Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, five curators pick out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month for $14.99/month. You can also add up to two additional books for only $9.99 each. (This box was named one of the best subscriptions under $15 by MSA readers in the 2021 Subscription Box Awards.)
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
I was a little nervous about this book because it sounded so sad and a little bit depressing, but I was so taken with Alexandra Daddario's description of it on the BOTM site that I decided to take a chance. I am happy to report that I'm glad I did!
Book Summary from Amazon:
In the small city of Wharton, Connecticut, lives are beginning to unravel. A husband betrays his wife. A son struggles with addiction. A widow misses her late spouse. At the heart of these interlinking stories is one couple: Freddie and Greg Tyler.
Greg has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a brutal form of cancer. He intends to handle this the way he has faced everything else: through grit and determination. But can Greg successfully overcome his illness? How will Freddie and their daughter cope if he doesn’t? How do the other residents of Wharton learn to live with loss, and find happiness again?
An emotionally powerful debut that immerses the reader into a community of friends, family, and neighbors, A Little Hope celebrates the importance of small moments of connection and the ways that love and forgiveness can help us survive even the most difficult of life’s challenges.
My BOTM Pick for November
A Little Hope by Ethan Joella - Retail Value $25.00 (On sale for $17.59)
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This book absolutely wrecked me! The stories are so raw and real; full of human emotion. I don't know how the author does it but even though most character descriptions are limited to just a chapter or two, I felt like I knew each of the characters so well. Overall, this novel is full of sad stories, but somehow there is still this undertone of hope throughout that balances it out.
I wished so badly for a happy ending for all of these characters who were so very different from one another; not only in their personalities, but also their lives and their struggles, but the author made them all feel united by their humanity, and sometimes the overlapping of stories.
The writing is beautiful and the perspective the author gives is so unique that I hung on to every word and each story, eager to see how it all turned out. I think these stories will be on my mind for quite some time.
If you picked this book this month, please let me know what you think of it!
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $14.99 + free shipping
Value Breakdown: This box costs $14.99, but the book I chose retails for $25.00 which is about a $10 savings. I also find so much value in the fact that BOTM always introduces new authors and this is a book I might not have otherwise considered!
Key Takeaways
I was so pleased with my pick this month, the book is really superb and although it is full of sadness, the hope that rings throughout makes it one worth reading!
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To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? Yes, order now for the November selections! If you miss out, you can also choose from past picks to start your subscription.
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