Hi everyone! It’s been a little while hasn’t it? In fact, my last three posts will now be FairyLoot unboxings. I totally blame uni and the mounds of work and revision I had to do, but it needed to be done. Now I’ve finished, I’m back and excited to get back to writing all things books. So, keep reading for a full unboxing of the May FairyLoot box.
FairyLoot is a “fantasy focused monthly subscription box containing a Young Adult book and some hand selected bookish goodies” as described on their website. You can commit to six or twelve month subscriptions or if you’re fast enough, you can get your hands on their single purchase boxes! The May theme was “Warriors and Legends”.
This month we were treated to not just one book, but two! I’d been wanting to get my hands on something similar for a while, so I was so excited to see World Mythology in Bite-sized Chunks by Mark Daniels. Now I can brush up on my knowledge of all things myth and legend! The next item definitely surprised me. It’s unlike anything we’ve received in a FairyLoot box before, it was a pen! But not just any pen, a Metallic Feather Pen by Flora’s Wonder Emporium. From what I have seen, there were several colours sent out and I received silver, which fits in just right with my room. (Is it bad that I always consider how these kinds of things will look on my bookcase?)
One of my absolute favourite items in the Warriors and Legends box just has to be this exclusive Opposing Tin Candle from In The Wick of Time, in the scent Mist (the name of the candle was chosen by this month’s author). There was also a second candle created named Flame; I’m intrigued to find out the scent! It smells amazing, and reminds me of a Rhysand candle that I own which is obviously a huge plus. It’s a small tin, but it fits on my bookshelves perfectly and looks right at home.
The Tea Leaf Co worked with FairyLoot to produce an exclusive blend of green tea, very aptly named Warriors and Legends, which has hints of lychee and jasmine. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of green tea but I have to say that it smells delicious and it comes in a super cute tin. FairyLoot also created their own Celtic patterned socks! You can never have too many pairs of socks right? Especially as one of the socks always goes missing.
Earlier this month I finally got my hands on one of Ink and Wonder’s Woodmarks (A Court of Mist and Fury themed of course) and I fell in love, so I was so happy to see that another was included in this month’s box! Featuring the infamous quote from Lord of the Rings, this One Ring woodmark is another exclusive item created just for FairyLoot.
So, the moment we wait for with every unboxing. I had a little sneaky suspicion as to what this month’s book would be, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had been right! I had seen rave reviews for Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh all over Twitter and Bookstagram, and after hearing that it was a Mulan retelling I just had to get my hands on it.
“The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.
So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.
The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.”
Oh man that sounds incredible. As always, the book came with a signed book plate and a letter from the author, and this time it even came with a Flame in the Mist bookmark too! If you haven’t heard of FairyLoot (what?!) or are uhming and ahhing about buying a box, please do it! You will not be disappointed. Now, I can’t wait to get stuck into this month’s story. *Sings* Let’s get down to business…
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I just wanted to mention that as I write this, it’s the day after the awful terror attack on Manchester, at the Manchester Arena which as of right now has killed 22 people and injured 59 others with many still missing.
I express my deepest condolences to anyone who has been affected, including family and friends, and I am sending my love and thoughts to all those involved. This attack has shown that in the face of terror, Manchester does not turn to hate or fear, but to love, with many members of the public offering free journeys to those who were struggling to make it home with road closures and public transport halts, hotels and other establishments offering a place to stay or a warm drink and some food, medical professionals and emergency services working around the clock to save as many people as they could, and social media users who have used their platforms to help find those that are missing.
I have a very heavy heart right now and will never be able to comprehend why anybody would act this way, let alone at a place filled with young people and children, but I am so proud to be a member of a city that has shown strength and love during such horror.
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