City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

CITY OF GIRLS BY ELIZABETH GILBERT

“…at some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

Specifics:

Book: City of Girls

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert

Published: 4^th June’19

Genre: Romance fiction, Domestic fiction, Historical fantasy

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Pages: 210

My rating: 4/5

*City of Girls*, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Source: Google

Blurb:

In 1940, nineteen-year-old Vivian Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College, owing to her lackluster freshman-year performance. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconventional and charismatic characters, from the fun-chasing showgirls to a sexy male actor, a grand-dame actress, a lady-killer writer, and no-nonsense stage manager.

But when Vivian makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand. Ultimately, though, it leads her to a new understanding of the kind of life she craves-and the kind of freedom it takes to pursue it. It will also lead to the love of her life, a love that stands out from all the rest.

Now ninety-five years old and telling her story at last, Vivian recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life – and the gusto and autonomy with which she approached it. At some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time, she muses. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is. Written with a powerful wisdom about human desire and connection, City of Girls is a love story like no other.

“Nothing will uproot your life more violently than true love—at least as far as I’ve always witnessed.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

“Sometimes it’s just true that other people have better ideas for your life than you do.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

Review:

City of girls is the most hilarious and real story I have ever read for a historical fiction. It is in the form of a letter by Ms Vivian Morris (an old lady at the time) who writes to Angela (also an old lady), the story of how she met her father and what her father means to her. (Major How I Met Your Mother vibes but the kid does not belong to the narrator in this case)

I have so much to say that I do not know where to begin. The writing style is an absolute delight. The character of Vivian is so well constructed. You grow with her and fond of her as the story progresses. The story has everything. It has happiness, struggle, success, failures, darkness, deaths and basically all aspects of life but there is one thing that does not miss throughout and that is the humour. I had a blast reading this.

It not only shows us the life of a teenage girl and her relationships and adaptations to a new city but also gives us a look into the life of theater. The story is based in the time after the WWI and continues into the WWII and the aftermath. For a long while, it did not feel like fiction at all. It incorporated the events before, during and after the war down to the dates and I feel like kids these days are really lucky that they get to remember their history lessons through masterpieces like these.

I so badly want to visit New York City after reading the book. I want to go to the places mentioned and feel the nostalgia through the story. I also am a huge fan of Elizabeth Gilbert for her vocabulary. I feel like I’ve learned so many new words and I won’t be lying when I say that I had to go through the dictionary to understand a few of them.

The story has also given us insights into the then lifestyle of New-Yorkers and speaks about all those things that were considered abnormal that are totally normal now – LGBTQ relationships, Independent women, Having a baby out-of-wedlock, Single mothers parenting, Non-violence, Soft-hearted boys.

Overall, this was a very good read and I rate it 4/5 stars.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Starting with the beautiful story, I could see myself in Vivie’s shoes. The mistakes she made, the way she got carried away and finally, the way she stood on her own and took care of herself. She grew from a clumsy teenager to a powerful and strong woman and that was amazing.

City of girls, the play, was a pleasant surprise to be honest. I was not expecting the title to be more than just what it says. I thought it was New York City and the life of the girls that were being introduced to us. I have always been intrigued by theater (not acting, just watching) and having these insights into the making, performing and the aftermath of a play and the life in the theater kept me hooked to the story.

The details into the war were such a good addition. The deaths in the story, though not too disturbing to me, were heart breaking.

Who isn’t obsessed with weddings? I definitely am. And when Vivie and Marjorie start the L’Atelier together, I was not disappointed. That was my favourite part of the entire story.

The ending was so heartwarming! I knew from the moment I heard this random guy calling Vivie “a dirty little whore” on that car ride that he was bound to make a comeback and he did. I loved how Vivie found pure and true love without any expectations with Frank, I was overjoyed. This was so special and precious. I was so happy for the both of them and my eyes were wet all along.

“When women are gathered together with no men around, they don’t have to be anything in particular; they can just be”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

The mammoth of characters that the author created cannot be left untouched.

Vivian Morris: My beautiful, stupid but smart (because she made mistakes and learned from them) is the most relatable character that I have read since a really long time. I absolutely loved her. I guess love is an understatement as I want to be her and live her life. The way she faces change and embraces everything and keeps moving on is commendable. I love her quirky sense of humour and her beautiful soul. She was a very well written character.

Peg: The cool aunt that has seen it all, Peg owns the Lilly play house and she lives life to the fullest. She has a drinking problem and has a lover that picks up after her. She also has a husband that she has not divorced. She worked as a nurse in the World War I but later decided to entertain people with plays. She is such a mood honestly.

Olive: The back bone of every pivotal character in the novel, she is the reason why people could do what they did and not really bear the repercussions. I love how strong and focused she was.

Majorie: The woman behind the bridal boutique and the material hoarder for Vivie. This was such an amazing duo. While she mainly supported Vivie and lifted up her character. She, deciding on becoming a single mother back then and doing it with sass spoke volumes to me. I loved the little dysfunctional but happy family that they build together.

Uncle Billy: The wicked but clear headed husband of Peg who doesn’t care for anyone but himself is the healthy representation of everyone in this world these days. He is so creative and City of Girls was a masterpiece after all. He knew it even before he wrote it that it would be a hit. I live for that level of confidence. He is also selfish which I guess is his best-worst trait.

Frank: One word that comes to my mind when I say his name is… ‘CUTE’, so cute, so freaking cute! I love the author speaks of PTSD utilizing the war situation. I also love that Frank was naive and he hated that about himself. He paid for what he said one day to a stranger due to an inferiority complex by regretting it his entire life. I love that he loved his daughter so much even though he couldn’t be close to her. I do feel bad for his wife though. I legit cried when Vivie said that they became comfortable enough to hold hands.

Celia: The queen of show girls, Vivie’s first inspiration and a complete rebel who would figure out her way by hook or by crook. Her confidence knew no bounds. She was also reserved but not really, if that makes sense. I am glad she turned out fine. She was a bad influence on Vivie but you need both in your life.

Edna Parker Watson: Probably the one with the strongest will power and an absolute sass queen. The only thing I didn’t like is how she handled the cheating. Celia had to quit her job, Vivie had to go home but her husband got to stay? Why? How? My favourite dialogues of hers are when she warns Vivie after the scandal. She was really well written.

Anthony: I hate him. I hate him so much. He hurt my Vivie. But also, wasn’t he hurt by her too? I had a gut feeling that he was never right for Vivie and guess who was right? ME! That’s right! ME!!!

Walter: If you need an example of all the things a spouse shouldn’t be, it is Walter.

“You must learn in life to take things more lightly, my dear. The world is always changing. Learn how to allow for it.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

“Let us not become so cautious that we forget to live.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

Pros:

Good storytelling
Will improve your vocabulary
LGBTQ +
Has strong female characters
Very good incorporation of the world wars
Insights into the world of theater
Creative and hilarious
A beautiful love story
Will improve your vocabulary
Subtly talks about mental issues like PTSD and Inferiority complex

“Not many people know how to be satisfied.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

Cons:

A few triggers like war and death
May seem boring or stretched out in a few parts

“Lucky is the soul whose only troubles are self-inflicted.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert

23 Things I Learned before turning 23

23 THINGS I LEARNED BEFORE TURNING 23

Life does not give you lemons, it barely even gives you a seed

I don’t want to break anyone’s hearts with this but life does not lay down anything for you. You sure get a push from your family but everything else depends on what you want and how much you are willing to work for it. So grab all those opportunities and work towards making your life what you want it to be.

Injustice is everywhere

A hard but necessary thing to know and digest to survive is that the world is an unjust place. The harder truth is that it is not easy to stand against that. It will probably make your life a living hell if you try to oppose it. But, always choose truth and always choose justice, even though choosing the opposite side or turning the other way and acting like you don’t notice seems an easy way out.

There are battles to be fought, always, but you need to choose them at the right time, age and place or they will go unheard.

Like I have said, the world is an unjust place. Fighting to change that or minding your own business is totally up to you. If you chose the former, let me tell you that there are hundreds, if not thousands of battles to select from and you cannot choose them all or your efforts will be unaccounted for. You need to give yourself some time and decide on what you feel for the most and what you can actually bring a change in. It all depends on being in the right place in the right time.

Your parents are always going to be there when you fall back

My family is my backbone. They support me through everything that I do and they make sure that I feel comfortable while I am at it. They also keep me in check, making sure that I am not going out of line with anything. While they are subtle at showering their love, they definitely don’t hold it in. And know that while you are trying to reach the sky and you fall, they will always be there to pick you up and set you soaring again.

HARD WORK will pay off, always!

Sometimes, it will feel like whatever you do, you will end up a failure. It will feel like, how much ever effort you put in, you will never grow. But that is a lie that you are telling yourself. Hard work will pay off eventually if you are sincere, honest and working towards the right goals.

Friends are important

I feel weird to even state this because I cannot imagine surviving without my friends but there may come a time in everyone’s lives where you might feel better alone, where being around people will feel like a task. It will be an irony that the very friends that you are trying to pull away from will come to your rescue. Also, what is life and its achievements when you do not have your friends to share it with?

COMMUNICATE

You might be feeling low, you might be feeling disrespected, you might be feeling ignored or you might be feeling devastated by somebody’s actions. But, are you certain that they know that they caused this? Tell them! If not for them, then for your piece of mind! Tell them, clear the air and breathe.

Be GRATEFUL

To be holding a phone or a laptop in your hands while sipping in a cool/hot drink under a roof with WiFi and electricity is a privilege. The fact that you can read is a privilege. Many people do not even have enough resources to eat three times a day. Be grateful about everything and everybody in your life.

Always be kind to everyone

You never know what a person is going through. I am not asking you to be kind to a person even though they are outright rude to you, but in any other situation, it won’t kill us to be kind to a human or an animal. In fact, it might just brighten up that moment of their day. Spread smiles and be kind.

Do not judge a book by its cover

Again, you never know what the opposite person is going through. You cannot decide on the character of a person based on one encounter with them. You cannot know what cause them to behave in that moment. You will never understand a person until you go close to walking in their shoes. So, treat people without judgment and give them time. I have personally been bullied for having a loud personality and it killed me during the first years of my degree. It falls easy as we get used to it but if only people gave me a chance, I would have spent the first year of college being more cheerful and less depressed and that would have made a huge difference.

Listen

Listen, not to reply but to understand! Listen to people, know their perspectives. Even though they are wrong or misplaced in their opinions, always be the one who listens and not the one who preaches. Listen to people’s misery, their problems, their joy and listen to the unvoiced thoughts behind their words. Who knows? You might just save a life!

YOLO (have a hobby)

Leading a monotonous life is not going to take you anywhere. While you may love your job or studies, that shouldn’t become your entire life. Have a hobby or two or more if you please. Do something just because it makes you smile with glee. Do something that won’t have any deadlines. Do something that won’t bring you any stress while you’re at it. After all, you only live once.

Do everything you can when you have the energy

Let’s face it: you will never be as young as you are in this moment. Make the most of your youth and do everything you can when you are here. Travel, Read, Dance, Party, Learn and whatever else you want to do, do it while you have the energy to do so.

It’s okay to take time for yourself doing nothing

You are your prime importance and it is okay to feel tired. Occasionally, take time for yourself and relax. The fun part is that you get to choose your definition of ‘RELAX’.

Do not give up

Life is hard and a few situations need time along with effort to get over. DO NOT GIVE UP! Eventually, time will heal everything and hard times will pass. Just stand strong and keep working.

Show off your flaws as brilliantly as you would show off your strengths

Nobody is perfect! If someone is, it is definitely a hoax. There will be people that you do not even know exist looking up to you and trying to do what you are doing, trying to become what you are. Don’t fake it. Show it all off. I AM A CLUMSY IDIOT WHO HAS THE WORST PRONUNCIATIONS IN THE WORLD AND I CANNOT COOK. It ain’t easy because of this judgmental world but once you’ve said it out, it feels much better and it is the right thing to do.

Read

I think that, every person on this planet should try and take pleasure in the art of reading at least once in their lifetime. It is just such a holy thing to do and you will only know the fruits of it once you’ve done it.

Speak out

Life is too short to mind your own business. If you have a voice, use it. Use it to bring down the hate spreading, misogynistic, biased, racist fools out there and make the world a better place. Fight for your voice to be heard and fight to raise the fallen. (WOMAN POWER, AM I RIGHT?)

Help a soul out

If you can help one person with one meal or contribute to 1% of their treatment or even help them cross the road, do it. Life is hard for a lot of people and if we are in a condition to do good by them, then we should. The world will be such a better place if everyone decides on that.

Celebrate every little win

Setting up an alarm at 5 am and waking up counts as a win. Doing 10 squats instead of 9 effortlessly is a win. Scoring 1% more than your last time is a win. Managing to get a good sleep in your whirlwind schedule is a win. Take a moment to appreciate yourself. Celebrate every little win and encourage and push yourself to do more.

Sit back and enjoy nature

They say that, ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Sometimes, I feel like I can just live out my entire life staring at the magnificent wonder that Mother Nature is. It feels good to appreciate it every now and then. Do not miss out on that. Stare at the bird trying to build its nest, stare at the bees collecting nectar, stare at the leaves floating in the wind, stare at the clouds covering the sun, stare at the blanket of stars in the night sky, stare and breathe, take it all in and FEEL ALIVE.

Be selfish

No one is obligated to pick up your life after you. No one should be obligated to do that. Just like, you are not obligated to look out for someone else’s life. The most alluring lesion I have learned is that you have to be selfish and it is okay. CHOOSE YOURSELF! I think I can write an entire blog on the whys and the hows because it is that important.

LOVE YOURSELF FIRST

To truly spread love and happiness, you need to learn how to love yourself, first. You are an amazing person with an amazing personality and you can do wonders with that heart of yours. Love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love everything about yourself. EMBRACE and ACCEPT who you are and what you have. That will be your first step towards a happy and peaceful life.

I cannot believe I am an MBBS graduate about to turn 23 anytime. Life is hitting me hard right now. I hope everyone is in self quarantine and is staying hydrated. Help people that are unable to afford their meals and be kind to one another. Next time I post, I will be 23. Until then, bye.

The Wilder Girls by Rory Power

WILDER GIRLS BY RORY POWER

“I think I’d been looking for it all my life,
a storm in my body to match the one in my head”
– Rory Power

Specifics:

Book: Wilder Girls

Author: Rory Power

Published: 9^th July’19

Genre: Suspense, YA Fiction

Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)

Pages: 353

My rating: 3/5

Blurb:

It’s been eighteen months since Raxter School for girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.

It started slow. First the teachers died, one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange. Left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. As it seeps into everything, they wait for the cure they were promised.

But when her best friend Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her – even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie outside. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to the Tox and their life at Raxter, than she ever thought possible.

“We don’t get to choose what hurts us”
– Rory Power

Review:

I am writing this review as we are living through what might be the real life incarnation of Wilder Girls. Well, we are at least on a path to destruction where we might end up being the girls in the book.

Two words I would use to describe the book would be ‘Surreal’ and ‘Incomplete’. Surreal because of the outstanding creation of a fictional world so close to reality with an introduction of plant/body horror and incomplete because we deserve to know more than what we got. The book gives us a lot of STRANGER THINGS and AURORA RISING vibes.

I have never read anything of this sort. Plant/ Body horror is really new to me and it came off as a pleasant surprise. Gore is my guilty pleasure. (American horror story fan here!!) This kind of gore was completely untapped by my brain but as they say, ‘better late than never’.

The story telling is good and smooth. It isn’t really innovative but I like the flow. The premise is well set and keeps us hooked. At a point, it kind of feels dragged on and low-key boring but the author almost revived herself with the last chapters. I say almost because we are left with a lot of unanswered questions.

If this book was not a standalone and the next part was to be released, I probably would have rated it with more than 4 stars. Can we sign a petition requesting the Ms Rory Power to do that? Please!!!

Given that the girls are on a lock-down, we aren’t introduced to many characters but among the ones that are introduced, the author managed to showcase grown-up teenagers (given the situation) in a really powerful way.

The plot is also made stronger with subtle mentions of politics, relationships and military experiments. The only thing that is bothering me that a lot of threads have been left hanging and I am unable to shake off the feeling of being kept in the dark.

I rate the book, 3 out of 5 stars.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

I kept mentioning that there are unanswered questions. The most pressing ones are the following:

Was this a natural disease or an experiment?
If this was natural, why were the girls and their families lied to?
Why was the headmistress less affected and had more information?
If what Ms Welch claims is true, why was the food tampered with?
Why did the Tox affect different people differently?
If this was an experiment, by whom and why?
Did the girls escape out alive and what happened next?

I have a ton more questions but needless to say, we can totally get a book 2.

Coming to my favourite parts of the story… I had quite a few parts I liked. The friendship between the girls was amazing, the love and longing Reese had for her father, Ms Welch secretly looking out for the girls in her own little way, the Tox being a worm that crawls and takes control of your body, the Tox being more tolerated by women (biased feminism, I know) and I love the details about the Raxter blue’s and the Raxter Irises. My most favourite parts were the once involving Byatt. They were mysterious and Sci-fi and I really enjoyed them.

“And I’ve wanted boys, and I’ve wanted girls, but I’ve never wanted anyone enough to miss them”
– Rory [Power

Characters:

Hetty: Hetty is a strong willed girl with questionable choices but she is a teenager and that is definitely allowed. She loves her friends, especially Byatt and will go to any extremes to protect them or make their day. She is in love with Reese with whom she has a complicated relationship. She is good at shooting and she is a tad bit impulsive. I liked her. The Tox shut her eye close.

Byatt: My favourite character from the book! She is intelligent, quirky and also a good friend. I love her interactions with Paretta. Her parts of the story were my favourite. I really needed more of her. The best part is when she picks up a scalpel and cuts through to get to the Tox and yank it out of her body. I feel like she is brave and I love her. The Tox gave her a second back bone.

Reese: Dealing with her own personal problems while trying to fit into the friendship between Hetty and Byatt, Reese initially comes off as a selfish teen. Eventually we discover how the Tox destroyed her father and she has an encounter with him. With more insights into her life, it is clear that she isn’t as arrogant as she wants us (Hetty) to believe. Losing your father twice can take a deadly toll on you.

Ms Welch: The kind Ms Welch! I feel terrible for all that she has to deal with. While acting to be a part of the management, she tries her best to protect as many girls as possible. It is a hard choice and a dangerous one too, but she does it. The way she gets herself killed when she realizes that she cannot do anything else is heart-wrenching.

That was a good book and I would love to read more of this genre. Shout-out to M from @dragon_not_a_worm for being a miraculously talented editor and an amazing virtual valentine with whom I shared the pleasure of reading the book.

**This amazing edit is by M @dragon_not_a_worm.**
You can check this post and his review by clicking here.

Reasons to read the book:

A unique and powerful writing style
Unique concept of Plant/ Body horror (Aurora rising and stranger things vibes)
LGBTQ plus literature
Fast read
Depicts a strong friendship

Cons:

Feels incomplete (there are a lot of lose threads and unanswered questions)
There is a lot of anticipation but it’s just anticipation which does not really lead up to anything
Body horror/Plant horror can be triggering
Needs a sequel or your life will feel incomplete like mine

“They told us to wait and stay alive and we thought it would be easy.”
– Rory Power

12 Things the 12 Months of Internship Have Taught Me

12 things the 12 months of internship has taught me

Be selfish

Why am I starting with this? Because though this was the most painful thing to learn and took me the longest, it was the most important lesson that I have learned. It is alright to choose yourself over anything and everybody, even though it means that the opposite person would possibly be offended by it. Because, by asking to choose them over you, they are already being selfish. I am much happier since I started choosing myself and being selfish when it comes to having some me time or saying no to people invading my personal space.

Mental health is important

I know this a myth in India and that it is overlooked but mental health should be your top priority. Especially if you are working over 8-12 hours a day, sometimes more than a day at a stretch, without proper food, sleep, water, washrooms even, stress tends to get to you and if you aren’t mentally stable, it makes it a 100 times harder.

Look out for yourself

Life is tough! It only gets tougher if you wait for help and be a damsel in distress. So, look out for yourself. Make sure you are not being taken advantage of, make sure you are not being used and make sure you are not being disrespected. Once you start overlooking these things, it will get easier for people to keep doing it. So, put your foot down and stand up for yourself.

Enjoy!

Well! Needless to say, these are your last days that can be spent being irresponsible. After this, BOOM! LIFE WILL HAPPEN! It’s a race that you have to win. At the end of the race, there may be anything waiting – a PG seat, a job, an MBA or even a wedding, but it will get real. So, while you’re at it, make the most of it. Enjoy and make memories and strengthen your bonds. While you’re at it, may be making a video to show off to your future generations is a good option.

Have empathy

Empathy isn’t something that comes easy because we live in a selfish, selfish world. But when you chose a profession that burns brighter as it serves others, Empathy is something that is a necessity, if you do not want your life to feel like a task. I have been mocked because I speak freely and with contempt with the suffering. I have been asked to stop doing that because I am above them, apparently. But, when the patients look up at me and smile, tell me that it feels nice when I approach them, tell me that they are glad that I am here, that they are a little less scared for their lives, even though all I did was smile and talk to them, it feels freaking amazing. It also makes my long working hours and the efforts that I put it worth it.

You can learn something from everyone

Everyone who has spent at least a day more than you in the hospital has something to teach you. It may be a clinical skill, management of a case or even teaching you how to deal with patient’s relatives, everyone can teach you something or the other. Treat everyone well and learn from everyone.

Not everyone is what they claim to be

It gets obvious as time passes by that people lie to get their work done. It is painful to see that these people are the ones you’ve known since a really long time. Betrayal, Lies, Bigotry runs deep amongst them. Almost everyone has a mask on and it gets harder as we keep realizing this. Bottom line is, TRUST NO ONE with your life and work.

Stand your ground

We have opinions. As well educated and well raised humans, they are strong opinions. All opinions do not have to be the opinions of the majority. All opinions do not have to be 100% right. But if it is what you feel is the best, then stand for it. Others will try to make fun of it, undermine it, and do everything they can to make you change your mind. While it is good to have an open and sporty outlook and correcting your mistakes, it is not okay to let others rule your choices. Be strong and prosper.

Mind your own business

This should be our way of life, tbh! Everyone is dealing with their own problems. You are dealing with your own problems. The best thing you can do is to not let yourself get involved with others matters and get tangled in too deep. It will only make your life miserable (than it already is!) So, keep to yourself and let others deal with their shit by themselves.

Read! It will get you through

When I say read, I do not exactly mean read. I mean find a hobby. Find a hobby that will make you look forward to something to do after long hours at work. Have a good thing in your life. For me, it was reading books. It can be working out for some, studying for PG for others (these people are highly dedicated and out of the world and I do not belong to this category) or cooking or art. Having a book with me all the time helped me get through most of the long hours. However stressful the work was, I would always come back to relax with a few pages of the book and it was a good feeling to have.

WOMEN are very strong beings but they can also be raised in an environment where they feel otherwise and are okay with it

This is probably the hardest truths that I had to digest. I could not believe it in the beginning. I could not understand how on Earth someone can be okay with being stepped on. I could not believe that the offenders were winning and the offended took pride in supporting them. I thought them to be fools. It was only later that I realized that they do not think this to be offensive at all. It is how they watched the world function and it is how they learned to be. Do I want to change their outlooks and empower them? YES! Do I want to tell them and make them understand that there is no sex that is superior? DOUBLE YES!! Can I do it right now when I have a thousand things happening in my life that I haven’t figured out yet? Unfortunately, NO! I have however learned to surround myself with people that resonate with my thoughts so that some day in the future, I will be strong enough to do it.

Choosing silence is okay sometimes, especially if it is beneficial to your mental health

You cannot fight every evil. You cannot always win the arguments even though you are right because some people are ignorant and it isn’t your job to change them or their thought process. Sometimes, even though it would kill you to zip your mouth, it would affect you even more to open it. So, stay mentally sane and read on.

And just like that, my 365 days of internship are done. YAAAAAAAY!!!!!

The Starless Sea Box from books and beyond

EXPERIENTIAL BOX

The Starless Sea was such a phenomenon by the end of 2019 and early January. A lot of subscription boxes were made surrounding this box and one unique attempt at it was an ‘EXPERIENTIAL BOX’ by the team of ‘Books and Beyond’. (Ig: @booksnbeyondbox)

An experiential box is one where the merchandise are inspired from the book and to be exact from a part of the story and they are wrapped up with instructions so you can open them after reaching that part of the story.

The starless sea has such a beautiful and mind-blowing story and that effect was accentuated by this box. The box arrived with a hardcover of The Starless Sea, a black envelope which contained tarot cards which were to be opened after at least 5 chapters, a Christmas greeting, a letter explaining the box and 8 surprises with page numbers written on them.

To view my live unboxing without spoilers, click on the button below.

Spoiler-free unboxing experience

Now, that you know how the box is without spoilers lets dig into the contents that the envelopes uncover.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern in Hardcover

This is a stunning hardcover with an amazing smell. You won’t be able to resist reading it for long. Click below to read my review.

Review of The Starless Sea

The Tarot Cards

Enclosed in a black envelope were the beautiful Tarot cards. They were black and had gold foiled work on it. They have a common design on the back with what appears to be stardust and a bee, a key and a sword. The cards are – Owl, Fate, Moon, Time, Star and Heart. All of them are beautiful and surreal. The team of books and beyond used gloves to put them in the envelope for us. They shine so bright, I will be blind if I do not stop looking at them.

Coming to the items that were unraveled as I went on with reading the book:

Page 8: A WAX SEAL AND GOLDEN WAX CANDLE

A golden wax candle with a beautiful design to one corner and a wax seal that has a bee on it are the first merch that we open. They are of wonderful quality and are absolutely adorable. I tried to get a perfect seal but failed but managed to click okayish pictures of it.

Page 16: Custom engraved wooden diary

The diary on the inside has an any year calendar, conversion tables and plenty of pages for notes but what is striking is the cover. It is engraved with a bee, a sword and a key. The engraved parts are golden somehow and reflect light. I feel like I have received the worth that I paid for the box already.

Page 62: Wooden door

This door which was a part of the orders that were placed only for books as well as the boxes is a canvas. It is canvas for us to paint our imaginations out and show it to the world.

Page 75: A key

A key to open a door. Probably a door to our inner selves (I have read the book and fallen for it too deeply). It is a beautiful key that may be can work as a bookmark too. It definitely makes an amazing prop for pictures though.

Page 85: A necklace with the sword key chain

This is so pretty; I am wearing it as I type this post out. The sword is so well detailed. It has a cat face on the top and is adorable to wear.

Page 155: A Bookish Tote

A perfect representation of Eleanor’s boat sailing the starless sea of honey with the words – ‘To seek and to find’ written on it. The design is on both the sides and it is of a good quality.

Page 327: An art-print

Allegra, the painter paints her last painting before leaving the starless sea. The description could not have been transferred onto paper better than this. It has Zachary and Dorian surrounded by bees and keys and it feels like there is only one heart. The author’s description was so aptly translated onto the canvas. This does it justice.

Page 372: A custom enamel pin

The beautiful, holy enamel pin says we are all stardust and stories. It is my favourite line from the book and the pin is so beautiful. It is just holy. I mean, just look at that. They couldn’t have ended the unboxing in a better way.

This was one of a kind experience and rumour has it that the team is already working on another experiential box that might come out sometime after June. If you missed this one, try and get your hands on that. Get ready to have your mind blown though.

View my complete unboxing of this box with spoilers by clicking on the button below.

Complete Unboxing

Travel Blog #1 – Lonavala

LONAVALA

In between all the long, tiring hours of work and frustration, I took the first chance I got to test if my mind can find salvation. I fidgeted with the maps and realized that the closest tourist destination, around 740 kilometers away, was LONAVALA.

It had a lot to offer, this place. Sunset and sunrise points, forts, waterfalls, gardens and what not. Unfortunately, the rainy season was not generous over that area and all my hopes at enjoying nature were thrashed and I found out about this after reaching the place.

But as a wise person (ME!!! I am the wise person) once said, fun doesn’t lie in a place or thing, it lies with the company and since I had my best friend accompanying me, we decided to make the best of what was available.

Here’s what we did on our 5 day road trip to Lonavala.

Pointless Trekking

Pointless because there was nothing but dried grass, water-less waterfalls, not-so-view-able view points at the end of them but the trek in itself was rewarding. Walking through the endless deserted areas with nothing but rocks with my best friend by my side, munching on lays was most certainly fun.

Endless Driving and stumbling upon places

What do tourists without a tourist guide do in a completely unknown city? Rely on google maps and drive on until they stumble upon something worth stopping for. That is how we ended up viewing a few note-worthy sights and clicking pictures. We visited the places in Khandala (honestly, whatever google suggested and were accessible without fuss) and a few places around Lonavala. We even entered a wax museum because of the extensive advertising but did not pay a visit because there was no wax statue of HARRY POTTER. We were hell-bent on watching the sun set and rise though. That took us to Lions point which was supposed to give us a breathtaking view of the dusk. But, weather was our enemy and it drizzled causing up a layer of fog to build up and thus obscuring our view of whatever marvelous beauty awaiting us.

Munching on snacks

I would be lying if I said that we carried just the right amount of snacks and I would definitely be lying if I said that we ended up finishing all of them. We might have carried two bags per head instead of the required one because the extra bag was filled with snacks. But, you can never have enough snacks while travelling y’all. #noregrets

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder

We are happy souls that adjust to every situation (The best kind of people to travel with) and thus we were not disheartened and decided to enjoy whatever was there. Even after meeting with all the disappointments, we managed to be at peace. We spent a good few minutes trying to find places which would not disappoint us and thus, spent a lot of time talking and relaxing.

Imagica.. iyayaya…

Best things almost always happen unplanned. This was a sudden decision given the unsupportive climate and what an amazing day it turned out to be. The entire day, we spent going up onto every ride that Imagica – the theme park had to offer and ending the day with Snow-magica which was a snow park. We also managed to get a free infusion bottle for fulfilling an instagram photograph challenge which required us to post a picture after entering and accumulating 150 likes before leaving. My favourite ride was the Deep space and Rajasaurous River Adventure. Both of them were unexpected and lovely. We took the fast-track tickets because we wanted to have the complete experience without waiting and it was definitely worth it.

PARA-FREAKING-GLIDING

The best thing about the Lonavala trip was this. It had a little bit of everything. There was a little ride up the hill, a beautiful trek that led us to the tower hill in Khopoli and then an endless wait for the winds to favour our flight. Every part of this was amusing. From the moment we set foot on the hill from the car after the ride-up where the fog was settling on us as dew to the trek which allowed us to view scenic beauties while rocking out to music and the glide which was like nothing I have done before. I am an adrenaline freak and thrills make me feel alive. We went with Temple pilots (Ig:@flytemplepilots ) among all the other companies that offered paragliding on that hill. Our pilot was the charming Mr Vikas (Ig: @vikasflys) and he was so good at making us comfortable. It cost us around 3.5k along with the video that was taken on a go-pro.

CAMPING at Pawna Lake

The last thing we did was have a relaxed evening at the end of the day by the side of a lake in tents. It was all we needed to replenish the energy we exhausted enjoying in the days before. We played cards (I won) and we discussed life. One downside is that it is legit a camping site and sleeping is not something that will come as a comfort because the ground is uneven. There was a singer/performer who entertained us during the born fire though. We started back early next day skipping breakfast that was a part of the 3-meal package.

Jammed out to music

Not only did we introduce each other to amazing music and expanded our musical neurons (If they exist, I am getting the patents) but we also re-discovered old music that we used to adore during school days. Music was definitely a salvation in those long, long drives.

Smiled till our jaws hurt

Mother Theresa once said that ‘Peace begins with a smile’ and smile we did. So much that our hearts were overwhelmed and our jaws hurt. Carefree and whole-hearted smiles. Smiles that will be treasured and remembered forever. Smiles that will be imprinted in our souls forever.

Got inked

It’s kind of becoming a tradition for me to get a tattoo everywhere I go. This time I got three. Yes, three. I will make a blog post talking about all my tattoos in the near future.

Had the best time of our lives

We were both terrible due to our own demons and this was just the relaxation we needed. Endless talks, long drives, calm evenings and zero pressures lurking upon our heads helped us ease our minds. We relaxed and re-energized ourselves are now ready to take on whatever pressures, whatever troubles that will be thrown onto us.

Made memories that will be cherished forever

The worst and the best part about growing up are the responsibilities that will accompany the age. Sometimes, they tend to drown us so much that we forget to live. We might not be able to let go of them and breathe. (Not always kids, don’t worry) In those hard times, we will be able to cling on to life by reliving the memories that bludgeoned us with joy and hope. These memories are going to be salvation in those times.

Did any of you visit Lonavala? Or go on a road trip that you will forever remember? What is that one memory from any trip that you cherish the most? Hit me up in the comments below. I also added a gallery of some of my pictures for you all to see.

The November Espresso Tbb Box Unboxing

Theme: Silent Spaces and Hidden Doors

The November theme was – SILENT SPACES AND HIDDEN DOORS where the box was meant to take us through the silent spaces and through the hidden doors and was dedicated to the reads, the writers, the librarians, to story tellers and to stories themselves. Let’s get unboxing.

This picture was taken from the instagram account of the big book box: @tbb_box

Book 1 in hardcover: The fountains of silence by Ruta Sepetys

This is the story of a nation silenced under a fascist dictatorship only to put up a pretty face when the world is facing them. The book is a stunning red hardcover with a beautiful dust jacket.

Book 2 in hardcover: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I cannot stress enough when I say that The Starless Sea is a must read. Find out why by checking out my review by clicking on the button below.

Review of The Starless Sea

Alternative dust jacket for The Starless Sea

The exclusive and exquisite dust jacket was made by Hillary Bardin of @reebardin.art. It is gorgeous to bits and pieces. It had Mirabel and Zachary along with tiny illustrations of books, bees, candles etched in gold and will surely dilate your pupils

A cute author letter from Erin Morgenstern

The author letter was short and candid. It also had another side with the three symbols of the bee, key and sword with the words – ‘Be somewhere else for a while’, written on it.

A mesmerizing black card

This came as an absolute surprise as I was pulling it out of a black envelope. A beautiful black card with gold foiled designing with a moon and a star on it was a surprising addition to the author letter.

A trinket box inspired from the starless sea

In the book, Zachary finds a book (vague because no spoilers what-so-ever) and in the box, we have a trinket box inspired from it. The box is blue with golden detailing and the words- ‘Once upon a time’, written on it. It looks stunningly vintage.

Pin of the month

What happens when two one-of-a-kind worlds meet? It leaves us awe-struck. That is what the big book box team achieved with the pin which brings together the two worlds of The Night Circus and The Starless Sea with the words- ‘There are three paths, this is one of them’ written along with illustrations of the night circus on one half and a bee on the bottom half.

A sticker sheet

Inspired from the starless sea with a pile of books, a sword, a key, an envelope, an inkpot with a quill and all of them together., this sticker seat has it all. It is of fairly good quality and I cannot wait to use them in my planner and gift wrappings.

Character cards based on The Starless Sea

The two characters that mesmerized me from the starless sea are – Zachary Ezra Rawlins and Mirabel. The illustrator gave complete justice to the author’s descriptions of them. This time, the cards had quotes from the book on the back.

Two bookmarks

One completely dedicated to the starless sea with the quotes, “A boy at the beginning of the story has no way of knowing that the story has begun” and “Strange isn’t it? To love a book when the words on the page become so precious that they feel like a part of your own history? Because they are! The second bookmark split between The fountains of silence and Ten thousand doors of January.

The other half of the Alice in wonderland Book-end from the previous box

Now that the duo is here, I can flaunt all my beautiful books on a flat table without the fear of them falling apart. I will also be doing that in style now. It is a solid black metal book end based on Alice in Wonderland. It is metal, has the mad-hatter’s hat and the words- ‘We are all mad here’, written on it.

A jigsaw puzzle

The jigsaw puzzle was based on the phantom of the opera and had 120 pieces. It was made by Drea from @Drea.D.Art. It was really fun to put together. It took me a little over an hour and I consider it an achievement.

Pride and prejudice monthly news letter

No paper shred

It was a splendid box even without the paper-shred and I have tonnes of Starless sea merch, so I am satisfied. Check out my live unboxing of this box by clicking on the button below. See you all soon 🙂

Live unboxing of November box

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass

“I came to claim the one I love.”
– Sarah J. Mass

Specifics:

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J Mass

Published: 5^th May’15

Genre: Fantasy fiction, High fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Pages: 416

My Rating: 3.5/5

Audiobook details:

Courtesy: Storytel.in

Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda

Duration: 16 hours 7 minutes and 51 seconds at 1x

The picture was taken from the amazing Neha Garg. IG: @thereadingowl_
Click on the picture to go to her post and read her thoughts on the book.

Blurb:

‘She stole a life.

Now she must pay with her heart.’

Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price.

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemies kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her even close. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.

Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

“You didn’t tell me this would happen.” “You didn’t ask. So how am I to blame?”
-Sarah J. Mass

REVIEW:

“I love you,” I said, and stabbed him.” The author had me intrigued with this dialogue.

A Court of Thorns and Roses begins with the description of an independent 19-Year-old huntress who strives to protect her family even though she is occasionally ill-treated by them. As the blurb mentions, she makes a choice that rattles her world and takes her away from her loved ones or so she assumes.

This picture was taken from the aesthetic instagram feed of Gayathi Saikia, IG: @per_fictionist
Click on the picture to go to the post on her feed.

The book starts off at a rather slow pace and it seemed to be describing unnecessary things which might or might not be pivotal to the plot. But it keeps building up as we go forward. It has the right percentage of romance, thrill and anguish to keep us hooked to it.

I absolutely adore the descriptions of the author as they were surreal. The language was easy and elaborate. There was a sense of suspense at the end of every encounter which had me longing to keep reading and find out what happens next.

It is a retelling of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. The best part was that though it is inspired by the tale, it is not a copy of the exact story in a different background. It can stand on its own without being compared to it. Props to the author for pulling this off as there are a lot of retellings of beauty and the beast coming out which are sadly sub-par.

The story-line was smooth and though some parts of it were not satisfying enough, it comes through well. It is predictable because we know that everything falls into place in the end but how that happens is what makes this book worth reading. All the characters are very well made and each of them shone through to their full potential. (Sometimes they were annoying though)

It was definitely a good read and I enjoyed the book. I want to grab the next one soon, so that is a good thing.

I rate the book 3.5/5 stars.

“We need hope, or else we cannot endure.”
-Sarah J. Mass

SPOILERS AHEAD

Going into the book and the parts that I loved and loathed, my absolute favourite bit was the trial in which Feyre is faced with a gigantic blind worm. That was most certainly gripping. Some other things were how she loved painting and she dreamed of a life where she could afford paints and brushes, the agreement she makes with Rhysand that gives her a tattoo which lets him guide/help her in the trials. The revival of Feyre into a High-Fae by the high-lords was a good end.

Picture taken from the review queen herself- Melina, IG: @melisbookreviews
Click on the picture to go to the post and read her review.

What I was not a fan of was how Tamlin (being cautious of course) was silent. Kind of annoyed me to be honest.

“Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”
– Sarah J. Mass

Characters:

Feyre: She is such a fierce young lady. I absolutely love the fact that we get to view the story from her eyes. She definitely felt like Belle and more so like Merida from Brave. (I have no idea how my brain made that connection.) A book where a woman saves the day is exactly what I needed to fill into my feminist pride and even though it was evident that she will save the day, I was beaming with joy when she did. I was sometimes disappointed in her choices and I loathe the parts where she becomes a damsel in distress but not everyone is perfect. May be she will shine brighter in the next books

Tamlin: I didn’t fancy Tamlin that much probably because I knew he was not Rhysand and I needed Rhysand to be there with Feyre but I did not despise him either. He was strong and powerful but he did sort of mislead/lie to Feyre along with everyone else and I am not sure how I feel about his character. He does make a good high-lord and I like that he can transform into a beast. He is probably an honest High-Fae.

Lucien: Of all the major characters in this book, he was my favourite. He is witty, he is brave and guessing from the descriptions, handsome even. I like how he has a dark past that sort of builds up to his current personality. He cares deeply even though he acts like he doesn’t. I am not sure of what I think about him being a tad bit inferior to Tamlin because I think Lucien deserved better. I hope Lucien gets an amazing love interest and a happy ending as the story progresses.

Amarantha: I have a confession to make here. I am a sucker for bad-ass vamps and Amarantha was simply amazing at it. First things first, she wore black and she conquered (well, almost). I was disappointed that her role ended in the first book of the trilogy because there was so much potential but having recurring antagonists isn’t a good idea in a series, so maybe I could just hope for a sassier vamp in the next book.

Rhysand: The problem with me getting into the book so late was that I knew it was Feyre and Rhysand in the end. So, the mention of him, even though late in the book, made me all ears (I was technically listening to the book, so makes sense). I knew it was him from when a mysterious High-Fae saves Feyre from the mischievous fae’s on Fire Night and I needed more of him since. I am also a sucker for bad men (Jacks from Caraval seriesbeing my favourite bad men of all times). He is one reason why I cannot wait to jump into the next book. I want to find out how he misuses the ‘one week every month’ arrangement with Feyre.

Nesta: This is probably the character that had the most growth in the book. Initially, depicted as a cold and selfish elder sister to Feyre who only wants to rest and live off of her sister’s hard earnings, she turns out to be a clever, strong girl with a presence of mind. She is probably the only one that spoke of things that made sense. Wishing to see more of her in the next books.

Review of the Audiobook:

I actually took over two weeks to finish the audiobook not because it was boring but because I got busy after I started it. Storytel definitely has an amazing collection of audiobooks. The book itself was pricey and since everyone were talking about the magic of Sarah J. Mass and I had to feel it, this was my best option. The narrator does a great job and I loved her voice, slang and pronunciations. I will happily listen to a dozen more of her narrations. So, the book is long and I heard it at the speed of 2X but I did not feel like it dampened the effect of narration and this is something I look for in audiobooks, so that was a win.

Reasons to read the book:

Amazing descriptions into a fairytale dwelling
It has Faeries
The protagonist that saves the day is a strong female character
There is the right amount of romance in the book
The antagonist is bad-ass too
It is a beauty and the beats retelling

Cons:

Sort of slow to begin with (I know a few people who left it initially but then ended up reading and loving it)
The female protagonist loses her strong outlook and turns into a needy cry-baby for a while (becomes her strong self again though)

“Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”
-Sarah J. Mass

Why Tbb Box is the best book box subscription in India!

My Top Twelve Reasons

I may be biased here because I am a devoted subscriber of the big book box but my love is not blind. I am an unemployed human parasite living off of her parents earnings and I could not be more sure when I say that TBB box is the best book box subscription in India and it is a boon that has been bestowed upon us. Here are my top 12 reasons why.

Value for money

While several book box subscriptions cost us around or over 2k at least (Probably because of overseas shipping), the big book box falls lighter on the pockets given that the subscription begins from the cost of 1099 bucks ( 699 if you consider the latte book packet). They almost always have a special code going around that would give you a discount or free shipping. So, if you stick around long enough, it could cost you less than 1k.

Multiple Options

Depending on your budget and/or the number of books you think you can handle in a month, tbb box offers options with boxes from one to four books. Starting with the Frappe with 1, Espresso with 2, Cappuccino with 3 and Mocha with 4 books and costing us 1099, 1699, 2299 and 3099 respectively. You could get the subscription for a month, a quarter, half year or even for the entire year. (The annual subscription is for a limited time and by special invite only). All these boxes are curated with love after a common theme.

Best Books

The books that are included in the boxes are the latest and trendiest. They always make sure to sweep us off of our feet with their book selections. There is a book of the month (BOTM) included in all the boxes and depending upon the type of box you are subscribed to, you get one extra hardcover as you climb up the hierarchy. I can happily give the credits of introducing me to my top reads of 2019 to them.

The Monthly Enamel Pins

I am pretty sure every book-lover loves them some enamel pins and tbb box delivers them monthly. Usually based on one of the books that is included in the boxes or the theme, they are always colourful and you will end up craving for more. The quality is fairly good.

The Bookmarks

‘One can never have enough bookmarks’, said every bibliophile ever. Apart from the regular bookmarks that have wonderful illustrations usually on both the sides, they frequently include other special kinds of bookmarks. There were metal bookmarks, Magnetic bookmarks, and Foiled bookmarks to name a few.

High Quality Merchandise

Let me just name a few bookish merchandise apart from the ones that I have specifically mentioned that were part of the boxes I have received. A metal sipper, a bookish tote, a Marauder’s scarf (Yes, you read it right), a book end, an enamel mug, a pop-socket, a box of 50 postcards (Did I not claim to just mention a few?) a funko pop key chain, Special tea, Candle, Bath-salt (Make me stop someone) special edition Harry Potter playing cards, a mix-tape, a coaster, an umbrella, a pocket mirror, a bookish pouch (sighs after mentioning everything this creature received till date in the boxes) The merchandise is of really good quality and is durable. They try and rope in the best people in the business to get us the merch.

Exclusive bookish advantages

What is the whole point of bringing us books that can also be brought from other vendors? I am pretty sure this is how the discussions that lead to the following addition to the boxes started off. The books are sometimes (I am sure they try to make it always but we are all human and compromise is a necessary evil) accompanied with candid author letters, signed book plates, character cards, ALTERNATE freaking DUST JACKETS and the latest – EXCLUSIVE SPRAYED EDGES. These are of course of high quality and make-our-hearts-skip-a-beat kind of beautiful.

Very kind and interactive team

From frequent giveaways to photography challenges, they try all the possible ways to stay connected with their subscribers. They almost always respond within a short span of time to both emails, DM’s and comments and are highly supportive and encouraging. (They reposted my first picture on bookstagram and gave me a push to keep going)

The unboxing challenges

This is a very intelligent idea and is mutually beneficial to all. Each box comes with unboxing prompts which are basically gross ideas for pictures which can be used to stir our creative genius and click and post amazing pictures. Tbb box gets a ton of pictures to choose from while the winner and participants get freebies and exposure. (I won a CLASSICS MOCHA box after jointly winning the August unboxing challenge)

The Garage Sales

If you have missed out on some boxes and are particularly jealous of other people who got it and are showing off the merch, the team has got your back with garage sales. This also works out when you do not want the entire box but a particular merch catches your eye or you have the box and loved something so badly that you want multiples of the same merch. Now, I am not claiming that all of the merch included in the boxes will be up in garage sales but most of it usually is. Sometimes, even the entire box is put up for sale. FOMO what?

Easy EMI

Do you want to subscribe for the long run but do not want a dent in your bank account? Fear not! They have easy EMI’s that work on both debit and credit cards. Wait for me as I go on to the terrace and squeal with joy and jump and come back to finish this post.

Always worth the wait

One downside which is an open secret is that the boxes almost never arrive in the particular month that they are curated for. It can get frustrating but once you hold that baby in your hands, you will not remember which month it is or which era it is even. I think there is magic involved because you can never ever ever stay angry at the shipping after unboxing the box. It is always worth the wait.

Honourable mentions:

THE SHREDDED PAPER

I probably am a regular subscriber because of this and not because of all the amazing things I just spent around 2 hours typing for you guys. Am I mad? That would be a non-negotiable yes. But if you are not a fan of shredded paper then I am definitely giving you the looks. I aspire to have all colours of shredded paper that have gone into the tbb boxes once I grow up. (Says a woman who is almost done with a quarter of her life. Half since the life expectancy is definitely only 50 with everything happening on this planet.)

The Box Itself

There is so much creativity and thought put into the boxes that they always bring joy. They are beautiful in and out even without the contents. Every inch of it is made with love.

That’s it from me folks. What is the reason you are hooked to Tbb Box? Let’s talk it out in the comments. Click on the link below to check out my unboxings of the boxes.

Tbb box unboxing videos

The October Espresso Tbb Box Unboxing

Theme: Wicked and Witchy

The October Tbb box was curated with much love and I adore it. The theme was Wicked and Witchy. Here is what was brewed into it. (This is as witchy as I could get)

This picture is taken from the Instagram account of The Big Book box

Book 1 in paperback: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Serpent and Dove is the story of a witch and a witch-hunter bound in holy matrimony and there was only one way such a story could end – A STAKE AND A MATCH. This is just the gist of the blurb and it already had me intrigued. The book comes with an author letter which is very cute and witty. What made it extra special are the printed edges with the illustrations of a serpent and a dove. This book was included in all the boxes.

Book 2 in Hardcover: Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff

Darkdawn is the last book in the Nevernight Chronicles trilogy. After the first two books were received with much appreciation, this was a highly anticipated release. This book is also accompanied with a very intimate author letter from Mister Kristoff himself.

Author letters:

As already mentioned, the box has letters from both the authors.

The Monthly Enamel Pin:

This month was blessed with twin pins based on The Nevernight Chronicles book #3 – The DarkDawn. They wanted to bring us a quote based pin and ended up making a visual representation of both – the quote and the title of the book. The black pin from the set represents the ‘Dark’ while the white one represents the ‘Dawn’. “Brighter the light” is the one with sun, “Deeper the shadow” is the black one.

“Brighter the light, Deeper the shadow”
– Jay Kristoff

Magnetic Book Marks:

Two character based magnetic book marks were a part of the box. The characters were from A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E.Schwab namely Kell Maresh and Lila Bard.

Foiled Book Mark:

Along with the beautiful magnetic babes, a book mark created after both the books in the box was included. One side is based on Darkdawn and says ‘All is blood, blood is all’ and the other side is based on Serpent and Dove and is gold foiled. It shines so bright that I went blind for a good few minutes. (Seriously though, how do these guys do it?)

Character Cards:

The character cards this month were also from Serpent and Dove. There were two – Louise le Blanc and Reid Diggory and they are stunning. The cards were made by Carol Garcia (IG: @carolgarciapr).

A Bookend:

One half of an ‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND’ themed bookend was included in the October box. It is black, has the Mad-Hatter’s hat and says ‘We’re all mad here’. The other end will be a part of the November box or you could probably get it in the garage sale.

Bookish Scarf:

Is a book box even complete without having a Harry Potter merchandise? Tbb box went all out with this Marauder’s map scarf. It is beautiful and hands down the best merch in this box and the best Harry Potter merch that I own (This is the only Harry Potter merch I own but more on that later).

Pop Socket:

Is your phone always cracked because your hands get so lazy sometimes that they refuse to hold it for a few seconds longer? Well, a pop socket is the thing for you and if you are a book lover, a bookish pop-socket is oxygen for you. The pop socket that is helping me hold my phone, click pictures while reducing the drop rate by 70-80% (I am clumsy af) and making sure I look rad with it was a part of this box. It is primarily black and says –‘Something wicked this way comes’, which I think is a novel by Ray Bradbury (definitely had help in figuring this out) is the best addition to my phone. The lettering was done by Elisa from Cripple Letters.

Notepad:

A stationary item right in time for the New Year. The notepad is based on Darkdawn. It is similar to the one in which the author letter comes in. It has the words, ‘Good turnings Acolytes’, on the top and is from Paper Quirks.

Pride and Prejudice monthly news letter:

I am a hoarder and I ain’t ashamed of it. The monthly newsletter is something I always look forward to. Have I ever read it to find out whether it is the same or different each time? No! Am I still gonna be excited each time I find it inside the box? Hell Yes!

The Shredded Paper:

If you are here from my bookstagram account, you already know this and if you are new but are somehow planning to stick with me for the long run (which I highly appreciate and will be indebted to you for life), then you should know that I am a fan of shredded paper. The box and its contents can go sit in a museum but I will take my shredded paper to bed with me. Going with the theme, this box had black shredded paper and was a wonderful addition to the box.

That was the October unboxing. Thank you for coming this far. I added links to some of my Unboxing instagram posts and I am sorry if it was annoying. If you want to watch my painful tries at showing you the Marauder’s scarf, you can watch my live unboxing video by clicking on the link below. Be sure to check out the instagram profile of the big book box @tbb_box. See you guys soon. Be kind to one another. Stay hydrated and drive safe.

Live unboxing of the October Box