Book subscriptions offer paid memberships that delivers a new book to you hands each month. They are great for those looking to add to their home library and readers looking to expand beyond their common interests and genres.
We’ve rounded up the best book subscription services available so you can read to your liking.
You may have heard of the Book of the Month, and that’s because it has been around since 1926. The subscription service lets you choose one of five fiction/nonfiction books per month, so that you can add to your growing home library. The service has an emphasis on early releases and debut authors. Some notable books featured in the Book of the Month include It Ends with Us by Coleen Hoover, Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford, and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin.
The first month’s book is just $9.99, and after that, you’ll pay $15.99 per month to get a new hardcover to read. Of course, you can always skip a month if you’re not intrigued by any of the titles, and, if you want more than one of the five titles, you have the option to add up to two books to your monthly selection for an extra cost.
Pros:
Great way to build up your home library with vetted titlesInexpensive price range Discover new and noteworthy titles
Cons:
BOTM Logo appears on the cover of every bookSome subscribers say the page quality is slightly different than store-bought books
If you’d rather get more personalized book recommendations, Page 1 offers a customized subscription option strictly based on your tastes. When signing up, you’ll tell the service what books and authors you love and what ones you don’t, and they will curate books for you each month – you can even link to your Goodreads account. You’ll receive a mix of hardcover and paperback titles, and if you receive a book you’ve already read, Page 1 will ship you a new title, free of charge. It’s important to note that Page 1 does not accept cancellations of whichever subscription you purchased. But it does not auto-renew subscriptions and does offer free book replacements. Pros:
Offers ebook and audiobook subscription versions as well Books are completely customized to your taste
Cons:
Hardcover only costs extra Does not accept cancellations
Pros:
Audible Narration included Great for genre readers and those open to indie/self-published books Read multiple books at a time
Cons:
Big-name publishing houses aren’t available, so many best-sellers are left outChoosing from among so many titles/options can be overwhelming and time-consuming
Also: The best e-readers: Kindle, Kobo, and more Young Adult readers will appreciate the OwlCrate subscription, which specifically caters to the YA genre. The service offers two different subscriptions: OwlCrate Jr. ($29.99 per month) for kids aged 8-12 and OwlCrate ($32.99 per month) for 14 and older. Each box comes with extras like a letter from the author, a monthly magazine, an activity, or unique book-related goodies, and more. OwlCrate also frequently offers limited edition boxes packed with special edition titles and even more goodies. Pros:
Each box is built around a theme Price includes book and collectible items
Cons:
Shipping is not included in the price Books mostly lean towards the fantasy and magical realism genres
Those who prefer to listen to books on the go should look no further than Audible’s audiobook selection. It offers more than 200,000 titles, and plans start at $7.95 per month and go up to $22.95 per month. With each plan, you get a different amount of credits, which can be used to purchase any audiobook, regardless of price. During your free 30-day trial, you receive two credits, worth one title each, toward the premium library. Once the trial ends, you revert to the standard one credit per month. The service also features Audible originals, which are exclusive audio titles created by celebrated authors, journalists, playwrights, and other storytellers, and produced by Audible Studios. In addition, Audible offers a sleep collection that includes bedtime stories, soundscapes, and ASMR. Pros: Cons:
Must be a Prime member for the best benefits Different plan options and credit-based system can be confusing
Used books will cost less, but you might not find those new and best-selling titles in a used bookstore.
