The Best Monthly Book Club Subscriptions

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As I’ve shared many times, I’m an avid reader. I am always on the hunt for new reading material, which is why I often share book releases here on Wondermom Wannabe to help you find books you’ll like too. My very favorite way to find new books is through monthly book club subscriptions.

There are so many different types of monthly book club subscriptions to choose from that it’s easy to find one tailored to my reading taste. Plus, it’s a good way for not-so-avid readers to stick to a reading schedule of one to two books per month.

Monthly Book Clubs

My go-to source for monthly book club subscriptions is Bookspan. Bookspan offers 12 different book clubs:

Book of the Month – For readers who want to go beyond bestsellers to find the hidden gems in the world of books.
Mystery Guild – For lovers of mystery, crime fiction, and suspense.
Crossings – The choice for Christian readers who are interested in spiritual growth.
Crafter’s Choice – If you love to craft, this is the club for you. You’ll find books on everything from quilting to Mod Podge.
The Literary Guild – For readers with broad interests, wanting the best of books from unknown authors to bestsellers.
History Book Club – The name says it all; for readers captivated by monumental moments in history.
Children’s Book Club – If you’re having a hard time finding reading material for your kids, this is the club for you (and them).
One Spirit – If you’re looking for the same peaceful enlightenment you’d get from doing yoga without having to strike an awkward pose, this is the club for you. Books are selected from all over the world that help inspire and encourage inner peace.
Doubleday Book Club – If you’re a poolside reader, these are the books for you; fast plots and lots of drama in quick and easy reads.
Science Fiction Book Club – All the best books in the science fiction and fantasy genres.
The Good Cook – You’ve probably guessed that this club includes cookbooks, but it also has many other books to help you with all areas of homemaking.
Military Book Club – My husband’s favorite. Books in this club cover everything about the military and military history from current times all the way back to ancient times.

How The Monthly Book Clubs Work

The book clubs above operate in two different ways. Some of the book clubs are true “monthly” book clubs. Those clubs are:

Mystery Guild
Crossings
The Literary Guild
History Book Club
Doubleday Book Club
Science Fiction Book Club

In these clubs, the membership works like this:

On the 1st of each month you’ll receive a Featured Selections e-mail highlighting the best new books available in your club
You receive 2 member credits each month for your subscription rate (amount varies for each club) which is enough to purchase one book.
You may use your credits to select a book or save your credits to use later.
You can also skip the monthly purchase of new credits by visiting the book club site and selecting that option.

Benefits of these memberships are:

No commitments – you can cancel anytime
No automatic book shipments – you bank credits you don’t use or you can opt out of purchasing them at all on a month-by-month basis
Free shipping when you buy 2 or more books at one time

The Book of the Month Club is similar to the monthly book clubs discussed above with one important difference. When you join the Book of the Month Club, you choose a membership term (1-month, 3-months, 6-months, or 12-months). The longer the term of your membership plan, the lower your monthly subscription rate. You still have the option to skip months when you don’t want to make a purchase, but the months you skip are added to the end of your subscription date so that if you have a 6-month membership, you will pay for 6 months even if it takes you 12 months to meet the requirement. Right now is a great time to join since you can get $10 off a 3-month or 12-month subscription. Just use code BOOK10 when you sign up.

How the Membership Book Clubs Work

The other clubs are membership clubs rather than monthly book clubs. These clubs are:

Crafters Choice
Children’s Book Club*
One Spirit
The Good Cook
Military Book Club

In these clubs, the membership works like this:

Get 4 books for $1 when you join (*Children’s Book Club is 6 books for $2)
Every 3 weeks you’ll receive a club catalog that highlights a featured selection. You have 10 days to reply via phone, online, or by mail to decline or select another book. If you do not reply, the featured selection will be mailed to you.
You must purchase a minimum number of books (2 or 4, depending on the club) at discounted prices during the next year to fulfill your membership agreement.

Benefits of these memberships are:

Bonus points – You earn bonus points for each book you purchase priced at $7.49 or higher (does not apply to Military Book Club), which can be used to purchase additional books
Free shipping for orders over $35 (does not apply to Military Book Club)
Discounts – Many of the available books are up to 25% off (30% for Military Book Club) publishers’ edition prices.

Special Offers

Right now both the Book of the Month Club and Mystery Guild are offering special deals.

You can get $10 off 3-month or 12-month membership at Book of the Month with code BOOK10. Here’s an idea of what you can expect (these are the March Featured Selections).