Page & Wick #9: July 2025
My Page & Wick box for July was heavily delayed. And this time it wasn’t the fault of the couriers, but due to problems at Page & Wick themselves. I didn’t follow the updates all that closely, but apparently there were issues with the printers, followed by a failed quality check, which in the end resulted in a delay of about two months.
To be honest, I had kind of lost sight of my Page & Wick subscription. I completely forgot to check what the book of the month would be. Had I remembered, I probably would have skipped this one, since I honestly hadn’t heard anyone talking about this book. But well, it still arrived in the end, so let’s take a look at what kind of edition Page & Wick created this time.
The July theme was Behind the Blooms. I really liked the theme card: that deep green background paired with the lush flowers immediately appealed to me. The announcement also sounded intriguing: a fantasy, first in a duology, about powerful families and a gift that heals, but at a deadly cost.
The book of the month turned out to be House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau, the first book in The Threadmender Chronicles.
The Ferngloves are charming and beautiful, possess powerful magic, and don’t take no for an answer—especially Orin, the head of these ruling elites. When Edira’s brothers unexpectedly contract blight—an incurable virus killing people throughout the town, and an illness too strong for her to heal them both—Orin offers to help. Together at his estate they’ll research a cure while Orin slows their sickness and Edira hones her magic. His kindness and honesty surprises Edira, as does her undeniable attraction to him.
But the other Ferngloves are suspicious of her power and may be more dangerous than the ever-present disease. The longer Edira stays within the confines of the Manor, the more the family’s pristine exterior begins to crack—until Edira discovers a terrifying secret and must choose who she can save and at what cost…
The fact that this book is described as a gothic love story immediately gave it some extra points with me. The synopsis itself also sounds interesting, though it did remind me of another book I received not too long ago. All in all, I’m not too mad that I forgot to skip this one, lol.
The new cover was designed by @bluelyboo and actually surprised me. Where I had expected something darker and more gothic, this one feels fresh and floral instead. With its rich colours and flower-filled design, it doesn’t exactly scream gothic atmosphere. Still, I have to admit that I really like it. The only downside for me is that the back cover feels a little plain. Nice that the floral frame was repeated, but it’s a shame they didn’t add a small central illustration to break it up or even just a quote to give it some depth.
On to the hardcover. I found it gorgeous, but at the same time a little disappointing. Not because of the design itself – the board colour and the detailed gold foil illustrations are stunning – but because this was almost exactly the same approach Page & Wick used for their May edition. Same board colour, same foil colour. Yes, the illustrations are different and very elegant, but it still felt a bit repetitive.
The sprayed edges, also designed by @bluelyboo, tie in nicely with the overall look. Very cohesive, but again not giving me a lot of gothic vibes.
The endpapers were illustrated by @sage.and.other.herbs. Both front and back feature the same artwork, with the front also offering a spot for the author’s signature. I thought this was a fun touch, and honestly nicer than just scribbling on the title page!
The illustration itself surprised me though, because based on the synopsis I didn’t expect fae or elves to play a role in this story. And all the moths that keep appearing in the designs? I’m guessing they’ll have more significance than just aesthetics.
All in all, even though Page & Wick seem to be repeating themselves in terms of design choices, I can’t deny that I really like the style. It’s cohesive, elegant, and polished. But I do wonder how well this cheerful edition will match the story inside, because all the other covers I’ve seen for this book look much darker and more foreboding.
Not long after this box arrived, I decided to take a peek at what else Page & Wick have planned for the rest of the year. For 2025 there are still boxes in September and November, but the spoiled titles didn’t appeal to me at all. So I immediately skipped them, making this July box my last Page & Wick of 2025.
I’m even considering cancelling my subscription altogether, but I’ll wait and see what Page & Wick announce for 2026 before making a final decision. Since I can skip three boxes without losing my subscription, I’ll make use of that option for now. But honestly, this might very well be the beginning of the end for me and Page & Wick.
Cheers,
Charlotte
