Books, books, and more books! While I tear through stories like a voracious book worm, I also hoard beautiful editions just the way a dragon should. Interested in some hoarding yourself? Here is a recap of my January subscriptions, as well as my thoughts on which book box was the best for the month.

Boxes with Goodies

Illumicrate Goodies

Items: The Best Stories Reusable Sticker Book (fandom neutral; by Jane Tibbetts), Cinnamon and Gingerbread Apron (inspired by T. Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking; designed by Joanne Palmer), Ministry of Alchemy Phone Grip (inspired by P. Djèlí Clark’s A Master of Djinn; designed by The Bitter Season), Light it Up Bookmark Set (inspired by Sara J. Maas’s Crescent City; designed by Merwild), and Eleanor West’s Library Stamp (inspired by Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series; designed by Anna Vehling).

Item Quality: If you’re a sticker person, you’ll love this reusable book! The pages are made of a material that will host all of your stickers in one place, but can be peeled off and used whenever you find that perfect thermos or laptop cover to display them. A neat idea since stickers end up all over the place. The apron was decent, though I don’t think the fabric was conducive to baking. It will keep you fairly clean, but it also would send flour and such straight to the ground. I love Illumicrate’s phone grips! I’ve already used this one and it held up great. I eventually switched it out for a different phone grip from an earlier book box subscription because I changed my phone case, but I trust any phone grip I get in an Illumicrate box! The artwork of the bookmark set was lovely. My only issue is that they’re flimsy and not the most functional since they’re so easy to bend and crease. They would still be great on display, though! Many people do love these bookmark sets and Illumicrate is sure to continue producing them. The library stamp was a good thought, but as someone who resells books so I can continue buying books, that’s a dangerous game to play. It brings down resale value. And if I ever did decide to start marking my books, I would probably order one that has my name already on the stamp, as opposed to one where I have to write my name in. (Also, I would get an embosser instead!)

Theme: Having only read A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, I can’t speak to whether or not all of the books fit the theme. But Kingfisher’s piece certainly did! So far as the items are concerned … they don’t give Murder Mystery vibes the way a journal, magnifying glass, etc. might have. I think there could have been some better themed items.

Book: Our book of the month is Voyage of the Damned by Frances White. It is a Royal hardback with the following exclusive features: Colourway change cover, foil embossing on the hardback, digitally printed edges, illustrated endpapers (from the publisher, by Sally Taylor at @artistpartners), bound-in author Q&A, and an author signature

Final Thoughts: This box is rather disappointing. None of the items are ones that I would be interested in (aside from the phone grip). I could see how some subscribers might be enthused by certain items, like the stamp or the sticker book, but those weren’t useful to me in particular. I also found the novel design itself to be disappointing. Much of it was taken directly from the publisher with few alterations. I do love having a bound-in author letter, but beyond that and the sprayed edges, there wasn’t much to write home about.

Interested in more Illumicrate?

Get an ongoing comparison of all the Illumicrate boxes for 2024 HERE, including book reviews, unboxing videos, and overall thoughts on whether the subscription is worth the price!

Outside of their subscriptions, FairyLoot sells exclusive edition novels in varying genres. If stock is available, these editions are open to the general public after private sales for subscribers.

*Image taken directly from FairyLoot website.

FairyLoot YA Goodies

Items: Ceramic Flower Pot (inspired by Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries; designed by @annguyenart), Brooch (inspired by Allison Saft’s A Fragile Enchantment; designed by @jezhawk and portrait by @niru.sky), Lunch Bag (inspired by India Holton’s The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels; designed by @bluelyboo), Apron (inspired by Olivia Atwater’s Half a Soul; designed by @forensicsandflowers), and our monthly Tarot Cards by @_saintdri

Item Quality: The flower pot is cute, though having read Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, I have no idea where they came up with the design because it certainly doesn’t fit the FMC’s personality. Either way, it’s fun and I do have it displayed on my bookshelf! The brooch was an interesting choice. I’m not sure that it’s a useful item, nor is it great for display. Not something I would incorporate anywhere. The lunch bag was also fine, but lackluster. The apron was probably the best item, aside from the flower pot, but I’m not sure I’ll ever use it. I don’t know about this one. I mean, the items were all okay, but they were also disappointing. Not the best launch for the 2024 year.

Theme: The book of the month certainly fits the theme (as it should lol), and I can see how Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries fits in with regards to scandal. Based on the blurbs of the other books, I have no doubt they would fit the theme, so overall, yeah, this works! And I love that FairyLoot branches out from uber-popular fandoms to incorporate some more obscure texts. I’d be interested in grabbing both of the books represented in this box that I haven’t read! So far as the items are concerned, they 100% fit the theme.

Book: Our book of the month is A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. It is a Royal hardback with the following exclusive features: Colourway change cover, a full colour foiled design on the hardcover (by @bluelyboo), reversible dust jacket (by @sashac_art), character artwork endpapers (by @sashac_art), digitally sprayed edges, a bonus chapter exclusive to FairyLoot, a digital author signature, and an art print with an author letter.

Final Thoughts: I did like the book for this month in both design and content. Was it amazing? No. But I enjoyed the text and was invested enough to finish within a day. The items were a letdown. I kept the book pot, but everything else I listed to resell because they wouldn’t be useful or functional for me. Some of the items were bought, though, so FairyLoot definitely put in merchandise that was sought after! It just didn’t click for me.

Interested in more FairyLoot?

Get an ongoing comparison of all the FairyLoot YA boxes for 2024 HERE, including book reviews, unboxing videos, and overall thoughts on whether the subscription is worth the price!

Outside of their subscriptions, Owlcrate sells exclusive edition fantasy novels. If stock is available, these editions are open to the general public after private sales for subscribers.

*Image taken directly from Owlcrate website.

Owlcrate YA Goodies

Items: Metal Bookmark Collection (inspired by Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries; designed by Saiyre), Tote Bag (inspired by Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart; designed by Jade Cunningham, Reusable Napkin (inspired by Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer; designed by @theproseandcons), Regency Coloring Kit and Postcards (postcards designed by Vera Drmanovski, pencil crayons from Team OwlCrate), Perfect Pairing Enamel Pin #1 (inspired by Diana Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle; designed by Saiyre)

Item Quality: I’m obsessed with the bookmark collection for 2024! Besides the fact that I’m a HUGE fan of the Emily Wilde books and adore Shadow as a creature character, it’s also such a pretty item with a lovely design. This bookmark is officially one of my favorites and has been put to great use. I do have to note that the tassel unraveled within a few days (and since I’m starting my blog off late, I can confirm this same thing happened with the second bookmark of the collection). We happen to have craft bookmarks in the library I work at, so I picked a new one from there. Holding up great, and I constantly get compliments. Just expect to replace the tassel, and that replacement probably won’t be as convenient for others as it was for me. The tote bag was super cute and very well made! It was a bit small (height-wise), but if you wanted to carry some books around or use it for a night-away bag, it would be perfect! Love, love, love the reusable napkin. It’s hanging on my drying rack in my sink and has held up well to both daily use and the occasional washer/dryer rotation. I also thought the coloring cards with the pencils were a fun addition to this box. I could see that as an activity that many people would enjoy, and then the cards could be framed and put on a bookshelf! And lastly, our new enamel pin collection. I’m an enamel pin girlie, so I’m excited every time I get an Owlcrate box because I know I’m getting an enamel pin. The theme for 2024 kicked off strong with the FMC and MMC from Howl’s Moving Castle, and I like that they slide open and closed. That feature does make them more flimsy than previous years, so instead of putting them on my backpack like I normally do, I have them on a pin tassel hanging from my bookshelf. I love them!

Theme: Nailed it. Between the books and the items, I do feel this was an enchanting box that highlighted magic and romance. Everything here felt a bit whimsical, cozy, and dreamy. Frankly, an absolute slam dunk from Owlcrate to start off the new year!

Book: Our book of the month is A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. It has the following exclusive features: redesigned cover (created by No0ne Designs and designed by Lichen and Limestone), reversible dust jacket art (by @giannyfili), hardcover foiling (by Lichen and Limestone), foiled end pages (by @hachandraws), a ribbon bookmark, sprayed edges, bound-in author letter, and a bonus chapter exclusive to Owlcrate

Final Thoughts: What a box to start off the 2024 subscription with! I thought Owlcrate absolutely killed with this one. The theme was on point. The items were both functional and had lovely designs. The book was a decent read, and I did prefer Owlcrate’s design over FairyLoot’s—it felt more exclusive, and I liked the character artwork better. This has made me excited for the boxes to come!

Interested in more Owlcrate?

Get an ongoing comparison of all the Owlcrate YA boxes for 2024 HERE, including book reviews, unboxing videos, and overall thoughts on whether the subscription is worth the price!

Box with Goodies Comparisons

Goodies: Owlcrate was by far the winner! The items were a nice mix of functional and crafty, and I know for certain that I will use the bookmark with Shadow (sweet baby!) for years to come. The hand towel has been put to great use so far. And, of course, I’m a fan of the new enamel pin collection! Both Illumicrate and FairyLoot had items that were, simply put, not for me and average at best.

Book Aesthetic: Owlcrate and FairyLoot made this especially difficult by providing exclusive editions of the same book. I love FairyLoot’s edges and their hardcover design, but I loved Owlcrate’s dust jacket and character artwork end pages. And that’s what did it for me—the end pages. So, by a hair, Owlcrate was my top pick for design! Illumicrate fell short this month, and I’m disappointed that this was the start to the 2024 year.

Book Content: As a fan of Allison’s Saft’s Down Comes the Night, I was excited to get her newest publication: A Fragile Enchantment. Ultimately though, this book, while well-written and an okay read, was forgettable. On the other hand, Frances White’s Voyage of the Damned had a wholly unique concept that kept me hooked until the end. I loved the MMC’s voice, and the combo of a locked-room mystery that hinged upon political intrigue within a new fantasy world absolutely hit all my boxes. I enjoyed it! I wish the design had been better, because this was my favorite book of the month!

Read my book review for: A Fragile Enchantment

Read my book review for: Voyage of the Damned

Favorite Box of January: OOF, this is tough. The winner is … Owlcrate! Even though I liked Voyage of the Damned better than A Fragile Enchantment, I have to consider why I get these boxes, which is for exclusive editions and bookish items. Owlcrate’s novel had more exclusive features and was still a solid content pick. It also had the best selection of merchandise items. Therefore, it was this month’s favorite!

Book-Only Boxes

Book: Our book of the month is At First Spite by Olivia Dade. It is a B-format hardback with the following exclusive features: full colour printing on the hardback (designed by @bogus_katya), digital edges (designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt), character art endpapers (designed by @velinxi), character art print with author letter (art by @velinxi), and an author signature.

Interested in the book? Read my REVIEW

Want more Afterlight?

Get an ongoing comparison of all the Afterlight Book-Only boxes for 2024 HERE, including book reviews, unboxing videos, and overall thoughts on whether the subscription is worth the price!

Outside of their subscriptions, FairyLoot sells exclusive edition novels in varying genres. If stock is available, these editions are open to the general public after private sales for subscribers.

*Image taken directly from FairyLoot website.

Book: Our book of the month is The City of Stadust by Georgia Summers. It has the following exclusive features: redesigned cover (designed by @vitkovskaya_art), reversible dust jacket with a colour variant of the trade cover, foiling on the hardcover (designed by @lizzart_zardonicz), digital sprayed edges on all three sides (designed by @alyesasworld), character art endpapers (designed by @lizzart_zardonicz), an author letter with exclusive character art (designed by @lizzart_zardonicz), and a digital author signature.

Interested in the book? Read my REVIEW

Want more FairyLoot?

Get an ongoing comparison of all the FairyLoot Adult Book-Only boxes for 2024 HERE, including book reviews, unboxing videos, and overall thoughts on whether the subscription is worth the price!

My Favorite Subscription Read of January

By Title or Author

ARCHIVES

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