Subscription Boxes

For Book Lovers Illumicrate Unboxing

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A double book Illumicrate, dedicated to books and the love of books, yes please of course I want it (I mean I know in general I like Illumicrate, but this one was so tempting). Let’s start with the contents on the top left corner and going clockwise (back to normal):

  • Birthday by Meredith Russo. You can kinda see the sprayed rainbow edges on the side (gorgeous). This book wasn’t really in my radar, so unsure what to expect.
  • For Book Lovers zine/booklet.
  • Underneath everything we have a Goddess of Reading Tapestry. I like it as a light blanket type of thing but wouldn’t hang it up. Maybe turn it into a curtain… I do wish it was mroe blanket type than a wall tapestry (why do book boxes think we have endless wall space?! We just DON’T!)
  • A sampler of The Paer & Hearts Society, which I read and it confirmed I wasn’t feeling the book, so I was glad to have it there.
  • The main book, This Time will be Different. I have been looking forward to this one for a very long time so I was really happy to see it included.
  • A TBR Jar, which is cute, but we already established that I have two TBR bookcases and several piles fo books strewn around the house, so this jar just won’t fit all my TBR in it (not even in tiny pieces of paper).
  • Part one of the Bookend, which is gorgeous. This is meant to be the Reality part and there’s a Fantasy side in the next box (looking forward to it and to compare). I will say that this is cute but I prefer the other bookends that came ina different book box.
  • Page tabs/flags. I never use them or if I do they get all crumpled and horrible so I get annoyed them.
  • The collectible coin, still NOT into them but whatever.
  • The book came in this cute booksleeve. Thoguh being a bit plasticky it isn’t as foldable, adaptable as the fabric ones but I like it.

All in all a nice box and kept a love of books at the top of it so I was happy with it.

Book Review

Henchgirl Review

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Henchgirl by Kristen Gudsnuk

Mary Posa hates her job. She works long hours for little pay, no insurance, and worst of all, no respect. Her co-workers are jerks and her boss doesn’t appreciate her. He’s also a supervillain. And her parents… well, they’re the most famous superhero couple in Crepe City, along with her sister. Cursed with a conscience, Mary would give anything to be something other than a Henchgirl, but no matter what she does her plans always seem to go awry.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

I borrowed this from Nikki 🙂 and it was a nice read for before bed time. It is a bit chaotic but funny and at times reminded me of Nimona.

Basically Mary is a little bit unlucky and is working as henchgirl for the villains in Crepe city btu doesn’t actually like it. As we move through the book, we learn more about why she’s doing that. That she thinks taxes are a great thing to be able to do (poor woman, she has no idea!) There are a lot of puns in the comic, starting with her being Mary Posa (mariposa, butterfly in Spanish) working for the Butterfly Gang.

There’s her room mates and Mannequin, plus her family and they all add a little bit of a different flavour. The story is left in a cliffhanger which was very confusing as halfway through it felt like it was getting to the end of an arc, and there was suddenly something thrown into it that “revived” the arc and didn’t let it gracefully end.

It was still enjoyable, and the art isn’t the most amazing art but it is cute and get the point, reminds em of the Sundays cartoons.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Witches in the Woods Book Box Club Unboxing

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Another one fo the few pictures I had where I was changing puzzles, so no nice background (now you see why I do puzzles to decorate my table? It’s so dull and sad). The theme for this box is an awesome one and the contents are lovely too. Starting on the top left corner and going counterclockwise (for a change):

  • Perfectly Preventable Deaths by Deirdre Sullivan. A very atmospheric witchy read I am enjoying a lot.
  • Vegan caramel marshmallows. I love them. Probably too much as there are none left. Sad face. I need more.
  • A coaster for Sabrina the Teenage Witch (the Netflix version), I haven’t watched it but I like the coaster, it is very nice and quite flat.
  • A promotional postcard.
  • Clubhouse invite. I love that they are personalised. One of my favoruite things here.
  • Tangleweed and Brine, the second bonus book of this box! I love the blue in this edition.
  • Perfectly Preventable Deaths print. I am tempted to find a quote to write in the space inside the glass dome.
  • A herbal hand cream, with a citrusy scent and in a decent size (which means it will be used up rather than languish forever in my house).
  • Forbidden Forest mug, very cute. My only dislike is that it is an enamel mug and those I use a lot less as they get hot too quickly and can burn your hand unless you’re camping or somewhere super cold.
  • The theme card which is gorgeous and fits the theme beautifully.

All in all, a nice box, stuck to theme and feels magica and lovely.

Writing

Moon Writes: careful with the match

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gunpowder issue is at nine,
a reenactor knows that,
I can be Bob, James,
or if I’m happy trodding on
my skirts, I can be Ann.
(neither is my real name)

but you, palpitating vessel,
tell me, who you are.

is your passion fueled,
by those gray particles that
explode when caressed by
a playful spark?

worn by use bandoliers,
made of wood for safety,
wait for it to be inside the musket,
set it off with the match lock,
pull the trigger, watch it burn,
here comes the B A N G.

are there clouds inside of you,
trying to peek out from your eyes?
Or maybe the rain waters your soul,
helping those seeds of words grow?

did you know that the sound
of the gunshot is not as loud,
when you’re the one behind it?

smile, explosions of delight,
coming from deep inside,
don’t be afraid,
it’s just life…

Wrote this for a friend that was (we fizzled each to our own world just because life happens).

Book Review

Oscar The Orgo Review

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Oscar The Orgo by RJ Furness and Fiona Fletcher

Informal review because it isn’t on Goodreads yet (it will be, just not yet). This is another Orgo book (and I am facepalming myself right now because I have Trey and she should’ve been in this picture but it didn’t cross my mind when I took it. In my defense I had a head splitting migraine).

Back to Oscar, this is a picture book of Orgo, rather than a read with some illustrated pages sometimes kind of book. And it is in a very watercolour style.

It features Oscar a new orgo that has been born and that can’t stop singing. I mean, babies crying is one thing, but a little Orgo that keeps singing and singing? I am not sure that’s much better (I mean, I like music, and songs abut I don’t think I’d put up with it non stop).

Anyway, the story progresses as Oscar keeps singing and it does end well, with Oscar finding a good purpose to his song. It is a cute little story to read with your children (or to them?). And introduces them to the world of Orgo.

I enjoyed it and it was light read for a day that was defined with a headache.

Book Review, Books

Hermelin the Detective Mouse Review

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Hermelin the Detective Mouse by Mini Grey

Hermelin is a noticer. He is also a finder. The occupants of Offley Street are delighted when their missing items are found, but not so happy to learn that their brilliant detective is a mouse! What will happen to Hermelin? Will his talents go unrewarded?

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

A few years back, when I used to live in Oxford, I went to a museum that had an exhibition about Mini Grey. And Hermelin caught my eye, but somehow I didn’t end up buying it. (I enjoyed the exhibition a lot as it was meant for children and adults and it was about all her books).

But now I have got it and read it! The artwork is still gorgeously cute and I just find this is the type of book you read once and notice certain things in the scenes. And then the next time you read it, you see something different. I love that, because it makes the book be so many stories in one single story.

Each page is packed full of artwork and little clues to what will happen in the story or how, like the scenes tell the story without words. But the words are also there and they are good.

Hermelin is a cute mouse and he keeps trying to help others, but it may have put him in a spot of trouble. Things do end up well (it is a children’s book, they really don’t ever end up badly, except maybe for villains).

The story is cute and the words help tell it, but definitely it shines in the illustrations and I am just on repeat because it was really cute and made me smile and want to read it again as soon as I had finished it.

A good book for children as they can tell their own story from the pictures, or have the story read to them, or read it to someone and keep finding new things that will delight them!

Subscription Boxes

Libraries of Wonder Owlcrate Unboxing

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I mean with a theme like that, hard to resist, right? (Also, sorry this is a boring picture, I was between puzzles decorating my table so didn’t have a “background” except the actual table. Woops) And I have to say it was definitely worth it. Let’s do the unboxing from top left corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme card and zine. I generally enjoy the artwork and this isn’t the exception.
  • Key shaped gel pen. It is a gorgeous blue key, and it is a pen, and even better, it is a gel pen (the only thing that could top up this is if it was a fountain pen!)
  • Underneath it is a tote bag inspired by Strange the Dreamer. I like the bag it has a more “bottom” shaped design which made it a bit more useful for carrying stuff as it keesp shape nicely.
  • Book Beau coffee. This smells good but I am frustrated to no end as there are NO instructions on it, or anything that says how fine the coffee has been grinded, or literally anything useful (is it just coffee? does it have some spices grinded into it? Who knows?!). I even tried searching Book Beau’s site and she has zero info about the coffee, not even ifn their FAQ.
  • Metal bookends which are Narnia themed (and it was easy to see that and they are freaking gorgeous!)
  • The collectible pin. I have to say the pins have only gotten better each box. And this one is utterly gorgeous
  • Spoiler card
  • Gorgeous coasters. I love the style of them, they feel vintage but not tacky or what everyone else has, they’re unique.
  • Sorcery of Thorns sticker.
  • The book, I like this cover and I like the original and I am looking forward to reading the book.

All in all, a very strong box from Owlcrate, I am quite pleased except for the whole coffee without ANY useful information on it (please, if you’re senidng coffee, hot chocolate, tea, have a list of ingredients, some helpful info!). The rest of it is gorgeous and dreamy and fits the theme perfectly.

Book Review, Books

Grandma’s Flowering Tea

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Grandma’s Flowering Tea by Emila Yusof

I couldn’t find a Goodreads summary or anything, but I bought this book at Eastercon as I like flowering tea and tea in general.

The artowrk is simple but it is a cute story about the children loving visiting their grandmother and her garden. They talk about the fact that she makes them flowering tea and that they want to learn about it.

So granma teaches them to choose and pick herbs for the tea, how to dry them and then how to sew them together to make a flowering tea ball.

Made me want to make my own. And of course, this one is a very short book but good for children and maybe as a preactivity book, to have alongside some nice tea.

Book Review, Books

The Night Dragon Review

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The Night Dragon by Naomi Howarth

“I wish I could fly, and breathe fire, and fill the sky with great gray, sooty clouds,” Maud said to her friend, Mouse.

Maud is picked on by the other dragons, so stays cooped up in her cave, sad and lonely. But when the chance comes, will her friend Mouse help her pluck up the courage to fly? A beautiful picture book about individuality and friendship. 

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

This book caught my eye with all the colours and the style of the artwork so I got it alongside a few other illustrated books. I do not regret this.

Maud is a cute dragon, all rainbow coloured, and she lives with a bunch of night dragons who every night they puff big clouds of smoke to obscure the sky and bring in the night. I loved the concept of why nightim comes and that it is dragons puffing smoke clouds. Made me smile.

But Maud can’t fly and puff clouds like them, she is taunted a lot by the other dragons. But one day they have a party and none of the usual night dragons can fly. So Maud’s little friend, Mouse encourages her to try flying.

After a bit of encouragement and a “what have you got to lose?” Maud jumps off and hopes she can fly. And she can. And her own special magic shows.

It was cute and intiially I thought it was going to be a specific type of power but it was differnet and it was still super cute. The artwork was a delight and I am glad to have read this, plus dragons and a cute mouse.

Book Review, Books

Lost Princesses and Weird Magic

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Romanov by Nadine Brandes

1918, Tobolsk, Russia. The revolution is rapidly moving towards its peak. The Bolsheviks have taken over from Lenin, and the Romanov Czar family are living their last months as prisoners in exile. While the hope that the White Army finally will set them free is fading, Anastasia, the youngest princess, a shadow of her former self, is secretly trying to keep her critically ill brother alive by using forbidden spell magic, the kind that got Rasputin killed. At the same time, she’s starting to connect with Zash, one of the family’s guards. But is he to be trusted? And what will happen to the family members that suddenly gets moved? As the slow days move by, Anastasia realises that she’s gotta move quick in order to save the last drops of both the magic ink and the Romanov blood. The question is just how.

Rating:🐖🐖🐖

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I received this book in May’s Seize the Crown-themed BBC box, so I didn’t have any special expectations on it prior to getting it, except that I knew it would be a re-telling, and I do LOVE re-tellings. As soon as I opened the (oh so gorgeous) package with the book, I realised it was gonna be a retelling of the Anastasia legend. I remember liking the movie, but even more so the mysteries surrounding this presumed lost princess, as a child, but it wasn’t my favourite ever and I don’t, as opposed to my buddy read comrades, recall all the songs. So, all in all, I was excited to read it because mysteries, but also not overly thrilled by the historical fiction and fantasy parts.

Romanov is a slow book. It’s sometimes thrilling, but in a VERY low key way. The whole story pretty much felt like a long prologue up until the last hundred pages, and even then, when it finally kicked off, it isn’t a book I’d stay up all night reading. I found the magic to be a bit … unbelievable? It didn’t really make sense. My biggest issue with this book though, is how it totally lacks all nuances and perspectives regarding the Russian revolution and the Bolsheviks. The Czar family are the good guys who have nothing but the people’s best interest in mind, and the Bolsheviks, or just the politically aware and engaged public, are wrong and don’t understand what’s best for them. The end. Kind of.

During the read, Anastasia did however grow on me (or maybe she just finally got to my brain). Romanov is a story about living in exile, and if you like historical portraits of royal families with a tint of magic, you should really read this book. After all, it’s beautifully epic, and it surely makes you think.

Dr. Bea approves

If you’re in for more fairytale re-tellings, check out The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Less complicated fantasy, more fast paced sci-fi, and definietly more interesting and badass princesses!