Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Hidden Magic Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Hidden Magic, August 2023

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.

A very magical box this time, let’s start on the top left and go clockwise:

  • Bookmark set (I rarely ever care for character faces bookmarks, so these are usually a miss).
  • Washi tape, which is super adorable and cute and I’ve used some for decorating little pages or envelopes or similar.
  • Mug inspired by The Priory of the Orange Tree, as usual a win for me, very sturdy and my daily favourites.
  • A book tin for “The Book of Eyes”, also winners in general because they are useful tins to save stuff in.
  • The monthly leaflet for the theme
  • The book, which has a two types of view, with the cover showing Guardians of the Dawn “Zhara” but underneath it is “The Maiden who was Loved by Death”.

Overall a cute box, could’ve done without the bookmarks, but not a bad content and I am still to read the book, woops. But it is on my list and was before the box came out, just bad at actually reading through my TBR.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Afterlight Box

Subscription Box: Afterlight

Theme/Month: November 2022

I bought this one on one of their sales after they had released it as I wanted the book. I am not the biggest fan of romance (I have my moments when I want a romance book but I tend to be picky and need to be in the mood for it).

If however, unlike me, you are a Romance avid reader, I can say Afterlight has come leaps and bounds with their boxes and they are a lovely choice.

As you can see from the picture, this isn’t a hugely big contents box, but rather a love letter to romance, and in this case it was all about Lizzie Huxley-Jones book, Make You Mine This Christmas, a cute love story that now has a “sequel” (don’t quote me on that, it is another book similar to this, I haven’t read it yet). I am bad at this reviewing romance part, woops.

Anyway, it came with a print, author letter and some nice socks which are super soft and cute! I like how little it comes with because then it iisn’t adding clutter or unwanted items, and it feels extra cosy, so if you are looking for present ideas for your Romance lover, why not try Afterlight?

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: You Win or You Die

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: You Win or You Die, July 2023

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 fiction too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

A lovely little box, and let’s start from the top left corner going clockwise:

  • Fire is Catching towel. I have found the towels to never dry well enough for me (I like fluffy towels and for my hair t-shirt or high absorbing ones) which is the disappointing part, otherwise I would absolutely love this towel.
  • Aromatic Magic tea cups. I love a good stemless cup in this style, these are delicate and gorgeous.
  • Guess the character card game, which is a cool idea, but I am very bad at faces and matching my idea of how a character looks with the overall view, however the art collection here was stunning.
  • The featured book, which is The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem, another absolutely amazing read that I enjoyed and have actually read.
  • A guild of knowledge embroidered pouch which I use to store cards in.

This wasn’t a bad box, but if you compare it to the Night and Day one, it’s definitely lacking. The stemless cups were a win (I tend to use mine as “wine glasses” but also as cups for tea) but the game fell flat for me as did the towel. I would’ve liked more an “art” collection book of characters or something similar to properly browse the artwork, or maybe we need a where’s the character type of book with lots of characters form different books doing their own thing in a fantasy world…

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Night and Day Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Night and Day, June 2023

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.

Another one of those boxes that are just epic on the theme and being so matching with the items for it. Starting on the bottom left corner with the leaflet:

  • Night and Day leaflet of contents
  • Underneath it all an Astral Balance (sun and moon) cushion cover, which is proudly presented to this day on my couch. Perfect fit for my vibes.
  • Equinox bowls (the black and white one), mine had a defect were the coating wasn’t applied properly and it was coming off (it happens) and thankfully the team sent a replacement so I could use them safely for food (they’re my breakfast bowls now).
  • Dawn and Dusk coasters, also happily living in between my coaster collection next to my spot on the couch.
  • The featured book which is The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz, I have actually read this one for once in a while!
  • Celestial Harmony shoe charms, which I am not sure about using, mostly because I don’t really add charms to my shoe laces but I do like these.

Overall probably one of my favourite boxes and some of the items are still being used actively (except for the shoe charms) which I think is a big win on the ratio of use versus not. And to me that absolutely wins a lot because I love boxes that have items that will be part of my everyday life rather than pretty decorations or dust catchers.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: What Lies Beneath Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: What Lies Beneath, May 2023

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 fiction too. It usually contains a new release, a pin and several bookish goodies.

I love the ones that come with a book basket bag, they make me think that everything is just coming out of it and exploding with creativity, but let’s talk contents, starting from the bag and going clockwise:

  • Hope is Magic book organiser, with a quote from Laini Taylor, and a wonderful colour scheme. These organisers are a dream, I use them for tidying craft things or for moving items upstairs and downstairs. I just love them so much.
  • The featured book, Witch King by Martha Wells. I have no clue why I haven’t read it yet since it is one I really want to read and that is still on my least!
  • What Lies Beneath leaflet.
  • Shell Whale metal bookmarks. I like the metal bookmarks even if they are dainty and I am always worried I’ll break them.
  • Hiding just there is a Moth phone grip, which is very delicate and awesome.
  • And finally a planter (this was awesome I thought it was such a cool idea to include)

As I said above, this box was already winning with the contents, but overall the theme, the book and the contents won very well and I was happy with it.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Be My Enemy Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Be My Enemy, April 2023

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.

Be my Enemy is a very hard theme to imagine because our enemies will be different to each of us, though I guess there is something for it we can all coincide in? Let’s start on the bottom left with the leaflet and go clockwise:

  • Pardon the glare but I didn’t want to unwrap it as I keep the papercraft kits for moments of needing time for myself and I really love getting them in the boxes. The theme of this one was Blaze of Desire
  • A Stag pin banner which has found a new home with someone who LOVES stags (it is very pretty, I just don’t have too much wall space).
  • The Vermillion Birds tumbler. I already have a few of these so it wasn’t anything new, but I get having versions of it that you like more or less (this was not for me specifically but not an issue).
  • The featured book, Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh and yet another book I haven’t read.
  • And finally a dagger replica of the Sword of Truth.

One thing that I can see is that I really need to sit down and read my Illumicrate books because I am very much behind on them (I think particularly the 2023 ones), but maybe not my favourite box so far for the year.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Live Like Legends Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Live Like Legends, March 2023

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.

As much as the previous box was incredibly visually cohesive this one is not and feels more just cohesive on theme, So let’s see what was inside, starting from the leaflet on the top right and going clockwise:

  • Content leaflet, as usual includes artists and photochallenge alongside book summary.
  • Journey to the underworld lunch bag, with a Persephone and Hades vibe, which looks cool and not too in your face for fandom specific.
  • Greek mythology stickers, and I always love good stickers!
  • The featured book, Lies We Sing To The Sea by Sarah Underwood, and another book I have yet to read (partly because I am burnt out on greek mythology inspired books, just stop please).
  • A Greek Myths book pot. One I didn’t keep as I only keep a few and this was not for me.
  • Realm of the gods mini teapot, this is adorable and I have yet to use it but hopefully soon.

Overall, a decent box with a few everyday use items (the teapot isn’t used because I already have a work horse type of teapot that gets used often, this one feels more delicate) and a few decorative items.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Into the Fire Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Into The Fire, February 2023

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 think this was one of those boxes super on point for the theme with all the items looking very cohesive between them, but let’s see each in detail, starting from the leaflet and going clockwise:

  • Contents leaflet
  • Celestial Kingdom book light, which is more or less a “book” that opens into a lamp which is pretty cool!
  • The featured book which was Song Of Silver, Flame Like Light by Amelie Wen Zhao, which gorgeous design and printed edges.
  • Phoenix book jacket. I like these book jackets since they’re almost like a slip on cover and can be used for notebooks too and make them look nicer, very pretty design (my only downside is that it is a lot of white and can get dirty easily)
  • A zipper charm for Pendragon, which initially I was like “a zipper charm” but then remembered some annoying zippers that are always a pain to grab and pull, and decided this was a very useful little thing, and so far it has been.
  • Lighten the darkness water bottle with a sleeve. I like the glass bottles and it is very pretty, and I love a nice sleeve for it, but I am also always slightly scared of breaking it (the sleeve helps a little).

I admit that more than a year later and I have yet to read the book, woops, but the contents have bene used and enjoyed so it was overall a good box.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Journey’s End Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Journey’s End, January 2023

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 now given up on any semblance of order on my unboxings. I have lost the plot and will now just add them as I find them in my media library because I still want to share the contents of them. So let’s go!

  • Lord of the Rings cutlery kit, this was stunning, however I gifted it to a friend who loves Lord of the Rings because I already have other lovely sets from Illumicrate (but I do like the cutlery sets)
  • Godkiller by Hannah Kaner which I still haven’t read, because what is time, but the edition was stunning.
  • Lying card holder. It’s like a mini wallet and I love this one, it’s just quirky and fun.
  • Pen/brush/crochet hook holder, I like these they’re nifty for craft or art supplies.
  • Wooden map. I do wish these were heat proof and then I would have the most awesome trivets ever.
  • The leaflet of contents.
  • A bumbag that can also be turned into a shoulder bag, unexpected multi-use even if I am not huge on bumbags overall.

Most of the items are useful and well curated and the only miss for me is the wooden map in that it collects dust more than anything and I never really know what to do with them. Overall it was a good box.

Subscription Boxes

Moon Hauls: Fight For Your Future Illumicrate

Subscription box: Illumicrate

Theme/Month: Fight For Your Future, June 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.

After a lot of delays (for the past few weeks WordPress keeps crashing my posts when I try to schedule or publish them so I had to resolve those issues first. But I am ready to get back into all the books and nice things I have been reading, doing and unboxing, so let us start from the top left and going clockwise:

  • We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo, which I still haven’t read.
  • Book Cover like a slip on jacket with a Library scene.
  • Author letter
  • Passport cover which is very very pretty and I like it a lot.
  • Leaftlet on contents and who made what.
  • A mug for Girls of Paper and Fire series which is so dainty and gorgeous art.
  • Jade Bookends which are so stunning and amazing.

Overall a lovely cohesive box, maybe not my favourite book but the items are pretty good and I love those book ends and the mug, followed by the passport cover and the book jacket. Not a bad box at all.