Welcome to A Year of Books, the Foyles book subscription service. Twelve books, hand-picked by booksellers, delivered once a month direct to your door.
Available in seven different packages, A Year of Books is the ultimate treat for yourself or your bookish loved one; across a year of reading, one recommended book each month to deliver the very best of contemporary publishing. From new works by old hands to fresh literary horizons, we pride ourselves on a selection that nourishes and delights our subscribers. Great storytelling, great writing, urgent topics and contemporary classics; books we love, books that go on to win prizes, books that will take you on a journey.
So if you’re a curious, open-minded reader who wants a steer—if you’re looking for that perfect mix of reliably great books and a sense of discovery—take a look at our packages below and find out how it works, then just pick your subscription of choice and start your very own reading adventure.
*Please note: Due to a technical issue, we are currently only able to process A Year of Books subscriptions to UK customers. This is temporary and we hope to be able to offer international shipping soon.
A Year of Hardback Fiction
A Year of Hardback Fiction
This one’s all about being first to read the best of new fiction. The freshest, most interesting new fiction delivered to your door every month, so you can be amongst the first to experience what we believe are the must-read, destined-for-greatness books of the year—and build your own library of collectible reads. We tend to pick books somewhere in the literary-but-accessible area and, as with all our packages, we try to ensure a mix of big-name authors and lesser-known treasures, and we do our best to include writing from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
A Year of Paperback Fiction
A Year of Paperback Fiction
This one’s about tried and tested brilliance. Currently our most popular package, Paperback Fiction takes the best of publishing at the point of paperback—usually after a book has found an audience in hardback—and refracts it through what we believe are the absolute must-reads. They’re not all bestsellers, mind—but they are each exemplary in some shape or form.
A Year of Hardback Non-Fiction
A Year of Hardback Non-Fiction
This one’s about being ahead of the curve. Build a library of ideas with our Hardback Non-Fiction package, selecting freshly-published books for their thought-provoking, important or topical nature. It might be smart thinking, memoir, history, science or more—but they’re each accessible and edifying for the general reader.
A Year of Paperback Non-Fiction
A Year of Paperback Non-Fiction
This one’s about being part of the conversation. Make sure you’re reading the biggest-impact ideas with one crucial non-fiction book in paperback each month; be it smart thinking, memoir, popular science, history or more, these are essential general interest books that are or ought to be capturing the cultural imagination, picked to inspire, stimulate and feed your mind.
A Year of Children's Classics
A Year of Children's Classics
This one’s about the magic of children’s books. Each month we send you a cherished children’s classic, most of which are beautifully published in special keepsake editions. These are books from across the world, from throughout history, aimed primarily for children aged 9 to 12 but utterly timeless; the perfect way to nurture a lifelong love of reading.
A Year of Children's Picture Books
A Year of Children's Picture Books
This one’s about—oh, we just love picture books! Settle down to storytime with one of our favourite picture books each month. Ideal for children around ages 3 to 5, we pick books that help to inspire a love of reading, inspire little minds, have a great message or are just a plain hoot. And, of course, they’re all gorgeous!
How it Works
To buy A Year of Books online, simply pick your package, add it to your basket and complete the checkout. You’ll then receive a presentation card to your delivery address, which you can give to the recipient if your A Year of Books is a gift.
You can also buy A Year of Books instore; just speak to one of our booksellers, who can talk you through, set you up, and give you your presentation card in person.
The card explains how to activate your subscription (see our FAQs below: it’s as simple as sending an email) — once activated, we’ll send you (or the recipient) one book each month starting from the next sending date.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know to help you understand how the service works and decide if it’s right for you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to get in touch with the A Year of Books team at [email protected] who’ll be happy to help.
FAQs
Can I tailor the book selection to the recipient’s/my reading preferences?
At the moment we don’t offer the option to personalise your A Year of Books package. As well as receiving a book a month that we believe is an absolute must-read, we like to think a big part of the thrill of a subscription is to sometimes receive books you might not ordinarily have chosen—books that are guaranteed to be of a high standard, but ones that play with the borders of your reading experience.
How do I pay?
Full payment is taken up front when you purchase the subscription online or instore.
Can I purchase a subscription package online?
Absolutely—just add the subscription package you'd like to buy to your basket and checkout as normal. Your presentation card with activation instructions will be sent to the address you enter as the Delivery Address at checkout.
What happens if the recipient has already read one of the books?
So long as the book is in perfect unread condition, you can exchange it by post or in one of our shops. Recipients can make a maximum of three exchanges during the year, and postage for the return of books and the sending of replacements is at the recipient’s expense.
When can I start the subscription?
You can start the subscription at any time. It will run for 12 months from the date the recipient activates the subscription, with the first book arriving shortly after the next monthly despatch date.
Can I cancel the subscription and get a refund?
The minimum term for a subscription is 12 (twelve) months. There is no refund other than during the initial ‘cooling off’ period.
There is a 14 (fourteen) day ‘cooling off’ period after the receipt of the first book in which a subscription may be cancelled and a full refund given. In the event of a cancellation, please notify [email protected] and return the first book to us in mint condition. The cost of the return is to be borne by the recipient. On notice of cancellation and receipt of the book, a full refund will be made to the original cardholder.
Is the service available worldwide?
Yes it is. International delivery is available for an extra £60 (which works out to just £5 per month) to Western Europe, and £100 (just over £8 per month) to the rest of the world. Please see our Delivery Help page for more information on online delivery charges.
Please note: Due to a technical issue, we are currently only able to process A Year of Books subscriptions to UK customers. This is temporary and we hope to be able to offer international shipping soon.
When in the month will I receive my book?
Each month we send you one recently published book we think is a must-read. This might have been published in the week you receive it, or sometimes up to a few weeks before—we try to ensure that all of our books are sent out by the middle of each calendar month, so anything published in the second half of the month will usually be considered as eligible for the subsequent month.
Upon activation of a new subscription, the first book will be sent out upon the next monthly despatch date for the relevant package.
If you haven’t received your monthly book and think it’s overdue, please contact the A Year Of Books team on [email protected].
How does the recipient activate the subscription?
Instructions for activation are on the A Year of Books presentation card and it couldn’t be easier. Simply email [email protected] with your name and delivery address, as well as the name of the person who gave you the gift. If you are the person who purchased it, please give the recipient the purchase details (online order reference or instore receipt number and store name) so we can connect the purchase to the activation.
If you don’t have access to email, you can also activate your subscription by calling on 0207 440 3273. The number is manned during office hours but, if we are busy, please leave a message with your name and number and we will call you back.
When will the first book arrive?
Once the recipient has activated the subscription, their first book will be included in the next scheduled despatch. The A Year Of Books team will confirm approximately when to expect the first book at the point of activation.