My Chronicle Book Box (subscription box) Review

I received this subscription box from the company My Chronicle Book Box in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Though I’ve always been curious about subscription boxes, I’ve never actually gotten one before. But wow, My Chronicle Book Box has definitely shown me the appeal. This is a UK-based subscription box which ships internationally, with a new box every three months.

First things first: it’s absolutely gorgeous. The box itself is really sturdy, each book is wrapped individually, and the envelope has a custom seal. To be honest, everything was so neatly packaged I felt bad for opening it!

But of course the inside is really nice too. This is the SFF May 2019 box, which comes with one paperback and two hardcover books: The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan, Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, and Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh. The latter two are signed, while The Witch’s Kind comes with a signed bookplate. Exciting stuff for those of us who don’t live in an English-speaking country!

All three books came out in early 2019, but beyond that there doesn’t seem to be a specific theme, which I’m happy about. I also like that while I’ve heard of the authors before, these books aren’t necessarily the hottest new releases. In my opinion, this definitely makes the box more appealing to more hardcore SFF fans. Personally, I’m particularly excited for The Witch’s Kind, which I’ve been eyeing for a while.

In the envelope, there’s a letter talking about what’s included, as well as exclusive interviews with the authors featured. The interviews are formatted like newspaper issues, and I thought having them was smart. With subscription boxes, you never know if you’re going to get something you’ve been curious about or something that’s not really your thing. I’m really not into space settings, but reading Temi Oh’s interview convinced me I should give her book a shot.

The other goodies are a print of a Stephen Hawking quote, some space-themed washi tape, and a really cute pouch. (I suppose the box’s overall theme is space!) The pouch is cotton, and both the material and the zipper feel like they’ll stand up to regular wear-and-tear.

Altogether, my overwhelming impression was one of quality. You can tell a lot of effort has been put into making this box: from the neat packaging, to the formatting of the interviews, to the choice of books and goodies. It really felt like getting a surprise present in the mail — which I guess is the point!

I’ll be honest and say I have no clue if this level of quality is standard for book subscription boxes, as this is my first one. But looking at the unboxing videos I found on YouTube, My Chronicle Book Box focuses more on books than goodies compared to some other services, which I like a lot.

In regard to price, the service is quarterly and costs £45 + shipping, which seems fair to me for three signed books plus extras. There is no minimum subscription period. However, shipping costs naturally vary: £3.90 for the UK, around £20 for the US and Australia, £13-19 for various EU countries, and up to £60 further away.

All in all, if this review made you curious about My Chronicle Book Box, definitely check out their website. The next box comes out in August — and if you don’t like surprises, they also have some past boxes for sale. For me, shipping costs make subscription services pretty prohibitive in general, but this is a gorgeous enough box that I’m definitely tempted!