Serious question, has anyone else got burned by a fancy book subscription box?

Tbh I signed up for this boutique book subscription service back in February. Paid $45 a month for three months thinking I'd get cool curated reads. First box came with a scratched hardcover and a cheap bookmark. By month three I had spent $135 total and got two books I didn't even want. How do you all find good book recommendations without wasting cash like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

tara79319d ago

$45 a month for scratched books? That's insane. I can't believe they charged you that much and sent out damaged stuff. I got burned by a different subscription box last year, the one with all the fancy Instagram ads, they promised signed editions and exclusive covers. After three months I ended up with a stack of books that were pretty much just leftovers nobody wanted. Now I just use the library's hold system and follow random readers on Goodreads who have the same taste as me. Way cheaper and I actually get books I'm excited about.

josephmartin19d ago

@tara793 that really sucks and i feel for you. those instagram ads always make everything look perfect but the reality is so different. honestly paying that much for a scratched book is just insulting, like they didnt even bother to check the quality before shipping. i had a similar thing happen with a snack box once, all the packages were busted and they still charged full price. the library idea is solid though, way less stress and you can actually flip through books before you commit. following random readers on goodreads is smart too, i do that and end up reading stuff i would never have found otherwise. hope that box stops burning people, sounds like they got lucky with marketing more than anything.

grace_campbell19d ago

Paid $45 for a scratched book and a bookmark? Sounds about right for those fancy boxes. I'll stick with my library card that lets me judge books for free.