Book of the Month is a subscription box in which members choose up to 5 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 6 main selections and 7 initial add-ons.
Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices
Main Picks
Andromeda
Therese Bohman
A publishing assistant and her boss form a complex relationship based on fervent ideals about art, culture, and power.
Literary Fiction
The Three Lives of Cate Kay
Kate Fagan
A propulsive tale of buried secrets, hidden identities, and a reclusive author’s journey to finally tell her own story.
Contemporary Fiction
Babylonia
Constanza Casati
Adventure, forbidden romance, and bloodshed abound in this epic retelling of an infamous ancient female ruler.
Historical Fantasy
Repeat Author
The Favorites
Layne Fargo
Elite figure skaters experience chemistry on and off the ice in this intoxicating tale of ambition, sabotage, and love.
Contemporary Fiction
A Killing Cold
Kate Alice Marshall
Visiting her fiancé’s wealthy family provides answers to her forgotten past. But the truth always comes at a cost.
Thriller
3peat Author | Early Release
Isaac’s Song
Daniel Black
Journeying across memory, a man reflects on his contentious relationship with his father and the cost of forgiveness.
Historical Fiction
Repeat Author
Add Ons
The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom
Shari Franke
In this shocking memoir, the daughter of a disgraced vlogger finally gets the chance to tell her side of the story.
Memoir
Debut
We Could Be Rats
Emily Austin
In the midst of a horrific event, two sisters write a series of letters attempting to express the inexpressible.
Contemporary Fiction
Early Release | Repeat Author
A Sea of Unspoken Things
Adrienne Young
After a woman loses her twin, she must reckon with their uncanny bond and make sense of the life he left behind.
Magical Realism
3peat Author
What Happened to the McCrays?
Tracey Lange
It’s never too late to reconnect with the ones you love in this tear-jerking story of a man returned to his hometown.
Contemporary Fiction
3peat Author
The Stolen Queen
Fiona Davis
In this treasure trove of historical fiction, an unlikely duo must recover a lost artifact before it’s too late.
Historical Fiction
3peat Author
Playworld
Adam Ross
1980s New York comes to life in this sweeping coming-of-age about a teen actor navigating a complicated relationship.
Literary Fiction
More or Less Maddy
Lisa Genova
After an unexpected mental health diagnosis, a college student navigates what it means to feel more or less herself.
Contemporary Fiction
Water Moon
Samantha Sotto Yambao
Care to trade in your regrets? Or travel through different dimensions? Then step right into this dreamy fantasy world.
Fantasy
Predictions & Thoughts
There are 6 main and 7 initial add-on Book of the Month (BOTM) selections for January, including one debut and seven books by repeat authors. This month the picks were heavily contemporary fiction, which reflects overall new releases for January.
This month was not my best for predictions… because BOTM pleasantly surprised me. I predicted 4 of the 6 main selections as well as 5 of the 8 add-ons. I had ruled out Playworld as a possibility, because it seemed too literary based upon recent months’ picks. In addition to two books that were not on my radar (a rarity), BOTM selected a translated novel, which may be a first. I am pretty confident BOTM has not picked a translated novel in the last 10 years. I somehow overlooked Isaac’s Son, possibly because it is being published by a small Harper Collins imprint, as well as Andromeda. I basically accepted it as a rule that BOTM does not choose translations and does not work with small indie presses. So there was no way I would have ever predicted Andromeda.
Let’s talk about what books were not among the picks. I am surprised that Four Ruined Realms was not among the selections, especially because Five Broken Blades (the first in the series) seemed well-received and popular. Since it is a January 7th release, I cannot see it being a mid-month or February release. I am not totally surprised that Good Dirt was not among this month’s picks. I think it will be a February selection, if it is picked. I was personally hoping for another thriller this month as I am not interested in A Killing Cold and there are a lot of debut thrillers being released.
My Choices
I have not yet shipped my box because I am still trying to choose my books. Usually, I know right away which to get; however, I am trying to be more conscientious about my book boxes since I have not done a good job reading the books I pick.
I have electronic ARCs for both The Three Lives of Cate Kay and The Stolen Queen. So unless I end up absolutely loving them, I will not buy copies of the novels.
Because I am not a fantasy reader, I ruled out Babylonia instantly. The synopsis of Andromeda does not appeal to me similar to More or Less Maddy. Likewise, I am a bit hesitant about Playworld. I know it is supposed to be very good, but I have not felt like reading coming-of-age stories or those about teens for quite some time.
I did not love Kate Alice Marshall’s two previous novels – What Lies in the Woods and No One Can Know – when I read them. Between that and the fact I am tired of reading about rich people and their contrived problems, I do not have an interest in A Killing Cold. Similarly, I read Adrienne Young’s Spells for Forgetting and thought it was fine. I have a couple of her YA books on my shelves unread and would rather read those than pick up her newest release, if I do at all.
I read Emily Austin’s debut novel, Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead, and was not particularly blown away. I also added Interesting Facts about Space to one of my boxes last year and have yet to read it. Until I do read it, I am going to pass on We Could Be Rats.
I fear that both Isaac’s Song and What Happened to the McCrays? are tear-jerkers. I have been avoiding such books as of later and still do not feel like picking any up. So these two are on my list of potential future selections.
That leaves me with The Favorites and The House of My Mother. I am curious about both books. I have heard quite a bit of praise about The Favorites. It seems like a juicy, entertaining novel but is quite long. I will definitely get The House of My Mother if I decide to get The Favorites. Otherwise, it looks like it may be a skip month for me, which I am totally okay with since I have sooooooo many past BOTM picks waiting to be read (including multiple December selections). But it is my birthday month…
What books did you choose for your January BOTM selections? Let me know in the comments!
