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 4 initial add-ons.
Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices
Main Picks
Rings of Fate
Melissa De La Cruz
A jaded bar maiden and a desperate prince embark on a high-stakes adventure, risking their hearts to save the realm.
Fantasy
Most Eligible
Isabelle Engel
A journalist goes undercover on a reality dating show—can she break a big story without breaking her heart?
Romance | Debut
Crux
Gabriel Tallent
Two untethered teens try to grow up without growing apart while they dream of becoming professional rock climbers.
Literary Fiction | Early Release
Lost Lambs
Madeline Cash
Three daughters navigate dating, adolescence, and their parents’ dissolving marriage in this quirky, clever story.
Contemporary Fiction
The Future Saints
Ashley Winstead
The lead singer of an indie band must balance newfound fame and a budding romance while healing from a tragic loss.
Contemporary Fiction | Early Release
Anatomy of an Alibi
Ashley Elston
After two women swap identities, they find themselves caught in an even bigger crime—a murder case.
Thriller | Repeat Author
Add Ons
Skylark
Paula McLain
A poignant tale of bravery in the face of oppression, spanning centuries but connected by an underground city in Paris.
Historical Fiction | Repeat Author
My Husband’s Wife
Alice Feeney
Two women claim the same identity in this unpredictable thriller about obsession, deception, marriage, and revenge.
Thriller | Repeat Author
The Odds of You
Kate Dramis
When a bestselling author and an emerging actor keep crossing paths, they’ll face the odds of falling in love together.
Romance
The First Time I Saw Him
Laura Dave
An exhilarating sequel about the power of forgiveness, renewed promises, and the risks we take to protect those we love.
Thriller | Repeat Author
Predictions & Thoughts
There are six main and four add-on Book of the Month (BOTM) selections for January, including one debut and four books by repeat authors.
This month, I predicted five of the six main selections as well as three of the fouradd-ons. I ruled out one of the main picks and one of the add-ons. I had ruled out Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash since BOTM has not worked with its publisher in quite a few years. And I do not quite remember why I ruled out The Odds of You. I am happy that BOTM is stepping a bit outside its comfort zone and working with different publishers. Now if they will only let us choose whether we want sprayed edges (and want to pay extra for them) or not.
Let’s talk about what books were not among the picks. Personally, I was really hoping for Scavengers and How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder. I thought the former had a shot while the latter had less of one. I am guessing some people are disappointed that BOTM did not choose Dandelion is Dead. The most notable absence among this month’s picks is Simone St. James’s newest, A Box Full of Darkness. I am wondering if it will be among February’s selections or potentially a mid-month add-on. Two other books from past BOTM authors that are not in the initial drop are Graceless Heart and The Elsewhere Express. I know that Samantha Sotto Yambao’s previously book, Water Moon was a mid-month add-on; so it will be interesting to see if The Elsewhere Express is as well.
My Choices
I have an ARC of Anatomy of an Alibi that I am currently reading; so I do not plan on purchasing a copy unless I love it. So that narrows down the books for me to choose from a little.
Often times, it is easier for me to start with the books I know right away that I am not interested in. I continue to be burnt out on books about celebrities, music groups, etc.; therefore, I have no interest in The Future Saints. For personal reasons, I have no desire to read about rock climbers, ruling out Crux. Because second chance romance is among my least favorite romance tropes (they are rarely well-developed), I ruled out Most Eligible. I have been reading more and more fantasy, but I am over BOTM charging extra for sprayed edges when I do not care whether books have them. That rules out Rings of Fate for me. I will probably grab a copy from the library, instead.
That leaves me with Lost Lambs, which has received early praise and is supposed to be humorous. I am trying to be more thoughtful in my 2026 selections since I have a large BOTM backlog. I want add books to my box that I have the intention of reading that same month. I think Lost Lambs is definitely one I could pick up within the month, so it will be my main pick.
In terms of add-ons, two automatically jumped out at me. I loved Paula McLain’s last book, When the Stars Go Dark. Although I have not been reading a lot of historical fiction as of late, the subject matter of Skylark definitely appeals to me. I am just unsure if I would read it this month. I really enjoyed The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave and am excited to see that The First Time I Saw Him is a sequel. I do have Dave’s previous novel sitting unread on my shelf, but I am much more motivated to read it as a sequel. I think I will end up waiting on Skylark and adding The First Time I Saw Him to my box. It is also my birthday month, so it works out that I am getting a second book that will be free.
