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Lit Cube Limited Edition Lost in Austen Box Review

Anna Reilly
ByAnna ReillyDec 31, 2016 | 6 comments

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

It's time to review a Lit Cube Limited Edition box! This box celebrates all things Jane Austen with a book and a slew of other items that fit the theme. The box came with a tear in the lid (geez, mail!) but nothing was harmed inside! This box is no longer available for purchase.

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

This box is no longer available for purchase.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

The Box: Lit Cube LOST IN AUSTEN Limited Edition Box

The Price: $44.95

The Products: A book and bookish items that have a collective retail value of over $100.

Shipping: Free shipping within the US. Add $15.00 USD for international shipping.

Check out all of our Lit Cube reviews and the Book Subscription Box Directory for other book box options!

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

In lieu of an information card, this box includes this business-card-sized design on what feels like magazine paper. The vintage design is really pretty. It sets the romantic vibe.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy Plush Figures by Lit Cube - Value $29.90

I'm so charmed by these two! These toys sort of have an anime style about them, which I think is cool. I like the detail in their outfits, too—the buttons on Darcy's coat are so cute! I'm not sure what I'll do with them—maybe gift them to a bookish gal this holiday season? They feel just a tiny bit young for me.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet - Value on Amazon $12.82 (retail price $15.00)

This YA novel brings the tropes of Pride and Prejudice to a new era. There are all the trappings of modern times—video blogs, TV references, student loans, romances that start on Twitter—plus the relatable relationships and independent women of the original story. It's cute, maybe a little cuter than what I'd typically want to read, but if you're heading on vacation or have a lazy afternoon to kill, this would be the perfect guilty pleasure read.

Book Summary on Amazon:

Based on the Emmy Award–winning YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Twenty‑four‑year‑old grad student Lizzie Bennet is saddled with student loan debt and still living at home along with her two sisters—beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When she records her reflections on life for her thesis project and posts them on YouTube, she has no idea The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will soon take on a life of their own, turning the Bennet sisters into internet celebrities seemingly overnight.

When rich and handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck‑up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets—and for Lizzie’s viewers. But not everything happens on‑screen. Lucky for us, Lizzie has a secret diary.

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet takes readers deep inside Lizzie’s world and well beyond the confines of her camera—from the wedding where she first meets William Darcy to the local hangout of Carter’s bar, and much more. Lizzie’s private musings are filled with revealing details about the Bennet household, including her growing suspicions about her parents’ unstable financial situation, her sister’s budding relationship with Bing Lee, the perils of her unexpected fame, and her uncertainty over her future—and whom she wants to share it with.

Featuring plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and new readers alike, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennetexpands on the web series phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudice story like never before.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

This book is the paperback version of an Emmy-award-winning TV show. The back of the book highlights its Hollywood authors.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

There are bookmarks with the cast on them, too. They're relatively thin, but bookmarks are always handy to have.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

Here they are on the opposite side.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

Set of Hardcover Journals - Total Value $30?

These are such nice journals! They feel like they're fabric wrapped, and they come with those ribbon-style bookmarks that all sophisticated journals have. The teal color is classy, yet vibrant, and the lettering on each one is pressed into the cover for a neat textural element. I really like the script they chose. I felt like the box was leaning on Pride and Prejudice pretty hard so far, so I like that the smaller journal features a quote from Emma. The total value is based on similar hardcover journals.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

The pages are smooth and buttery white. Austen's characters are known for speaking their minds, so giving the recipients of this box a fun way to express themselves is a really lovely choice.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

Know Your Own Happiness Quote Mug - Value $14.99?

This mug is my favorite find in the box. It's got a natural ceramic finish (matte and a teensy bit gritty) on the outside and a glossy pink inside. The lettering is the same as it is on the Emma quote journal, and I enjoy the consistency. The quote itself is engraved into the piece, which is subtle and sophisticated.

Find out what's inside the LitCube Limited Edition Lost in Austen box!

Know Your Own Happiness Scented Wax Melts - Value $6.00?

Wow, do these have a powerful scent! I had them (in the bag, unopened, mind you) in the corner of my living room for a few hours, and soon my entire apartment smelled like sugary bubblegum. If you're not into that scent (it's... not my favorite), then this item can be a bit overwhelming. They are, however, delightfully easy to use. They're like a wax tart, but I felt like they melted faster than those usually do (probably since they're smaller crumbles).

Verdict: This Lit Cube Lost in Austen box skewed young, but it was really charming. I liked the variety and uniqueness of the items, and the high quality of all of the products. Not counting the little promotional items (the Lit Cube intro card and the bookmarks), the estimated value of the items reached just over $100.00. That's exactly what the box promised! This would be a great gift for a young Austen fan.

What's your favorite item in the Lit Cube Lost in Austen box?

Posted in Uncategorized
Anna Reilly
Anna Reilly
Anna loves collecting little treasures, be they pop-culture finds, handmade mementos, or new potions to put in her makeup bag. Beauty boxes got her interested in the subscription world, but now she's swooning for all things kawaii!

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6 comments

Loba

I was so disappointed in this and the two or three boxes I subbed with them that I will never by anything from them again.

At first I forgave their massive delay and felt bad for the product issue they had with a vendor but after receiving e-mails from them for the last couple if months it appears that they regularly gave shipping delays and have had “issues” with vendors before which cause a raised eyebrow.

The biggest fault I have is with the books they send. The young adult book genre is really rich with great books but the ones they send aren’t the kinds that garner great praise. They remind me of Sweet Valley High (dating myself) or trashy romance novels. Which isn’t inherently a bad thing but for a book sub that sends out books I expect the book curation to be on point. This is not.

This sub also skews young (which nay explain the book creation) so if you buy products from them just be aware of that.

Here’s my thoughts on this specific box:

I didn’t have a card listing out the items (guessing because they had to sub in different items but it would have been nice to confirm what is supposed to be in the box).

I don’t know why we would get 2 almost identical journals. OK the saying on each is different and the journals are different sizes but still… (Seine pointed out that it was weird to get a journal with the title of a book on it – and, I agree, it would look like you got an edition if a book only to find that it is a journal. Journals typically have pictures, sayings, personalized names on them – not titles of books – super weird).

I’m not enthused about the book choice.
The plushes are OK. I tend to like my plushes super cute and round, not quite so angular.

The wax melts were really strong… Like, almost set my allergies off strong. I can’t recall if they warned about that.

So, not super enthused. I don’t know; with a fandom (yup, I consider this a fandom) I would expect not to get a book but book inspired items. Like one journal. Maybe a cool throw (or dare, I say scarf – heck if there is anyplace for bookish fashion it’s in romantic Austen land). Socks. Totes. Vase. Heck, umbrellas even.

I really like the mug. That’s something…

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Nicole F

I agree with many of your points. I really wanted to like this subscription, but I felt like all of the books that I received were too young for me. I’m still about a quarter of the way through the book from September, but it just doesn’t hold my interest for long. I guess I’m not part of the target demographic for this box. But going by all of the YA book boxes reviewed on this website, there must be a large market for them! For me, though, the book selections in Book of the Month or Boxwalla look more appealing, but then again, those subs don’t include such cute paraphernalia.

For this specific box, I was satisfied but not excited, you know? I may be weird as a Jane Austen fan, but I don’t really like recreations of her stories. I just feel like they can’t hold up to the original. If I wanted to read Pride & Prejudice again, I would read Pride & Prejudice (and I do at least once a year 🙂 ). I guess I was hoping for more unique Jane Austen-inspired items or items related to that time period rather than a modern book or two of the same item (the two journals). I know a vendor of theirs flaked on them and an item that was supposed to be in the box was lost, so I wonder what that item would have been. I did like the plushes and the mug, though!

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Anna Reilly

I think I first read Jane Austen’s work when I was in high school, and one reason I enjoyed it was that it was a glimpse into the world of grown-up romance and literature. There was an exciting, aspirational quality to it for that reason – kind of like the feeling of trying on high heels for the first time. And now, as I read those stories as an adult, my empathy for and enjoyment of the characters just gets richer and richer.

I guess my concern is that I don’t see a reason to have to “retell” the story in any way to make it suit younger audiences. I can see the adaptation being fun and maybe more digestible/relatable to YA readers, but it’s the fact that Austen’s stories aren’t perfectly relatable that makes them magical – they beg a bit of imagination and empathy and escapism.

Long story short, I agree with Nicole F on this one – why mess with perfection? With classics like Austen, why worry about including new adaptations and versions of beloved stories when maybe just a really beautiful edition of the original will do?

Thanks to all for reading and commenting <3

Nicole

I was… not as impressed as you were with the box, that’s the nicest thing I can say about it. I had been thinking about subscribing to this box, but not after this box.

Also, it didn’t reach the retail value they advertised.

I have my whole box available if anybody is interested.

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Rebecca

I agree. I don’t understand why there were 2 journals of the same color in the box. The book had a black discount book mark on the bottom of it, so I would not say it was valued at the new price at all. The Mr. Darcy doll was only added due to the boxes being very late as a bonus, so I don’t think it should count as what was originally advertised. The value of the box is lower than advertised and that is probably why the wasn’t a card with the list of items on it. I feel like this should have been a way better box, more like the classic romance box Litcube had done previously.

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Mallory

I LOVED this box! I saw the Lizzie Bennett Diaries on Youtube as they were premiering and am *slightly* obsessed with it! This was actually a book I was going to buy myself anyway.

I got a strawberry shortcake flavored wax melts which, although unopened, make my bedroom smell fantastic all the time!

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