Rainbow Crate

[Rainbow Crate]

We are super excited to reveal the August ebook!

Introducing A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelley York and Rowan Altwood. An ebook copy will be included in every August box! This book also became one of Danielle’s top reads this year! And….there *might* just be an item in a very near future box inspired by this series!

STORY:

James Spencer is hardly the typical “troubled youth” who ends up at Whisperwood School for Boys. Instead of hating the strict schedules and tight oversight by staff, James blossoms, quickly making friends and indulging in his love of writing, while contemplating the merits of sneaking love poems to the elusive and aloof William Esher.

The rumours about William’s sexuality and opium reliance are prime gossip material amongst the third years. Rumours that only further pique James’ curiosity to uncover what William is really like beneath all that emotional armor. And, when the normally collected William stumbles in one night, shaken and ranting of ghosts… James is the only one who believes him.

James himself has heard the nails dragging down his bedroom door and the sobs echoing in the halls at night. He knows others have, too, even if no one will admit it. The staff refuses to entertain such ridiculous tales, and punishment awaits anyone who brings it up.

Their fervent denial and the disappearance of students only furthers James’s determination to find out what secrets Whisperwood is hiding… Especially if it means keeping William and himself from becoming the next victims.

Rep: Bi m, gay m
Other Rep: depression, PTSD, anxiety
CW: Mention of rape, minor character death, off page murder, drug use, blackmail, torture

[ID: A black smartphone is floating in front of a skyscraper. On its screen is the cover for A Light Amongst Shadows. In the bottom right corner is our logo and the text “August Ebook Reveal”]

[Rainbow Crate]

Join us starting on August 7th for our August crate book club!

You might have noticed that we took July off! We wanted to restructure the book a little bit to work better. Now, we will be announcing the book the month before in order to give you enough time to get a copy, and also be reading it right before that month’s boxes ship. This will work as a way to get excited for each month’s Crate!

We’ll be reading and discussing Black Water Sister by Zen Cho for August! Discussions will be taking place on our Facebook group, The Reading Rainbows (look in the events tab), and at the end of the read, we will have an author chat on Instagram Live! Make sure you follow us and click on the bell to get notifications of our posts/when we start lives!

Discussion Schedule:
08/07: Chapter 4 (1-55)
08/08: Discussion
08/09: Chapter 8 (56-106)
08/10: Discussion
08/11: Chapter 12 (107-165)
08/12: Discussion
08/13: Chapter 15 (166-216)
08/14: Discussion
08/15: Chapter 18 (217-269)
08/16: Discussion
08/17: Chapter 22 (270-325)
08/18: Discussion
08/19: End (326-367)
08/20: Discussion
08/21: Author Chat at 3:30 CST!

[ID: A copy of Black Water Sister on top of The Rainbow Gaze. The schedule as outlined above is superimposed over this.]

[Rainbow Crate]

Hey, Rainbow Readers! It’s that time of the month - when we talk about our box fandoms!⁠⁠

Next up for August is Black Water Sister by Zen Cho. Zen will also be joining us for our book club author chat later in August! Stay tuned tonight for the Book Club reading schedule! Black Water Sister is one of our favorite reads of this year!

Here’s a summary for those that haven’t read it yet:

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

LGBT+ rep: lesbian, wlw (both lesbians)
Other rep: Chinese Malaysian lesbian mc, Chinese Malaysian side characters, Indian American lesbian side character, Indian Chinese Malaysian side character
CWs: violence, attempted rape, the sense of being lost after you finish college and have no idea where to go from there

[ID: A copy of BWS on top of our Rainbow Gaze Newsletters. It says “Fandom Check” in the bottom right corner.]

[Rainbow Crate]

Hey, Rainbow Readers! It’s that time of the month - when we talk about our box fandoms!⁠

Next up for August is Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger! Elatsoe made us cryyyyyyyy! But not in a bad way - in an “I have just been deeply touched” way! For a book dealing with ghosts, murder, and strange cults, it sure pulled on the heartsprings! There is a reason that this is quickly becoming a beloved favorite in Ace reading circles!

Here’s a longer summary for those that haven’t read it yet:

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

LGBT+ rep: asexual female
Other rep: Indigenous American
CW: death, murder (non-graphic)

[ID: A copy of Elatsoe on top of our Rainbow Gaze Newsletters. It says “Fandom Check” in the bottom left corner.]

[Rainbow Crate]

Hey, Rainbow Readers! It’s that time of the month - when we talk about our box fandoms!⁠

Next up for August is Shade, a wonderful indie book by Mere Joyce! This quickly made its way to be one of Danielle’s favorite reads this year! If you liked PJO and ghosts then this series is definitely for you! It is such a great read!!

Here’s a longer summary for those that haven’t read it yet:

Fourteen-year-old Callum Silver sees dead people. It’s not a gift. His family thinks he’s crazy. Sometimes he thinks he’s crazy. He has no friends. He’s forced to live his life surrounded by nothing but the searing pain, sickening smells and desperate moans that accompany the murdered ghosts who seek him out.

When he’s offered a place at Camp Wanagi, the ten weeks in the French countryside isn’t a vacation, it’s a lifeline. A way to meet others like himself and prove his ability can offer more than years of loneliness and expensive therapy bills.

Run by a mysterious group known as the Oracle of Senders, Camp Wanagi brings together teens from around the globe who all possess the unique ability to see the dead. While Cal is relieved to find others like him, he learns quickly that not everybody experiences the spirits as he does. Some of the campers revere their abilities and don’t understand his hesitation, while others—like quiet bookworm Meander Rhoades—have good reason for wishing they could get rid of their ‘gifts’.

While researching their final project, Cal and Meander find an unmarked grave which reveals aspects of their abilities neither knew existed, forcing Cal to decide if the torture of seeing ghosts is worthwhile and, more importantly, if being a part of the Oracle of Senders is necessary, dangerous…or both.

LGBT+ rep: Very early mlm
Other rep: Guatemalan, Canadian, American, Icelandic, British, Brazilian/Scandinavian , Samoan/Thai, Argentinian. Sexual and romantic orientations unclear, mlm.
CW: mild violence

[ID: A copy of Shade on top of our Rainbow Gaze Newsletters. It says “Fandom Check” in the bottom right corner.]

[Rainbow Crate]

Hey, Rainbow Readers! It’s that time of the month - when we talk about our box fandoms!⁠

⁠Next up for August is the much beloved instant hit, and was also our September botm last year, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (@aidenschmaiden)! CB is the story of Yadriel, a trans latinx brujo struggling with acceptance by his family, and the ghost that he unwittingly calls to him. Cemetery Boys got rave reviews all over the world, and we’re proud to announce that it will be our monthly magnet for August!

Here’s a longer summary for those that haven’t read it yet:

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

This magnet is soooooooooo cute. We’re not doing any more magnet sales in the future, so make sure you join our waiting list (just send an email to waitlist@rainbowcratebookbox.com) in case a spot opens up! We’re currently sending waitlist emails for the July box, and August waitlist emails will go out early August in the order of signup until all spots are taken.

[ID: A copy of Cemetery Boys on top of our Rainbow Gaze Newsletters. It says “Fandom Check” in the top left corner.]

[Rainbow Crate]

It’s that time of the month - when we talk about our box fandoms!⁠

First up for August is our book of the month, The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould!

A new hardcover copy of TDATD, author letter, signed bookplate, and an item based on TDATD will all be inside your August boxes! TDATD is full of dusty, small town vibes and not only tackles eerie supernatural events, it also highlights what it can be like growing up as a queer person in an isolated place where everybody knows everybody else’s business. The story is branched, deep, and a little surprising!

Here’s a summary:

The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won’t stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV’s ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there’s more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.

LGBT+ rep: lesbian mc, sapphic mc, bi male (implicit) mc, gay male (implied) mc, wlw, mlm
Other rep: latinx mc
CW: death, gun use, ghosts, homophobia, homophobic slurs

We are still operating on a waitlist system, but you can get on it by sending an email to waitlist@rainbowcratebookbox.com!

[ID: A copy of TDATD on top of our Rainbow Gaze Newsletters. It says “Fandom Check” in the upper right corner.]

[Rainbow Crate]

What’s COMING OUT (pun intended) this month? We’ve got a bunch of queer books to tide you over this month!

Read queer all year! Which of these are you adding to your TBR?

July 6th:

- The Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman

- It Ends in Fire by Shvarts

- This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

- Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily R. Austin

- Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

- Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

- What We Devour by Linsey Miller

- Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

- Out of Character by Annabeth Albert

- Alec by William di Canzio

July 13th:

- The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

- The Mythic Koda Rose by Jennifer Nissley

- A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

- Up All Night: 13 Stories between Sunset and Sunrise by Laura Silverman

- Wings of Shadow by Nicki Pau Preto

- Flash Fire by T.J. Klune

- The Rebellious Tide by Eddy Boudel Tan

- The Fallen by Ada Hoffmann

July 20th:

- The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters

- She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

July 27th:

- The Sea Wolf by Anna Burke

[ID: Six images with a rainbow-striped background that list the above book covers and a few words about them.]

[Rainbow Crate]

Welcome, ghouls of many and varied genders or lack thereof, to the August theme reveal! It’s been a hot summer for some of us, and we’re about to send a spooky chill down your backs! Our August theme is….

Who You Gonna Call? (Do you get it??)

Our book of the month is The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould! Think dusty small town vibes, ghost hunting dads, and lesbians who are a little bit over it but get swooped up in mysterious disappearances and eerie summer parties. Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters – who have just returned to town. Logan, lesbian daughter of these queer ghost hunters, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there are more secrets buried here than they originally let on… a lot more.

Our copies are gorgeous new hardcovers and come with a signed bookplate and an author letter, as always!

LGBT+ REP: lesbian mc, sapphic mc, bi male (implicit) mc, gay male (implied) mc, wlw, mlm
Other rep: latinx mc
CW: death, gun use, ghosts, homophobia, homophobic slurs

Our August ebook will be announced soon!

FANDOMS:⁠
– CEMETERY BOYS by Aiden Thomas (monthly magnet) ( gay trans m, gay m, lesbian)
– BLACK WATER SISTER by Zen Cho (lesbian)
– ELATSOE by Darcie Little Badger (asexual f)
– SHADE by Mere Joyce (mlm)

You can expect something related to each of these books as well as our main book, AND another rainbow present! This one you can share with your best friend! All our fandom items now are approved by the publishers and/or authors and are completely exclusive to our box! In this month’s box you can expect something for your car, something for the kitchen, and items for your desk!

Our subscription spots are still full. To join the waitlist, send an email to waitlist@rainbowcratebookbox.com and you will be contacted when a spot becomes available. If you have previously signed up, you do not need to sign up again – you still have your place in line!

https://rainbowcratebookbox.com

All of our monthly boxes ship during the third full week of each month. For August, that would be between August 15-21!

[ID: A graphic of a rural farm is overrun with ghosts during a dark night. Two girls in the foreground hold EMF detectors and are holding hands. They’re wearing Ghostbuster-inspired shirts. Over this is the text “Who you gonna call?” and “August 2021 theme” with our rainbow logo.]

[Rainbow Crate]

We are super excited to reveal the July ebook! Buckle up for this wild ride!

Introducing Once Stolen, the new upcoming book by @brynwrites, whom you might remember as the author of Our Bloody Pearl!

Once Stolen releases on July 27th, and an ebook copy will be included in all of our July boxes! If you’d like to read the first chapter or preorder a hard copy (it’s available in paperback and hardcover, and there is a cool preorder campaign on Bryn’s Instagram!), you can check it out at https://www.dnbryn.com/once-stolen/

STORY:
No one with half a brain would rob the jungle’s most notorious energy cartel. The vibrations of their power-producing stones are the only thing that calms the mer-snake Cacao’s agonizing sensory condition though-and after being banished from his homeland swamps for similar thefts, he’s desperate.

When his attempt fails stunningly, a chaotic escape leaves him chained to a cartel prisoner: a self-proclaimed hero with a hidden stash of power stones so large, Cacao would never need to steal again. He’s determined to get his hands on it, even if it means guiding her home straight through the mist-laden and monster-filled swamp that exhaled him, with scheming poachers and a desperate cartel leader on their tail.

But the selfish and the self-righteous can only flee together for so long before something snaps…

REP:
Main character: pansexual, autistic, sensory disorder.
Love interest: nonbinary she/her.
Other major characters: homosexual, nonbinary, deaf, bisexual, social anxiety, pansexual.

CW: cultural ableism, adolescent abandonment, animal injury and death, accidental house fire, kidnapping, drinking alcohol, non-violent drunkenness

Some notes: We pay a bulk rate for our copies so they are not eligible for the preorder campaign. Oh, but YES this is set in the same world as Our Bloody Pearl! And no, you don’t have to have read that one first. :)

[ID: A light-skinned hand holds up a black smartphone in front of a blurry bookcase. On the phone is the cover for Once Stolen.]