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Best book subscription boxes for a monthly literary treat

Enjoy classic titles, the works of feminist writers and more

Daisy Lester
Tuesday 18 February 2025 14:29 EST
Bonus points were given where treats and extra information on the author were included
Bonus points were given where treats and extra information on the author were included (The Independent)
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Whether you’re an avid reader looking to broaden your book collection in 2025 or are looking to bestow a bookworm with a gift that keeps on giving, the best book subscription boxes need to be on your radar. Delivering a box of literary treats right to your door each month, these subscription services offer an inventive way to discover new tomes and find fresh voices.

Whether it’s a crime caper, a historical drama or a romantic comedy, the books delivered can be accompanied by anything from a bottle of wine, a mocktail can or a pack of coffee and tea, with some book subscription brands even throwing pampering essentials into the mix.

Just like a subscription to your favourite recipe box or beauty brand, you can choose the regularity of your deliveries. Most brands also let you decide the genre but the exact title is left as a surprise. Other companies keep it more general by categorising titles into bestsellers or classics.

With so many exciting debuts, hotly anticipated follow-ups and viral TikTok titles, it can be tricky to know where to begin when selecting your next read but the best book subscription boxes remove the guesswork, by offering tomes chosen by insider literary experts.

From the Edinburgh-based bookshop Rare Birds, which picks out the best of new fiction each month, to Words With Wine, which aims to pair a bottle of vino with a captivating read, the clubs are run by self-confessed bookworms. Some aim to champion under-the-radar authors such as the feminist Good Book Club, which chooses new books by women, queer men and non-binary writers, while others (including Bookishly) add a unique touch by designing bespoke dust jackets for classic books. Keep scrolling to find out more.

How we tested

A selection of the book subscription boxes and their contents
A selection of the book subscription boxes and their contents (Daisy Lester)

From offerings for fans of crime novels and historical fiction to children’s titles for young bookworms and romance novels to enjoy with a glass of wine, we’ve rounded up the best book subscription clubs in the UK. Considering what each offers in their boxes, as well as the variety available, we assessed the delivery service, packaging and quality inside. Of course, we also read each book in the monthly box, to see if it was worth the subscription. Here’s our verdict...

Why you can trust us

Daisy Lester is our senior shopping writer here at IndyBest. She specialises in fashion and beauty but also in all things books. She has her finger on the pulse when it comes to new releases from debut authors and acclaimed writers. Daisy loves books of every genre, from satire to mystery and crime, so, rest assured there will be a book for every taste in her round-ups. She knows what makes a gripping, moving or important story, whether it’s a romantic comedy or historical drama.

The best book subscription boxes for 2025 are:

Happily Ever After the book and pamper subscription

happily ever after indybest
  • Best: Overall
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: General fiction, thrillers and crime, romance and chick lit, non fiction, fantasy and sci fi, historical fiction and other
  • Number of items: Five (book, vegan chocolate, surprise beauty product, bookmark, hot drink)
  • Example books: Invitation to A Bonfire by Adrienne Celt, Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez, Fyneshade by Kate Griffin
  • Why we love it
    • Good value for money
    • Gripping reads

Happily Ever After has a book subscription box for every taste and age group, from children’s options and young adult curated selections to thrillers and crime, romance, historical fiction and more. The brand’s pampering box is a real treat. Available monthly, with options to commit to a one-time delivery, six months or 12 months, you can choose the genre (general fiction, thrillers and crime, romance and chick lit, non fiction, fantasy and sci fi, historical fiction and other), as well as a hot drink (tea, coffee or herbal tea). You also get a bar of vegan chocolate, a bookmark and a surprise beauty gift (we got an Ancient shampoo bar) and information on the surprise book. In our monthly box, we received Fyneshade by Kate Griffin. A dark and twisted gothic novel, the modern reworking of Jane Eyre was perfect for getting lost in with a cup of tea in hand. Offering stellar value for money, the surprise bundle costs just £19.99 a month.

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Wee Bookworms premium children’s book subscription

wee bookworms indybest
  • Best: For children’s books
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: Children’s fiction
  • Number of items: Four in the first box (book, certificate, bookmark and surprise free gift), just a book thereafter
  • Example books: Pizazz by Sophy Henn, The Whisperwicks by Jordan Lees
  • Why we love it
    • Personalised to the reader
    • Good value for money
    • Chosen by child development expert

If you’re looking to get a little one into reading or want to keep a young bookworm’s shelf topped up, look no further than Wee Bookworms. The family-run book subscription site has every age group covered, from newborn and baby offerings to those for toddlers, tweens and teens. The service was a true standout, with each book meticulously selected by a child development expert – all you need to do is input some information about the child’s interests, from a fascination with space and dragons to magic or animals. In the first month’s subscription, young readers are treated to a bookmark, Wee Bookworms certificate, a surprise gift (ours included clay sticks and a bracelet) and a personalised message to add that special, bespoke touch. Delivered monthly, the box is packaged beautifully with fun wrapping to excite little ones. At £14.99 a month, it’s excellent value and offers an easy way for busy parents to discover a range of titles.

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Good Book Club subscription

Good book club indybest
  • Best: For feminist fiction
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: Feminist/general
  • Number of items: Two (book and insights)
  • Example books: On a Woman’s Madness by Astrid Roemer and Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
  • Why we love it
    • Discover titles from independent publishers

Whether it’s a black comedy about 13 Mexican women, a historical novel about the first baby to be born alive through a C-section in 19th-century Sweden or a story of young female boxers in Nevada, Good Book Club opens up an entire world of feminist literature that you might never have otherwise read. For its monthly picks, the club only chooses books less than three months old, so, you can be pretty sure they won’t double up with anything already on your shelf. Plus, all the titles hail from independent publishers, so, you’re helping to champion the industry. Books arrive each month in a small envelope (no wasteful packaging here, thank you). You’ll also receive a print-out letter from the founders, with insight on the book and author (or translator in many cases). The monthly titles explore important topics from marginalised authors, getting their names out to a wider audience while broadening the recipients’ reading scope. It’s a win-win. We tore through The Box of X by Sarah Rose Etter – a unique blend of horror, fantasy and magical realism, it explores what it means to be a woman in the world.

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Bookishly classic of the month

bookishly indybest
  • Best: For classics
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: Classics
  • Number of products: Three (book, coffee or tea, bookmark)
  • Example books: Persuasion by Jane Austen, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, Orlando by Virginia Woolf
  • Why we love it
    • Beautiful covers
    • Classic and interesting books

Whether you love to rediscover a classic, have a particular interest in Jane Austen and Agatha Christie novels or enjoy a thrilling crime book, Bookishly is perfect for those with a vintage taste in literature. Its subscriptions include a paperback spanning classics, revisited classics, sci-fi, crime and even James Bond titles, complete with your choice of either luxury chocolate, coffee or tea. The books are special Bookishly editions, with each paperback boasting a beautifully reimagined cover that will take pride of place on any book shelf. The classic of the month club book subscription is the company’s flagship offering, costing £20 for a vintage book and either tea or coffee. We received Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, which was a welcome replacement for our battered university-era copy. The Costa Rica ground coffee was accompanied by a matching bookmark with a Brontë quote from the novel, as well as a Bookishly sticker and information card. Of all the book subscriptions we’ve tested, Bookishly outshines them all in terms of packaging. It feels like a real treat to unpack.

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Illumicrate subscription box

illumicrate indybest
  • Best: For fantasy fiction
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Number of products: Roughly five (book and related merchandise)
  • Example books: Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon
  • Why we love it
    • Good value for money
    • Delves deeper into the fantasy genre

A firm favourite among fans of fantasy, Illumicrate has a loyal following. As well as its monthly Illumicrate box, there’s also a romance subscription (’afterlight’) and horror (’evernight’) option, but the company’s fantasy box is so popular there’s a waiting list to subscribe to it.

With recently released exclusive-edition hardback books, you can receive the book on its own or with related merchandise, inspired by a fantasy novel. In our box, we received an eclectic mix consisting of a tea strainer, two mini bud vases, a “heart’s desire” trivet, a blanket and Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Water Moon. The blanket we received was inspired by Water Moon, which we found to be a refreshing, contemporary romantic fantasy novel. Set in Tokyo, it touches on self-determination, grief and rewriting destiny. The fantasy bundle is perfect for fans of the genre who want to delve deeper into it.

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Words with Wine wine and book subscription box

words and wine indybest
  • Best: For wine lovers
  • Regularity: Monthly
  • Genre: General
  • Number of items: Four (fiction book, bottle of wine, book and author insights, tasting notes and food pairing suggestions)
  • Example books: Think Twice by Harlan Coben, Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale, The Fall by Gilly Macmillan
  • Why we love it
    • Excellent value for money
    • Varied reads

Words With Wine promises the ultimate ‘me-time’ with a book and vino combo of your choice. Simply choose between a rosé, white and red (or select the ‘I’m not fussy’ option). The company was launched during lockdown by founder Anna Smith, who wanted to provide a respite from screens and doom-scrolling. Solving the problem of which book to pluck from the shelf and what wine to indulge in of an evening, Smith’s Words with Wine box takes the stress out of decision making. Each month, the fiction book is carefully chosen alongside a wine pairing (Smith has advanced-level wine qualifications), with the box arriving in tastefully minimalist, pink-toned packaging. The books chosen are pleasingly varied, from classic Harlan Coben thrillers to transgender coming-of-age stories such as Kacen Callender’s Felix Ever After. The only requirement for the chosen book is that it must be captivating. The box we sampled met the brief, containing Amy Beashel’s powerful novel Spilt Milk and a crisp bottle of Lake Chalice ‘the falcon’ riesling, with suggested pairings and tasting notes. You’re also given information on the book and author. Ideal for avid readers who love to dip into various genres, Words with Wine is perfect for amateur sommeliers, too.

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The verdict: Book subscription boxes

Combining a monthly literary treat with pampering essentials, Happily Ever After’s subscription is a real crowd-pleaser. You can choose a genre or opt for a surprise, while there are also children’s and young adult offerings. For £19.99, it offers stellar value for money. For vino-lovers who enjoy a captivating read, meanwhile, Words With Wine is a no-brainer, while Bookishly is perfect for fans of classic tomes (the exclusive covers add a bespoke touch). For young bookworms, you can’t beat Wee Bookworms, thanks to its titles being carefully chosen by a child development expert.

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