Reese Witherspoon, Oprah and more: October's book club picks

Okay, so. If you thought the celebrity book club trend was slowing down, October 2026 says otherwise. Page Six has the full list of what everyone from Oprah to Dua Lipa is reading this month, and it's a mix of hot debuts and certified bestsellers.

First up, Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine empire picked "Sophie, Standing There" by Meg Mason. Witherspoon called it "a funny and tender story about loneliness, connection, and finding your way back to yourself." The book currently holds a 3.67 on Goodreads.

Emma Roberts' Belletrist club (co-founded with Karah Preiss) went with "The Oracle's Daughter" by Harrison Hill. Page Six reports this is "the shocking true story of the rise and fall of a woman-led cult" — narrative nonfiction about extremism and belonging. Goodreads gives it a 3.90.

Dua Lipa is revisiting a favorite: Kazuo Ishiguro's "Klara And The Sun." She told Page Six she first read it in 2021 and has since devoured Ishiguro's entire back catalogue. The novel has a 3.73 on Goodreads.

Dakota Johnson's TeaTime book club kept it fun with Colleen Hoover's "Verity" — a thriller that scores a 4.28 on Goodreads. The club called it "such a fun, gripping read."

Oprah Winfrey, the OG book club queen, selected "Hungered" by debut author Amanda Rizkalla. Oprah said the novel "compassionately tackles the difficult subject of families living unhoused," and it holds a 3.81 on Goodreads.

Natalie Portman chose Patricia Highsmith's "Edith's Diary" for October. She described it as a story about a wife and mother whose fantasy diary begins to blur with reality. Goodreads rating: 3.81.

Jenna Bush Hager's "Read With Jenna" pick is "Partita" by Barbara Kingsolver. Bush Hager called Kingsolver one of her Mount Rushmore authors and said the book is "a love story full of music, art, and all the things that make life beautiful." It has a 4.30 on Goodreads.

Finally, the "Good Morning America" book club chose "Bad Words" by Rioghnach Robinson, calling it "a surprising and thoughtful story with a chemistry-filled slow burn romance." That one scores a 4.29.

So grab a cozy blanket and maybe a highlighter. October's reading list is stacked.