8 Tips for Starting a Book Club That Isn’t Just a Wine Club

1. Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

Get ready because Bridget Jones is coming back for her biggest adventure yet! Adapted from Helen Fielding's Mad About the Boy, the fourth movie in this franchise will follow Bridget as she navigates the death of her husband, being a single mother, and exploring an age gap relationship.

2. The Electric State by Simon Stalenhag

Millie Bobby Brown is breathing life into a new character in the movie adaptation of The Electric State! Starring alongside Chris Pratt, she'll team up with an unlikely anti-hero (Pratt) and a robot as they all search for something in this heartwarming movie about what could happen in a world where technology rules all.

Release Date: March 14, 2025

3. I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

Do we need another movie reboot? It depends on who you ask. If you were a fan of the first film, you'll love seeing a continuation of I Know What You Did Last Summer. You'll have to wait to learn about a new storyline, but the cast has been confirmed:

• Jennifer Love Hewitt
• Freddie Prinze, Jr.
• Austin Nichols
• Chase Sui-Wonders
• Sarah Pidgeon
• Madelyn Cline
• Tyriq Withers
• Jonah Haur-King
• Nicholas Alexander Chavez
• Gabriette

Release Date: July 18, 2025

4. Verity by Colleen Hoover

Verity is on everyone's lips and for good reason! Written by Colleen Hoover, it introduces Lowen Ashleigh to the less than stellar lives of popular author Verity Crawford and her husband Jeremy. It's full of shocking twists that readers couldn't get enough of so there's much anticipation for the film adaptation of this novel.

We know Dakota Johnson will be playing Lowen Ashleigh while Anne Hatheway will star as Verity Crawford with Josh Hartnett taking the role of Jeremy. According to PEOPLE, Amazon MGM Studios is backing this powerhouse movie though a release date has yet to be shared.

5. The Midnight Library by Matthew Haig

Next up is Matthew Haig's The Midnight Library. It's being produced by StudioCanal and Blueprint Pictures to bring main character Nora Seed's incredible journey to the big screen (via The Hollywood Reporter). Readers will get to see her introduction to the incredible library that allows her to live different lives.

Release Date: TBD

6. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

We love Emily Henry so we're excited to see People We Meet on Vacationget a film adaption in 2025. Written by the charming and witty Emily Henry, the book follows the 'best friends to lovers' troupe that we can't help falling for. Starring Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex, readers will get to watch their characters embody the sometimes hilarious frustration of realizing two people aren't better off as friends. Other cast members include Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, and Lukas Gage (via Deadline).

Release Date: TBD

7. Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Earlier this year,The Hollywood Reporter shared an exciting update about the adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara And The Sun. Not only will it be directed by Taika Waititi, but Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams will be starring in it! Ortega will play the titular character, an A.I. "robot" that Adams' character buys "for her teenager."

Release Date: TBD

8. The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

This book felt like reading something from an alternate timelines of The Real Housewives or The Stepford Wives being that it features familiar troupes. The most glaring difference is the reality that there's form of corruption and murder that takes place when a mom moves to the south with her family. She encounters a fun "socialite" who becomes her main focal point until she realizes all that glitters isn't gold. But by then, it's too late (via Variety).

Instead of going to theaters, viewers will be able to watch this series and it's cast on Starz:

• Chrissy Metz as Starr
• Jaime Ray Newman as Callie
• Katie Lowes as Jill
• George Ferrier as Brad
• Malin Åkerman as Margo
• Brittany Snow as Sophie
• Dermot Mulroney
• Evan Jonigkeit

Release Date: TBD

9. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid is another author who's incredible work made it to our TBR pile this year so we're excited to see The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo being adapted for film. Netflix has their hands all over this movie and we don't blame them! Cast information isn't available yet, but fans can expect this adaptation to closely follow the plot of the book.

As a refresher, up-and-coming writer Monique Grant is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pen the biography of the popular star Evelyn Hugo. The latter gets candid about the marriages that didn't last and everything she's kept hidden from others. Eventually, she'll reveal the connection she has to Grant which will change the perception the writer had about one aspect of her life.

Release Date: TBD

10. The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden

The Housemaid is another book to film adaptation we can't wait to watch because it stars Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!, Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, Anyone But You), and Brandon Sklenar (It Ends With Us). Sweeney will play Nina, a woman who becomes a maid for Nina (Seyfried) and her husband in their glamorous home. It'll also star Uma Thurman, Anthony Hopkins, and Phoebe Dynevor!

Release Date: TBD

1. Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel

She shares essential tools to help us rewire our thoughts so we're not completely consumed by 'doom-thinking,' which I think a lot of us need. Her ultimate goal? Helping us enjoy the time we're alive.

2. The Worst Girl Gang Ever by Bex Gunn & Laura Buckingham

Speaking of reproductive health, this doesn't immediately seem like a self-improvement book — except it is. II don't know how many other women experienced a miscarriage this year, but I know I'm not the only one.

Though the title seems like a funny dig at something that doesn't feel hilarious, it's more than that. The Worst Girl Gang Ever does an amazing job of naming the confusing period that follows pregnancy loss and how lonely it can feel. It's not that other people haven't experienced it, but it operates like an 'invisible' pain.

Authors Bex Gunn and Laura Buckingham know that this is a gang no one would willingly sign up for, but they hold space for every emotion that surfaces. Most importantly, The Worst Girl Gang Ever is a reminder that this isn't something to feel ashamed about. That it's more common than people realize and it's possible to heal from.

3. All the Love by Kim Hooper, Meredith Resnick, LCSW, AND Huong Diep, PsyD

4. Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal

Dr. Ali Abdaal wants to change how you think about being hustle culture. Being productive does involve work, but there's more to it than that. Simply put, Dr. Abdaal's discovered that you produce better results when you "feel good." You'll find information on:

• Hidden 'energizers' that make it hard for you to be productive
• 'Blockers' that encourage procrastination
• 'Sustainers' that side step burnout and lead to a more fulfilling life

5. How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart by Meggan Roxanne

• Stop letting your expectations run the show
• Create tangible boundaries
• Quit silencing your voice
• Walk into a season where self-love is the norm

6. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

7. How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economyby Jenny Odell

8. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

9. Love Life: How to Raise Your Standards, Find Your Person, and Live Happily (No Matter What) by Matthew Hussey

10. Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

This books leaves nothing to your imagination because it's very straight forward. No matter how good of a person you think you are, there's probably a few habits you could stand to change. For some of us, our FOMO even though we keep RSVP'ing 'no' to events or parties is part of our problem. For others, it's knowing your social media account isn't going to grow just because you keep looking at it.

Sarah Knight wrote Get Your Sh*t Together as a way to help you clear some things out of your mind. You'll learn how to organize (not compartmentalize) things so you stop making self-depreciating jokes about your procrastination habits. She also has neat tips about reaching the money goals you've yet to accomplish...*sigh.*

P.S. The last sentence was actually directed towards me.

11. The Happy Me Project by Holly Matthews

Guess what? Self-improvement isn't just reserved for influencers on the internet who seem to know just what to say. Holly Matthews wants you to know you can work on yourself in order to shape your life the way you want.

After losing her husband to brain cancer, she had to figure out how to raise two daughters while also taking care of herself. Once she learned how to do so, she decided to share her findings with readers in The Happy Me Project.

Think of it as a love letter from a friend who's experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

12. The Self-Love Experiment by Shannon Kaiser

13. Own Your Glow by Latham Thomas

14. Emotional Detoxby Sherianna Boyle, MED, CAGS

• "Clear your pathways"
• "Look inward"
• "Emit positivity"
• "Activate"
• "Nourish"
• "Surrender"
• "Ease your way into your best self"

15. Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap

16. Democracy in Retrograde by Sami Sage and Emily Amick

17. It's Not Hysteria by Karen Tang, MD, MPH

18. Glow in the F---ing Darkby Tara Schuster

19. Women Living Deliciously by Florence Given

20. Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy by Matthew Kelly

Mac Duggal Halter Rosette Satin Maxi Dress

Ooh, so sultry! This satin maxi dress features a cheeky open back design that pairs perfectly with a flattering halter neckline. The big rosette decal on the front recalls Valentine's Day blooms in the cutest way.

RIXO Ardith Check Midi Slip Skirt

With bits of red and pink, this plaid midi skirt would be so sweet for a more casual V-Day date alongside an oversized sweater and some ballet flats.

Dolce Vita Linsey Heels

These deep red satin heels with pairs of rosettes on the straps are everything. They'd work well with a mini dress and blazer for a fun V-Day 'fit, though you could also easily wear 'em year-round with dress pants and a formal blouse.

Lace Rosette Tulle Tights

These floral tights will instantly upgrade any Valentine's Day get-up, especially if you plan on wearing a coordinating mini dress or skirt – they're meant to be seen!

By Anthropologie Colorblock Column Midi Dress

The bold color blocking on this midi dress is playful enough that you can wear the piece alone. It'll look great whether you dress it up with heels, or down with some comfy sneakers.

The Giselle Lace Bustier

If you feel like really dressing up this year, this lacy bustier top adds a very sexy-yet-elegant vibe. Pair it with some black slacks or a black skirt, then layer up with a sleek cardigan or jacket.

The Tilda Maxi Slip Skirt

When it doubt, red it out. The color is V-Day's perfect match, and this comfy maxi slip skirt makes donning it so easy. You can style it however you please – we'd rock it with a tucked-in graphic tee, a denim jacket, and some sneakers.

Coconuts by Matisse Florence Kitten Heels

Kitten heels will always be a winner in our book. This sleek pair features a tiny heel height, pointed toes, and eye-catching paneling with mixed materials. They'll instantly complete your Valentine's Day outfit!

Reformation Tancy Midi Dress

Reformation kills it when it comes to dresses. This one's dotted in tiny hearts to fit right in with Valentine's season. The sweetheart neckline is ultimately super flattering, plus the midi length of the piece gives you ample coverage so you can wear it to a variety of plans, from dates to Galentine's parties!

Endless Rose Sequin Mini Skirt

This fiery and feisty number is a statement piece all on its own. Wear it with a more toned-down black top and some tall black boots to complete the look!

The Kenna Mid-Rise Heritage Barrel Jeans by Pilcro: Valentine's Day Edition

These ever-trendy barrel jeans are adorned with subtle heart illustrations, so they're a perfect fit for the lovey-dovey holiday.

ALOHAS Tb.490 Rife Sneakers

Yes, yes, and yes! These pink sneaks detailed with some bits of red practically scream Valentine's Day. The mix of suede on the upper and the rubber soles is so cute.

The Hannah Seamless Textured Tank

This tank boasts a floral texture that makes it a great base layer for any V-Day 'fits you're planning. The red is the obvious choice for Feb. 14, though you can also shop this piece in 8 more colors!

Endless Rose Off-The-Shoulder Knit Mini Dress

We looove an off-the-shoulder moment. The knit material on this piece will keep you warm, but the silhouette still allows you to show a lil' skin.

Beach Riot Monterey Quarter-Zip Sweater

How cutesy is this sweater?! It's the perfect casual V-Day piece if your plans this year are simply to stay in and bake some delicious treats.

Maeve Bow Lace Turtleneck Top

This top was made for layering. Whether you wear just a bralette or a full-on tank under it, the sheer pattern boasts some adorable bows that feel extremely appropriate for the V-Day season!

Bibi Lou Bonnie Slingback Buckle Detail Heels

We can't get enough of these eye-catching heels. The bold buckle, block heel, and slingback strap instantly qualify them as a total "it girl" shoe for Valentine's Day.