The Bookish Box is a book-inspired subscription box from Appraising Pages, which is now called The Bookish Shop. This month is the first time I've gotten the box in a shipping envelope rather than a literal box. It's super cute!
Originally, The Bookish Box was a subscription box filled with bookish objects only—no actual books involved. Recently, though, they changed up their game and added several subscription varieties to choose from, including one that does have a book inside!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the Women's Sized box that includes a t-shirt for $29.99 a month.
About The Bookish Box Subscription Box for Book Lovers
The Subscription Box: The Bookish Box
The Cost: $29.99 + shipping (Shipping to PA was $4.50)
The Products: Every month you’ll receive a shirt by The Bookish Shop and 3-5 feminine home, beauty, and fashion items
Ships to: US and worldwide!
The Bookish Box Subscription Box "Fantasy Friendships" February 2018 Review
Here's the info card for this month's box. Note that they list out every item that you could get with the subscription (including add-ons). In my subscription box, I got everything in the top section plus the shirt.
They also included a card talking about their shop and their new kids subscription box!
Calendar Card
Last month I got a little "Calendar Kit" including an easel and just two calendar cards (for January and February). I was a little like... wha? What happened to the rest of the year? Now I get it! It looks like each month, I'll receive another card. This card is for March, which is perfect timing. The design is a little eerie to me—not sure if I'd want to keep this eye staring at me at work—but I do love the colors and the natural textures.
Wand Keychain
This is a very cool 4.25" keychain with a claw on one end and a gently tapering wand on the other. It's made of metal and has a good weight to it that I'm not used to seeing in a keychain. The dark gunmetal hue feels sophisticated, and it's got a fantastic shine to it. Awesome!
Court of Wings and Ruin Enamel Pin
I'm a huge fan of enamel pins. This one feels beautifully made with vibrant colors and crisp edges. It's a tribute to A Court of Wings and Ruin, which is part of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. The pin is about 1.25" big and has two posts in the back to make it extra secure.
Monthly Doodle
This subscription has started including a black and white postcard-sized "doodle" in each month's shipment. They're always designed to fit the theme, as you can see from this design. While this one has a bit of shading and grayscale to it, I like to think of this doodle as a great excuse to do a bit of coloring! Break out the colored pencils!
Leviosa Bookmark
So, I've tried metal bookmarks before, and I find that they often slip out of my book. (Note that I usually go out and about to read, like to a coffee shop, so my books are hanging around in a tote bag rather than sitting calmly on a nightstand.) I think the weight just coaxes them out from their spot nestled between the pages. That said, this 4.5" bookmark is on the lighter side (not featherlight, but lighter than the keychain, actually), and I just love how it shines like copper in the light. If I don't use it as a bookmark, I might just keep it nearby as a bit of decor. It's just so pretty!
Lord of the Rings Luggage Tag
Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books (well, trilogies) ever. Like, forever-ever. So I was delighted by this luggage tag, which nods to the story while also cleverly referring to travel. It's not the most sophisticated item—it feels a bit like thick paper that's got some kind of subtle coating on the form side and a thicker gloss on the graphic side. But I don't sweat having a fancy luggage tag. And it doesn't seem like it'll tear easily. So this will be going in my closet with my suitcase for future use!
Percy Jackson Bath Bomb
I love the smell of this vivid blue bath bomb! It's a bright, salty, ocean aroma that's beautiful without being overwhelming. There are hints of sparkle throughout it and a pop of salty white crystals on the top. I couldn't find this 2" diameter bath bomb (called "Poseidon's Son") on the Pure Poetry Cosmetics Etsy site (the listed vendor), but other creations of theirs run around $5.99 each.
Harry Potter Friendship Art Print
This print is the same postcard size as the doodle. I love the detail and artful style of this depiction of one of Harry Potter's lesser-celebrated friendships. I do wish, as with most "prints" that appear in subscription boxes, that it was presented in a slightly more sophisticated way that really made it feel like art—if it was matted, or even packaged in a sleeve, it would feel a little more precious, whereas here it feels sort of thrown into the bag. That's not knocking the print at all—I just want it to get the love it deserves! I will say, too, that it's not the highest resolution print. There are some really noticeable pixelated areas on the characters' faces and hands.
T-Shirt
This pre-shrunk 100% cotton top is so nice! It's exceptionally soft and has just enough natural stretch to it. I like that the Maas quote appears in a quirky pocket-shaped design. The color is neat, too—at first, I thought it was true black, but it's actually a very dark, graphite-kind of color!
The Verdict: While I expected this box to be a little more specific about the fantasy friendships it was highlighting (apart from the print, the tributes to beloved bookish friendships were a little more here's-a-story-that-features-great-friendships rather than naming the friends in question), I found lots to love inside. I like that the box features small vendors and artists in addition to their own products because I always feel like those pieces are more unique. Many of these items are exclusives or at least hard to find online, too. But going by the Bookish Shop site, I know that their shirts typically go for about $22.00, meaning that the rest of the box items must be worth around $12.00. That value feels fair to me!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Sign up now to get the upcoming box!
Coupon - Use code HELLO to get 15% off on any subscription!
Value Breakdown: This box cost me $34.49 after shipping, meaning the average price of each of the 9 items inside was $3.83. You can also look at it like this—t-shirts from The Bookish Shop (the same folks in charge of this box) usually go for about $22.00, meaning that the remainder of the 8 items must have an average value of $1.56 each.
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What do you think of the February Bookish Box?
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