Is Book of the Month Worth It?
Last December one of my best friends gifted me a 6-month Book of the Month Club (BOTM) subscription. I’d seen the service advertised relentlessly on my Instagram feed, but I didn’t give it much thought after abandoning subscription services (beyond Nuuly) in my 2022 “quest for less.” I even featured books in a “Things I Don’t Buy Anymore” video that year! Sorry, former Maggie, I’m here to confess that I do, in fact, buy books. Why? Because I finally feel confident that the books I’m buying are going to be worth re-reading later.
What is Book of the Month?
It’s a book subscription service that, in my experience, delivers bangers every month. Their team reads dozens of upcoming titles from different genres and identifies the top 6 or 7 to feature in their monthly lineup. Subscribers get to select one of the featured hardback books and have it delivered to their door. And they’re so sure you’ll like your book that they offer a Reader’s Guarantee if your selection falls flat.
How much does it cost?
In the US, the service will run you $16.99 per month. Given new hardbacks usually cost $30ish dollars, it’s a pretty good deal if you were already planning to buy an upcoming release. If you don’t like any featured books in a given month, you can rollover your credit for later use.
Okay, tell me a little more about what they offer…
Happy to! They have three other key offerings that may sweeten the deal for you:
Add Ons - These are additional newly released titles you can purchase and ship alongside your monthly selection for $16.99 each. The number of available add-ons varies from month-to-month, but they are typically works from repeat authors, subsequent books in a series that was previously featured, or other buzzy anticipated releases. Once you’ve been a subscriber for 3 months, you reach “friend” status and can purchase add-ons at a reduced price of $11.99 each.
Collections - There are sometimes two additional Collections to choose from if none of the mainstream titles aren’t calling to you — The Centennial Collection and The Offset. Since BOTM started in 1926, they’re celebrating their 100th birthday by re-releasing older picks through their Centennial Collection. If you’re not a fan of the classics and are looking for something off the beaten path, you may prefer The Offset’s books that tend to appeal to more nuanced readers. These collections aren’t available every month, so keep your eyes on the app for updates!
Access to previous month’s books - While you can’t shop the BOTM website on demand, subscribers have the option to add up to 5 additional books to their boxes each month. These can be add-ons like we discussed above, or they can be books from their massive collection of former monthly selections, including Lolly winners — those that the BOTM community voted as “best book” in prior years. This is also great for readers who were torn between two titles one month, since you can purchase the foregone book later!
Subscriber Experience
The app is incredibly user friendly and visually appealing. I love that they clearly denote the genre of each selection, tag the titles with colorful indicators like debut author, repeat author, or early release, and include a one-sentence, high-level synopsis. If you click on one of the titles, it re-displays the one-sentence description, a “Good to Know” section that tells you the mood and top themes, reasons why the BOTM team chose the book, a long-form synopsis, content warnings, and a reading preview.
Customer Service is top notch. Once, I hastily chose a book and immediately regretted my decision. I navigated to the Help Center in the app, submitted a request to swap books, and they had it resolved within 24 hours. (FYI, to solve this issue they cancelled the original order and reactivated my box, so I was required to make a new selection and re-order the two add-ons. It was efficient and very easy.) Another time, my box arrived with water damage and they quickly apologized and sent a new copy of the damaged book.
Would I Recommend?
Absolutely. If you’re a voracious reader with an insatiable appetite for new releases, this subscription would be a slam dunk for you. If you’re ready to take the plunge, you can get your first book for $5 (and I get a book credit, so thank you!) While I do have a referral link, this post isn’t sponsored — it’s just the link provided to all members!