‘Books that Matter’ – January 2021 Subscription Box Review

Regular readers of the blog will know I’ve been a subscriber to the feminist book box, ‘Books that Matter’ for quite a while now.

This £20 (including postage) box – featuring a book and other treats – has been one of the better things to happen to me over lockdown and is a monthly lift!

For those still trying to get their hands on the January box, there are spoilers ahead…

The January Box

The (newly reinforced) box arrived and was as beautifully presented as usual.

This month, the box’s theme was ‘You Are Your Best Thing’ and contained the following:

• The book ‘Skin’ by E M Reapy
• A sample size sleep balm by Scentered
• A teabag from Bird and Blend
• ‘Break the Glass’ – an essay by Rachel Edwards (in a separate booklet)
• A box of ‘Self Care Prompts’ (cards)
• A Recipes for Self Love calendar
• A bookmark
• A booklet with background information on the items in the box.

My Review

I’d like to say up front that I’m totally on board for talking about mental health issues and the importance of self care in these tricky times. That said, I’m not sure whether this box is perhaps not really hitting the spot for me.

The book – ‘Skin’ by E M Reapy – is absolutely in-keeping with the feminist message from ‘Books that Matter’ and looks like an intriguing read. It is about body image and features a protagonist who is struggling with her own relationships with her body and food.

The sleep balm is great. So great that I’ve pretty much lost it to my kids who love the smell and say it helps them sleep. I just wish it had been a bigger tube!

The bookmark and teabag will be used – although (not for the first time) I question whether there could have been more teabags!

The self care prompt cards and calendar are perhaps less up my street. As an *ahem* more vintage buyer of this box, I don’t need ideas on how to look after myself – I need someone to take over the childcare, housework and work that gets in the way of me actually being able to do it! Still, I guess in the absence of a fairy godmother who is going to grant me the gift of time, I appreciate the sentiment of the items in the box. I just probably won’t use them.

As always, the booklets are interesting – the one by Rachel Edwards is particularly well-produced and looks fascinating.

My Verdict

This is a mixed box for me, probably more so than usual, although the items are entirely appropriate and good quality.

I still wholeheartedly recommend this subscription box, but I’m hoping for something that strikes more of a chord with me personally next month. I prefer the more ‘fun’ boxes and this one is a serious one.