Literary Vacation Club is a book subscription service that sends you on a literary vacation every month! There are two plans you can choose from, The Holiday and The Weekender.

The Holiday contains 1-2 indie novels in any genre (except for horror, poetry, and erotica), unique items that tantalize all five senses, and a bonus bookish goodie! Subscription plans begin at $29.99/month plus shipping* and you can also save $5 with their pre-paid plan which is $84.99 for every three months.

The Weekender contains one indie novel in any genre (except for horror, poetry, and erotica), items that tantalize your see and hear sense, and an item that tantalizes the smell or touch sense. Plans begin at $14.99/month plus shipping* and the pre-paid plan is $54.99 for every three months.

*$6.99 for the US, $10.99 for Canada, and $19.99 for Worldwide

February’s theme is “Diamond in the Rough”. Thank you, Literary Vacation Club for sending us The Holiday box to review!

Use code “WELCOME10” to receive 10% off of any plan!

I’ve been a fan of Literary Vacation Club when they were formerly known as Go Indie Now! When the company rebranded themselves as a reading vacation in a box, I was excited to see the change while still keeping their handmade touch.

So, I must ashamedly admit that the old photos that I took of the box was on my old phone and forgot to backup the pictures before giving it away to my boyfriend. He was quick to hit that factory reset! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to save the “first look” shot, but you have to trust me when I say that it is adorable! Also, yes, I am aware it is March and not February, but it has nothing to do with the shipping times. I was late on the review!

Since I love food so much, the first item I was immediately drawn to was Smartfood Delight White Cheddar popcorn which tantalizes the taste sense. Smartfood brings me back to my Middle School years when I was obsessed with their popcorn! I already felt less guilty eating their snacks since they were the “healthier” option compared to Doritos and Ruffles but seeing a lighter version of this cheddary goodness makes me feel even less guilty after a snack binge.

Next is an art print quote of Roxie Prince’s The Way We Go. It is to tantalize the seeing sense and also helps inspires you! I love this quote, and I can relate to this very much! Sometimes it’s nice to have that little reminder of our biggest strength and ambitions and the reason why we are where we are today!

Other than noticing the popcorn right away, the one thing that hit me as soon as I opened the box was the smell item, Rainbow Cotton Candy Goat Milk Soap by Little Turtle Soaps. The soap is cute, but it doesn’t smell like cotton candy to me. It does smell more like a fruity candy but still a great sense, nonetheless!

For the hearing senses, Literary Vacation Club curated a lovely playlist on Spotify which contains collections of songs from indie to mainstream artists such as Sia to The Killers. The collection of songs was themed after the feature novels every month which makes it an interactive experience!

The last item before the reveal of the books is a Throne of Glass locket keychain by Literary Life Co. The keychain is a bonus item for those who subscribed to The Holiday plan, and if you’re ever on Bookstagram (a book community in Instagram), you might recognize this company based on their packaging (formerly known as Crafting Call)! The locket is cute, and I love that it is a keychain since I’m not a hardcore jewelry person. However, I haven’t read the book yet (I know, please don’t shoot me!). I read a couple of chapters of the novel, and it wasn’t that I didn’t like it or anything, but I just move onto the next book and forget to finish it. Hehe.

Now, onto the books! It was paired with a beautiful handmade book page protector, crocheted by the owner of Literary Vacation Club and it also tantalizes the touch sense. The books of the month are Roxie Prince’s The Way We go, Winner of Go Indie Now! Excellence in Literature September 2016, and Growth Spurt which is a companion novel to The Way We Go.

It is my first time hearing of this coming of age author, and I’m intrigued by her work. Roxie Prince has a unique history, being born with HIV+ and a natural storyteller at a very young age. Here is a brief summary of The Way We go from Amazon:

“Lindsay Picou is sixteen going on thirty. She’s been forced to not only take care of herself but to raise her little sister, too, because their mother, Gloria, is a part-time prostitute and a full-time wanderer.

Then, Gloria meets Ben. He not only changes her life for the better but Lindsay’s, too.

These changes come with a set of challenges Lindsay isn’t equipped for; she has to learn to be a student, a friend, and a daughter. In short, she has to learn how to be herself in a completely new world, and she is forced to learn things about the people in her life that both hurt and free her.

Just when she starts to feel like she’s getting a handle on things, she meets Micah, Ben’s best friend, and things get a lot more complicated.”

Also from Amazon is the brief summary of Growth Spurt:

“Two years after the end of The Way We Go, the debut novel by Roxie Prince, Growth Spurt picks back up with Katie Sterling and her friends as they turn thirteen and enter the confusing era of their lives wherein they are unsure whether to start growing up or to cling tightly to their childhoods.

Katie grapples with her boycrazy peers, and her inability to connect with them. As a member of the Young Debutante Society, she has her “coming out” party to prepare for, but her friendships and her identity come into question as the event approaches.

Michaela’s family is in turmoil over her parents’ divorce, and she and her brother rebel. Michaela tries to find solace in chaos, but her desire to grow up too fast puts her in a terrible position, leaving her feeling more alone than ever before.

Rachael and Aubrey struggle to find their place in their new dynamic. Aubrey’s strong Mormon faith and head-in-the-the-clouds personality separate her from her friends. Rachael struggles to assert herself and form an identity of her own while balancing the excitement of her first, secret, boyfriend.

All four girls have a lot of growing up to do; whether they do it together or not is what they’ll have to decide.”

Final thoughts: I enjoyed Literary Vacation Club’s “Diamond in the Rough” theme this month! I was amazed how much this company has grown and noticed the changes of hand-picked items while still keeping the small indie shop feel! The owner, Ashley, did an excellent job sending her subscribers on a mental vacation and I look forward to taking a trip to their “Norse Mythology” theme in the month of March!

Use code “WELCOME10” to receive 10% off of any plan!

*NOTE: We paid for this box.*