February 2026 Celebrity Book Club Picks: Worth It or Skip?
A cozy, honest audit of February 2026 celebrity book club picks—what’s worth your time, what to skip, and better alternatives to read instead.
February 2026 Celebrity Book Club Picks: Worth Your Time or Not?
Hi Besties, It’s that time again-the cozy, low-key celebrity book club audit where we sip something warm, do a little bookish side-eye, and decide together what books are actually worth reading this month.
Quick grounding note before we dive in: this is not a hate post. It’s not a takedown. It’s relief-driven reader guidance. Because when every celebrity, brand, and platform has a book club, readers deserve help answering one simple question: Do I actually want to spend my time on this? So today we’re talking through the February 2026 picks from:
- Reese’s Book Club
- Read With Jenna
- Good Morning America
- Oprah’s Book Club (or… the lack thereof)
- Sunnie Reads (Reese’s Gen Z arm)
- Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club
I’ll share the vibes, whether I think the pick is worth your time, and what I would read instead when I’d go in a different direction. I’ll also be pointing you back to my seasonal reading guides, because yes-I read ahead so you don’t have to guess. So let’s get into it.
Read With Jenna (The Clear Winner This Month)
One & Only by Maurene Goo
I’m starting here because this one is easy: 10/10, no notes. This pick was already in my 2026 winter reading guide, already in my top three, and already on my minimalist reading list-so when Jenna chose it, I actually cheered.
The story follows Cassia, a matchmaker from a family of women who can read faces and see past lives. Their matchmaking service has a 100% success rate… except Cassia’s been waiting ten years for her fated match and is starting to panic. Enter a weekend fling who is very much not her destined partner-until fate complicates things in the most agonizing way possible.
- This book delivers:
- Steamy angst
- Family drama
- Humor and heartache
- A love triangle where no one is the villain
That last part matters. Both love interests are good people, which makes the choice feel genuinely painful-in the best way. Verdict: Absolutely worth your time. Jenna nailed it.
Reese’s Book Club (Moody but Uneven)
Official Pick: In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka
This is not a traditional legal thriller, even though there’s a trial involved. It’s psychological, unsettling, and steeped in unease. We’re dealing with power, vulnerability, unreliable perspectives, and a narrator who is-of all people-a former dog walker.
There’s a lot happening here: defamation, therapy with cultish undertones, fractured timelines, and a pervasive sense that something is deeply wrong. My honest take: I found it interesting, but uneven. It feels like a book that would translate better to screen than page. If you want moody and unsettling, this might work for you.
My Alternative Pick: How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson
If you want a crime read that is truly addictive, this is it. The structure alone is bonkers (in the best way): chapters alternate between a London Met investigation and a serial killer’s “how-to” manual-not about killing, but about getting away with it. Wild premise. Zero boredom. Constant twists. Verdict: Reese’s pick is fine. This one? I couldn’t put down.
Sunnie Reads (No Pick… So I’m Subbing In)
Sunnie Reads, Reese’s Gen Z-focused book club, didn’t select a February title as of the time of writing and recording. No shade, but as readers, we need some structure. If I were programming this month, I’d pivot to cozy fantasy:
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A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds
Fake demon fiancé. Academic setting. Croissants. Magical peril. Slow-burn romance. It’s charming, funny, cozy, and still has stakes beyond the romance. Not perfect, but deeply enjoyable-and exactly the kind of winter read that works when everyone’s tired.
Good Morning America (Some Swings, Some Misses)
Adult Pick: The Exes by Leodora Darlington
The premise is strong: a woman whose exes are all dead, a marriage under strain, trauma, memory gaps, and moral ambiguity. It plays with familiar thriller tropes and raises interesting questions-but it didn’t fully land for me.
My Alternative: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera
A NYC taxi driver finds a murdered passenger in her backseat and becomes the prime suspect. Locked-room energy, social commentary, and a heroine you actually want to follow. This is the one I’d race through.
YA Pick: Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz
Great vibes. Uneven execution. Too much focus on romance at the expense of plot, and tonal choices that don’t quite cohere.
My YA Alternative: The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin
Whimsical winter fantasy, sunlight magic, emotional stakes, and a heroine you want to root for. Cozy and compelling.
Oprah’s Book Club (On Standby, But I Had Thoughts)
No February pick yet-but if I were choosing:
- Kin by Tayari Jones: Powerful, intimate, beautifully written. A conversation starter in every sense.
- Mass Mothering by Sarah Bruni: Strange, prismatic, and deeply discussable.
- Good People by Patmeena Sabit: Messy, provocative, imperfect-but rich with discussion potential.
Dua Lipa’s Service95 (The Literary Risk-Taker)
The Son of Man by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo
This is not a light read-but it’s haunting, elemental, and unforgettable. A slow descent into inherited violence, family collapse, and nature’s unsettling pull. Is it for everyone? No. Is it bold, literary, and worth attention? Absolutely. Dua Lipa continues to be one of the most interesting curators in this space-and I love that for her.
Final Thoughts
February 2026 gave us: One perfect romance pick. A few safe-but-uneven choices. One standout literary risk. And a reminder that you don’t have to read every book club pick. That’s why these companion posts exist-to help you read intentionally, not obligatorily.
Now tell me: Which book club do you trust the most? Do you want fixed schedules or surprise drops? Are you reading the picks-or the alternatives? Let’s talk in the comments. This is a community audit, after all.
