The Cozy Reader Club Review, July & August 2016

Here we are again for one of my favorite boxes –  The Cozy Reader Club! If you follow that link to their website and scroll down to the bottom, one of my Instagram photos is highlighted on their site @crazydogmama143! I don’t know why this makes me feel like such a celebrity, but it does! I know it’s stupid and not a big deal (and they are getting free advertising) but when a company finds one of my photos worthy of putting on their website, I get all warm and fuzzy inside. I guess it sort of validates what I do in a way, or some such BS. Oh, something to note – if you linger on their site for a minute or two, you will see a popup window come up for $5 off your first box.

The Cozy Reader Club is what I consider a “Luxe” Book Box. They curate a truly beautiful subscription with high quality items that I am consistently impressed with. They are also one of the more expensive book boxes, but totally worth it IMHO. The cost is $64.95 per month, with a slightly lower cost for longer subscriptions. Unfortunately, they had to start charging new subscribers a $10 shipping cost, however the items always add up to more value than the cost, which is cool. Each month you will receive 4-6 items including a recently released hardcover women’s fiction novel, artisan beverages such as coffee, tea or hot chocolate, beautiful handmade items and delicious gourmet handcrafted treats. The boxes feature handcrafted, artisan goods from local small businesses throughout the USA.

Their motto is all about “ME TIME”, and us women, well, we truly need that time! Women run the world, I’m telling you. Yeah, many men are handsome, strong and occasionally brilliant, but women are AMAZING, no.matter.what! I’m not a fanatical feminist or anything, but the more I interact with women on the internet (especially entrepreneurs), the more I realize how awesome they (we) all are. Yes, there are some bitches out there – there is bad in everything – but it is rarer than I thought these days. Most of the time I am just in complete awe.

I will be reviewing 2 month’s of The Cozy Reader Club, one at a time as indicated by a header. I am not a Cozy Reader Club affiliate, I pay for this subscription, and I am NEVER compensated in exchange for a positive review, EVER!  Enjoy!

The Cozy Read Club Review, July 2016

Their nice, branded box – a little scuffed up from the mail.

The packing paper is always this nice peachy-orange, which for summer, is perfect. I save it like a freak.

It is always a treat for the eyes when you unwrap! If you are into looking at spoilers, the book is revealed beforehand each month (I can’t help it, I always look), but the other goodies are always a complete surprise.

The insert has a different photo each time; this month’s photo being a woman who I hope is wearing A LOT of sunscreen. I myself find it difficult to read at the beach through my sunglasses because I am blind – I would much rather read in the bath or curled up on the couch, but I do love the beach!

It is nice when boxes include prices. If you go off of the suggested retail price + tax you would have to pay elsewhere, this box value comes to about $86 – which surpasses the cost of the box + shipping at $74.98. Hooray! Book boxes don’t usually have high added value like POPSUGAR MUST HAVE or FABFITFUN boxes, but if there is any added value at all, I am happy! Of course you can get the book itself cheaper on Amazon (currently at $16.80), but where’s the fun in that? Even if you calculate the value with the Amazon book price (about $75), you at least break even. However, if you consider that buying all the items individually would undoubtedly add additional shipping costs, then there is still a little added value.

This month’s book is another women’s fiction that I would not normally pick up for myself, so again I am getting out of my comfort zone. I have discovered some really great reads this way, but we’ll see. I don’t have a sister, and generally don’t care for fluffy fiction, so I’m having a hard time getting excited about this one, but I will give it a chance.

I’ve heard Emily Giffin is a talented writer, and see a lot a good reviews for her books, but I did read that a few of her fans were disappointed in this one.

This is a cute and summer-y little bookmark from jillsbeadedknitbits.com.

I love the colors and the little starfish charm!

Beaded bookmarks are my favorite. 🙂

Coffee! I drink tea too, but when the boxes include coffee I am just stoked! I got a cold brew coffee maker in my recent Bespoke Post Box, so I am going to use these beans and see how it turns out!

I haven’t tried this brand before – but it smells divine!

OK, this stuff is CRACK. I’m not kidding. It tastes SO FREAKING GOOD, and the toffee isn’t the kind that will break a tooth. I have now purchased about 10 bags of it for myself and friends/family. Everyone hates me.

Now that Costco stopped making their semi-sweet chocolate chips (story here), I now have a replacement. A little higher in calories, but still a satisfying treat in small quantities!

Look at the goodness…

This tote is really pretty! It is well made and reversible! The canvas/burlap is perfect for the beach or a picnic, and again, love the starfish! It is unlike any of my other totes (and I have received a LOT of them recently in boxes) so I don’t mind adding it to my collection.

The whole summer theme for this month’s box was great – and I’ll even be making iced coffee!

So, even though I’m not *dying* to read the book, I am still super thrilled with the July Cozy Reader Club box.  I am now hooked on Dave’s Sweet Tooth Toffee for LIFE.

The Cozy Reader Club Review, August 2016

OK, there is a thumbprint-size dent in this box almost IDENTICAL to the one in the July Box but in a different spot – WTF?!??

They are now sticking the insert on the lid (instead of just laying it on top of the tissue paper) for more of a presentation when you open the box, which also makes it nicer for us reviewers to photograph. I’ve noticed a lot of subscription boxes doing that. It’s the little things.

Another beautiful box of stuffs!

I wish I could do hammocks. Big girls + hammocks = disaster.

This box has a Retail Value of $98.25 (if you include the tax you would pay elsewhere) – which is probably the best value I’ve seen yet!  Even if you use the Amazon price for the book, you get $86.58, which still exceeds the price of the box.

This book sounds interesting, and I have never read anything like it before. It has a dog in it, SOLD!

I am in LOVE with this tea tin!  It is SO PRETTY! I have black granite counter tops in my kitchen, so the black, grey and gold tin really looks nice in there.

Ta-da! This photo reminds of when they opened the car trunk in the movie ‘Repo Man’ – LOL!  Are you too young to know that movie? If so, GET OUT! 😉

The tea comes in little tea bags, smells delicious and it is specifically made for ICED tea. A nice summer touch!

Look at the little knob on top!  Love it!

I couldn’t tell what this was right away, but as I unwound it, WOW! Absolutely gorgeous 100% silk scarf! I did not have a silk scarf, and these pastels are so pretty. The silk is soft and shiny, and it will go perfect with my new peach/coral Ralph Lauren dress!

Iron?  Fuuuuuck…..

I tried the Maple Pecan one and…meh.  Kind of bland and disappointing. I’m hoping the brownie one is better.  Send more Dave’s Sweet Tooth Toffee!!! I’m not big on gluten-free stuff.

So what did you think of July & August Cozy Reader Club boxes? I was happy per usual.