2014 Best Books to Read in Your Book Club

Book Clubs can be one of the greatest social networks regardless of your schedule, lifestyle, or book tastes. The book club I am in does not have a specific theme or genre, so we try to mix it up as often as possible. Picking upcoming books can be stressful and fun, and depending on your club you may have different methods of choosing what to read next. Below are some of the best books my Book Club has read, including ones that drew the greatest discussions. I am sure you will enjoy many of these!

This one almost didn't make the list because it is such a unique topic, but we were all grateful for the change in pace. Born to Run is very well written, and will keep you flipping to the next page. My current book club is all women, but many of our husbands read this book with us and it was a huge hit with the men. So if you have a co-ed book club, this could be a great pick! It touches on healthy eating, healthy living, remote global communities, and the human ability to push our limits. You will be blown away by some of the facts and stories you read and will be introduced to communities you never knew existed. I would recommend this book to anyone.

The Handmaid's Tale is considered by many to be a classic, so it is certainly a worthy contender for your Book Club's next book. The dystopian story takes place in the future where birth rates have dramatically dropped, leading women's rights to be turned upside down in an effort to remedy the problem. Every time you think "no, this never could happen", your mind will pull you to all of the atrocities that have happened in our history that should never have happened. This book will lead to some very interesting discussions.

Room is one of those books that you will not be able to put down. It is disturbing, yet riveting and you will easily become attached to the characters. This is one of the books that every single person in the club finished (that doesn't always happen for us!) and the discussion was able to go in many directions. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others.

The Help was a huge hit in my Book Club and definitely a must-read for any book club looking for good discussion. As an added bonus, the motion picture version of The Help had great reviews and can be an extra fun night to plan for your book club after you've discussed. This book will take you back in time and give you a glimpse into life in the South during the 1960's. It is dramatic, heart-wrenching, entertaining and hilarious. Absolutely a must-read.

Middlesex was a surprisingly great book that everyone enjoyed reading. The description - a story of the three generations that led to the birth of Callie, the main character and a hermaphrodite - may leave you worrying that the book is a little too far out there and maybe even a bit scandalous for a book club. However, the author does a phenomenal job of connecting you with each and every character and you will be riveted by each generation's story. This book is one that you won't be able to put down.

The 19th Wife is technically fiction, but follows the memoirs of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon Church. It uses excerpts from not only Ann's original memoir, but from various other periodicals that help you follow the complete story of Mormonism and Ann's crusade to end polygamy. If your book club is interested in exploring a unique religion with historic elements, then this would be a great selection.