haul: strand feb. pick of the month + my thoughts

for christmas, my parents got me a subscription to the strand’s young adult pick of the month, where the booksellers pick a new release in a genre (general fiction, mystery, YA) and send it along with some small goodies every month. in january, i received a signed copy of angie thomas’ concrete rose with a sticker and a magnet. this month, i was so excited to open up the box and see what big teeth by rose szabo (with a signed bookplate) and a leather bookmark. 

if you’ve ever been to the strand in new york city, you know that they’re famous for their book-related paraphernalia, from totes to tees to postcards to pins to literally anything you could ever want. under normal circumstances, i’m in NYC every/every other year, and always visit my favorite bookstore in the world (12th and broadway, baby!), but since COVID struck and i haven’t been able to get lost in the stacks, this subscription service helps me 1) support the strand, which, like many independent booksellers, is in need of our help, 2) find new books that i might not hear about otherwise, and 3) satisfy my never-ending need for little, cute, book-related things. the strand has another subscription, which is quarterly and comes with more stuff, but as someone who definitely doesn’t need that many things, i like how the pick of the month is smaller stuff that still gets me excited about the mail, but doesn’t feel like too much. 

i haven’t dived into what big teeth yet, but i know that the strand would never steer me wrong, so i’m really excited to start it soon! it’s important, now more than ever, to support your local businesses and let them know you care—we’re still in a pandemic, though, so be safe, and happy reading!