Blood and Honey Fairyloot Collectors Box Review| Carenza Bramwell

If you saw my Chain of Gold Fairyloot box review, then you will know that I was interested in their Blood and Honey box. Well, the time has come for me to unbox it. Be warned, there are detailed spoilers for what is inside this box. 

What Is A Fairyloot Box?

Fairyloot is a UK YA book box that sends out monthly boxes with a new release and a bunch of bookish goodies. In the past year, they have branched out into collectors boxes for certain releases. For more information, click here.

How Much Did this box cost?

This box cost £35 plus postage and taxes. Normal boxes cost £26 plus postage and taxes. These boxes are much bigger than the normal ones.

The Controversy

If you, like me, have been following this box for a while, then we have to address the controversy surrounding this box and Fairyloot at the moment. This box was supposed to go on sale to both active subscribers and members of the public in July. However it was revealed that Fairyloot were having problems with their website and with fraud allegations. The fraud allegations were quite serious, with a number of customers having their online banking details stolen. I believe I was a victim of this myself as I experienced this issue. This resulted in them pushing back the sale for the public and them having a second subscriber sale. This didn't occur until September, after the book had been published. I feel that Fairyloot handled the situation very badly and have left a lot of people disappointed with them. It has certainly made me think about if I want to buy from them again. The boxes then weren't shipped until the end of October, with people finally receiving them almost two months after the book was released. Compared to other companies in similar positions, Fairyloot has been struggling and attitudes towards them have changed. I hope they improve their communication with their audience and fix these issues going forward. Enough about that, let's get on with reviewing the box! 

The Box

This box was designed by Team Fairyloot and in collaboration with Shelby Mahurin herself, who approved each item for this box. 

The first item is quite possibly my favourite and that is the cosy blanket they included. This was one of the items they announced that they would be including. I have been using this every day since I got my box and it is amazing. It keeps me warm and it looks pretty. I couldn't get a photo with the whole design in, which was a shame as I wanted to do it justice. It has a quote from the series and the outlines of the two central characters, Lou and Reid. It also has the iconic serpent and dove on it. It was designed by @noverantale. 

The next item in the box was a favourite of mine to get and one I have gotten many times from Fairyloot, and that was a candle. Inspired by La Foret Des Yeux from Blood and Honey, it smells divine. The scents are wild patchouli, distressed leather and fruits. For the first time ever, I have a candle with a wooden wick, which is meant to crackle as it burns. It smells so nice I'm not sure I'll ever burn it. The label was designed by @blanca.designs and the candle was made by @bookishburns. 

I had been looking at items very similar to this one, so I was so happy when they included a enamel pin set. Designed by @jezhawk, it features key elements from the series, alongside the iconic quote "love makes fools of us all, darling". I plan on getting some display for my pin badges at some point as I have some very pretty ones. I had never received a double pin set before so this was extra special. 

Fairyloot then included a very unique item and that was a storage tin. I will say with these collectors boxes you get items you are unlikely to get in an average subscription box. It was designed by @chattynora. My one complaint with this item is that I think there is a typo on the tin as I cannot read one of the words as it says "hre". Aside from that, this is a stunning item and I'm going to have to find something to put in it. 

Another item Fairyloot announced they would be included was a 22 gilded tarot deck. I have to admit I know nothing about tarot cards, let alone what an arcana deck is. There are 22 cards, each with a different portrait from the series. This made me realise that I don't know who half the characters are so I probably need to reread this series again. They are stunning and it has made me want to learn more about tarot cards. Fairyloot will be explaining each card on their community section of their website at some point. They were designed by @oblivionsdream.

The final item, similar to the Chain of Gold box, is an art print. I have received some very stunning art prints over the years from Fairyloot. It features our four main characters, Lou, Reid, Coco and Ansel. I have been dying to get my hands on some Serpent and Dove character art. It goes without saying that I adore this and will be finding a very special place to display this.  The illustration is by Katherine Britt. 

Lastly, there is the book itself. From the exterior, it looks like an average copy of Blood and Honey. But it isn't! It has shimmery metallic edges. If you got the add on of Serpent and Dove, then you will have a matching edition. Inside, it has exclusive end pages that have been signed by Shelby. Finally, under the dust jacket is some stunning art. I am seriously considering getting this framed as it is absolutely gorgeous.  

Despite the set backs this box faced, I was thoroughly pleased with it. I hope they release a matching edition for Gods and Monsters, the final book in the serious. Fairyloot do make their boxes worth it, with every item being hight quality. I would give this box 4/5 stars. 

Carenza :) x

Chain of Gold Fairyloot Collectors Box Review| Carenza Bramwell

It's been many years since I did a Fairyloot review, but when Fairyloot announced they were doing a Chain of Gold special edition box, I just had to get one. It was an impulse purchase when they released the second batch. 

What is Fairyloot?

Fairyloot is a UK YA book box that sends out monthly boxes with new YA releases and a bunch of bookish goodies. In the past year, they have branched out into special edition boxes for certain releases. For more information, click here.

How Much Did This Box Cost?

This box cost £35 plus postage and taxes. A normal Fairyloot box costs £26 plus postage and taxes. I will say that collectors boxes are much bigger than normal boxes.

The Box

The first item in the box was a replica of the Mortal Cup made by Team Fairyloot. This is something that crops up in every single Shadowhunter book. The quality is good, although in a few places the paint job is a bit battered. It's a sturdy replica and looks great on my shelf, so much more so than the one I made myself many years ago.

Next was an item that made my jaw drop when I saw it and that is this James and Cordelia Tapestry designed by monolimeart. At first I thought it was a blanket but it is a tapestry and looks amazing hanging by my bed. It features James and Cordelia from their romantic scene in the library. 

A staple of bookish boxes is the beloved bookmark. The bookmark featured in this box was a wooden one, with art on both sides. The illustration of our beloved Cordelia is by niru.sky and the quote is from stellabookishart. I love both sides and have put in my mug of bookmarks as it is too beautiful to use. 

Something I have always wanted but never bought is a book sleeve to protect my books, so when Fairyloot included one in this box I was over the moon. It is very well padded and even has a zip at the top to make sure nothing gets in with your precious book. The side with James on it is designed by one of my favourite bookish artists, Taratjah, and the quote side was designed by noverantale. 

The final item in this box is a stunning art print of the Chain of Gold boys, designed by merwildandco. I adore this print and am searching for where I can display so I can always look at their beautiful faces.

Finally, we have the book in the box. It is in this stunning black edition, which I've been told is very similar to the Waterstones edition. It has sprayed edges with swords on them. It has been completely redesigned for this box and I'm so glad to have this exclusive version from this box. 

Was It Worth It?

I would have to say that it 100% was worth it. The items are unique and ones that I'll actually use. The edition is stunning and it was an affordable price. They have a collectors box for the sequel to Serpent and Dove, Blood and Honey and I am so going to be getting it after the success of this box.

Carenza :) x 

August 2017 Fairyloot Unboxing and Review| CarenzaOnBooks

I'm really sad that this is my last Fairyloot review for a while as I've had to cancel my subscription. But, that aside, this was one of my favourite boxes and it makes me so happy to see them grow as a company.

The theme for Augusts box was Other Worlds and this is probably my favourite design of theirs.

The first item was a exclusive Witchsoul candle from Book and Nook. I got Anais, which smelss of Coco, Cardamon and Fig. I'm not 100% sure if I like the scent, but I am happy that I finally got to try and Book and Nook candle.

The next item was this gorgeous exclusive sleep mask designed by Fairyloot themselves. It feels really nice on the skin and makes it easier to sleep, if like me, you can't sleep unless the room is pitch black. It matches the aesthetic the Oven Glove from last months box.

Then there was this exclusive Velaris Pendant made by Oh Panda Eyes. I'm not as big a fan of Sarah J Maas as I used to be, but I love this necklace. It has a vintage style to it and it is something I'm probably going to wear.

Probably my favourite item in the box was this Westeros Tea Strainer designed by Fairyloot. As someone who doesn't drink tea, this item isn't that useful to me. But as a lover of novelty items, this is great. You pull the hilt of the sword of and put your tea inside. My parents have already made claims on this as they are tea people.

Then there is this super cute Neverland notebook designed by TJ Lubrano. I've been following her for a while on Instagram and have been dying to try her products. While I love this notebook, I do wish that it had been lined rather than blank as I can't write in a straight line.

The next item are these exclusive Lord of the Rings magnetic bookmarks from Paperly & Co. There were three sets you could have received and I got Arwen and Aragorn. I would have preferred Frodo and Samwise, but these are super cute and I love adding magnetic bookmarks to my collection.

The final item is this exclusive Northern Lights print by Melissa Nettleship. I love prints that don't have quotes on and this really fits my aesthetic at the moment. It's giving me major wanderlust and makes me want to see the Northern Lights in person.

The book for August's book was Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic. I've been dying to read this book and I'm hoping to get to it this month. Is the cover not stunning?

As always there is a signed book plate and letter from the author.

And here is my reading buddy hashtag for the month of August.

Another beautiful Fairyscoop that I'm going to read and enjoy.

I love that Fairyloot includes these matching bookmarks, I'm going to miss collecting them.

And finally, the promotional items for some up and coming books.













I'm sad that my subscription has come to an end, but I have loved every single box I have received. I can't wait to see what they include in their future boxes.
Carenza x

July 2017 Fairyloot Unboxing and Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Two Fairyloot unboxings in one week? I couldn't wait any longer to share the contents of this amazing box. July is my second to last box from Fairyloot and it didn't disappoint. There will be spoilers from this point on, so continue with caution if you're still waiting for your box.

The theme for July was Tricksters and Fairyloot now have a new artist for their cards, Tartjah, who designed the Dorian/ Manon print in February's box. I love these graphic cards so much!

The first item was this exclusive Sherlock enamel tin mug designed by Fictiontea Designs. The name Fictiontea might be familiar as Lauren who runs Fictiontea is a rep for Fairyloot. I love this mug so much, it's beautiful and I finally have a tin mug. I love Sherlock so much and am happy to have some Sherlock merch.

The next item is this exclusive Loki Lotion from Geeky Clean. It smells of Dragon's Blood and is vegan. I love Geeky Clean's products and am happy to be adding to my collection.

Then there are these Officially Licensed Harry Potter Playing Cards. It just occured to me the other day that a lot of my Harry Potter collection is unofficial merchandise and it makes me happy to add something I would have picked up myself to my collection.

Instead of having the tradition clubs, aces, spades and diamonds, they have the Hogwarts houses!

This is something I have never seen a company  send out and it is a oven glove. It is a exclusive Fortune Telling Oven Glove designed by Fairyloot. It's so cool, though I am scared the gold will begin to fade, so it will be a while before I use it.

Something non-book themed is this exclusive print from Miss Phi based on Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad. I'm not a huge fan of the DC world, I'm much more invested in Marvel and didn't particularly enjoy Suicide Squad. This print fits the Harley Quinn Suicide Squad vibes nicely and I'm sure fans of the film will like it.

The final item before the book was this Six of Crows inspired bookmark from Lexy Olivia (not exclusive). I haven't read anything from Leigh Bardugo yet and the amount of times there have been Grisha or Six of Crows merch sent out, I think it's time I do.

The book of the month was Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I have to pick this one up asap as I've been sent it for review, so I'm grateful to have a physical copy to read for my review.

As always there is a letter and signed bookplate from the author, both of which I've stuck in my copy.

And finally, there is Fairyscoop and the reading buddy hashtag.













I loved this box so much and my favourite item has to be the mug. I'm looking forward to August's box and then it will be a while before unboxings return.
Carenza x








 

A Very Belated June 2017 Fairyloot Unboxing and Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Due to the fact that I took a break from blogging and social media last month, I never got around to posting my June Fairyloot unboxing. Because it's been so long and I'm sure no one will be waiting for this box, I don't feel that I need to put a spoiler warning on my unboxing.

Here is an overview of the June boxes content. It  had a very nice colour pallet and made me happy that everything went together.

The theme for Junes box was Elementalists and as always Fairyloot have these amazing graphic cards.

The first item was a candle from Witchwood Remedies. There were five Stormheart candles and they were based on the storms in the book. They're all exclusive to this months box.

I got Twister and I have to say that this is my least favourite candle I've received from Fairyloot. There's a pepper scent in and I really don't like pepper. If I can find someone who likes it, I'll give it to them, but it is very pretty with all the things sprinkled on it.

Next there was this Avatar: The Last Airbender lip balm from Geeky Clean. This is exclusive to Fairyloot. I got Water Bender, which I think smells of Vanilla. I am interested to see what the other elements smell like.

 Fairyloot hasn't included any jewelry for a while and in June we got this exclusive Hamsa Hand bracelet from In The Moment. I'm not the biggest jewelry person, so again this will probably be a item I give to someone.

Receiving bath products does make me happy and then I remember I don't have a bath at my dad's house and it will be months before I can properly use it. This Clairvoyance Soap was made exclusively by Ascent Bath and Body. It smells really nice and fresh.

These cute potion bottle sticky notes were made by Fairyloot and are exclusive to this box. They each have a different meaning. Purple is for health, blue is for magic and yellow is for stamina. I'm going to have to find a way of using these, probably in my school work to spice it up a bit.

The final item before the book is probably my favourite item and that is this Stephen King inspired exclusive pillow case from Miss Phi. It says "Books are a uniquely portable magic". I love the design and how it's not linked to a specific fandom. I need to get pillow fillers for my 3 bookish pillows and display them because they are beautiful.

The book was Roar by Cora Carmack. As always it came with a letter and a signed bookplate. I don't know much about it, but I am looking forward to reading it in the near future.

As always, Fairyloot included Fairyscoop, the matching bookmark and reading buddy service. In all truthfulness, I've given up trying to find mine each month as I never find them.

There was a promo postcard for Fireblood by Elly Blake, which comes out later this year.

I do love receiving samplers in subscription boxes and in this months box we received The Waking Lands by Callie Bates.












Overall, this was my least favourite Fairyloot box I've received and this month (August) is the last box I will recieve for a while as I'm stopping my subscription. I've had 11 boxes and the excitement has worn off. I still love Fairyloot and will continue to support it, but I need to save my pennies.
Carenza x