bookbesties

What's in the box: A surprise romance, crime or fantasy book matched to your chosen genre, plus themed gadgets inspired by the story and access to the subscriber Discord.

bookbesties is a Polish monthly book subscription built around community as much as reading. When you sign up, you pick a genre (romance, crime or fantasy) and a subscription length. Each month a courier delivers a box with a surprise book the team chooses for you, plus themed gadgets that tie in with the story. The big draw is access to the bookbesties Discord, where subscribers talk through each book and, going by the site's own framing, make friends along the way. The site is clearly aimed at women readers, with its slogan inviting you to find girlfriends who love books as much as you do.

The idea is simple and suits readers who like being surprised and want people to talk to about what they read. Three genre tracks give you some control without spoiling the surprise. However, the homepage does not list prices, shipping costs or how books are chosen, so you will need to check the box pages before you commit. The site is in Polish and the books are presumably Polish-language editions, so it really only makes sense for readers in Poland. If you already have a big to-be-read pile or a reading group, the surprise element and Discord access may matter less to you.