Once Upon a Book Club is a uniquely engaging book subscription box. Instead of just sending along books and bookish items, this monthly subscription box sends you one book and a series of individually wrapped packages, each with a numbered tag that corresponds to a page in the book. As you read and come across those pages, you'll open the packages and reveal items that relate to that moment in the story!
Once Upon a Book Club offers a young adult box geared towards readers 13+ and an adult box intended for readers 18+. Both are priced the same and feature newly released books. (According to the site, the books have been released within the last 3 months, unless otherwise noted.)
This is a review of the Young Adult box for 18+ ($34.99 per month + shipping).
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Once Upon a Book Club Young Adult Box
The Cost: $34.99 a month + shipping. There is also a 3-month prepay ($100.99), 6-month prepay ($199.00), and 12-month prepay ($390.00) subscription options.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: ADDICTION10
The Products: Young adult fiction, plus gifts related to the story.
Ships to: Worldwide
Check out all of our Once Upon A Book Club reviews and the Book Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
The information booklet for the box is printed on simple paper. I love the colors. Don't get confused that the woman in the photo is holding the purple adult box! This is for the green young adult box!
One thing I like about this subscription and the adult box one is that they set up lots of opportunities for individual readers to connect with each other. You can jump on the Once Upon a Book Club Box social networks to watch live unveilings of the packages in the box or engage in discussion about the story.
The back of the booklet has info about a giveaway, too!
Don't forget—if you open anything ahead of time, you'll ruin the fun of the box!
This quote print is on the back of the card. I love the combination of peach and pale lilac colors.
The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages Amato - Value $11.22 on Amazon (retail price $17.99)
I've heard so much about this book, and I can't wait to read it! It only just came out in March, too, so it's brand new.
Book Summary on Amazon:
“Unforgettable and impossible to put down—this novel is heart-pounding suspense at its best. A stunning debut.” —Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures and author of The Lovely Reckless
The Hidden Memory of Objects is a highly original and beautifully written debut mystery novel with a speculative element, perfect for readers who loved Gayle Forman’s If I Stay.
Megan Brown’s brother, Tyler, is dead, but the cops are killing him all over again. They say he died of a drug overdose, potentially suicide—something Megan cannot accept. Determined to figure out what happened in the months before Tyler’s death, Megan turns to the things he left behind. After all, she understands the stories objects can tell—at fifteen, she is a gifted collage artist with a flair for creating found-object pieces. However, Megan now realizes that her artistic talent has developed into something more: she can see memories attached to some of Tyler’s belongings—and those memories reveal a brother she never knew.
Enlisting the help of an artifact detective who shares her ability and specializes in murderabilia—objects tainted by violence or the deaths of their owners—Megan finds herself drawn into a world of painful personal and national memories. Along with a trusted classmate and her brother's charming friend, she chases down the troubling truth about Tyler across Washington, DC, while reclaiming her own stifled identity with a vengeance.
The first item appears on page 28. I'll do my best not to spoil anything as I describe the gifts!
Gold Bird Embroidery Scissors - Value $6.48?
I'm not sure if the scissors I linked to are the exact scissors that are in the box, but they should give an estimation of value.
I love how dainty these scissors are! I don't do much embroidery, but I would totally use these for snipping tags or threads. They're the most elegant scissors I own, thanks to their clever bird design. I love the vintage vibe!
The next gift comes in this dotted bag.
Button Choker - Value $11.00?
I couldn't find this item online, so I linked to the most similar product I could to give an idea of value. This necklace looks like one that a character in the book wears—I like that you can literally wear something from the world of the book. It definitely brings the story to life (and is a cool fan accessory, too!).
The necklace isn't super sophisticated—it's just a button strung onto a tightly braided faux-leather cord with a lobster claw clasp. It's on the tighter side (I think it's about 12 inches long), though it has about 2 inches of chain that you can adjust it with.
Next up is this big pink package.
Drawstring Backpack - Value $13.00?
Faux-Leather Snap Wallet - Value $6.83?
Inside are two items—a drawstring backpack and a green, faux-leather wallet.
I've actually been looking for a drawstring bag like this one—it's so handy for summer festivals or hikes in the park or anytime I need to carry things around but would rather not have a purse bopping against my hip. The bag is just simple canvas, so it's nothing fancy. Still, I'm sure I'll get lots of use out of it.
The wallet is cute, though, again, not the greatest quality. Some of the threads are fraying, and the faux-leather fabric is a little plasticy, but maybe I'll keep this around if I ever need a wallet in a pinch.
There are plenty of practical pockets inside, plus a business card (a cool reference to the plot!).
Lacy Knit Gloves - Value $5.06?
These gloves come at a bit of an inopportune time since it's basically summer (finally!) in my neck of the woods. But they are pretty cute with their lace trim and faux leather bows. I couldn't find these exact gloves online, so I linked to something similar.
They have little finger pads so that you can use your phone with the gloves on, too.
Verdict: I thought the book in this Once Upon a Book Club YA box was great, but I'm so-so on the surprise items. They're all pretty practical, but the quality of each piece is on the low end. I estimate that the value of the items is about $54.00, which is just above the $34.99 price and U.S. shipping (which is $43.49 total). There's also the community aspect of the subscription, which I think adds value to the experience.
What do you think of the items in this Once Upon a Book Club box?
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