Fairyloot Unboxing - February 2019 "Beauty and the Beast"

FairyLoot February Box "Beauty and the Beast"

I'm a HUGE Beauty and the Beast fan so there was no way I could resist the February FairyLoot box, especially after I was so happy with the December dragons box. I honestly expected to love everything about this box, I mean how can you go wrong with a theme like Beauty and the Beast? I've seen a lot of love for this box online so it looks like I'm in the minority here but I was so, so disappointed with this one. Apart from the book there isn't a single item in here that I'd actually have chosen to spend my money on, there are a couple of items that are okay but I can think of a million ways this box could have been improved.

The first item in the box was this HUGE wall tapestry with a design based on the ballroom scene from the movie. It doesn't really make a good wall tapestry unless you have a lot of spare wall space though (anywhere I had this much wall is now hidden behind a bookcase!). Size wise it's big enough to completely cover a standard double bed apart from the pillows so it's more like a bed throw than a tapestry. My biggest issue with this is the design though, I just think for such a beautiful scene this is a really dark and dreary design - the predominant colour is navy blue FFS! That glorious golden dress, the romance of the scene and in my opinion it's completely ruined by this depressing colour scheme.

Next we have this plastic tumbler which is okay but I don't think it's anything special. It's full of glittery sequins but they're all stuck together in big ugly clumps that don't look particularly attractive and I don't think the design is anything new or different. I've seen nicer tumblers going cheap in my local supermarket to be honest.

Then we have this little trinket dish with a quote from the movie on it. It's nice enough but not really one of the most obvious quotes to use, there are many others I'd have preferred. Nothing about the design or colour scheme particularly screams Beauty and the Beast to me so if you didn't recognise the quote I don't think you'd associate it with the fandom.

Next is this little roll on perfume inspired by Mrs. Potts, it smells like vanilla and is probably one of the nicer items in the box but again it's not really something I'd have purchased separately.

This enamel pin is probably my favourite item in the box apart from the book, it's so obviously inspired by the show and is really pretty.

I also really like this Belle print but I have so many of these now and nowhere to display them all so I always think of prints as a fairly useless item no matter how pretty they are.

The one thing I'm really excited about is the book, I've heard great things about this Beauty and the Beast retelling and I can't wait to read it. I love the little rose shaped signature bookplate and the artwork on the back of the author letter too. This is an exclusive hardback too, the UK edition of this book is only being sold elsewhere as a paperback so that makes it more of a collectors item.

So that's all of the contents of the Beauty and the Beast box (with an additional cat since Sparrow refused to get out of the way so I could take the picture LOL). What do you think? The only two items I'd probably have purchased myself are the book and the enamel pin so for me this box definitely wasn't worth the over £30 I spent on it but all the other comments I've seen online about this box have been extremely positive.

I think it's probably time for me to take a step back from Fairyloot again for a while, I like the mystery of receiving these boxes but it's very rare that I think they're good value for money as there are always at least a couple of things I wouldn't choose to buy separately. I'm probably better off spending my money on Etsy picking and choosing items that really appeal to me that I'm going to actually be excited to receive.

Fairyloot Unboxing - December 2018 "Dragons"

FairyLoot December Box "Dragons"

It's been a while since I bought a FairyLoot box but there was no way I could resist a theme like Dragons and I'm happy to say this is one of my favourite boxes of theirs that I've ever bought. I'm posting this unboxing quite late because I was missing an item from the original delivery that only arrived this week but hopefully that means I won't be able to spoiler anyone with this post.

The first item in the box was this reading journal designed by Fictiontea Designs. I think reading journals are a brilliant idea but they never, ever have enough space for me to include all the books I read so I doubt I'll actually use this one. It's a lovely design but I just wish it had more pages & space to write in!

The second item was this pin flag, I have to admit I was confused when I first pulled it out of the box & couldn't understand why I'd been given a blank flag but after reading the spoiler card I realised it's meant to be used to hold your pin badge collection. I have loads of badges and always struggle to come up with ways to display them so this is definitely going to come in handy.

This lovely dragon necklace is one of my favourite items in the box & it came in a really cute Fairyloot box too. The dragon is pretty enough in daylight but the wings actually glow in the dark which just makes it even cooler.

I absolutely LOVE this book sleeve designed by Sweet Sequels, it combines dragons and Harry Potter so hits two of my collector buttons and I just think the design is gorgeous. I have a few book sleeves now and they're just so useful for bookworms who want to keep their books safe and protected while they're out and about, I use them all the time and am happy to add this one to my collection.

We actually received two books in this month's box, the first one is an exclusive arc of The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson and it sounds fabulous. The book isn't published until July so I won't be reviewing it until nearer the release date but I can't wait to read it!

The item that was delayed was this fab Mother of Dragons magnetic bookmark set inspired by Game of Thrones & it was definitely worth the wait. They were designed by Taratjah & I love them both, these are definitely going to be my go to bookmarks from now onwards!

I also really love this double sided art print featuring Abraxos and Manon on one side and Toothless on the other. I'm actually a little disappointed that they aren't two separate cards because I'd really like to put them both on display at the same time. I guess I'll just have to remember to keep turning the print around so that both sides get a chance to be in the spotlight. This art print was designed by Diana Dworak and you really should have a look at her website because she's a fantastic artist.

Last but definitely not least was this hardback copy of Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst which is a book I'm really excited to read. The book itself is actually signed which I think is much better than the signed stickers that are usually included (although I like those too!) and the author's letter is printed on the back of another stunning art card designed by Taratjah.

So that's the contents of the December Dragons box and like I already said I'm really happy with everything included. Apart from the books (which I always love!) my favourite items are the book sleeve, magnetic bookmarks and dragon necklace but there are also some really pretty art cards that I want to display too. Did you get this box too? If so what was your favourite item?

Book Box Club Unboxing - August 2018 "Tech Tribes"

Book Box Club August Box "Tech Tribes"

I hadn't heard about the Book Box Club until fairly recently (I'm obviously not very up on my subscription boxes because they're just about to celebrate their 2 year anniversary!) but when a friend sent me a discount code for 50% off my first order I couldn't resist giving them a try, especially after having a look at some of their previous boxes. I have to say I was really impressed with the quality of their products and I'll definitely be buying the occasional box from them in the future!

Anyway, I'll let the contents of the box speak for themselves because I have plenty of pics to share with you.

The first item included in the box was this lovely Invent the Future mug designed by Alicia Jo Art. I'm not sure if this is inspired by a particular book fandom but it's a really pretty design and you can never have too many mugs!

This Lunar Chronicles inspired coaster goes with the mug perfectly, it's an exclusive design for Book Box Club but I'm not sure who created it.

Also included were these really cute Robot Socks by Joe Cool, I love this design and at this time of of year they're going to get plenty of use!

This really cute sticker of Ada Lovelace from the Victorian Store fits the Tech Tribes theme perfectly since she is considered to be the first computer programmer.

Robots don't come much cuter than BB8 and I love magnetic bookmarks so I'm really happy with this item by Rachel Nor Line Art.

One of my favourite items in the box was this really cute cat necklace which was inspired by this month's book.

The book included was Jinxed by Amy McCulloch and it sounds fab so I can't wait to read it. It's a paperback which is slightly disappointing since other bookish subscription boxes I've tried usually include hardbacks but rather than having a signed bookplate the book itself is actually signed which I think is much nicer. It came gift wrapped which made it even more fun to open the box and I really like the matching bookmark.

So that was everything included in the August Book Book Club, what do you think? Have you tried this box before? I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on their themes in the future waiting for one to catch my eye (the September box is contemporary YA so doesn't appeal to me but they've had a lot of cool books in the past). If you don't want to buy a box with all the bookish goodies you can choose an option to just buy the signed monthly book which is a cool idea too. They also have an online clubhouse where you can chat about the book each month that usually includes a chat with the author of that month's book which is a fun idea.

Book & Nook Unboxing - July 2018 Monthly Candle Collection - Epic Adventures

This was my second Book & Nook candle box and I loved it just as much as the first one. I'm talking about the July box so I'm actually a little late posting this (it arrived at the beginning of the month!) but I wanted to spotlight these fab candles.

The July theme was Epic Adventures and knowing it was going to include candles relating to Lord of the Rings, His Dark Materials and Narnia made it a must buy for me. All of the monthly boxes include five 4oz candles, a bookish item and a bookmark and the current price is £21.99 + shipping so I think it's quite reasonable for what you actually get.

Here are the contents of the July Box:

Lets have a look at the candles first:

1. Cittagazze - inspired by the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman this was probably my favourite scent from this month's candle collection Choca Mocha (it really smells good enough to eat LOL). I've been a fan of this series for years now so I was really excited to have a candle for this fandom.
2. The University - inspired by The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss the scent is Lemon Verbena, Bliss and Dark Fairytale. I've not actually read this series but I've heard a lot of great things about it so it's one I think I'm going to have to read soon.
3. The Magic Wardrobe - inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, a childhood favourite, and the scent is Snow and Berries.
4. The Shire - inspired by The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien the scent is Cedarwood and Pine. This is another series that I've been a fan of since I was a teenager so this really was perfect for me.
5. Dracarys - inspired by Game of Thrones by George RR Martin smells of Fireside, Leather and Night and is of course in honour of the dragons in the series (along with this month's other bookish item). I'm ashamed to admit I've not read these books but I'm a HUGE fan of the TV series and a dragon lover in general so I was really happy with this one!

These candles all smell gorgeous and I love how sparkly they are too. The tins are a nice size and make perfect shelf decorations when you're not using them.

Lets have a closer look at the other items included in this box. First we have this lovely bookmark which has a quote from Lord of the Rings on the back.

And last, but definitely not least, was my favourite item in the box - this absolutely adorable dragon keyring which is obviously inspired by the Game of Thrones series with the 3 really pretty dragon eggs as well as a lovely silver dragon.

Since I was placing an order I also treated myself to this 7oz candle jar inspired by Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows series. The scent is Sea Breeze, Oudh & Snow and it's topped with black, silver and holographic glitter.

If you've not bought anything from Book & Nook before I can definitely recommend them. The theme for their September box is Unique Leading Ladies with items inspired by the Grishaverse, Raven Cycle, Shatter Me and The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and I'm VERY tempted to order it! You can find their products on Etsy or buy directly from their website and they are also on Instagram.

Book & Nook Unboxing - February 2018 Monthly Candle Collection - Fairytale Magic

I'm a bit late posting about this because I received my box about a month ago now but I really love this collection so I had to give Book & Nook a shoutout on my blog anyway. Since I've been enjoying receiving the Fairyloot boxes but my favourite items are usually the candles I figured it would be fun to try out one of the candle collections I'd come across on Etsy.

The Book & Nook theme for February was Fairytale Magic and I knew it would include items related to Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and The Lunar Chronicles so as a HUGE fairytale fan it was perfect for me. The box included five 4oz candles as well as a bookish item and a bookmark and was only £19.99 + Shipping which I thought was a pretty great deal.

Here are the contents of my box:

The bookish item this month was a "Happily Ever After" room spray and I have to admit that I didn't love it as much as the candles, I'm not really keen on the scent of it unfortunately, but I still think the box was brilliant value just for the candles.

The candles included were:

1. Stars Above - inspired by the Lunar Chronicles the scent is Lotus Blossom, Magnolia and Bergamot.
2. Glass Slipper - inspired by Cinderella the scent is English Pear, Mistletoe and Freesia.
3. Tale as Old As Time - inspired by Beauty and the Beast the scent is Amber, White Peach Blossom and Gold Orchid.
4. Mirror Mirror - inspired by Snow White the scent is Pink Peony, Summer Flowers and Gardenia Blooms.
5. Down the Rabbit Hole - inspired by Alice in Wonderland the scent is Chamomile, Strawberry and Peppermint.

The candles all smell lovely and they're all topped with glitter for that little extra sparkle. I love the tin designs too and they look lovely on my bookcases.

Since I was placing an order I also treated myself to this Strange the Dreamer inspired Weep candle (you might as well order big to save on shipping costs right?!).

The colour has been designed to match the UK hardback design (which incidentally is the same as the US paperback!) and the scent is Strawberry, Orange and Green Apple and it's almost good enough to eat LOL. Strange the Dreamer is one of my favourite books and I can't wait to reread it with this candle burning in the background, I'm sure the smell will help me fall even deeper into the story.

If you've not bought anything from Book & Nook before I can't recommend them highly enough, they're not doing a monthly box for April but I'll definitely be buying more candles from them in the future. You can find their products on Etsy or buy directly from their website and they are also on Instagram.

Fairyloot Unboxing - March 2018 "Memorable Moments"

FairyLoot March Box "Memorable Moments"

So this is the special 2nd anniversary box for FairyLoot which meant I just HAD to order one and I have to say I love the pretty purple boxes! The March box is all about memorable moments from popular series so I was really looking forward to seeing what items would be included.

The first item in this month's box was this really cool cork bunting from Paladone. I haven't had a chance to set this up yet but I think it's going to look fab strung across my bookcase and I'm planning to use it for the many, many bookish badges and other small swag I've collected over the years.

The next item was this exclusive Rune Ceremony scarf from by FictionTea Designs which was inspired by Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters series. The material is so soft and I really like the subtle design, it's a smart looking scarf that can be worn on any occasion so I'm sure I'll get plenty of use out of it.

The third item was this Goblet of Fire candle from Paper Flames Candle Co and I have no words for how delicious this smells! It's like fresh bread and chocolate and I can't get enough of it so I'm kind of disappointed I can't buy a larger jar from their store because it's an exclusive.

This soap from Geeky Clean was inspired by Bibo's birthday cake and smells of vanilla and strawberries which is lovely. Like I've said before I'm not a huge fan of having this kind of body product in boxes because I have very sensitive skin and often can't use them, I doubt I'll even try this one but it smells lovely and will sit nicely on my bookshelf next to my Hobbit and LotR books.

Then we had a packet of Toast to the Warden of the North hot chocolate from Eponine. I love hot chocolate so I'm hoping this will be delicious, it only includes enough for 2 mugs though so I have a feeling I'm going to be left wanting more LOL.

This month's book was State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury and it's and exclusive hardback edition not available elsewhere which is pretty cool. The cover is gorgeous and I really think I'm going to love this story, I've heard so many fantastic things about the author's Sin Eater's Daughter series that I have very high expectations.

So that's the contents of the March 2nd Anniversary Fairyloot box. I'm pretty happy with it most of the items included, especially the candle, scarf and bunting. Every month there tend to be at least a couple of items I wouldn't buy if given the choice though so I'm not sure how much value that makes the box overall. I'm thinking I'll take a break from buying the boxes for a while and instead I might just pick a different etsy shop each month and pick a few items that I love from favourite fandoms. I do love the surprise of Fairyloot though so I'm sure I'll buy occasional boxes again in the future when they have a theme that I find impossible to resist!

Fairyloot Unboxing - February 2018 "Twisted Tales"

FairyLoot February Box "Twisted Tales"

I realised when I was writing my unboxing for the March FairyLoot box that I'd completely forgotten to post about the February box so I thought I might as well post them both at the same time. I'm a HUGE fairytale fan and I absolutely love retellings so the minute I heard about the theme for this book I just HAD to have it. I'm sure most people have already seen unboxings and know what was included but I'm going to share some pics here anyway.

The first item is this absolutely gorgeous "Grimm Tales" Mug designed by Aunjuli Art. You can never have too many mugs - especially not when they're as pretty as this one and I love that it's been inspired by so many different fairytales.

Then you have this bookish "Hinterland" candle from Wick and Fable that was inspired by this month's book and smells lovely. I can never have too many candles so this was a definite hit for me.

The third item was these "Poisonous Apple" bath salts from Little Heart. The salts smell nice enough but I have to say bath items are my least favourite thing to receive in subscription boxes, I have very sensitive skin so have to be really careful with the products I use and my house doesn't even have a bath tub in it (I only have a shower!) so I couldn't use these even if I wanted to. I'll end up giving this away to a friend because it's useless to me and it doesn't even make a good decoration to stick on my shelves.

These socks are Fairyloot exclusives and have pictures of a gingerbread house and a witches hat on them. You can never have too many socks and these seem fairly good quality ones but I can't say I love the design all that much, it's pretty boring really and not something I'd have chosen myself (I already have an extensive collection of Harry Potter socks so I'll admit my sock standards are pretty high LOL). At least I'll get use out of these though so they're a better option than the bath salts.

The last item before the book was this GORGEOUS wooden bookmark from Ink and Wonder, I have a few of their Woodmarks now and I love them all. They create the prettiest designs and of course this one is based on Little Red Riding Hood.

I had already guessed the book that would be included in this month's box (I only ever buy the boxes if I'm pretty sure I know what the book is and know that it's one I'd like to read) so I was very happy to confirm it was The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. This book sounds fantastic and I'm excited to read it soon. As usual it came with a letter from the author but rather than a bookplate the book itself has actually been signed by the author which is even more exciting.

So that's the contents of the February box, I'm looking forward to reading the book, I love the mug, woodmark and candle plus the socks are useful so most of the items were definitely a hit for me this month.