Tag: Book Box

April 2022 Illumicrate

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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. April’s theme is Nothing But Thieves.

The items included in this box are an Art History book pot, a Song of the Sprits Papercraft Kit, a print album, and fa Gilded Wolves Bookmark set.

Illumicrate, like other book boxes, include a new hard cover each month and most months a letter from the author. This months book is Portrait of A Thief by Grace D. Li which follows Will a senior at Harvard who is contacted by a Chinese benefactor to help steal back five Chinese sculptures. If the crew succeeds they earn fifty million dollar but it they fail they could loose everything. This edition also has sprayed edges, foiling on the hardback, and art on the reverse of the dust jacket.

May’s theme is In the Dark.

April 2022 Fairyloot

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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. April’s theme is Bittersweet.

The bookish items included this month are a Night Circus tray, a set of heart shaped fairy lights, a Strange the Dreamer enamel pin, a canvas basket, and the set of playing cards that was delayed from March’s box. The tarot cards include character art from Daughter of the Moon Goddess. This month there is also an extra paperback book, An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan. This book is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet with Chinese mythology.

All Fairyloot books come with exclusive covers, signed by the author and include a letter from the author. This month the book is Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye which also has blue sprayed edges, artwork on the back of the dust jacket, and art on the hardcover. Inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology Blood Scion follows Sloane who who incinerate an enemy at will. She has hidden her abilities but on her fifteenth birthday she is conscripted into the army where she might be able to destroy her enemies.

May’s theme is Cloak and Dagger.

March 2022 Fairyloot

On 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. March’s theme is Threads of Fate.

The bookish items included this month are a Circe woodmark, a Raven Cycle Sticker Sheet, a Raybearer cushion cover/pillow case, and a tea tin inspired by this months book. There was also supposed to be a set of playing cards but they have been delayed in will come in the next box. The monthly tarot cards feature characters from Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

All Fairyloot books come with exclusive covers, signed by the author and include a letter from the author. This month the book is The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh. This edition also has stenciled sprayed edges, artwork on the endpapers, and foiling on the hardcover. This story is a retelling of the Korean folktale Shim Cheong.

April’s theme is Bittersweet.

Obsidian Moon Crate March 2021

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Obsidian Moon Crate is a newer book box based in the US that focuses on adults with interest in the darker elements of life and books. Each box comes with a new hardcover book, one crystal, one candle, and four to six other items. I ordered the March box because it looked interesting and because I wanted to try out the box before I order the special edition box for Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff that they are doing. Based on this March box the items are high quality and I like most of them.

The items included in this box where a gothic enamel pin, a red jasper crystal for protection, a lotion inspired by Mexican Gothic, a Carmilla inspired candle, classical gothic character art, a tumbler with a quote from Frankenstein on it, a wooden bookmark inspired by Lenore from Edgar Allan Poe’s work, a sticker, and the spoiler card with art. The one thing that I was not expecting was a hand written letter from the owner thanking me for my order.

The book included was a hardcover copy of Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft which also included an author letter and a signed book plate. Down Comes the Night follows Wren who has been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard for reckless use of magic but she in called to Colwick Hall to cure a servant of an illness. While there she learns that her patient is none other than Hall Cavendish, Wren’s countries sworn enemy. They must join together to try out the secrets of the estate and save both of their kingdoms.

Overall, if you are interested in a darker aesthetic or darker book this could be the book box for you. I do plan to order other boxes from them in the future.