Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, 5 curators pick out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month. You can also add up to 2 additional books for only $9.99 each.
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About this Box
The Subscription Box: Book of the Month
The Cost: $14.99 a month
The Product: Subscribers get to pick from a selection of hardcover books each month. Skip any month you aren't interested in. Add up to two additional books for $9.99 each.
Ships to: The US for free
Book of the Month December 2019 Review
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We received this little card reminding us that BOTM can make a great gift for the holidays!
These are the five book choices for subscribers this month. This month, I chose The Glittering Hour, whose title appealed to me right away!
The Glittering Hour: A Novel by Iona Grey - Retail Value $28.99 (found here for $22.95)
Book Summary from Amazon:
Award-winning author Iona Grey's next unforgettable historical about true love found and lost and the secrets we keep from one another
Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying on just the right side of scandal, all while running from the life her parents would choose for her.
Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go even while knowing someone of her stature could never end up with someone of his. Except Selina falls hard for Lawrence, envisioning a life of true happiness. But when tragedy strikes, Selina finds herself choosing what's safe over what's right.
Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, Iona Grey's The Glittering Hour is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss.
This book is really about two people and the history that connects them. We first meet Selina who is one of the "Bright Young People" who leads a frivolous life attending parties and going on scavenger hunts attracting the attention of both the media and sometimes even the local police. I loved reading about her at that reckless age that I remember so well, albeit my life was much less glamorous! Selina's parents want her to grow up and are constantly disappointed by her choices which mostly stem from the loss of her brother in the war. They have certain ideas for her life that she wants no part of such as their desire for her to marry Rupert Carew, a man she cares nothing for and whose company she does not wish to keep. Instead, a turn of events leads her to meet Lawrence, a photographer whom she falls for somewhat easily. Their relationship is fast and passionate, but another turn of events leads Selina to make a choice about her life that leaves this love behind in exchange for steady, "suitable" Rupert.
The story jumps around in time and flashes forward ten years to when we meet Alice, a sweet girl stuck staying with her cold grandparents in a home where she feels unwanted and misses her mother, Selina, terribly. When Polly, a servant in the home who also took care of Selina when she was younger, allows Alice to write a secret letter to her mother, this results in a fun scavenger hunt leading to further correspondence and some revealing stories from her mother's past which may help her realize why her own Papa is not quite as loving and kind to her as her mother is.
The way that the author ties these two time periods and stories together is so effective and the love between mother and daughter is evident and so endearing. At first, I was wondering why the author was giving so much away and making too many "endings" obvious by sharing the names of everyone, making it easy to figure out their connection and their relation, but Part III reveals that all is not quite as it seems and it leads to an emotional ending that I didn't completely see coming.
I was certainly ambitious in my choice this month, as this is a long novel and with three kids 5 and under at home, I had to read it in bits and pieces when I got towards the end. While this made the ending a bit easier to digest, it took away from that emotional connection that I usually enjoy when I'm thrust into a good story so I didn't bawl my eyes out as I am sure I normally would have! I highly suggest reading this one only if you have the time to set aside and fully immerse yourself in the story because it is such a good one that is deserving of your full attention!
Each month, Book of the Month includes a bookmark.
If you picked this book this month, please let me know what you think of it!
Verdict: My Book of the Month pick was a long story that tells of a young woman who has experienced love and loss and lives her life passionately until she decides to be more careful with her heart. The story jumps up in time to her daughter as she learns about her mother's past and a little bit about her own history. Most importantly, she learns just how much she means to her mother in this sweet and sentimental story that will toy with your emotions all while entertaining you. The Glittering Hour is a great read!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? No, but it may be available as an add-on next month!
Check out all of our Book of the Month reviews and see what other book subscriptions made our favorites list!
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