Celebrity bookworms are here to stay.
Ever since Oprah Winfrey started her iconic book club in the ’90s, celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Emma Roberts, Dua Lipa and Jenna Bush Hager have joined the ranks, picking monthly books that skyrocket to the top of the bestseller lists.
“I absolutely love reading, I love the idea of sharing how books make people feel … books are really important to me and if I can share that in some way, then I feel like I’m on the right track,” Lipa told Elle UK in 2023.
Roberts, who started Belletrist with best friend Karah Preiss in 2017, told AP that giving book recommendations brings her “so much joy.”
Witherspoon, meanwhile, built an empire on books with her Hello Sunshine media company, highlighting diverse female authors.
See below for all the December celebrity book club picks.
Goodreads rating: 4.03/5
“For December, we have something truly special for you,” Lipa wrote of her final book pick of the year. “‘Brightly Shining’ is the perfect Christmas read – full of wonder, hope and magic. But as you might have come to expect from me, there’s also a darker side. Written by Norwegian author Ingvild Rishøi and beautifully translated by Caroline Waight, this is a contemporary reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s heartbreaking fable, ‘The Little Match Girl.’”
She added, “This book really stayed with me – it made me think about families impacted by addiction, about vulnerable people living at the margins, and about the importance of community, particularly at this time of year. It also made me think of the miracle small acts of kindness can be.”
Goodreads rating: 4.03/5
“We feel right at home with our December #GMABookClub pick ‘Best Offer Wins’ — just without the white picket fence,” GMA wrote alongside their December read. “@marisakashino’s novel asks: How far would you go for the house of your dreams?”
Goodreads rating: 4.29/5
“‘Pride and Prejudice’ is one of my favorite books and our December @readwithjenna pick!” Bush Hager announced. “My grandmother introduced me to Jane Austen, and I’ll never forget how, when I stayed with my grandparents in Maine, we would listen to ‘Pride and Prejudice’ together and then watch the entire PBS miniseries.”
“Jane Austen was one of the first female authors to teach us about love and what it means to be a woman. I hope this new edition introduces a whole new generation to her work.”
Goodreads rating: 4.04/5
“There’s nothing better than snuggling up with a great story this time of year,” Witherspoon wrote of her latest pick. “The December @ReesesBookClub pick, ‘The Heir Apparent’ by @rebeccaarmitageauthor, has everything I love in a holiday read – royals, romance, family twists, and a woman finding her own path. Can’t wait for you to dive in.”
Goodreads rating: 3.54/5
“Our final book pick of 2025 is in… ‘Lightbreakers’ by @ajagabel,” Belletrist announced. “A heartachingly moving novel, ‘Lightbreakers’ plumbs the mysteries of human connection, and explores how to love in a world where time is both a healer and a thief.”
Goodreads rating: 3.72/5
“This month we’re reading ‘Thirst Trap’ by Gráinne O’Hare. It’s an emotional wild ride in all the best ways,” Johnson’s TeaTime book club wrote of their last pick of the year. “Brimming with heart and humor, ‘Thirst Trap’ is an exuberant ode to friendship, to not having it all figured out, and to ordering just one more round before heading home.”
Goodreads rating: 4.59/5
“For December, our book club pick is Malala Yousafzai’s ‘Finding My Way,’ Portman wrote on Instagram. “Malala shares her journey of purpose, her experiences at university, and what it’s like to come of age as a Nobel prize winner.”
Goodreads rating: 3.78/5
“Our next book club selection is “Some Bright Nowhere” by @annpacker,” Winfrey announced alongside her new pick.
“After 40 years of marriage, Eliot and Claire thought they knew everything about love—until one question changed it all. What if your partner’s dying wish broke your heart?”
