Subscription: Uppercase Box
Cost
- Book Exclusive: $17/month, includes everything in What to Expect except the 1-2 bookish items
- Expert: $23/month, includes everything in What to Expect
- Personalized Plan: $29/month, includes everything in What to Expect except author content and reading experience, instead you get a book from your preferences
What to Expect
- Incredible Brand New, Hardcover Young Adult Book
- Signed Book or Bookplate Signed by the Author
- 1-2 High-Quality, Exclusive and Custom Bookish Items
- Uppercase Reading Experience with Exclusive Content
- Special Hand-Written and Personalized Note to You
I have been eyeing this box for some time, and when Subista asked if I wanted to review it I tried not to email her back within 30 seconds with a YES! Though I am 29, I still love YA books, and more than half of my Goodreads lists are filled with YA and adolescent books [I love and own all of the Mysterious Benedict Society series].
This package arrived in a flat rate padded envelope, so clearly there weren’t candles or mugs or kitties inside.
Of course I saved the bag in my bag drawer.
As promised, there is a book, a signed bookplate, 2 bookish items, reading experience/contents, and a handwritten note.
Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom
The Rules:
- Don’t deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.
- Don’t help me unless I ask. Otherwise you’re just getting in my way or bothering me.
- Don’t be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I’m just like you only smarter.
Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.
When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened–both with Scott, and her dad–the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.
I have really poor vision [-8] and a light sensitivity, so as a teen I would shower in the complete dark and pretend I was blind [seems silly but do you really need to see yourself to shower?]. I know my way around most rooms with my eyes closed, but mostly because I just don’t bother putting on my glasses at night. In addition, I have a hard time containing my sarcasm and sense of humor. So, when I read the coverflap of Not if I See You First, I was excited! The main character, Parker, has a “cutting wit and distinct point of view” for sure! Quote is from the curator Lisa’s letter.
*Please note I am not comparing myself to a blind person, but am curious about walking in other peoples’ shoes. Also, if you have a screen reader, know that most of our pictures are of cats and black eyeliner, but I will try harder to add attributes so you know what the pictures are of!
This book was approved of by the tiny cat inspector as not containing any treats.
The prologue contains the first note. This is a video, which I found out when I tried to look at the first bit of content, so I had to watch it later when my boyfriend wasn’t asleep.
The signed bookplate from Eric Lindstrom, which I immediately stuck into my book!
Cherry Blossoms Wood Bookmark from Mitercraft: $7, “This is another one of our original designs which has been applied to our handcrafted wood bookmarks with durable UV non fading ink. It combines photography with digital painting techniques. Wood Types: Sapele, Padouk, Maple, Walnut, Cherry Hardwoods.”
I love this bookmark! As a kid I collected bookmarks, but few were this cool. It is currently in this book waiting for me to move it a few more chapters. It feels really nice and I would definitely pay $7 for this, and in fact assumed it would cost more before looking it up!
2015 YA Quotes Calendar: An Uppercase exclusive item.
This went up on my whiteboard immediately! I used my handmade magnets =) I can’t even pick a favorite month because they’re all great and several have Harry Potter quotes. I will be saving this calendar.
Note: I have saved every single calendar I have owned since 2nd grade [that one had bears in bows on it, 7th grade had BSB, and 11th grade had the X-Files].
Verdict: I really like this December box! I started reading the book the night I got it, and I’ve enjoyed it so far. Plus, it has good reviews. As for the bookish items, the bookmark is definitely a well-made item, and the calendar was custom and I love it.
I found myself comparing this to OwlCrate, but they’re very different boxes and you can’t make me choose. The online content and signed plate are a nice addition, and I look forward to seeing what other online content this book will have.
What do you think about the book? Have you read it or would you like to? Let us know!
Disclosure: This box was sent in exchange for an honest review. There is an affiliate link.
Bella tasted the book – ha! I have this on my Goodreads to-read list so let me know if I should take it the next step and add to my library queue. I rarely buy books because I read so much… I would seriously be broke & in debt… and unable to buy sub boxes! Nooooo, the horror!
I’m 29 (+ 10) and I love YA books! Although I love Harry Potter (I came a little late to that party – after 4 or 5 of the books had already been published), my obsession started with The Hunger Games in 2008. One of the library workers had it on their recommended list on the library website but I usually ignored that… Not sure what made me look at it and read the summary (kismet!) but it was all over after that. I kept telling my friends to read it but they ignored my advice until after the 3rd book was already published and it became “mainstream” & popular. Whatevs. I’m not still bitter. (Yes, I am… lol)
Love that calendar!! I can’t believe you still have all of yours back to 2nd grade! That’s awesome. I used to save mine (may still have a few squirreled away) but my husband is a purger… while I call myself a “saver” because I’m not a true hoarder – not like the ones on that TV show anyway. 🙂
She has to rub her face on everything, including my face.
I like it so far, but yeah I’ll let you know =) Do you use Overdrive? Perhaps it’s my library background coming out, but PSA for all: get a library card [it’s free] and download the Overdrive app [it’s free], then connect your library account and you can download ebooks and audiobooks [for free!]. I rarely buy books unless they’re for my nieces or used for me, because I’d rather borrow and return. We pay for the libraries, so use them!!!
Heat, I also started in on HP later. They must have come out when I was in elementary school, because in 6th grade everyone was going crazy over them and that’s when I started my ”if everyone else likes it then to hell with it” phase. So, I never read them! But in high school when the first movie came out, my brother took my sister and I to it and it became a ritual to see them every year in theaters. I finally listened to the audiobooks my last year of college, and the movies made SO much more sense!!! Now I’m trying to get my boyfriend to watch them and 4 movies in he’s still not impressed.
Haha, I have that same feeling about telling people about something and no one notices till it becomes popular and they’re like “Have you heard of Coldplay!?” and I point out I was telling them about it all last semester and they ignored me. Sighhh.
Yes, I am a “saver” because I save useful things! I like it!
I may have to try this one out! I’m seriously into the book boxes right now. I get both of the BookRiot quarterly boxes, Lit-Cube, Owl Crate, Indiespensable, and TrustFall. In my defense I am down to Kloverbox and Petit Vour for everything else. I like some YA but it is hit or miss for me. I loved Hunger Games but hated Divergent (I liked book 1 but it went down hill after that).
I started HP late too. My mom kept telling me I should read them but I didn’t listen. When will I learn to listen? I read the first one right before the movie came out and was hooked. I loved the Hunger Games series too but didn’t get into that one until all three were out. I have enjoyed the books from Owl Crate (I’ve received the last two months).
I am also a “saver” of things that may eventually be useful. I still have reports I wrote in grade school.
I just joined Goodreads and am looking forward to the BookRiot Read Harder Challenge. I’m hoping that between that and my book boxes I will get out of my reading rut. I tend to read horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.
Hey Cecilia! That’s awesome that you do so many book boxes! I really like Goodreads for keeping track of what I’ve read and sending recommendations to my mom. I can look back later and find things easily. Which one is from Powells? That bookstore is amazing! I took my bf there when we went to Portland last year and he was just blown away by how big the place is. I could spend hours in most bookstores but that one could be daaayysssss!
I have many old papers as well. I finally threw a bunch out last time I was home.
What do you do in the Read Harder challenge? I need to start reading every night instead of playing Scrabble or Bejeweled!
Indiespensable is the Powells sub. That one and TrustFall have been really good lately at both picking books and pushing me outside my comfort zone. The Powells store is amazing!
The Read Harder challenge has 24 different types of book that you check off throughout the year; if you finish the challenge (there’s a form you can print or use Acrobat to fill out) you’ll get a code for 30% off in the BookRiot store! It looks fun and will definitely help me be better about putting away the games at night and reading more. They have a group on GoodReads called the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. They also have discussion forums for each of the topics to help you pick a book if you are having a hard time finding one to fit a particular category. Here’s a link to the book riot website for the challenge. https://db.tt/Sm87U6X8