Day 71 – Books That Matter box

I’m not sure where or when I found Books That Matter but I’m so glad I did. I’ve never had a subscription box of any kind so I was very excited to try this one.

Books That Matter is a monthly book subscription box made by women, for women. Established in 2018, their aim is to bring female-led books, written by women to a wider audience, they have quickly become the UK’s top book subscription box, and have won the UK’s Female Start-Up of the Year award. They’re kind of a big deal.

I’m a keen library user, but it’s rare that I actually buy a brand new book. Last year I made a concerted effort to buy a new book from a bricks-and-mortar book shop once a month –which I did manage this for quite a while until life got in the way. When I read about Books That Matter, I realised that this was a great way to re-start my new-book-a-month mission in a way that also champions and supports female authors that I might not be aware of. I feel like the price, £16, was also very reasonable. I joined in time for the March edition – a Suffragette themed box to tie in with International Women’s Day, and I’ve been counting down the days ever since.

When the box arrived, on what was otherwise a dull and boring Wednesday, it really turned my day around. Beautifully presented, with the precious treasure inside wrapped neatly in tissue paper, I was happy to see that there was no plastic to find inside.

Inside was a little note detailing what was included and why – Books That Matter also support independent female creatives and include at least 3 gifts that fit the theme with every box.

I have to admit, I nearly cried with happiness when I opened the box. I was so overwhelmed by sisterhood, that my feelings came to the surface. I loved it all, it was bright, it was fierce, and it was beautiful – I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen something so powerfully female. The book Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls, released in 2018, tells the story of three young women from different backgrounds, who come together to fight for their right to vote. I have only read non-fiction about the Suffragette movement (Emmeline Pankhurst’s My Own Story was a very interesting read), so I’m really looking forward to digging into this book.

I’m so happy with this new thing, it’s really something that I can see continuing after my initial 3-month subscription finishes. Although I already actively sought out diverse and female authors to read, receiving a curated and hand-picked box, with a book and presents I may have missed otherwise, is something really special. I can only recommend it!