20 Captivating Shondaland Book Club Picks You Won't Be Able To Put Down

shondaland book club picks for 2023

It comes as no surprise that TV producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes loves books so much that she created a Shondaland Book Club. However, it's not set up in a formal way with a single pick of the month. Keeping true to her imaginative nature, the book club is structured in a way that lets readers explore new reads on their own terms. This makes it feel like more a virtual libraryor bookstore where you're able to find hidden gems at your pace. So, pour yourself a big glass of wine and get ready to find the next book club picks you won't be able to put down! After you finish devouring these reads, check out 25 Cool Girl Reads From Emma Roberts' Belletrist Book Club, Jennette McCurdy's Attainable Book Club, and 21 Good Morning America Book Club Reads Worth Curling Up In Bed With for even more must-reads.

Family Meal

Cam is left reeling after his S.O. dies...but doesn't leave *side eye.* Haunted by the ghost of his lover and seeking to get away for a while, he heads back home and runs into a familiar face he hasn't been close to in a while. Enter TJ and his family's bakery. Will the two be able to rebuild their BFF status or are their wounds to deep to heal? Find out in Bryan Washington's Family Meal.

What We Kept To Ourselves

The secrets of families can threaten everything when people don't talk about them. That's what the Kim family finds themselves facing after the matriarch (Sunny) disappears without a trace. Could it be that her past decisions are coming back to haunt the family?

The List

The List explores what happens when a couple's seemingly solid structure is shaken due to allegations. Journalist Ola Olajide must figure out where she stands when her fiance's name appears on a list she's supported over the years. Will she decide to stick by her fiance's side or will she walk away from the shiny 'couple's goals' label that's been placed on them?

Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen

Young orphan Rosie Frost finds herself living on Bloodstone Island and must confront her family's past — not to mention bullies. When she dares to enter the Falcon Queen games, she must use every ounce of her grit and intelligence to help save Bloodstone Island. Read all about her journey in Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen, written by none other than former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell-Horner.

And Then She Fell

And Then She Fell is a vivid story about a mother who becomes convinced that the only way to save herself and her young daughter are to finish her story about the Haudenosaunee creation. Alice's life looks perfect from a distance but she begins to get the aching sense that something is wrong in the community she lives in with her husband. Will she be able to finish her story before a perceived threat closes in? Read And Then She Fell to find out!

Death Valley

When a woman seeks to leave behind the pain of having a sick father and husband behind, she encounters an unlikely path opened up by a larger than life cactus. She decides to see what wonders await her and it's nothing short of life-altering.

The Heartbreak Years

Minda Honey dives into her own story that features heartbreak and rediscovery. She learns how to navigate a changing world that looks different than her younger self dreamed of and finds herself in the process.

Bright Young Women

Bright Young Women is all about the unlikely friendship that's built when tragedy strikes in the form of a serial killer. Pamela Schumacher and Tina Cannon decide they've had enough of justice not being served, vowing to help end one man's terrible killing spree.

Rogue

Rogue offers a frightening look at a mother and daughter's beauty obsession. When Belle finds herself entangled in the same spa her mother used to visit before her death, she finds sinister plots at hand.

Shoot The Moon

When physics grad Annie Fisk secures her dream job at NASA, she begins questioning everything she thought she knew after stumbling upon something unnerving. Will this turn her whole world upside down? Pick it up to find out more!

A Dish Best Served Hot

Love, honor, and duty come to a head in A Dish Best Served Hot. Santiago "Saint" Vega and his former love Lola Leon are thrust into a world that threatens the very things they hold near to their hearts. Will they find themselves on opposite sides of an impending war?

What About Men: A Feminist Answers the Question

Not to be mistaken as taking a dig at men, What About Men: A Feminist Answers the Question seeks to help turn around the men vs. women debate.

People Collide

People Collide is a delicious story about what happens when a husband and wife trade bodies involuntarily. While Eli — masquerading as his wife — learns to move through life in a woman's body, he searches desperately for his missing wife that inhabits his body.

96 Miles

Although the Lockwood boys' have a father who's taught them how to be self-reliant in his absence, a robbery soon puts their resilience to the test. They discover what it means to rely on each other and they find the answer to their father's irresponsible decision to leave them alone for days at a time.

Delicious Monsters

The past and present collide in this supernatural tale. When Daisy and Brittney's stories become intertwined, a cycle of abuse is uncovered among other things.

Firekeeper's Daughter

Daunis Fontaine never imagined she'd be a part of a drug-related FBI investigation but life is always full of twists and turns. She must rely on what she knows traditional medicine to uncover old secrets and possibly expose a biased investigation in the process.

The Forbidden Territory of a Terrifying Woman

The Forbidden Territory of a Terrifying Woman seeks to answer what happens when climate change threatens our future. However, this story unfolds with the vanishing of moms around the world. When Danny begins frantically searching for his wife Ada, he realizes he may find answers in the one place he never thought to go — the forest.

Fever Dream

As young Amanda slowly dies, a little boy named David keeps her company and they weave tales filled with loss, grief and love.

Camp Zero

Camp Zero is another story filled with secrets that threaten those around it. In its pages, readers will meet Rose and Grant as they desperately try to uncover the darkness that lies within the walls of Camp Zero. Meant to be a building project, it's clear something is amiss and they'll have to race against the clock to find out what it is.

Mexican Gothic

Noemí Taboada finds herself embroiled in a family's malevolent history when she answers her cousin's plea for help. Trapped behind the walls of High Place are dark and unpleasant things that Noemi will have to face during this journey. Will she be able to save her cousin or is all hope lost?

We're already plotting to add a few of these titles to our kindles but we'd love to know which book caught your eye! Let us know in the comments, and click here to explore more of the Shondaland Book Club picks.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Lead images via Target

Nicole Kidman is, as the kids say, mothering. She's giving fans plenty of movies and TV shows to pick from while we wait for the next seasons of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect StrangersA Family Affair, Expats, The Perfect Couple (and the AMC intro, of course). Her steamy drama Babygirl, which hit theaters on Christmas Day 2024, is mixing work and pleasure. Pour yourself a glass of wine for this one, folks.

Scroll down to learn more about Nicole Kidman's Babygirl — including when you can stream it on Max.

Where can you stream Babygirl?

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Babygirl will be streaming on Max starting April 25, 2025. That means you can watch THAT milk scene as many times as you want.

What is the plot of Babygirl?

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Babygirl Plot

In Babygirl, Nicole Kidman plays powerful CEO Romy, who's struggling to hold her perfect persona together. Her marriage to Jacob has never provided with much pleasure, despite the fact he's caring and artistic. But when Romy immediately feels drawn to a young intern named Samuel, the two begin a torrid affair.

Filming scenes with Harris Dickinson got so intense, Kidman said she literally had to take breaks. “There were times when we were shooting where I was like, ‘I don’t want to orgasm any more,'” she told the Sun. “Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t care if I am never touched again in my life!”

But the fact the movie was made by women empowered Kidman — and gave her a sense of freedom. "Doing this subject matter in the hands of the woman that wrote the script, that's directing it and is a really great actress herself — we became one in a weird way, which I'd never had with a director before," Kidman says in a statement. "When you're working with a woman on this subject matter, you can share everything with each other.”

"I really decided in the beginning, I want to make a sexual film, just as sexual as all these films that I've always admired so much," adds writer-director-producer Halina Reijn, "but now I'm going to do it completely through female eyes. What does that mean and what does that look like?”

A24

In our Brit + Co exclusive, Nicole Kidman revealed she "spent a lot of time in bed" with Harris while filming. (TBH, a job that requires you to hang out in bed sounds like a pretty good job to me).

"As soon as he walked in, I was like, 'Oh good, here's somebody who's gonna play with me," she says. "We spent a lot of time in bed. Hours would go by, and it was like you would step out of there and you would say, 'What just happened?'"

"From the moment [Samuel] sees her, he's attracted to her. He realizes there's someone at the height of their power," Harris adds. "There was an element of mystique that needed to be there for the exploration of the relationship."

When is the Babygirl release date?

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Babygirl Release Date

Babygirl made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and then opened in theaters on December 25, 2024.

Who's in the Babygirl cast?

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Babygirl Cast

The cast of Babygirl includes Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde, and Antonio Banderas.

What has Nicole Kidman said about making Babygirl?

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nicole Kidman revealed Babygirl is the most "exposing" film she's done because she's “made some films that are pretty exposing, but not like this.”

“It left me ragged," she says. "At some point I was like, I don’t want to be touched. I don’t want to do this anymore, but at the same time I was compelled to do it...This is something you do and hide in your home videos. It is not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world.”

“I felt very exposed as an actor, as a woman, as a human being,” she continues. “I had to go in and go out like, I need to put my protection back on. What have I just done? Where did I go? What did I do?”

What does babygirl energy mean?

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"Babygirl" is a term of endearment that's usually applied to a man (you've probably heard it describe Pedro Pascal or Paul Mescal). When someone is giving babygirl energy, they're kind, cute, and disarming. And considering Babygirl plays with power dynamics, we might just find ourselves guessing who the "babygirl" in question is up until the very end.

Watch The 'Babygirl' Trailer Here!

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There were SO many moments in the Babygirl trailer that made our jaws drop here:

  • The thumb in the mouth
  • The pink skirt moment
  • NICOLE CRAWLING ON ALL FOURS?!
Yeah, this is one you won't wanna watch with your parents, friends. 🥵 And even Nicole agrees! At the December 2 Gotham Awards, when People asked who moviegoers should bring to the theater with them, "Whoever you want to, but you can also watch it alone." Tea.

Are you looking forward to seeing Nicole Kidman onscreen again? We might have to wait until December to see Babygirl, but there are plenty of incredible Fall Movies coming our way.

This post has been updated.

Andrew Garfield's relationship status is always a swoon-worthy topic. Whether he's gushing about how Emma Stone is like a shot of caffeine, he's getting flustered talking to Chicken Shop Date's Amelia Dimoldenberg, or he's kissing Demi Moore on the hand, this man is always making me blush. But it looks like he might not be single anymore if some recent outings with Monica Barbaro are any indication — including a post-Oscars party!

While neither Andrew nor Monica have spoken on the relationship rumors, a People source confirmed "they've been really lowkey and have been spending time together quietly"...and Monica shared a pretty funny moment with Amelia on the Oscars red carpet.

Here's what we know about those Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro relationship rumors.

March 16, 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro are seen grocery shopping.

This duo definitely fanned the flames of those couple rumors when they were spotted grocery shopping in Malibu. A very realistic, domestic, and relatable Sunday! I also went grocery shopping this day, so it looks like we were on the same page ;).

Andrew wore a white tee and jeans while Monica looks cozy in a white tank and green cardigan. Both wore baseball caps. "I like that they are humble and buy the same TP as me," one Instagram user commented. Same.

March 2, 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro attend an Oscar afterparty together.

After the Oscars on March 2, Monica Barbaro and Andrew Garfield left the Vanity Fair after party together...and showed up to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's after party. No big deal! Monica wore a strapless gown with gorgeous teardrop jewel detail while Andrew looks dapper in a deep gray suit.

They also happened to arrive at the Oscars red carpet at the same time...and Monica was sitting in Andrew's eye line the whole night. What a coincidence!

February 2025 — Monica Barbaro & Andrew Garfield attend Jonathan Bailey's play.

The two went viral on February 20 when they showed up to Jonathan Bailey's Richard II at the Bridge Theatre, and I'm obsessed with how locked in he is on their conversation. This man is an attentive listener if I've ever seen one!

January 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro are photographed together.

Andrew and Monica were first seen together at W magazine's Best Performances party, alongside Eddie Redmayne and W's editor-at-large Lynn Hirschberg, in LA. They were already getting cozy!

What do you think about Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro? I'm personally obsessed. Stay tuned for the latest news on this low-key couple! And check out Zoë Kravitz & Noah Centineo Fuel Dating Rumors After Leaving Another Party Together because Andrew & Monica weren't the only ones hanging this month 👀.

This post has been updated.

Summer is just around the corner, and that means laying by the beach or the pool and getting lost in a good book. To kick off beach read season, we’ve rounded up some of the most-anticipated books coming to shelves this summer. From enchanted star-crossed lovers, romantic summer flings, and thrilling forbidden loves, these books should definitely be packed in your suitcase for any and all of your summer vacation plans!

Here are all the new books we can't wait to read this summer!

Amazon

Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria (May 27, 2025)

Ava Rodriguez is a divorced school teacher who meets the handsome Roman Vásquez, for a steamy one night stand – or at least what was intended to be a one night stand. But when Roman shows up as Ava’s cousin’s best man, things get complicated. Ava tries to hide her dirty little secret from her family, but Roman wants to be all-in. What started out as no strings attached has become much more complex.

Amazon

Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler (May 27, 2025)

Anna is beginning art school in New York and befriends Willow, a mysterious and moody art student who isn’t afraid to push boundaries. Five years later, Anna’s former muse Willow has turned into a shell of herself. When Anna tries to intervene in Willow’s life by staging a planned mugging, Willow goes missing on September 11th. Did Anna go too far, or did Willow play into Anna’s game all along? This thriller challenges the morality of revealing the truth when it may be better left unsaid.

Amazon

The Love Haters by Katherine Center (May 20, 2025)

Katie Vaughn’s career is sinking fast—so she takes a daring gig profiling Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson. The problem? She can’t swim but pretends she can. Worse, Hutch is her coworker Cole’s estranged brother. In Key West, Katie gets caught in a whirlwind of secrets, swim lessons, and sizzling chemistry. With hurricanes, stolen kisses, and a chance to be truly brave, she must decide if facing her fears—including love—is worth the plunge.

Amazon

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (April 22, 2025)

Optimistic Alice Scott and Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson both land on Little Crescent Island to write the biography of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives. When Margaret offers a one-month trial, Alice is determined to win. She’s great with people, eager to impress her family, and, strangely, rattling Hayden. But Margaret shares only fragments of her story, and an NDA keeps Alice and Hayden from comparing notes. As tension rises and sparks fly, their own story—like Margaret’s—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad, depending on who tells it.

Amazon

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams (May 6, 2025)

Audre, the junior class president and debate team captain, is spending the summer before her senior year writing her self help book, AKA her one-way ticket to Stanford. Bash, a mysterious new senior who everybody is crushing on, is spending his summer helping Audre complete her five wild dares to write about in her book. The scorching hot-summer leads to crazy chemistry the two friends can’t deny. Will Audre be able to maintain the friendship, or will she begin to fall for Bash?

Amazon

Love On Tour by Lee Adams (June 17, 2025)

Music executive Christine Matthews lives a quiet life until a broken heel sends her tumbling in front of country star Austin Garrett’s tour bus. When Austin realizes she pitched him his latest hit, he invites her to be his date at the CMT Awards, catapulting her into the spotlight. Suddenly, she’s facing cyberbullying, unwanted attention, and growing feelings for Austin’s tour manager, Matt. As past trauma resurfaces and threats turn dangerous, Christine must decide if chasing success and love is worth the risk—or if walking away is the only way to protect her heart.

Amazon

It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (May 27, 2025)

Jane Jackson, a former child sitcom star, is determined to make it as a Hollywood executive. Her mantra: fake it till you make it. But when she takes it too far and claims she can get popstar Jack Quinlan—her first kiss—to write a song for her movie, she’s in trouble. Now, she must turn to her old crush and frustrating cinematographer Dan Finnegan for help. Can Jane juggle her past and career, or will her lie unravel? This novel is perfect for those looking to escape the summer heat with an enemies-to-lovers romcom.

Amazon

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3, 2025)

Joan Goodwin has been fascinated by space since childhood. When she gets the chance to join NASA’s first group of women scientists in the space shuttle program, she leaps at it. Training alongside a Top Gun pilot, a brilliant scientist, and a bold group of astronauts, Joan forms unexpected friendships and discovers a love she never imagined. As they prepare for their first mission, she begins to question her place in the universe—until one fateful moment changes everything.

Amazon

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (June 10, 2025)

Roman Carruthers returns home to find his father in a coma, his brother drowning in debt to criminals, and his sister struggling to hold their crematorium business together. When he tries to buy Dante’s way out, he learns the hard way that real gangsters don’t play fair. With no other options, Roman offers himself as collateral. As he’s pulled deeper into a dangerous game, Neveah searches for answers about their mother’s mysterious disappearance. But Roman isn’t as weak as they think—and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his family.

Amazon

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (July 29, 2025)

Beckett Bowery thought she had her future planned out: stay in Wyatt Valley, Virginia and study at Wyatt College, the college her parents taught at. But when a tragedy leaves two men dead and her roommate goes on the run, she vows to stay as far away as possible from Wyatt Valley. Later when her daughter Delilah receives a full ride scholarship to Wyatt College, she is forced to confront her lingering fears and the fact that her past isn’t the only dangerous thing in Wyatt Valley.

Amazon

The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett (May 6, 2025)

Thirty-seven years after the Republic fell, war rages between the five clans and the Kingsland. Isadora, an eighteen-year-old healer, saves lives—until she’s struck by a poisoned arrow from Kingsland assassin Tristan. Instead of letting her die, Tristan uses rare magic to save her, unknowingly binding them together. Their connection gives him access to her memories, the key to destroying her people. But Isadora can see into him too. To protect her clan, she must outmaneuver Tristan, and resist the dangerous pull between them, before he claims victory and her heart.

Amazon

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston (June 17, 2025)

Joni Lark has a secret. She’s one of LA’s most coveted songwriters, but she can’t write anymore. Hoping to find inspiration, she returns home to Vienna Shores, North Carolina. But nothing is as she left it. Her best friend is distant, her mother’s memory is fading, and her family’s music venue is closing. Then Joni starts hearing a haunting melody and a stranger’s voice in her head. When the man behind the voice shows up in town, guarded and frustrating, they realize they must finish the song together or risk exposing their hearts and deepest secrets.

Amazon

No Man’s Ghost by Jason Powell (May 6, 2025)

Charles Davids is a rookie firefighter starting his first week with the FDNY, struggling to prove himself to his new team. The job is grueling, the training intense, and the pranks relentless—but the dangers are real. Across town, Alan Johnson, bitter and unhinged after being kicked out by his wife, begins reporting fake fires at her apartment every night. At first, it’s just a cruel joke. But soon, Alan wants more than revenge. As the calls escalate, Charles faces a trial by fire that could make or break him—and put lives on the line.

Amazon

Ride with Me by Simone Soltani (May 20, 2025)

After being left at the altar, Stella Baldwin dreads attending her cousin’s bachelorette party in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Formula 1 driver Thomas Maxwell-Brown is desperate for a break from his crumbling career and bad press. When a wild night ends with a ring on Stella’s finger and Thomas as her husband, they realize staying married might actually benefit them both. It’s impulsive, reckless, and maybe exactly what they need. Because sometimes, what happens in Vegas doesn’t need to stay there.

Amazon

Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld (July 8, 2025)

During her freshman year of college, April’s life changed overnight. After meeting up with her friend Rudy one evening, he was arrested, she was expelled, and her future fell apart. Months later, she met Peter, a young attorney who helped her rebuild everything. Fifteen years later, April has a happy life, three kids, and Peter is running for local office. But when Rudy is up for parole and April’s past makes headlines, it threatens everything she’s built. Now, she must decide whether to protect her family—or the man who once saved her.

Amazon

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (May 6, 2025)

Alice never expected to see Charlie Florek again. Years ago, she spent a magical summer at her grandmother Nan’s lake cottage, capturing a photo of three teens in a yellow boat that changed her life. Now a photographer who prefers life behind the lens, Alice returns to Barry’s Bay to care for Nan and find something she’s been missing. But when Charlie, now a charming and grown-up flirt, reappears, old feelings resurface. Long days on the water and stolen glances make Alice wonder if she’s finally ready to step into the frame or risk her heart again.

Amazon

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray (June 3, 2025)

Blaze’s birth unleashed a deadly storm that killed thousands, branding her an outcast and stealing her magic. Hidden ever since, she’s shocked when she and her twin brother are invited to compete for the empire’s throne. Suddenly thrust into the Golden Palace’s dangerous court, Blaze faces deadly rivals, forbidden love, and the possibility of reclaiming her lost power. Torn between a captivating Crown Prince and a darkly alluring stranger, Blaze must decide if she’s ready to step out of the shadows and claim a destiny no one ever believed she could have.

Amazon

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (July 15, 2025)

Sera Swan lost her magic, her status, and her place in the magical Guild after a spell gone wrong. Now she runs an enchanted inn with her resurrected great-aunt, a mischievous talking fox, and a houseful of quirky guests. When she discovers a spell that could restore her powers, she enlists the help of Luke Larsen, a reserved magical historian with no interest in her chaos—or her charm. But as they work together, unexpected sparks fly. Sera soon realizes that the magic she craves may not be as powerful as the family she’s built.

Amazon

Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous by Christine Stringer (June 10, 2025)

Charity Trickett arrives in Hollywood in 1997 determined to break into the movie industry. As an assistant to a blockbuster film director, she expects glitz and glamour but instead faces cutthroat coworkers, a failing love life, and a mistake that could cost the studio millions. Her bank account is running dry, and an FBI investigation threatens to derail her future entirely. With grit and heart, Charity must fight to keep her dream alive and avoid losing everything. Fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary will love this witty, behind-the-scenes Hollywood adventure.

Amazon

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan (May 13, 2025)

Hendrix Barry has built a life most people dream of. With a successful business, amazing friends, and a loving family, she has everything except time for love. Caring for an aging parent and staying focused on her goals leave little room for romance, and she’s never met a man who could keep up. Until Maverick Bell. The charming tech mogul sees her in a way no one has before, but he’s off-limits if she plans to stay on course. When Maverick refuses to walk away, Hendrix must decide if love is worth changing her plans.

Amazon

What’s Yours is Mine by Jennifer Jabaley (August 5, 2025)

Valerie Yarnell is a devoted single mother who has always supported her daughter Kate’s dream of dancing. But it stings when Kate idolizes her best friend Colette’s mother, Elise, a former prima ballerina married to the man Valerie secretly loves. When Kate outshines Colette at a major competition, tensions soar. Elise’s pressure on Colette intensifies, and the rivalry between mothers and daughters reaches a breaking point. Then a shocking attack shatters everything, exposing dark ambitions and unraveling secrets. Soon, both families will learn just how fierce and dangerous competition can be.

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations

The blue zone diet is undeniably one of the best ways of eating for overall health and longevity. It draws culinary inspiration from the top blue zones around the world (Ikaria, Greece, Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California, and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica), where people tend to live longer (over 100 years!), often free of any heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes.

Originally outlined by National Geographic Explorer and Fellow Dan Buettner, the blue zone diet is 95% plant-based, with beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, yams, fruits, leafy greens, beets, nuts, and seeds being the #1 priority. High-quality olive oiland whole grains like brown rice and barley are also a huge part of the diet. Blue zone diet recipes widely limit eggs, dairy, meat, added sugar, and processed foods.

The blue zone diet can be a helpful tool to guide your eating habits toward healthier, more beneficial choices for a longer life. These 20 blue zone diet recipes highlight whole foods, veggies, and fruits to make each meal work for you!

Heyday Beans

Chickpea Curry

This flavorful curry recipe loads up on lots of chickpeas to better suit the blue zone diet. Swap the basmati for brown rice, and you'll be set! (via Heyday Beans for Brit + Co)

Midjourney

Niçoise Salad

This dish is packed with so much goodness. From the bed of greens to the heart veggie toppings like olives, tomatoes, green beans, onion, and more, each bite is different from the next, which makes mealtime (especially with the blue zone diet) fun! (via Brit + Co)

Antoni Shkraba / PEXELS

Hummus + Veggies

Hummus is super easy to make at home, and it'd guaranteed to be healthy when you know exactly what you're putting into it. This recipe features a nice amount of lemon juice for taste and freshness. Serve with lotsa veg, as per the blue zone diet. (via Brit + Co)

Two Spoons

Spring Mix Salad + Lemon Tofu

Salads make some of the best blue zone diet recipes (remember that 95% plant-based rule?), but just because they're salads doesn't mean they have to be boring. This one earns some good zest from baked tofu, homemade dressing, and crunchy veggies. (via Two Spoons for Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Zucchini Fries

These veggie-laden fries actually taste like what you'd get in the drive-thru. So, if you're searching for blue zone diet recipes that'll fulfill your fast food cravings, this is it. Serve with a homemade sauce to amp up the vibes. (via Brit + Co)

The Real Food Dietitians

Greek Cucumber Salad

Greek and Mediterranean food often qualify for the diet since they're fresh and full of healthy goods. This Greek salad combines juicy cukes, tomatoes, onions, and chickpeas for a refreshing blue zone bite. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

The Edgy Veg

Oyster Mushroom Shawarma

Since blue zone diet recipes tend to limit actual meat, it's crucial to find ones that emulate the meaty, smoky flavors of the chicken, beef, and fish you might be missing. In this dish, oyster mushrooms form a very complex forkful with the help of a homemade marinade. (via The Edgy Veg)

Give Recipe

Beetroot Dip

Beets are one of the top veggies to eat on the blue zone diet, and this dip is probably one of the coolest ways you can prepare them. This recipe earns extra points for including pine nuts and/or pistachios! (via Give Recipe)

Blue Zones

Cornmeal Waffles

Blue zone breakfasts can range from granolas to fruit salads, but these waffles look like the tastiest option out there. Wheat flour and cornmeal make up the thick batter for a filling morning meal. (via Blue Zones)

Crowded Kitchen

Couscous Salad

Grains are golden in this diet. Follow this recipe that creates a heavenly blend of couscous and veggies! This would be an excellent option to meal prep so you don't have to worry about cooking down the line. (via Crowded Kitchen)

Earthly Provisions

Three Bean Chili

Beans always win for the blue zone diet! This hearty bowl of chili leverages three different kinds to fill you up and fulfill all your comfort food cravings. (via Earthly Provisions)

Half Baked Harvest

Sweet Potato Kale Salad

Dark, leafy greens are preferred over lighter ones for the diet because they usually hold more nutritional value. That's why this kale salad is a perfect blue zone diet recipe! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Blue Zones

Asian Stir Fry Noodles

This quick dinner doesn't skimp on flavor. You'll fall instantly in love with the blend of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil for the sauce that drowns these rice noodles. (via Blue Zones)

A Virtual Vegan

Almond Hemp Granola

This nutty granola is the ultimate addition to breakfast time yogurt bowls. (via A Virtual Vegan)

Hello Little Home

Roasted Squash

Virtually any vegetable is roast-able and fitting for the blue zone diet, but delicata squash is great for when you just want something a lil' different. (via Hello Little Home)

Vanilla and Bean

Citrus Carrot Ginger Smoothie

Wether it's for breakfast or a mid-day snack, this hydrating smoothie will never leave you unsatisfied. (via Vanilla and Bean)

The First Mess

Herby Whipped White Beans with Smoky Mushrooms

This share-worthy recipe expertly disguises white beans in the form of an herby dip topped with grilled 'shrooms. To make it more filling, use toasted whole grain bread as your dipping vehicle! (via The First Mess)

Blue Zones

Sweet Potato + Black Bean Burgers

Sweet potatoes and beans are some of the most recommended ingredients for blue zone diet recipes. In this meal, they team up with some oats and other crucial elements to form some super healthy burger patties. (via Blue Zones)

Half Baked Harvest

Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

Again, dips shine! This hummus is packed with veg – though you wouldn't know it if you didn't make it. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Blue Zones

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved Brussels sprouts are the star of this warm salad. Top things off with pickled onions and plenty of nuts for added deliciousness! (via Blue Zones)

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This post has been updated.

If you're like me, then you've already added all the new April TV shows to your calendar...and used a highlighter & glitter pens to circle your favorites multiple times. Well grab your pens once again because the calendar isn't complete until you've added these new April movies! As we get closer to the adventure that summer blockbuster season brings (and Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World: Rebirth, hello!), these spring movies give us the perfect dose of action.

Keep reading for all the new April movies to add to your watchlist in 2025.

Freaky Tales — In Theaters April 4, 2025

Sundance/Lionsgate

Stories of "an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector" converge in 1987 Oakland, according to this April movie's synopsis. And based on the trailer, it's definitely going to be a freaky ride.

Freaky Tales hits theaters April 4 and stars Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud, and Tom Hanks.

A Minecraft Movie — In Theaters April 4, 2025

Warner Bros. Pictures

After The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Jack Black is back for another video game adaptation. In A Minecraft Movie, he stars as Steve, an expert crafter who teams up with four misfits trying to get back home. Watch the trailer here.

A Minecraft Movie hits theaters April 4 and stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen

Sacramento — In Theaters April 11, 2025

Tribeca Film Festival/Vertical

In this sunny movie, youthful Rickey convinces his friend Glenn, a family man, to take a break from the real world and go on a California road trip. And if the trailer's any indication, you'll walk out of this movie with a smile on your face.

Sacramento hits theaters April 11 and stars Michael Cera, Michael Angarano, Maya Erskine, and Kristen Stewart.

Drop — In Theaters April 11, 2025

Universal Pictures

In Drop, Violet's dreamy date with Henry quickly becomes a nightmare when her phone starts pinging with instructions — and the anonymous sender starts threatening her kid. The only problem? The final instruction is to kill Henry. If I'm this nervous watching the trailer, I'll definitely need a big bag of popcorn to see it in theaters!

Drop premieres April 11 and stars Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson.

Warfare — In Theaters April 11, 2025

A24

All your favorite celebrities are starring in this April movie, which follows a group of Navy SEALs watching American forces move through Iraq and is based on real memories & events. You can watch the trailer now.

Warfare hits theaters April 11 and stars D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Michael Gandolfini, Adain Bradley, Noah Centineo, Evan Holtzman, Henrique Zaga, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton.

The Amateur — In Theaters April 11, 2025

20th Century Studios

Charlie is a CIA agent who usually stays out of the field. But when his wife is murdered, he jumps into action to exact revenge on the men responsible. The trailer already has me on the edge of my seat!

The Amateur premieres April 11 and stars Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne.

The Wedding Banquet — In Theaters April 18, 2025

Luka Cyprian/Bleecker Street

When his boyfriend won't commit, Min comes up with a simple proposition: a green-card marriage with Angela to pay for her partner Lee's IVF treatment. But when Min's grandma goes all out with a Korean wedding banquet, things get complicated (well, at least more complicated than they already were). Watch the trailer now!

The Wedding Banquet hits theaters April 18 and stars Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-jung.

Sinners — In Theaters April 18, 2025

Warner Bros. Pictures

Twin brothers figure out their future is just as terrifying as their past when they set out for a new life. Watch the horrifying trailer here.

Sinners hits theaters April 18 and stars Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo.

Pride & Prejudice — In Theaters April 20, 2025

Focus Features

Yep, you read that right — Pride & Prejudice is coming back to theaters! Celebrate the 20th anniversary of this iconic movie, which follows the headstrong Lizzy Bennet, the sharp Mr. Darcy, and their unending love for their families. The romantic trailer just proves this is the blueprint for enemies to lovers.

Pride & Prejudice hits theaters again on April 20 and stars Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Tom Hollander, Penelope Wilton, and Judi Dench.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith — In Theaters April 25, 2025

Lucasfilm

This is another flick I can't wait to relive in theaters! In the final installment of the Star Wars prequels, Anakin is battling the forces of good and evil as the battle between the Jedi and the Separatists comes to a head.

Revenge of the Sith is coming back to theaters April 25 and stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz.

Which April movie are you excited to see this month? Tag us on Instagram!