Review: September’s ‘Books that Matter’ subscription box

Regular readers of this blog will know that I have been a subscriber to the Books that Matter feminist book box for a few months.

Although I do generally like the books (more hits than misses so far), I was weighing up whether to continue with the subscription at £20 a month (including postage) as a lot of the things included were posters and leaflets that I didn’t really have much use for.

Has this month’s box changed my mind…?

My Review

This is a great box from Books that Matter!

Despite the usual gripes about the packaging (the outer box always looks squashed and a bit worse for wear), the contents were beautifully packed and put together.

The theme this month is ‘Strong Female Lead’ as a collaboration with Penguin Books whose distinctive design elements are evident throughout the box contents.

This month, the box contained:

  • ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ by Elif Shafak
  • A wax melt from The Good Aura Company
  • Three pencils with slogans on (Strong Female Lead, Writer of My Own Story and I was not made to be subtle)
  • A Bird and Blend ‘fruit salad’ tea bag
  • A little Penguin book/leaflet containing an essay by Elif Shafak on sisterhood, family and strength
  • Two Penguin bookmarks
  • Three @cocoroses.uk art/slogan cards
  • A Books that Matter booklet about the box contents and contributors

Firstly, I’m really pleased with the book – I saw Elif Shafak interviewed at the Hay Festival a few years ago and have meant to investigate her work for quite a while. This book, about an extended Turkish family, looks excellent and I love the ‘bonus’ book containing an essay by the same writer.

The wax melt smells a bit sweet for my personal taste, but my daughter loves it so it has found a happy home.

I love the pencils – they look so smart and sassy!

I’ll absolutely use the tea bag, bookmarks and have already enjoyed a flick through the Books that Matter booklet. The art cards are pretty and – while I can’t immediately think what to do with them – appreciated.

Overall, this is a fabulous month for Books that Matter and I’ll definitely stick with my subscription.

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TheQuickandtheRead

Bookworm, Mum and English teacher. Resident of Cheshire in the rainy north of England but an Essex girl at heart and by birth.