Along with clothes, books are one of the most thrown away items that clog up our landfills each year. An enormous amount of novels get published in a year but the number of them actually being well received and bought, unfortunately, isn’t high.
How can you help solve this? Well, A Box of Stories, have come up with a helpful way in which you can stop a select amount ending up in the landfill.
As the company states, 177,000,000 books get destroyed every year in the UK alone. Purely because only 17% are lucky enough to receive a decent marketing budget. Due to this a large proportion of decent, well written books don’t make the shelves and therefore don’t end up in peoples hands.
As a lover of books and escaping into the world of the next cleverly thought out universe it is a shame that such hard work can be put to waste. That is why when you buy a box of books from A Box of Stories, you are saving 4 from getting destroyed.
So, are you still confused as to what I am talking about? Let me explain…
The company offers a range of different boxes that include 4 different books. The cheaper options are a mixed box of fiction or a general mixed box (of fiction and non fiction), both at £14.99 (£3.75 a book!!!).
Or if you want to hone in on a certain genre they offer boxes of 4 books from these different genres; Crime Thriller & Mystery, Young Adult (YA), light reads, Historical fiction and non fiction.
Each of these boxes which are curated around a certain genre are £21.99 each (£5.50 per book).
Now are you wondering how they sort the books or are concerned you’ll end up with a novel that just isn’t quite up to scratch? Don’t panic, they curate books that have sold in decent numbers and then use an algorithm that sorts them on the basis of book reviews, blog posts and critics reviews etc. so they can put them in boxes to delight book lovers across the globe. So you are getting quality at a great price!
To add to this you are getting a surprise right to your door and allowing yourself to read things that you might have never picked up before. It’s a win win right?
My Experience
I must admit it was my mum who really wanted to order the box, however I was more than happy to share it considering the idea behind it is great! Plus who doesn’t love books!?
The ordering experience was very easy and it didn’t take long to arrive. We chose the mixed box of fiction and I have to say I was quite intrigued by the contents of the box.
*As a quick disclaimer I must say that I haven’t had time to read the books myself, I am currently preparing for uni while trying to sort my business out however when I get the chance (which could be Christmas time) I’ll be sure to give them a read. What I have done however is read the blurbs, asked for my mums perspective on the one she has read and done some research. Either way if I don’t get a chance they’ll be passed onto another book lover.*
Book 1 – The Floating Theatre by Martha Conway
Without copying the blurb the book is set in 1838 and tells the story of a young seamstress May Bedloe who is dirt poor and abandoned on the shore of the Ohio River. This is when she takes on work from the famous Floating Theatre, filled with colourful personalities and characters. However, it is not all as it appears to be as she travels the boarder between the slave-holding South and the ‘free’ North. She is duty bound to transport secret passengers across the river and along the Underground Railroad, which not only endangers herself but those close to her.
- This particular story enticed me the most, a piece of historical fiction with a gripping storyline based on fear, love and bravery, it sounds like it tells much more than just a story of a lost woman. From reviews I have read the novel depicts slavery in a new and interesting way (I do not mean that in the sense that slavery is not interesting in the first place, it’s an issue that everyone should be well versed in). Historical fiction, although not always completely accurate and can often be romanticised for the sake of storytelling, is a good way to learn if you want a starting point.
This is a novel I definitely want to read. A pleasant surprise for Book 1 from the box.
Book 2 – The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
The novel tells the story of Nolan Moore, a ‘rogue’ archaeologist hosting a documentary shunned by the experts but loved by conspiracy theorists. He is retracing the steps of an explorer in 1909 who found a mysterious cavern in the Grand Canyon. When he finds what he assumes is this cavern, it begins to take a nasty turn on him in odd ways. This tale then turns into one of survival, against odds that seem to be well out of his reach. Leaving the reader with several questions. (description based on a blurb from Good Reads)
- A story that combines both the Thriller and Sci-Fi genre, which is part of a series that is dubbed to be put onto the big screen (yet to happen). From research the author was a bit of a mystery at the beginning. Turns out it is by Michael Marshall Smith, who now also goes by Michael Rutger apparently. He has won several awards under his actual name while also collaborating on several film/TV projects under the Sci-Fi, Comedy and thriller genres.
This is when the box comes in handy. The novel is definitely not what I would reach for in a store however that is not to say I wouldn’t like it. I am all for trying something new and if I didn’t like it, it could easily be turned into a gift for someone who would.
Book 3 – The Moon Pool by Sophie Littlefield
A tale about the loss of two boys from the perspective of their mothers. Colleen lost her boy to the snowy, oil filled landscape of North Dakota which she describes as both beautiful but disastrous. In the same town, another mother is out searching for her boy, who also disappeared in the oilfields which he worked at. Alone they are both lost in grief without answers but together they could help each other and find out the long-awaited answers they’ve been searching for.
- A Crime novel which from the blurb describes both the landscape and grief with a deep sense of sensitivity and kindness. Although, from reading the blurb and what you might have gathered form my rewritten description, the oil industry appears to take centre stage but from reading reviews actually has little importance to the narrative. Which is a shame.
A book which goes into themes of motherhood, crime and grief which I must admit is not something I’d jump at reading and will probably have to be in a certain mood for. However, I do like the crime genre, in particular in TV, so it’s not to say that I won’t like it.
Book 4 – The Secrets of Primrose Hill by Claudia Carroll
A story detailing the lives of those behind the doors in Primrose Hill, Dublin. A mother is grieving for her child as she waits silently outside the house of the boy she thinks is responsible. Across the street, a young woman has just moved in. She is an aspiring director who is running away from a scandal while simultaneously possibly running into another one; her landlord is absent and doesn’t quite add up. Then a few doors down a widow sits alone in her bedroom. She has just told her family something rather surprising, meaning her life is about to change forever.
- A heart-warming story about neighbours, their difficulties and how they come together to support each other. One reader, who stated on Good Reads, said the novel was usually not for her as she labelled it a ‘chick-flick’ before reading it. However, it surprised her with its tenderness and how there were moments for humour but also for sadness.
This was the book my mum has started and although she isn’t anywhere near finished it, she has said she’s enjoying it and is going to carry on reading. I must admit this is also a book I would pick up for some easy, light reading. I like escaping into the normality of other people lives, so I will definitely give it a read when I get the chance.
General Notes on the books we received: They are all paperback and in pristine quality. Actually, what surprised me is how big the novels are. They aren’t the typical size of those on the shelves, they appear to be longer. Probably hardback in size, so not the most portable.
To buy your own box or find out more info on A Box Of Stories click here.
So if you are looking for some new books but don’t know what to go for or are stuck for inspiration why not get surprised. The boxes are also great for gifting to someone, either as an individual book or a whole box.
Alternatively, if you are new to reading (welcome!) and don’t know what genre to go for or get a bit overwhelmed in a book shop then this is perfect for you!
I might add that if you are looking for a specific book or want to try one of the ones mentioned above why not go on Amazon or eBay and buy them second hand, this way you are using ones already in circulation and looking to be rehomed. This can also be done in a charity shop if you’re looking for a new read but don’t have any idea of what you want. You can also go to your local independent book store and support them in this much needed time.
Let me know if you end up ordering a box or if you have any thoughts on the initiative.
Much love,
Sophie x
Sophie's Edit 