Best book subscription - present for a friends 60th birthday? What would be lovely for her to receive each month?

[HelenHywater]

So I'm looking at getting a book subscription for my friend and feeling slightly overwhelmed by the choice. I'm down to Mr B's Book Emporium, Bookishly, TeaTime Book Club, I'm not sure about Willoughby Book club

If you get a subscription do you love receiving it? She reads a lot so it would be better if she can tailor her own subscription . I think a book and chocolate might be nice - if it's really well presented.

oh and The Happily Ever After bookclub seems to be highly rated (by the Independent anyway).

Does it have to be a subscription? I read tonnes and as boring as it is I would much prefer an Amazon voucher 😬🙈

I got a voucher for Mr B's Book Emporium - they were good. I had a 3 month subscription, I think.

Not a book subscription but this looks good

www.amazon.co.uk/60th-Birthday-Activity-Book-Women/dp/B0FD334F2L/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?crid=10FGIOANIRC3N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LaSauXsaOcxdfnvJeSVwR79jGYehAISgtPnKiQL4MRVLgGCtx7T_U_pKZKP6z6GeTWR4ztSZRuTXeBFwrOKlCCpe0eR0HN6DfFmWaYW8q9v8yVoebgTVH8fbhdqAYp1xC8nTAnk6Hhoy5-izw-aOcrXxnP23tEoVVO7czbZDqpRMcAJrHCWt8kH1_zIxYTFXX61iXwivFPQPUcGPaVHfUg.0JUCBdyMEaLsxoaYS-slYo_b0Zaxp8ADH4mOjJQ8xUI&dib_tag=se&keywords=60th+birthday+activity+book&qid=1751373233&sprefix=60th+birthday+activity+%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-12

I think so - she is well off and buys a lot of books (and in fact anything she needs) so I think a surprise book where the package is a pleasure to open would be nice. Perhaps I'm just projecting though as I would like this!

I was delighted to get the subscription and gave the same one to my book loving son and he was also thrilled.

I’d looooove a book subscription, even though I buy or borrow many each month for myself. Just to throw another option in the mix, sorry: https://www.heywoodhill.com/subscriptions

Other ideas for a gift:
Personalized bookplates, you can order them on Etsy from a huge range of designs to suit her
A reading journal with beautiful pen
A special edition of one of her favourite books, if you know it/applicable. EG a limited edition hardcover, or one by the folio society, or a vintage version.

My friend got me a Prima subscription for a year. Great if you are into crafting. Lots of ideas articles and a free pattern. I loved them.
The book ones look interesting though.

I would hate this, sorry. I love buying and reading books but hate being bought them. I don't want anyone deciding for me what I might like to read and if I'm bought a book I feel obliged to at least start reading it which takes away time from my own choices and annoys me.

Book tokens however are the greatest gift of all time.

I've had a subscription from Teatime bookshop. I loved getting the books each month! Not sure if its still the same as it was a couple of years ago now, but you got a book, biscuits, hot drink sachet, bookmark & postcard. I only stopped as I wasn't reading as fast as they came so ended up with loads books to get through! You can pick the genre, but not the actual book so you do run the risk of getting a book you may already have, although the books I got were not well known books so never got a duplicate. May actually start it up again!

I read a lot, but I would hate a subscription - I don't want a book chosen for me. Rather than an Amazon voucher, what about a voucher to an actual bookshop? There is such pleasure wandering about, reading blurbs, looking at displays and finding books that look interesting that you just stumble upon.

What about a subscription to Slightly Foxed? I love it. It’s a quarterly literary periodical with articles on mostly older books that are no longer getting reviewed elsewhere. Some recent-ish, but some almost forgotten. I’ve had so many wonderful discoveries from Slightly Foxed.

Have you already discounted

Persephone Books?

That’s probably the only one I’d be actually delighted to receive as a gift.

I’d probably opt for Persephone, if it has to be a subscription, unless there’s a reason you’ve already ruled it out, but otherwise I agree with a pp — no proper booklover is going to want someone else’s choice of book on a regular basis.

As an avid reader I'm not sure if I'd like a subscription but I have looked at the one from the Big Green Bookshop. You can give them information on your preferences etc so you're more likely to get something you actually want.

I agree with pp , I love books buf I wouldn't want someone to pick my books for me.
Vouchers for a local independent book shop would be great but if that's not a option then Waterstones .
Does you friend like listening to books ? If so then you could consider a set length of time with something like Audible.

I agree. Someone bought me a subscription (and I read loads) and I barely found anything I wanted to read. Total waste of money for her. I read two of the books in a year - for context I read about 2 books a week on average.

She usually reads on kindle which is another reason not to get this.

I'm going through all the recommendations because some let the gift recipient choose the books (or at least the genre).

I've branched out to cheese subscriptions now - she loves cheese.

The one I had, they send you a questionnaire to ascertain your interests etc, and each book I received was something I wouldn't have thought of reading myself but really enjoyed. It was a great way of introducing new stuff.

I’ve had a subscription from Mr B’s Reading Emporium one year and loved it - you can fill in a questionnaire with your preferences, and they send a spoiler email each time, so there is some choice over what you get sent. Also, if you are anywhere near Bath they also do a “reading spa” when you can go to the shop and they bring recommendations to you while you have tea and cake - a great way to find out about authors I wouldn’t otherwise have considered.

As someone local to Persephone and Mr B's, I am waving the flag for those! You could look at whether there's a local venue that does book talks and buy some sort of vouchers for those. Or, someone bought me a Hay Lit Fest access present, whereby you can access online all the festival talks ever (I think... I haven't made enough use of it, I must confess). Other lit fests might do same

I have a Mr B's Emporium one (my third). You choose a category and your recipient can say what styles or authors she likes/dislikes. She will have a choice about whether to get an email every month telling her what the book is or just have a surprise each month. It can be brilliant. Also, all those decisions and preferences have to be done by the recipient, not you - so you can't really get it wrong.

Cheese sounds like a much better option! I’m a reader and would hate a book sub, but food surprises are a different kettle of fish!

oh no, such a dilemma. I'm a reader and would love a book subscription. (or a cheese one, come to that).

I was lucky enough to be given a subscription to Daunt books. Every book arrived beautifully wrapped, and the first one had a hand written introduction using copperplate calligraphy. I was invited to contact Daunt to suggest likes/dislikes which I did, and the selection was exactly to my taste. I would highly recommend.