‘GMA’s November Book Club Picks Are Here—and Both Books Are Also ‘Woman’s World’ Favorites!
An Irish brotherhood saga and an immortal-world fantasy leave fans glued to the page
Key Takeaways
- ‘GMA’ selected ‘Whale Harbor' by Mary Beth Keane for its November adult book club.
- ‘Mortal Things’ by Marie Lu is GMA’s November young adult book club selection.
- Both November selections were also featured in the ‘Woman’s World’ book coverage.
Good Morning America’s (GMA) November 2026 adult and young adult book club picks are here—and trust us when we say you’ll want to grab copies immediately! These captivating reads aren’t just page-turners; they’ve also earned a spot in the Woman’s World book club as well. To discover the titles and see what readers are raving about, keep scrolling!
‘GMA’s’ November adult fiction book club pick
At the end of October, GMA announced that Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane would be their November 2026 adult book club book. The novel is set in 1960s Ireland and follows a family of 11 brothers torn apart by tragedy. Teenager Mac decides to move to America in hopes of a better life, and he vows to send for his younger brother Rian once he comes of age. But after Rian mysteriously disappears, Mac and his family are left wondering where he went and what happened.
“Looking for a whale of a tale? Our November GMA Book Club pick Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane, is sure to deliver,” GMA wrote on Instagram. “Travel through lifetimes and continents in this story about family, brotherhood and the choices that echo across generations.”
Whale Harbor was inspired by the author’s own life and was also chosen as a Woman’s World Book Club must-read fall book earlier this year.
“The two central events of the book are taken from my family history—the death of my grandmother just a few weeks after giving birth to her eleventh child, and one of my uncles running away when he was 13. Those two events were discussed or referenced at family get-togethers for years, and though no one explained these things to the next generation, we were perceptive eavesdroppers and picked up everything,” Keene told Literary Hub earlier this month. “Despite all this overlap, however, the novel truly is a fiction. For me to write well I have to feel like I have full authority over the characters and the story, so once I began writing this family they quickly moved away from their real-life inspirations and became entirely themselves. If I’d tried to match real life in more than the broadest sense I wouldn’t have been able to write without feeling constrained.”
‘GMA’s’ November young fiction book club pick
Along with an adult book, GMA also picks a young adult book every month as well. For November, the YA pick is Mortal Things by Marie Lu, a Woman’s World Book Club selection this month. The story follows Rose, who hates Raven, the god of Death, but serving as his Harbinger is her only chance to save her best friend from dying. When murder forces her to become his heir, Rose must earn the trust of all the gods. She must also work alongside Étienne Beauchard, a charming Harbinger turned rival. As the two spend more time together they stumble upon a secret that could change the entire immortal world.
“Are you ready to be transported to the world of gods and harbingers this November? Get ready with GMA Book Club YA pick!” GMA wrote on Instagram. “Mortal Things by Marie Lu is a cinematic and magical fantasy story that asks readers: how far would you go to save the person you love?”
Following the announcement, Lu herself commented on the selection.
“Never in a million years did I dare to dream that I could be a selection for GMA. Still doesn’t feel real, everything is a blur. I am so deeply grateful,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, thank you!!”
Readers react to ‘GMA’s’ November book club selections
Readers give these selections two thumbs up. One reader called Whale Harbor “the kind of story I love.”
“This one has strong themes of family, loyalty, and faith, and I loved getting to know Mac,” they added. “Everything seemed so different after years away, but it also felt like coming home. I loved reading about traditional Irish life in coastal Connemara. And whales play a part in the story!”
Another said Keane’s book “will be my 2026 Book of the Year. It had everything I could possibly want from a book.”
As for Mortal Things, readers of all ages are raving about it.
“I honestly don’t know how she does this but Marie Lu has once again absolutely DESTROYED me with another one of her books,” one reader wrote. “I genuinely LOVED this book! The world was so immersive and I loved Marie Lu’s take on incorporating gods into the mortal world. I found it so interesting how all the pieces in this world moved together and influenced each other in ways I almost couldn’t keep track of.”
Someone else said the book was “very touching at times.”
“I’m not a big highlighter or note taker but I have several notes of things that really meant something to me,” they continued. “It’s labeled as a young adult but I believe any aged lover of fantasy, with a touch of mystery and romance will love this. I will be reading anything Marie Lu puts out in the future!”
You can pick up Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane and Mortal Things by Marie Lu now wherever books are sold.
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