If you’re an avid reader, chances are you’ve heard of the Book of the Month subscription. Wondering if it’s worth it to subscribe? Check out these pros and cons before making your decision.

What is Book of the Month?

As the name suggests, Book of the Month (BOTM) is a monthly (or yearly) subscription. Each month, you receive a credit. This credit goes toward choosing one of 5 monthly picks and shipping. Each pick is specialty curated based on what they think people want to read. This included a variety of genres and authors.

Besides choosing one of the five books, you can also choose add-on books if you love more than one of the monthly selections. You can also choose books from previous months.

Pros of Book of the Month

There’s a lot to love about Book of the Month. Let’s look at some pros this subscription offers!

1). Cost-Effective Reading Option

The pricing for BOTM varies depending on the type of plan you’re subscribed to, but the plans are highly cost-effective. I pay about $15 a month for one book credit and shipping. All BOTM picks are hardcovers.

If you want to add extra books, each add-on book is an additional $9 for my subscription plan.

2). Allows You to Discover New Authors

In 2021, I talked about Riley Sager non-stop. I made Final Girls one of my add-ons early last year. By the summer, I purchased all his available books on BOTM. Had it not been for BOTM, I may not have become a superfan of Sager in such a short period of time.

I also became a huge fan of Emily Henry because of this subscription.

Thanks to their wide selection of authors—both repeat and debut—you’re sure to find your new favorite author.

3). Provides Early-Access to Books

The first book I picked from BOTM—The Dating Plan by Sara Desai—was an early release. I got the book in January, but the novel wasn’t available until March elsewhere. I also got The Maidens a couple weeks early thanks to this subscription.

On top of that, BOTM does a great job picking books that are anticipated favorites. That means you’ll always be one of the first to know which novels will be popular before everyone else talks about them.

4). Challenges You to Try New Books

Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? Included with the BOTM app is a reading challenge. This lets you earn badges for various challenges—such as reading 12 books, reading 5 new genres, and reading 1 long book.

Last year, this challenge helped me pick books from genres I don’t normally read. And it doesn’t hurt that you get a prize for completing the challenge.

Cons of Book of the Month

Like with all things in life, there are always some downsides to subscribing to a monthly service like this. Let’s look at some of these cons.

1). Difficult Narrowing Down Selections

There are some months that BOTM is just on. Several times, I’ve struggled to choose one of the 5 books. Luckily, you can add on additional books, but my subscription only allows for two add-on books. My bookshelf and TBR pile are thankful for this, but sometimes I have the hardest time narrowing down which book(s) I’ll pick that month.

2). Adds Tremendously to Your TBR Pile

Since they offer incredible books with this subscription—and because I have no self-discipline with books—BOTM is a huge contributor to my growing TBR pile. For example, I picked 21 books last year besides all my other books.

If you already have a massive TBR pile, you may find it doubling thanks to this subscription.

3). May Not Like Any of the Selections

I’ve found it’s rare, but you may like none of the book selections each month. Since you have the option to skip a month and roll your credits over, you don’t have to worry about not liking a book.

The issue arises if you don’t like any of the 5 picks but love one of the new add-on books. These, unfortunately, can only be selected with one of the “pick” books, so you’ll need to wait until another month to add the other book you love.

Is Book of the Month Worth It?

After being a member of BOTM for over a year now, I can absolutely say it’s worth it! If you love books and reading—or if you’re looking to get back into writing in 2022—Book of the Month is just what you need.

How to Subscribe to BOTM

Subscribing is easy. Visit their website and choose the subscription that works best for you. Then, pick your favorite book and wait for the magical blue box in your mailbox.

Get your book for just $5 when you sign up using my referral code today!