Jenna Bush Hager's Book Club: See All of the Today Show Host's 2024 Read with Jenna Picks

"It's so fun to have all of these authors here," Bush Hager said of her club, which launched in 2019

Jenna Bush Hager on Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Jenna Bush Hager in 2024. Photo:

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Jenna Bush Hager has not been shy about her love of books on The Today Show — in fact, the co-host created a book club, Read With Jenna.

The book club launched in 2019 and Bush Hager independently picks new titles to read each month, featuring authors like Taylor Jenkins-Reid to Toni Morrison in both fiction and nonfiction. The news anchor also chooses books for Read With Jenna Jr., a club for young readers.

“It’s so fun to have all of these authors here and they get to see all of these books, and I really just am proud of the community of readers that get to read with all of them,” Bush Hager previously said on the club’s fifth anniversary. “It’s pretty incredible.”

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Whether you're in the mood for a nail-biting thriller or a family drama, here are all of the Read with Jenna book club picks from 2024.

01 of 12

November: ‘This Motherless Land’ by Nikki May

'This Motherless Land' by Nikki May
'This Motherless Land' by Nikki May.

Amazon

Funke is content with her life in Nigeria, but in the aftermath of a tragedy, she's sent to live with her mother's distant family in England. Despite the culture shock, Funke grows close with her cousin, Liv, and their friendship is tested over the years as more misfortune strikes. This tender novel is dubbed a “decolonial retelling of Mansfield Park.”

02 of 12

October: 'The Mighty Red' by Louise Erdrich

'The Mighty Red' by Louise Erdrich
'The Mighty Red' by Louise Erdrich.

Harper

The prairie community of Argus, N.D. is brought together by a wedding in this novel set during the economic collapse of 2008. Touching on topics like family, environmental decline and desire, this is a must-read for the fall season.

03 of 12

September: 'Blue Sisters' by Coco Mellors

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
'Blue Sisters' by Coco Mellors.

Ballantine Books

Avery, Bonnie and Lucky Blue are sisters that couldn’t be more different from one another. When their fourth sibling, Nicky, unexpectedly dies, the family is caught up in their own waves of mourning, and must come together to save the New York apartment where they were raised. This family portrait is a moving look at grief and love.

04 of 12

August: ‘The Wedding People’ by Alison Espach

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
'The Wedding People' by Alison Espach.

Henry Holt and Co.

When Phoebe checks into the posh Cornwall Inn with plans to end it all, her plans get derailed when everyone mistakes her for part of the raucous wedding party that’s booked the rest of the hotel. The über-controlling bride soon ropes Phoebe into her plans and the two become unlikely confidants, who have more impact on each other than they realize.

05 of 12

July: ‘All the Colors of the Dark’ by Chris Whitaker

All the Colors of the Dark
'All the Colors of the Dark' by Chris Whitaker.

Amazon

In 1975, when girls in Monta Clare, Mo. are suddenly disappearing, Patch becomes an unlikely hero when he saves the daughter of a wealthy family from harm. As he searches for answers about what's happening in his town, Patch realizes that discovering the truth could have irreversible consequences. A riveting thriller and romance.

06 of 12

June: ‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers

Swift River
'Swift River' by Essie Chambers.

Amazon

In the summer of 1987, Diamond Newberry and her mother are attempting to leave behind memories of Pa, Diamond’s father who disappeared seven years earlier. When Diamond receives a letter that informs her she comes from a lineage of African American women, she begins to learn more about her family’s past — and secrets — in this striking novel.

07 of 12

May: ‘Real Americans’ by Rachel Khong

Real Americans By Rachel Khong
'Real Americans' by Rachel Khong.

Penguin Random House

When Lily and Matthew first fall in love in the early 2000s New York City, their future seems bright ahead of them. Years later, their 15-year-old son Nick is being raised by Lily, now a single mother, and is determined to find his biological father. Nick's search for answers, however, may disrupt all of their delicately balanced lives. A sharp take on family, identity and forgiveness.

08 of 12

April: ‘The Husbands’ by Holly Gramazio

The Husbands By Holly Gramazio
'The Husbands' by Holly Gramazio.

Penguin Random House

One night in London, Lauren returns home to find her husband waiting for her. The only problem? She isn’t married, and never has been. When the mysterious man goes up into her attic and a new one comes back down — subsequently replaced by husband after husband — Lauren is left to question love, life and her own decisions in this funny and delightful novel.

09 of 12

March: ‘The House on Mango Street’ by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
'The House on Mango Street' by Sandra Cisneros.

Vintage

Esperanza Cordero is trying to find her voice in the vibrant fabric of her Chicago neighborhood. Cisneros’ classic novel-in-vignettes, about a young Latina girl coming of age, is one that readers have been reading and finding meaning in for decades.

10 of 12

March: ‘The Great Divide’ by Cristina Henríquez

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez
'The Great Divide' by Cristina Henríquez.

Ecco

This stunning novel from the author of The Book of Unknown Americans follows the lives of multiple individuals involved with building the Panama Canal: Omar, a worker who collapses after a shift; Ada, a 16-year-old from Barbados who comes to his aid; and John Oswald, who hires Ada as a caregiver for his ill wife. These intertwined stories come together to create one sweeping portrait of historic engineering.

11 of 12

February: ‘Good Material’ by Dolly Alderton

Good Material By Dolly Alderton
'Good Material' by Dolly Alderton.

Penguin Random House

In the wake of a breakup from his girlfriend Jen, Andy is down on his luck. His stand-up career is stalled and he doesn’t know what led to his relationship's end. But he has yet to learn about Jen’s side of the story, in this smart and snappy novel (which, just like the relationship it depicts, has two sides to the way it ends!)

12 of 12

January: ‘The Waters’ by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The Waters by Bonnie Jo Campbell
'The Waters' by Bonnie Jo Campbell.

W. W. Norton & Company

Herbalist Hermaine “Herself” Zook is renowned among the residents of Whiteheart, Mich., but is estranged from her own daughters, including youngest Rose Thorn. Rose’s daughter, Donkey, spends her days exploring the town’s landscape and longing for her parents. But she soon learns that there is more darkness lurking in Whiteheart than she originally thought — and the only one who can help is her mother. A fascinating intergenerational saga.

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