This month’s book selections are here!
Book of the Month is one of my favorite subscription boxes for readers and book lovers. I get so excited seeing that blue box at my door! This is one subscription I’m hooked on and they also have a great rewards program too.
Every month they curate a selection of books for you to choose from. They are hardbacks, highly-anticipated new releases, from a range of genres. You can choose one or more from that month’s selections and from previous months, or skip that month and save your credit for later.
If you aren’t a member yet or want to learn all about how it works and if it’s worth it, here’s everything you need to know about BOTM!
This month there are five picks and four new add-ons.
For new members, you can get your first book for only $5 using using my affiliate link.
Here are January’s selections and which ones I’m planning on getting:
January Selections:
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 336
Publication: January 2nd, 2024
I’ve been seeing a lot of early buzz about this book and it also has really good early ratings. It’s not really my preferred genre, but it actually sounds intriguing to me. If my library gets a copy, I’ll probably pick it up from there.
Synopsis: “A roofing family’s bonds of loyalty are tested when they uncover a long-hidden secret at the heart of their blue-collar town―from Amy Jo Burns, author of the critically acclaimed novel Shiner.”
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Genre: Thriller, 3Peat Author
Pages: 320
Publication: January 16th, 2024
One of my most anticipated reads of the year! I loved his previous book, The Silent Patient, and I can’t wait to read this one too. I’m going into it blind. I have no idea what it’s really about and I can’t wait to just enjoy the experience. Also, yay for the blue BOTM logo! There are so many red/orange/yellow ones and I want more color variety for my shelf. Although, in my opinion, this might be one of the worst covers I’ve ever seen. No offense to the designer, but it’s pretty awful and it not at all makes me want to pick up this book. I’m hoping that maybe after reading, the weirdness of it will make sense with something in the story.
Synopsis: “A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder ― from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient.”
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Early Release
Pages: 320
Publication: January 30th, 2024
This is not a book I had heard about previously and doesn’t really sound like something I’d enjoy. It definitely has it’s audience out there, because it has really high early ratings. I think it will be cute and quirky and probably a good one for discussions. It’s just not for my personal reading tastes.
Synopsis: “A fast-paced, hilarious, and ultimately hopeful novel for anyone who has ever worried they might be a terrible person—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead.”
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Publication: January 2nd, 2024
I received an ARC of this from the publisher and I didn’t love it. I never really connected with the characters and the tropes aren’t my favorite type of thriller. You can read my full review of the book here. It was just okay for me.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: “Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.”
The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Genre: Literary Fiction, Early Release
Pages: 272
Publication: January 23rd, 2024
This is one of my anticipated releases from this year! I love the wild west setting and with the added fantasy elements I think it is going to be so good! This is my second book pick for this month and I can’t wait to read it. As a side note, this is also one of the only covers I really like this month.
Synopsis: “A dazzling magical realism western in the vein of Cormac McCarthy meets Gabriel García Márquez, The Bullet Swallower follows a Mexican bandido as he sets off for Texas to save his family, only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come, finally, to collect a cosmic debt generations in the making.”
January Add-Ons:
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Genre: Romance
Pages: 360
Publication: August 15th, 2023
I am seriously debating reading this one. Everyone I’ve heard talking about says that they absolutely loved it. I like some dark romance and this one sounds unique and fun. I’m just worried it might feel too cheesy or tongue-in-cheek for me. For now, I have it shelved on my tbr on BOTM and I may consider adding it to a box in the future. Also, I love the grey BOTM logo, it’s my favorite color.
Synopsis: “Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.”
Familia by Lauren E. Rico
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 320
Publication: December 26th, 2023
This is definitely outside of my normal reading habits. I do love this cover though and it definitely got my attention enough to read the synopsis. It sounds like a very engaging and character-driven story, with some mystery elements as well. I may consider checking this one out from the library.
Synopsis: “What if your most basic beliefs about your life were suddenly revealed to be a lie? In this compelling, emotional novel, two young women are brought together by a genealogy test and a haunting question that shakes their understanding of what family is and who they truly are . . .”
Northwoods by Amy Pease
Genre: Crime Fiction
Pages: 288
Publication: January 9th, 2024
I’ve never heard of this book or author before. If you love crime thrillers, then it’s probably a great pick for you. There’s just nothing about it that really grabs my attention or makes me want to read it. To me, it just sounds like a generic FBI agent story.
Synopsis: “If Eli solves the case, could he finally get the shot at redemption he so desperately needs? Or will answers to this dark case elude him and continue to bring destruction to the Northwoods?”
Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 384
Publication: January 16th, 2024
One of my most anticipated releases of the entire year and man, what a disappointment it was. I received an ARC from the publisher. You can read my full review here. The characters are dull and the plot was stagnant. It was a flop for me.
My Rating: ⭐⭐
Synopsis: “A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense.”
My honest thoughts about this month’s books:
This is a decent month for BOTM. Not the best, not the worst.
Super happy to see some of my most anticipated books of the year on here!
I only chose two books from this month, but I had already read two of the others. I also decided to pick up two backlist books as well (see below).
Not that it really matters, and it really has nothing to do with BOTM themselves, but this has probably got to be the month of ugliest covers. I hate almost all of them. Even a few of the books that I really want to read or that sound interesting to me, don’t look like anything that would get my attention and make me want to pick it up.
Overall, I think it was a pretty good selection this month. January isn’t a big release month this year, there just aren’t that many new books coming out, especially not popular ones. So I think considering that, this is a great variety of early-hyped and high-rated books.
Books I chose for my box this month:
These are the four books I decided to get this month! Two from this month’s selections, and two backlist titles that I have been wanting to read for a while now. I think this is a really great mixture for a mood reader and a multiple genre reader like me: historical/literary, thriller, fantasy, and horror. So excited and hoping I can get to all of them this month!
Sign up for BOTM and get your first book for only $5!
Even if you didn’t like any of this month’s books, you can choose from any of their previous selections (there are hundreds) when you sign up.
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