Reading In Heels Unboxing | October 2018

I ordered my first book subscription box! Even though I vowed that I never ever would. I’ve never really been that interested in most book subscription boxes because I always felt like it wasn’t worth splurging out on boxes that included items I wouldn’t even use. For example, the most popular YA subscription boxes out there – such as Fairyloot, Illumicrate and Owlcrate – tend to include exclusive items and fandom merchandise that I honestly couldn’t care less about? And since I’m fairly updated on new releases in YA, I always feared that I’d already have the book (which is the main element of the box!) – even if that book was signed by the author and boasted an exclusive cover with beautifully sprayed edges.

Then, I discovered Reading In Heels. A UK-based monthly book subscription box targeted at women, featuring the latest in contemporary literary fiction (always in paperback) and a selection of lifestyle and beauty treats! They just celebrated their one year anniversary in August, and you can see all their past boxes on their website or Instagram. Their boxes aren’t themed like a lot of YA subscriptions, but they are often colour-coordinated which is always a win for the aesthetic!

I ordered the box for October as it’s my birthday month and, even though this month’s colour palette wasn’t as pleasing as previous boxes, I was so happy with everything that was included! It may have been a one-off box to begin with, but I can definitely see myself ordering more in the near future.

First things first, the contents of the box come in this beautiful marble packaging that I, sadly, did not manage to capture in all its glory; however, I did use it as the backdrop for my photos (and will probably use it as the backdrop for every photo I will ever take from now on.) It’s also shipped in cardboard packaging (an environmental win!) and is incredibly lightweight to the point where, even though I was expecting it, I didn’t realise it had actually come in the mail until I opened it.

Here’s everything that was included in the Reading In Heels October 2018 box;

🌻 Sympathy by Olivia Sudjic – I haven’t heard of this novel before but it has been described as ‘a thrilling tale of obsession, doubling, blood ties, and our tormented efforts to connect in the digital age’ which has me intrigued. And I love that Reading In Heels always includes a mini book review card along with the book, which you can see pictured below!

🌻 De-Stress Muscle Bath and Shower Oil from Aromatherapy Associates – Made with a blend of rosemary, black pepper, lavender and ginger essential oils, this claims to soothe sore muscles and help you truly unwind.

🌻 Self-Heating Eye Mask from Spacemasks – I’m so excited to try this out! These jasmine-scented eye masks heat up through a natural chemical reaction between the iron particles in the mask and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere. Simple science to soothe you off to sleep!

🌻 Herbal Tea from Heath and Heather – This was a lovely surprise not only because I love tea but because I’ve actually already tried the ‘Green Tea with Coconut’ from this brand before. For that reason, I was glad they also included the ‘Blackcurrant’ tea to try and that they included not one but two bags of both.

🌻 Blackcurrant with Strawberry Gourmet Gummies from Wally and Whiz – At first glance, I was gutted to see these included because I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat them. Even though I could see that they were vegetarian and vegan from the ingredients, I was confused about the fact that they were winegums. However, they are also alcohol-free and I can confirm that they are delicious!

Have you tried Reading In Heels or any of the brands above? What are your favourite book subscription boxes, and what are the items that you always like to see included within them?