The Nocturnal Reader's Subscription Box: Lost in the Woods

It's that time of the month again! No...not THAT time of the month, but the arrival of my Nocturnal Reader's Box. My family are severely harassed in the run up to the arrival of my box, with frequent messages home each day from work "Has it arrived yet?" "Let me know when it comes"... Then when I finally get that confirmation that it arrived, I basically race home from work. Anyway, enough about my excitement, let's look at this month's box! The theme was "Lost in the Woods"...

Let's start with the most important inclusion - the books! Two exciting books this month: the recent release The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn and the more older release In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware. I see Ania Ahlborn all over bookstagram these days, and I know my friend Sadie is a fan after having read some of her work recently, so getting her new release was pretty exciting. But you know what makes it even more exciting? IT'S SIGNED. Personally. To me. Johann. Cue excited shrieking!!! I only have signed books from Joe Hill and Jodi Picoult so far, so this is a great addition to my collection. The synopsis for The Devil Crept In is as follows:

Young Jude Brighton has gone missing, and while the search for him is in full swing here in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They're well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark's youth, he knows that, too; he's seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend. It's just like the stories from years ago of that boy, Max Larsen, who was found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have either murmured about or tried very hard to not talk of these unsolved crimes... or that a killer may still possibly be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn - and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

That sounds pretty good, right? I'm planning to buddy read it with two of my fellow Nocturnal Readers, Sadie and Mindi. The second book is another one I've seen on bookstagram before: In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware. The synopsis for this book is as follows:

Mystery novelist Leonora, known to some as Nora and others as Lee, lives a solitary but comfortable life in London. Her days hinge on routine: coffee, run, shower, write, repeat - until she is unexpectedly invited to a weekend away by an old childhood friend she hasnt seen and spoken to in a decade. Nora (Lee?) surprises even herself and reluctantly decides to make the trip to an eerie glass house, deep in the woods and far from the city. As the weekend progresses, old rivalries and new relationships bubble to the surface and the getaway takes a dangerous turn, leaving Nora (Lee?) battered and bruised in a hospital bed. As she struggles to reconstruct the sequence of events that brought her to the hospital, secrets emerge about her past and present that force her to question everything she knows about herself - and everyone she's ever loved.

This sounds similar to The Girl on the Train in a way, and I loved that book, so I'm looking forward to getting to this one too!

Although I'm not the kind of girl who would go camping, if I DID decide to go, I'd be pretty well equipped with some of the items in the box. There's an awesome Campfire Story Champion hat, as well as a multi-purpose survival bracelet! It has an emergency whistle, a flint/scraper and a compass. There's also a cool wooden bookmark with the following inscribed: "Here in the forest dark and deep, I offer you eternal sleep" As a tea-lover, I was also excited to find an exclusive tea blend from Wick and Fable, as well as a cute loose leaf tea steeper.

But that's not all! There is also an air freshener for your car - it's like they knew I needed a replacement, as well as a pin depicting a Sasquatch looking for somewhere to read - I swear, the pins they include are another level! A black envelope is also in there which includes a riddle that you can solve for a chance to win a subscription to Audible. Lastly, some artwork done by Onyx Studioz that is very pleasing to the eye. I swear, this box just gets better and better each month! Next month's box is "Trapped" and I hear this is a must for any Stephen King fans - let the countdown begin!!

Johann

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