Subscription Boxes

All the unboxings and details about subscription boxes (bookish or not)

Books, Subscription Boxes

In the Shadows Illumicrate Unboxing

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Somehow I took the pictures for this and completely forgot to actually upload the unboxing, which is very sily of me. Oh well, le’ts unbox June’s Illumicrate which was all about hidden glamour (or at least that’s the vibe it gave me, who knows maybe I got it a bit wrong?).

Starting on the far left with the theme card:

  • In the Shadows theme booklet.
  • The main book is The Court of Miracles, the naked cover is stunning, and I am intrigued by the book but not a big fan of Les Mis, so we shall see if I like it.
  • Metallic bookmark.
  • An odd tea towel (the fabric and size were a bit different than usual) for Game of Thrones and Arya’s kill list.
  • A Sarah J. Maas foiled print, which I found an owner for it.
  • Villains series inspired mug which is stunning and I am so so pleased by it.
  • Collector’s pin, I am liking these more than the weird magnetic coins.
  • A fan with a quote from Nevernight (I liked the timing of getting a fan during the hot week in the UK, so this was very welcomed)
  • Authors letter.

All in all it was a good box, quite fancy and I like the timing for some of the items. The mug is utterly stunning and I am happy for that.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Courageous and Kind Book Box Club Unboxing

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June’s Book Box Club definitely felt like they took the condition of the world into stride and wanted to give us all a pick up, a lifeline saying “you can be courageous and kind” and that they care, so let’s see what was inside. Starting from the top right corner and going clockwise:

  • A cute banner with watercolour art, I generally do not keep banners or prints but this one immediately went on to the side of one of my bookcases. I guess it felt right for me…
  • Vegan rainbow sweets, I love it when sweets and treats are included in the box.
  • Clubhouse invite
  • A patch/decal that says Courage Dear Heart and has a nice desing, it makes me think of a cool tattoo design or something.
  • The theme card, very vibrant and alive!
  • A tiny cute planter which I think is adorable (just be careful as it doesn’t have drainage holes)
  • And to top the tiny planter, some seeds. This is one thing I like in some book boxes, they add things that go together, like value add, in this case you don’t just get a planter, you get something to plant in it.
  • The main book which is The Short Knife. It wasn’t in my radar at all and it sounds quite interesting so looking forward to buddy reading it.
  • A print with a quote from the book.

All in all, this is a cute box and it lifted my mood and spirits plus was a gotcha in that the book was completely out of my radar and I love that.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Mansion House Mysteries Unboxing Tales by Mail

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Tales by Mail is a new book box subscription that happens bi monthly, has a podcast and is focused on 8-12 years old! The people behind it are the masterminds behind Book Box Club so of course I had to try this one and as is evident by my blog posts, I read Middle Grade and other children books so it felt right up my street.

This is the very first box of Tales by Mail and the theme was Mansion House Mysteries (makes me think of my own young self watching Scooby Doo!), and starting on the top right and going clockwise, let’s see what was included:

  • Not included in the box but can be bought separately is a binder to hold the pages of activities and “reviews” that get sent with each box. I decided to get it alongside the box as it felt more organised to myself that way and a simple way to collect them in a designated place.
  • A sampler of The Train to Impossible Places.
  • A tote bag for The Strangeworlds Travel Agency which I am super happy to find in the box.
  • Promotional bookmark for Tran to Impossible Places.
  • Mini notebook to write all the notes on mystery solving with the theme artwork on the front.
  • On top fo the books, are two pins, one makes you an official member of the Postal Express and the other has the theme art for the box.
  • The House to Hoarder Hill. This looks spooky like and I am super itnrigued.
  • Jack’s Secret Summer, which feels more like a fun adventure with a bit of mystery and no spooky (but I may be wrong)
  • The theme cards and activities, it has a couple fo pages for a review of each book but it also has activities and ideas so it’sa fun supplement!

As you can see it is jam packed with things to read and do and it’d be a good kickstarter for a childs’ creativity and adventures, so I was excited by it. There is also nothing in the box that I felt was just added for bulk, but instead it shows the focus of the subscription. Activities, fun little things that can be kept and lots of adventures to be. So far I can highly recommend it as a wonderful thing to get for children to enjoy and if you’re like me, for adults too.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Rebels with a Cause Owlcrate Unboxing

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As I mentioned on ym previous unboxing, there was another box doing Incendiary and I was curious to see what was included instead for items, so let’s see what Owlcrate did (also, the theme is different). Starting on Incendiary top left corner and going clockwise:

  • Incendiary, Owlcrate edition.
  • Stickers, whcih I usually enjoy becuase stickers are fun, bonus points if they are the kind you can unstick. The ones here are less exciting as they are quotes and I prefer more image stickers than quotes.
  • The collectible pin, I think it’ll make more sense once I read the book.
  • Theme card.
  • 10 metal straws, in a cute pouch with cleaning brushes. 5 of them with a bend and 5 straight ones. I like this because it gives you enough straws to have around.
  • Witchy, which I have reviewed before but for a different press, and this cover is also gorgeous. Great choice.
  • The pouch for the straws.
  • Pot holders, probably the most boring one of the items since they are just quotes rather than something fun, but I like they’re brihgt as it makes them easier to find!
  • A gorgeous wooden magnet that immediately went on the fridge because it is so elegant and simple yet beautiful.

All in all I liked the contents of the box and was happy with it. I would’ve liked less quote items and more image ones but that’s more personal prefernece rather than thinking the items aren’t great.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Memories Fairyloot Unboxing

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April’s Fairyloot arrived quitelate this time, so it felt as if it was the May box rather than the April one. Oh well, this is the oen for April, and it left me with some opinions. Let’s unbox starting from the top right and going clockwise:

  • Tote bag, this is a thick quality one which is nice but the deisgn is very much quotes and small reading so it doesn’t shine much.
  • Emoji sticky tabs which is very much NOT my thing. Starting by it being emojis and then sticky tabs.
  • Theme bookmark
  • An enamel pin for a Memory Vial.
  • Wahsi tape for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, though it could be for many thing, however it is cute and blue so I like it.
  • A Secret Book Volume 3. I like the idea but it does look quite “fake” (whereas I already have a few other secret books that look more like books), so shall compare but I like the idea.
  • Theme card.
  • Tarot cards, not been collecting them so a bit meh about them.
  • A pin banner thing, which I am not keeping but I know of some people who would love it.
  • The main book, Incendiary which I am intrigued by it and looking forward to reading.

All in all it felt a bit not cohesive, and some items felt like fillers and add ons just to pad it rather than to really want ot be in theme and with the book. But shall compare later on to the other box doing the same book and we can decide…

Books, Subscription Boxes

Monstrous Illumicrate Unboxing

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Illumicrate has been a bit of hit and miss the last few months, but I knew what book was coming in this box and it was one I was looking forwad to read so decided to see how the box would feel this time. Starting from the book and going clockwise:

  • The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence. I got into his writing thanks to Illumicrate and the proof copy for Red Sister. Borrowed his other books from the library and haven’t looked back. They’re definitely grim dark, so not for everyone.
  • Theme card.
  • Mercado de la Muerte Dark Spice hot chocolate. It smells slightly like Mexican chocolate, but I tasted it plain and it isn’t exactly right (it’s too much European/USA cocoa style and not enough mix of bitterness and sugar). But I’ll give it a try in water and shall see if it compares to proper hot chocolate.
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book sleeve. The art is gorgeous, it’s really nice and do not find faults here at all.
  • Toss a Post it note to your witcher! (does this need explaining?)
  • A phone stand with the Moving Castle on it. This is my favourite item in the box and prefer it to other phone items they’ve done except for the battery charger thing.
  • Foiled stickers, they are gorgeous. Love them

All in all, it was a much better box than previous ones and it gives me hope. And it matches well with my new puzzle (shame I didn’t keep the one with Howl’s Moving Castle in the background whcih would match the phone stand!). Looking forward to the next box!

Books, Subscription Boxes

Dangers & Dragons Book Box Club Unboxing

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Book Box Club’s May box was all about dragons and I am always happy with a dragon themed box (who doesn’t like dragons? as long as they’re not toasting you to a crisp). And I also had the super awesome jigsaw puzzle somehow match this, so let’s see what was in the box, starting on the top right corner:

  • Theme card.
  • Dragon socks, they are the PERFECT socks to make a dragon sock puppet because the other side has an open dragon mouth. I wish it came with two pairs of them so I could do sock puppet and wear a pair of socks.
  • A golden foil print of Smaug, which is super gorgeous!
  • Dragon necklace
  • Dragon egg bath bomb, it smells delicious and I am looking forward to it.
  • Hungarian Horntail candle.
  • The main book, which is Burn by Patrick Ness. I am unsure about it mostly because I wasn’t too keen on previous books.
  • Personalised clubhouse invite
  • A sampler of All Your Twisted Secrets
  • A card set to promote Wodnerland by juno Dawson.

My favoruite thing was the socks, because they’re so cute, but it was a very dragon themed box and I am happy with it.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Expand Your Mind – We Read Box Unboxing

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When I heard there was going to be a book box for The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, I had to get it, so that is why I have We Read Box.

The theme was Expend your Mind, and the contents, going, clockwise and staritng on top right were:

  • A booklet with more details of the items and a few other articles/things about the theme.
  • A literary Passport (such a cute idea)
  • A glittery stunning pin to match the book.
  • The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L. D. Lapinski, which I am very excited to read!
  • A travel tag (luggage tag?) which is in the shape of a suitcase on wheels which I thought was super cute and made me smile.

All in all it was a lovely little box, I know they intended to include a book sleeve but the world had other plans for what 2020 was going to be doing (oh well), but they did reduce the price fo the box and it is still a nice one.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Full Moon Magic Owlcrate Unboxing

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Another moon themed box and now from Owlcrate, which meant a lot of excitement from me as I love moon themed boxes and I was curious to see what was inside this one. Starting from the theme card in the bottom left and going clockwise:

  • Theme card. I generally love the artwork in their theme cards and this is gorgeous.
  • The monthly pin which is an owl and moon phases, stunning.
  • A crescent moon bracelet in rose gold, which is probably not my favourite tone of jewelry but it is a nice bracelet.
  • Bone Crier’s Moon, with their exclusive cover version. I have to say that usually I love their exclusive covers loads but this one is just a bit more close up and blue so I ended up preferring the original one (not that this isn’t good, just not as good?) It also has golden sprayed edges.
  • A cute moon pouch (another item was inside it)
  • Oscar Wilde moon quote notebook. I like the artwork but what bugs me is that it is the same quote Fairyloot used in their moon themed box. There MUST be other wonderful quotes about the moon and magic and life to use rather than the same one used by others (I have this issue with just getting the same quotes over and over about the same topic, when there is so much to use and choose from and we fall into exactly the same ones over and over).
  • I squealed a tiny bit with the Moony puzzle because it is awesome and I love puzzles!
  • Wooden moon phases garland/bunting. Vixy loved it and so do it. It is gorgeous and was what was inside the little moon pouch.
  • A moon totebag.

All in all I really enjoyed the contents of the box, the only thing I wasn’t super keen was the quote choice but that is a relatively minor issue and more that it bothers me in general rather than exclusively about Owlcrate. And it definitely felt like a wonderful moon magic box.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Squad Goals Illumicrate Unboxing

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Another slightly delayed bookbox due to COVID19, was Illumicrate which also ended up at the wrong address, but oh well. Things happen. Hopefully that’s it.

Starting on the tote bag on the right, and going clockwise, contents of the box were:

  • Gorgeous tote bag, the sad thing is that it is only one sided art and it is the kind will end up kinda peeling off. Sad because the artwork is gorgeous.
  • A cute necklace for Dark Materials (I am told this was meant to be in the previous box).
  • A power bank with Aurora Rising squad on it. I haven’t tested it yet but think it is a fun idea and definitely useful, plus makes it feel like more value for the box.
  • Bookmarks for the Witchlands (?) series.
  • A print to go with the book of the month.
  • The main book, Dangerous Remedy. I love the edition but I am still unsure about the book as it felt a bit unpolished (the ideas were cool but it was all over the place and I think a few more edits would’ve helped it become much better).
  • A magnetic whiteboard for notes on your fridge which my husband spotted as soon as I added it to the fridge and found to be in his opinion one of the best items in a box (he’s biased).

All in all this box felt a little better in quality than the previous ones have been, which is good because it was lacking (and no I wasn’t counting the whole delay in stuff, etc). The book wasn’t super exciting but it is a hyped interesting one so that’s more my problem than an issue with the box. So far it looks promising for their quality if they keep upping it.