Young Adult 2017
Hover over the photo of the wrapped gifts to see the complete unboxing underneath!
Love Letters
December Box
The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura CreedlePage 23 "Rosalind was eating out of a bento box filled with brown rice, raw carrots, and seaweed salad." - a blue polka-dotted bento box.
Page 36 "I stuck the picture on the bulletin board and collaposed on my bed, empty." - a thought bubble shaped corkboard and a custom designed drawing as mentioned in the novel.
Page 155 "Abelard stood in the middle of the room, barefoot. He was wearing different sunglasses than the pair he wore to Dan's." - a pair of Ray Ban style sunglasses.
Page 300 "We stood in the entryway, close enough for me to catch the scent of sandalwood, soap, and warmth." - a bar of sandlewood scented soap.
images by @JStepfaniAuthor and @PetrichorAndParchment
Space Cadet
November Box
Dare Mighty Things by Heather KaczynskiPage 90 "She jerked her head toward my pillow, where a thin envelope was resting." - a custom designed, scientific pillowcase and a letter.
Page 132 "I twisted the bracelet around my wrist...it was translucent gray, with what appeared to be a tiny gold microchip embedded in the plastic." - a gray bracelet step counter.
Page 201 "Someone had found a deck of cards in the living space - maybe forgotten about, maybe left there on purpose." - a deck of custom designed playing cards.
Page 335 "I put Ganesh and the piano key in my PPK, along with the rest of my momentos from home." - a custom designed NASA wrist pouch containing the contents of Cassandra's Personal Preference Kit which included a photo of her family, a scrap of paper with Beethoven's Sonata op. 106, her grandmother's Ganesh pendant and a piano key.
images by @OnceUponABookClubBox and @TheBookElves
Supernatural Bookworms
October Box
Sparked by Helena Echlin and Malena WatrousPage 33 "...we'd covered the fridge with favorite photos." - a set of four small magnets and a photo as described in the novel.
Page 164 "On top was a hardback copy of Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises". It looked like another antique. The cover showed a woman in a one-shouldered dress, leaning back against a tree. I opened it noticing that the paper inside was yellowed, and there was handwriting on the title page." - a custom designed book safe as described in the novel.
Page 184 "She was wearing red-and-white striped leg warmers under a pair of cargo shorts..." - red-and-white striped leg warmers.
Page 274 "She pulled one of her little pewter cups from the velvet evening clutch." - a small cup inside a blue, velvet clutch bag.
images by @OnceUponABookClubBox and @CandaceClark22
Hippie Love
September Box
Paintbrush by Hannah BucchinPage 21 "...her hair in its signature long gray braid, colorful scarves drapped around her shoulders." - a large, multicolored bohemian scarf.
Page 42 "I roll my eyes and take a bit of my PB...and J sandwich - delicious homemade bread courtesy of Libby." - a tree patterned, insulated lunch bag and a homemade bread recipe card.
Page 145 "He points the flashlight in my direction and flashes it on and off." - a green, travel flashlight.
Page 290 "The best part is the lights - delicate strands that blink like fireflies wrapped around every tree trunk and branch on the property." - a strand of fairy lights.
images by @OnceUponABookClubBox and @CandaceClark22
A Traveling Festival of Smoke
August Box
Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda FoodyPage 95 "A wooden sign sticks out of the dirt by the entrance...I kick it down. Then I kick it again after it's fallen." - a custom wooden 'Gossip Worker' sign.
Page 177 "I pick up a small sack of coins and count them. Fifteen gold pieces." - a custom printed pouch with 15 'gold' coins inside.
Page 308 "Hesitantly, I pick up the pocket watch and open it. I remember there being an engraving inside." - a pocket watch necklace with a custom engraving as written in the book.
Page 376 "I make my grand entrance, wearing my red sequin mask....I untie the ribbon in the back, let the mask slip off and shove it in my pocket." - a red, sequin masquerade mask.
images by @Spinatale and @PetrichorAndParchment
Song Bandits of a Mirror World
July Box
The Hush by Skye Melki-WegnerPage 41 "A sorcery lamp dripped bluish light through his cell." - a blue 'sorcery lamp' that glows blue.
Page 95 "But she nodded and scampered back toward the kitchen, where Susannah kept a small blackboard and chalk at the end of the table." - a small chalkboard with twine for hanging.
Page 213 ""What are those?" he said. "Those...tattoos?"" - a temporary, treble clef tattoo reminiscent of one a character has in the story.
Page 282 "The circular room had the same aroma of honey-smoke, only more intense." - a mason jar "The Hush" candle, inspired by the honey-smoke scent.
Page 353 "He tightened his grip on the pistol with one hand, while the other clenched greedily at his pendant." - a violin shaped, velvet box with a nautilus shell pendant inside.
images by @Plot_Bunnies and @TheBookElves
Princess of Swan Lake
June Box
Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. LarsonPage 22 "When the door opened and a page entered the room, holding a tray with a white card, Ceren nearly closed her eyes..." - a pink leaf shaped tray with a white card from the book.
Page 130 "The new queen slumped into a chair, took a sip of the cold chamomile-and-lavender tea...and made a face." - a packet of chamomile-and-lavender tea inside a silicone 'teacup' cupcake mold and recipe for a single serving cupcake, stuck in the back of the book.
Page 217 "Ceren grumbled, and Evelayn shook her head as she bent to put on her slippers." - a pair of grey lace slipper-socks.
Page 257 ""I have something I need to give you." And then he pulled out the most beautiful ring Evelayn had ever seen." - a gold-tone ring with a pink center stone and clear stones surrounding it.
images by @CaseyRoseReads and @StephanieHWarner
Hurricanes and Heartache
May Box
Between Two Skies by Joanne O'SullivanPage 30 "Now that we live together, she lets me brush her hair for her at night." - a detangling brush.
Page 88 "Without saying a word, I reach up and rip the stupid headband off my head..." - a sparkling headband, reminiscent of a tiara.
Page 104 "I see a laminated menu lying on the ground. I pick it up." - an 11" laptop sleeve and a custom designed diner menu inspired by the book.
Page 236 "Before I know it, she's gone out to her car, brought in a slow cooker filled with gumbo, and plugged it in." - a packet of gumbo mix in a custom designed pouch with cooking instructions.
images by @BooksCupsandCandles and NovelPairing
Mixed Media Memories
April Box
The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages AmatoPage 28 "They were my constant companion: a pair of little gold embroidery shears shaped like a stork." - a pair of little gold embroidery shears shaped like a stork.
Page 143 "I reached up to rub Tyler's button, which I still wore on the string around my neck." - custom made button necklace.
Page 196 "I dropped my backlae to the floor...and dug until I found my wallet. I pulled out Detective Johnson's business card..." - a black and white backpack with a lime green wallet inside, with a custom printed business card in one of the pockets.
Page 250 "He went to his desk and retrieved a pair of gloves, sealed in a clear plastic bag." - a pair of sealed black gloves.
images by @CaseyRoseReads and @NovelPairing