In a wild state of affairs, today I’m doing a YA book box unboxing, featuring @PageHabit!
This whole post is going to be an incredibly exciting event, I mean, look — the opening photo even has my hand in it. I am a real person, so that is also a stunning surprise to us all. And secondly, I haven’t ever done an unboxing on the blog BUT WHY NOT. I rep a few boxes on my bookstagram and I figure it’s high time to review them here for those interested in purchasing a box to live in!
I mean, apparently you’re not supposed to “live in the box”??? But don’t let anyone crush your creativity.
Totally do go check out PageHabit.com asap though because their November boxes are up for purchase!
And if you use my link, I will love you the most of all and if that’s not your ultimate life goal, then what is.
- The COOLEST thing about Page Habit boxes is the authors actually ANNOTATE THE BOOKS!!! This absolutely slays me with appreciation OK. You get sticky-notes on the books with like little behind-the-scenes facts and doodles and it totally makes the book 500% more excellent.
- PageHabit is also on instagram and they post funny stuff so go see that, probably immediately.
- If you use the code “PAPERFURY” at checkout you get free shipping in the US!
- You can live in this box as your new home.
- Also part of the proceeds of this box get donated to help promote children’s literacy! That is SUPER cool. You get this box + you’re supporting less privileged bookworms!
- Even though my hand will be included in some of the photos it is NOT included in the box.
- This is wild information.
- Also: I may or may not end up wearing part of the box as a dress, but let’s move forward before 17% of you leave screaming.
The October Box!
The book is Last Burning Star by Caitlin Sangster! It’s a fantasy / dystopian genre bender with Chinese influences and YES IT’S ANNOTATED. That’s basically the coolest thing ever. It’s like a book club but just with you and some sticky notes because you are an antisocial owl.
I also will need to up my own writing game because like writers who can also draw doodles? Sheesh. Expectations are rising all the time in this universe.
I also really loved the characters in this book and how they managed to nearly die and shoot out one last quip. That’s the kind of quality role models in my life. It also features this dystopian sickness called Sleeping Sickness and it’s loosely based on a real thing but also it feels like a Sleeping Beauty reference?! #Impressed
Plus there’s a cute letter from the author as well! The whole box feels really personal, like a MINI BITE OF CHRISTMAS. If you like to bite Christmas.
We have an Einstein bookmark + a short story.
I like the fact the bookmark reminds us nothing is more important than books and libraries. Except possibly snacks are on equal footing? I really quite like snacks.
I’m also fond of this little short story’s title. I haven’t read it yet but “Help Me Follow My Sister Into The Land Of The Dead” is something I write very regularly into my weekly schedule planner.
There is this cute pumpkin that scared the freaking HECK out of me.
Look I’m a really kind and pleasant sort of person. * I genuinely go into things in life assuming they are going to be chill. So I picked up this pumpkin and thought, “OH THIS IS A CUTE THING–” and accidentally hit the top and scared the liver out of both me and my dog.
My dog is in trauma therapy. But now he actually loves this pumpkin and wants to eat it and we have fought about it. Currently are not talking to each other and thinking of divorce, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.
Anyway 10/10 to this pumpkin. I keep randomly clicking it and amusing myself BECAUSE I’M A CHILD.
* This seems like a lie but ok.
Now this little dinosaur is a TEA STRAINER.
I had no idea at first! This is because I don’t drink tea. Again, my dog gives it 10/10 because has gone absolutely mad with love for this tea strainer. He’s actually right now scratching in the kitchen asking for it. And I also don’t even OWN the tea strainer anymore because my mum saw it and was like: “CAIT. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THAT TO ME.”
So wow, everyone. It’s not like I wanted this box FOR MYSELF.
At least I got to keep the book???
And lastly, the LIBRARY CARD PILLOW CASE!
I am such a fan but I do have two questions: (1) does this dress make my head look vanished, and (2) are American pillows genuinely this big?!?? I could fit myself, my pillow, and the Russian circus in here.
Anyway, seriously considering cutting a head hole.
Also if you ever wanted to know how professional I am…here we are.
- November’s box features “a new-to-town outsider taking on the evil that resides there.” AND I CAN’T GUESS SO I’M EXCITED?!?
- Yes I spend a lot of time trying to guess these sorts of things.
- There’s only 8 boxes left so get thee onto that.
- Dooon’t forget to use my exclusive link because it HELPS ME and you love me.
- And “PAPERFURY” is the free shipping code in the USA!
- OK I’m done. I need to go sit in my pillowcase now.
The sticky notes and stuff seem awesome and much more personalised than the usual unboxing thingies I see. All the secondary items seem interesting as well. I’m not normally interested in Monthly Book Box subscriptions, this normally due to the obsurd shipping fees (why does Australia have to have such a terrible postal system?), but your “Paper Fury” discount does make this one seem appealing.
Ahh I’m so glad this one caught your attention! Shipping can be terrifying right.😂
PAPERFURY equals free shipping? You are big time now, Cait. Congrats!
😂😂IT IS EXCITING.
I’ve considered ordering from PageHabit before, but I have a role about one subscrition box at a time, and right now I get OwlCrates and once that expires I think I’m going to order Rainbow Book Box, so…it’s a tiny bit of the way down the list but it is still on it AND I WILL ONE DAY.
The annonating thing is too cool! I wish more book boxes did that because I think it’s super awesome, and I would totally buy a book that had that. Even if the author wrote directly on the pages, which normally makes me cringe.
There’s just too many awesome boxes to try right?!?? I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH. Owlcrate is super fantastic!! And I haven’t heard of the Rainbow Book Box so clearly I need to look that up.
And YES. I think annotating makes it so so special. I am totally going to do this to my book.😂
If I ever get rich, I’m going to buy ALL the subscription boxes. They’re so cool! I love the idea of books annotated by the author.
SAME THAT’S WHAT I’D DO. I love how different all the boxes are too!! Like with exclusive covers or annotations ahhh, it’s so clever!
I actually get one of their other boxes and have been considering adding the YA box as well. Unfortunately it looks like all of the extras are the same for both boxes…. I wonder if I could get them to just add the YA book to my current box????
You could always email and see, right?!
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHA… Ahem. Pardon me…
I’m sure you and Atticus will work it out. Poor fuzzy dear, let him have the pumpkin!
And how can you not drink tea?! Honestly, I don’t like the kind that needs to be strained (the free leaves make me worry about choking on them). But I could not LIVE without tea!
And, yes, American pillows are that big. As a small American, I find a LOT of things here are too big for me and the rest of the hobbits.
ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME??? I AM BEING A PROFESSIONAL HERE. Also Atticus and I have somewhat worked it out after he sat in the kitchen and cried for ages because I said “no you cannot eat the tea strainer”. Also I showed my parents his love of the pumpkin and I think my mum nearly died of laughing. So 10/10 to this book box being a positive influence in my house.
I drink chai!! But aAGH I KNOW. I feel like I’m letting down my writerly soul here. I don’t drink coffee either though.😂It makes me sleepy.
I can’t even with how big your pillows are. I should’ve taken a size comparison photo haha.
I love the idea of authors leaving little notes in the book. That is a fantastic idea, also love the pillow case!
Isn’t it just though?!? I so freaking love the behind-the-scenes glimpses!
THESE LOOK AMAZING!!! I keep on seeing things about boxes, and most of them were about makeup (aka something I don’t use) AND NOW THERE’S ONE FOR BOOKS EEEEEEKKKKK YAAAAAAAY! I need to get one of these! 😄
(Sorry, I’m excited 😂)
Oh there are SO many for books!! BUT I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS ONE!! It’s pretty magical to have the author annotations!!
Whelp. You have me convinced. Also; whenever I read your posts, I always end up feeling 1298770292301239.7% better than I had before my lost soul decided to stumble upon your page. So, congrats. 😉
Another thing. Does the dog come with the box? Because if it does, I would seriously consider giving this company all my money for the rest of my life. So the answer is a big matter for me at this point.
Fabulous, dear! <3
xx Kenzie
THIS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. 😂😂 *throws confetti and passes you cake crumbs*
Honestly I’m about to put this dog in the box. He keeps EATING EVERYTHING that is the opposite of what he’s supposed to eat. I mean look at him?!? Does that look like a starving dog? NO. So why is he eating everything he can fit in his mouth. So yes, all yours. I’ll package him up now.
*celebratory pizza* EEEEEEEP, I CAN’T WAIT! 🙂
xx Kenzie
Alas, I am poor bookworm whose riches include three pennies and a piece of lint. BUT THE IDEA IS A LOVELY ONE. The dino tea strainer is adorable, and I think I will fight your mother for it. XD
I do understand!! We all need to fall down a goldmine, right?! That would be helpful. And omg you and my mum have fun with that. When I pulled it out of the box I was like: “what the heck is this” because apparently I’m uncultured.😂
Wait, wait, wait.-are you telling me your pillows AREN’T that big? I’m not even sure I WANT to try to wrap my brain around that bit of knowledge.
But this book box looks sooooo much fun! Lately I feel like I’ve been finding a million subscriptions boxes I absolutely 100% need in my life, but sadly there is not room for all of them 🙁 But I suppose if Cait says it’s good there’s really no arguing with that. Also, give your dog pets for me <3 Because I still don't know how to reach through the computer and pet all the cute animals myself and it makes me sad.
HOW ARE YOUR PILLOWS THAT BIG???????😂 I can’t wrap my brain around that. Like how do they even fit on your bed. I feel like I just fell down a culture difference hole here.😂
Agh yes I totally hear you about how many glorious boxes there are and choosing is haaaaard. I like how they manage to make them different too right?! Like Pagehabit does annotations and Owl Crate does exclusive covers, so that’s exciting!
My dog would probably eat you if you tried to pat him, but I’ll relay the message.
Hahaha! I love this. The little sticky notes are ADORABLE. All books should have these!! ALSO THE TEA STRAINER. And you should definitely make the pillowcase into a dress. Be a trendsetter!
I’ve never had a book box subscription. The thing is, they’re always surprises and I don’t like surprises. I want to buy the books that I want. But at the same time, I would get a present every month. I do like that Pagehabit let you pick a genre, that is super helpful. I might try it for a month and see how it goes??
I KNOW RIGHT?! I’m so ridiculously excited haha. 😂 I think all books need to be annotated from now on, like how fun is it to know the behind-the-scenes stuff. IT’S LIKE THE EXTRAS AT THE MOVIES.
I totally do understand about the surprises! I always get nervous I’ll double up on a book?! But yes! I do like how Pagehabit has options for different genres. :’)
WHAT I never knew I needed this. The author annotations?!?! It’s like a speshial giffffttttt *cries tears of joy*
IT IS SO COOL, RIGHT!?? I’m such a fan of annotated books now!
I (a.k.a. the library) have the Annotated Firebird Trilogy by Kathy Tyers. As a writer, the notes are intriguing. It’s an enormous vook though due to being the whole trilogy. I need to read the last book before I can’t renew it anymore.
It’s so cool to get a peek into what the author was thinking right?!
Oh yeah. And she’s taught at writers conferences which makes her angle all the better. She’s great at worldbuilding and complexity.
OMW THAT PILLOWCASE/DRESS/THING IS AMAZING.
AND ANNOTATED BOOKS?? #yesplease
YES THEY’RE SO COOL. I WISH ALL BOOKS WERE ANNOTATED NOW.
I love the idea of receiving a book with author annotations!! That would be so cool… I’ve only tried Owlcrate so far (mainly coz shipping is a bitch and I can’t afford it), but I might have to splurge on Page Habit…
Eeep, if you do, I hope you like it! I really love how they put their collection together. 😍 And free shipping is always nice.😂
That looks really cool! American pillows are in fact quite huge, mine especially. XD. That pumpkin looks absolutely squishable! I’m scared the jellybeans out of myself with those light-up toys too. I’ll definitely be checking Page Habit out!!!
YOUR PILLOWS ARE SO WEIRD.😂😂 All these tiny cultural things you don’t realise haha.
Totally!
I LOVE pagehabit! The annotations are always really fun, and I love the assortment of bookish related goods they include. I love that they donate some of the proceeds to literacy, and it makes me feel like I’m doing something good by subscribing. I get their horror box, because I used to love it in high school, and I wanted to get back into but wasn’t sure where to start…it’s a good way to get into something new. I also get their quarterly YA box, because the author, in addition to annotating the book chooses two other books to go with it.
I’ve considered the YA monthly box, but I’m a little worried about getting the same book and book-related goods for the quarterly and monthly box (when those two manage to happen) but it looks like the YA and horror boxes get some different things. Maybe I can just add the book to my existing horror box and see how that goes. I loved the pumpkin they included, and the pillow case is awesome. And yes, American pillows really are that big. 🙂 And no, your head does not look vanished. It’s too bad I’m too old to go trick-or-treating and that I have no children to take trick-or-treating because that pillow case is the PERFECT size for it.
Oh that’s awesome you get their boxes already!! 🎉🎉 I was going to say I think my free-shipping code works on any box, but I think it’s first order only? But I totally love their collections ahhh.
(Still weirded out about your pillow sizes hhhahaha.)
This looks so cool! I would love to read a book annotated by the author!
It’s so so freakishly amazing! I’M SUCH A FAN.
I’d love to get an annotated Jonathan Stroud book, preferably a Bartimaeus one.
I NEED TO READ HIS BOOKS SO BAD.😂
Okay wow, that is SO COOL! I’d love to do some kind of box thing in the future. I’m currently broke, so we’ll have to wait a while for that.😂 The fact that the author has little notes inside for you is awesome! So personal.
I totally understand!!😂 I hope you get to try one one day though!
*Hear the words ‘antisocial owl’* *Heaves head out of book* “Yes? You called?”
Seriously, that’s a great description of our amazing race of book-obsessed people… I want a t-shirt with something like ‘I am an antisocial owl… and proud of it!’ written on now.
I love the idea of book boxes. The though of getting a book in a box, with special extra things sounds so awesome. The best kind of post is books, and this is just pulling it up another notch… or twenty. One day I will be able to afford the beauty! 😀 Until then, I’ll just content myself with watching other people unpack them 😀 Watching other people get things makes me happy! (and maybe a teeny bit jealous, but hey… I’m human… maybe…!)
I’m still obsessing over your bookshelves!
<3
Bethany
Omg I need “antisocial owl” on a teeshirt I HAVE JUST REALISED.😂
Aww I’m so glad you enjoyed my unboxing!! And I hope one day you get to try a book box. (I’m hoping one day I can give one away.😂)
I ordered the November box because I entered a giveaway and won free shipping and an upgrade to get an extra book and the annotated thing seems SO amazing that I just had to try this out. After reading this, I’m even more excited to get it!
OH that’s so cool you won it!! I hope you enjoy! I’m really excited to see what the November book is going to be.😍
a) yes american pillows are rather big XD
b) you being scared by the pumpkin. i am laughing and you are the cutest thing ever
Ahhh how do you even with such big pillows?!?😂
they’re so snuggly???? how big//small are your pillows???