So here's the lovely box in all it's glory. It probably wasn't my wisest move to take a pic of the box against a teal blanket when the book is sort of teal. Lesson learned.
The book is the Papermill Press edition. Several other books from previous boxes have been from this company. I cannot say enough about the quality of the book. The cover is a sort of papery texture and the embossing is absolutely beautiful. The rest of the box is Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa, a lovely mug, Hay Straws, a cute puzzle, a denim bookmark, and huckleberry starlights in a little metal pail.
See, the book is gorgeous! My one pet peeve with these books is that reading them is a little bit of a challenge. I don't want to mess up the spine because the book is so pretty, so holding it open without bending the spine back starts to be tricky after 50 or so pages. Otherwise, no complains. The inside of the book is just as nice as the outside, very high quality pages with print that's just the right size.
This bookmark is just too much. I love the denim and really like how durable it is. It doesn't look fragile and will look super cute sticking up out of the book. Hopefully the metal bookmark-style clip won't damage the book pages. As long as it doesn't hurt the book, it will be getting a lot of use because I think it's awfully cute!
I love the vintage cover look of this mug, it's perfect. Of all the mugs, this one might be among my favorites... do I say that every time? I really like the colors and the fact that even though it's not the same pic from the front of the book, the water and scenery on the mug is close to the same color as the book cover which really helps pull the whole theme together. Same with the label on the cocoa, the teal really pulls it together.
I haven't tried the hot cocoa yet because, well, it's July/August so it's pretty warm. But, I'm going to try it in the morning. I'm sure that it'll be great as they have all been. While I've liked some more than others, I love all things chocolate. So no review about the cocoa just now, but I do love the packaging!
Cute, right? I don't have a single surface anywhere that's clear of clutter, but I may have to make space (cleaning, yuck!) so that I can put this little puzzle together. I love the soft watercolor-like image.
So far, the treats have been fairly spot on. The only one so far that I've flat out disliked was last month's savory trail mix, which I passed on to Matt. This month's treat has been a lovely surprise. They're huckleberry starlights. Though they look like mints, they absolutely aren't. I was a little bit concerned about putting it into my mouth because I am allergic to mint, it gives me migraines. But. it didn't smell like mints and I was so thoroughly delighted at the flavor. They are so good and look at that gorgeous purple color. This one's a win.
I saved the best and, perhaps, most confusing thing, for last. These are long and short Hay Straws. They obviously fit the box's theme perfectly. What I love about them, once I figured out what they are, is that they are eco-friendly and biodegradable straws. They're not plastic (which is destroying the world, just sayin'). They're natural, compostable, and can be used in either hot or cold drinks. Very cool. A nice touch that's environmentally friendly.
Overall impression of this month's box: Wonderful!! Just like all of the other boxes, it's beautifully curated and came in a lovely, deep blue photo box. From the treat to the bookish goodies, this box is a winner. I cannot wait to jump in to the book and mark it off my reading list. I will soon no longer be the only English major in the world who hasn't read Huck Finn.
**Absolutely not a paid endorsement, I pay for this subscription every month. I just love the product.
**Absolutely not a paid endorsement, I pay for this subscription every month. I just love the product.
