May 2021 Fairyloot

On June 25, 2021June 24, 2021 By AllieS.In Book Box, FairylootLeave a comment

Fairyloot is a Young Adult book subscription box focusing on fantasy based out of the UK. Each month you receive a new Young Adult hardback book and 5-6 bookish goodies. Like most book boxes the hardback are special editions and the items are a combination of both practical things and more decorative items. May’s theme is Spellcraft.

The bookish items included this month are a Throne of Glass inspired tumbler, a wooden phone stand, Serpent and Dove foiled coasters, a Crave art print, the monthly tarot cards, and the TBR Game. The TBR Game came with a pad of number paper and a 20 sided die, you write down books that you are interested in and then roll the die to determine which one you will read.

All Fairyloot books come with exclusive covers and are signed by the author. This time the book also has stenciled edges, artwork on the revers of the dust jacket, and foiling on the hardback. This months book is Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart. This is a Jamaican inspired fantasy where two enemy witches must join each other to take out a common enemy.

June’s theme is Animal Companions.

May 2021 Illumicrate

On June 21, 2021June 20, 2021 By AllieS.In IllumicrateLeave a comment

Illumicrate is a UK based fantasy and science fiction book box that has monthly boxes or just a monthly book only subscription. Each box also includes a selection of bookish goodies some more practical, others more decorative set around a monthly theme. May’s theme is Change Your Stars.

The items included in this box are a Spinning Silver book sleeve, a Girls of Paper and Fire Dress enamel pin, a sketchbook, a Daevabad Trilogy inspired tea tin, an the new collectable item an enamel key.

Illumicrate, like other book boxes, include a new hard cover each month and has a letter from the author. This months book is The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri which also came with a signed book plate, stenciled edges, and foiling on the hardback. The story follows Malini who has been imprisoned by her brother in the ancient Temple Hirana her maidservant, Priya comes every night to clean but she is hiding her true nature. When Malini sees Priya true nature their destinies become entangled and they will change the fate of the empire.

June’s theme is Out of the Woods.

May 2021 Wrap Up

On June 18, 2021June 17, 2021 By AllieS.In Wrap UpLeave a comment

In May I only read three books but I did start a new part time job recentlyke and I’m still getting used to going back to work. I also have been playing Persona 5 The Royal and I’m past the half way point in the game. I hope to finish Persona 5 sometime in the next month or so and post a full review for it.

Books:

Keeping Their Marbles: how the treasures of the past ended up in museums…and why they should stay there by Tiffany Jenkins is a museum nonfiction book about how museum collections ended up in museums, why they should stay in the museums, and a discussion of the place and purpose of museums. I really liked this book as it articulated many things that I personally believe but didn’t know how to best put it into words. This book is great for those in the museum field or those that want to better understand museums.

Five Nights at Freddy’s Fazbear Frights #6: Blackbird by Scott Cawthon is the sixth short story collection set in the FNAF world. The first two stories are not as connected to Freddy’s or the different characters from the Pizzeria but I like seeing different aspects of this world. Overall, I liked this collection more as less horrible things happened to people in the wrong place at the wrong time or dumb kids being kids. However, the small section of the story at the end that connects all the book did get a bit too ridiculous.

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers is the third book in the Wayfarers series. This one focuses primarily on life in the Exodus Fleet that consists of the descendants of the humans who left Earth but never settled on another planet but just stayed in the Fleet. I love this series but I found that this book had too many perspectives of characters that I didn’t like. I ended up skimming some of the perspectives and think that I would have liked this story better if there had been less characters. I do plan on reading the next book in the series.

May 2021 OwlCrate

On June 4, 2021June 3, 2021 By AllieS.In Book Box, OwlCrateLeave a comment

Owl Crate is a young adult book subscription box where every month you receive one new hardcover book and an assortment of bookish goodies connected to the monthly theme. Some of these items are very practical and some are better suited as décor or for a pin/bulletin board. May’s theme is Expect the Unexpected.

Each box includes different bookish goodies that fit the theme of the month and are connected to other books. This months items include a Rule of Wolves scarf, a corduroy bag with a quote from Obsidio on it, a Gilded Wolves vinyl Sticker, a metal tassel bookmark with quote on it, and the second book tin is the series inspired by the Shades of Magic.

Every month Owl Crate has a new young adult hardback book that has an exclusive cover, is signed and comes with a letter from the author. The enamel pin that is in every box is also inspired by that months book. This months book is The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He which also comes with a foil design on the hardback. This book is being described as the YA thriller We Were Liars meets Black Mirror and add in a little Studio Ghibli which sounds really cool.