The Ultimate Guide to Book Subscription Boxes

As an avid reader and self-proclaimed collector of beautiful books, I’ve found myself on a rollercoaster ride of subscriptions, cancellations, and re-subscriptions over the years. My journey has taken me through the offerings of Bookish Box, Illumicrate, Fairyloot, and more recently, OwlCrate’s new quarterly model. Each box has its unique charms, challenges, and changes, reflecting the dynamic nature of this industry. In this post (which I intend on keeping updated) I’ll dive deep into my recent experiences, sharing insights on how these services have adapted (or not) to the changing demands of bibliophiles like myself. Whether you’re a seasoned subscriber or a curious newcomer, my hope is that this post will help keep you informed of the current landscape, examining everything from design quality and book selection to shipping woes and industry trends. Buckle up, fellow book lovers – we’re about to embark on a comprehensive tour of the book box world!

Bookish Box

In 2023, Bookish Box held a special place in my heart as my first-ever subscription service. Their commitment to featuring indie authors and discovering new, exciting books for both their subscription service and special editions was truly commendable. I was consistently impressed by their unique and beautifully designed editions, featuring custom-designed covers, stunning hardcover designs, and signed copies. Their community engagement was also noteworthy, with regular sneak peeks, responsiveness to requests, and participation in chats and reading challenges.

However, Bookish Box’s ambition to do it all – multiple subscription offerings and frequent special edition releases – sometimes led to quality control issues. I encountered errors in some books, which was frustrating despite my love for the custom components. They later hired proofreaders, but this was after I had cancelled my subscription. Additionally, the company’s sometimes defensive responses to negative feedback and the occasionally mean-spirited community left a sour taste. Despite these issues, I still believed Bookish Box was a great option for those wanting to support indie authors and receive unique, beautifully designed editions.

UPDATE (2024):

I’ve recently resubscribed to Bookish Box, but this time to their Darkish Box, as these selections align more closely with my current reading preferences. However, my experience has been mixed:

• Shipping Delays: Despite signing up in February, I’m yet to receive my first order four months later. This ongoing issue with shipping and fulfillment is concerning.
• Change in Fulfillment: Bookish Box has recently changed fulfillment companies and claims to be on track to catch up by the end of July. While I’m skeptical given their track record, I’m cautiously optimistic about this potential turning point.
• Design Quality: I can’t comment on current design quality due to not receiving any boxes yet. However, their commitment to intricate designs (double-sided dust-jackets, redesigned covers, custom hardbacks, art endpapers, sprayed edges, all signed) remains a significant draw.
• Shipping Costs: They’ve introduced higher shipping fees, which has caused some controversy among subscribers. While I understand the need for sustainable pricing, it’s an additional cost to consider.
• Subscriber Perks: Their Member Day events and early access to special editions remain attractive features. These can be particularly useful for completing series collections.
• Focus on Indie Authors: This remains a key selling point for me, as I value supporting independent voices in the community.
• Discontinuation of YA Box: It’s worth noting that their YA Book Box is no longer available, reflecting a shift in their product offerings.

Despite the ongoing shipping issues, I’m willing to give Bookish Box another chance due to the uniqueness of their designs and their support for indie authors. However, my patience is not infinite, and I’ll be closely monitoring their progress in resolving these longstanding issues.

Illumicrate

In 2023, Illumicrate stood out as a top-tier book subscription service. Their strong relationships with traditional publishers allowed them to consistently offer highly anticipated new releases from established authors. As a seasoned player in the subscription service market, Illumicrate had honed their skills in managing customer expectations. Even when faced with delays, their communication remained clear and accountable, setting them apart from competitors.

While their editions may not have always had the fanciest bells and whistles, they consistently delivered high-quality books. These were often signed by the author and featured unique endpapers or sprayed/stenciled edges, making them coveted collector’s items. In addition to their Book Only subscription, Illumicrate offered the Afterlight bi-monthly service focusing on contemporary romances. Although there wasn’t a book-only option for Afterlight, the inclusion of 2-3 treats made it excellent value for money.

One of Illumicrate’s standout features was their flexible skip policy. Subscribers could easily skip a month when the book didn’t appeal or when budgets were tight. This seamless process allowed for unlimited skips, contrasting favorably with Bookish Box’s limit of three skips per year. Illumicrate also excelled in handling special edition sales, offering active subscribers early access a week before the general public. This ensured that loyal customers had a fair chance at securing these sought-after editions. Overall, in 2023, Illumicrate proved to be a reliable and consistent subscription service, offering high-quality books and excellent customer service.

UPDATE (2024):

I’ve recently resubscribed to Illumicrate’s Afterlight subscription after a brief hiatus, and I’ve noticed several positive changes:

• Enhanced Book Designs: The book designs are now more intricate and elevated, making them even more collectible.
• Monthly Format: Afterlight has transitioned from bi-monthly to a monthly subscription, offering more frequent bookish delights.
• Book-Only Focus: They’ve removed the 2-3 treats, focusing solely on the books. As someone primarily interested in beautiful editions, this change aligns perfectly with my preferences.
• Diverse Book Selection: The book choices continue to offer a great mix of M/F romances and LGBTQ representation, catering to diverse reading tastes.
• Early Access Perk: As an Afterlight subscriber, I still benefit from early access to exclusive editions, though I haven’t taken advantage of this recently as their recent offerings haven’t appealed to me personally.
• Flexible Skip Option: The skip option remains generous, allowing up to 11 months of skips. I’ve already utilized this to skip the next three months as the selections don’t interest me.

These changes have reinforced my positive opinion of Illumicrate. Their ability to evolve while maintaining their core strengths in book curation and customer service continues to impress me. The Afterlight subscription, in particular, has become even more appealing with its increased frequency and focus on high-quality books. Illumicrate remains a top choice for readers seeking a reliable, flexible, and high-quality book subscription service.

Fairyloot

In 2023, I approached Fairyloot’s Adult Book Only subscription with high expectations, given their reputation for beautiful editions in their YA offerings. However, my experience with their adult line proved disappointing. After receiving just two books, I found myself unsatisfied with the quality of their adult editions. While Fairyloot’s YA variants seemed to maintain their well-received standard, the Adult Book editions fell short, appearing lackluster in comparison. The covers were merely alternate designs of the original rather than newly conceptualized artwork, which felt like a missed opportunity for creativity.

Although the books were signed, adding some value, this wasn’t enough to outweigh my other concerns. Fairyloot’s close relationships with traditional publishers, while potentially beneficial in some ways, resulted in significant overlap with other subscription services like Illumicrate and even Bookish Box. This meant that subscribers often ended up with multiple copies of the same book across different services. Given that the first two Fairyloot Adult Editions didn’t meet the impressive standards set by other subscription services I was subscribed to at the time, I struggled to see the value in continuing this particular subscription. The lack of uniqueness in both book selection and design left me questioning the necessity of this service in my growing collection of book subscriptions.

UPDATE (2024):

While I haven’t resubscribed to Fairyloot’s Adult Book Subscription due to my previous disappointing experience, I’ve since signed up for their new Romantasy Subscription, which has proven to be a more positive experience. Here are my thoughts on the Romantasy Subscription:

• Diverse Book Selection: The book choices have been varied and exciting, featuring a range of relationships and diverse character casts. This addresses my previous concern about overlap with other services.
• Improved Design Quality: The quality of the books, including redesigned covers, end-pages, and sprayed edges, has significantly improved from my experience with their Adult Book Subscription. These editions now feel more unique and collectible.
• Reliable Delivery: Fairyloot has been consistent with their deliveries, which is crucial in the subscription box world and a marked improvement from some competitors.
• Thoughtful Planning: Their approach of opening the waitlist well in advance seems to have allowed for better preparation and smoother execution of this new subscription.
• Growing Popularity: The subscription has quickly gained traction, with a growing waitlist, suggesting that others are also finding value in this offering.
• Genre Focus: The specific focus on romantasy aligns well with current reading trends and my personal interests, making it feel more targeted than their general Adult Book Subscription.

This new Romantasy Subscription seems to address many of the issues I had with Fairyloot’s Adult Book Subscription. The improved quality, unique selections, and focused genre approach have rekindled my interest in Fairyloot’s offerings. While I remain cautious based on my past experience, I’m optimistic about the direction they’re taking with this new subscription and will continue to monitor its consistency and quality in the coming months.

General Observations on the Book Subscription Industry (2024)

The landscape of book subscription boxes continues to evolve, presenting both opportunities and challenges for subscribers and services alike. Here are some key observations on the current state of the industry:

Market Saturation: The proliferation of subscription boxes has led to an overwhelming array of choices. A quick glance at @theautumnbookreads on Instagram reveals just how many options are now available. This saturation creates challenges for consumers in determining which services offer the best value, reliability, and book selection.

Overlap in Book Selections: With so many services operating, there’s an increasing overlap in book selections across different boxes. This is particularly noticeable with highly anticipated new releases, such as the multiple special editions we saw for books like “Crescent City” and “The Atlas Six.” While having multiple editions might appeal to some collectors, it can be frustrating for subscribers who end up with duplicate copies of books they may not even enjoy.

Evolving Exclusivity: The concept of “early access” to special editions, once a major draw for subscribers, has somewhat lost its luster. The increasing frequency of reprints for popular editions has diminished the exclusivity factor. However, occasionally a release comes along and does still generate significant excitement, as evidenced by the hour-long wait time for Fairyloot’s edition of “When the Moon Hatched” by Sarah A. Parker.

Timing of Special Editions: The simultaneous release of special editions with standard editions can be a double-edged sword. While it’s exciting for eager fans, it can be frustrating for readers who discover a book later and miss out on these limited editions. This was my experience with “Crimson Moth (Heartless Hunter)” by Kristen Ciccarelli, where I only became interested after seeing the standard edition in stores, missing Fairyloot’s special edition.

Rise of Author-Direct Special Editions: More authors are bypassing subscription services to offer their own special editions. This trend provides more creative control for authors and direct support from readers but adds another layer of complexity to the special edition market.

Pressure on Subscription Models: With the increase in author-direct and publisher-exclusive editions, subscription boxes are under pressure to innovate and provide unique value to their subscribers. As an example, OwlCrate has announced a new quarterly subscription model set to launch in Spring 2025. This innovative approach includes four genre-specific subscriptions: Horror, Romance, Romantasy, and Sci-Fi. The quarterly format could address several current industry challenges:

• Reduced overwhelm for subscribers, allowing more time to savor each book
• Potentially improved quality control and curation
• Better management of production and shipping timelines
• A more sustainable model for both the company and subscribers

OwlCrate’s approach, using a ticket reservation system and waitlist, shows a thoughtful attempt to manage demand and expectations.

The book subscription industry is at a crossroads. While the market seems saturated, there’s still room for innovation and improvement. Services that can offer unique selections, high-quality editions, reliable delivery, and value for money will likely continue to thrive. As a subscriber, I’m both excited and cautious about these developments. The coming months will reveal whether new models like OwlCrate’s quarterly subscriptions can address current pain points and redefine the book box experience.