gripping and emotional. 

I love how it’s about much more than fantasy and we get thrown into everything about family, trust, and being brave. 

This one felt fresh, magical, and full of real feelings about growing up, losing things, and finding yourself.

Possible Discussion Starters:

• Which sister did you connect with more – Ayanna or Olivia?

• Would you go through one of the mysterious doors?

• How did their bond as twins shape the story?

• What do you think the doors really represented?

• How would you handle losing someone you love like that?

The Dry Season by Melissa Febos

Melissa Febos decided to stop dating for a year and what a brave and beautiful choice. 

Instead of rushing into another relationship, she spent time alone discovering who she really was. 

I love how honest she is about feeling lonely at first, but then finding joy in simple things like being by herself, thinking clearly, and following her own dreams. 

Her story made me wonder how different life could feel if we gave ourselves that quiet space to grow. 

It also gently shows how strong and free you can become when you stop chasing love and start loving yourself first.

Possible Discussion Starters:

• Could you ever take a whole year for yourself like Melissa did?

• What surprised you most about her journey?

• How do you feel about the idea of celibacy for self-growth?

• Which part of her reflections felt closest to your own life?

• Did this book change how you think about being single?

Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee

When the main character finds out her husband’s cheating and that she has cancer, it feels like life is being very cruel. 

But instead of breaking down, she talks to her tumor (which she names Maggie – the same name as the other woman) and even jokes about it.

I loved how she turned her pain into something strangely funny and powerful. 

Possible Discussion Starters:

• How did you feel about her naming her tumor Maggie?

• Did the humor make the sadness easier or harder to read?

• Which part of her journey moved you most?

• How did she use storytelling to heal?

• Would you have reacted to this kind of betrayal the same way?

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Let me know if any of these books stood out to you or if you think you’ll be checking them out with your book club in 2025.

And if you’ve already read any of them and even put together a discussion kit, feel free to drop a comment below and share it with everyone in the community.