If you’re a sci-fi/fantasy reader and have been looking for the perfect subscription box to feed your passion, Books on Dragonwings might just be the box service for you.

About Books on Dragonwings

Books on Dragonwings is a brand new subscription box service that’s all about celebrating sci-fi and fantasy literature. Brought to life through a Kickstarter campaign, this subscription box service is all about giving sci-fi and fantasy readers the best subscription box experience possible.

Each box includes one hand-picked, recently published book (as in, the book will have been published only a week before you receive your box) and a few unique goodies that fit in with the theme or narrative of the book. These goodies can be anything from jewelry to art to decorations and more! Every box also includes a list of reading suggestions so that, if you really enjoy that month’s book, you can seek out something similar.

Aside from focusing just on sci-fi and fantasy books (both YA and adult), what really sets Books on Dragonwings apart from other literary subscription boxes is that the book included in each box isn’t a mystery. Each book is announced at least a month before the boxes go out so you don’t have to worry about already having the book. Knowing the title beforehand definitely doesn’t take away from the fun or mystery of the box just because you won’t know what little presents you’ll be receiving along with the book!

Books on Dragonwings is a quarterly subscription box service rather than a monthly one. There are two payment options available for the service: single one-time boxes and a quarterly renewal subscription. From there, you can choose whether you’d like the full box ($43 for the one-time boxes, $40 for the quarterly renewal) or just the goodies ($23 for the one-time boxes, $20 for the quarterly renewal). All of the prices already include shipping costs, which is pretty handy.

Books on Dragonwings currently only has shipping options set for the U.S. and Canada, but if you’re interested in subscribing and live elsewhere, just inquire about international shipping and Anya (the brains behind the operation) will work something out for you!

Want to know more about how Books on Dragonwings works? Check out their FAQ page!

Books on Dragonwings subscription box review

Confession: I don’t read as much sci-fi and fantasy as I’d like. A large part of that is that I can just never find a novel that peaks my interest and draws me in. With so many books out there to select from, it sometimes seems impossible to find something I’ll enjoy.

With that in mind, I was excited to check out Books on Dragonwings. With someone else vetting all of the sci-fi and fantasy books coming out and picking one that really tickles their fancy, there’s more of a chance that I’ll like it, too. Plus, because there are so many books coming out from week to week, I don’t think I ever would’ve heard about A.J. Hartley’s Steeplejack (the book included in my sample box) if it hadn’t have been for this subscription box service.

If Steeplejack is an indication of the quality of Books on Dragonwings’ novel choices moving forward (and I’m confident it is), this is going to be a great subscription box for sci-fi/fantasy fans. The premise of Steeplejack includes a female chimney repairperson, a culturally diverse city, and a mysterious murder. If that’s not up my alley, I don’t know what is. Best of all, there’s no indication of romance or a love triangle in the book’s synopsis. I can’t even begin to express how excited I am to read Steeplejack or how happy I am that Books on Dragonwings dropped it on my doorstep.

In addition to the novel, I also got a few shiny new accessories from my Books on Dragonwings box: a pair of earrings made out of nuts, two beaded bracelets from South Africa, and a glowing necklace. The bracelets are especially beautiful and knowing that they were handmade by Zulu women in rural South Africa makes them extra special. But, as wonderful as the bracelets are, I have to say that the necklace is my favorite piece. It has a beautiful design to it and I love the subtle glow that emanates from the stone in the center. It’s something that I could wear every day!

Not shown in the photo below is a really pretty hippo ring that I found in my box after snapping the shot. It’s a beautiful bronze ring that hugs your finger. I can’t wait to show it off to my friends. It’s that cute.

What I also really like about the beautiful accessories is the fact that they arrived in pretty bags. The bags have fun prints and textures to them that really shows how much care was put into putting together the box. It’s a small touch that adds quite a bit to my overall enjoyment of the box.

While it isn’t exactly a “goody,” one of the things I like best about my box is the inclusion of not only a list of other books I might like if I enjoy Steeplejack, but also a list of all of the items included in the box. What sets Books on Dragonwings apart from other literary subscription boxes is that they also note each item’s significance and why it was put in the box in the first place. I really like that extra touch because it gives me more appreciation for each item and points out the connection between them and the novel.

The final two items in my Books on Dragonwings box are what I like to think of as fun extras. The first is a little wooden book, which is actually a preview of something that will be in next month’s box. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s enough to make me wonder what that upcoming something is.

The other “extra” is an adorable small clay dragon that has a design inspired by Steeplejack (it has little nuts and bolts all over it, which is super cute!). I was told that random subscribers will receive these dragons in their box every quarter, so I’m definitely interested in seeing what the upcoming dragons look like!

Though there may be quite a few literary subscription boxes on the market today, Books on Dragonwings is unique and offers benefits that other boxes simply don’t. If you’re a fan of sci-fi and fantasy literature, definitely give Books on Dragonwings a try!

Full disclosure: I received a free Books on Dragonwings sample subscription box in exchange for my review on the site.

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