They may not be as convenient as e-books, or as purse friendly as a paperback, but I have a great love of hardcover books. There’s something about the feel of them in your hands, that makes the experience of reading, special, and as a writer I find it inspiring.

During the plague (aka Covid), I built a whole bunch of Ikea bookshelves and decided to finally let myself build a library of hard cover books. Being me, I turned to monthly book subscriptions to give me unique books that might deliver some unexpected surprises. One of the subscriptions I opted to try was FairyLoot. Started in 2016, this British based fantasy book subscription service offers exclusive limited-edition books with special features. Their offerings include Young Adult and Adult monthly subscription options, along with special edition stand-alone book purchases in their Fairy Trove.

For April 2024, they launched a brand-new option in their selections – Adult “Romantasy”.  Romantasy is a rather new, trendy term that FairyLoot defines as, “romantic fantasy books with more sexual content, better known as ‘spice’.” So to summarize, we should expect a bit more than a chaste kiss at the end of the adventure. The theme for the inaugural Romantasy subscription is Enchanted Fae.

FairyLoot states that the featured book of the month is “perfect for readers that love: 📚 Enchanted Libraries, 🧚‍♀️ Ruthless Fae, and 💫 Desperate Deals.”

I took the pilgrimage down Death Mountain, all the way to my mailbox and this gorgeous book was at the end of my quest.

April’s selection is “Lore of the Wilds” by Analeigh Sbrana

“In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile—her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.

She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.

As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.”

What makes FairyLoot so special is the artistry they include in the books. Along with the title, they also include a matching art print and message from the author.

Analeigh writes, “…I decided to write the book I had always longed to read. A story about a mixed girl who never quite fit in…not even in the books she loved. Lore’s story is one filled with cozy moments and dark twists and turns…And for those of you who have been searching…may you find yourself within the pages of this book.”

The FairyLoot Exclusive Edition comes with:
🖤 EXCLUSIVE COVER with a colourway change
🖤 A REVERSIBLE DUST JACKET with artwork by @nir4z
🖤 CHARACTER ART ON THE ENDPAPERS with foil designed by @nir4z (different front and back)
🖤 A FULL COLOUR DESIGN on the hardback by @bluelyboo
🖤 DIGITALLY SPRAYED EDGE with a solid sprayed top and bottom edge
🖤 SIGNED by the author ✒️

THE PRO(SE)

FairyLoot claims, “All of our boxes are lovingly packed and sprinkled with fairy dust, every time.” Judging based on this edition; I’d have to agree with them. It is incredibly beautiful and feels well made. The sprayed edges are glorious and the embossing on the book is some of the loveliest I’ve seen. The artwork is compelling, and I can tell so much attention to detail went into creating it. As for the story, it sounds interesting and inclusive, plus a love triangle set against the backdrop of an enchanted library sounds like a great way to kick off a romantasy subscription. It’s a gorgeous addition to my bookshelf and I’ll enjoy reading it.

the cons

The biggest issue I have with FairyLoot (and most book subscriptions,) is how heavily they feature book series. “Lore of the Wilds” appears to be one of these. And while FairyLoot does often create matching editions for the exclusive ones from their boxes, they can be incredibly hard to purchase. I currently subscribe to their book only adult subscription and previously had their young adult subscription. Because of technical difficulties, I missed out on the exclusive edition of the third book in a trilogy. Their customer service was not particularly helpful either. They are very slow to respond and for issues that need immediate resolution (like sales that end in the blink of an eye) it’s a problem. I feel like they need to do a better job of making sure matching editions of the series are available during a reasonable window of time or feature more stand-alone titles. Trying to buy subsequent exclusive editions on the resale market is often difficult and many are marked up by hundreds of dollars. It isn’t fair and takes away from those who subscribe and want to collect the entire series. Another issue are frequent shipping delays—for example, it’s the last day of the month and I have not yet received my April adult subscription box.

the verdict

Despite my complaints above, the books are so beautifully made that I’m still happy to be a FairyLoot subscriber and look forward to what’s coming next month.

Have you tried a book of the month subscription or club?
Have you read anything in the romantasy genre? If not, would you?
Would you like to see a review of “Lore of the Wilds”?

the backstory

Description: FairyLoot’s Romantasy Book-Only subscription new product line is perfect for people that love reading romantic fantasy books with more sexual content, better known as ‘spice’. Boxes will typically ship from the middle to the end of the month. The books will all be new releases, some selections this year will include titles that have previously been self-published but have now been picked up by traditional publishers with new publication dates. All of the books featured in this subscription are categorized as Adult within the publishing industry and are suitable for readers 18+.

Cost: The box will be priced at £21 GBP / $29 USD + shipping and tax (if applicable).

Spots for new subscriptions are currently CLOSED and the best way to get a subscription at the moment is to sign up to the waiting list – they invite people whenever more spots become available.