With the rise of online shopping, subscription boxes have now become a thing--so much so that there seems to be one catering to all of our trending addictions from video games to DIY crafts to meal planning. With its popularity, it seems only logical that there be a subscription box just for bibliophiles--after all which book lover doesn't like being mailed a box of their favorite reads? While nothing beats perusing the aisles of an actual bookstore, Book of the Month comes close to satisfying the needs of picky bookworms.
1. Read recently published Lit for Cheap
While most literary subscription boxes range anywhere from $25 to $50, BOTM boxes start at just $5 per month for the first month--then $14.99 per month following. You can also save a few bucks (for extra books) if you join their long-time enrollment plan priced at 3-months for $9.99 per month, then $14.99 per month and 12-months for $11.99 per month. The average contemporary novel or short story collection racks up a price tag of $25, so while $14 may seem like a lot to pay for one book--it's an unbeatable discount for literature published within the year.
2. More than YA
There are a lot of great literary subscription boxes out there such as Book Riot Quarterly, Book Drop, Owl Crate, etc. But most tend to commercialize on fueling the bookish needs of Young Adults. While I enjoyed "Perks of being a Wallflower" as much as the average YA fan--seriously, I've read that book more than three times already--I want freedom with my genres. BOTM covers almost every one--from thrillers to historical fiction and even the overlooked memoir.
3. You choose!
Here's where I tend to break with my fantasies of joining a literary subscription box--when they're cheap, offer more than YA but have only one book in their monthly selections (how can you call your one-book mailing service a selection?). To the folks who do this--I know you're book people. But I don't know if you're my type of book people so no, I won't trust you on this. BOTM instead allows you to choose a book from their monthly selections of 5 books. If you loved a book from a previous month's list or two from this month's, they give you the option of adding it to your box for an added cost of $9.99. The hardest part is deciding on which one to choose! You can also skip a month of none of the books meet your taste.
4. Deals and Promotions
This is by far the best thing about BOTM--they never stop giving. I joined with the Black Friday special of $22.49 for three months and got a complimentary tote. But their latest promotion involves snapping a photo of your December picks and posting it on Instagram. Members whose pictures were reposted got 6 MONTHS OF BOTM FREE! Plus they are also throwing one of those already lucky people a NYE party! #bestbookclubever
5. Celeb Guest Reviews
If you're into handwritten notes from celebrities then BOTM is for you. Although only one of their selection is guest reviewed every month, their famous reviewers include big names like Whoopi Goldberg, Andy Cohen, and Anthony Bourdain. I can't tell you how excited I was when I opened my December box and saw Abbi Jacobson's review--but a hashtag probably could #YASKWEEN.
6. Books for serious book lovers
While boxes of tea and notepads are nice, books are where at for bibliophiles. BOTM delivers exactly that without the need for gimmicky additives. Every selection is a hardcover--which is the stuff of Gods for bookworms.
Whether you're on a budget or got kicked out of your bookclub for burning "Fifty Shades", BOTM's affordably priced boxes are a great way to discover great new books. There's still time to subscribe to next month's issue!
