Inside our subscriptions this month
What it’s like to receive a Verse book
One of the questions we get asked most is how our subscriptions work, and how we actually choose the books.
So, this week we thought we’d show you.
February subscriptions are going out, and this batch has been a particularly good one. There’s not a single “book of the month” - there never is in our subs. Instead, the picks reflect the kind of reading we care about: books that are worth your time, don’t follow the charts, and feel like they’ve been chosen by someone who’s read them (and knows you).
Some subscribers are getting non-fiction; others are getting crime fiction, a new romance, essays, or contemporary fiction we’d rate 5/5. Some of our subscribers know exactly what they’re after, others are being introduced to things out of their usual lane.
We love sharing our passion for books with you each week, and subscriptions are what keep Verse running. We’re a small team and every order, every gift, means the world to us. 🫶
How we choose
We always start with the reader.
We look at what you’ve loved, what you’ve abandoned, and what you’re curious about but wouldn’t normally pick up. We actively rule things out - obvious bestsellers, books that feel overhyped, anything that’s everywhere already.
Then we match.
Sometimes that means a book we’ve been sitting on for months, waiting for the right person. Sometimes it’s something we read recently and immediately know who we’d recommend it to. Other times we’re off sourcing something specific.
It’s slow, manual, and slightly obsessive. Which is exactly how we want it.
What arrives
One book, every other month. Pre-loved, in great condition. Often a hardback, always chosen with intent.
People tell us it goes straight into their bag, onto the bedside table, or gets finished faster than expected. We take that as a very good sign.
It’s a two-way conversation
One of my favourite parts of running the subscriptions is what happens after the book arrives.
We email throughout the experience. We hear what you loved, what surprised you, and what you’re in the mood for next. Sometimes it’s a one-line reply, but often it’s a long-running exchange about a character, an ending, or a line that stuck.
It means the next pick is never starting from scratch. Each delivery builds on the last one.
It also means you’re never reading on your own. There’s always someone on the other end who knows what you’ve just finished and loves to talk about it.
If you’ve been curious
If you like reading that feels considered, and you enjoy having someone else do the filtering, our subscriptions might be for you.
They’re open now, and February is shipping.
How it works 👇
Perfect if you’re stuck for ideas, need a last minute gift, or are buying for someone impossible to shop for. And even better when buying for yourself.
Say goodbye to bad recommendations and hello to a better reading experience
I devoured the first book in under a week!
So great being introduced to new recommendations that I would not have otherwise found
The subscription has been fantastic. It’s helped me rediscover the joy in reading, as I’m picky and tend not to like bestseller lists
And thank you again for supporting small, it means more than you know