Fall is just around the corner and only a few more crunchy leaves away. That means it\u2019s time to break out those soup recipes, bake all the bread and cozy up with a good book. <\/p>\n
If you find your to-be-read list is an endless scroll or you simply don\u2019t know where to start, my first recommendation is Book of the Month<\/a> (BOTM). <\/p>\n For years, I was skeptical of the craze. After the first two months of my membership, I already knew I had missed out on a lot of reads that would have entranced me for hours. Here\u2019s everything you need to know so you don\u2019t make the same mistake I did.<\/p>\n What is Book of the Month?<\/p>\n Instead of finishing one book and then waiting for another title to be available, Book of the Month has it at your doorstep waiting. This monthly subscription program<\/a> delivers at least one hardcover book per month for between $12.99 and $17.99 a month, depending on your plan. <\/p>\n Each month, members use the Book of the Month app or website to choose from a short list of fiction selected by BOTM staff<\/a>. Once you choose your first book, you have the option to add up to four more titles from that month\u2019s list or previous months for between $10.99 and $11.99 each.<\/p>\n You\u2019re able to track everything from when your box is being prepared to when it\u2019s out for delivery and the moment it\u2019s at your door. If you don\u2019t like your book, just let BOTM know and they will replace it for free with their Reader\u2019s Guarantee. Personally, I haven\u2019t had any flops yet. <\/p>\n For a limited time, you can sign up for your first month at just $5 and you\u2019ll get your choice of a free gift. When I signed up, I was able to snag a Carley Fortune book that was new on the market weeks before I would have ever gotten it through my library. Plus, my free gift was an adorable mini tote that is the perfect size for carrying my books around without being bulky.<\/p>\n Does Book of the Month do audiobooks?<\/p>\n If you aren\u2019t big into physical book copies, don\u2019t sweat it. BOTM also creates a short list of audiobook offerings each month<\/a> \u2013 some are overlaps from the hardcover options, but usually not all of them are. <\/p>\n What if I don\u2019t like any of the Book of the Month picks? <\/p>\n You\u2019re able to skip a month if nothing looks good to you. BOTM might still prompt you to try one of their choices with the promise of replacing it if you don\u2019t like it, but you can still move forward and opt out of that. I\u2019ve done this twice myself. <\/p>\n Your credit carries to the next month, and you won\u2019t be charged. This could go on for as many months as it takes until something interests you.<\/p>\n Why I\u2019m sticking with BOTM and dropping other programs<\/p>\n I have a love-hate relationship with reading and audiobooks. I\u2019m either all in or not invested at all. As a longtime Spotify premium subscriber, I have lost hundreds of audiobook hours because they don\u2019t roll over. <\/p>\n I\u2019ve also used Audible and paused my membership more times than I can count because the credits are just stacking up and nothing looks good. But that leads to needing to use my credits before they expire and setting calendar alerts to remind myself when I will be charged again. Then the cycle repeats itself when I eventually resume. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I like about BOTM: it\u2019s simple. There is no lengthy tightrope process. I either like a book on the list or skip until I do. And the number of months I\u2019ve had a hard time deciding because they all sound good far outweighs the times I have skipped. <\/p>\n