My Addiction to Subscription Boxes

If you haven't heard of subscription boxes, at this point, you must have been living under a rock. Subscription boxes are monthly, quarterly, however-often-you-want-ly boxes, packages or deliveries that you can receive, that revolve around a certain topic, item or theme. You may have heard of the Beauty boxes, like Birchbox or Glossybox - these were certainly the first I heard about, years ago. In these cases, subscribers receive monthly boxes with a certain number of sample or full sized beauty products to try out. I've never signed up for any of these, but they certainly intrigue me.

About a year ago (or possibly a little longer) I first heard about Book Boxes. I can't remember the first book box I heard about, but I know that OwlCrate was one of the first. Now, the market for book boxes has truly exploded, and in fact the market for subscription boxes in general has grown exponentially; there are cat-lady boxes (I of course follow their instagram), jewellery boxes, comic book hero boxes, tea boxes and the list continues. My housemate was only yesterday telling me about a geeky tee shirt and book box he subscribes to.

I ordered and received my first book boxes in May, and I haven't been able to stop. Three OwlCrates, two FairyLoots, two Nerdy Posts and one My Nerdy Book Box later, and I can definitely say I'm addicted. I would have bought all of these boxes every month, plus many more, if it hadn't used all of my money up (sad times).

What is it about these boxes that I love? Well, I obviously love books, but I have to say that isn't the reason why I adore these. In fact, I haven't yet read any of the books that came with the boxes! My love for these boxes comes from the themes and the geeky gifts that come with them. The funkos, stickers, book marks and jewellery.

What have I received so far? Well, like many book readers with an instagram (clairreads! Follow me there!) I have taken a few photos along the way...

OwlCrate ($29.99 a month) 

May's box - Steampunk

June's box - Royalty

July's box - Good vs. Evil (this is the evil box)

This is the box I've received the most, and one of my favourites. It's shipped from the US, so it can be a bit pricey. Altogether, it's around £38.00. I'm probably going to cancel this 'rolling subscription' soon, as I can't justify the expense; however, I will keep an eye on it so that I can sign up for boxes I am interested in, The great thing is that you can also order past boxes, if there's one you really fancy. My favourite items so far include the VE Schwabb book, the Malfoy funko, and the steampunk snitch badge. Next months theme, which I am signed up for, is 'YA High'.

Nerdy Post ($21.99 a month, no book included)

June - Harry Potter

July - Game of Thrones

Another package I have to unsubscribe from, as I cannot justify the price :( I love these little packages; simpler and more homemade than the other ones, they really showcase the makers talent. My favourite thing about this subscription is that they are all themed around one area; as you can see these are Harry Potter and Game of Thrones themed. My favourite items have been the Harry Potter poster and book mark, and the same items from the Game of Thrones box.

Nerdy Bookworm Box (£29.99 a month)

June

As this is a local 'homegrown' UK box, it makes more sense for me to sign up to this one, and luckily it did not disappoint. I like how you can only order one box at a time - perfect for me as not all of the themes suit me. This box was kind of perfect - I loved the candle, the poster, the notebook, the book...it was all great!

Fairyloot (£26.00 a month)

May - High Fantasy

June - classic twist

Another UK box, which I love. I very briefly met the creator at YALC (she probably doesn't realise) and she was lovely. She was also really helpful in the past when I accidentally put the wrong address down (I'm an idiot). My favourite items have been both the figures (Brienne of Tarth and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Mr Darcy), the candle, the posters and the book marks. Next months theme is Magic and Mayhem, which I have most definitely signed up for!

As you can see, there are some great items available in these boxes, but I am always on the hunt for more. In August I should receive another OwlCrate and NerdyPost (they'll be my last for a while, from these guys, unless I'm obsessed with a future theme). In September I'll be getting a FairyLoot, and perhaps a Nerdy BookWorm Box, if the theme suits me. I'm always on the hunt for more, though, On instagram alone I follow:

• Spellbound - https://spellboundbox.cratejoy.com/shop/listing - $25.00 - None UK based
• Nerdy BookWorm - https://nerdybookwormbox.cratejoy.com/ - £29.99 - UK based
• Lit Joy - http://litjoycrate.com/ - $29.99 - None UK based
• Once Upon A Bookcase - https://www.cratejoy.com/once-upon-a-bookcase/ - $26.00 - None UK based
• The Monthly Prophet - https://themonthlyprophet.cratejoy.com/ - $26.00 - None UK based
• The YA Chronicles - http://theyachronicles.com.au/ - $29.99 - None UK based
• Illumicrate - http://www.illumicrate.com/ - £29.99 - UK based - quarterly
• Flitwicks (a jewellery subscription) - https://flitwicks.cratejoy.com/ - $12.00 - None UK based
• Parnassus Next - http://www.parnassusbooks.net/ParnassusNext - $100 for three months - None UK based - frst editions
• Novel Tea Club - http://noveltea.club/ - $27.50 - None UK based
• Fantasy and Sci Fi Books - http://www.fantasyandscifibooks.com/ - $27.99 - None UK based
• The Best Damn Book Box - https://www.cratejoy.com/the-best-damn-book-box/ - $39.99 - None UK based
• Uppercase Box - https://www.uppercasebox.com/ - $29.00 - None UK Based
• The Bookish Box - https://thebookishbox.cratejoy.com/ - $25.00 - None UK Based