Reese's Book Club

Reese's Book Club (also known as Reese Witherspoon's Book Club) is a popular celebrity book club founded in 2017 by actress and producer Reese Witherspoon. Operated under her media company Hello Sunshine, the club selects one book each month featuring a woman at the center of the story. It has become known for boosting sales and visibility for female authors, often leading to bestseller status, film/TV adaptations, and significant industry impact.<grok-card data-id="7d5872" data-type="citation_card" data-plain-type="render_inline_citation" ></grok-card>

History

Reese's Book Club launched in June 2017 with its first pick, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. It was created as part of Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine company, which focuses on stories centered on women. Sarah Harden served as interim CEO starting in June 2017 and was appointed full CEO in 2018.<grok-card data-id="4247e0" data-type="citation_card" data-plain-type="render_inline_citation" ></grok-card>

The club emphasizes diverse, compelling narratives by and about women, spanning genres like literary fiction, thrillers, romance, memoirs, and young adult. Witherspoon has described it as a way to connect with readers by sharing stories she finds meaningful.

In 2021, Hello Sunshine (including the book club) was sold for a reported high value, highlighting its success as part of a broader media empire.<grok-card data-id="90a9d0" data-type="citation_card" data-plain-type="render_inline_citation" ></grok-card>

Selection Criteria

Each month, Reese Witherspoon (often called the "book-lover-in-chief") personally chooses a book with a strong female protagonist or focus on women's experiences. Picks cover a wide range of genres and voices, including debuts and established authors. The club has also featured occasional YA selections.

Impact

Reese's Book Club is frequently credited with the "Reese Witherspoon effect," where selected titles see massive sales boosts—often outperforming average fiction by hundreds of percent. Many picks have landed on The New York Times bestseller lists, and several have been adapted into films or television series by Hello Sunshine (e.g., Where the Crawdads Sing, Daisy Jones & The Six, Little Fires Everywhere).<grok-card data-id="40ac98" data-type="citation_card" data-plain-type="render_inline_citation" ></grok-card>

The club has helped launch or elevate careers of authors such as Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and many debut writers. It maintains an active online community through Instagram, a newsletter (Bookmarked), podcast discussions, and events.

Notable Picks

Here are some of the most popular and impactful selections over the years:

June 2017: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (first pick)
September 2018: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
March 2019: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
September 2017: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Other standouts include The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, and First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston.

For the full, up-to-date list of picks, visit the official site: The Complete List.

Community and Perks

Members can join via the official website or Instagram (@reesesbookclub) for early access to picks, discussions, author events, exclusive content, and merchandise. The club runs a Substack newsletter called Bookmarked and encourages in-person or virtual book club meetings.

References

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