Subscription Boxes

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

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Bad Blood Illumicrate

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Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Bad Blood, February 2022

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Illumicrate is a book subscription box, it usually features fantasy and sci-fi but not exclusively young adult, sometimes it features adult too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

This one had one of those big collectibles in the series, so let’s see what was inside starting from the bottom left and the theme leaflet, going clockwise:

  • Bad Blood leaflet. I like keeping these in case I use something I loved and want to know what it was and get more or seek the artist or something.
  • A couple of themed coins/badges I can’t remember
  • Medusa tea cup and plate where I forgot to show the teacup because I am an idiot but the plate more than makes up for it because it is gorgeous, just look at it!
  • A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross, I admit this isn’t high on my list but still a pretty edition.
  • Butterfly dust bath bomb which is delightful.
  • Quote pouch in a gorgeous blue with gold, I like pouches and usually find a good use for them one way or another.
  • A nice drinking cup, which I actually gifted away because I have too many but nevertheless, these are sturdy and last long.

A lot of big items, some cool stuff and lots of art that I liked. Maybe not the strongest box, but still a good box.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Cabinet of Curiosities Book Box Club

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Subscription box: Book Box Club

Theme/Month: Cabinet of Curiosities, February2022

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. Alas this is a discontinued subscription box.

Book Box Club is a young adult subscription box, the unique thing is the Clubhouse where you can chat to the author a month (or so) after the box was shipped and ask questions and just chat around. It also includes several goodies and usually, the choice of book is one that is unique and not in other book boxes so very few chances of duplicate books and a lot of new reads discovery power.

February had a very old school dark academia vibe and it was interesting also I didn’t realise the text of the picture was blurry but cannot take another picture so please forgive the quality). Starting on the bottom left corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme card. I did love the artwork to represent the theme
  • A little pandora pin which was very cute.
  • A tiny picture frame by Sass Belle which is cute and dainty.
  • Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman
  • A book satchel with a curiosities shelves illustration and honestly this was really cool to get and maybe my favourite item.
  • A candle inspired by the Lord of The Rings and smells divine

Overall not the strongest box from them but the theme always stays true and cohesive which is one of my favourite things of this box. And I love that from this box.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Illumicrate Archives Presents The Bone Witch

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Illumicrate Archives Presents are a branch or version of Illumicrate, a book subscription box, that do special editions of books that have already been published but they think could do with some extra love or special editions and usually come with gorgeous little extras.

I have a very soft spot for The Bone Witch so when this was announced I knew I would buy it and so I did. I am a special little thing and forgot I had done so until the lovely box arrived and it cheered me up a lot. So now to proceed to the unboxing, starting from the leaflet about the box on the right and going clockwise:

  • The Bone Witch leaflet, it has details on the contents and I love the look of it, plus it was a great preview of how the books would look.
  • Underneath everything there is a gorgeous daeva scarf that I died when I saw it, it is perfect and matches a little kimono jacket I have.
  • Hard to see but next to the leaflet there is a gorgeous heartglass chain bookmark that again, nailed the little charms and just the vibes perfectly.
  • A foiled print from a scene in the first book which is just amazing and I liked it very much.
  • The Bone Witch in a glorious purple, with creepy edges and a skull.
  • The Heart Forger, now a white and red one which again glorious and a little heart motif on the edges
  • The Shadow Glass in a black, deep navy kinda look

Overall really loved that they are naked hardbacks with foiling and those edges are glorious, the inside of the book is also stunning and I loved how simple the items are in a way and yet elegant and fit the story really well. There is that mix of elegance and also not being too much, just perfect.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Royal Secrets Illumicrate

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Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Royal Secrets, January 2022

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Illumicrate is a book subscription box, it usually features fantasy and sci-fi but not exclusively young adult, sometimes it features adult too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

This box had two books which is always a gamble because sometimes that means not as good a content, but let us see if it was true this time, starting from the top left corner and going clockwise:

  • We Hunt the Flame jigsaw puzzle, which I love this collection that looks like books in a box
  • This Woven Kingdom, which I still haven’t read but it is gorgeous
  • The Ivory Key, I was excited for it.
  • A pair of super comfy soft fluffy socks
  • A Never Tilting World inspired necklace for both “sides” and I love it.
  • Theme leaflet.
  • Mobile phone stand with a keyhole and “Youre a survivor”. I amdit I prefer the wooden ones over acrylic.

Overall not a bad box, I am still using the socks, love the necklace and the puzzle. Was not crazy about the phone stand but otherwise it wasn’t a bad box, and having too books didn’t really take anything away from it, which is always nice!

Subscription Boxes, Uncategorized

Moon Hauls: Secrets & Lies Book Box Club

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Subscription box: Book Box Club

Theme/Month: Secrets and Lies, January 2022

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. Alas this is a discontinued subscription box.

Book Box Club is a young adult subscription box, the unique thing is the Clubhouse where you can chat to the author a month (or so) after the box was shipped and ask questions and just chat around. It also includes several goodies and usually, the choice of book is one that is unique and not in other book boxes so very few chances of duplicate books and a lot of new reads discovery power.

Starting from the top and the theme card, we can see the contents slowly and go through it:

  • Theme card, I love the old school type of style
  • Fiction Fan mug with some lovely artwork.
  • Book Lover Lies coaster
  • Promotional bookmark
  • The Revelry, which I had preordered so I ended up with two copies.
  • A Secret Agent pen set, there was a lovely happy squeal when I saw it!
  • The Secrets Act which was also in my wishlist
  • A Mystery Machine soap

Overall I loved that it had a small joyful item and then two books I wanted to read which was a win for me. Definitely loved the box just sad that it has come to an end.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Cursed Illumicrate

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Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Cursed, December 2021

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Illumicrate is a book subscription box, it usually features fantasy and sci-fi but not exclusively young adult, sometimes it features adult too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

I am slowly catching up, just 6 months behind, right? But let us investigate the contents nevertheless and see what I liked and didn’t like or what my thoughts were, starting from the book at the bottom left:

  • A Marvellous Light with an interesting jacket made of like a plastic see-through version.
  • Starcrossed Lovers calendar, I admit in general I don’t really use wall calendars so this was wasted on me and I am less into quotes but still, I appreciate the free calendar in case it would be used.
  • Gorgeous pin flag, one of my favourite ones sent so far, with a beautiful design, even if I don’t use them. You can totally see a theme of me not hanging things.
  • One of my favourite items in the box, is a pencil tin, I love the tins that protect pencils, and this one is creepy awesome and with a great quote.
  • A Winternight trilogy inspired mug is one of my favourite ones now. But in general, I love the mugs and this is the other favourite item.
  • The collectible pin which is now not a thing but still, lovely to see it.

Lovely box overall, however rnow I am here thinking about how sometimes they don’t consider we don’t all have loads of space to hang things or won our house and therefore in a rented place you cant really fillt he walls of items, so I do wish here were alternatives to hanging things like a desk calendar which would limit the hanging items here to just the one? But this is me just thinking of more possibilities that fit more people.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Spellbound Book Box Club

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Subscription box: Book Box Club

Theme/Month: Spellbound, December 2021

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. Sadly they have announced they are now on their last box so you can’t buy it anymore.

Book Box Club is a young adult subscription box, the unique thing is the Clubhouse where you can chat to the author a month (or so) after the box was shipped and ask questions and just chat around. It also includes several goodies and usually, the choice of book is one that is unique and not in other book boxes so very few chances of duplicate books and a lot of new reads discovery power.

I am still way behind on unboxings, woops, but this December box was a lovely one to have and I am sad that I am behind because there won’t be any more boxes but also glad I’ll have a few to talk about even once they have stopped. But I digress, let us talk about the context of this one starting at the bottom left and going clockwise:

  • Spellbound theme card
  • Crane pencil holder. I love these for fountain pens or for brushes, very useful and the roll up is kinda fun to do.
  • A Rush of Wings by Laura Weymouth. I love her books, what can I say?
  • Clubhouse invite
  • A little Reading Journal notebook to keep track of that reading goal if you do one every year.
  • Stickers for the reading journal which I thought was a fun approach to encourage you to use it and adorable extra.
  • A hanging wooden sign to say “This is where the magic happens” and its witchy and spooky but cool.
  • I forgot to mention but it obviously came with a cute pencil to put in the pencil roll up case.

Overall, a lovely little box with useful items preparing you for the new year and reading goals but also a little bit of magic and decoration.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: On a Quest Tales by Mail

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Subscription box: Tales by Mail

Theme/Month: On A Quest, December 2021

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing a Tales by Mail subscription, you can do it on their website.

Tales by Mail is a bi-monthly middle-grade book box that comes with two books, some activity pages you can collect, or copy or use in various ways, a pin and one or two items.

Who doesn’t like a good quest and adventure? So let us venture into this box and see what was inside, starting from the far left and going clockwise:

  • The Chime Seekers promotional bookmark
  • Sister of the Lost Marsh by Lucy Strange, an intriguing quest for a set of sisters
  • On A Quest review and activity pages, these are always fun to collect and I like the ideas they have or the puzzles or whatever the activity is.
  • The Chime Seekers by Ross Montgomery, a more magical quest than the sisters had but also intriguing.
  • Sisters of the Lost Marsh promotional bookmark.
  • Do not disturb wood sign to hand around the door or a wall or somewhere.
  • Walker Books Calendar for 2022, with lots of adorable illustrations
  • A Penguin sticket
  • And the collectible pin

Overall a good end of year box with even a surprise calendar and some very interesting stories.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Frozen Fantasies Book Box club

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Subscription box: Book Box Club

Theme/Month: Frozen Fantasies, November 2021

Ownership: Subscribed on their 12 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing a Book Box Club subscription, you can do it on their website.

Book Box Club is a young adult subscription box, the unique thing is the Clubhouse where you can chat to the author a month (or so) after the box was shipped and ask questions and just chat around. It also includes several goodies and usually, the choice of book is one that is unique and not in other book boxes so very few chances of duplicate books and a lot of new reads discovery power.

Entering the cold winter months and we get a very on point box, starting from the bottom right and going clockwise:

  • Theme card, it matches the book and the theme well.
  • A pin set to match the book with the title and ballerina.
  • Midnight in Everwood, a magical tale set in winter by M. A. Kuzniar
  • Promotional bookmark.
  • Sleeping mask with a winter theme, this is very silky soft and even has a slight part to cover the gaps around your nose which I thought was clever.
  • Dark Materials tea towel, not a big fan of the series but I do like tea towels and the artwork.
  • A little room spray to smell of winter and it is gorgeous
  • And finally a witchy hot chocolate that is decadent and delicious and to be fair who doesn’t like a hot chocolate mug in winter?

Overall a cosy feeling box that makes you want to hibernate at home with a book, hot chocolate on the side and a fire roaring in the background keeping you warm while it snows outside and you just feel safe and can escape into a fantasy world!

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Death and Fortune Illumicrate

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Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Death and Fortune, November 2021

Ownership: Subscribed on their 6 boxes option. If you are interested in purchasing an Illumicrate subscription, you can do it on their website.

Illumicrate is a book subscription box, it usually features fantasy and sci-fi but not exclusively young adult, sometimes it features adult too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

I have had this book in my preorders so knowing there was a box dedicated to Death and Fortune was something right up my alley. Starting on the bottom right corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme leaflet with details of the contents and the photo challenge.
  • A book cover, more of the kind you slip the edges of the book in and wrap around rather than a book bag.
  • The second collectible teacup, I adore these and need a better place to display them but also, they are definitely getting used. Gorgeous, gorgeous!
  • The main book, Little Thieves, gorgeous edition.
  • Print
  • A golden filigree fancy bookmark with a wonderful card background that also doubles as a second bookmark.
  • An illumicrate pen
  • Monthly collectible pin
  • And a book tin.

Overall the box was lovely, I could have done with more death in it but still really enjoyed the items, and love the collectible tea cups and the book edition was stunning and very well done, so happy with the contents.