beTWEEN the Bookends is the first monthly book and lifestyle box created for kids by a teen herself! Boxes follow a monthly theme and contain age-appropriate books and lifestyle items that have been read and hand-tested by Jillian, the 17-year-old creator. Full-sized boxes contain 2-3 books and 6-8 lifestyle items, while mini boxes include 1 book and 3-5 lifestyle items. The new gender-neutral boxes will contain the same 2-3 books in the full boxes but will have only 3-5 gender neutral lifestyle items.
The Cost: The Full-Sized box is $55 per month + free US shipping ($50.00/mo for the 12-month subscription track) while the Gender Neutral box is $45 per month. Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Full Size Box.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
December is here, and we’re almost halfway through 7th grade! The quarter ends on January 22nd, and we have a 17-day break for Christmas. To keep Hank’s reading skills sharp, we received the December beTWEEN the Bookends box just in time for our vacation. With fresh book titles and fun lifestyle items designed to help him reach his reading-minute goals, it was the perfect way to make those minutes more enjoyable—while also strengthening his reading skills. Keep reading to see what we discovered!
First Impressions
The contents of this box are packaged neatly in bright pink tissue paper and sealed with a sticker featuring clip art of a pigtail-donning girl. The anticipation of seeing what's underneath this tissue paper always has us on the edge of our seats. We just can't wait to check it out!
Here's What's Inside
Welcome Pamphlet
Each month, we receive a beautifully laid-out, color-coordinated pamphlet that describes all the items included in the box. On the back, there’s a featured quote from Sara Raasch: "Even the strongest blizzards start with a single snowflake." There’s also a fun little hint about next month’s theme—fairytales anyone?
Operation Final Notice by Matthew Landis - Retail Value $9.99
As Christmas and the new year inch closer, so do Ronny and Jo's anxieties. Because Ronny needs $878 by January 4th to keep his family's only car from getting taken by the bank. Ever since a workplace injury disabled his dad and forced the family to move from their home into the apartment complex across the street, Ronny’s had a crash course in repossession. His best friend Josefina Ramos is also counting down until the start of January when her life could change forever—that’s when she has her big cello audition at the prestigious music academy Maple Hill. Except she can’t play a solo performance without something disastrous happening and no one seems to hear her when she talks about how nervous she is.
I am a sucker for Christmas books and was excited to see this included for December. Hank enjoys the Christmas season as well, but as a pre-teen, he hasn’t read many holiday-themed books. With an interesting storyline, this one was engaging from the start and truly felt like a Hallmark Christmas movie—something Hank really enjoyed. He even recommended that I read it, so I’m partway through now and loving it!
Spellbound Solstice by Alexandria Rogers - Retail Value $16.99
Every winter solstice, when people lock eyes in the Ambrose Ensorcelled Cottage, they fall in love. This year, Alice Ambrose has secretly invited her dad in hopes that her parents will realize they’re happier together than apart. With her parents together, Alice will finally feel whole. But when Alice's parents lock eyes…nothing happens. Turns out, the women in her family are cursed to never fall in love. Ronan Knight will do anything to get his enchantress mom to settle on a forever home. Luckily, he’s found her a perfect job at a perfect place: the Ensorcelled Cottage. The only snag? His mom would rather run from their mysterious past than settle down. When Ronan learns about Alice’s family curse, he figures he can kill two birds with one broken curse, since helping Alice will surely earn his mom points with the owner of Ensorcelled Cottage. But when their meddling causes the town to lose the ability to love all together, and ghosts whisper of the very past haunting Ronan’s family, Alice and Ronan discover that happily ever after doesn’t look the same for everyone. And sometimes, to get what you want, you’ll have to give your heart away.
I love receiving hardcover books, and so does Hank. This hefty book was fun in design and featured a really strong storyline. Sticking with a winter solstice theme, it’s filled with mystery and magic and has been very enjoyable so far!
Custom Ornament
The first item we received this month was a really cute customized ornament. It features the “beTWEEN the Bookends” characters and the quote, “New Books: The Gift that Keeps on Giving.” Cute in design and nicely sized, this laser-cut ornament is painted white and finished with a blue ribbon. Our Christmas trees are pretty much maxed out with ornaments right now, so Hank brought it to school to give to his Language Arts teacher. Sweet and thoughtful, and perfect for a reading teacher!
Holiday Bookmark
The next item we received was a really useful one! At first, we weren’t quite sure what it was supposed to be, but we quickly realized it was a holiday-themed bookmark. Designed to look like a spilled cup of hot cocoa, the tiny cup paired with the brown vinyl “spill” is seriously adorable. To use it, you simply place the vinyl piece on your page to hold your spot. Both of my boys are hot cocoa addicts, so this was the perfect inclusion for us—and it’s already saved our new books from being dog-eared!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank enjoys stickers, and appreciated the variety this month, especially the fox and snoozing penguin stickers. Perfect for envelopes, these add a fun little twist on some of the mail we send out and look cute on notebook covers!
Gingerbread Bath Bomb
The next item we received was definitely a favorite. This small disk was only a couple of inches wide, but the amazing cinnamon and gingerbread aroma was larger than life! Glittery and beautiful, Hank loved soaking in it, especially as it helped clear his stuffy sinuses. A fun addition to an already fun box, it was perfect for a chilly December evening and has him hoping for another one in the near future.
Canvas Tote
The next item we received was a cute little canvas tote that pops up into a rectangular cubby. Pink with white polar bears, it was a great addition for toting around this month’s items. Though small in size, it would make an adorable gift bag or basket, but we decided to keep it for ourselves to store little trinkets around the house. A great functional item—I’m always all for organization!
Grinch Stamper Pen
The Grinch is definitely one of my boys’ favorite Christmastime characters—Charlie even asked for a Grinch snow globe a few years ago! As a fun nod to the holiday season, we received a pen with six different ink colors and a red "Woo" stamp. It’s a great tool for writing all those holiday thank-yous, and it was a fun item that Charlie really liked and has already put to good use!
Peanuts Mini Notebooks
Paper and notepads are always something my kids use for lists, reminders, and doodles, so this little set of Peanuts notepads was a great addition. Small in size, they fit perfectly into backpack pockets without taking up much space. I especially appreciated the hard covers, which help keep the pages protected, and they’re a fun nod to a classic cartoon. Another great inclusion!
Penguin Keychain
The last item Hank received was an adorable fuzzy penguin keychain. I’ve mentioned before that Charlie is my resident keychain lover, so he happily took this off Hank’s hands and clipped it onto his backpack for a little holiday cheer. With a vinyl belly and nose, it included both a clip and a standard keychain loop. Cute in design, this simple, fun little penguin definitely made my boy smile.
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is one of our favorite subscription boxes of all time. This month's box theme featured some useful items that Hank, Charlie, and I really enjoyed. Like I mentioned above, this is the full-sized box which is aimed towards girls, but fits an educator-son duo just fine. The included lifestyle items were a great mix of fun and functional all fitting the "Season's Readings" theme extremely well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the bath bomb, bookmark, tote, and keychain. We already can't wait to see what's in store for January!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Full Size box costs $50.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $26.98, I find the $50.00/month cost reasonable, as the lifestyle items help shape this box into an entire experience.
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Other Things You Should Know
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? beTWEEN the bookends tends to ship the first week of each month. Order now to receive the January box.
What did you think of the Full Size BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween box?
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