Willow Lane Books is a new monthly subscription of books and gifts that last for three months. Every month, a themed book box arrives with one book and up to four gifts that you hand-pick from their website. You can even request a different book if you’re not feeling that month’s particular tome!
In addition to the monthly box, Willow Lane also offers a kid-themed My First Reads and DIY-themed The Craft Box.
This review is of the Willow Lane, $32.99 a month, box.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Willow Lane Books
The Subscription Box: Willow Lane Books
The Cost: $32.99 a month + $9.99 shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 20% off your first box!
CODE: NEW2018
The Products: 1 book + up to four gifts that you pick yourself!
Ships to: US and Worldwide
Good to Know: You can purchase a “One Timer” box from their store to see if you’re into the 3-month commitment. You can also add gifts and books to your box, and even swap out the month’s book if you don’t like it!
Willow Lane Books April 2018 Review
When I received my Willow Lane email to pick my items for the month, I read that the theme for the box was April Fools, and the book chosen for the month was Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff. I do love to laugh, but I wasn’t feeling this particular tome, so I searched the website and instead picked Yesternight by Cat Winters. I really love that they let you choose a different book than that month’s pick, if you so desire!
I love when book subscriptions include bookmarks, and this one features a quote from one of my favorite authors! This quote is from the Amie Kaufman book Illuminae - I was introduced to Amie earlier this year when I read (and loved!) her book Unearthed, which she co-wrote with author Megan Spooner.
Yesternight by Cat Winters by Cat Winters - Retail Value $15.99 (found here for $7.66)
This book was released in October 2016 and is 400 pages long. I chose this book about 40% based on the cover art, and I actually can’t believe how good of a fit it was! I LOVE this book. I took it with me while I was running errands and unexpectedly had to wait, and I didn’t even care about the waiting because I was so engrossed in this!
This book takes place in 1925, when Alice Lind arrives in Gordon Bay, Oregon, to help assess the children in the town’s school system. Alice is a psychologist at a time when being a woman in science was a rarity, and we see that Alice is more than capable of standing up to opposition of all kinds from early on in the book. The greater issue in Gordon Bay, it turns out, is Janie O’Daire, a seven-year-old math prodigy that is convinced she’s lived life before as a completely different girl in someplace called Friendly, Kansas. The girl’s supernatural claims tore her parents’ marriage apart, and Alice finds herself in the middle of the fight for Janie’s health and sanity as she learns more about the issues underneath the surface that plague Janie - issues that in fact, mirror Alice’s own. This book is so well-written and really uses its Prohibition time-frame to its advantage; in addition to the well-developed, intriguing plot, the descriptions of homes and clothing of the era had me drooling, and the opportunity to write about a speakeasy was not missed by this author! I loved the intersection of science and the supernatural in this piece; it was a great mix of several genres and was an extremely satisfying read.
Butterflies Coloring Book by Two Hoots Coloring - Retail Value $3.99
There is nothing more soothing to me than a good coloring book! I love them at all times of the year; hygge-style with candles and a hot cup of tea, or now, in my new backyard with sunshine and possibly a frosty adult beverage. I really like this style of coloring book - it has a strong theme but it’s not repetitive, and there are both big spaces and little spaces to color, so it stays interesting.
Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils - Retail Value $6.92
I have to confess: I’m a bit of a colored pencil snob, so I was skeptical of these! I immediately enjoyed that they’re pre-sharpened and I was able to use them right away! My favorite thing about coloring is blending colors together to create new hues, and I initially worried that these wouldn’t blend enough, but they were much more blendable than I would have expected! I also thought the erasing feature was really neat; it doesn’t completely undo, say, a dark line of black if it happens, but they also aided greatly in the blending process that I love so much! The erasers also do help with cleanup in minor cases of outside-the-lines issues.
Book Nerd Badges - Retail Value $4.02 USD (£3)
These little buttons are so cute! I see a lot of pins, but I really love the designs and messages on these. My favorite is the one that prioritizes the time for reading over human interaction, haha.
Tea Party Soy Candle - Estimated Value $8.00 (based on a similar product by the same artist)
I have a bit of a candle obsession, and this one really hits some of the best marks! I love any candle that’s made of soy; it burns cleanly, and you can even rub in the melty soy into your hands for extra moisture! I’m not exactly sure what “touch of madness” smells like, but the black current is the first note that I smell, with the scent of tea right after. It’s nice and rich but not too sweet, and I love that it’s literary-themed.
HARIBO Gold-Bears Gummi Candy, 4 oz - Retail Value $3.29
I’m not a big fruit-candy kind of person, but it is one of my husband’s absolute favorites, so I’m really glad it was an option for this box! You can’t go wrong with this classic, and the now-famous review of these bears online is one of my very favorite things to read. And these sure didn’t last long in my pantry once I told my husband they were fair game!
Lollipop Tea Infuser - Retail Value $4.98
Tea infusers are so much fun! I love when they’re pretty, sure, but my favorite thing is when they look like other things, like a lemon, or like in this case, a lollipop! This is made from flexible silicone, but the top and bottom seal tightly to keep any loose tea from spilling out. The material is so sturdy, I know it’ll stand up to the hottest water possible.
Black Sunglasses - Estimated Value $5.64 (based on a similar product)
Maybe I’m just a ZZ Top fan, but I just can’t be trusted with high-end sunglasses - mine are always cheap! I’m always dropping them, I leave them in my car, stick them in a purse - I even lost a pair in the ocean once! I always have at least four pairs of sunglasses in rotation at any given moment, so I’m beyond happy to have another pair to add to the collection. These are a slightly different, more vintage sort of style than what I usually wear, but I really like how large the lenses are to provide full coverage.
Verdict: I am really enjoying Willow Lane so far; it’s a different model than what I’m used to, but I really love the idea of picking out the items in advance so I have some idea of what will arrive, but not knowing the specifics still gives me that surprise element. I LOVE that you can choose the book in advance, and I am so glad I picked out my own book this month because I ended up absolutely loving it. The treats this time were so welcome; I love coloring books and pencils, the candle is a great addition to my household, the tea infuser was so neat, and my husband enjoyed the gummy bears immensely. I estimated a total value of $52.83 which is higher than the $42.98 box cost ($32.99 a month plus $9.99 shipping).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Sadly, no. You will receive the June box! After the 15th of the month, you’ll always receive the next month’s box.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $32.99 + $9.99 shipping, which means each of the 8 items I received (not counting the bookmark) have an average cost of about $5.37.
Coupon - Use code NEW2018 to save 20% off your first box!
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What was your favorite item from Willow Lane?
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