After visiting New York, my husband gifted me a subscription to The Strand’s The Book HookUp. We’d visited New York City for the first time at Christmas in 2018, stopping in at The Strand bookstore, of course, so it was the perfect gift. What I love about this subscription is that it’s quarterly, so not a huge commitment.

Boxes ship out in March, June, September, and December—or Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
The box comes with two books—typically one is a signed currently hyped book and the other is an advanced reader copy.
It also includes other bookish and local goodies.

June’s books had a Pride theme, which was fun, but it may be my last box. It seems the boxes are including less and less extra items. When I started getting them, there were 3-4 extra items, and this box only had 2. I’ll probably look for a new box to try. Maybe one that isn’t YA. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

Let’s wander in!

My box is a young adult box, but you can choose from a variety of boxes, including fiction, classics, and sci-fi. However, the prices differ for some of the boxes. There’s also a spoiler link on the website where you can see what the main title will be in your next box. I can never resist a peek!

What I found inside:

The Books

(Link to Goodreads synopsis through book title.)

The new release signed copy included in the box was Another First Chance by Robbie Couch. This YA novel about grief and friendship sounds like an emotional read. And the reviews are good!
The advanced reader copy included in the box was The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall. I’m not sure I’m interested in this one, so it may get passed on. The reviews are mixed, as well.

Another First Chance Synopsis:

They Both Die at the End meets You’ve Reached Sam, in this heart-stopping speculative young adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Robbie Couch that explores all the different ways love can live on after tragedy.

It’s been a year since eighteen-year-old River Lang’s best friend died in a car accident. And every day since, he’s had to pass by the depressing billboard that appeared as a result: a texting and driving PSA that reduces Dylan to a cautionary tale and River to the best friend of the dead kid at school. Dylan was so much more than a statistic, though, and River hates that everyone in town seems to have forgotten.

When he’s caught improving (a.k.a. vandalizing) Dylan’s billboard, River is blackmailed into joining the Affinity Trials — a research study that’s observing teens who are “struggling socially.” But as soon as he arrives, River’s social struggles only worsen as he’s thrown together with the last person he wants to spend an entire week with: his ex-best friend and Dylan’s former girlfriend, Mavis, who’s the only one who knows the truth about the night Dylan died.

During the Trials, River finds comfort in talking to Nash, a hot jock from a neighboring camp. Despite never having met Dylan, Nash’s charm, internal battles, and fascination with the universe remind River of his late best friend in the best possible way. As River starts to fall for the all-star athlete, feelings he never let himself explore begin to bubble to the surface. But so do bizarre developments within the Trials that make him wonder what researchers are actually studying while monitoring his every move. And when suspicions lead him to a bombshell discovery, River will have to decide just how far he’s willing to go for another chance at first love.

Published on May 28, 2024

The No-Girlfriend Rule Synopsis:

Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.

Hollis Beckwith isn’t trying to get a girl—she’s just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a Chris. Their relationship isn’t particularly exciting, but it’s comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she’s a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris’s favorite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery—but his unfortunate “No Girlfriends at the Table” rule means she’ll need to find her own group if she wants in.

Enter: Gloria Castañeda and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria’s cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in-game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armor, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.

But then an in-game crush develops between Hollis’s character and the bard played by charismatic Aini Amin-Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis’s stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants…or if she’s content to just play pretend.

Published on March 5, 2024

Cat-astrophe Game

Included in my box was a cute cat stacking game called Cat-astrophe. I’ve already passed this on to my cat-loving niece. She had fun trying to stack them up.

Chocolate Bar

The only other item included was a Milk Chocolate Salted Maple Bacon Bar by Phillips Chocolates. I’m a big fan of chocolate, but not so much bacon in my chocolate. 😉 Aaaand since I’m in Texas, it was a bit melted when it arrived.