Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, their editorial team picks out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month for $17.99/month. You can also add up to two additional books for only $9.99 each. (This box was named one of the best subscriptions for avid readers in the 2024 Subscription Box Awards.).
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
My BOTM Pick for December: The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan; Retail $16.64
Back of Book Summary:
Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity has been a closely guarded secret, until now.
As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future. But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.
My Summary
Everyone knows Cate Kay is the elusive author of the blockbuster books-turned-movies in that trilogy everyone in the world has read at this point.
They don't know Cate Kay is really Annie Callahan, nor do they know that no one's seen Annie Callahan in a decade.
That's about to change.
Award-winning sports writer Kate Fagan's debut novel is both Cate's new book and her admission to the world that she's been on the run since she was a teenager. Co-written by her characters as a memoir with alternating perspectives, The Three Lives of Cate Kay introduces her fans to the real Cate, aka Cass Ford, aka Annie Callahan and to the women central to her life story.
The book within a book charts a path from the small upstate New York town where Annie grew up with best friend Amanda, dreaming of a grand Hollywood adventure, to the freak accident that would make Annie disappear. Along the way, we're introduced to Ryan Channing, an A-list actress and lesbian forced into the closet by her management, and cut-throat lawyer Sidney Collins, keeper of Annie's biggest secret with a dark secret of her own.
The Verdict
Can fame and secrets co-exist? More relevant than ever in our influencer age, the age-old question both drives and elevates Kate Fagan's first novel. Through an author hiding from her past and a queer actress hiding her true self, The Three Lives of Cate Kay casts a critical eye on the costs of ambition and the myriad ways in which they're heightened for members of the LGBTQIA community.
At the same time, the January 2025 BOTM Club pick (also named a Reese's Book Club pick) offers up a fresh format in its multi-perspective memoir within a novel and simply tells a great story that makes falling in love with its central character hard to avoid.
As Annie asks of readers in a forward to her "memoir," "I ask only that you read with an open heart." I'd suggest you do the same.
Value — Was This Box Worth It?
Was the January BOTM Club contemporary fiction pick a win?
Purely from a "I have a new favorite author" perspective, the value is hard to beat. What I love most about BOTM Club is the joy of discovery that comes with their fresh list of picks each month. I'm not sure I would have ever found Kate Fagan's book on my own, and yet I loved it and have been recommending it widely to friends.
If you're looking at things from a financial perspective, this was a rare loser for long-term members. The BOTM Club starts at $17.99, depending on your chosen subscription. Typically BOTM Club has the advantage with its hardcover prices, but Amazon's sale price (41% off) is hard to beat. If you're new to membership, on the other hand, this was a big financial win — the first month of a subscription is $5 with free shipping.
The Cost: $5 + free shipping (This price is only for your first month).
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? Yes! But you will need to order it as an add-on.
What do you think of the Book of the Month subscription? Let us know below with your own review!
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.