Quarterly/Book Riot Subscription Boxes

I'm sure most of you are familiar with subscription boxes but what you probably don't know is that I'm a sucker for them. I was one of the original Birchbox buyers as well as an early Stitch Fix  lover (ps that is my personal stitch fix link so if you buy from it, I get credit. I highly recommend it ;). ) So of course, when I discovered Quarterly and that Book Riot was a curator, I had to try it. 

via

This is what I got for my first month. Three books and a handful of bookish stuff. Super fun! 

Soon after this, Book Riot launched their own subscription box and I jumped ship from Quarterly: Book Riot to Book Riot: The Riot Read. 

I've received two months of the Riot Read so far and it is way more my style! It's $30 a month for a new hardcover and some extra info via Book Riot. Yes, I could easily buy a $30 book on my own but I'm always looking to expanding my reading and a new book delievered to your door each month is awesome! The Riot Read has already impressed me twice and I'm anxiously awaiting this month's. First month, I received my first Rainbow Rowell book, Landline, and I loved it! The second month I received Land and Love of Drowning which is one I've never heard of but am looking forward to. 

Book haul from both services so far

I recommend both of these subscription boxes for different reason. The Quarterly one is more expensive but you get three books (or at least I did) plus lots of bookish stuff. Riot Read is only one book, but it's a hardcover, and if you don't need the bookish stuff, you still get a new read each month for a cheaper price. 

Do you subscribe to any boxes?

September 2014 Reading Goals

Well hello old friends! Here I am! A week late and a few goals short but I'm here! And with a rare but glorious book haul! I'm going to go full old school this month and focus mostly on real books for my goals but I will supplement with ebooks at work during lunch. But before I get into all of that, I'll check in with last months progress. 

Read: 

Landline 

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

The Interestings

Legend

Lexicon

(and as of today, a week later, I've completed)

Life After Life

The Light Between Oceans

Didn't Read: 

Lost Girls (either one but they will both be my ebooks for this month)

And guess what, I haven't written a damn review all month! Sorry about that, but I'll pick up speed soon. As you have probably noticed, I've taken my sweet time getting back into the swing of things around here since my vacation. I'm also making some big changes in my work life which has kept me on my toes. Luckily, it is now football season which means lots of time on the couch with the hubby (which I love) and provides good reading/blogging time. I'm coming back my lovelies, I promise!

So for this month, let's take a look at my book haul (below.) I have made the best worst discovery of my life. It's called 2nd and Charles and it's a HUGE used book store. They also have tons of comics and musical instruments and all sorts of stuff but it's like Barnes and Noble sized used book store. Talk about heaven!!! This is a great discovery because BOOKS! but not such a good thing because I can easily find 50 books I need because they are a good price and still drop major bucks. 

The below books all came from 2nd and Charles and get this, at least 5 of them were free. Free books, my people. Can't go wrong. So yes, they aren't really on my TBR list but I love Nora and a good beach read, so I grabbed them up and will be exploring this month. There's also some good King on there and you know I love him. I highly doubt I'll read all of these but you know I love a challenge! 

Ebooks

These are leftovers from last month and I'll only be reading them when not at home (i.e. work, which I've mentioned is crazy) so they may rollover next month too...

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery  

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World                 

How about that sexy iPhone picture?!?!

Table for Two by Nora Roberts (Great Chefs #1-2): This a two-for-one which was really free so it feels kind of like stealing books and I'm ok with it.

Inner Harbor by Nora Roberts (Chesapeake Bay #3): So I literally just realized this is the third in a series which means that I won't be reading this until I read the first two. I'm going to include this only because it's in the picture but I have just realized that it will be shelved in the meantime. Oh well. 

Joyland by Stephen King (Hard Case Crime 112): I've actually started this one and really enjoying it so far. And who knew this was a "series." Unlike the last one, I'm not concerned with reading the 111 before this. Don't think they are relevant to this story...

Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank (Lowcountry Tales #8): And another book I've picked up in the middle of a series. This is what I get for taking free books all willy nilly. 

Beach Music by Pat Conroy: Love Pat so I'm looking forward to this chunk of a book.

Looking for Alaska by John Green: This will be my second Green book and I've heard good things!

The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark: Love a good suspense novel

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King: Another chunk but I'm interested in how these four stories come together. My husband informs me this is a movie as well so I'm sure I'll have to follow up with that. 

Through writing this list, I have realized that there are two books I actually won't attempt to read from my book haul this month. I'm very OCD about series and like to read them in order so I'll put those two off until I catch up but you'll see them again in the future. All in all, my goals for this month add up to 9 books (counting the 2-in-1 separately.) Let's see how I do!