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Book clubs have long been a favorite way for readers to connect, discover new stories, and delve into meaningful discussions. As the new year begins, we’ve analyzed the latest data have the best book clubs ranked based on their activity and engagement levels, consistency, and impact on readers. Here’s how they stack up:
1. Read with Jenna
Overall Rating: 4.33
Read with Jenna takes the top spot this year, thanks to its unwavering consistency and growing diversity in book selections. This club has never missed a monthly pick, making it a dependable source for readers. The average book length has risen slightly from 347 to 354 pages, and the author diversity rating has improved from 3.5 to 4. Notably, the club has refrained from repeating authors, a challenging yet commendable feat that enhances its commitment to varied perspectives.
Membership has more than doubled from 125,000 to 350,000, reflecting its increasing popularity. The club’s genre focus remains stable, with contemporary and literary fiction gaining ground alongside its traditional emphasis on historical fiction. Emerging genres and a consistent notification streak cement Read with Jenna as the premier choice for 2025.
2. Reese’s Book Club
Overall Rating: 4.25
Reese’s Book Club remains a powerhouse with a massive membership base of 2.5 million (up from 2 million). However, it slips to second place due to Read with Jenna’s stronger reliability and author diversity. The average book length rose marginally from 342 to 346 pages. The club’s focus on top genres like mystery, adult fiction, contemporary, romance, and historical fiction continues to captivate readers. Its strong curation of engaging, impactful stories keeps it a favorite for millions.
3. Oprah’s Book Club
Overall Rating: 3.85
Once the gold standard for book clubs, Oprah’s Book Club faces challenges in maintaining its previous prestige. Its inconsistency in monthly selections and declining membership (down to 1 million from 2 million) have hurt its standing. Additionally, scrutiny of its book-to-year ratio has impacted its book count rating.
The club’s genre focus remains flat, with historical and literary fiction dominating. The average book length remains at 391 pages, with Oprah’s selection of her longest book yet in June 2024. This choice inadvertently gave readers ample time to complete the book before the next pick in October. While membership remains substantial, Oprah’s influence may be waning compared to newer, more consistent clubs.
4. Our Shared Shelf
Overall Rating: 3.88
We were glad to see Our Shared Shelf reactivate at the end of 2024. This feminist-centered book club experienced a slight improvement in its overall rating thanks to reduced scrutiny on repeating favorite authors. However, a 2.5-year gap in activity has likely contributed to a small decline in membership. Membership is down to 225,000 from 230,000.
The average book length has risen only slightly from 294 to 297 pages. The club’s top genres—nonfiction, feminism, memoir, and biography—continue to resonate with its dedicated audience. Despite these strengths, its prolonged inactivity keeps it in fourth place.
5. Between Two Books
Overall Rating: 3.4
Between Two Books rounds out the list, maintaining its grassroots appeal but struggling to keep pace with larger clubs. While its membership has grown to 170,000 (up from 130,000), its overall rating has declined slightly.
The club’s genre focus remains consistent, emphasizing nonfiction, memoir, and contemporary fiction. However, the lack of significant changes in average book length or increased frequency or selection reliability signals stagnation. Between Two Books remains a charming but niche option for readers.
Final Thoughts
Among the best book clubs ranked, each offers unique benefits to readers. While Read with Jenna’s reliability and diversity have propelled it to the top, Reese’s Book Club and Oprah’s Book Club continue to command substantial followings. As these clubs evolve, readers are sure to benefit from the rich variety and vibrant communities all of these clubs foster. Which club will you join in 2025?