Are they worth it? | Subscription Box Update #Fairyloot #Illumicrate // 2022

Hey everyone,

I have been getting these boxes for 2 years now and I think I might need to start making some changes!

Social Links:
Instagram - notsosecretbookaholic

[tirzahviolin]

Just this past year, I started getting book boxes from Fairyloot, and maybe it's the newness, but I love it so much! The little bookish merch that comes with the box is so exciting and the books are generally so beautiful. have i read any of them? . . . not yet, but i will. 😅 I'm sure i will eventually get bored of all the extra clutter and the books, but for now, it's one of my happy things. and I'm going to let myself enjoy it and get excited about it while it lasts. 😊🥰

[teresaharris-travelbybooks]

I've read all of the books I've gotten from Illumicrate. There were a couple of books that I didn't think I'd like, but surprisingly, I did enjoy them and they have helped to diversify my reading choices.

[bookventures_of_a_wildflower]

I really resonate with what you said in the second half of this video. Before The whole Bookstagram scene I didn't feel so pressured to have all the special editions just to have matching ones. I have been subscribed to Fairyloot with some tiny financial breaks since 2017 and Illumicrate since 2018. After a while I switched to book only but I needed to make some changes and decided to cancel FL because of the growing issues I had with them. It was impossible to complete the sets, both boxes have their sale in a way where if you have a job it is very hard to actually be there on time and spend 15-20 mins purchasing a book. Which for me sort of beats the purpose of having special edition books. For now I am content to have IC as it is still less populated than the FL scene and been eyeing the locked library (their book choices so far weren't my cup of tea). As you said I purchase so many books on my own and tend to actually read those and am behind with the book box ones :D. I also feel that the adult choices for FL aren't as Adult as I expected so I have decided to cancel that as well after the March book and just skipped Jan and Febr.

[Britt_V]

Yup I’m deliberating which book box sub I enjoy the only one I think I’ll keep for sure is Illumicrate and that is purely because they have unlimited skips so I can always skip if I’m not interested

[BooksToAshes]

I used to get sub boxes but they were getting really pricey after 2020. I would love book boxes with only books in it like the adult fairyloot box but a bit cheaper (at least for me personally since I don't have room for clutter I don't use, even if it's really pretty). I might still pick some up in the future when I have the money, but even then it was fun while it lasted but I never usually read/enjoy the books anyway so I'd rather spend the money on books I know I'll like instead.

[Allenro]

Yeah, can't say I'm a huge fan of the items. Pretty to look but wouldn't use like 90% of them. The editions are definitely beautiful but in my case I barely ever read YA and now that you showed all the Adult Fairyloot ones I would not have called most of those proper Adult lol. There is definitely something to be said about FOMO with the way these special editions work, but you are not reading most of them anyway so what would be the point? Use the money instead to get all the gorgeous editions that you really want. Broken Binding has been stepping up their game sooo much.

[MeMyshelfAndI]

This is my own philosophy on book buying and book boxes. I had a lot of FOMO but also am privileged for now that I have a job that pays well enough for these luxuries. Nevertheless, I overanalyze everything and am hyper-opinionated, lmao. That said--

Personally, my hit rate with YA is much lower. So I wouldn't get a FL YA sub, but I did pick up 2 of their books (after I read and liked them) on the secondhand market (possibly for less cost than the book-only sub would've cost me, even) because I really liked those specific editions. In general, apart from sequels and book boxes, I only ever buy books I've already read through my library and know I will re-read or smile every time I see it on my shelf. I know some people like a big physical TBR, but that's not my vibe.

In 2021 the IC titles appealed to me more, but in 2022 Fairyloot Adult had a bunch of books that I didn't just love, but make it in my top books of the year. Their upgrades were more lackluster when they launched, but I think at the end of 2022 they started getting a lot better-- and I've already read the December book twice in the second half of this month, so it's definitely in the running to be a favourite of 2023.


Eventually I'd like to do both a cost analysis and a Marie-Kondo-ing:
1. if I cancelled my subscription and had to buy only the books I really loved on the secondhand market at higher rates, would that cost more or less than the subscription? (eg maybe I only love 2 books a year, so buying them at double the price would still save me 8mos worth of money and 10mos of mediocre reads)
2. does receiving the book box in the mail/subsequently having that special edition on my shelf bring me joy?


For now I am content to skip months that don't interest me and to sell books that flopped at cost. (Paying attention to the monthly speculations really helps me be more accurate with my skips, but it's not as useful if you enjoy the surprise.)

[AbiofPellinor]

TWO! You've only read TWO?! Omg CHELS what happened to joining me in reading them the month after they came out?! 😂😂 I won't lie (as I've mentioned to you before) I'm a wee bit jealous of some of the items you've got haha. But not enough to make me resubscribe!

🙌Fed🙌Up🙌Of🙌Book🙌Boxes!🙌 - I get the FOMO too, definitely, but I just know that it doesn't feel worth it for me when I actually get the boxes.

There was one double book from Illumicrate, I really enjoyed The Ivory Key to be fair!

So I've only got one subscription box now, which is Goldsboro's GSFF box. Which I love! 💛💜

[samreads.]

I’ve been subbed to Illumicrate just short of 2 years and always read the book within the month. From the 22 books I’ve only given four 5*, but ten have been 4* or 4.5*, seven were 3* and only one was a DNF (which was the latest one, The Red Scholar). I enjoy the items for the most part too. However I only get the one box so it’s easy for me to keep up and not get swamped. Your collection is fabulous but I get what you’re saying, if you’re not drawn to read the books it’s probably time to ditch one of the subs. Apart from Illumicrate I’ve switched to getting books from the library and only buying them if I know I loved them, but totally get that FOMO and having a YouTube channel are big factors for having all the boxes too!!! Love your channel 😊

[LisadoesLife]

I'm very interested in belladonna x

[TravelWhispers]

Hey can anyone please tell me if subscription price of fairyloot include price of book or do we need to pay extra for books

[TuftyMcTavish]

💛 The books look splendid, but the tchotchkes that get included always seemed like clutter to me. I get the FOMO, I especially get the matching books aspect, and I’m very guilty of hauling and not reading too, but the only time I duplicate books is when I’m getting them to match in size or I very, very specifically want that edition - e.g. Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Children of Time” trilogy SE set from The Broken Binding. I think I prefer to order what I want rather than have somebody else choose what to send me in a subscription. And when their ‘rules’ are designed to discourage opting out and back in again for the items you want, that’s me walking away or not playing the game I’m afraid. The looks do look absolutely splendid though, truly. Also loved the analysis of your problem on camera - very interesting to hear the thought process behind these significant choices/decisions 💜

[acidburnsaya]

babel depressed me so much. it was not good for my mental health