Tag: book boxes

Books, Subscription Boxes

In Search of Doors Illumicrate Unboxing

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This is a punch of blue! Definitely matches the theme, so let’s unbox it as it had a naked hardcover. Starting on the bottom right corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme booklet.
  • Night Circus Ticket keyring, I love the concept, but it is freaking heavy so I won’t be using it, which is very sad. It weights so much I don’t really want that on my keys or anything. Sad, so very sad because it is gorgeous!
  • Magnetic coin, as you know by now, I don’t really care about them and to me they’re pretty much useless and meh.
  • Narnia wardrobe wooden pin, this is very cute and I like it.
  • The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I haven’t read it yet, I am curious as I enjoyed the Night Circus.
  • I had a sword bookmark, matching the book but apparently there were three different designs. (Downside is how flimsy it is).
  • The Naked book, it is pretty but it’s just that, nothing special for me.
  • Key necklace, inspired by the Archived.
  • My favourite item, a booksleeve with a Hogwarts theme, the sleeve is sturdy and beautiful.
  • Book ceramic pot. I am still unsure what to do with them. If I was good at plants, I’d fill them with cute plants but I mostly kill them so they’re wasting space at home. Sad. But gorgeous.

So I wasn’t particularly impressed with this box. There aren’t many “doors” in the things included. As much as Harry Potter is nice, I have a lot of booksleeves in tones of pink/purple of Hogwarts in some way or another (why is it so popular in those tones?!) so I am a bit tired of that particular item, not that I dislike booksleeves. Be original, there’s a LOT of fandoms to choose from other than Harry Potter.

I liked the key and sword matching the book but I won’t use either (“golden” anything jewelry is a potential not good for me so I tend to avoid and not wear) and the pot is just space taken. So I have a pin, a book and a book sleeve and it feels not very worth the price if that is all I keep. It is sad, because I have loved Illumicrate since the very first box I had from them back when they sent Nevernight hardcover and had no themes and always had a proof in the box (I LOVED discovering new books with those proofs and really really miss them) and a lot more unique items and less worry about “collections of things that won’t be used”.

So veredict, I liked the box, miss the old Illumicrate boxes and don’t feel very much a good value for money with this particular box. Let’s see what December brings!

Books, Subscription Boxes

Dangers of the Deep Book Box Club Unboxing

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A well themed box with a book I wanted to read (it is so gorgeous!), so let’s go unboxing, starting on the theme card and going clockwise:

  • Theme Card, definitely matches book and thene.
  • Whale notebook, I like notebooks and the artwork is gorgeous
  • Socks, mermaid socks! I am a happy human and they’re cute.
  • Two publisher’s frebies
  • Clubhouse invite for a chat with the author
  • Octopus pin, this is very detailed and cute.
  • Another promo item
  • Dangers of the Deep Shampoo Bar. This caused a great conversation about them at work and I raved on how good they are, so I am looking forward to using it and think it is great we get alternative care items beyond lip balms and creams and scrubs. Love it!
  • A sturdy coaster, this is a really good one!
  • Deeplight by Frances Hardinge. It is a super gorgeous book and I can’t wait to read.
  • A signed map, since Waterstones had the exclusive rights to signed books so we get a signature on the map. A good way to get away with a signature, clever and crafty!

All in all, a box very well themed that gives an ocean and deep sea vibe and I can’t wait to start reading the book today with our reading group.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Dawn of a New World Owlcrate Unboxing

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A very late unbpxing of October’s Owlcrate (I did open it a while ago, but forgot to post about it, woops). It had two books and an item that as soon as I saw it and others too it was a comment of “it is perfect for me/you”. So let’s unbox, starting from the top left and going clockwise:

  • Crier’s War by Nina Varela. Androids and humans in an interesting world, so excited to read it!
  • An Illuminae book tin, each side has a quote from one of the books. It is dark and intriguing and a bit cryptic and I like it.
  • I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Bishi, the world is ending and I am not sure about this book but intrigued!
  • A Warcross inspired sticker, it is very holographic and I like it.
  • Magnetic bookmarks, probably the item I was the least excited about since I like the arts but do not particularly like the item.
  • Theme card.
  • The pin of the month, wasn’t my favourite but its kinda retro and cute.
  • Finally, the item I loved the most, a moon necklace with circuitry. It is inspired by the Lunar Chronicles which I haven’t read and not bothered but absolutely fell in love with the charm and necklace. It is amazing.
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.