I love my Book of the Month Subscription! It’s like Christmas twice a month, first when they release what the books are going to be for that month and again when you receive the books. I’m always excited to see what the books are and this month especially so because I had a guess as to what one of the books were… AND I was right!!!!
You can watch my Youtube video of my thoughts here.
With BOTM you pick one book from the month’s choice and then you can pick two more… either from the month’s choices or from past books that aren’t sold out. I have a spreadsheet where I keep track of the BOTM books, what I’ve gotten, what I’ve read, what I want from months prior to me joining or books I have since changed my mind about. I like spreadsheets… they help keep you organized… and I’m a geek.
Other than The Vanishing Half, I haven’t looked any further into what the synopsis is for any of the other books, which if you’ve read previous posts of mine… that’s what I do. I like to go into the book with as little knowledge about the plot as possible.
The month’s picks usually come out a day or two before the end of the month, so I kept refreshing the website, especially after they put up a landing page that the books were coming soon! Yay! Without further ado… June’s picks in order that I want them and my opinions:
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, published by Riverhead Books, expected release June 2, 2020. BOTM blurb: A powerful story that confronts race and identity in the 1960s as two sisters lead very different life paths.
This book has been on many of the summer reads lists, which is where I caught my eye, and I saw a bit more about what the plot is about. It’s listed as a historical fiction because it takes place in the 60s. It follows identical twins who grow up together in a small, southern black community. They runaway at 16 and over a decade later one is back in that small, southern town living with her black daughter. The other twin has been living as white, with a white husband who knows nothing of her past.
Brit Bennett is a NYT best selling author for her book The Mothers. I’m really excited about this book and I had a feeling that this was going to be BOTM pick for June. I was elated when I checked yesterday morning and found out I was right. You can probably guess that this is going to be my main pick… but we’ll see when I do the unboxing in a week or so. 🙂
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager, published by Dutton Books, expected release June 30, 2020. BOTM blurb: A woman inherits her creepy childhood home, only to find it’s haunted by more than just memories. Cue all the spooky Ouija board game chills.
All four of Riley Sager’s books have been BOTM books. I picked his book prior to this one as a BOTM pick when it came out but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet… so many books, so little time. I do know that a ton of people are in love with Riley Sager’s writing and his books.
A Burning by Megha Majumdar, published by Knopf Publishing Group, expected release June 2, 2020. BOTM blurb: A careless social media comment casts three characters into a web of violence, politics, and tragedy in India.
This is a debut novel for Megha Majumdar. It interests me because I love reading about India, especially in contemporary novels. I’ve been to India four times and have many friends who are Indian, so I’m enamored with their culture. Regardless as to whether I pick this book, this is definitely getting on my TBR list.
The Last Flight by Julie Clark, published by Sourcebooks Landmark, expected release June 23, 2020. BOTM blurb: Ever wanted a fresh start? This thriller makes it happen. But the journey there is darker than you could imagine.
This is Julie Clark’s second book, she previously wrote The Ones We Choose. This book is currently the #1 New Release in Women’s Detective Fiction. The book seems interesting but I’m a little apprehensive by the title. I use to travel a lot and I hope it doesn’t make me scared to fly if I end up reading it.
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London, published by Dial Press, expected release July 7, 2020. BOTM blurb: Take the best parts of The Bachelorette, mix them with your favorite rom-com, add a dash of sweet wisdom, and stir.
This is a debut novel for Kate Stayman-London. While I’m a huge fan of rom-com movies, I’m not a huge fan of Romance books which is why this is at the bottom of my list. I have to be in the right mood for them or there has to be something about them that draws me to them. I usually don’t pick a Romance novel for my BOTM pick. I will sometimes pick it up as an add-on later if I’ve opinion has changed about them. I’m a member of a handful of groups on Goodreads and have a handful of people that if they like a Romance, then I know that I might. I like to support debut authors, so I’ll keep an eye on this one and see what people’s opinions are as they read it.
Keep an eye on future blogs to see what I picked and then my reviews of those picks. I’m off to spend the rest of this rainy day reading while cuddled up with my furry friends.
Charlotte on Books 