My 7yo, Rosie, has been getting the Tales by Mail book boxes for a few months now and I figured it was about time we shared an unboxing!
Before we get started, here's a quick recap of the August theme: Our August theme is THE STRANGER, THE BETTER and will be jam-packed with brilliantly brave, awesomely oddball characters, who are made all the better by being a little bit different! 🐙🤖 This box will include two new novels about eccentric characters on amazing adventures, themed surprises and collectable pages for your "Chronicle Files", including letters from the authors, quizzes, review cards and more! 📚 ABOUT THE BOOKS! BOOK ONE is a rip-roaring adventure about a young boy and his robot friend, who must save their doomed island from a terrible disaster! Can they conquer mechanical monsters, navigate an island dominated by nature and trust in new strange but brilliant friends to pull off a rescue mission like no other? 🤖🌴 BOOK TWO is set in a fabulously fishy town, where a young girl who loves telling stories discovers an extraordinary new friend. When she returns to shore with tales of a tentacled boy, she's met with disbelief, but the strangest thing about her new claw-clad buddy isn't his aquatic appearance... Together, this unlikely duo will uncover the truth about a secret that has long been buried at sea. 🐙 Okay, let's see what was inside! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. I'm running a little bit behind with these unboxings, but determined to get them done before the August boxes arrive! 😅
Now, let's have a quick reminder of the June 2021 Illumicrate theme: Our book this month is a debut standalone fantasy inspired by Jewish folklore and Hungarian history. The only power-less woman in a pagan village, surrendered as a sacrifice, and the disgraced prince in disguise as a captain of the king's holy order, must work together first to survive a perilous journey, then to try and prevent the prince's brother from seizing the throne. If the plot is successful, it will mean a violent reign of cultural and ethnic cleansing. Together they could save a nation, if they don’t betray one another first. We loved this thought-provoking read with its rich fantasy world and perfect example of enemies to lovers romance. If you love Nina and Matthias of Six of Crows, you are going to adore this one! 💛 Our Illumicrate edition features all exclusive: cover, reverse dust jacket art by @warickaart, foil embossing on the hardback, stencilled edges and is signed by the author! This is one of our most stunning books this year and we adore it! Both the full box and book only option will come with a matching pin designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt! 💛 We’ve put a very aesthetic, woodsy box together featuring items inspired by Lord of the Rings, We Hunt the Flame, Among the Beasts and Briars, an officially licensed The Darkest Part of the Forest item and more! We’re pleased to announce this box will feature the next of our ‘Piece Your Own Story’ jigsaw puzzles! The latest @rosiethorns88 mug wont be in this box, instead it is in July's. 💛 The book at a glance 📚 Adult fantasy, standalone 💡 All exclusive cover, reverse dust jacket art by @warickaart, embossing on the hardback, stencilled edges and signed by the author 💫 Jewish main character written by Jewish author, M/F relationship I'm 100% sure I know what this book is since I had an eARC of it last month. Sadly, my head wasn't in the right space to read the book as an eARC so I'm hoping to get back into it with the physical book. Okay, let's open it up! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. July was an amazing month for book boxes! Since both the FairyLoot and Illumicrate 'June' boxes were both delayed I ended up with a whopping 4 boxes all in the space of around two weeks.
I've fallen a little bit behind with blogging because things have been crazy at work lately, but I'm doing my best to catch up. Now, let's have a quick reminder of the July 2021 FairyLoot theme. There are some stories that can be retold time and time again without ever feeling like it’s the same story. We love finding fresh takes on our favourite tales that surprise us in new and magical ways, which is why we’ve dedicated this entire theme to them! 💜 In this box you can expect items inspired by Spin The Dawn, A Court of Thorns and Roses, The Star-Touched Queen, Cinderella is Dead and Heartless. We are thrilled to reveal that this box will include a stunning booksleeve with artwork by the one and only @rosiethorns88. 💜 Our featured book of the month is a story that we loved and draws from “The Wild Swans” and East Asian folklore. This whimsical tale has a princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and a curse that needs to be broken. The FairyLoot exclusive edition will have an UNIQUE COVER, STENCIL & SPRAYED EDGES, ARTWORK ON THE REVERSE OF THE DUST JACKET by @sallteas, FOIL EMBOSSING ON THE CASE by @sallteas and will be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. I'm super excited for the Cinderella is Dead and A Court of Thorns and Roses items. I have Heartless on my bookshelf (but haven't read it yet) and I just bought Spin the Dawn, so this might be one of the rare months where I know some of the fandoms. I also 'think' I know what the book is and only because I spotted it in Waterstones recently and had to force myself not to buy it. Okay, let's open it up! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. THE JUNE BOX FINALLY ARRIVED!!!
I'm not going to waste any time jumping into this one because I am very excited! So, let's just have a quick recap of the June theme: Have you ever felt a connection to an animal friend? Or wished for your own magic creature to accompany you on an epic quest? Whether that be a fire-spitting dragon or a talking cat, for many readers animals are the perfect companions! If you could have an animal companion, what would it be and why? 🖤 In this box you can expect items inspired by The Raven Boys, Crescent City, The Priory of the Orange Tree, Kiki's Delivery Service and Kingdom of the Wicked. We are thrilled to reveal that this box will include TWO items that we have never featured before — one of which is a Crescent City flower pot! 🖤 Our featured book of the month is a contemporary fantasy filled with sarcastic characters, dragons, action and a dash of romance. This FairyLoot exclusive edition will have an EXCLUSIVE COVER, SPRAYED EDGES, ARTWORK ON THE REVERSE OF THE DUST JACKET by @icandrawthingz, FOIL EMBOSSING ON THE CASE by @icandrawthingz and will be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Okay, let's jump in! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. I wrote this unboxing AGES ago but completely blanked and forgot to post it. Since it's been so long, I've forgone with the usual spoiler warnings!
I'm so excited to open this box, especially after how much I loved last month's box, and the book, which was fantastic! Okay, so before we get to the unboxing, two things: 1. This unboxing is super late because work has been insane the past couple of weeks. 2. I am so, so grateful to Illumicrate for choosing me as one of the April photo competition winners, and I'm really excited to be receiving my June box for free! Let's just have a quick recap of the May theme: We all love those characters who see their fate and refuse to accept it. Who forge their own path through life, no matter how hard. Who never give up the pursuit of their goals and dreams. 💛 Our book this month is an epic fantasy set in an Indian-inspired world. A princess, held captive in an abandoned, ancient temple plots revenge on the brother who banished her there. When the princess witnesses the hidden powers of one of the maids sent to clean the temple, she forces her into an uneasy alliance in order to escape and overthrow her brother. Together, they will set an empire ablaze. We loved the gorgeous prose and the dynamics between our two morally grey main characters! 💛 Our Illumicrate edition will have exclusive stencilled edges and embossing on the hardback and come with a signed bookplate! Both the full box and book only option also come with the matching pin designed by @Stacey.McEvoy.Caunt 💛 Our items this month are inspired by Girls of Paper and Fire, Spinning Silver, Skyward, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and City of Brass! This month we'll be including one of our @pauhami booksleeves in the box! 💛 The book at a glance: 📚 Adult fantasy, first book in a series 💡Stencilled edges, embossing on the hardback, signed bookplate 💫 Indian-inspired characters & setting written by Indian author, F/F relationship between main characters Okay, I'm so excited. Let's get into this! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. I feel so lucky to have received two FairyLoot boxes this month, it feels like this one has come early since the last one was delayed, but I have a feeling that this one is going to have to keep me going for a while as both FairyLoot and Illumicrate have reported delays with the May boxes due to the Suez Canal blockage.
I'm not going to waste anytime jumping into this one because I am too excited! So, let's just have a quick recap of the April theme: You might think you know who someone truly is, but what if they are keeping a secret? A secret that could change everything… for the better or for the worse? As Phaedrus wisely said, “things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many”. 💜 In this box you can expect items inspired by The Shadows Between Us, The Lord of the Rings, The City of Brass, Flame in the Mist and a foiled bookmark set inspired by the following fandoms: An Ember in the Ashes, The Poppy War and Blood Heir. For now, we won’t be revealing any item artists but we will say that we are featuring an item in this box that we have NEVER included before! 💜 Our featured book of the month is a dark fantasy filled with unforgettable characters, intrigue, magic and a dash of swoon-worthy romance. We were hooked from page one and all of the plot twists still have us reeling! This FairyLoot exclusive edition will have an EXCLUSIVE COVER, STENCIL & SPRAYED EDGES, ARTWORK ON THE REVERSE OF THE DUST JACKET by @alicemariapower, FOIL EMBOSSING ON THE CASE by @talia.nobel, BONUS CONTENT in the book and will be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Okay, let's do this! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. This month, I was incredibly lucky to win a free book box from Book Box Club, so it's time to share with you my unboxing.
This is going to be my last box for a little while, because money (Ugh!) and the next theme isn't really my thing. Before we get started, here's a quick reminder of the April 2021 theme reveal: Fellow survivors! ⚠️Grab your emergency gear & prepare for apocalyptic adventures aplenty! Our April theme will be THIS RAVAGED WORLD and will celebrate the heroes (and bandits!) battling to save the planet & dodge disaster.🌍🔥🌊 About the books (there are TWO!): BOOK ONE is set in a capital city on the brink of being swallowed by a terrible flood. When a powerful leader abandons her position, her young maid servant is thrust into a world of politics, lies and big decisions. But can this unlikely heroine, save the people, pets (!) and world, before water bursts through the city walls? 🌊 BOOK TWO is an action-packed tale about a future England where floods, gunfights and monsters have created a dangerous land.🔫 In this strange new world (think wild west meets dystopia!) the fates of two outlaws collide. Suddenly a runaway criminal finds herself saddled with a new partner in misconduct: a hapless boy companion, guarding dark secrets of his own... Both books are new release YA paperbacks, filled with gutsy characters, apocalyptic vibes and dark humour! If you love Dystopian fiction like Red Rising, Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games - you will adore this box. Both books will arrive beautifully gift-wrapped with a signed bookplate from the author.😄👍 Our April box will be crammed with exclusive goodies designed to pamper our members and to be kind to our own ravaged world🌍! They'll be gorgeous eco-friendly gifts galore created by artists and small businesses. I won't lie, I'd actually skipped on this box as I'm not too excited about the theme, but I was really surprised and grateful to be one of three photo-challenge winners last month, with this box as the prize. So, who's ready to jump in? Obviously, there will be spoilers for this box beyond this point, so stop reading now if you don't want to know what's in this one. ⠀ My March Fairyloot boxing is FINALLY HERE!
This box honestly took forever to arrive. I signed up to FairyLoot for the first time in 2-years in January, I think, and it arrived today 😅 Completely understand though that this was out of FairyLoot's control due to supplier/shipping issues (damn Brexit!) but it's here now and I'm really excited to tear it open, especially knowing that there's a Bear and the Nightingale inspired item inside! Before we get started, here's a quick reminder of the March 2021 theme reveal: We are so excited to reveal the March theme for our monthly box and it is… FROZEN FABLES! 💙 Have you ever noticed how peaceful the world seems after snowfall? How a hush falls over the landscape whenever it snows? And as beautiful as it may be, do you ever wonder which monsters may be hiding or perhaps resting in the silence…? 💙 In this box you can expect items inspired by The Bear and the Nightingale, Wintersong, Spinning Silver, Wicked Saints, Winterwood and Even The Darkest Stars. We are thrilled to reveal that one of the items in this box is a ceramic mug featuring artwork by the brilliant @monolimeart! 💙 Our featured book of the month is a thrilling story inspired by Russian folklore — this epic tale is set in a wintery backdrop and is filled with fables, romance, tragedy, magic and monsters! We’re going all out on customisations again this month and you can expect LOTS of customisations for all of our upcoming boxes too! This edition will have an EXCLUSIVE COVER, SHIMMERY SPRAYED EDGES, ARTWORK ON THE REVERSE OF THE DUST JACKET, FOIL EMBOSSING ON THE CASE and will have CUSTOM ENDPAPERS SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. I am HERE for those shimmer sprayed edges! Right, that's enough waiting, let's crack this puppy open! Obviously, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. I was really excited to be able to get a one-off Illumicrate box this month. The box and the fandoms sound incredible and I can't wait to unbox it.
After this month, I'll be getting the Illumicrate book-only boxes, unless any full-box spots open up! Before we get started, here's a quick reminder of the March 2021 theme reveal: Our March theme is FIGHTING SPIRIT! 💛 Our chosen book this month follows a soldier and a princess both with divided loyalties. Should the soldier be loyal to the homeland she barely remembers, or the nation she was conscripted to fight for? Will the princess choose her desire to claim her rightful throne, or the opportunity to aid a colonised land? There are many battles to fight and with their budding feelings for each other complicating matters, which path will they both take? 💛 If you like yearning, scheming and #WomenWithWeapons then this North African-inspired debut is absolutely the book for you. Our Illumicrate Edition comes with exclusive sprayed edges, an exclusive hidden cover and is signed by the author! Both the book only & full box option also come with a matching pin designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt 💛 Our featured fandoms for March are The Court of Miracles, Kingdom of the Wicked, Winternight, The Bone Witch and an officially licensed The Dark Artifices item! This is also a @rosiethorns88 mug month! Our items this month are all beautiful and useable, we can't wait to bring you some reveals. I have no idea what book this is but it's a diverse, f/f fantasy, and it sounds fantastic. I'm also really excited for the Winternight item and the mug, I haven't had a new mug bookish in forever! Okay, let's get unboxing! Obviously, there will be spoilers for this box beyond this point, so stop reading now if you don't want to know what's in this one. ⠀ It's that time of the month again where I share with you my Book Box Club unboxing. I absolutely loved my February box and getting these boxes is such a highlight each month!
Before we get started, here's a quick reminder of the March 2021 theme reveal: Choose your allies wisely... Our March theme is AGAINST THE DARK 🕯📖✨and will pay homage to some of fiction's most daring and deadly duels between the forces of good and evil! Book Box Club members be warned - it's time for battle, are you ready? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Our March read is a dark and powerful tale of shadows, monsters, revenge and unlikely friendships, set during World War II. With a brilliantly imagined blend of real-world and fantasy, a swoon-worthy romance and plenty of demons to vanquish, this stunning hardback is sure to keep you burning the midnight oil! It's super fast-paced, tense and enthralling - perfect for fans of of Stranger Things and Shadow and Bone! Our featured read will arrive beautifully gift-wrapped and will be accompanied by a bookplate signed by the author.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Our March box will be crammed with goodies inspired by some of fiction's most fearsome warriors! We have allied ourselves with some super talented creators who will craft bespoke items especially for our March members. Standby for a supplier reveal next week!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I LOVE Stranger Things, so I'm really hoping there will be a Stranger Things inspired item. I've also heard that the book features an LGBTQ+ romance, which is super exciting! Who's ready to jump in? Obviously, there will be spoilers for this box beyond this point, so stop reading now if you don't want to know what's in this one. ⠀ |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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