Are they worth it? | Subscription Box Update
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- Hey everyone,
I have been getting these boxes for 2 years now and I think I might need to start making some changes!
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I've read all of the books I've gotten from Illumicrate. There were a couple of books that I didn't think I'd like, but surprisingly, I did enjoy them and they have helped to diversify my reading choices.
That’s amazing! That’s exactly why I got my boxes I just don’t seem to read them apparently 😂
I really resonate with what you said in the second half of this video. Before The whole Bookstagram scene I didn't feel so pressured to have all the special editions just to have matching ones. I have been subscribed to Fairyloot with some tiny financial breaks since 2017 and Illumicrate since 2018. After a while I switched to book only but I needed to make some changes and decided to cancel FL because of the growing issues I had with them. It was impossible to complete the sets, both boxes have their sale in a way where if you have a job it is very hard to actually be there on time and spend 15-20 mins purchasing a book. Which for me sort of beats the purpose of having special edition books. For now I am content to have IC as it is still less populated than the FL scene and been eyeing the locked library (their book choices so far weren't my cup of tea). As you said I purchase so many books on my own and tend to actually read those and am behind with the book box ones :D. I also feel that the adult choices for FL aren't as Adult as I expected so I have decided to cancel that as well after the March book and just skipped Jan and Febr.
I feel the same about the adult sub, it’s not as adult as I thought it would be. The adult subscription also is what I end up getting doubles which isn’t a great thing either
Just this past year, I started getting book boxes from Fairyloot, and maybe it's the newness, but I love it so much! The little bookish merch that comes with the box is so exciting and the books are generally so beautiful. have i read any of them? . . . not yet, but i will. 😅 I'm sure i will eventually get bored of all the extra clutter and the books, but for now, it's one of my happy things. and I'm going to let myself enjoy it and get excited about it while it lasts. 😊🥰
I’m so glad you’re enjoying fairyloot! They are great boxes and I love getting the bookish surprises in the post.
Love the intro xx smashed it lass
Thank you so much 🥰
Yup I’m deliberating which book box sub I enjoy the only one I think I’ll keep for sure is Illumicrate and that is purely because they have unlimited skips so I can always skip if I’m not interested
I think Illumicrate covers more age genres as well for only one subscription which is pretty good too!
I'm very interested in belladonna x
It does sound good tbh! Hopefully I love it
I liked it. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. I am looking forward to the next book. But, id say wait to read it until its closer to the time the next one comes out😅
I used to get sub boxes but they were getting really pricey after 2020. I would love book boxes with only books in it like the adult fairyloot box but a bit cheaper (at least for me personally since I don't have room for clutter I don't use, even if it's really pretty). I might still pick some up in the future when I have the money, but even then it was fun while it lasted but I never usually read/enjoy the books anyway so I'd rather spend the money on books I know I'll like instead.
That’s a fair point, the clutter is a lot tbh which is something I really need to sort 😂
TWO! You've only read TWO?! Omg CHELS what happened to joining me in reading them the month after they came out?! 😂😂 I won't lie (as I've mentioned to you before) I'm a wee bit jealous of some of the items you've got haha. But not enough to make me resubscribe!
🙌Fed🙌Up🙌Of🙌Book🙌Boxes!🙌 - I get the FOMO too, definitely, but I just know that it doesn't feel worth it for me when I actually get the boxes.
There was one double book from Illumicrate, I really enjoyed The Ivory Key to be fair!
So I've only got one subscription box now, which is Goldsboro's GSFF box. Which I love! 💛💜
I’m trying to do it this year! I’m sorry Abi 🫣😅😂hey, I will be doing a sort out so if there’s something you’re after let me know!
I’m starting to feel the FOMO less and less so I will break my bond at some point! I’m determined to save more money 😂
I got an invite to join Goldsboro for January but, I said no because I didn’t realise how fast I’d get off the wait list and I haven’t culled my subs yet😂I shall reapply to the waitlist when I have some money again!
@@NotSoSecretBookaholic 100% here for having a nosey at your unahul, any tea caddies going? 😉
Yeah I think having experienced it for a bit and then leaving makes the FOMO a lot less bad 😂😂
😲 you totally need to reapply once it works financially because I love that book box!
Are tea caddies the round tins? 😂I probably do tbh! I’ll send you some photos when I’ve sorted.
@@NotSoSecretBookaholic I think so! 🤣
I’ve been subbed to Illumicrate just short of 2 years and always read the book within the month. From the 22 books I’ve only given four 5*, but ten have been 4* or 4.5*, seven were 3* and only one was a DNF (which was the latest one, The Red Scholar). I enjoy the items for the most part too. However I only get the one box so it’s easy for me to keep up and not get swamped. Your collection is fabulous but I get what you’re saying, if you’re not drawn to read the books it’s probably time to ditch one of the subs. Apart from Illumicrate I’ve switched to getting books from the library and only buying them if I know I loved them, but totally get that FOMO and having a TH-cam channel are big factors for having all the boxes too!!! Love your channel 😊
That still sounds like pretty high enjoyment! One box is definitely where I should be but, apparently I can’t just have one sub box 😂
💛 The books look splendid, but the tchotchkes that get included always seemed like clutter to me. I get the FOMO, I especially get the matching books aspect, and I’m very guilty of hauling and not reading too, but the only time I duplicate books is when I’m getting them to match in size or I very, very specifically want that edition - e.g. Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Children of Time” trilogy SE set from The Broken Binding. I think I prefer to order what I want rather than have somebody else choose what to send me in a subscription. And when their ‘rules’ are designed to discourage opting out and back in again for the items you want, that’s me walking away or not playing the game I’m afraid. The looks do look absolutely splendid though, truly. Also loved the analysis of your problem on camera - very interesting to hear the thought process behind these significant choices/decisions 💜
I’m thinking the same, Broken Binding are doing some fantastic editions and I think I really need to look into spending my money elsewhere
Yeah, can't say I'm a huge fan of the items. Pretty to look but wouldn't use like 90% of them. The editions are definitely beautiful but in my case I barely ever read YA and now that you showed all the Adult Fairyloot ones I would not have called most of those proper Adult lol. There is definitely something to be said about FOMO with the way these special editions work, but you are not reading most of them anyway so what would be the point? Use the money instead to get all the gorgeous editions that you really want. Broken Binding has been stepping up their game sooo much.
Broken Binding are really stepping up with their editions, I do think I might need to cancel my subs and use the money in other ways 😂
Yea, fairyloot adult books don't really seem very "adult" to me. I love their special editions though😭 but i dont see myself reading some of the ones ive received. I think i have 3 that ive been genuinely interested in reading. I have no clue what book supscription would be best though😣
@@mariahlove4405 The one by Broken Binding would be a much better bet for me since it's mostly indie and trad pub adult fantasy. Let's see what that new subscription box that Chelsea signed up for has to offer.
This is my own philosophy on book buying and book boxes. I had a lot of FOMO but also am privileged for now that I have a job that pays well enough for these luxuries. Nevertheless, I overanalyze everything and am hyper-opinionated, lmao. That said--
Personally, my hit rate with YA is much lower. So I wouldn't get a FL YA sub, but I did pick up 2 of their books (after I read and liked them) on the secondhand market (possibly for less cost than the book-only sub would've cost me, even) because I really liked those specific editions. In general, apart from sequels and book boxes, I only ever buy books I've already read through my library and know I will re-read or smile every time I see it on my shelf. I know some people like a big physical TBR, but that's not my vibe.
In 2021 the IC titles appealed to me more, but in 2022 Fairyloot Adult had a bunch of books that I didn't just love, but make it in my top books of the year. Their upgrades were more lackluster when they launched, but I think at the end of 2022 they started getting a lot better-- and I've already read the December book twice in the second half of this month, so it's definitely in the running to be a favourite of 2023.
Eventually I'd like to do both a cost analysis and a Marie-Kondo-ing:
1. if I cancelled my subscription and had to buy only the books I really loved on the secondhand market at higher rates, would that cost more or less than the subscription? (eg maybe I only love 2 books a year, so buying them at double the price would still save me 8mos worth of money and 10mos of mediocre reads)
2. does receiving the book box in the mail/subsequently having that special edition on my shelf bring me joy?
For now I am content to skip months that don't interest me and to sell books that flopped at cost. (Paying attention to the monthly speculations really helps me be more accurate with my skips, but it's not as useful if you enjoy the surprise.)
For the curious:
I loved The Atlas Six and A Dowry of Blood when I read their self-published versions in 2021
Babel ended up being my fav book of 2022
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries was 0% on my radar beforehand but I absolutely adore it
I didn’t realise Dowry was self published too! That’s really cool to know. I agree with you on many of your points, that you for sharing!
Hey can anyone please tell me if subscription price of fairyloot include price of book or do we need to pay extra for books
The fairyloot YA subscription includes the cost of the book and items then they add shipping on top.
babel depressed me so much. it was not good for my mental health
That’s not great! I hope you dnf’d it and found something better for you to read!
@@NotSoSecretBookaholic no i kept reading. and finished it. i was over half way when it got depressing, and she finally got onto what the book was actually about