Your Guide to Book of the Month: The Book Club That Brings the Best New Reads to You
Hey there, fellow book lover! If you‘re anything like me, there‘s nothing quite like the thrill of discovering an amazing new read. But with so many books coming out each month, it can be hard to know where to start. That‘s where Book of the Month comes in!
This subscription box service has been helping readers find their next favorite book for nearly a century. Each month, they curate a selection of 5 hot new titles and deliver your pick right to your door. It‘s like having a trusted librarian best friend who always knows what you‘ll love reading next.
I‘ve been a BOTM member for a couple years now, and it‘s hands down my favorite way to stay on top of the most exciting new releases. I‘m so excited to share an inside look at what makes Book of the Month so special and help you decide if it‘s the right fit for your reading life.
What is Book of the Month?
Book of the Month is a subscription book club that‘s been around since 1926! Each month, their editorial team selects 5 new hardcover books to offer members at a discount. You get to choose which book(s) you want to receive, and they‘ll ship your picks for free.
It‘s a great way to discover new authors, read the hottest new titles, and build a beautiful book collection. In the past few years, BOTM has featured smash hits like Brit Bennett‘s The Vanishing Half, Alex Michaelides‘ The Silent Patient, and Matt Haig‘s The Midnight Library long before they became bestsellers.
BOTM subscriptions start at $15.99 per month for one book, with the option to add extra books for $10.99 each. You can easily skip a month or cancel your membership at any time. They also offer prepaid gift plans in 3-, 6-, and 12-month increments.
A Look Back at Book of the Month‘s Best-Selling Selections
Book of the Month has a long history of picking books that go on to become mega bestsellers and win major literary awards. Did you know that back in 1926, BOTM‘s very first selection was Ernest Hemingway‘s The Sun Also Rises? They also featured Harper Lee‘s To Kill A Mockingbird in 1960, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. More recently, BOTM selected Delia Owens‘ Where the Crawdads Sing in 2018, months before it became a publishing phenomenon.
Take a look at some of BOTM‘s top performing selections in the past 5 years:
| Year | Title | Author | Copies Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Maid | Nita Prose | 500,000+ |
| 2021 | The Last Thing He Told Me | Laura Dave | 750,000+ |
| 2020 | The Vanishing Half | Brit Bennett | 1,000,000+ |
| 2019 | Daisy Jones & The Six | Taylor Jenkins Reid | 800,000+ |
| 2018 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens | 2,000,000+ |
It‘s clear that BOTM has their finger on the pulse of which new releases are about to make it big. Many of their selections have gone on to become New York Times bestsellers, hit Netflix adaptations, and win major literary prizes.
Inside the Book of the Month Selection Process
Ever wondered how Book of the Month goes about choosing their 5 monthly selections out of the hundreds of books published each month? I got the scoop straight from BOTM‘s editorial director, Brianna Goodman:
"The whole BOTM team is constantly reading upcoming and newly released titles to find gems that our members will love. We work closely with publishing houses to get early copies, and we all share our favorite submissions. It‘s a pretty intense and time-consuming process, but so rewarding to bring great new books to the BOTM community and beyond."
BOTM‘s goal is to curate a diverse mix of new and emerging writers and established authors, different genres, and both fiction and nonfiction. Goodman says they look for "compelling, conversation-worthy books above all else – the kind of books you can‘t wait to talk about with a friend after reading."
To me, the care and passion that the BOTM team puts into their selections each month is a huge part of what makes the service shine. Every book they feature has been thoroughly vetted and deemed worth your time. There‘s a reason so many of their picks end up being bestsellers and book club favorites!
Book of the Month Membership Benefits
Aside from getting access to 5 thoughtfully selected new release hardcovers each month, Book of the Month members enjoy some great perks, like:
- Exclusive member pricing on additional books
- Free shipping on every order
- Early access to sought-after new releases
- Option to skip any month or cancel at any time
- Hand-curated add-on picks from BOTM‘s editors
- Cute bookish items and reading trackers included in your box
- Joining a community of enthusiastic readers
If you love building a beautiful book collection or keeping up with the latest releases, these benefits add up to major value. Paying $15.99 for a brand new hardcover delivered to your door is a steal compared to bookstore prices! And all the fun extras like reading tracking bookmarks and exclusive author content make the whole experience feel super special.
What I Love About Being a Book of the Month Member
As an avid BOTM member myself for the past couple years, I can honestly say it‘s been one of the best things for my reading life. Here are a few things I especially adore about my membership:
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Discovering amazing new authors. Without fail, at least one BOTM pick each month is by a debut or emerging writer I haven‘t heard of before. It‘s so exciting to get to read promising new voices early on! I never would have picked up books like The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood or Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson without BOTM.
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Building a beautiful book collection. Is there anything more stunning than a shelf full of colorful new hardcovers? The best part of my BOTM membership is getting to curate a collection of the most exciting new releases, all in gorgeous editions. That monthly blue box on my doorstep always feels like Christmas!
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The joy of reading along with a community. One of my favorite things about BOTM is feeling like I‘m part of this big, enthusiastic community of book lovers. I love posting my picks on Instagram each month and seeing what books other members chose. The #bookstagram community does awesome discussions and buddy reads of BOTM selections too.
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Pushing me to read outside my comfort zone. Before BOTM, I was totally stuck in a reading comfort zone. I kept gravitating to the same few authors and genres. Now, the diverse monthly selections encourage me to sample new-to-me genres like romance, memoir, and speculative fiction. BOTM has made me a much more adventurous reader.
What Other Book of the Month Members Are Saying
But don‘t just take my word for it! I surveyed some fellow Book of the Month subscribers to see how they felt about the service. Here‘s what a few had to say:
"Book of the Month reignited my passion for reading! I used to struggle with choosing books, but now I just trust the BOTM curators and it hasn‘t steered me wrong. My book collection is growing and I couldn‘t be happier." – Jamie R.
"As a busy mom, I don‘t have tons of time to research new books coming out. BOTM does all the hard work for me! I love that I can choose which books speak to me each month. It‘s also a great way to treat myself while supporting authors." – Ashley P.
"Some of my favorite books of all time have come from BOTM – The Great Alone, Daisy Jones & The Six, The Silent Patient, just to name a few! Even when I‘m not totally sure about the synopsis, I know I can trust the BOTM selections to be engaging and discussion-worthy." – Jenna F.
Is Book of the Month Worth It For You?
So now you have the full scoop on what Book of the Month is all about. But how do you know if a membership is truly worth it for you? Let‘s break it down:
A BOTM Membership Is Probably Worth It For You If…
- You love keeping up with the most anticipated new releases in hardcover
- You enjoy reading a variety of genres and discovering emerging authors
- You‘re looking for a budget-friendly way to feed your reading habit
- You want a fun bookish treat to look forward to each month
- You like choosing your reads but still want some expert curation
A BOTM Membership Might Not Be Worth It For You If…
- You solely read ebooks or audiobooks rather than physical copies
- You have a large unread stack of books at home already
- You prefer picking 100% of your reads yourself vs. a pre-selected list
- You mostly read older books and aren‘t interested in new releases
- You don‘t read very quickly and would feel pressure to keep up
Ultimately, like any subscription, the value of Book of the Month is super personal. I can see it being an amazing fit for readers who love the excitement of new releases and want a fun monthly treat. But if you‘re a slower reader or just not that interested in recent titles, you‘re probably better off browsing yourself.
Final Thoughts on Book of the Month
I hope this comprehensive guide to Book of the Month has given you all the info you need to decide if this beloved book subscription box is right for you! In case you couldn‘t tell, I‘m a huge fan and advocate for the service. My monthly blue box is such a source of joy for me as a reader.
There‘s truly nothing like the thrill of trying a totally new-to-you book from a debut author, then watching it take off and become a smash hit. That‘s the magic of Book of the Month – they have an uncanny ability to pick out the reads that are about to become the next big thing. It‘s so fun to be in the know and ahead of the curve!
Plus, you really can‘t beat the price for getting a brand new hardcover delivered to your door. Treat yourself to a BOTM membership and join a community of passionate readers discovering and discussing exciting new books together. I think you‘ll love the experience as much as I do! Happy reading!
