Riot Read is a monthly book club subscription box from Book Riot and Quarterly. They’ve made some changes to this box (seemingly based on feedback from subscribers) and I’m impresesd with the changes:
1) Added exclusive members-only Goodreads discussion group for the book
2) Reduced subscription price from $30 to $25
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: Riot Read – Book Riot’s Monthly Book Club
The Cost: $25 a month
The Products: 1 new book (released within the past few weeks) selected by Book Riot.
Ships to: US (free shipping), Canada ($10 shipping), Worldwide ($15 shipping)
Check out all of my Riot Read reviews!
Each Quarterly box comes with a letter from the curator detailing their selections. The Riot Read team discussed why they picked The Book of Strange New Things this month, gave a brief synopsis of the book, and also reminded readers to look for podcasts and posts about the book on Book Riot.
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber - Retail Value $28 (On Amazon for $18)
Here is the description from Amazon:
A monumental, genre-defying novel that David Mitchell calls "Michel Faber’s second masterpiece," The Book of Strange New Things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents.
It begins with Peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, Bea. Peter becomes immersed in the mysteries of an astonishing new environment, overseen by an enigmatic corporation known only as USIC. His work introduces him to a seemingly friendly native population struggling with a dangerous illness and hungry for Peter’s teachings—his Bible is their “book of strange new things.” But Peter is rattled when Bea’s letters from home become increasingly desperate: typhoons and earthquakes are devastating whole countries, and governments are crumbling. Bea’s faith, once the guiding light of their lives, begins to falter.
Suddenly, a separation measured by an otherworldly distance, and defined both by one newly discovered world and another in a state of collapse, is threatened by an ever-widening gulf that is much less quantifiable. While Peter is reconciling the needs of his congregation with the desires of his strange employer, Bea is struggling for survival. Their trials lay bare a profound meditation on faith, love tested beyond endurance, and our responsibility to those closest to us.
Marked by the same bravura storytelling and precise language that made The Crimson Petal and the White such an international success, The Book of Strange New Things is extraordinary, mesmerizing, and replete with emotional complexity and genuine pathos.
Verdict: This isn't normally the type of book I would pick up to read - but that's what I like about this subscription. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading, and I like that Riot Read sends out a variety of books. If you are looking for a good retail-value subscription, this isn't it, but if you want a new book each month with some exclusive perks like a Good Reads discussion group, I think it's a fun monthly subscription.
Oh - and to everyone who has let me know about Powell's Indiespensible - I signed up for that subscription too! Hopefully I'll have a box to review soon!
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