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As if I don’t already dedicate enough time to Book of the Month here on readwithallison.com!
I decided to start the Box Breakdown series so you can find the synopsis and ratings for each of the 5-7 books that Book of the Month picks each month.
In case you didn’t know, Book of the Month (BOTM) is my favorite monthly book subscription box. I love the anticipation of finally seeing the monthly picks and always have fun trying to guess what may show up on the app on the first of every month.
If you aren’t familiar with BOTM, you can check out my full review of this subscription service. The basic idea is BOTM chooses 5-7 books from different genres every month and members can choose their pick when the books go live. You can also add on up to two more books for only $10.99 each.
If you don’t like any of the picks, you can choose to skip and save your credit for the next month, which is honestly the best part of this service to me. I don’t like subscription boxes that only offer one book selection that you don’t know ahead of time. If you are interested in trying BOTM, you can use my link to get your first book for only $5!
September Book of the Month Picks
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Release date: August 23, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Repeat Author
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results.
Early reviews have been mostly positive for Love on the Brain. I did notice some reviews mention a lot of “info dumping” about Marie Curie, so be prepared for that. It is also worth mentioning that this is not a sequel to The Love Hypothesis and does not appear to feature any characters from that book.
Personally this is definitely going in my box this month because I loved The Love Hypothesis.
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh
Release date: September 6, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.11
Debut author
This debut novel follows a family of estranged Vietnamese women—cursed to never know love or happiness—as they reunite when a psychic makes a startling prediction.
The Fortunes of Jaded Women will feature magical realism, so that definitely sounds interesting to me. Early reviews mention a lot of characters to keep track of but also mention it is a fairly quick, easy read. Another review compared the family dynamic to Dial A For Aunties without the murder.
While I am interested in this title, I think it will be an audiobook read for me, so I’ll be waiting for my library to stock it. I think The Fortunes of Jaded Women sounds like a breath of fresh air for BOTM readers experiencing thriller overload.
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
Release date: August 30, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.26
From the acclaimed author of Garden Spells comes an enchanting tale of lost souls, lonely strangers, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home.
Early reviewers for Other Birds have been positive overall. This one seems to be more character driven than plot driven. Other reviews mention is has a slow start and not as much magical realism as they wanted.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.32
They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they’re sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.
One reviewer blurbed Killers of a Certain Age as “The Golden Girls meets Kill Bill.” I am not interested in this thriller at all, but it sounds campy compared to other BOTM thriller picks.
The Attic Child by Lola Jaye
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.51
A hauntingly powerful and emotionally charged novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging. Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a shared secret.
The ratings for The Attic Child are very positive. Reviewers mention this is a long one (480 pages). Historical fiction is generally not my jam, so I will be skipping this one.
Add Ons
The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland
Release date: September 6, 2022
Current Goodreads Rating: 4.03
Repeat Author
At their milestone high school reunion, a group of friends make a pact to finally achieve their high school superlatives one way or another, in the lively new novel from the acclaimed author of Last Summer at the Golden Hotel.
Many early reviews mention unlikable characters that are obnoxious and treat each other poorly considering they are supposed to be best friends. I will probably skip this one because I did not hear great things about Last Summer at the Golden Hotel either.
Talk Bookish To Me