This was a special edition box by SpearCraft Book Box, and it was without a book. I have to be honest, I had forgotten I had ordered it until the email arrived into my inbox saying I had a box coming my way and it had been paid. Then I checked and it was this (comes to show I ordered too many sub boxes last year, right?). It arrived a bit after Christmas so I didn’t take pictures of it in the theme appropriate jigsaw (because I had already packed it by the time this arrived…)
But now let’s check the contents, starting on the top right corner and going clockwise:
Honeydukes cupcake bath bomb. It said “Do not eat” and it does look cute, the scent is meant to be Amortentia potion. It is a pleasant smell.
Three Broomsticks bookmark, the artwork is cute, and as per usual, bookmarks are one of the least offending paper items I get, so this was okay.
Dobby socks, remember how I said I liked the better quality socks I had been getting? Well, sadly this pair isn’t that high quality even if they are cute. (Yes, I may be picky, but I get too many boxes and need to choose better which ones are worth paying for and getting, the ones that make me happy).
Theme card, which is a really cute print too.
Hogs Head Inn cushion cover, this is nice and all, it made me smile and I like the look of it, does make me think of a pub sign however, it is not the kind of thing I would keep as we don’t have that many cushions and I already have a few covers to change them.
Zonko’s frog spawn soap, happy about this one because I like soaps and this made me smile a lot.
Bertie Botts jelly beans, the original ones, which is what I assume was one of the “expensive” items. They’re interesting but I have to admit I tried them and prefer “muggle” jelly beans more.
Zonko’s art print.
Tea from Madam Puddifoots Tea Shop. Haven’t tried it yet, but yeah I do tea and this looks interesting as it is meant to be chocolate frog mint flavour.
So, the verdict? I prefer Accio boxes if it is something Harry Potter themed. However, this was cute and it was a cosy one but it wasn’t worth it for me as it got hit by customs too, making it too expensive to get to this side of the pond.
Wow, massively long title for a book and today I will deviate from my usual book cover picture because while I read this a happy accident happened. (If you want to see the cover, the book was part of this box).
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: Newt Scamander A Movie Scrapbook by Rick Barba
Learn all about Newt Scamander and the incredible film from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Peer inside Newt Scamander’s enchanted suitcase, encounter marvelous creatures, roam the streets of 1920s New York City, and meet Newt’s fascinating friends! This magical scrapbook takes readers on an interactive adventure through Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Filled with removable artifacts, such as wizarding newspapers, posters, and other fascinating finds, this book has something for everyone!
Rating:
This is an adorable quick read book with the main things about the film and the “world building”. My favourite part was that it had a lot of “interactive” things to play with as you moved through the book, with cards and flip pages and little “secrets” that made it much more enjoyable to leaf through.
And of course, ti is indeed a quick look at the film, but that is helpful when you don’t want an in-depth narrative that covers everything, and this one also includes some comments from the actors and crew so ti was interesting to read bits and pieces from them too.
Moon recommends
This cute book that apparently makes doggies want to read, and of course reading Harry Potter if you haven’t yet because we all need some magic in our lives.
I am wary of LootCrate but I still couldn’t resist giving this particular box a go because of the theme, and thankfully, no regrets.
Let’s see what was inside:
Hogwarts Crest T-shirt (it is short sleeves). IT isn’t my absolute favourite but it is soft and it fits so not complaining.
Doe Patronus pin, because Lily and James shared one and well, a Patronus is an important thing to be able to do, right?
Newt Scamander, a Movie Scrapbook, which is probably my favourite piece in this box and I utterly enjoyed it.
A set of four notebooks that look similar to moleskins so loving that, because I can never have too many notebooks (someone send help, I do have quite a lot of them!)
A Ravenclaw (it was actually a “House” one but I am Ravenclaw, so yeah) magnet which is proudly displayed on our fridge now.
And a door sign with Wizards/muggles text. (Probably my least favourite item from this box).
It was a fun box, the book was a pleasant thing to find in it and I was very happy with it. However the shipping takes ages to get here, I have been tracking it for like a month! Not fond of that part at all.
Accio! is a box based in the US. They sell Harry Potter Universe merchandise, usually from superior quality (I tried them out for 3 months when they first opened up for international subscriptions, and the only reason I stopped my subscription is that the customs were making it too expensive for me, otherwise I’d get it more often!).
Anyway, they made a special Holiday Box, and I had to get one (Ravenclaw).
As you can see it was packed full of stuff (and the cracker had also goodies inside, see picture below) and I am utterly in love with it. Contents are listed this time in the picture so I won’t list them again.
The cracker had the list of items inside, a paper crown, a mini lotion bar and a joke.
Of course, the ornament went directly to my tree, the mug has become one of my favourites (it is quite sturdy and big and it is so gorgeous!) and all in all it really is an amazing box and I was extremely pleased with the contents.
So if you are a HP fan, do please try them out, they are absolutely worth it.
Anyway, I was tagged by Taiwo @ Stuffed Shelves. You should go check out her own post on this tag and her blog as is 🙂
This tag was created by Kimberlyfaye Reads. All spell graphics are credited to her.
AN UPCOMING RELEASE YOU WISH YOU COULD GET YOUR HANDS ON RIGHT NOW!
This one is hard to answer with just one. I have a huge list of books I want to get my hands on. There is: More Than We can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, The Invasion by Peadar Ó Guilín, The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross, … the list really is long…
FAVOURITE SERIES STARTER
I love A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle. It starts off with the line “It was a dark and stormy night” because Madeleine thought she could pull it off despite it being so “cliche” and she did.
A BOOK THAT GAVE YOU ALL THE WARM FUZZIES
This is a very hard one for me. I rarely ever read warm fuzzies books (and it is only when you ask me to name one that I realise this). I guess the Redwall saga has a lot of moments when I’d love to be part of their banquets and be tasting their food and it has adventure and animals and it is just amazing, so I’ll go with that.
A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY
This is an easy one to answer. The one that always makes me cry is A Ring Of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle. It focuses on grief and death. The other one I would say is up there with ARoEL is Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer.
BOOKISH HERO OR HEROINE YOU WANT AROUND TO PROTECT YOU IN REAL LIFE
Can I choose someone like Aragorn or Eowyn? My life isn’t that crazy that the hero needs to be so amazing. I guess in a way, I’ve always wanted The Captain to be there which is why I created him, but he isn’t exactly a hero but he also isn’t an anti-hero.
A BOOK YOU INTENTIONALLY SPOILED FOR YOURSELF
Does reading the book and going like “I am sure this is going to happen” then skipping some chapters and “yes it is! see? I am sure now this will happen” and keep doing this until the end count? Because this happened most accutely with Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I generally can guess plot and plot twists but this was one where I was like “nope, it can’t be” and it was every time, so I spoiled it for myself.
A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD MAKE EVERYONE READ BECAUSE YOU LOVED IT YOURSELF
After the Fire by Will Hill. It is blunt and it is brutal but it is also beautiful and amazing and so human and I just wish everyone would read it and try to see life a little bit different.
A BOOK OR SERIES YOU WISH NEVER ENDED
Dragonriders of Pern. I love Anne McCaffrey’s books and they are amazing, I wish she was still around and could keep on writing. I mean, it is dragons, it is space, there is time travel, there is a “shoulder” dragon (fire lizards), it is amazing!
A BOOK WITH AN UPLIFTING ENDING OR MESSAGE
There are several of them, I am trying to think of one I haven’t mentioned here already (because several on this post would also be candidates for this spell). I think I will say, Franklyn’s Flying Bookshop was an amazing ending and it made me happy.
A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD FORGET YOU EVER READ
There are few and far between and I can’t remember one I wish I hadn’t read though I am sure there are a few. But I probably have forgotten them already.
AN AUTHOR WHOSE BOOKS ALWAYS GET YOU OUT OF A SLUMP
There’s 3 amazing ladies: Anne McCaffrey, Madeleine L’Engle and Robin McKinley.
A SWOON-WORTHY HERO OR HEROINE
I love both Corlanth and Harimad in The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. And Aerin is kind of a hero in her own being for me (The Hero and The Crown by Robin McKinley).
A BOOK THAT MADE YOU TO STOP DOING ALL OTHER THINGS UNTIL YOU FINISHED IT
There are so many of them, but the most recent one was Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer. I had meant to read just a couple of chapters before bed and somehow stayed up late until I had finished it in one go.
A BOOK THAT WAS PAINFUL TO READ (FOR WHATEVER REASON) OR BROKE YOU
Lies Like Love by Louisa Reidd made me very thoughtful. It was kind of scary and at the same time, it could be true. Books with topics that are too close to some traumas in my life sometimes make it hard for me to keep reading but I try to keep up with them.
A BOOK THAT HAD YOU LAUGHING AT LOUD
Comics, I recently read Mikki’s Comic Book by Mikiko and it is so cute and funny, but of course, it isn’t the only one.
A BOOK THAT MADE YOU WANT TO SEND IT (OR YOUR E-READER) FLYING
Given to the Sea. Too many POV and not all of them in first person, and one of them is basically just filler because it is irrelevant to plot (part of plot but it could’ve done without it and not made a difference). The ending was atrocious and I kept trying to read and to like it but I just couldn’t.
BOOKISH WORLD YOU WISH YOU COULD VISIT
Pern. Damar. Deema.
A BOOK WITH A SHOCKING TWIST OR ENDING
Everless by Sara Holland. It was more unexpected and it actually was a pleasantly “oh wow” twist.
A CHARACTER DEATH THAT DESTROYED YOU
I don’t think any character death has destroyed me. I like characters but it doesn’t destroy me if they die.
BEST SERIES CONCLUSION
Would it be too geeky to say Return of the King by Tolkien? I think he ties things up amazingly, and specially for some of the characters like Faramir and Eowyn. It was a good mix of different endings, an ending that isn’t all the same for everyone but that “fits” each character. I liked that.
So now I’ve made all these book spells. Would you like to do some? (I will tag some of you on Twitter)
Please do tag me in your post and if I didn’t tag you but you’re interested in doing this, remember to link me to your post too!
