By Ava Shaffer
ENZO MUNOZ / Pexels
I’ve been a reader ever since I got my grimy little 11-year-old hands on Harry Potter. I was so consumed with the stories, I would sometimes hide in the bathroom during recess so I could keep reading. I found the Percy Jackson series, then the Lunar Chronicles, Throne of Glass, Game of Thrones, and so much more.
My love for reading is exactly why I decided to try out the book subscription service Book of the Month.
How Does It Work?
Book of the Month is one of the easiest subscription services I’ve used. Their website explains how the selection and shipping process works in such a clear way, unlike other subscription services that have hidden fees or fine print. Every month, you get an email to pick from five new books with all various genres. If none of the books interest you, you can skip that month and you won’t be charged. If multiple books interest you, you can buy what are called “Add-Ons.”
These Add-Ons can be buying more books from the five that are highlighted each month, or even adding on books from past months. This month, I decided to buy the February contemporary book Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers and a Book of the Month finalist, The Guest List by Lucy Foley. After you choose the book (or books) you want, they ship to your door in their signature blue box within 5-7 business days.
Is It Worth It?
In my humble opinion- YES!!! I came into trying out Book of the Month with a skeptical mindset because of my past experience with other subscription boxes. Typically, these subscriptions left me feeling like I was wasting money on something that I didn’t even want to read in the first place. But, to me, Book of the Month is drastically different. I actually enjoy what I’m reading, which shows me that Book of the Month selects their books with lots of care and attention.
Not only has this box motivated me to finish at least one book a month, it has also introduced me to a lot of new authors and genres I would’ve never tried before.
Especially during Black History Month, it’s important to read from Black authors and learn new perspectives. Book of the Month does a fantastic job of featuring authors from all different backgrounds and cultures, which a lot of other book subscription boxes seriously lack. For example, other subscription boxes I’ve tried, such as OwlCrate and The Bookish Box, always seem to send books written by only white authors. I’m not sure if they have changed their efforts in inclusivity since I tried them a few summers ago, but at least in my experience Book of The Month does the best job with showcasing diverse authors.
Not to mention, the price is amazing. The inside cover of each book you get tells you how much the price would be if you bought it from a regular bookstore. For example, my February book’s price was $13 cheaper than it’s retail price. Paying around $15 for a hardcover book (some of which are new releases you can’t find in bookstores yet) including shipping seems like a great deal to me.
Which Books Do I Recommend?
There are tons of amazing books featured with this subscription box, but here are a couple of my favorites.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ok, maybe it was more than a couple. But I just ended up loving so many books from Book of The Month, it was hard to narrow down the list.
Happy reading!