It’s no secret that I love Book of the Month Club. I’ve been a member since April 2017, when I asked my mom for a gift subscription for my 28th birthday (ah, how long ago that feels). I’ve done a lot of subscription boxes, like StitchFix and HelloFresh, but this one is the one I’ve stuck with the longest and look forward to the most.
This is NOT a sponsored post… I just love them this much.
If you’re new to BOTM, it’s a monthly subscription box where you get to choose from 5 new releases each month. The cost of the subscription ranges from $12-15 per month, and you get one hardcover new release (a STEAL). If you want to add on additional books, you can get them for just $9.99 (an even bigger STEAL). These books cover a wide variety of genres and authors, featuring well-loved authors like Riley Sager and Taylor Jenkins Reid, and buzzy debut authors. They made a commitment to diversity last year, and there is always at least one BIPOC author in the mix, and you often get books days or weeks before they hit the store shelves.
My two favorite things about this subscription box is the choice I get each month (five books to choose from, always a variety of genres, with the ability to skip the month if none of them work for me) and the fact that I don’t get a bunch of… things… along with the book, like candles and socks and bookmarks and things I’ll never use that inevitably run up the price on these boxes.
So maybe you got a new Book of the Month Club subscription for Christmas, and you’re excited to explore all of the books they had to offer. Maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions was to read more books. Book of the Month Club is a great way to keep that commitment, stock up your bookshelves (lol at me with all my unread books staring at me), and read some daring new releases that everyone was talking about.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Book of the Month subscription, I’d love it if you use my referral code! Disclaimer: I get a free book for every person who signs up using this code!
Today I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Book of the Month books from the past 4 years that I’ve been a member. I’m trying to stick with a few of the not-so-well-knowns, but I can’t help but sneak a few fan favorites in here as well. (Fun Fact: I’ve received 62 books from BOTM, and of those 62, I have “loved” 30, “liked” 19, and “disliked” only 3!)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Historical Fiction // LGBTQIA+ // 81% Loved
lolol ok I recognize I’m starting with one of the most popular BOTMs ever, but I got it in the first few months of my subscription, and it remains one of the best (and most recommended) of all the BOTMs I’ve read! A tale of an aging starlet recounting her past to a young reporter, revealing secrets along the way, and there’s even an LGBTQIA+ twist on the story. Evelyn Hugo is one of my all-time favorite characters, so I couldn’t *not* include this one. If you missed out on reading it, please pick it up immediately.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Contemporary Fiction // Debut Author // 63% Loved
Eleanor Oliphant is another amazing character that I picked up in my first year of my BOTM subscription. This book is a bit less well-known, although it was hugely popular when it came out… I think it was Reese Witherspoon’s first pick for her book club. Eleanor’s character is completely quirky and actually quite annoying at the beginning of the book, but by the end, you want to just wrap her up in a warm hug and cheer her on as she tackles the world.
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
Mystery // Early Release // 60% Loved
This book has ghosts! And I loved it anyway! I know I’d obviously recommend all of these books (otherwise I wouldn’t be writing about them), but this is a book I recommend to people constantly. Haunted boarding school hiding a secret, with dual timelines in the past and present? Count me in. Always. This book had just enough of a thrill to keep me on the edge of my seat without actually giving me nightmares, so two thumbs up.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
Young Adult // Debut Author // BIPOC Author // 54% Loved
I get that magical realism isn’t for everyone, but this book touched my soul and made it take flight. When the main character loses her mother, she and her father travel back to Taiwan to meet her mother’s family. While there, she becomes convinced that her mother has transformed into a bird and is trying to leave her messages. It’s such a touching, beautiful, colorful book and it speaks so beautifully about grief and healing.
The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir
Literary Fiction // Debut Author // LGBTQIA+ // 51% Loved
This book did not get the buzz it deserved! Essie is growing up under the camera lights of a reality show featuring her father, an evangelical preacher, and his family. Except Essie turns up pregnant. The story that follows unravels in completely unexpected ways, in ways I didn’t predict at all. It also takes a hard look at mega-churches and the cult-like atmosphere that surrounds them.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
This is a book I 100% would not have picked up if it had not been a BOTM choice, and I credit this book for restoring my enjoyment of fantasy novels. This retelling of Rumpelstiltskin was so engrossing, and I could not stop reading about these characters (and there were… a lot of characters…). I generally don’t love retellings, but this one struck a chord.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Thriller // Debut Author // Early Release // 2019 BOTY Finalist // 66% Loved
OOF THIS BOOK. I always have a hard time picking favorite books, but if you ask me what my favorite thriller is, this book, hands down, no question. If you like twists and turns and unreliable narrators and a bit of a thrill… here’s the book for you. It was a Book of the Year finalist in 2019, and if you haven’t read it, get. on. it.
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Contemporary Fiction // Debut Author // BIPOC Author // 37% Loved
Ok, I know you’re looking at that 37% loved and thinking I’m probably wrong for including this one, but hear me out. Queenie is a tough character. She brash and makes some questionable romantic choices and is not very self-aware. But, much like Eleanor, by the end of the book, I was so damn proud of the progress she made and I just wanted to cheer her on. If you give her a chance, she won’t disappoint.
Not-So-Backlist Honorable Mentions
(Books I Read and Loved in 2020)
- Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
- The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
- Recursion by Blake Crouch
Are you a member of Book of the Month Club? Are there any books that you’ve loved that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below!
