Tag: book boxes

Books, Subscription Boxes

With Great Power Illumicrate Unboxing

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Time to do an unboxing for October’s Illumicrate. As you know I was part of the blog tour for Angel Mage, so this book was no surprise to me, however the red edges were and the rest of the items. So let’s unbox starting from the book and going clockwise:

  • Angel Mage by Garth Nix. This book is like the 3 musketeers became very magical religious. I liked it a lot more than I expected to.
  • Shatter Me Magnetic bookmark set. I am not really keep on magnetic bookmarks, as they either break from the top joint or I have damaged pages trying to take them off, they are cute but won’t be keeping them.
  • Dreamers Pouch. I tend to like pouches specially if they are sturdy and nicely sized for travelling or taking some kind of supplies (I have one that came in a book box I use for my “quick drawing” supplies for example).
  • Theme booklet.
  • Abhorsen Bells Pin. This is fully inspired by the book, and I loved it. I had been looking into getting one of those pins to hold blankets/shawls/thingies together that look pretty and then I got the box and it was awesome!
  • Villains character card set, which I loved and quickly started describing each character (they are from Vengeful and Vicious by V. E. Schwab) to my colleagues when I unboxed it.
  • A tea tin, another unusual item and I have already filled it up with tea bags (but I also use them for loose leaf tea) Loved it.
  • I also somehow skipped the metallic magnetic coin which this time was Aelin, but not bothered by it.

All in all, it was a quirky box with two out of the ordinary items I really enjoyed, which made it nice rather than just okay. Can’t wait for this month’s box!

Books, Subscription Boxes

Rebels on the Run Book Box Club Unboxing

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Fantastic theme and I knew immediately which book it’d be and was excited for the box because I seriously enjoyed it a lot, so let’s unbox starting from the top left corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme card, very wild West like.
  • Underneath a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets tea towel which I loved because it has a huge moon and is really beautiful art.
  • Favour stickers, it is book related and I instantly knew what they were and thought it was awesome.
  • Two promotional bookmarks.
  • Chocolate “Pixie Dust” covered pretzels. I don’t eat a lot of chocolate, so I had one but the rest were scoffed by my husband. He first was like “what is this, meh, funny pretzels” and then was like “need more, delicious!”
  • Desert sticky “bookmarks”, made my work colleagues smile and me too. I found it amusing.
  • Verify promotional postcard, intriguing book indeed.
  • The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis. I enjoyed it a lot and reviewed it here.
  • A Bookish Rebel mason jar, I was just sad it didn’t come with a lid but still, liked this.

All in all strong box and had lots of great items, probably the only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the promoitonal stuff, which to be fair is nothing bad at all or anything to complain about. Also the cover for Good Luck Girls is like someone poured liquid gold on it and wow. Absolutely stunning! Really blew me away.

Books, Subscription Boxes

High Stakes Illumicrate Unboxing

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The theme for September’s Illumicrate was High stakes, but was it up tothose high stakes? Let’s see what was inside, starting from bottom left corner:

  • Theme booklet. Matches the main book well.
  • A gorgeous ceramic mug with artwork inspired by Children of Blood and Bone. I find it gorgeous but also, I have been avoiding ceramic reusable travel mugs as I mostly use them in the car and if an accident happens and it shatters, well, not good. Bamboo is less problematic.
  • The End if Nigh notepad. This is perfect for shopping lists and in good timing as my current one is almost finished. It is inspired by Good Omens.
  • Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron. Super excited to read it, and the edges have a snake. However, I am a bit unhappy with the size of the book. Books to me are portable and that’s the beauty of it. With books as huge as this one, it is VERY hard to read them on public transport without poking someone, they don’t bend as easily, and are SO heavy! I just wish we could get nice smaller editions (usually the paperback version is like 1/3 of the size).
  • Carry On scarf. Not a fan so this one was gifted (also, I have a bit of odd feelings about turning Carry On which is a “take on Harry Potter” into a full series).
  • A DNA lankyard cord thing, inspired by the Mortal Coil. Loved it!
  • And a wooden print thing. It is nice but it doesn’t look properly lacquered to put things on it without damaging it. May be bothered to do it or may not and pass it on.

All in all, some items did make it out of this high stakes box into a great item but half of them didn’t and that was a bit sad.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Fear the night Owlcrate Unboxing

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For some reason, Owlcrate does their “spooky” box in September (not that I am complaining because then my unboxing post can happen in October!) and this was a good spooky box.

Starting from the top left with the book and going clockwise:

  • The Bone Houses, and an “inverted” cover for the black background to white and the white lettering to black. Still gorgeous, very excited about the book!
  • A Penguin Classic Horror (The Haunting of Hill House), I was never going to love this one as I am not a horror person but someone will so no biggie. Plus it is an extra book.
  • A spooky print which I liked it.
  • The monthly pin inspired by the book.
  • Theme zine
  • Skeleton fingerless gloves. I love that they are very long, my dog chewed up the last pair from a previous Owlcrate, so this was perfect timing (and they are being kept well out of the reach of the dog).
  • Coffee. My biggest issue is the coffee label has little to no information. I still think it could easily have a label with details on the back (as this is obviously blended/flavoured coffee, good for allergens, etc). But I like coffee, so not bad and this one smells real good.
  • A sampler of The Beautiful, not intersted at all but cool.
  • Theme card, I like the artwork.
  • A trinket dish which is very pretty but I already have two that I am using and have no need for more (otherwise I would keep it, it is nice).

All in all a well packed box with lots of nice interesting useful things and lots of spooky in it but not too much (at least in my taste).

Books, Subscription Boxes

Let The Games Begin Book Box Club Unboxing

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Let’s see what was isnide this Book Box Club! Starting from the book and going clockwise:

  • The Beckoning Shadow, a book a bit like fight club but at the same time not.
  • Postcard for An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
  • A Quidditch ticket patch (I like patches I just don’t know what to do with them or where to put them).
  • Barrington Stoke sampler collection.
  • Seafire bookmark.
  • Theme postcard.
  • Queen of Hearts earrings, they will make my sister super happy!
  • A very green Absolutely Remarkable Things notebook. It’s nice but sadly not that remarkable.
  • A nicely smelling candle, Remember it’s only a Game.
  • The clubhouse invite.
  • A book Bingo that sticks to your fridge (magnetic). Sadly the stickers kept not working out and we just gotta mark them instead. But I like the concept!
  • Finallly, a string bag with a quote on it. My mother loved it.

As much as I usually love Book Box Club, this box was a little underwhelming and it was also the box that was the most delayed. But the next box is the anniversary one so I am hoping it will pick up again (in general, August boxes aren’t my thing for some reason).

Books, Subscription Boxes

Storms and Seas Owlcrate Unboxing

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A dark and stormy box with a nice blue theme (I like blue). And it was probably not as good as other boxes for me, but it was interesting. Let’s see what was in it, from left and going clockwise.

  • House of Salt and Sorrows, inspired by the twelve dancing princesses, so I am very curious.
  • Theme card, with a melancholic picture.
  • A tea light lantern. I find it cute but will probably never use it sadly.
  • The Little Mermaid inspired bath salts, looking forward to using it.
  • The monthly collectible pin, which is nice.
  • An exclusive bookmark to match the book (it is gorgeous)
  • Anothe bookmark, but wooden. It is very nice but it is too thick to really use inside a book which is a shame. I have to say, wooden bookmarks in general are not my thing, they are either too flimsy and feel like they’ll easily break or are too thick and can’t be used nicely.
  • Sea Witch tea, which I am curious to try, we shall see, but I like it is a relatively small satchet so if I don’t like it it will be fine (though I doubt that)
  • A pencil tin case, cute but I don’t use them, so a bit sad, but it is very pretty.

In general it had a lot of really nice things but most of them just aren’t the type of objects I’d use or enjoy. I can appreciate that they are nice and look good but alas it isn’t a good value this time.

Books, Subscription Boxes

It’s a Kind of Magic Illumicrate Unboxing

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I really like the vibe of this box, it feels very fitting to the book it featured. So let’s dive in, starting from the top left corner:

  • Discovery of Witches pin. I struggled to read this one due to the main love interest so I gifted my copies away. But the pin is cool
  • Uprooted Tote, which is a super dreamy eerie tote and I love it. It is perfect!
  • Magnetic coin (not bothered by it, as you may already know).
  • Theme booklet, I love the design is eerie, witchy, green.
  • Bellatrix promotional booklet.
  • Witchlands pin banner underneath the book (I like the size and that it is black).
  • Sanctuary, by Vic James. I have been really looking forward to it since I knew it was going to exist. (And I won a proof copy plus some extras at YALC so this is awesome!)
  • Wicked Saints Tiptych, love the artwork.
  • Second half of the bookends. I am a little bit disappointed by them as they are much too fragile and the pointy bits are bending even before I have used them just by moving them. But I do like the idea of the design.
  • A “book” Magic Spells ceramic pot. I am bad with plants but this makes me want to plant something in it and see it grow and be magic…

I was a bit of two hearts on this box. Some items are awesome, some I am not that crazy about but what definitely goes is that gorgeous totebag, favourite item for sure and I am very happy with the gorgeous green sprayed edges of the book.

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.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Seize The Crown Book Box Club Unboxing

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A box for royalty, or at the very least, a box with a royal theme. Let’s start from the top left with the main thing, the book!

  • Romanov by Nadine Brandes. I think it is a retelling of Anastacia so I am intrigued.
  • Evil Queen mirror, maybe it will tell you who is the fairest of them all, or at the very least show you if your makeup is spot on 😛
  • Lost Princess candle, I wasn’t too keen on the scent of it but maybe it is just me and that sweet orange isn’t my thing.
  • A pair of socks inspired by The Cruel Prince. I like them even if I am not into that book.
  • Bathing salts, which look glorious and I am so happy for them being in the box (plus they match teh candle perfectly in looks)
  • Two psotcards for other books, Beauty Sleep which I reviewed recently and the sequel to Fandom
  • A bookmark to match the book.
  • The clubhouse invite, which lets you chat with the author and ask questions (alongisde the rest fo the subscribers but it is still awesome!)
  • The theme card in the center.

Probably not my favourite box, but not the worst either and I like receiving and, plus I am intrigued by the book and how well it will go (I am not always keen on retellings as some are not idea but some are really good. so wondering which way this will go).

Books, Subscription Boxes

The Dark Side Owlcrate Unboxing

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I am warming up to Owlcrate boxes. The theme for this one was The Dark Side, and I am very very glad they didn’t include anything Star Wars in it, but instead the whole box felt dark and murdery but also gorgeous. Let’s check the contents, starting from the bottom right and going clockwise:

  • Wicked Saints with an exclusive cover colour which makes it look even darker than the original one (I really like both)
  • An exclusive fabric book map for Wicked Saints, it is like a silk handkerchief and I like that. May use it as a fun handkerchief or headscarf or something.
  • Vicious isnpired phone holder (like a pop socket) which I enjoy a lot. Again, I am a bit confused on how many phones book boxes think we have, but I guess at least one fo the thingies they send will be to my liking (this one it).
  • Pin banner, neither here nor there for me but it has more effort than a similar attempt by another box, so yeah, happier about it.
  • And on top of it, the collectible pin of the month, inspired by a necklace worn in the book .
  • Theme card (there was also a themed zine but I don’t keep those).
  • A shorthand notebook (the style that it has the spiral on top rather than on the side) with a quote from one of Sarah J. Maas’ book which isn’t the same star one as always and it doesn’t bother me so much. The notebook is gorgoeus with hard cover and back so useful.
  • Finale sampler. Not bothered but samplers are usually bonus that I pass on.
  • Six of Crows socks, I love socks and this are red! I don’t have many red socks (yeah not crazy about Six of Crows, but I like socks)
  • A Grisha scarf underneath it all. This is my favourite item. It is a lighter scarf than what bookboxes usually include and it has a gorgeous tone of purple that almost seems like a gradient. The design is Grisha but even if I am not in the fandom it is just “specific and generic” enough I can wear it and get lots of compliments. Because it is lighter, it has made it through the “it is getting warmer” part of the year and I am still wearing a scarf (this one).

All in all a nice box, with a lot of things I liked and few I didn’t (which is always a bonus for me). I am still keeping this one as on and off but for now it is ore on than off. Keep it up Owlcrate people!