Book of the Month Club August 2017 Selections: What Would I Choose?

Book of the Month Club August 2017 Selections
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Do you want to know more about the five Book of the Month Club May 2017 selections before making your choice(s)?

Welcome to my monthly feature “Book of the Month Club Selections: What Would I Choose?”! Every month, I provide commentary on the books that are chosen as that month’s Book of the Month Club selections and tell you which book(s) I would choose.

In addition to the five August selections, Book of the Month Club is offering three extras this month (which Book of the Month Club members can add to their boxes for only $9.99 each):

I have to admit that I hadn’t even heard of a single one of the August 2017 selections! This might be the first time that’s ever happened. 

And one announcement: I’m working on an additional tool to help you make the best Book of the Month Club selection for you! Look for that in the coming weeks…

Book of the Month Club August 2017 Selections

Little and Lion by Brandy ColbertLittle & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Release Date: August 8, 2017)
336 Pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.45
Selected By: Katie Cotugno (Bestselling Author)

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). 

But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel’s disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself–or worse.

My Thoughts:
Little & Lion is a diverse (author and characters) Young Adult novel that’s been getting a fair amount of hype (which I totally missed because I don’t follow the YA world closely). Nicola Yoon (author of smash hit Everything, Everything) said “Brandy’s ability to find larger meaning in small moments is nothing short of dazzling.” In a starred review, Kirkus said “readers will empathize with Suzette as she explores both her sexuality and the tricky line between honesty and betrayal.” I don’t particularly gravitate towards the YA genre, so this one is not for me, but it might be for you!

Fierce Kingdom by Gin PhillipsFierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (Release Date: July 25, 2017)
288 Pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.83
Selected By: Sarah Weinman (writer, editor and “Crime Lady”)

An electrifying novel about the primal and unyielding bond between a mother and her son, and the lengths she’ll go to protect him.

My Thoughts:
Fierce Kingdom is set entirely in a suburban zoo over the course of three hours. It’s supposedly very fast-paced and is a “read in one sitting” type book. In fact, Liberty Hardy called it “the most stressful book she’s ever read” on the July 25th episode of All the Books podcast. It’s being compared to The Couple Next Door and Reconstructing Amelia. Fiona Barton (author of The Widow and July Book of the Month Club selection The Child) said “it tore at every maternal fiber in my body. I couldn’t put it down.” It got a review in the New York Times (which is hard to come by!) and Kirkus gave it a starred review. Though I’ve bombed on thrillers lately, the zoo setting and condensed timeline have me intrigued about this one! 

Heart's Invisible Furies by John BoyneThe Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne (Released: August 22, 2017)
592 Pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.47
Selected By: Liberty Hardy (co-host of Book Riot‘s All the Books podcast)

[…] a sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man’s life, beginning and ending in post-war Ireland.

Cyril Avery is not a real Avery — or at least, that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?

My Thoughts:
The author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (hit YA novel that was made into an award-winning movie) is back with his 10th novel for adults…and it’s supposedly a tear-jerker. In its starred review, Kirkus said the novel “examines one man’s life over the course of 70 years to reveal the personal and societal toll of Ireland’s repression of homosexuality.” Boyne dedicated the book to John Irving, who called it “a heartbreaker” and “an amazing novel.” Despite the heavy topic and emotion of this novel, it’s also supposedly funny…and I absolutely adore tear-jerkers that also make me laugh.

Eat Only When You're Hungry by Lindsay HunterEat Only When You’re Hungry by Lindsay Hunter (Released: August 8, 2017)
304 Pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Selected By: Nina Sankovitch (Bestselling Author)

A father searches for his addict son while grappling with his own choices as a parent (and as a user of sorts).

My Thoughts:
This novel is supposed to be dark and sounds like it could be pretty depressing (not surprising, given it’s about addiction). But, it’s getting some pretty eye-opening praise: Roxane Gay said “the frailties of the human body and the human heart are laid bare in Lindsay Hunter’s utterly superb novel.” Kirkus calls it “a savage tale of parenthood” (but, not in a starred review). I am a little skeptical of this one because, according to her Twitter feed, she is obsessed with Stephen Florida, which I couldn’t even get through the sample of.

The Blinds by Adam SternberghThe Blinds by Adam Sternbergh (Release Date: August 1, 2017)
400 Pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.00
Selected By: Tyler Coates (Culture Editor at GQ)

Imagine a place populated by criminals-people plucked from their lives, with their memories altered, who’ve been granted new identities and a second chance. Welcome to The Blinds, a dusty town in rural Texas populated by misfits who don’t know if they’ve perpetrated a crime, or just witnessed one. What’s clear to them is that if they leave, they will end up dead. 

My Thoughts:
The Blinds is a “speculative Western thriller” (I’m not even sure what that means?!) that’s supposedly really different and darkly funny. And, it’s supposedly a “grab you immediately and not let you go until it’s over” type of book. Sternbergh’s debut novel (Shovel Ready) was nominated for an Edgar Award and this follow-up is being turned into a TV show. Publisher’s Weekly said “it’s a clever premise, but the many contrivances that support the plot don’t hold up as the novel moves briskly toward its conclusion, whose twists are telegraphed a little too clearly to preserve the element of surprise.” Kirkus had a more positive view of it, saying it moves “like a championship stock car toward a climax that, however shattering, implies there’s more to come” in its starred review. Check out Sternbergh on Twitter…he has a huge following!

What Book of the Month Club August 2017 selection(s) would I choose?

This is a tough one for me because I’m not over the moon about any of the choices. There’s a chance I would skip this month.

But, if I’m going to make a choice, it would be The Heart’s Invisible Furies…it’s kind of hard to ignore a John Irving endorsement!

And, if you’re looking for a page turner, I’d go with Fierce Kingdom.

Make your Book of the Month Club selections by Sunday, August 6th.

How to Join Book of the Month Club…

Book of the Month Club is a subscription service for people who like to try new books from a curated selection and like to read in hardcover format. Through Book of the Month Club, you can get a hardcover book for generally significantly less than you’d pay in a bookstore or through Amazon. And, you get to try something new that has been vetted by one of Book of the Month Club’s well-read judges!

Sign up for any of the subscription plans below and you get to choose one of five books selected by Book of the Month Club’s panel of judges (including a surprise guest judge). Book of the Month Club will then mail your chosen book to your house with a cute note. You also have the option to purchase additional books for $9.99 each and to skip a month if you want.

Sign up for a Book of the Month Club membership (BRAND NEW pricing below)!

New members will sign up for a membership that renews monthly:

A book of your choice for $14.99 / month
Add extra books to your shipment for $9.99 each
Skip any month you want
Free shipping, always

Special August Deal:
Try your first month for just $9.99! 


*All book descriptions are from Goodreads.

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17 Comments

  1. hillary wrote:

    I picked Eat Only When You Are Hungry as I am battling my own addictions at the moment and I felt a “pull” to it.

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  2. I”m listening to Fierce Kingdom right now and it’s pretty intense.

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  3. As a mom, I don’t know if I could read Fierce Kingdom! I’m still scarred by The Deep End of the Ocean, which I read when it came out in 1996!

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  4. renee wrote:

    I really like the sound of The Hearts Invisible Furies and Fierce Kingdom which happens to be read now on Netgalley so I just downloaded it…I didn’t think initially I wanted to read it but now I’m so curious that I have to give it a try

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I’m thinking I want to try Fierce Kingdom too!

      Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  5. I’m glad that I’m not the only one who didn’t have these books on my radar. I’d heard of a couple, but none grabbed me. I might try Fierce Kingdom next time I’m feeling like a thriller. Might even be a good one for me to listen to!

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I couldn’t have been more shocked when I saw the picks. The first time since I’ve been doing these posts that I literally hadn’t even heard of a single pick.

      Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  6. Lauren wrote:

    FIERCE KINGDOM is fantastic. Highly recommend it. I would love to read Liberty’s choice, the John Boyne, but at close to 600 pages just thinking about it gives me angina. But it sounds so wonderful. My first choice would be FIERCE if I hadn’t read it, second would be THE BLINDS as I’ve heard great things from trusted sources, but I have a copy already. So since the Boyne is a door-stop, I think I will go with EAT ONLY WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY, which caught my eye a while back. But damn it, HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES sounds good.

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      Ugh – I hear you on the Boyne’s length. The struggle is real! I’m willing to devote the time if it’s amazing (like A Little Life amazing), but want some others to vet it for me first 🙂

      Also interested in trying Fierce Kingdom!

      Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  7. Tara wrote:

    LOL! Before reading the end of this post, I’d already decided that this would definitely be a skipped month for me; it must be a slow new release month! With the exception of Fierce Kingdom, these are all well over 300 pages and that’s a big commitment (for me!) when I have no idea whether I’ll enjoy it enough to stick with it. I’ll be curious to see how these pan out!

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I know – I saw the length of the Boyne and it definitely irked me a bit. If it’s amazing, I’m willing to devote the time, but want someone I trust to tell me it’s amazing first!

      Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  8. Sarah R wrote:

    I don’t know….none of these are really speaking to me. If I HAD to pick, I think I’d go with Fierce Kingdom, but as a mother, I’m not sure if I could take it. I’m not usually much of a prude when picking books, but something about kids in danger….

    I’ve been rocking the library this summer, and I haven’t even gotten around to my July BOTM pick (American Fire).

    Posted 8.1.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I hear you on the picks!

      I love the library – risk free reading! Except when all your hold come in at the same time…which just happened to me. Grr.

      Posted 8.1.17 Reply
  9. Naomi wrote:

    I’d go with the John Boyne – his books seem to be reliably good. And even though I’ve personally only read two of his books for younger audiences, I loved them both and have been meaning to read at least one of his adult books for ages now!

    Posted 8.2.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I’m hoping to get to it soon!

      Posted 8.9.17 Reply
  10. I haven’t heard of any of these, but I LOVED The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, so I would probably pick John Boyne’s new book. How did it fly under my radar until now?!

    Posted 8.2.17 Reply
    • Sarah Dickinson wrote:

      I haven’t read him before, but just saw the first paragraph and it’s super intriguing! How did ALL this month’s picks fly under my radar?!

      Posted 8.9.17 Reply

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