Book Club Picks for August 2026
Book club picks for August 2026 feature new releases and several older titles.
We made it to the last official month of summer reading! Although I know in some places summer isn’t officially over until after Labor Day weekend. I would say overall, August is where you look for summer reads, but also starting to get ready for more fall vibes as well.
We have many books being published this month. Clearly, August is not a time for the publishing industry to take a day off. There are all kinds of buzzy titles and intriguing stories releasing this month.
Something that really stuck out to me about new books releasing in August is how original these stories are. From finding forgotten art to discovering a long-lost Mozart sketch, I love how each of these stories is truly inventive.
As always, this list features several new books and older titles. The older books already have my reviews and original book club questions, so you’ll be all set with your book club discussions.
If you’re looking for more summer reads, check out my July list and my big summer list. For new releases publishing throughout the entire year, my 2026 list is the perfect one for that.
Let’s get into the August 2026 book club list!
Take What You Can by Naima Coster
From the New York Times bestselling author of What’s Mine and Yours comes Take What You Can. This novel dives deep into female friendships, motherhood, and more.
It follows two best friends who bonded as the only Black students on a study-abroad trip. Now in their 30s, they are both married and expecting. The two decide to move near each other to raise their daughters together.
However, things have changed between the two, and there are also buried secrets and long-standing resentments brewing.
I enjoy stories that really dive into the nature of female friendships. It’s one of the most important relationships to have, but it can be complicated. Looking forward to this one.
The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai
In the latest by acclaimed author Thao Thai, two estranged sisters are reunited to find a painting by a forgotten Vietnamese artist. The painting might also shine a light on their family’s fractured past.
That synopsis is so intriguing and unique. It will take the reader to the Wisconsin woods, the French countryside, and to the edge of a ravine in Việt Nam. So the settings will play a key role as well.
You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
If you’re ready for fall, cooler weather, and more spooky vibes, You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner will be right up your alley. Set in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the story follows a newlywed couple with secrets upon their arrival at an abandoned lodge. However, the place is full of secrets and more, all in the backdrop of a small mountain town.
Sounds like a twisty and engaging mystery!
Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty
If you’re a fan of The Midnight Library (and if you are, you should check out The Midnight Train), consider Time Travel for Beginners as your next read. This one features the low-key store called The Time Travel Agency. But there, you can visit any time period you want, spend time with celebrities of the past, or revisit a key moment in your own history.
Three very different people head back in time and will eventually find each other there, and will be changed forever.
These kinds of stories really prompt you to reflect on and think about the past, are always noteworthy, and generate plenty of discussion.
The Lost Mozart by David K. Israel
David K. Israel is a composer and author whose work is commissioned and staged by dance companies and choreographers all across the world. In his novel, The Lost Mozart, we follow a college student who discovers a long-lost Mozart sketch and his journey to bring it to the world.
It sounds like an entertaining and original story that will take the reader on quite a ride.
Great and Unfortunate Things by Jason Arday
If your book club is looking for a memoir that is impactful like Educated, be sure to check out Great and Unfortunate Things by Jason Arday. This memoir is an inspiring underdog story of how an autistic, non-verbal boy found his voice, literally and figuratively, and became one of the youngest professors in the University of Cambridge’s history.
This will no doubt be a story that will stay with you for a long time.
Older Titles
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
The TV adaptation starring Jennifer Garner of The Five-Star Weekend has just been released, and I think it looks good! I actually don’t watch many adaptations, but I will check that one out.
The Five-Star Weekend is my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book. The concept of bringing together friends from the different eras of your life is so engaging. Especially as sometimes each friend brings out a different side of you. It’s really good, and I highly recommend it.
Check out my full review here and book club questions here.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
If you’re looking for a story that is summery but very much full of depth, The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a good choice.
There is plenty of humor, too, the dark humor kind. But it covers a lot about the end of relationships, grief, and depression. However, it’s also about closure, moving forward, and finding your own path.
Check out my full review here and my book club questions here.
A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
An under-the-radar book to check out is A Great Country. This is a story about family, race, and politics.
It details the power of choices and trying to live the American dream. But what is the American dream, anymore? That’s what this novel explores.
Check out my full review here and book club questions here.
Happy reading!
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