The Best Book Clubs

Wednesday, May 1st

2024 Book Club Reviews

Brilliant Books

• Suggest books and request books
• Pause subscription at any time
• Guaranteed selections
• Thousands of subscribers
• Choose to manually or automatically renew

Brilliant Books is your "long-distance local bookstore." They are based out of Traverse City, Michigan and have a brick-and-mortar location in addition to their online store. You can buy paperback books, audiobooks, apparel, literary accessories, games and puzzles, journals, pens, and more from Brilliant Books.

Handpicked selections

Every type of reader under the sun can find a subscription from Brilliant Books to keep them stocked with good reads for months to come. They have a club for audiobooks, young adult books, kids books, iconic reads, and more. All of the books come from their independent bookstore handpicked to fit your reading preferences.

Provide your preferences

When you order a new subscription, you'll receive a box of bookish goodies to tide you over until your first selection arrives. In that box will also be a preferences card for you to fill out that will help Brilliant Books pick the perfect reads for you each and every month. You can read bios on all the book selectors who work for Brilliant Books to create your individualized lists. This is one of the most customized and specific reading selection processes offered by any book club.

6 month or yearly subscriptions

There are a lot of pricing options when it comes to choosing the type of book club box and the duration of time you want to receive them. They include:

• Yearly subscriptions
• Year of hardcovers: $325
• Year of paperbacks: $225
• Year of large print: $325
• Year of digital audio: $199
• Year of picture book readers (ages 0-5): $225
• Year of chapter book readers (early readers ages 6-8): $225
• Year of middle grade readers (ages 9-12): $225
• Year of young adult hardcovers (ages 13+): $225
• Year of young adult paperbacks (ages 13+): $160
• 6 month subscriptions
• 6 months of hardcovers: $175
• 6 months of paperbacks: $115
• 6 months of large print: $175
• 6 months of digital audio: $99
• 6 months of picture book readers: $115
• 6 months of chapter book readers: $115
• 6 months of middle grade readers: $115
• 6 months of young adult hardcovers: $115
• 6 months of young adult paperbacks: $89

Gift that keeps on giving

In addition to getting your reading fix each month, there are some other great perks you could take advantage of at Brilliant Books. If you pay $25 for an individual membership, $50 for a family, or just $15 for a student, you'll save 10% on all other purchases you make from their online store, have a one-time 15% off everything shopping spree per year, save 20% on current staff favorite selections, save 20% on all event books, request a curated book list, get a free tote bag or mug, and more. Becoming a Brilliant Books member is the gift that keeps on giving.

Guaranteed selections

If you receive a book in your monthly box that you've already read, you can contact Brilliant Books right away and they'll send a replacement as well as a prepaid mailing label for you to return the unwanted book. Since Brilliant Books guarantees their selections, you can request a new book right away if the one you receive doesn't align with your tastes. Letting them know why you didn't like the book will help ensure they pick the right books in the future.

Works around your schedule

If you've paid for a subscription and you have more books than you're able to read that keep coming, you can pause your subscription at any time and then pick back up again. You can also tailor your deliveries to fit your desired schedule. So if you buy 6 months of deliveries, but want them to arrive every 2 or 3 months, Brilliant Books will arrange this for you.

Highest rating

There are thousands of subscribers who use Brilliant Books' monthly club. They have a long list of reviews on their website that attest to the greatness of this option for kids and adults alike. People who have been to their brick-and-mortar store as well as those who shopped online have nothing but good things to say about their experience and book selection. This book club is our favorite and earns our highest rating as the best book club you can join.

Book of the Month Club

• Free shipping on all boxes
• Skip any month you want
• First book for $9.99
• Qualify for discounts after 12 boxes

Book of the Month has been helping people discover new books since 1926. Rather than having you sign up for a 3, 6, or 12-month plan, you pay each month that you want a new book. This way you can skip any months you aren't interested in the selection or get a new one each month. Genres include contemporary fiction, young adult, thriller, historical fiction, romance, and everything in between.

Choose from 5 new books

Rather than having a mystery selection of books sent to you each month, Book of the Month features 5 new and exciting reads and you can choose one (or more) of them to be delivered to you. If you're not excited about upcoming selections or you aren't ready for a new book yet, you can skip as many months as you want and pick back up with your subscription delivery when you're ready.

Make informed choices

The 5 featured books each month come with a detailed product page that includes an author bio, book review, and other relevant information to help you make the best choice for your tastes. The selections come from a wide range of genres and can be either fiction or nonfiction.

Add-on options

Book of the Month includes add-on options where you can choose up to two extra books a month. This includes current selections or books that were featured in previous months. You select these in addition to your chosen book of the month by the 6th of each month. If you don't select your book(s) in time, you'll see a credit in your account.

Save on your first book

A discount code was provided at the time of this review for customers to get their first book for just $9.99. This is definitely something to take advantage of when you first sign up. Shipping is always free and the price of boxes are normally $15.99/month.

BFF Status

After you've received 12 book shipments, you qualify for "BFF" status through Book of the Month. This means that you'll receive a new tote bag for your books, get a free add-on during your birthday month, get 20% off of everything in their member-exclusive Blue Box Boutique, and get a free book every winter. Those are pretty sweet rewards for just reading a few books a year.

Final sales

If you receive a book that is damaged or defective, Book of the Month asks that you call their customer service line within 30 days of the original shipment date to request a replacement. However, you can't get your money back if you read the book you choose and decide that you didn't like it. In short, all sales are final.

One of the best options

We were surprised and concerned when we found that Book of the Month has an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, we are cutting them a break since the rating is based on their failure to respond to 4 customer complaints. Although we'd like to see them get on top of this and address these specific issues (mainly to do with difficulties cancelling memberships), we don't believe this is a sign that the company is unreliable, unenjoyable, or dishonest. We like that customers get some freedom in choosing the book they want that month and that they can skip any time they choose, so we believe this is one of the best options if you're looking to join a book club.

Books & More

• Choose between 1 and 3 books
• Cancel anytime
• Surprise add-ons in each box
• Extra book in your birthday month

Books & More is a package of books customized by Well Read Books. Although the company doesn't give specific information about themselves, when their company got started, or their mission, we know that they can up your reading experience. Other curated packages they offer include wine with your book, boxes for young adults and teens, happy reading for children, board books for babies, and picture book box sets.

No two boxes alike

Books & More starts out by learning a bit about their customers and then curating boxes of books they won't want to put down. No two boxes are the same. Each box is specifically designed to fit the taste of the recipient based on a survey that's filled out once you sign up to be a member. You'll give information about your age, favorite genres, the last books you read and liked, books you hope to read, and what types of add-ons would excite you. If you're sending Books & More as a gift, you just have to provide what information you know about the recipient, what they might like, and Books & More will take it from there.

Gently used books

Books & More appears to be more expensive than most other book clubs, but that's only until you realize how much more is included in each delivery. You can choose to have 1, 2, or 3 books in each delivery. The books you receive will be gently used in order to keep prices down, recycle, and allow for Books & More to include surprise extras to make your experience with each box more exciting.

Surprise extras

Some examples of what you might expect to see in your curated box book besides your books are tea towels, book holders, mugs, lotion, tea, candles, bookmarks, and more. Some of the extra items are featured on the website so you know what you'll get ahead of time, but you'll always get some unexpected surprises too.

Prices based on quantity and duration

You can choose to buy 1, 3, or 6 months worth of Books & More boxes. The price depends on whether or not you want 1, 2, or 3 books per delivery. Your options include:

• 1 book
• 1 month: $36.99/box
• 3 months: $34.99/box
• 6 months: $32.49/box
• 2 books
• 1 month: $44.99/box
• 3 months: $42.49/box
• 6 months: $39.99/box
• 3 books
• 1 month: $49.99/box
• 3 months: $46.66/box
• 6 months: $44.49/box

When you choose a 3-month subscription, Books & More will give you 30% off your first shipment. They also run periodic sales for big discounts on purchases throughout the year, so keep an eye out.

Shipments follow subscription sign-up times

Books & More ships all throughout the United States and initial shipments go out within 2 business days of a subscription/renewal. Subscriptions automatically renew, but they can be cancelled at any time in order to stop receiving new boxes once your pre-paid plan has run out.

Satisfied customers

Even though Books & More is hosted on Cratejoy's platform (a company with an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau), it doesn't seem to have affected customer satisfaction. This service has great reviews from users who felt like the books fit their taste perfectly, loved their surprise add-ons, and received their boxes reliably and promptly. Any company that ships through Cratejoy usually doesn't provide shipping costs and you aren't able to see them until after you've provided financial information, which is frustrating. This is the case with Books & More, but it's really our only hang-up with the company, so overall, this is a great choice.

BookCase Club

• 3, 6, and 12-month plans
• Change genres any time
• 2 books per box
• Children's book subscription options

BookCase Club is a monthly subscription for avid readers looking to feed their imagination. They offer subscription boxes for adults as well as children that fit their favorite genres. The company was founded in 2015 and is based out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Each month they hand-pick new books and ship two titles to subscribers.

3 easy steps

The way BookCase Club works is that you first choose between five different themes (Young Adult, Booking for Love, Surprise-Me Fiction, Strange Worlds, and Thrill-Seeker) for your monthly shipment. Then you decide if you want to pay month-to-month for the membership or take advantage of their 3, 6, or 12-month plans. Then, on the 1st of each month your box of 2 curated titles that fit your reading style will ship out to your home.

BookCase Kids

In addition to young adult and adult books, BookCase Club has a subscription for children. Each box contains three picture and/or activity books and comes with 3, 6, or 12-month delivery options. Topics include family life, concepts, and more.

Jump between genres

Most people like a wide range of book genres, so BookCase Club makes it so you can change your chosen theme throughout the duration of your subscription. You can either go into your account and change the theme to get new genres once your subscription renews, or email customer service if you want the change to take place immediately.

Longer duration means less expensive

At the time of this review, BookCase Club provided a discount code on their website that you could use for 20% off your first order. Keep an eye out for discounts like this to save on your membership. The cost for the adult and children subscriptions include:

• $12.99 month-to-month
• $36 for 3 months prepaid
• $66 for 6 months prepaid
• $120 for 12 months prepaid

The cost for shipping is $5 per box. For example, a 12-month subscription will incur $60 of shipping fees by the end of the 12 deliveries.

All sales are final

Once you open an account and pay for a subscription with BookCase Club, there will be a renewal date when the club duration starts over and you're automatically charged. BookCase Club says it is the responsibility of every member to modify or close their subscription before the renewal date. Refunds cannot be issued once they have been billed and you cannot get your money back or exchange a book if it doesn't appeal to your taste. All sales are final.

Mediocre rating

BookCase Club has a "B" rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This isn't a terrible grade, but it's nothing to be happy about either. This rating is because of 12 complaints that were filed against the business and the length of time it took them to respond. After reading through the formal complaints, it appears that most customers had email issues or something that was able to be resolved and wasn't a reflection on poor business practices by BookCase Club.

Happy customers

The majority of customers who have left reviews about BookCase Club have great things to say about the service. People are pleased with the selections in each box, say they all arrive in amazing shape, and ship very quickly. Pricing is very affordable and competitive when compared to other book clubs. If you want a simple book club that won't require much effort on your part, this is a great option.

OwlCrate

• Subscription plans for young adults and kids
• Cancel and skip boxes any time
• New releases signed by authors

OwlCrate launched in February 2015 as a way to bring readers together. Each month they curate custom boxes of hardcovers for both young adults ages 14+ and kids (OwlCrate Jr.) ages 8-12. They have a professional website with a helpful FAQ page and videos to go along with questions to make sure that subscribers know exactly what they're in for and how to manage their accounts easily.

Signed hardbacks with goodies

All of the books OwlCrate sends to your door are signed hardcovers published within 45 days of the monthly ship date, so it's unlikely that you'll have read anything you receive unless you're in the habit of picking up new books on release day. Also included in each box is an assortment of 4-6 bookish goodies curated around that month's theme. An example of a recent box included the book "Jade Fire Gold" by June C.L. Tan with a puzzle, candle, sewing kit, acrylic display, art print, pin, and author letter based on popular movies or other books. Other featured goodies might include coasters, bookmarks, tea towel, bottle opener, tote, book tin, and more.

OwlCrate and OwlCrate Jr. Cost Differences

The cost for OwlCrate depends on whether you're getting the young adult box or OwlCrate Jr.:

• OwlCrate Plans
• Monthly OwlCrate: $32.99/month + shipping
• 3-month OwlCrate: $95.97 ($31.99/month) + shipping
• 6-month OwlCrate: $185.94 ($30.99/month) + shipping
• OwlCrate Jr Plans
• Monthly OwlCrate Jr: $29.99/month + shipping
• 3-month OwlCrate Jr: $86.97 ($28.99/month) + shipping
• 6-month OwlCrate Jr: $167.94 ($27.99/month) + shipping

The cost for shipping on each box is a hefty $8.99, so that's definitely something to consider before purchasing an OwlCrate subscription.

Subscriptions auto-renew

All subscription plans auto-renew unless you've purchased it with the gift option. You'll be charged for subsequent boxes on the first of each month and they ship between the 15th and 20th. You can cancel your subscription at any time through your online account. If you are on a monthly plan and want to skip a box, you can also do this at any time through your online account if you haven't finished your previous reads or just need a break.

Monthly theme/genre reveals

Once a box has shipped, it cannot be cancelled or refunded. Since not everyone is interested in the same genres and themes, OwlCrate announces the theme/genre for their upcoming box on the 15th on social media, so you can decide if you want to skip the shipment. This is your best chance at ensuring you're satisfied with everything that you pay for from OwlCrate.

Expensive if you just want a book to read

OwlCrate is a slightly more expensive option than if you're just looking for a good book or two to read each month, especially when you factor in shipping costs. However, if you want a box of surprises with a new book signed by the author for a more thrilling experience, OwlCrate is a great option. It's fun for kids and young adults alike. Overall subscribers are mostly happy with what they receive, but there aren't as many reviewers as we would hope for. This isn't the most affordable book club, but it's still a fun option.

My Thrill Club

• Ships within 3 business days
• Mystery, horror, and thriller books
• 2 hardcover books in each box
• First box is free on 6 and 12 month plans
• Postpone or cancel at any time
• Free shipping

My Thrill Club is for readers who like to be on the edge of their seat as they dive into a dark plot. This subscription club delivers crime, thriller, mystery, espionage, and horror novels right to your door. Every once in a while, they'll throw a surprise in that you can enjoy while you read too. My Thrill Club is a good option for men and women alike and also makes for a fun gift.

Choose from horror, mystery, or thrillers

With each delivery from My Thrill Club, you'll receive 2 new hardcover books. When you first sign up, you can email the company and they'll send you a bonus ebook for free. When you sign up for the club, you'll choose if you want horror, mystery, or thriller books in each box. You can also ask them to surprise you and you'll get a good mix of all of them. Some previous titles include The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund, The Force by Don Winslow, Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horrowitz, and The Fallen Architect by Charles Belfoure.

Buy more, save more

When you sign up for My Thrill Club, you can choose between a 1-month delivery ($18.99/box), 3 months ($18/box or $54 total), 6 months ($17/box or $102 total), or 12 months ($16/box or $192 total). Regardless of the genre you choose, the prices are the same. My Thrill Club generously offers an online discount code on their page that gets you your first box free if you sign up for a 6 or 12 month prepaid subscription plan.

Cancel or postpone at any time

You can postpone or cancel your subscription at any time. If you feel like you're receiving too many books too fast, you can take a break from deliveries and pick back up whenever you're ready. To make adjustments like this, My Thrill Club asks that you contact their customer service team. If you want to permanently cancel a subscription you've already prepaid, My Thrill Club's customer service team will also work with you to stop your deliveries and refund you for any books you haven't received.

Boxes ship free

When you first sign up for a box from My Thrill Club, it will ship within 3 business days. Subsequent boxes for following months always ship on the 1st of the month. Shipping is free throughout the United States.

Fantastic for thriller and crime junkies

My Thrill Club is one of the most popular book clubs on Cratejoy, the platform through which you subscribe. In fact, there are over 215 reviews and 5,000 likes. Overall people are very happy with the fast shipping and the books they receive. Customer service appears to be responsive and works hard to keep their customers satisfied, and we like that you can stop your deliveries whenever you want to. If you're into thrillers and mysteries, this is a fantastic book club option for you.

Unplugged Book Box

• Books with self-care messages
• Supports small, women-owned businesses
• Includes 5-8 self-care items along with a new-release book
• Encourages mental health
• First box free with a 6 or 12-month prepay
• Cancel anytime

Unplugged Book Box is a monthly subscription primarily for women where recipients receive a book that embodies a self-care message. It was created by a psychology and literature expert and teacher to support good mental health. The goal is to help readers unplug and detox from technology and rejuvenate. Boxes are available in adult or young adult fiction and often come signed, with signed bookplates, and exclusive author letters.

Self-care in a box

In addition to a new-release book to remind yourself (or a loved one if you give this as a gift) of your importance and need to take time for yourself, each box includes 3-5 exclusive self-care items. Examples of items from past boxes include candles, lotions, bath and shower products, coffee, tea, and other body care products. You'll also get 2-3 novelty products to help you unwind such as writing and journaling prompts, games, blankets, mugs and glasses, cooking utensils and more.

1, 3, 6, or 12 month plans

You can choose to pay month-to-month for your Unplugged Book Box subscription for $39.99/month. Your other option is to pay $39.15/month for 3 months ($117.45 total), $39.02 for 6 months ($234.10 total), or $38/month for 12 months ($456 total). Unplugged Book Box offers your first box free if you subscribe to a 6 or 12-month prepay.

Pay today, get a box next month

Subscriptions purchased between the 1st and last day of the month are for the following month's box. Boxes ship between the 1st and 7th of each month and auto-renew on the 15th of the month after the subscription period. You can cancel at any time, although it isn't specified whether or not you can stop boxes from coming and receive a refund if you signed up for a prepaid subscription. The cost for shipping is provided upfront and you have to provide credit card information before finding out the price, which is one thing we don't like about Unplugged Book Box's host platform, Cratejoy.

Customers are impressed

Nearly every review from customers who subscribe to Unplugged Book Box say they are impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness that goes into every box. People appreciate the useful items and the focus on self-care. Customer service is extremely responsive and works to make sure their boxes meet the needs of customers. Of 100 customer reviews, nearly 100% of them are positive and recommend this box to others. If you're needing some self-care in your life, this is a good way to spoil yourself and have some time to reset each month.

Once Upon a Book Club

• Female owned and operated company
• Free shipping
• Interactive reading experience
• Comes with 3-5 wrapped gifts

Once Upon a Book Club is an interactive reading experience designed primarily for women ages 18 and up. With this unique subscription you'll receive a box each month with a newly released book (either paperback or hardcover) and 3-5 wrapped gifts that are labeled with page numbers and meant to be opened as directed while you read. Once Upon a Book Club aims to bring your stories to life by letting you participate in the plot of your story. This club has been featured by Today, Woman's World, InStyle, Forbes, Reader's Digest, fabfitfun, Esquire, and other well-known companies and media outlets.

Gifts, quotes, and discussions

Gifts included with a Once Upon a Book Club box could be things like a key, necklace, letter, cooking item, or other relevant items that connect with the storyline of the book you receive. You'll also get a 5x7 quote print, discussion questions, and read-along dates for a live discussion and gift opening with fellow readers.

Choose between 1 and 12 months

The genres of books from Once Upon a Book Club could be romance, mystery, historical fiction, magical realism, or anything in between. Past titles include "The Secret Poison Shop" , "Oh Darling, Let's Be Adventurers" , "Body Positive" , and "Dig Here" .

Subscribe longer for cheaper boxes

You can choose to receive just one box or subscribe to 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months worth of deliveries. The longer you subscribe, the less expensive each box gets:

• 1 month: $64.99
• 3 months: $63.33/box ($189.99 total)
• 6 months: $62.50/box ($375 total)
• 12 months: $61.25/box ($735 total)

Subscriptions renew until cancelled

Once you've paid for your subscription, it is locked in. You will continue to receive all paid-for shipments until your membership is up, so you aren't able to cancel and receive a prorated refund for future deliveries. Subscriptions automatically renew on the 25th of each month until cancelled. Each month, boxes ship at the end of the month and thankfully Once Upon a Book Club offers free shipping. If you subscribe before the 14th of any given month, your box will ship at the end of that same month.

Fun and immersive

Once Upon a Book Club is one of the most unique and exciting ways to experience your book. It's slightly more expensive than other choices out there since it comes with so many gifts. If you or a loved one want a quality experience over a high quantity of books, this is an intriguing option. People have great things to say about Once Upon a Book Club saying the books are always well-written and a fun and immersive and fun experience. Of course not all subscribers agree. Some think the gifts are cheesy and lame, but overall customers are happy after receiving the boxes or giving them as gifts. This is a good option for women wanting a different type of reading experience.

Fresh Fiction Box

• Free shipping
• 2-5 books per box
• Month-to-month subscription
• Caters to women

Fresh Fiction Box was founded in 2004 by two women who wanted to help others find their next best read. They cater to women by offering monthly curated boxes of romance and suspense novels from bestselling and new authors alike.

2-5 books per box

Each box from Fresh Fiction Box contains 2-5 print and/or ebooks. With previous titles like "I Dared the Duke" , "Lost in You" , "A Perfect Gentleman" , and "This Earl of Mine" , it will mostly be women who are enjoying what's offered here. Subscribers also typically receive some paranormal or cozy mystery books in their box as well.

Month-to-month subscriptions

Rather than offering different durations for subscriptions at Fresh Fiction Box, the only choice is to buy one month at a time. Each month, subscriptions automatically renew, but they can be cancelled at any time. A box of books from Fresh Fiction Box is $35.95/month. Many customers have commented that considering the amount of books included in their box (many of them being new titles), it often feels like the value was more than the amount they paid.

Free shipping

The deadline to sign up for the next month's Fresh Fiction Box is the 20th of each month. Boxes are shipped during the last week of the month (around the 25th) to ensure you have the newest books before the next month starts. You'll receive an email confirmation once your box has shipped so you know it's on its way. If you sign up after the 20th, say for example on April 23, your first box would arrive at the very end of May. Shipping is free on all boxes, which is sometimes rare to find with book clubs.

No returns or exchanges

There is no return policy on books from Fresh Fiction Box and they don't allow for exchanges. You also aren't able to customize your box at all or make any special requests, so be aware that you might not be thrilled with every single title you receive. However, if your books arrive damaged, it would be best to reach out to their customer service team to have it taken care of.

Overall good customer reviews

Fresh Fiction Box is hosted by the platform Cratejoy. They are a company that connects people with subscription companies that fit their hobbies and interests. Although Cratejoy has an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau, this doesn't seem to be a reflection on Fresh Fiction Box. There are 30 customer reviews for Fresh Fiction Box, resulting in a 4.1 out of 5 star rating. Women like how many books they receive in each box and say the spectrum of books are fun, relaxing, and intriguing. Any negative reviews mostly had to do with difficulties working with customer service.

Mediocre overall

Fresh Fiction Box is a fun option if you want to stick with a select few genres of books and never run out of things to read. Since it only caters to women, this isn't going to be a great option for men or children who love to read. There is no flexibility or personalization in boxes either, so you may not always be happy with what you receive. Because of this, Fresh Fiction Box has earned a mediocre rating from us.