The Highest Rated Reads From Reese's Book Club, According To Reviews

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Since Reese Witherspoon launched her book club in 2017, she's recommended some great jewels that readers may not have otherwise heard of. From her highest-rated non-fiction books to some great thriller and mystery picks, there's no shortage of page-turners from Reese's Book Club. Many of the 100+ books that Witherspoon picked got rave reviews, but five stood out as the top-rated reads, spanning across a variety of genres and proving her book club fans have diverse tastes. The one thing that they do have in common, however, is that they're all centered around heroines paving their way toward the future. "Because that's what women do. No one's coming to save us," the "Legally Blonde" actor told The New York Times.

When Witherspoon endorses a book, sales naturally skyrocket. Several of her picks have landed on the New York Times bestseller list, and it's no surprise. From coming-of-age novels to inspiring memoirs, Reese's Book Club's top choices are sure to leave readers mesmerized.

While Reese Witherspoon largely chooses fiction for her monthly picks, the memoir I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown secured the spot of her July 2020 must-read. Written by a Black woman who grew up in a predominantly White neighborhood, Brown recalls navigating the racial differences between her peers and herself, microaggressions from adults, and feeling like an "other," all while learning about her identity. "This June pick is teaching me so much about how we perpetuate racism in our society. I still have so much to learn and want you to join me in having meaningful conversations, no matter how uncomfortable they may feel — it's part of it," Witherspoon shared on Instagram.

With a 4.55 average rating across Goodreads and Amazon, "I'm Still Here" currently holds the fifth-best-reviewed spot on Witherspoon's book club. One reader wrote on Amazon, "My close friend texted me 'for the first time, I feel seen' — with a link to this book. I pick up this book & slam through it in just a few days. My friend is Black, I am White, and we met at a Bible Camp well over 20 years ago. All these elements are factors in what this book matters in our relationship." Another shared, "Austin does such a great job at giving us a glimpse of what it's like to grow up as a Black girl in America. Her heart for justice makes me want to be sure I am aware of how, as a White woman, [I] can be an ally to my fellow Black sister and brother."

"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens is one of Reese's Book Club's most popular novels, with over four million reviews on Goodreads and Amazon combined. The book follows a girl named Kya Clark, who lives on a remote marshland in North Carolina and is left to fend for herself at a young age. Uneducated and hungry, Clark learns to earn money by selling mussels to a kind fisherman, who looks after her. Over the years, the young girl matures and catches the eyes of two boys, one of whom has sinister intentions. Clark again must use her survival skills and wit to escape a dangerous situation, only to end up a murder suspect.

With so many twists and turns, "Where the Crawdads Sing" had readers constantly on their toes. "The novel offered not only stunning language, but also a pretty good mystery, that for me became increasingly more intriguing as the book progressed nearer to the end," a reviewer wrote on Amazon. Another review read, "This book sucked me in and kept me reading til the very end. I do say, the beginning was a bit slow but it was crucial for the rest of the story. Every detail and every character was written extremely well. You either loved them or hated them, she got you exactly where she wanted you. And the twist at the end made you sit there for a moment and think." Owens' book made The New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for months, proving Reese Witherspoon's pick to be a hit.

"We Will Be Jaguars," written by environmental activist Nemonte Nenquimo and her husband Mitch Anderson, proves that memoirs are popular amongst Reese's Book Club readers. The book details Nenquimo living amongst her Waorani tribe in the Ecuadorian rainforest, only to have their peace and Indigenous way of living ripped from them by outsiders who wanted their land for oil. Soon, their beautiful land was contaminated and deforested, which spurred Nenquimo to found the Ceibo Alliance to help save acres of rainforest. The author's heroic efforts earned her a Goldman Environmental Prize and a spot on Time's 100 most influential people list in 2020.

Readers gave Nequimo's memoir a combined average of 4.6 stars, with one writing on Goodreads, "This book is exceptionally powerful. It made me so angry at times that we have all had a hand in destroying these peoples' homes and poisoned their land." One reviewer stated, "Nemonte's story, told from deep within the Amazon, is shocking, insightful, spiritual, and gives hope while giving a fascinating look into this little known corner of the Ecuadorean rainforest. I will read this book again and again and implore everyone to read it." Witherspoon chose "We Will Be Jaguars" for her November 2024 pick, and it has already resonated with so many readers, making it the third-highest-rated book to date.

"The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron was chosen for Reese's Book Club in December 2020, and remains one of the best historical fiction picks from Reese's book club. Over 67,000 readers gave it an average of 4.6 stars to date, and the numbers will undoubtedly creep up even more. The YA book takes place in Poland during the World War II era and centers around a young teenager named Stefania Podgórska, who bravely hides 13 Jewish people in her attic. Narrowly missing many close calls, the heroine manages to keep them safe while they're surviving with little food and no running water. Based on a true story, "The Light in Hidden Places" inspired Cameron to weave this tale of a real-life hero who risked everything to help those persecuted by the Nazis.

Although many of the events that happened to Podgórska in Cameron's novel were fictional, readers couldn't help but feel awed by her true heroism. "I've always been fascinated by the stories of those who so heroically sacrificed themselves during WWII. [It] has never stopped blowing my mind that there was so much evil prevalent during that time, but the way people overcame their fear to help others will always be such an inspiration to me," an Amazon user wrote. Teens and adults alike will be immersed in "The Light in Hidden Places," solidifying its spot on our list of Reese's Book Club's highest-rated reads.

"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah was hands-down the highest-rated book of Reese Witherspoon's book club picks, with over two million reviewers giving it a 4.65-star average as of yet. The historical fiction novel follows two sisters in France during the German invasion in the 1940s. Vianne Mauriac is struggling to survive with her young daughter after her husband is drafted by the army, while Isabelle Rossignol does everything she can to rebel against the Nazis. The two fight for their freedom, along with others who are trying to flee for safety, but danger lurks everywhere. The novel isn't just about surviving World War II, but it also has themes of love and redemption, which have captivated readers everywhere.

While many bookworms want to read feel-good books, readers should be aware that "The Nightingale" will leave them shattered in the best possible way. One wrote on Goodreads, "This book wrecked me. Let me say that again, It WRECKED me. I have never cried so hard while reading a book. It was beyond amazing, beyond moving and it's a story I will never forget." Another humorously shared, "I think I howled for at least three hours after finishing the last chapter of this book! It felt like the author just showed up at my house, tore my heart to shreds, and left a note on my table that read: 'Stop ugly crying, you're scaring the neighbors.'" If you're in the mood for a haunting tale that'll have you thinking about the characters for days, "The Nightingale" is one you'll want on top of your TBR list.

Since we were basing Reese's Book Club purely on ratings, we went through the entire list of monthly picks and searched them up on Amazon and Goodreads, which is where readers primarily leave reviews. We then combined the ratings from the two sites and averaged them out to see which placed the highest, and eliminated the ones that received under 4.5. Two pairs of books received the same numerical rating, so we based their ranking on how many reviews they received, with one having significantly more than the other. All in all, the top five picks are wildly popular and highly esteemed, which is reflected in the numbers.