Bad Alibi Book Box Review October 2020
Bad Alibi Book Box is a new monthly mystery/thriller book subscription box from the US that delivers one recently released novel, three to five themed items, and a short story and mini mystery riddle submitted by Bad Alibi fans. October’s box is the second one they’ve put out, this one called Oh The Horror (a perfectly chilling theme for Halloween).*
*They kindly sent us this box for review.
Each box contains a product card (that’s the Oh The Horror card here) with a nod to the theme on one side and a list of the contents and the makers on the other. I’d love to see a larger card with some details about each product but I imagine we might see that down the line. I like how Bad Alibi included each maker’s Instagram handle. Makes it easy to look them up and see what they’re all about and encourages subscribers to tag them in photos. Maybe even follow them too.
Don’t Move by James S. Murray
And October’s book? “Don’t Move” by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth. Here’s the description from the publisher:
“Megan Forrester has barely survived the unthinkable. Six months ago, she witnessed a horrific accident that killed her husband and son, and lives with the guilt of knowing she could have done more to save them. Now, Megan hopes to mend the pieces of her broken spirit by attending a local church group’s annual camping trip. But the church group members—riddled with dark secrets of their own—make a catastrophic navigational mistake, leaving them stranded in an untouched canyon in the West Virginian national forest.
Isolated from any chance of help or rescue, Megan and the others quickly realize why this side of the canyon has never been surveyed by mankind: it’s home to a terrifying prehistoric arachnid that patiently stalks its prey through even the slightest movement or vibration in the forest. And it’s desperate for a meal.
Grief-stricken and haunted by her tragic loss, Megan now faces her ultimate test of endurance. Can she outwit a bloodthirsty creature hellbent on ensuring that no one gets out of alive? When a single wrong turn can mean death, she only has one option: DON’T MOVE.”
I tend to pick up thrillers and mysteries over horror so this one is new to me but dang it sounds good! It’s got lots of four-star reviews on Goodreads (it’s rated 3.5 overall) but I didn’t dig too deep into them because I’d rather be surprised and properly scared out of my wits.
Journal (smplnotebooks)
“The Suspense is Thrilling Me” LOL. I love a good pun. To me this is more of a notebook than a journal (I feel like journals are more substantial in terms of the number of pages and the sturdiness of the cover) but it’s really neither here nor there because I’ll get lots of use out of it.
Lip Scrub (NK Natural Lip Balms)
If you’re a fan of candy corn, you’ll love this lip balm. It’s not my favourite candy but I really like the smell — smells just like candy corn and looks like it too. It’s made my lips super soft and there’s lots of it so it’ll last a good while. And the maker’s only 11 years old! Love to see a subscription box supporting young entrepreneurs.
Ghost Bath Bomb (Indulge Yourself Shop)
Perfect colours for October and how cute is that little ghost on top? It’s actually a piece of soap that slides off when you put the bath bomb in the tub. The scent was really delicate and I couldn’t make out what it was, but that was perfectly fine with me. I’d rather have something unscented than wickedly overpowering. It did leave a grey ring around the tub but it was easy enough to wipe off. And my skin felt really soft afterwards.
Men’s Fun Crew Socks (Parquet)
Patterned socks aren’t my favourite but I know plenty of people who love them so I’ll gift this pair. Another perfect item for the theme.
Hair Bow (Spills and Frills)
The hair bow isn’t my style either but it’s really clever how they’ve got a Ouija board pattern on both the ribbon and the middle piece. Feels well made.
Short Story (Estelle Francis), Bookmark & Audiobook Download (Blackstone Publishing), Mini Mystery (Bad Alibi)
I think the short story and the mini mystery are a really smart way to get fans involved with the box. I’d be thrilled (pun intended) to see my own work included! The short story was legitimately scary and the mini mystery stumped me (‘tho once I read the solution I was like, “duh!”) I haven’t used the download yet but I do use the bookmarks. Bad Alibi also included a small poster of the book’s cover but it’s not something I’d hang so I’m not sure what to do with it.
So some mixed feelings about October’s Bad Alibi Book Box but I’m really interested in the book — always the most important element for me — and the bath bomb and lip balm are right up my alley. The journal/notebook too. I think the co. did a solid job curating this one around the theme and everything arrived in brand-new condition, no leaks or messes from the products or nicks in the book. (I want new books to be in pristine condition and this one was.) Looking forward to the next one!
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