Today will be an overview of my Book Club Boxes for February 2024! I will also give a brief summary of Book of the Month and Aardvark Book Club as subscription boxes. It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this. Here’s one I did for the now sadly-defunct Crate Curator. I love talking about books! However, I’ve also been limiting the amount of books I buy overall. But this month? The temptation was too great.
Book clubs have been around for many years; does anyone remember getting paper advertisements for them in the mail? I do! (In fact, I am also a member of Science Fiction Book Club, which I was initially introduced to via one of those flyers.) Of course, the internet makes everything even more accessible. It would take a whole series of posts to detail all of the book clubs that are out there. I myself tend to stay away from ones that focus more on merch than the actual books; I love a good bookish item, but I only have so much space.
Book of the Month and Aardvark Book Club keep it simple: newly-released books, right to your door every month. Book of the Month even offers audiobooks now!
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with either Book of the Month or Aardvark Book Club and all opinions are my own. All information in this post was relevant at the time of posting and is subject to change without notice.
Book of the Month
Book of the Month was founded all the way back in 1926, making them older of the two book club boxes by far. Their monthly cost varies depending on the plan. I currently have the $15.99 USD/month plan, which gives me one credit every month. Shipping is free, and you can include add-ons for a reduced price. If I don’t like any of the selections for that month, I can choose to skip it and roll the credit over. They’re also currently offering a deal: your first box for only $9.99.
Book of the Month is great for anyone who loves romance or thriller genres; these both tend to be featured heavily. They feature authors over and over if their books do well, so if you like a particular author that’s been featured in a past box, you might see more of their work. They also offer perks if you’re a BFF, such as a free book on your birthday.
Many websites offer predictions for what each month’s picks will be. I read The Night Tiger by the same author a few years ago. Because of this, I was hoping The Fox Wife would be offered. And it was!
A historical fantasy about fox spirits, set against the backdrop of the Qing empire, this follows Snow, a fox spirit on the hunt for revenge, and Bao, the detective on her trail.
Aardvark Book Club
Aardvark Book Club is the newer of the two, founded in 2022. They only offer one plan currently, at $17.99 USD/$25.99 CAD. Like Book of the Month, you can choose to roll a credit over if you don’t want any of the current month’s selections. Shipping is free, and you can include add-ons for a reduced price. If you’re active on social media, their Instagram account is a delight, with very creative hints for upcoming books.
Of the two book club boxes, I feel Aardvark Book Club really shines in their picks. They tend to offer more unusual titles, or genres you don’t see as often, along with the usual players like romance books.
Case in point:
The Tainted Cup, By Robert Jackson Bennett and The House of Last Resort, by Christopher Golden
The first one is a “Holmes-and-Watson” style fantasy book, and at the heart the mystery lies an imperial officer who died when a tree explodes from his body – oh my. The second one is a horror novel about a couple who stays in an abandoned Italian home. The cost is too good to be true. We all know how well that’s going to go.
Overall, I think both boxes are worth the price. They’re significantly cheaper than paying full retail price for new hardcover books, and the add-on prices sweeten the deal. Since both book club boxes allow you to roll over credits, I have no problem keeping an active subscription going with both. I’m very excited for the titles I got this month.
