Book Grocer Advent Box - Is It Worth The Hype?

Last updated on 30 July 2025

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The month was November. I was already late. Too late to grab the Book Grocer Advent Box Fantasy edition. But that’s my own fault for putting it off for too long. However, the Young Adult Fiction box from the Book Grocer was just as great as I’m sure the Fantasy one was.

After seeing a lot of hype about it online, I decided to give it a go in 2024.

Update: In August 2025, they became available for the 2025 Advent Season. And I jumped on it. Managed to get the fantasy box!

My box arrived, all 11kgs of it, not long after I ordered it, and then it sat on my bedroom floor for a long time, just looking at me. Tempting me with the bookish goodness that was inside. But I had to wait. There was a sticker on the box that said “Don’t open until the 1st of December”. Who am I to argue with a sticker?

But then December 1st swung around and I was like a kid in a candy shop. Or a bibliophile in a bookstore. You get it.

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And from there came 24 days of opening a new book, unsure of what I was going to get, if I had already read it, or if I was going to enjoy said book. You can actually find all the Reels of me opening every single day here.

So was the box from the Book Grocer worth it? Was it worth the nearly $200 NZD I spent on it in order to painfully wait for December 1st, to then have to limit myself to a book a day, not knowing what I was unwrapping?

100%

Here’s a rundown of why I loved the Book Grocer Advent Box Young Adult Edition.

👉🏻 So I forgot to take photos of all the books wrapped up … but in the Reels above and the others on Instagram, you can see the box with all the books wrapped up.

Book Grocer Advent Box Young Adult Edition Review

The variety of books

While this was the Young Adult box (remember I missed out on my first choice, which was the fantasy box – my bad), inside that was a wide variety of genres.

I had historical fiction, general fiction, romance, fantasy, and science fiction. There were stories about dragons, health diagnoses, retellings of Greek myths, family dynamics, film programmes … And while I haven’t read all the books yet, from the descriptions, there seems to be an okay representation spread too. There were also books released in 2023 and books that were a little bit older, think 2018.

They really thought about the different types of books and different stories when they put the collection together, and I was very impressed with the selection that they made.

The variety of authors

Likewise, no two authors were the same. I mean that probably goes to say, right? But there was also a good mix of authors. Some were popular/more well-known (at least to me), like the likes of Shelby Mahurin and Aimee Carter. While some I had never heard of before.

More on that below, but in terms of the authors, one of the things I was really looking forward to with this box (and one of the ways I talked myself into getting it ha) was that I was going to discover new-to-me authors. And I’ve done exactly that.

While I haven’t read them, as I’ve said, there are a lot of authors in there that I’ll be sure to check out if I enjoy their books from this box. And that’s always something to be excited about. What if my new favourite author is in here?

Popular vs never-heard-of-before books

I briefly mentioned this above, but I also really appreciated the range of popular books/authors and those that perhaps were lesser known. Now, of course, this is just going on what I deem to be lesser known, but when I think Leigh Bardugo, Shelby Mahurin, Aimee Carter … these I’d say are authors that are perhaps more well known than others.

And all three of them featured in the box.

Whereas there were authors such as Daira Poltin, whose name you might recognise from her playwriting, but whose debut book, Devil in Ohio, is in the box (which is also apparently a show on Netflix) … and I hadn’t heard of her before.

There were a good handful of books that I heard of and had been on my TBR for a while, and then the rest I simply had no idea about. And I loved this combination. There was some familiarity and excitement about books I have been wanting to read, and also that intrigue about books I’ve never laid an eye on before.

The price

I had to crunch some numbers for you, but I paid about $194 NZD for the box of 24 books. Let’s just round it up to $200 for ease of maths, because maths is hard on the best of days.

$200 ÷ 24 books = $8.33

That’s less than $10 per book. And I’d like to point out that here in New Zealand, a new release Young Adult paperback book is usually around $25 – $30 give or take a few dollars. And we barely get hardcover books at all, especially in the YA section of the bookstore. And if we do, they’re more expensive, as they are around the world.

So if I had bought all these books in the couple of months that they were released, I could have spent about $600 if we’re going on $25 a book. And it’s usually more than that.

These books in the box look to be either new or remaindered, meaning they’re books that are often sold for cheaper as they’re ends of runs – perhaps a publisher printed 1000 but only 900 sold. Now the popularity has decreased, and they need to move 100 books. Obviously, I’ve cut the number down for the example.

In terms of value for money, the Book Advent Calendar absolutely is. Were some books ones I probably wouldn’t have bought? Yeah. For sure. And were some older? Yes again. But just going on straight maths here … worth it.

The joy

Do you remember (or maybe you still do this tradition!) as a kid getting those Advent calendars with the doors and the chocolate? And you’d have to wait each day for the next in order to eat said chocolate? Well, like that and all other advent calendars, the Book Box version was the same: agony mixed with sheer joy.

The patience you need to not open them all at once, the waiting, the finding time to also record a quick video if you’re like me and like sharing books online … mixed in with the sheer joy and delight of discovering a book inside Day [insert day here]’s wrapping paper.

What’s greater than that?

The Books in the 2024 Young Adult Advent Box

Here are all the books from the 2024 YA Advent box, in case you’re interested:

Rainbow in the Dark by Sean McGinty
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
The Mythic Koda Rose by Jennifer Nissley
Dragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach
The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
Royal Blood by Aimee Carter
Daughter of Darkness by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr
Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Steven
Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin
Love in a Revolution by Renee Watson
A Disaster in Three Acts by Kesley Rodkey
The Dysasters by Kristen & PC Cast
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover
The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed
Lost Stars by Lisa Selin Davis
The Dark Crystal by JM Lee
Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo & Illustrated by Dani Pendergast
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria
The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone
Splinters of Sunshine by Patrice Lawrence
A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood
Victories Greater than Death by Charlie Jane Anders
We Are the Fire by Sam Taylor

FAQs

Who are the Book Grocer?

Book Grocer is a family-run Aussie business that’s been running the book company since 2000. They’re known for their awesome Bargain Book Boxes, like the popular Mystery Book Box and Book Advent Calendar. With a huge range of fiction and non-fiction—new, secondhand, and remaindered—everything is discounted so you can snag great reads without breaking the bank! They ship to Australia and also now to New Zealand.

What is the Book Advent Calendar with Book Grocer?

The Book Grocer Advent Box is a box full of books for you to open, one a day, for the duration of December 1st – December 24th, in the lead-up to Christmas.

When are the Book Grocer Advent Calendars released?

In 2024, the boxes were released around the middle of September, at least in accordance with this Reel.

In 2025, the boxes were released and made available on the 1st of August.

I imagine it’s a similar time each year. They sell pretty well, though, so make sure you get in there fast to secure the box you want.

When is it shipped?

The box is shipped as soon as you purchase it, with a big sticker on it to remind you not to open it until December 1st.

How many books are in the Book Grocer advent box?

There are 24 books in the Book Grocer Advent Book – one for every day starting on December 1st and going until December 24th. They are wrapped up in paper, each with a numbered sticker so you know which book to open on which day of the month.

What are the Book Grocer Advent Box themes?

There are a few themes you can opt for: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Picture & Activity Books, Chapter Books & Kids Non-Fiction, Board Book Box, Non-Fiction, Unlock Your Own Potential box (business and personal growth) and History & Biography Book Box.

How much is the Advent Box from the Book Grocer?

I paid about $194 NZD plsy about $30 NZD in shipping.

Is the Young Adult Fiction Advent Box from the Book Grocer worth it?

Yes. In my opinion, yes. But you’ll have to decide for yourself.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Book Grocer (you can, however, get 10% off your first order here if you’d like). They didn’t pay me to write it. I bought the Advent Box with my own money. It’s just a post about a product I love! But if you’re reading this, Book Grocer, let’s talk! 😉