Book of the Month Box Review, October – December 2018 + Coupon!

Book of the Month was one of the very first book subscriptions I tried, and I give you my sincerest apologies for only reviewing them just now.  I’m finally getting caught up, and you will be seeing more from me in 2019 – I promise!  I have narrowed myself down to only two book boxes per month (I was out of control), and Book of the Month (BOTM) made this important cut!  The best part of this club is that you get to CHOOSE the book(s) you want, and quite often they offer titles before their official release date, as well as exclusive versions!

BOTM Membership costs just $14.99/month for (1) book credit, or less with longer subscription commitments.  Each box includes YOUR CHOICE of (1) newly released hardcover book out of their (5) monthly selections, and you can also add up to (2) more books to your box for only $9.99 each.  If you have additional credits on your account, you can choose to use those to purchase add-on books instead.  The add-on books can be from the current month OR from previous months (as supplies last).  You can skip a month whenever you wish and you won’t be charged; and your credit(s) will roll over to the next month.  Shipping is always free!  Gift memberships are available to purchase as well.

All new monthly titles are available to start selecting on the 1st of the month, and you must also select when to ship your box.  You have until the 6th to make your selection(s), or, if you don’t choose a book and ship your box by the 6th of the month, you will be renewed $14.99 for a credit to redeem the following month.

There are a variety of genres offered each month that may include (but are not limited to): Thriller/Horror, History, Historical Fiction, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, YA (Young Adult), Mystery, Romance, Domestic Suspense, Satire, Non-Fiction and Memoir.

COUPON:  If you would like to join and get your first month for only $9.99, sign up at this link!

I am not a Book of the Month affiliate, but I do use their referral program which is available to all members.  I pay for my subscription, but there may be other affiliate links within this post where I could potentially earn a commission.  (A girl’s gotta get paid!)   Please note however, that I *never* accept compensation in exchange for a positive review.  All of my reviews are my honest, personal opinions and contain my own photography (unless otherwise stated).

To see what I think of all the books I read, you can read CrazyDogMama’s Book Reviews here.  If you like, you can also come be my friend (or stalker) at  Goodreads.

Book of the Month Review, October 2018

They send a bright blue box, and the size depends on how many books you order.

These were the October 2018 choices, chosen by 5 different curators to ensure a great selection.  On the website you can read the descriptions, and the reason why each was chosen by it’s curator.  This month there is a debut author – Hank Green.

Being a total & complete bibliophile, I opted for the 12 month membership and have enjoyed every book I’ve read so far.  How many books I order each month depends on how many titles sound interesting to me (duh), but I haven’t yet wanted to skip a month because there is always a great variety.

The books come shrink-wrapped together with a cardboard bottom, and paper bookmark.  My books have always arrived in perfect condition – no damage at all.

I chose two titles from the October BOTM selections – ‘The Lies We Told’ and ‘Winter in Paradise’.

‘The Lies We Told’ by Camilla Way – Retail Value $16  (You can find it on Amazon currently – paperback only – for $11.)

Amazon excerpt:

The highly acclaimed author of Watching Edie returns with a new novel of dark psychological suspense that explores how those closest to us have the most to hide…

A daughter
Beth has always known there was something strange about her daughter, Hannah. The lack of emotion, the disturbing behavior, the apparent delight in hurting others…Sometimes Beth is scared of her and what she could be capable of.

A son
Luke comes from the perfect family, with the perfect parents. But one day, he disappears without a trace, and his girlfriend, Clara, is desperate to discover what has happened to him.

A life built on lies
As Clara digs into the past, she realizes that no family is truly perfect, and uncovers a link between Luke’s long-lost sister and a strange girl named Hannah. Now Luke’s life is in danger because of the lies once told and the secrets once kept. Can Clara find him before it’s too late?

I usually always select the psychological thrillers because I love that genre!  This book gets a high rating, and is all the rage on social media at the moment.  I’m excited to read it!  I do full book reviews on my site, so keep a look out for this title here – coming soon!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

‘Winter in Paradise’ by Elin Hilderbrand – Retail Value $28  (You can find it on Amazon currently for $17.36.)

Amazon excerpt:

A husband’s secret life, a wife’s new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a plane crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John.

After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures. 

Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series. 

Elin Hilderbrand is a great writer, and I enjoy stories about secret lives and starting over – so this was a winner for me!  I haven’t started it yet (I have a HUGE to-be-read pile), but I do full book reviews on my site, so keep a look out for this title here – coming soon!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

You always get a thick paper bookmark with a literary quote in each box – and this month’s quote is: “The book is a film that takes place in the mind of the reader.  That’s why we go to movies and say, oh, the book is better.” – Paulo Coelho

Here’s the bookmark in action!

So what do you think of BOTM?  The total retail value of my box was $44 (currently $28.36 on Amazon), and I paid $22.49 ($12.50 with my 12-month subscription+ $9.99 for my add-on book) – so this is an awesome deal, even over Amazon prices!  Plus, Amazon does not even offer the hardcover of ‘The Lies We Told’!  If you are bookworm like me and like to keep up with the latest releases, I highly recommend this box – you just can’t go wrong!   I love being introduced to new authors, and books I may not even know about.  I’m also more inclined to try new genres I wouldn’t consider otherwise.

DON’T FORGET THE COUPON!  If you would like to join and get your first month for only $9.99, sign up at this link!

Book of the Month Review, November 2018

There’s that beautiful blue box!

These were the November 2018 choices, chosen by 5 different curators to ensure a great selection.  On the website you can read the descriptions, and the reason why each was chosen by it’s curator.  You’ll notice this month there is an exclusive version of ‘For Better and Worse: a Novel’, and a repeat author to BOTM – John Boyne.

Read. Love. Repeat.  Books are much more important to me than movies or television!  The books come shrink-wrapped together with a cardboard bottom, and paper bookmark.  My books have always arrived in perfect condition – no damage at all.

I only chose one book this month – don’t fall over!  This is unprecedented for me, but only because I wanted to start Christmas shopping, and it made sense to take it down a notch.

There was also a coupon offer card in this month’s box explaining how to purchase a gift membership for someone, then receive a free add-on book in your next box.  Unfortunately, this didn’t work for my inner circle this year, but it was a nice deal.

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ by Liane Moriarty – Retail Value $28.99  (You can find it on Amazon currently for $20.29.)

Amazon excerpt:

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors, and I was so stoked that it was a Book of the Month selection!  I’ve read ‘Big Little Lies‘, ‘The Husband’s Secret‘ and ‘Truly Madly Guilty‘ by her, and loved them all.  I was actually kind of obsessed with ‘Big Little Lies’ for awhile when the TV series came out.  You can read all my full book reviews here.

I dove into ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ right away, and it was just as good as her others!  Great writing, unique plot, interesting characters – and it was a little disturbing!  It only took me a few days to blow through it, then I passed it onto a friend.  I recommend!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

You always get a thick paper bookmark with a literary quote in each box – and this month’s quote is: “A book is a heart that only beats in the chest of another.” – Rebecca Solnit

Here’s the bookmark in action!

So what do you think of BOTM?  The total retail value of my box was $28.99 (currently $20.99 on Amazon), and I paid $12.50 (with my 12-month subscription) – so this is a sweet deal, even over Amazon pricing!  If you love books as much as I do, and like to keep up with the latest releases, I highly recommend this box – you just can’t go wrong!

DON’T FORGET THE COUPON!  If you would like to join and get your first month for only $9.99, sign up at this link!

Book of the Month Review, December 2018

I got a BIG blue box this month!  Wheeee!

These were the December 2018 choices, chosen by 5 different curators to ensure a great selection.  On the website you can read the descriptions, and the reason why each was chosen by it’s curator.  This month there are TWO debut authors – Josie Silver and Ling Ma, and THREE exclusive versions!

Read. Love. Repeat.  It’s my life!

This was a three-book month for me!  The books come shrink-wrapped together with a cardboard bottom, and paper bookmark.  My books have always arrived in perfect condition – no damage at all.

I chose two books from the December selections, and also picked up a November selection that I decided I wanted to read after all.

‘An Anonymous Girl’ by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen – Retail Value $27.99  (You can find it on Amazon currently for $19.59.)

Amazon excerpt:

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

I haven’t read this one yet (I’m so behind!) but I’m looking forward to it.  It gets great reviews and sounds right up my alley.  I do full book reviews on my site, so keep a look out for this title here – coming soon!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

‘No Exit’ by Taylor Adams – Retail Value $26.99  (You can find in on Amazon currently for $17.70.)

Amazon excerpt:

A brilliant, edgy thriller about four strangers, a blizzard, a kidnapped child, and a determined young woman desperate to unmask and outwit a vicious psychopath.

A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one?

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.

But who can she trust?

With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless.

This one just sounds chilling in every sense of the word, doesn’t it?!?  I’ve been thinking of doing a road trip to the Colorado Rockies, but I may change my mind after I read this book.  Perhaps I’ll wait until I get back!  I do full book reviews on my site, so keep a look out for this title here – coming soon!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

‘For Better and Worse: A Novel’ by Margot Hunt – Retail Value $16.99  (You can find it on Amazon currently – paperback only – for $11.55.)

Amazon excerpt:

On their first date back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke bonded over drinks, dinner and whether they could get away with murder. Now married, they’ll put the latter to the test when an unchecked danger in their community places their son in jeopardy. Working as a criminal defense attorney, Nat refuses to rely on the broken legal system to keep her family safe. She knows that if you want justice…you have to get it yourself.

Shocked to discover Nat’s taken matters into her own hands, Will has no choice but to dirty his, also. His family is in way too deep to back down now. He’s just not sure he recognizes the woman he married. Nat’s always been fiercely protective, but never this ruthless or calculating. With the police poking holes in their airtight plan, what will be the first to fall apart: their scandalous secret—or their marriage?

I didn’t choose this book in November for some reason, but I read some great reviews about it and decided to go ahead and make it an add-on for my December box!  I do full book reviews on my site, so keep a look out for this title here – coming soon!

Every book jacket is branded by BOTM, with the month/year it was a selected on the back.

You always get a thick paper bookmark with a literary quote in each box – and this month’s quote is: “Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.” – Jane Smiley

Here’s the bookmark in action!

So what do you think of BOTM?  The total retail value of my box was $71.97 (currently $48.84 on Amazon – but one of them is offered in paperback only), and I paid $32.48 ($12.50 with my 12-month subscription + $19.98 for my two add-on books.) – so this is a fantastic deal, even over Amazon prices!  If you are bookworm like me (or want to be) and want to be in the loop on the latest releases, I highly recommend this box – you just can’t go wrong!   I love being introduced to new authors, and books I may not even know about.  I’m also more inclined to try new genres I wouldn’t consider otherwise.

DON’T FORGET THE COUPON!  If you would like to join and get your first month for only $9.99, sign up at this link!