BooklyBox is a monthly book subscription box that features a monthly book and fun gifts for readers. Apart from great reading material, this box is committed to creating community—they have a subscription-specific social media platform called BooklyBuddy, a podcast, and a one-for-one initiative that donates books to less developed countries.
When you sign up, you'll pick a genre: literary fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, sci-fi, or young adult.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the Young Adult, $28.99 a month, box.
The Subscription Box: BooklyBox
The Cost: $28.99 a month
The Products: Each box contains a brand new book, reading-friendly items like a bookmark and tea, a report on how your donation is used, and access to the BooklyBuddy platform and podcast.
Ships to: U.S. only
Check out all of our BooklyBox reviews and the Book Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Each BooklyBox supports and brings awareness to a different country in need. This month's box supports Burundi, a country in south-central Africa.
Education is a key challenge in Burundi, so it's especially exciting that BooklyBox is sending books their way. In general, I think it's so important to make young people aware of the issues facing the rest of the world. This box is a great way to not only get kids reading, but also a way to keep them in touch with global challenges and to inspire them to think creatively about how to support needy communities (like BooklyBox does).
Everything else in the BooklyBox comes packaged in this little drawstring bag.
I figure I can use it to tote other books, my lunch, makeup, and accessories when I travel. I want to make sure this handy and simple bag doesn't go to waste.
2 Tazo Tea Bags - Value $0.62
There were two Tazo teas in the last BooklyBox, too! I really like the bold, unique flavors of these teas. And a warm cup of tea is the perfect pairing for an afternoon of reading.
Of these two, I liked Passion the best (the purple one). It's an extremely flavorful, fruity tea with a gorgeous magenta color to it. It feels very festive drinking it in winter. I bet if it was summer, it'd be perfect over ice. As for the Chai Pumpkin Spice tea, I think it loses out just because I've been so ruined by Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes—I expect big, sweet, desserty flavors. This was more subtle, yet still warm and very fall-feeling. I usually drink my tea plain, but I bet if you added some milk to this (or even did it up as a tea latte) it'd be awesome.
BooklyBox Bookmark - Value $1.00?
BooklyBox makes great bookmarks. I appreciate a bright one, especially since I'm so good at losing them. I feel like this bookmark is best used tucked in the back pages of a book while you're reading it so that the "Shhhh... I'm Reading" message can be seen by all around you!
I love the opposite side of the bookmark, too. What a great Groucho Marx quote! And the design is so crisp. It looks very retro, doesn't it?
Lemon Slice Tea Infuser - Value $1.79
I usually use tea bags to make my tea, but there's a loose-leaf tea shop up my street that I've been eager to try—now, I totally can, thanks to this infuser! If you've never used one, you put your tea leaves into the "basket" of the infuser (the lemon-shaped part, in this case), close it up, then dip it into your cup. So basically, the infuser is a reusable tea bag.
The lemon shape of this infuser? A little unexpected, but it is cute. Some of the edges are a bit uneven, and it doesn't feel like the most sophisticated plastic or anything. But for what it is, I think it'll be a useful tool for my kitchen. And it'll look really adorable sitting by my tea collection!
Cork Emoji Coaster - Value $4.00?
This box is really outfitting you for a great day of tea drinking! Once your tea is made, you can set your mug on this cork emoji coaster. It's very lightweight and simple, but I do love the kissy face emoji on it. I was not able to find this exact coaster online, so the value is based on similar items found on Etsy.
I'm a little worried the face design will wear off, but so far, this coaster has done a great job of keeping my mug of tea safe, sound, and away from the surface of my coffee table!
Nemesis by Anna Banks - Value $10.98 on Amazon (retail price $17.99)
The book in this box is Nemesis, which is a recently released science fiction YA novel with a touch of romance to boot. The protagonist has supernatural powers that allow her to conjure a crucial metal from her hands. Her abilities can be used for good, but there are plenty of bad guys looking to exploit them at the same time. I found this book to skew a little young (sometimes the story feels a little simplistic), and I wish the heroine's success wasn't so tied up in romance. She's not a damsel in distress by any means, but that sort of "he's my nemesis but I love him!" thing feels rather overdone to me.
Book Summary from Amazon:
The princess didn't expect to fall in love--with her nemesis.
Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.
Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.
Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?
A thrilling futuristic fantasy in which the fate of the world's energy source is in the hands of a prince and princess who are rivals, by the New York Times-bestselling author of the Syrena Legacy.
Here's the summary on the inside of the book jacket.
And here's the back of the book.
The Verdict: I like BooklyBox, especially their commitment to doing good in the world. The items they included along with the book were cute, if not the highest quality. But I did like that they all sort of went together. My only qualm is that all told, the value of the items in the box is only about $18.00, whereas the price of the box is $26.99. That's a pretty big difference. I'm willing to allow a bit of difference because of the charity aspect of the box, but I wish there was just a bit more value inside here.
What do you think of BooklyBox?
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