CandleLit is a monthly subscription box that features books by authors of color, soy candles, organic tea, and handmade wellness products created by people of color. CandleLit simplifies scheduled self-care despite your busy life. We partner with POC-owned brands to support a holistic wellness lifestyle.
CandleLit offers monthly and quarterly subscription plans, as well as single box and gift box options. Subscribers have the option to receive an e-book (Kindle) or hardcover book.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About CandleLit
The Subscription Box: CandleLit Box
The Cost: $40 every month or $120 every 3 months. Boxes ship the first week of the month.
The Products: A new hand-picked hardcover or e-book by an author of color, a soy candle, organic tea, and other handmade wellness products
Ships To: the US only
CandleLit December 2018 Review
Included in the box is a card that highlights this month's box. The front of the card reads: "This box is an ode to women who continue to light our flame. We are here to light yours." The back of the card highlights the box partners and featured editor for the month as well as other useful information about the box.
Swing by Kwame Alexander - Retail Value $18.99 (found here for $12.91)
Book summary from Amazon:
“Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan to help them woo the girls of their dreams and become amazing athletes. Never mind that he and Noah failed to make the high school baseball team yet again, and Noah’s love interest since third grade, Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. Noah soon finds himself navigating the worlds of jazz, batting cages, the strange advice of Walt’s Dairy Queen-employed cousin, as well as Walt’s “Hug Life” mentality. Status quo seems inevitable until Noah stumbles on a stash of old love letters. Each page contains the words he’s always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speak his heart. But when his private artwork becomes public, Noah has a decision to make: continue his life in the dugout and possibly lose the girl forever, or take a swing and finally speak out?
At the same time, numerous American flags are being left around town. While some think it’s a harmless prank and others see it as a form of peaceful protest, Noah can’t shake the feeling something bigger is happening to his community. Especially after he witnesses events that hint divides and prejudices run deeper than he realized.”
From the very start, I knew this would be an interesting read by award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander who is best known for his poetry and children’s books. Swing is a young adult fiction novel written in free-verse poetry. It’s a story of the friendship between Noah and Walt navigating the ups and downs of young adulthood in an environment where cultural struggles and racial prejudice exist just below the surface. Noah’s in pursuit of the ultimate comeback year while Walt wants to steal the heart of his long-time crush Sam with the assistance of old love letters he found from the 1960s. I’m told there’s a surprise ending! Can’t wait!
Lux Living Candle Co. Candle in Winter Zen - Estimated Value $25
Lux Living Candle Co. makes beautiful hand-poured candles using safe and non-toxic soy wax, high-quality fragrance oils, eco-friendly wood wicks, and glass jars. This Winter Zen candle is scented with white tea, ginger, and peppermint and has a subtle but lovely scent. Since this candle is ed sample sized, it doesn't contain the wood wicks (which I've come to love) and is in a tin jar instead of glass.
Cuples Tea House ‘Tea Tube Testers' - Peppermint Black Tea, 1oz – Retail Value $6
Cuples Tea House is a family owned business offering loose leaf teas, tea sets, tea accessories and “urban tea experiences”. This peppermint black tea has hints of vanilla and smells so good and tastes great even without sweeteners. I’ve come to really enjoy Cuples tea but would like to see other tea brands featured in future boxes.
CandleLit Affirmation Notes
Each month, the CandleLit boxes include affirmation notes. This month’s sticky notes read: "I will be patient with my growth”. I can relate to this affirmation. Living in a fast-paced society, we often expect things to happen fast and with little effort. In my experience, growth can sometimes be a slow and tedious process requiring not only time but also a lot of patience.
Verdict: I love that this box highlights authors and partners that are people of color. The Kwame Alexander’s book in this month’s box is a hit! But, overall, I’m disappointed in this month’s box. Last months was the highest value and largest number of items in recent boxes and this month’s box is the exact opposite. This is in part due to the missing wellness item from CandleLit’s box partner, Your Goddess Glow. There was a delay in delivery so this missing product will be included in next month’s delivery. Also, the price of this box left room to include a full-sized candle from Lux Living, more Cuples tea or maybe another wellness item.
This CandleLit Box costs $40.00 and includes the book, candle, tea and affirmation notes. Considering the low retail value of the items included and the missing wellness product, this month’s box is not a good value.
To Wrap Up:
Can I get this box if I sign up today?: If you subscribed by the end of the month you will receive the January CandleLit box. You may also be able to purchase this box as a Single Box order from the CandleLit Shop.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $40 + free shipping, which means that each of the 4 items in the box has an average cost of $10.00.
Check out all of our CandleLit Box reviews and more self-care subscription boxes in the Women's Subscription Box List!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of this CandleLit Box December box?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.