I received November’s Sweet Reads Box free of charge to review. All opinions are my own.
Don’t pack up the decorations just yet — we have one more box to open before the holidays are out, and it’s a good one. Here’s what’s inside December’s Sweet Reads Box, the Canadian subscription box service for book lovers featuring a contemporary novel and related treats.
Each box comes with a guide to its contents where Sweet Reads Box owners Kerrie and Mark explain why they chose each item. They try to source local, and/or Canadian-made products wherever possible (which I love!) and pack everything with care.
This month’s book is The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld. I’ve read about it and have been wanting to read it, but it’s not going to be an easy one. Here’s the description from the front flap of the book:
Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now — if she had survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to police and a select group of parents as “the child finder,” Naomi is the Culvers’ last hope.
Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she, too, was a lost girl.
As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?
Told in the alternating voices of Naomi and a deeply imaginative child, The Child Finder is a breathtaking, deeply atmospheric, and exquisitely rendered literary page-turner.
“With beautiful Winter imagery and a poignant and captivating story of love, loss and family The Child Finder is different than other books we’ve read and while it has heavy and disturbing parts there is hope, magical realism and beautiful writing at its centre.” — Kerrie and Mark, Sweet Reads Box
I love curling up with a good suspense novel and feel like this one will be great company when the kids go back to school after the holidays. (I don’t know about you, but I find it next to impossible to read anything when they’re home.)
And what could be more perfect than hot chocolate to go with? I love how this one comes with a generous serving of mini marshmallows, and you can drink it straight out of the paper cup inside.
My husband’s friend makes really good peanut brittle you’d be hard-pressed to beat, but the gingerbread flavour in this one makes for an interesting twist.
“We chose these ornaments from a local store that supports artisans around the globe because it reminded us that love comes in many forms over the holidays and every day,” say Kerrie and Mark. “The string that it hangs from connects to the strings Madison leaves in the trees.”
I tied mine to the top of a Christmas present and tucked the card inside.
I love LOVE the tin pencil box, and the cabin in the woods design goes so perfectly with the setting of the novel.
And we can always do with another pair of warm socks. “We loved the cozy comfort of these socks and envisioned them to be perfect for a hike in the woods,” say Kerrie and Mark. “Whether hiking for a Christmas tree or looking for clues in the woods, these pair perfectly with boots.”
December’s box is the fourth Sweet Reads Box I’ve received and it’s the fourth time I’ve been delighted with the book Kerrie and Mark selected and the quality of the products they included alongside. Because they take such great care with the packaging, every product has arrived in mint condition. I think it’s a fantastic gift for book lovers, and I can’t wait for the next one!
The Sweet Reads Box sells for $49.99 + $12 shipping (currently shipping in Canada) and signing up for the Sweet Reads Box newsletter will get you a 10% discount on 3- and 6-month subscriptions. The January boxes are already sold out and a little birdie told me there are only a few left for February, so if you’d like to get in on it, order quick! (And if you’d like to see previous boxes, check out my posts for September, October and November.)
Do you know someone who’d love The Sweet Reads Box? Do tell! Have your read The Child Finder? What did you think? What would you like to see in a future box?
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