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 3 initial add-ons.
Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices
Main Picks
Red City
Marie Lu
Welcome to the gritty, magical world of Angel City, where power takes just as much as it gives.
Fantasy
Never Over
Clare Gilmore
What should you do when your songwriting creative juices stop flowing? Sign up to get your heart broken, of course.
Romance | Early Release
The Haunting of Paynes Hollow
Kelley Armstrong
What should be an idyllic homecoming turns into a horror made for Halloween when the past refuses to stay in the past.
Paranormal Thriller
Hazelthorn
C.G. Drews
Mysteries, lies, and deceit grow out of control (literally) in this unsettling, atmospheric horror.
Young Adult Gothic | Early Release
The Second Chance Cinema
Thea Weiss
Now playing: Your fiancé’s emotional baggage, up on the big screen. Pack your popcorn and your tissues.
Magical Realism | Debut
The Ten Year Affair
Erin Somers
This witty story of two couples in small-town New York asks: Does cheating count if it’s only in your daydreams?
Literary Fiction | Early Release
Add Ons
Flat Earth
Anika Jade Levy
In a collapsing society, a writer negotiates relationships, envy, and the commodification of youth, art, and sex.
Literary Fiction | Debut | Early Release
Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance
Kate Robb
Grab your partner and don your 1940s dancing shoes for this magical love story.
Romance | Repeat Author
Told You So
Mayci Neeley
Humor and strength shine in reality TV star Mayci Neeley’s uplifting story of hope in the face of tragedy and mourning.
Memoir | Debut
Predictions & Thoughts
There are six main and three add-on Book of the Month (BOTM) selections for October, including three debuts and one book by repeat authors. Of these books, BOTM has labeled four books as early releases.
This month, I predicted five of the six main selections and none of the add-ons. I ruled out one of the add-ons, but the other two were not on my radar. (One is a November release while the other is by a reality star who I have never heard of.) I was a bit surprised that BOTM chose The Haunting of Paynes Hollow, since the author’s previous books have had mixed reception. That and the book is not your typical BOTM pick. I am also surprised that there are not any straight-forward Halloween-ish books, although there are a few labeled “gruesome.”
I think it is fair to say that the selections and add-ons the last few month have been atypical for BOTM. In fact, some I have found to be complete head-scratchers. Specifically, BOTM seems to be veering away from the super popular commercial fiction and celebrity book club type picks. Undoubtedly, this leaves many subscribers unhappy, questioning whether to continue their subscription, and wondering if BOTM is changing. BOTM has definitely been trying different things this year. First, it was the focus on “romantasy” and trying to win Book Tok and Gen Z crowds. I cannot quite put my finger on what they are currently aiming to do.
Let’s talk about what books were not among the picks. I am extremely disappointed that the selections did not include The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller. I know that BOTM did not feature her last novel, but this one is much closer to her debut, which was a popular BOTM pick. I am also shocked at the recent lack in thriller books. I know there is one this month labeled paranormal thriller, but it feels very horror to me. I would have liked for The Hitchhikers or Boom Town to be among this month’s books.
My Choices
I was easily able to choose which books to add to my box this month, although I did not have advanced reader copies for any of the selections. After I ordered my blue box, I was able to sign up to receive a finished copy of Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance, which I was not confident that I would like to buy it from BOTM.
I decided to grab Red City, although I absolutely hate being forced to pay extra for sprayed edges (that I did not ask for). I really wish BOTM would give the option to not have them. I have been on a fantasy kick, so Red City seemed the obvious pick. I also mixed up the author, Marie Lu, with another author who I have liked in the past. Oops! We will see if I do end up enjoying it.
I also added The Book of Guilt to my box. This was an add-on added to the site after I ordered my box last month. I know this novel received quite a bit of pre-publication praise and was excited by its dystopian nature.
Honestly, none of the other selections appealed to me. As I mentioned, I had no idea who Mayci Neeley is or why I should read her memoir. I am very over second chance romances and books that feature famous protagonists (singers, actors, etc.) I have seen a lot of negative reviews for Kelley Armstrong’s past novels, so I was immediately deterred from choosing The Haunting of Paynes Hollow. I did click on it and see that the narrator is in the dark and confused for a majority of the book, which I definitely do not enjoy. The Ten Year Affair is receiving quite a bit of buzz; however, I decided to hold off on selecting it since I am not currently feeling like reading novels about cheating. I am also curious about Flat Earth, but I am going to wait to see more reviews from people I trust before buying.
