Book of the Month Review: August 2017 Selections

Book of the Month is hands down one of our favorite subscription boxes here at Earn Spend Live (book nerds unite). For just $14.99 per month, you get to choose one book from the five selections recommended by their panel of judges.

The recommendations are the best part of BOTM — it’s great for those who love to read but hate trying to weed through the sea of books to find the best one. I (Christine) have been a subscriber for more than a year and the selections from Book of the Month have yet to let me down. In fact, I usually struggle with choosing just one book — which is another perk: You can add up to two additional books to your box for only $10 each! On the flip side, if you aren’t feeling any of the selections that month, you can simply skip a month and resume your membership the next month.

The August BOTM selections are here, and there’s a wide variety of genres and subjects to fit any reading taste (as usual). Which one are you going to pick?

Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips

This entire novel spans over the course of three hours — it starts with Joan and her four-year-old son enjoying the last few minutes of their day at the zoo, but it quickly unravels into a panic-fueled thriller as Joan and her son end up trapped inside the zoo as they realize they are being hunted by someone (or something) inside. The premise of Fierce Kingdom reminds me of Jurassic Park — which I love — so I am definitely excited to read it.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

John Boyne is the author of the best-selling book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. If you enjoyed that book (or the movie), then chances are you’ll also appreciate this heart-wrenching story of one man’s life set in post-war Ireland. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a true examination of history but it’s also a commentary on the resilience of the human spirit.

The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh

If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games or Divergent, this book is the next great dystopian novel. The Blinds is a town in rural TX where criminals are held captive — except their memories are altered so they don’t even remember the crimes they committed. What happens when the residents start a revolution? Choose The Blinds as your August pick to find out.

Eat Only When You’re Hungry by Lindsay Hunter

This book is featured on multiple “must read” lists for 2017 — and for good reason. Eat Only When You’re Hungry centers around what most of Americans’ lives center around: food and our relationship with it. The novel follows Greg, an obese fifty-eight-year-old man, as he takes a cross-country road trip to find his missing, drug-addicted son — which of course creates the opportunity for lots of self-reflection and junky fast food. The trip forces Greg to face who is and the mistakes he’s made as a man, husband, and father.

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

If you understand how complicated family dynamics can be, this is the book for you. The novel begins as Suzette comes home to be there for her family after her step brother is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. What she doesn’t expect is the messy love triangle that emerges as she starts to fall for the same girl that her step brother is in love with. Little & Lion explores family relationships, romantic relationships, and self-relationships. Here’s hoping it explores and accurately represents the LGBTQ and mental health communities as well.

If you want one (or more) of BOTM’s August selections, be sure to sign up for Book of the Month today and get your first month for only $9.99!

Follow Christine on Instagram: @christinemassey