Stephanie Donelson

I admit it. I have a problem. I hoard books. I love them. In fact, I subscribe to three services to send me books each month. 

It’s fabulous. 

I’ve found new authors to follow, new genres to continue exploring, and if I don’t like a book that arrived in my mailbox I definitely have a friend I can pass it along to.

I like each of my subscriptions for different reasons and if you’re looking for advice on what service might be right for you, read on to check out my reviews.

Scribbler

Scribbler is a monthly subscription service curated for writers – so you do get a book but you also get writing-themed gifts and goodies. I do like that it also includes a passport, written by the featured author, that dives deep into a topic of writing like dialogue, plotting, editing, POV, pacing, etc.

The box also has an invitation to a live chat with an author, editor, or someone in publishing and those can be really informative – even if they’re short, typically 25-30 minutes.

I do like that Scribbler has a range of genres and you never know what you’re going to get: thriller, YA, romance, literary fiction, etc. But that also means sometimes the books aren’t exactly my cup of tea, but it does keep things fresh.

The writer goodies are fun and I love that the snacks they send are food sensitivity-friendly with most things being gluten-free and vegan.

If you’re a writer, I do recommend this book subscription service as the books are generally good and the writing advice helpful!

Scribbler details:

• Subscription includes: A book with a signed nameplate, a writing passport on a specific theme written by the author of the included book, a guide that gives you a peek into the publishing industry, a fun snack or tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, writing utensils like pens, highlighters, notebooks, notepads, or Post-its. I’ve also gotten candles, socks, stickers, tote bags, and magnets.
• Timing: Monthly, ships at the end of the month
• Pricing: Starts at $29.99/mo or you can save if you prepay for three months, six months, or a year
• Book selection: Great
• Book quality: Brand-new
• Shop: They have an online shop where you can buy writer gifts from previous boxes as well as specialty shop items and add-ons for your next box.

Unplugged Book Box

Unplugged Book Box is a monthly book subscription service that also includes tons of fun bookish-themed goodies. I love the variety of literary items I get each month and each month has its own theme.

Unplugged has the option of either a YA subscription or Adult subscription – I’ve opted for the adult. I do love Unplugged but I will say that the book choices aren’t quite as good as Scribbler’s. Unplugged tends to skew toward fantasy (which is great if you love that genre!), but I wish there was a bit more variety. And I will say even though I opt for the adult box, I sometimes feel the books read more like YA. I think this box I love the goodies more than the books.

Though I do love that they have extra boxes throughout the year, like the Vernal Equinox, holidays, or Halloween-themed boxes.

Unplugged details:

• Subscription includes: A book, a mix of self-care items with bookish themes like soaps, lotions, bath bombs, body scrubs, it often includes a candle or drinkware, or tea or coffee sample. I’ve also gotten blankets, jewelry, a diffuser, bookends, and notebooks.
• Timing: Monthly, ships early in the month
• Pricing: Starts at $39.99/mo or you can save if you prepay for three months, six months, or a year
• Book selection: Good
• Book quality: Brand-new
• Shop: Unplugged has an online shop where you can buy previous boxes or items you liked from previous boxes. The inventory is a bit limited though.

The Book Drop

This is the newest service I’ve subscribed to and have received two shipments from them. One thing I really like about The Book Drop is that it’s run by an independent bookstore, Bethany Beach Books.

The Book Drop is a monthly service and they ship out my book mid-month. The Book Drop is great if you want to choose a specific genre or if you want to mix it up. I do the Books for Coffee subscription as I love thrillers and murder mysteries. They also have a Books for Tea which is literary fiction, contemporary, or historical; Books for Bubbly which is romance, chick-lit, or romantic comedies; A Blend where you can choose a mix of two that will alternate; and then they have books for younger readers like Books for Young Adults, Books for Middle Grade, and books for “little bookworms” between the ages of three to seven.

So far I’ve enjoyed the book selections from this subscription and it does its job of introducing me to new authors and picking out books I might not have chosen for myself. This one is a great complement to the other boxes as it’s simply the book and nothing else.

The Book Drop details:

• Subscription includes: The book of the month and a note from the author
• Timing: Monthly, ships mid-month
• Pricing: Starts at $18.99/mo or you can save if you prepay for three months or six months
• Book selection: Great
• Book quality: Brand-new
• Shop: There’s an online shop with previous titles as well as a few specialty items.

Final thoughts

These three options are very different which is great as it ensures I don’t get the same book twice (knock on wood!), and I love the cute bookish items and writing supplies I’ve acquired.

I will poke at the elephant in the room. I have not mentioned Book of the Month here even though I get ads for it all the time. I seriously considered joining BotM, but after diving deep into the reviews they had some red flags that ultimately made me decide to pass on them.

First up, they print their own versions of each book they send out which is weird. I don’t want a BotM-specific print of the book with their logo on the cover. Plus I read the paper quality isn’t great, but I don’t have any first-hand experience of this. Secondly, some of the reviews said it was hard to unsubscribe and I’m not down for giving credit card information to companies that make it almost impossible to unsubscribe.

Do you subscribe to a different book subscription? Tell me what else I should check out by leaving a comment below!