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 Skylight 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.
Skylight by Jose Saramago - Retail Value $26 (On Amazon for $17.77)
Synopsis from Amazon:
A previously unpublished novel by a literary master, Skylight tells the intertwined stories of the residents of a faded apartment building in 1940s Lisbon.
Silvestre and Mariana, a happily married elderly couple, take in a young nomad, Abel, and soon discover their many differences. Adriana loves Beethoven more than any man, but her budding sexuality brings new feelings to the surface. Carmen left Galicia to marry humble Emilio, but hates Lisbon and longs for her first love, Manolo. Lidia used to work the streets, but now she’s kept by Paulo, a wealthy man with a wandering eye.These are just some of the characters in this early work, completed by Saramago in 1953 but never published until now. With his characteristic compassion, depth, and wit, Saramago shows us the quiet contentment of a happy family and the infectious poison of an unhappy one. We see his characters’ most intimate moments as well as the casual encounters particular to neighbors living in close proximity.Skylight is a portrait of ordinary people, painted by a master of the quotidian, a great observer of the immense beauty and profound hardships of the modern world.
Verdict: I am intrigued by Skylight after learning that it was one of Saramago's earliest novels, and sat in a publisher's desk since the 1950s - only to be published this year! So far Riot Read has been doing a great job at sending me books I normally wouldn't buy myself, but will gladly read once they are in my hands. (Plus the letter they send each month helps convince me why I should start reading asap!) I would recommend this subscription if you are looking for that kind of service. It's not competitive with Amazon in pricing (I'm pretty sure that would be impossible), but I do think it has other value.
What do you think of Riot Read?'
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