So I’ve been a bibliophile for a good while now (if you’d consider my entire life a good while). So last September I thought I was finally ready to embrace the book subscription box mania that has been sweeping the book community the past couple of years. The big, super popular subscription boxes were a bit too pricey for my broke college student status, so I looked on the cheaper end. I watched YouTube unboxing videos, read Reddit posts, and watched TikTok videos of people opening and praising various boxes. Owlcrate, Illumicrate, Beacon Box, Fairyloot, etc. I was already so overwhelmed by my options, let alone the prices for these boxes. They sometimes go up to $60 per month! So, when I stumbled across a TikTok video of someone promoting the September box of Book Of The Month, I was immediately intrigued. Though, I will admit, the new member discount (which lowered the price to $9.99 the first month) was a big contributing factor to that interest.
At just $15.99 a month, BOTM is easily the cheapest book subscription box out there. They have the advantage of being one of the first boxes to be made, so they have a dedicated subscription base. And, every month allows members to choose their own books, while other boxes have a single book option per month.
Basically, it was the best option to just dip my toes in. It’s a fairly simple box compared to the other, more expensive options. Illumicrate (which I’ve just recently subscribed to), costs $60 a month, but includes exclusive book designs, signatures, along with other goodies like candles, trinket trays, bags, and other small items. BOTM only deals with books, and while they have the signature BOTM logo in the corner of the cover, the book’s details remain basically the same.
One main characteristic that they all have is that all books are hardcovers, which is already a great thing if there’s a book that’s only traditionally published in a paperback format. BOTM gives these books a chance, and possibly be the only way, for these books to be published in a hardcover format. Think The Love Hypothesis, the hit TikTok sensation, which is only found as a paperback when published directly from its publishing house. BOTM has allowed fans of the book to own it in a hardback format, which I think is really neat for everyone involved.
Since BOTM gives new options for each month, each month features a variety of genres. From thrillers, mystery, romance, general fiction, or even memoirs, BOTM has something for everyone. Other boxes usually just cater to Young Adult, which, even though is a thriving part of the book community, these boxes miss out on a wider audience that doesn’t necessarily enjoy these books monthly. BOTM, by giving options, ensures that members have a new book that will interest them every month. And, if you just aren’t feeling a book, has a “Skip Month” option that is easily accessible in the app. You just click “Skip Month”, and you literally skip the month. Your “credit” (which is the $15.99 you pay monthly) will roll over to next month, so you wont pay again. For example: I skipped January’s month, but I had already paid. So, instead, I didn’t pay for the month of February. My credit rolled over, and I ended up using my credit on my BOTM for February. But I went back to paying monthly starting in March.
BOTM also seems to have a good diversity in authors, which is always a plus. They ensure that there’s something out there for everyone to enjoy. My favorites are Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books, which I personally relate to as a Latina.
Another great part of the service is that you can add on books, which basically means you can add multiple books to your box every month, you just pay another $10.99 per book added. In March, I got 2 books. So I paid $15.99 for 1 book, and $10.99 for the 2nd one.
This box also seems to have amazing customer service, something I have personally used just this month. I had an issue with a book’s pages falling out, so I contacted BOTM and they immediately responded back. And I mean immediately! They apologized and offered to send me a replacement book super quick. I usually expect to wait at least 24 hours before a response, but they literally responded in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I can’t guarantee this wasn’t just a fluke, and they could very possibly usually take longer to respond, but I still love how they were very open to sending a replacement.
If you’re a book lover thinking about joining the book subscription lover craze, I would definitely recommend Book Of The Month for you. It’s a great starting subscription, with great prices and variety in books. Just don’t forget to look up a new member subscription code to get a couple dollars off your first month! Some great places to check are book reviewers’ videos on YouTube or TikTok, as some may be affiliated with BOTM and may have a personal code for others to use.
Happy reading!