OwlCrate is a YA book subscription box. Each month they send you a newly released YA book along with some bookish goodies.
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This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About OwlCrate YA
The Subscription Box: OwlCrate YA
The Cost: $29.99 + shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: A new YA book and 3-5 book-related goodies. Recommended for ages 14+.
Ships to: The U.S. for $7.99, Canada for $9.99, and worldwide for $19.99
OwlCrate YA "Growing Wild" November 2020 Review
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Each box comes with a card detailing the theme and the items included. This month’s theme is “Growing Wild."
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We received this booklet featuring an interview with the author, a fun birth month flower guide, and an interview with one of our vendors for this month. They also included some information about their monthly photo challenge and a link to a Spotify reading playlist.
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Among the Beast & Briars by Ashly Poston - Retail Value $17.99
This month's book is really gorgeous with sprayed edges and an exclusive cover, plus it's signed by the author. There is also some more beautiful artwork on the inside of the book jacket that was designed by Catherine Peterslund.
From Amazon:
Cerys is safe in the Kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden.
Cerys knows this all too well: When she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything.
As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions a small and irritating fox from the royal garden and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home.
But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.
Cerys is a good-hearted protagonist who cares a great deal about her father and her best friend, Anwen, who is to be queen. She lets a fox follow her around everywhere even when he is a nuisance and she is obedient and mindful of the traditional role that a gardener's daughter like her must play in their society. On the day of Anwen's coronation, everything goes wrong and the Wildwoods which are dangerous and filled with bone-eaters that take over everyone in the kingdom, but for some reason, she is not affected. She escapes to the woods with her fox companion and now she has to face some people from her past in order to save everyone. This book is exciting and the imagery is magical and beautiful. I am really enjoying this story, although I am just really getting into the action right now. I am intrigued and hooked on this tale!
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We received this letter from the author which always feels like a special touch.
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We received this really cool promotional card for the upcoming release of Tales From the Hinterland. How haunting is that design?
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Botanical Postcards
These postcards were inspired by The Lord of the Rings and designed by Rheannon Ormond. They feature Middle Earth plants that are so gorgeous! While these are meant to be cards, they would be just as beautiful framed as art prints. I haven't decided what to do with them just yet, but I have been admiring them as they sit on my desk! The vintage feel to them is just too good!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Dandelion Pendant Necklace
This little box is so beautiful already with this Wild Beauty quote designed by Studio Kyra on the outside, but inside is a special pendant necklace. The necklace features a simple design, but up close you can see some tiny pieces of dandelion standing tall. It's such a sweet necklace and I think it would make such a pretty and inspiring gift for someone. It is very long, but I think the chain could be shortened easily. (swipe to see it on for a sense of scale!)
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Wooden Flower Press Kit
How beautiful is this design from Peppermint Lines? It was inspired by A Darker Shade of Magic and I think it is just such a wonderfully unique item! The flower press looks simple enough to put together and they included some instructions and tips for us to use to dry our own flowers. I am looking forward to using this in the spring when there are pretty blooms to preserve!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Reading Planner
It's that time of year when they send out their yearly reading planner! This year's design has some desert vibes and I love the colors that they used. This comes from Blue Star Press, but was designed by Team OwlCrate and features all the pages you could need! There is a monthly calendar, a weekly planner, a section for book reviews and notes, favorite quotes, a book wishlist, and even a monthly wrap up. There is even some space for some end of the year notes about the best and worst books you read. This is perfect for those who take their reading seriously!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Pipstickers
To go with our planner, Pipsticks designed these beautiful stickers for us complete with lots of OwlCrate themed ones, too. I really love these and think they fit our theme so nicely! They even included a discount code for subscribers for their monthly sticker subscription (check out our reviews here).
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Monthly Enamel Pin
Each month you'll receive an enamel pin to go along with your book. This design is so beautiful and fitting for our story! This was designed by Morgane Brret Shop.
Verdict: This month's OwlCrate box was full of beauty and magic that was fitting for our Growing Wild theme. I am always in awe of what gorgeous designs these artists come up with and since I have an affinity for florals, I was especially pleased with everything this month! I think the flower press is so unique and such a great item to have. My second favorite is probably those postcards because they are so beautiful, but the dandelion pendant and planner are great as well! The value in this box is definitely in the curation and exclusive designs that they deliver each month, and of course, the unique books that they find!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but you can join the waitlist for the January box here.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $37.98 ($29.99 + $7.99 shipping), which means that each of the 7 items in the box has an average cost of about $5.43.
Check out all of our Owl Crate reviews and more of our best book subscription boxes!
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What did you think of OwlCrate this month?
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