Ever since the late 2000s/early 2010s when I was first introduced to YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and various smart devices, the number of books I read 'for fun' has drastically declined. When I do manage to read a book, I get very easily distracted by the sweet beckoning of Netflix/Hulu, and the book would go back onto the dust-covered shelf where a couple of textbooks and brochures stand, sadly untouched. At times, I would overcome the autoplay loop of my current binge and think back to the time when my friends and I read books with a fervor, nerding out on the characters and the world created by the author. It was then that I developed a love for science fiction and dystopian novels, so that should be a great place to start. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.

Another reason that I decided to start reading again was, tbh, the aesthetically pleasing pictures of shelves and books on Pinterest and Instagram. The more I explored into that part of the internet, the more excited I became. I first came across a beautiful account dedicated to the many beautiful people who read books. @hotdudesreading on Instagram literally has hundreds of pics of attractive af people reading books on public transport. Then, I found out that Emma Watson hosts a book club called @oursharedshelf where many feminist books are recommended and discussed. I wanted to start reading, but I didn't know where to begin. This is where Book of the Month came in.

Subscription services are convenient, many are customizable, and easy to use. Book of the Month is a subscription service where books you select are delivered to you every month.

How it Works:

Five books are chosen each month by the BOTM staff. These are usually newer books by up and coming authors across various genres.

You pick a book out of the five and that book will be sent to you. These are new hardcover books.

If you don't want to pick a book during the current month, or you miss the deadline (the 6th of each month), your credit will roll over to the next month.

You can add up to two additional books from their collection (including books from past months) for 9.99 each and they will be sent with your BOTM selection.

This subscription costs $14.99/month with free shipping.

I found BOTM useful because they narrow down the selection to a few recommendations so that I don't become overwhelmed by the number of choices. Receiving a box in the mail every month is also pretty fun. Through BOTM and BOTYear selections on their site, I came across amazing books that allowed me to feel the excitement of diving into a book again, as well as expanded my taste to more than just sci-fi and dystopia. A few include The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne and Circe by Madeline Miller.

Although I still struggle sometimes with the temptation of sitting mindlessly in front of a screen. This monthly reminder has motivated me to start reading again.