Erstwilder Christmas Essentials Earrings 2023

I started collecting Erstwilder jewellery in 2017, and since then, I've bought at least one Christmas brooch from them each year. Except this one.

Sadly, for me, this year's Christmas collection is based on a popular Australian children's book series by May Gibbs that I had never heard of before Erstwilder. I've never seen books like Gumnut Babies or The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie here in England- did anyone here grow up reading them?- so the designs just don't mean anything to me. I was a little disappointed because I look forward to their Christmas collections every year, but I was also relieved not to have the temptation for once.

However, my bank balance didn't come away completely unscathed- I stocked up on festive earrings from the complimenting Essentials collection to mix and match with my existing Christmas brooches instead! Oops.

I picked up four pairs of drop earrings and one pair of studs, and even received the free gift with purchase brooch! I was so surprised as I really didn't spend that much, but who am I to question free jewellery?

This is what I bought:

Firstly, I got the baubles glitter drop earrings in green and red because I couldn't decide which I liked best, and at just £6.50 a pair, I couldn't find a reason not to. In my defence, they're differently shaped, and I have plenty of Christmas brooches they'll both go with. The green pair is made from a festive green, multi-coloured glitter resin with gold, red, green, and blue flecks, and the red are crimson-coloured with metallic scarlet glitter. They're so sparkly and festive without looking too tacky, and I think they'd be perfect for wearing to Christmas parties or for decorating the Christmas tree.

Speaking of Christmas trees, it wouldn't be Christmas without them, so buying the ripple resin Christmas tree drop earrings was a no-brainer. They're simple three-tier Christmas trees cut from the prettiest green ripple resin which catches beautifully in the light and gives a lime green shimmer. The only grumble is that the green resin is only on the front of the earrings and not on both sides- the backs are finished in plain white- which is a shame, since it'll show if they get twisted. I assume it's to bring out the colours of the resin more and not about keeping costs down, as the bauble earrings are double-sided.

I also picked up the red bow ripple resin studs and drop earrings because they were too cute to resist. They're both made from a gorgeous crimson-red ripple resin with a metallic scarlet sheen, and like the trees, they're layered on a plain white acrylic. The drop earrings are about twice the size of the studs, but both are big enough to make a statement out of any Christmas outfit- or any outfit, really. They'd be great for wearing all year round. Both styles also come in a red gingham finish. You can find the drop earrings here and the studs here in the UK.

And this is the free gift-with-purchase brooch, which is a little fairy with a pearlescent blue flower petal bonnet and hazel eyes sitting on a shimmery forest green leaf called Blue Petal Baby. It's really cute, but since I'm not familiar with the stories, I wasn't sure I'd ever wear it, so I sold it on to someone who would.

Erstwilder usually have a limited number of free gift-with-purchase brooches with each launch which you might be lucky enough to get when you buy two or most pieces from a main collection in the UK or when you spend $100 on their website. But you have to get in fast on launch day as they always go fast. This is the first time I've ever received one with an order of Essentials, though, and I don't think it's the norm, so I wouldn't expect to get one when buying a bunch of them.

Some of the earrings have already sold out, but there are other festive designs still available from Erstwilder, as well as Lottie and Lu, and Rockamilly in the UK. Snap them up while you can.

Do you enjoy wearing Christmas earrings or do you draw the line at Christmas jumpers?

You Might Also Like

My Erstwilder Christmas Brooch Collection

Erstwilder Modern Holiday Brooches and Earrings

Erstwilder An Australian Christmas Brooches and Earrings

Erstwilder x Pete Cromer 2.0 Christmas Brooches

Erstwilder All Wrapped Up Christmas Brooches

Erstwilder Festive Splendour Christmas Brooches

Erstwilder Kitschy Christmas Brooches

A Court of Frost and Starlight Festive Book Review

I love to read books with festive storylines at Christmas time to help get me in the mood, and I discovered a new one this year from one of my new favourite book series that will probably end up being reread every Christmas from now on:

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas.

It's a fun, festive novella from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, that sees the characters of the Night Court celebrating their winter Solstice, and it's ideal for anyone who enjoys NA fantasy romance, with hot fae characters, and plenty of angst and humour.

I'm here with a little review of the book to tell you why you need to read it this Christmas.

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR book 4)

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: NA Fantasy romance / Romantasy.

Plot:

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a festive fantasy novella that bridges the gap between the end of the war in a A Court of Wings and Ruin, and the events of A Court of Silver Flames the following summer. The Winter Solstice- ACOTAR's version of Christmas- is approaching, and as they prepare to celebrate the festivities together, the Inner Circle- a found family of sickingly good-looking fae friends who lead the mysterious Night Court- are working to heal from the war, rebuild the city of Velaris, and find peace with the other courts and humans beyond. Or so they say. 

When they're not shopping for Solstice presents, having snowball fights, or weird s*x, they spend a shocking amount of time wandering around the frozen city streets of Velaris, having dinner together, making a mess of the decorations, and drinking in front of the fire. Basically enjoying all the best parts of the holidays the way any of us might.

Feyre, who, apparently, barely has time to sleep or spend time with her High Lord mate, Rhys, somehow manages to find an awful lot of time to paint, teach art, and treat Nesta and Lucien like dirt. (But we mustn't speak ill of our High Lady). Rhys is horny but too busy checking in on a deeply depressed Tamlin to get any; Mor is restless and in need of adventure; Amren has taken up jigsaw puzzles- yes, AMREN!; Cassian is fighting misogyny in the war camps and pining after Nesta; and Nesta is drinking herself into oblivion and pushing everyone away. And Azriel and Elain... I don't know, but they're there, too. 

And... well, that's about it. That's the plot. 

Um... yeah. It doesn't really have one, besides a group of friends enjoying the festive season together, and trying to find their feet again after a gruelling war.

Thoughts:

I'm a huge fan of the ACOTAR series, but even I'll admit that the writing is a little cringe-worthy, and reads like a twelve-year-old's attempt at fan fiction. It's as if the author employed someone inexperienced to ghost write her characters enjoying Christmas together with the plot of a low-budget TV Christmas movie, except the characters are fae and half the males have bat wings. 

It doesn't compare to any of the other books in the series in storyline or quality AT ALL, but I still enjoyed it for the small bit of character development, new POVs from Cassian, Nesta and Mor, comedic value, and getting to learn more about some of my favourite book characters. If you're a fan of the series, it should fill a bat-boy-shaped hole in your life between books, and it's ideal for some light-hearted relief, but if you go in expecting a masterpiece, you will be disappointed; it's festive fluff, and little more. But  hey, sometimes festive fluff is exactly what you need- especially at Christmas time when the stress levels are high, and you don't have much time to relax and unwind with a good book. And if that's the case, and you're looking for an easy, simple, but enjoyable story that can be read in a day, I would recommend ACOFAS. It's a fun, quick, effortless read with plenty of cute, funny, and heartwarming seasonal scenes to help get you in the mood for Christmas, as well as some deeper, heartbreaking moments to punch you in the heart, as certain characters struggle with their mental health due to trauma and loss. But please proceed with caution if topics like war, grief, depression, s*xual abuse, physical abuse and s*x are triggering.

A few highlights of the book for me were getting to read from Cassian and Nesta's POVs for the first time, and their heated scenes together as Nesta battled with her trauma and grief. She straight-up broke my heart pushing the few people that cared about her away while she spiralled further and further, and it annoyed me how nobody seemed to realise why she was acting the way she was when they'd all been through trauma themselves. Nesta's such a misunderstood character, but I love her, and wanted someone to help her so badly. The scene where she rejects Cassian's Solstice present hurt my heart, and I was rooting for them to end up together. It was also interesting to finally read a flash-back of the aftermath of Mor's assault, when Eris found her on the ground of the Autumn Court, and I was surprised by how the scenes between Rhys and a deeply depressed Tamlin changed my feelings towards Tamlin yet again. There's also plenty of romantic moments between everyone's favourite power-couple, Feysand, and some sweet moments laced with sexual tension for Azriel and Elain. Lucien also pops his head in, but of course, he's still being completely ignored. He deserves better.

The seasonal scenes were also really fun to read, from the three five-hundred-year-old winged man children having their annual snowball fight together, to Azriel redoing the decorations Cassian and Feyre made a mess of hanging, and getting flustered when Rhys busts him downing wine in exasperation. Mor's legendary bad gift giving was also pretty funny, and the story of where Rhys got all of Feyre's outfits made me cry.

In conclusion, A Court of Frost and Starlight is not the best written book in the world, doesn't have much of a plot, and doesn't match the quality of the rest of the ACOTAR series, but it's a fun read if you're an ACOTAR or fantasy fan who enjoys a bit of festive fluff. I don't think you need to read the first three books to enjoy it, but it would definitely help you understand the characters- and the fact the males have bat wings- better. The book has it's good sides and bad sides and down right cringe worthy sides, but it's worth enduing for the good bits. Just go in with low expectations, pretend it's a fan fic, and you'll be less disappointed by the drop in quality since ACOWAR. Don't worry- it more than picks up again in A Court of Silver Flames.

Rating: Three and a half stars out of five from me, but hey, it's Solstice, so let's round it up to four.

You can find a more in-depth review of the book from me on my Goodreads here.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to start my reread.

Have you read A Court of Frost and Starlight yet?

You Might Also Like

Litjoy Crate ACOTAR Stained Glass Book Tin Review

Litjoy Crate ACOTAR Stained Glass Book Sleeve Review

Throne of Glass Series Reviews Part One

Throne of Glass Series Reviews Part Two

Midnight in Everwood by M A Kuzniar Christmas Book Review

A Merry Christmas & Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott Review

A German Christmas: Festive Tales From Berlin to Bavaria Review

Puffin Classics A Christmas Carol Book Review

A Literary Christmas: An Anthology Book Review   

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories Book Review      

Christmas to Color by Mary Tanana: Adult Christmas Colouring Book Review 

My Christmas List 2023

My family keep pestering me for Christmas present ideas, so I thought it was about time I put together a little wish list to give them a few ideas. 

I figured it might also give you guys some Christmas present inspiration for your own friends and family (or yourself!), so I'm sharing it with you, too.

Here's this year's Christmas list. Remember to check it twice.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23

1. Owlcrate's edition of Fall of Ruin and Wrath is one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. Even if it kinda looks like a purple version of the Six of Crows collector's edition.

2. I'm in love with the print on this Herbology Witch print Lyra Mini Dress from Lady Vintage. Loving the forest witch vibes.

3. The Lucinda cable knit embroidered cardigans from Joanie Clothing look perfect for throwing over a cute dress to stay warm in the winter. I can't decide if I prefer the teal...

4. ...or this gorgeous mustard variation. Maybe I need both?

5. How many Robin Hood Loungefly backpacks are too many? Because I need this Robin Hood floral mini backpack in my life like yesterday. It's one of the best bags I've ever seen.

6. Erstwilder just released their insanely cute and colourful Kutopia collection by Kasey Rainbow, and their Owen the Otter brooch looks otterly adorable.

7. I would sell my right arm to find the new deluxe Hunger Games box set under the tree this Christmas, but it already seems to be sold out everywhere, so I'm a sad little bookworm. I'm kicking myself for not preordering it, but I didn't have the pennies and figured it would be around for a while. I really hope they restock it. 

8. I don't need any more eyeshadows in my life, but I would definitely make room for Too Faced's new seasonal Merry Merry Makeup eyeshadow palette. The colours look dreamy.

9. I've always had a soft spot for dachshunds (sorry, Rosie), and this Darcy the Dachshund brooch is one of the cutest dog brooches I've ever seen.

10. I really want to try the new Pears & Share range from The Body Shop, especially the shower gel and body yoghurt, so the Pear Essentials gift set would definitely be welcomed this Christmas.

11. What I wouldn't give to own this amazing Loungefly Lady and the Tramp mini backpack! I always loved the Christmas scene with Jock and Trusty and the puppies at the end of the film, so this one is definitely a need, and not just a want. It's so perfect I could cry.

12. The Rescuers was one of my favourite Disney films growing up, and this soft toy set of Miss Bianca, Bernard, and Evinrude is adorable. I can't believe there's a teddy of Evinrude and his little leaf motor boat!

13. I'm dying to get my hands on this Olivie Blake Masters of Death and One For My Enemy book duo from Illumicrate. The books look stunning (especially Masters of Death), and the storylines sound really good, too.

14. I love this Cruel Prince stationery set from Litjoy Crate, which matches the art in the book boxset. The only problem is, they're so pretty, I wouldn't want to use them.

15. Nettle and Bone was one of my favourite reads last year, and I've fallen in love with this special edition from The Broken Binding. The Bone Dog hidden cover is amazing, and it's so inexpensive for a special edition, too.

16. Rhonda the Red Panda is another Erstwilder Kutopia brooch that would make a great edition to my brooch zoo.

17. I love the Barnes and Noble special editions of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Blood and Ash, and Flesh and Fire series, and would love to collect them. This copy of A Light in the Flame is so beautiful.

18. A Fire in the Flesh is even prettier. I just wish there was one for Shadow in the Ember.

19. I never knew I needed an edition of Monopoly so much until I discovered there's now Labyrinth Monopoly. It looks so good!

20. Owlcrate's Forest reading planner is still high on my lust list. The design is gorgeous, and it has everything you need for recording your reading life.

21. Another Barnes and Noble special edition I have my eye on is this stunning copy of A Soul of Ash and Blood. Sadly, B&N stopped delivering to the UK during the pandemic, but I'm tempted to save up, and try a shipping service like Stackry at some point. Has anyone ever used them?

22. How cute is The Growth Eternal mini brooch from Erstwilder?! It would go great with the Lyra dress.

23. And finally, one last Erstwilder Kutopia brooch because a girl can never have too many... say hello to Warren the Wombat. He's wonderful.

And those are some of the things on my Christmas list. 

If you're looking for more like this, you can find all these and more on my Christmas wish list board on Pinterest.

What's on the top of your Christmas list this year?

Litjoy Crate ACOTAR Stained Glass Book Sleeve Review

2023 has been my A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) era, and I'm not done yet.

Not even close.

I've even gone as far as buying bookish ACOTAR merch this year. 

I reviewed the amazing Litjoy Crate ACOTAR book tin here on the blog back in the spring, and I loved the design so much that I just had to go back and snag one of the matching book sleeves for myself, too. I've been meaning to talk about it for months, but, luckily, the timing works out okay for present inspiration because it would actually make a great Christmas present for any fan of the series.

So, this is the Litjoy Crate ACOTAR stained glass book sleeve, which features RosieThorns88's amazing Beauty and the Rhys artwork. It depicts Rhys, Feyre, and Tamlin (and the High Lords' beast forms behind them) on Feyre's wedding day, and it's inspired by the stained glass art from Beauty and the Beast. 

The fun thing about the design is that there are loads of little Easter eggs from the books hidden amongst the characters like Lucien's fox mask, the Ouroboros, Feyre's wedding shoe (if you know, you know), the Bone Carver's chisel, and the Cauldron turned into a giant rose. There's also the starry Night Court sky and the Spring Court manor in the stained glass windows at the back, and pretty pink roses along the bottom.

There's a lot of deep purples, pinks, black, and green in the art, but they're not as vivid as they are on the book tin, and some of the darker colours (especially on the Night Court side) have printed a little too dark to see the image clearly. I think it makes an otherwise gorgeous book sleeve look a little bit like a cheap knock-off in places, which is such a shame as the art is amazing and it's otherwise well made.

The book sleeve has been made from polyester with inner foam to cushion your book or e-reader (or whatever you decide to store inside) and keep them well protected from dirt and damage. It feels soft and springy- a bit like wetsuit fabric. It's also durable and thick, can be easily wiped clean, and has a zip closure at the top to keep you book or tablet safe and clean.

It comes in three sizes to suit paperbacks, hardbacks, and tablets, and I went with the medium to cover most of my bases. The medium is 8 x 11.5 inches in size, and it's perfect for smaller hardbacks- but can be used for paperbacks and Kindles, too. It won't accommodate larger hardbacks like A Court of Silver Flames, but I can just about squeeze A Court of Wings and Ruin in it (as you can see in the photos), which is 699 pages long. You won't fit anything bigger in this bad boy (there's zero chance of fitting Kingdom of Ash in here), and it's definitely better suited to more average-sized books so you don't strain the zip and stitching. I don't really understand why they'd make an ACOTAR book sleeve and not make it roomy enough to fit all of the books, but at least A Court of Thorns and Roses, and A Court of Frost and Starlight fit in perfectly. 

These stained glass book sleeves range from $16.50- $25.00 (US dollars) in price- the medium is $20.00- and shipping to the UK was under $10 with taxes, which I think is really reasonable. It does vary depending on how much you buy, though. I didn't get hit with an extra custom charges for shipping to England, but this will vary from place to place.

Overall, I really love my ACOTAR book sleeve, and it's great for keeping the book I'm reading protected at home or on the go in between reads. I really want their Throne of Glass book sleeve, too, and I'm hoping it gets restocked.

Do you use book sleeves to protect your books?

You Might Also Like

Litjoy Crate ACOTAR Stained Glass Book Tin Review

Litjoy Crate The Reading Journal Review

Throne of Glass Series Reviews Part One

Throne of Glass Series Reviews Part Two

Midnight in Everwood by M. A. Kuzniar Christmas Book Review

Last Christmas, I read a wonderful grown-up retelling of The Nutcracker called Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar, but since I didn't finish it until after Christmas, I never managed to review it on the blog. And honestly, that's just not on. 

It's a magical festive read to get lost in during cold December nights, so I wanted to tell you guys about it so you can enjoy the experience, too. I've had this review waiting in my drafts for a whole year now, so it's time to dust it off, and introduce you to the world of Celesta.

Book Title: Midnight in Everwood

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Genre: YA Fantasy

Plot:

'Sometimes the easy path is harder than one might ever imagine.'

Midnight in Everwood is a beautifully-descriptive, gothic reimaging of The Nutcracker about a young woman in Edwardian times being forced to give up her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer to marry a man of her parents choosing. Marietta feels trapped, and on Christmas Eve, when Drosselmeier, the curious toymaker her parents want her to marry, turns predatory the moment he gets her alone, she retreats into the grandfather clock in his theatre set and is amazed to find a portal to another world. Marietta has no choice but to escape through the clock, and finds herself in a magical but dangerous wintry world full of sugar and snow, gingerbread houses and elaborate balls, moose-pulled sleighs and miniature reindeer. This enchanting, snow-draped land appears like a winter wonderland at first, but then Marietta finds herself taken before the king, who covets rare delights, and with no ballet dancing in Everwood, she's forced to dance for his entertainment until he tires of her. Marietta soon discovers she cannot leave, and as days turn into weeks and his abuse increases, she realises she must find a way to escape the king's clutches with her fellow captives, Dellara and Pirlipata, before his cruelty wears them all into the ground. But when she develops feelings for the handsome guard risking his life to keep her alive, will Marietta be able to ignore her heart, and escape when the time comes? Or will she be trapped in the castle and forced to dance for the cruel king forever?

Thoughts:

It was a slow starter for me and I almost gave up on it, but I'm so glad I didn't. Once Marietta escaped into Everwood, and the story had more to offer than the droning talk of ballet dancing and Edwardian societal expectations, the book came alive into something magical; a dark fairytale world I found myself getting completely lost in. 

Overlooking the king's cruelty towards Marietta and everyone else in his kingdom, the world of Everwood was enchanting, and the author's world-building was sublime. It pulled you right into every scene as if you were really there wandering through a village of gingerbread houses or tasting sugared snowflakes on your lips. It made me want to wrap up warm and go travel through a snow-draped landscape in a moose-drawn sleigh.

At the same time, I found the story too over-descriptive at times, and if I never have to hear the word 'gossamer' again, it'll be too soon. It was slipped into the story so often, it felt like it was on every other page. I began to wonder if Kuzniar was getting paid each time she used it in the story. 

There were also instances where she suddenly had Marietta considering her own privilege as a rich, straight, white woman when the story didn't call for it, and while I think it's so important for us to recognise our privileges when others aren't awarded the same rights and opportunities, the way it was done felt like the author was trying too hard to make her Edwardian story 'woke.'

Despite these little niggles, I really did enjoy this book. 

Besides the world of Celesta, I particularly loved Marietta as a heroine. I admired her fire, and how she was willing to fight for what she wanted in life, refusing to submit to her parents' plans for her, society's expectations for a woman at the time, or the desires of the predatory man her parents wanted her to marry who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. I found her personality relatable, particularly how her struggles only stoked her fire and desire for what she wanted most in life, instead of breaking her spirit.

I also enjoyed how her friendship blossomed with Dellara and Pirlipata, and how the three unlikely friends and cellmates worked together as a formidable team to survive and find a way out of their impossible situation. 

Most of all, I loved how Marietta's relationship developed with the grumpy, reserved, but charming Captain Legat during her time in Everwood. He's such an underrated love interest, but I loved him so much. Who doesn't love a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers storyline with a tall, handsome man in uniform?

Having not yet read the original telling of The Nutcracker, I can't say how it compares, but overall, I thought it was a beautiful winter tale full of wonder. It had just the right amount of romance, friendship, magic and suspense, and with all the talk of Christmas, snow, gingerbread, and miniature reindeer, it's the perfect book to get lost in over Christmas. I'm so tempted to have a reread this December. And you know what? I think I just might.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

Have you read Midnight in Everwood yet? What is your favourite book to read over the holidays?

You Might Also Like

A Merry Christmas & Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott Review

A German Christmas: Festive Tales From Berlin to Bavaria Review

Puffin Classics A Christmas Carol Book Review

A Literary Christmas: An Anthology Book Review   

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories Book Review      

Christmas to Color by Mary Tanana: Adult Christmas Colouring Book Review