Meet the makers: Q&A with Sweet Reads Box founders Kerrie and Mark + April’s reveal + A giveaway!

I received April’s Sweet Reads Box for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and from the heart. 

This month’s Sweet Reads Box reveal is a little later than usual but I think it’s worth the wait. In addition to a peek behind the scenes with founders Kerrie and Mark, I’ve got a giveaway for the June box! If you’ve been following along you’ll know the boxes sell out quickly so while this one here has already been all snapped up, Kerrie and Mark have set a June one aside for one of you. They’ve also got a discount on right now for 15% off three- and six-month subscriptions with the code LOVEMOMS so if you’ve been thinking of trying it, now’s a great time! And if it’s the first you’re hearing of it, Sweet Reads Box is a Canadian book subscription service that comes with a novel and five or six related treats (including something to eat and drink, which always goes over well around here). You can see all my past reviews here. Now let’s get to the April box! 

Each box comes with a card with a guide to the contents on one side and a quote that hints at the theme of the novel on the other. April’s card quotes Alfred Hitchcock: “Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” Sounds like we’re in for something juicy, no?

And inside, one of the more recent (and highly enjoyable) additions to the grip lit genre, The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn. I read it when it came out in January so it wasn’t new to me but I was thrilled (pun intended) to see it all the same as it’ll make a fantastic gift for one of my reader friends. Here’s the description from the gatefold:

Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.

It’s one of those books you’ll read through the night, occasionally looking up to ask yourself if you saw something at the window or heard someone at the door. *shiver* Amy Adams is set to play Dr. Anna Fox in the movie adaptation. (Who wants to go see it with me? I’m too chicken to watch it alone!)

Next up, Village du Gourmet Sangria Mix, a clever nod to the red wine Dr. Fox drinks like a fish.

An artisan chocolate truffle from Centre & Main, handmade in Warkworth, Ontario, and a pad of Little Blue House sticky notes the Merlot-drinking Dr. Fox would love.

And my favourite item in the box (besides the book!), these adorable Wine Lives wine markers from Fred and Co. that speak to Dr. Fox’s love of wine and her cat, Punch.

And Dr. Fox is an avid Chess player, so this mini chess set is such a clever addition.

April’s box is one of my favourites. Usually I gift a couple of items from the box because I think they’re perfect for someone I know, but I’ll be keeping all of these. The truffle is long gone (it was delicious!), the Sangria mix perfect for a warm summer evening, the Chess set already snapped up by my son, the notepad in use (sticky notes are my jam) and the wine markers just make me smile.

A Sweet Reads Box subscription (or even a single box to start!) would make such a great gift for your bookish friends — both avid readers and those who could use some encouragement to to pick up a book again. Doesn’t Sweet Reads Box makes you excited to read? It’s me time delivered!

Last month I promised to field the founders your questions. (Thanks for those!) Here’s a little more about Sweet Reads Box and what goes on behind the scenes:

Tell us a little about yourselves — what do you do when you’re not running Sweet Reads Box?

We both have day jobs, Kerrie is a teacher and Mark is an accountant. We have a blended family of 8-year-old twin boys and four adult children. We love to travel, read, and spend time with friends and family.

How do you choose each month’s book?

We don’t have a set method to choose a book but we look for high quality i.e. the book or author is a best seller or award winner. We read a lot of books to find ones we think will have a great appeal. Also, we have to brainstorm what products will we be able to curate with the book to make the Me Time enjoyable. Both of us are always reading and we keep in contact with a variety of book publishers to find out what’s coming out in the next few months to select books that our subscribers will love.

We also consider that some books are heavy reads, either emotional or just long novels and we try to follow these books with a lighter one. We try to vary the type of novel so we can offer a wide variety of genres.

How far in advance do you have to source the items for the box?

Sourcing the items depends a lot on where they have to come from. Some items can take up to a month to get. We consider local suppliers whenever we can.  Right now we are four months ahead and are gathering items for all those months.

Have you always been big readers? When do you find the time to read? What are some of your favourite books?

We both have always been big readers. One of the most gratifying things about the box for us is reading books that are outside the normal genre or authors we would regularly read.

Finding time to read is a challenge! Carrying a book around to read a few pages in spare moments is one strategy. A lot of bedtime reading happens. We start a lot of books and have to make a decision quickly whether to continue to the finish or drop it and move to the next one waiting to be read. Fortunately, so far we have agreed on all the books that have made it into the box.

Our favourite books are the ones we have used in the box of course! We chose them because we emotionally connected to them and hope the readers will have the same response.

What’s next for Sweet Reads Box?

What’s next for us? Well, to get Me Time, Delivered to more readers who need it. Something we have done is Facebook Live interviews with two of the authors we featured, Kerry Clare, Heather O’Neill and Kathleen Rooney.  We are working on having more FB live interviews with our upcoming authors.

Giveaway!

To enter to win June’s Sweet Reads Box, tell me something (a book or a related item) you’d love to see in it. (This entry is mandatory.)

For an additional entry, visit try small things on Facebook and like (or love!) this post and leave a comment, then tell me you did so and your name on Facebook in the comments below. (Shares aren’t necessary, but I really appreciate it!) 

And feel free to tweet the following once per day and leave the url for your tweet in the comments below (one entry per tweet). Make sure you’re following try small things on Twitter for your entry to count.

A Canadian book subscription box that’s Me Time, Delivered! #Win a Sweet Reads Box from @trysmallthings! CAN 5/20 https://wp.me/p4xBed-6Fc #sweetreadsbox #thewomaninthewindow

The contest is open to Canadian residents 18+ excluding Quebec and ends at 11:59 p.m. on May 20, 2018. The potential winner (chosen at random) must respond to prize notification within 48 hours and provide the correct answer to a skill-testing question, otherwise another winner will be selected.

Good luck everybody! I can’t wait to hear your ideas!

Update May 24, 2018: Congratulations Cassandra K!