Good Morning America picks out a new bestseller to read on a monthly basis. These are the picks from 2021. For more information about the Good Morning America Book Club, click here.
The Push by Ashley Audrain
A gripping psychological drama about Blythe Connor, a new mother determined to give her daughter the love she never received. But as Blythe grows convinced something is deeply wrong with her child, her husband dismisses her fears—leaving her to question her own sanity. When tragedy strikes, Blythe must confront the terrifying truth about motherhood, legacy, and what happens when women aren’t believed.
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
Set in the stark contrasts of Baxter Beach, Barbados, this powerful debut follows four people entangled in violence, grief, and survival beneath the surface of a so-called paradise. When a botched burglary triggers a tragic chain of events—including a mysterious gunshot and a lifeless baby—lives collide in a gripping tale of loss, legacy, and desperation. A vivid, emotionally charged novel in the tradition of Zadie Smith and Marlon James.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Klara, an Artificial Friend with keen observational skills, waits patiently in a store, hoping to be chosen by a human. As her world begins to shift, she’s cautioned not to place too much faith in human promises. Through Klara’s eyes, Kazuo Ishiguro explores love, hope, and what it truly means to be human.
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Jeanette, a Miami woman battling addiction, seeks to uncover her family’s past by confronting her Cuban mother’s silence and caring for a neighbor’s child detained by ICE. As she journeys to Cuba, generations of women reveal a legacy of trauma, resilience, and unspoken truths. Spanning centuries and borders, Gabriela Garcia’s debut is a powerful exploration of motherhood, memory, and the enduring strength of women across time and place.
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
A bold, bighearted debut that blends classical mythology with modern family drama in a small East Texas town. When March Briscoe returns after a scandalous affair, old wounds reopen, secrets erupt, and loyalties unravel—setting off a chain of events that threatens to destroy the family. Rich with drama, swagger, and emotional depth, it’s a riveting exploration of love’s power to bind—and break.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
A sharp, genre-bending thriller about Nella, the only Black editorial assistant at a New York publishing house—until Hazel arrives and quickly rises in favor. As Nella begins receiving anonymous threats to leave the company, she suspects something far more sinister is at play. Blending workplace satire with suspense, this debut is a chilling exploration of race, ambition, and the cost of fitting in.
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Tells the extraordinary true story of Belle da Costa Greene, the brilliant and ambitious woman who became J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian and a powerful force in New York’s art world—all while hiding her true identity as a Black woman passing as white. As she curates one of the world’s finest collections, Belle must carefully guard her secret to protect both her career and her family. This compelling novel explores race, ambition, and the high cost of living a double life in a segregated society.
The Husbands by Chandler Baker
Attorney Nora Spangler juggles career and family while feeling the weight of doing it all—until a house-hunting trip leads her to Dynasty Ranch, a suburb where powerful women seem to have perfectly supportive husbands. But as she takes on a local wrongful death case, Nora uncovers a chilling secret behind the neighborhood’s balance. A sharp, feminist thriller with Stepford Wives vibes, it asks: what would you sacrifice to truly have it all?
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
Told entirely through Slack messages, Several People Are Typing is a sharp, hilarious satire of remote work culture and modern life. When Gerald’s consciousness is mysteriously uploaded into his company’s Slack, his coworkers think it’s a joke—until his productivity skyrockets. As he tries to escape the digital void, office chaos ensues, from poisoned Pomeranians to suspicious CEOs, in this wildly inventive comedy where WFH meets WTF.
We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
Follows lifelong friends Jen, a white woman, and Riley, a Black journalist, whose bond is shattered when Jen’s police officer husband is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. As Jen faces personal turmoil and Riley reports on the case, both women must confront painful truths about race, loyalty, and the limits of their friendship. Told in alternating perspectives, this powerful novel explores the complexities of justice, identity, and connection.
Still Life by Sarah Winman
A sweeping, tender novel that begins in war-torn Tuscany in 1944, where a chance meeting between young British soldier Ulysses Temper and art historian Evelyn Skinner sparks a lifelong connection. As Ulysses returns to his colorful London community, the memory of Italy lingers—eventually drawing him back through an unexpected inheritance. With warmth, wit, and lyrical prose, this is a celebration of love, art, and the families we choose.
Dava Shastri’s Last Day by Kirthana Ramisetti
A dying billionaire matriarch, Dava Shastri, shocks her family by leaking news of her own death early to read her obituaries—only to uncover devastating secrets she thought were long buried. As she faces her final days on her private island, Dava must reconcile her public legacy with private truths and mend fractured relationships. This heartfelt novel explores family, legacy, and the complexities of love with humor and compassion.
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