November 2019 Owl Crate

On February 5, 2020February 4, 2020 By AllieS.In Book Box, OwlCrateLeave a comment

Owl Crate is a young adult book subscription box where every month you receive one new hardcover book and an assortment of bookish goodies connected to the monthly theme. Some of these items are very practical and some are better suited as decor or for a pin/builtin board. Novembers theme is Through the Enchanted Forest. DSCN1367

Each box includes different bookish goodies that fit the theme of the month and are connected to other books. This month bookish items include a wonderful throw blanket inspired by The Cruel Prince, a metal tassel bookmark inspired by Uprooted, a wooden ornament inspired by the Raven Boys, the yearly reading planner and planner stickers. DSCN1371

If you want to know my full thoughts about the reading planner please check last Novembers Owl Crate post. I have a very specific way I like my planners set up and I only used dated planners so, once again I doubt I will use this planner for anything. But I have been getting more in to planner stickers and the rest of the items are great.

DSCN1369 Every month Owl Crate has a new young adult hardback book that has an exclusive cover, is signed and comes with a letter from the author. The enamel pin that is in every box is also inspired by that months book. The book this month is Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw. The story is about a small town in the middle of a snowstorm, a missing boy, and a possibly haunted wood at the edge of town. When our main character Nora discover Oliver hidden in the woods nearly dead and with no memory Nora much learn the truth as to why he is there.

December’s theme is Tales of Trickery.

October 2019 Shelf Love Crate

On January 17, 2020January 13, 2020 By AllieS.In Book Box, Shelflove CrateLeave a comment

This month I decided to try out several different monthly book box subscriptions to she how they differ from each other. Shelflove Crate is a fantasy and science fiction subscription box that includes a new hardcover book and bookish items each month. October’s theme is Page to Screen.

The bookish items included are a Honeydukes popcorn holder, a Game of Thrones inspired scarf, a Coraline inspired heat transfer to a fabric item, a bookish movie poster set, Lord of the Rings mug charms, and the collectible chess pieces with Clary and Jace from City of Bones. With how much I loved September’s this one was a let down and most of these items I don’t care about and will probably end up decluttering in the future.

The book included is The Grace Year by Kim Ligget. The story follow Tierney who lives in a community that tells girls that they have special powers that can charm men. However, at sixteen they must go out into the wilds to release this magic to be ready for marriage. The Grace Year is about survival, freedom and finding hope.

November’s theme is Reading the Restricted Section.

Sadly, I didn’t really like this box. The book sounds interesting but the items except for the scarf are not things that I will use. As this post is going up late I feel like I should mention that Shelflove Crate had shipping issues and delays at the end of 2019. Now their boxes are not sent in actual boxes but bubble mailers.

October 2019 Owl Crate

On January 15, 2020January 12, 2020 By AllieS.In Book Box, OwlCrateLeave a comment

Each box includes different bookish goodies that fit the theme of the month and are connected to other books.This month bookish items include a book tin inspired by the Illuminae Files, a set of magnetic bookmarks featuring characters from Saga,a crescent moon pendant necklace inspired by the Lunar Chronicles, and a sticker with a quote from the book Warcross.

Every month Owl Crate has a new young adult hardback book that has an exclusive cover, is signed and comes with a letter from the author. This month instead of one book OwlCrate included two. The enamel pin the is in every box is also inspired by that months book. The books this month are Crier’s War by Nina Varela and I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi.

Crier’s War is about a world where androids have enslaved their human creators. Lady Crier is the daughter of the android king who might not be as perfect as people believe and her human handmaiden, Ayla, begin to fall in love. But can their relationship survive that possible coming war?

I Hope You Get This Message follows a group of teenagers as their paths collide shortly after an alien planet is found and the world might be coming to an end. This month two enamel pins where included one inspired by each book.

November’s theme is Through the Enchanted Forest.

Fae Crate Darkdawn Box

On January 10, 2020January 9, 2020 By AllieS.In Book Box, Fae CrateLeave a comment

As I’ve mentioned before I bought several book boxes in celebration of the release of DarkDawn by Jay Kristoff. The Fae Crate edition is the last of the book boxes I received though I did also buy a box from a bookish candle company that I will discuss in another post. The amazing thing about all of these boxes is that there were very few duplicate items and every box had different amazing art and artist behind it.

As with all of these boxes there was a copy of DarkDawn and the deleted scene Three. The Fae Crate edition is signed and came with special dust jacket set for all the books in the series.

Of the bookish items all Fae Crate special edition boxes come with a plushie this time of Mia. Other items included were an enamel pin featuring Tric, a character print, a metal cuff bracelet with the quote “I am the war you cannot win”, and a Spiderkiller drink tumbler. Also there was a character card set, a USB in the shape of the gravestone dagger, a pouch, collectible coin and a room spray. The most unique item was a sun shade for a car that had character art on it.

I don’t always love Fae Crate’s monthly boxes but their Hangover Crates and specialty boxes are incredibly well done with high quality items and amazing art.

Illumicrate Darkdawn Box

On December 11, 2019December 10, 2019 By AllieS.In Book Box, IllumicrateLeave a comment

When Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff was being released and preorders started I got sucked into buying multiple boxes which I’m glad I did. So I ordered three book boxes, one candle boxes, and two preorders which meant that I ended up with five copies of Darkdawn.

Each box included different items and each box will get its own post as this would be far too long to include all in one. First box is the Illumicrate Bloods and Blades box. This box included the book with is signed, has yellow sprayed edges and come with an author letter. Also included is Three a deleted scene from the book.

The bookish items are a mug featuring Mia and Ash, a wonderful Mr Kindly and Eclipse blanket, a booksleeve, a wooden map of Itreya, and enamel pins. Other items where a Mr Kindly bath bomb that smells like blood orange and tints the bath water red, a foil art print of Mia, a Corvere crest necklace, a Mia figure designed like a Funko Pop, a character bookmark set, a collectible coin, and art and an interview from the cast of the Nevernight short film by Piera Forde.

What I love about special boxes is that the items are all from a favorite series and I like if not love most of the items. The only one that I don’t care that much about is the figurine but that’s because I’ve never been a collector of figures and I don’t really like the Funko design. I love that some of the items are very useful and not just items to display because I like everyone I don’t have a ton of space to keep bookish things.

Illumicrate’s special edition boxes are amazing and I will order form them in the future for special editions. Their monthly boxes are also goo but if I don’t love everything the international shipping to the United States isn’t always worth it.

September 2019 Shelflove Crate

On November 13, 2019November 12, 2019 By AllieS.In Book Box, Shelflove CrateLeave a comment

This month I decided to try out several different monthly book box subscriptions. Shelflove Crate is a fantasy and science fiction subscription box that includes a new hardcover book and bookish items each month. September’s theme is The Witching Hour and is geared towards getting readers into the spooky season.

The bookish items included are a candle inspired by A Discovery of Witches that smells like lemons, a Grisha inspired spirit board aka a Ouija board, a necklace with the saying Hello Witchling, a magnet inspired by Practical Magic, and a cauldron shaped mug inspired by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This year Shelflove Crate is also including two character chess pieces in each months box, this month is Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

The book included in There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool. In this world a prophecy was given that stated when the new prophet was born they would either be the worlds savior or cause its destruction. The story follows five character who’s paths are no a collision course and any one of them could save or end the world. The book also came with an author letter, signed book plate, and matching book mark.

This is my first monthly Shelflove Crate and I really liked everything in the box. I will use everything included in this box which most subscription boxes can be hit or miss on the items. Unlike other book boxes Shelflove informs customers which book is included in each box.

September 2019 Illumicrate

On November 11, 2019November 10, 2019 By AllieS.In Book Box, IllumicrateLeave a comment

Recently I have decided to try out several different monthly book subscription boxes. Illumicrate is a UK based fantasy and science fiction book box that has monthly boxes or just a monthly book only subscription. Each box also includes a selection of bookish goodies some more practical, others more decorative set around a monthly theme. September’s theme is High Stakes.

The items included in this box are a ceramic travel cup inspired by Children of Blood and Bone, a note pad loosely inspired by Good Omens, a Blackcliff Academy wooden postcard inspired by An Ember in the Ashes, a scarf inspired by Carry On, and a DNA lanyard from This Mortal Coil. Each month Illumicrate also includes a magnetic collectible coin this months features Katniss Everdeen.

Illumicrate, like other book boxes, include a new hard cover each month that is signed and has a letter from the author. This months book is Kingdom of Souls: The Last Witch Doctor by Rena Barron is a special edition with sprayed edges. The story follows Arrah who come from a magically powerful family but has never had her own powers. Shortly after she decides to sacrifice some of her life for magic children in the village start to disappear and Arrah is determined to find the culprit but she might find something much worse.

I have purchased Illumicrate boxes in the past and for me their specialty boxes are amazing and well worth the cost and shipping but the monthly boxes can be very hit or miss. Most of the items in this box I won’t use and are from series that I don’t care about. This can be a problem with any box that you don’t know what you will be receiving but Illumicrate is often just to expensive with international shipping. For me, specialty boxes will most likely the only boxes that I buy from them in the future.

October’s theme is With Great Power.

September 2019 Owl Crate

On November 1, 2019January 12, 2020 By AllieS.In OwlCrateLeave a comment

Each box includes different bookish goodies that fit the theme of the month and are connected to other books.This month bookish items include skeleton finger less gloves, caramel coffee from Bones Coffee Company, a ceramic trinket dish inspired by Frankenstein, and an art print inspired by Something Wicked This Way Comes. The coffee is very good and taste like a latte if you add cream and sugar. It smells like Starbucks to me.

This month Owl Crate included an extra book The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson to help everyone get into the spooky spirit before Halloween. Also a chapter sampler from the Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh was also included.

Every month Owl Crate has a new young adult hardback book that has an exclusive cover, is signed and comes with a letter from the author. The enamel pin the is in every box is also inspired by that months book.The book this month is The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones. It this world the dead don’t always stay dead due to a curse on the town. Ryn, a grave digger, must team up with Ellis, a map maker, must work together to figure out why this is happening, save the village, and maybe break the curse. This month an exclusive matching book mark was also included.

Octobers’s theme is Dawn of a New World.

May 2019 Illumicrate

On July 9, 2019July 7, 2019 By AllieS.In IllumicrateLeave a comment

So in May I decided to try a new book subscription box which was Illumicrate. Illumicrate is a monthly book subscription box that focuses mainly on young adult titles. When I heard that the May book was going to be Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff I knew I had to try and order the box. May’s theme is The Final Frontier.

This is my first time ordering this box and this month was very good. The bookish items included a Lunar Chronicles cooler bag/lunch bag, an Illuminae pillowcase with Kady and Ezra on one side and AIDAN quotes on the other, a Red Rising inspired luggage tag, a Squad 312 pouch to use for glasses or phone, some space themed sticky notes, and a collectible magnetic coin featuring Kady Grant. The box also included two extra book chapter samplers from the books The Furies by Katie Lowe and Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton. I’ve never been a big fan of chapter samplers but I know some people like them.

The book is Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. The Illumicrate edition is signed, has a slightly changed cover and pink sprayed edges, and comes with a letter from the authors. I don’t think that I could ever describe the book better than the official summary from Goodreads so I have added that here: The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

The book sounds amazing and I hope to read it soon. I really liked this box but at the moment I don’t think I will be subscribing to it. I do intend to keep up to date on their special edition books and boxes and I might buy those in the future.