Saturday, December 23, 2017

Book of the Month

~~~ wake up wake up wake up, it's the book of the mooooooonth ~~ 

// Disclaimer: Book of the Month has not paid me to promote them, I am a corporate shill of my own volition and with no foreseeable benefit to myself. Don't mind me, I'll just be sitting here re-evaluating all the choices I've made that have led me to this point.

Book of the Month Club was founded in 1926 as a way to distribute and discuss new and upcoming books. From the Wikipedia page, I bring you some fun tidbits of history:
"The club has a tradition of focusing on debut and emerging writers, and is known for having helped launch the careers of some of the most acclaimed authors in American literary history. In 1926 (its first year in operation), the Club featured Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. In 1936 (its tenth year), the Club selected Gone with the Wind by unknown author Margaret Mitchell... In 1951 (its 25th year), the club distributed its 100 millionth book and selected J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, which became both the most-censored and the most-taught book in America."
Since it's the holiday season, I've had this bouncing around my brain-- that I'm pleased with my subscription and thought I'd spread the joy. This is for anyone who still needs a gift for that picky bookworm who you love just enough to spend one of three convenient price ranges ($45 bucks for 3 books, $80 bucks for 6 books or $150 for 12...so starting at ~$15 per book). Each month, members are presented with five new books and the option to either pick one or skip the month. There is also an archive of books offered in the past that are available to someone with book credits.

Honestly, I'd wait until BOTM is doing a coupon or offer to make sure you're getting the best deal i.e. Groupon / RetailMeNot / sporadic promo sales.

Q: Kay you've convinced me, where do I go to check this out?
A: Haz click aquí --> If you use my own personal referral link I get a free book. Thanks in advance, stranger! That's some genius marketing right there, yea? Falls right in line with their self-perpetuating stream of Instagram Book Looks. *cough*

Q: What if my friend is super particular and doesn't like the books available? 
A: They can always skip that month and get something the next month! Or the month after that. Or the one after that. Or they can prolong the wait indefinitely and get off on how unreasonably high their standards are #neversettle #neverbackdown. But seriously there's no shame in skipping months, save those credits for books you're excited about. Though the curation team does deserve some credit here: the picks seem pretty well-regarded in the grand scheme of things.

Q: Why can't I just get my friend a gift card to their favorite local book store? Or to Half-Price books instead?  
A: I never said you couldn't do that. Those are fantastic options! Do it! Some local bookstores even offer subscription boxes now - like my lovely neighborhood Brazos Bookstore makes personalized gift boxes tailor-made to suit the recipient with 1-2 books and several gift items. Book of the Month is neat and all but nothing beats supporting local. Find your nearest indie bookstore on IndieBound!

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