When it comes to holiday months, I get excited to see which book clubs select “on theme” and who isn’t guided by the calendar. Are there spooky books selected for October? Yes! But if you aren’t looking for that kind of mood reading, there are also plenty of other excellent options to read, from an essay collection to one of the best romance novels of 2026. It’s the great thing about having so many book clubs doing their own, individual focus. And all of the book clubs have virtual components and end with either author chats or a discussion.
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So what’s on book offering this month? Eclectix and Audacious picked the same book this month (I highly recommend going with the audiobook!). There’s also a novel getting a big adaptation, a collection of horror stories, a fever dream novel, a teen on death row in a YA novel, a paranormal YA romance, a novel about loneliness, and more!
Eclectix The Book ClubThe True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw
About the book club: Dawnshaeé Reid is a self-proclaimed eclectic blogger who created this book club, prioritizing Black authors. It aims to highlight a wide range of genres. There’s an in-person, once-a-month meeting option if you’re in Louisville, KY, and a virtual option that meets on the last Tuesday of every month.
What Eclectix The Book Club said about the book:
“Lucky me, I was an early reader of this one over the summer and I instantly wanted to talk about it with the book club – so now I’m making my dreams come true! This debut is equal parts hilarious and constructive in the way we view megachurches, sexual wellness, and one woman’s desire to create space for herself in a patriarchal world.”
Follow Eclectix The Book Club on social media: Instagram, Discord, TikTok
Subtle Asian Book ClubPerfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd
About the book club: Tiffany and Alexandra, longtime friends, founded the Subtle Asian Book Club in 2020 to uplift Asian voices and storytellers. You can read along with the monthly book pick, join in on discussions on social media, and watch videos of their live author interviews.
About the book: If you’re looking for an essay collection by a poet and journalist about resistance to anti-Palestinian racism, this is your book club this month.
Follow Subtle Asian Book Club on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Discord
The Audacious Book ClubThe True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw
About the book club: Author Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist, Ayiti, The Banks) selects a book every month with the goal of uplifting “authentic and necessary perspectives from writers who fearlessly share their stories.” Here are the Book Club FAQs. And she’s partnered with Allstora for book delivery of selections.
What Roxane said about the book: “Next month in the Audacious Book Club, we’re also talking about The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw. I hope you’ll join us at The Audacity to discuss this wonderful novel throughout the month of October.”
Follow Roxane Gay on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads
Literally Dead Book ClubSomething Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror edited by Cynthia Pelayo
The host of the very popular BooksandLala YouTube channel also hosts a monthly book club focused on mystery, thriller, and horror novels. Co-hosts join in for a live show on her YouTube channel at the start of the following month to discuss the book.
What Kayla said about the book: “See you at the live discussion with my friends @nahomyslibrary & @sallysimply to chat about Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror! ”
Follow Literally Dead Book Club on social media: Instagram, Goodreads, YouTube
Sapph-LitThe Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling
About the book club: Born from TikTok, Sapph-Lit is a safe space book club for sapphic women and nonbinary readers to come together to chat books and life as well as offer each other support. One book a month is selected, alternating between fiction and nonfiction.
What Sapph-Lit said about the book: “A fever dream of medieval horror that follows 3 women in a besieged castle descending into madness under the spell of mysterious, godlike visitors.”
Follow Sapph-Lit on social media: Instagram, Geneva
The Stacks Book ClubLast Chance Live by Helena Haywoode Henry
About the book club: The Stacks is a podcast that chats all about books, and there’s a monthly book club. The book chosen for the month is discussed on the podcast in the last week of the month with a selected special guest.
What The Stacks Book Club said about the book: “YA novel is the story of a teenage girl who is on death row and competes in a reality show in the hopes of winning her freedom. We will be discussing the book on Wednesday, October 28, and you can tune in next week to find out who our guest will be.”
Follow The Stacks on social media: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
Mocha Girls ReadThe Color Line by Igiaba Scego
About the book club: Mocha Girls Read is a monthly book club of Black women who love to read. They currently have chapters in 14 cities across the United States. Anyone can join an Instagram Live every first Saturday of the month at 5 p.m. PT to hear Alysia, the founder of Mocha Girls Read, discuss the current book club selection.
What Mocha Girls Read said about the book: “Our 2026 global theme, AROUND THE WORLD, continues this month with a literary journey to Italy.
This month, we are exploring a story that unfolds in Italy, moving across more than a century as it examines art, migration, race, identity, and belonging.
We are thrilled to announce that The Color Line by Igiaba Scego has been selected as our official October 2026 Monthly Book Selection.”
Follow Mocha Girls Read on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, MeetUp, Goodreads, Pinterest
Matzah Book Soup: A Jewish Own Voices Book Club for AllA Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds
About the book club: Lillianne Leight and Amanda Spivack created this book club, which focuses on Jewish books and characters “with varying relationships to Judaism” that welcomes all readers—Jewish and non.
What Matzah Book Soup said about the book: “we’re so excited to announce that our October pick is A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON by @hannahelisawren! this paranormal YA romance is perfect for spooky season and we hope you’ll read along with us this month.
Our meeting will be on Zoom on 10/29 at 8 PM EST!”
Follow Matzah Book Soup on social media: Instagram, Facebook
Reese’s Book ClubSophie, Standing There by Meg Mason
About the book club: Every month, Reese Witherspoon picks a book for Reese’s Book Club that centers on a woman in its story.
What Reese said about the book: “When your inner monologue gets a little too convincing… Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason is our October @reesesbookclub pick! A funny and tender story about loneliness, connection, and finding your way back to yourself.”
Follow Reese’s Book Club on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube
Service95 Book ClubKlara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
About the book club: British singer/songwriter Dua Lipa is clearly a book lover and created “a space to enjoy all things literary, including Dua’s Monthly Reads and exclusive Q&As between her and the authors…”
What Dua Lipa said about the book: At a time when AI’s impact is questioned daily, this novel feels prescient. But at its core, this is a book about our humanity – what it means to be human and why that is irreplaceable.
Klara And The Sun is one of my favourite novels by one of our greatest living authors. I can’t wait to get into it all with you.”
Follow Service95 Book Club on social media: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
Good Morning America’s GMA Book ClubBad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson
About the book club: Read along with Good Morning America Book Club, which aims to “showcase book picks from a wide range of compelling authors.”
What GMA said about the book: “Are you ready to Take What You Can? August’s #GMABookClub pick is here!
Take What You Can by @NaimaCoster is a dazzling story about the complex dynamic between two best friends as they navigate their changing relationship, marriages, class, and motherhood.”
GMA’s August YA selection: “We won’t only be dancing in October, but reading this month’s #GMABookClub YA pick!
It’s Only Dancing by @jasminepics is a heartwarming coming-of-age romcom with a Dirty Dancing inspired element.”
Follow GMA Book Club on social media: Instagram, Facebook
TODAY Book Club, #ReadWithJennaPartita by Barbara Kingsolver
About the book club: Jenna Bush Hager—current co-host of Today with Hoda & Jenna—independently chooses a book each month that she personally loves. (“Jenna was not paid to mention these items and is unaffiliated with the authors and publishers.“)
What Jenna said about the book: “We could not be more excited about this one The October Read with Jenna selection is Partita by Barbara Kingsolver! Set across two timelines, Kingsolver’s latest novel follows Livia Cable as she receives a phone call from a past love, forcing her to reflect on her childhood and past as a piano prodigy.”
Follow Read With Jenna on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Read With Jenna Goodreads group