Book of the Month is a subscription box in which members choose up to 3 hardcover books to receive each month.
You can sign up here to get your first book for $5.
This month, Book of the Month (BOTM) chose seven main selections and three add-ons.
BOTM is also testing an increase in the allowed number of books per order with select users. The limit has been three books per box, leading many (including myself) to have multiple accounts, for at least a decade. I am not sure how they chose the beta testers, especially since only one of my accounts received the invite and it is the newest one.
Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices
Main Picks
Weyward
Emilia Hart
An ode to the natural world and female power, this lush, generation-spanning novel is equal parts daring and inspiring.
Magical Realism | Debut
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
Shannon Chakraborty
This swashbuckling pirate captain’s last hurrah will have you clutching for your spyglass, ready to hit the high seas.
Fantasy | Repeat Author
The London Séance Society
Sarah Penner
From the author of The Lost Apothecary, a gothic fable teeming with mystery & occult forces, where none can be trusted.
Historical Fantasy | Repeat Author
The Soulmate
Sally Hepworth
When an old acquaintance dies, it dredges up demons of the past that threaten to unravel a seemingly perfect marriage.
Thriller | Early Release
Lone Woman
Victor Lavalle
In this disquieting story, a woman fleeing past sins attempts to forge a new life homesteading Montana’s harsh plains.
Horror
The Last Russian Doll
Kristen Loesch
This epic story weaves one family’s tragic splintering into the larger tapestry of Russia’s turbulent 20th century.
Historical Fiction | Debut
Rootless
Krystle Zara Appiah
An unexpected pregnancy pushes a married couple into a raw and emotional exploration of what it is they truly want.
Contemporary Fiction | Debut
Add Ons
Hello Beautiful
Ann Napolitano
We all may contain multitudes but sometimes it takes the help of friends and found family to see beauty in our layers.
Contemporary Fiction | Repeat Author
I Have Some Questions for You
Rebecca Makkai
Twisty as your fave true crime podcast and full of hard questions about power—this is no ordinary boarding school tale.
Literary Fiction | Repeat Author
Pineapple Street
Jenny Jackson
Brooklyn’s 1% is put under the microscope in this sharp, vibrant exploration of what happens to a trust fund deferred.
Contemporary Fiction | Debut
Predictions & Thoughts
There are seven main and three add-on Book of the Month (BOTM) selections for March, including four debut novels, four novels from repeat authors, and one early release. I am happy to say that only two of the March selections were February releases – The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which is published February 28th, and I Have Some Questions for You, which was released on February 21st.
I predicted 8 out of 10 books correctly between my March and February predictions. In addition, I did discuss my indecision regarding Rootless in my March predictions. I was so close to 9 out of 10! I ultimately left Rootless off, because it sounds like such a heavy, depressing story. I was so desperately hoping that The Golden Spoon would be a pick that I did not look ahead to April mystery and thriller options, despite the sparse March options. Luckily, I have a galley of The Soulmate, which I will begin reading tonight.
Fans of fantasy and magical realism should be happy this month. There are three fantasy books and one horror (which I assume has some magical realism). To be honest, I am not a big fan these genres and am nervous BOTM is going to try to get on the trendy TikTok fantasy train or try to target a larger Gen Z audience. I will admit I think a lot of my nervousness is my insecurities talking. I do think that even the fantasy selections sound appealing to those who typically read that genre and those that do not, like me.
I was happy to see a strong showing of debuts in BOTM’s selection, and I think they chose wisely when it came to repeat authors. I am not mad at any of the options. In fact, I would have been incredibly surprised if BOTM did not include The London Séance Society and Hello Beautiful.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi seems like a book a lot of people are anticipating. Chakraborty is a previous BOTM author with the first two books of her Daevabad Trilology being previous picks. My only hope is that BOTM, knowing that Amina al-Sirafi is part of a planned trilogy, will feature all three books.
I have read some strong reviews for Pineapple Street that specifically mention hesitation to pick it up because it is about the one percent but being pleasantly surprised. It is supposed to be a funny, smart escapist novel.
I am surprised by the selection of Sally Hepworth’s upcoming book, The Soulmate. She is a well-known, established author with a big following who is not a repeat author. I think it also reflects a lack of options among the March thriller and mystery releases.
As far as the other selections go, I discussed my thoughts about them in my predictions or more below.
My Choices
Last month, I waited quite awhile to order my BOTM box (it just arrived at the end of last week). This is largely because I am trying to read my previous month’s BOTM picks prior to ordering more. I have an embarrassingly large backlog of BOTM books sitting on my shelves. With plans to knock out at least four BOTM selections this month, I am going to go ahead and order this month.
I am so glad that I waited until the March picks dropped to order I Have Some Questions for You. If it was not among the March selections, I was going to use one of my Penguin Rewards to order it. So that is a definite in my box.
Both Amina al-Sirafi and Weyward have piqued my interest. A book about pirates seems like it absolutely has to be fun. But I am hesitant to order a book that is almost 500 pages, when I have been avoiding picking up long books. In addition, I am a person who likes to consume series, whether it be books or television, in one go. The fact that I would have to wait years for the rest of the series to be published AND that they may not match the BOTM edition begs me to hold off on Amina al-Sirafi. On the other hand, the explanation of why Sarah Addison Allen loved Weyward is begging me to add it to my cart. I love a feminist novel, especially one that follows multiple women throughout time. While I have not been particularly feeling like reading magical or witchy tales, I think I will take a chance on it.
I loved The Lost Apothecary when I read it back in 2020. However, I have seen mixed reviews for The London Séance Society thus far. Because I am not feeling magical books right now, I am going to go ahead and wait to see what the consensus is before ordering it.
I have an e-galley of The Soulmate and will only order it from BOTM if I love it. Otherwise, I have no need for a physical copy.
Lone Women sounds super intriguing. I also love that BOTM has started featuring horror novels. However, I still have not read The Hacienda. I am going to prioritize that past selection prior to adding Lone Women to my shelf. Look at me with my self-control and logical book buying! 😂
The Last Russian Doll has an incredibly high Goodreads rating right now. And I will admit that I have been hoping to stumble upon a life-altering read for at least a year. Previously, BOTM has come through in this realm for me with Pachinko, All the Ugly and the Wonderful Things, and The Heart’s Invisible Furies. So I am going to add The Last Russian Doll to my box and cross my fingers.
As I mentioned above, Rootless holds little appeal for me. It sounds like it would be an incredibly stressful read and contain themes that do not speak to me. Right now, reading is my escape, and I do not desire consuming stories that are essentially real life struggles I avoid.
I tried to read Dear Edward years ago and did not finish it. I found it to be slow and boring. But I have kept it on my shelf to give it another go. While the synopsis of Hello Beautiful sounds intriguing, I am going to try to read Dear Edward first and decide if I like Ann Napolitano’s writing before purchasing her newest novel.
Pineapple Street did not initially appeal to me based upon its description as a family drama. Alas, I have read some strong reviews that have convinced me to read it. Plus, I like books that take place where I live so I can take book pictures on locale.
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What books did you choose for your March BOTM selections? Let me know in the comments!
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