OwlCrate Subscription Box Review + Coupon – May 2017

OwlCrate is a YA book subscription box. Each month they send you a newly released YA book with some bookish goodies.

My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

The Subscription Box: OwlCrate

The Cost: $29.99 plus shipping ($6.99 to US, $10.59 to Canada, $19.99 Worldwide)

DEAL: Use coupon code WELCOME10 to save 10% off your first month!

The Products: A new YA book and 3-5 book-related goodies.

Ships to: Worldwide!

Check out all of my OwlCrate reviews and all of our Book Subscription Box reviews!

Each box comes with a card detailing the items included. This month’s theme is Comic Explosion.

Now, onto the items!

Eliza And Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – Retail Value $17.99 (On Amazon for $12.44)

Book Summary from Amazon:

Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

Scott Westerfeld’s Afterworlds meets Nimona in this novel about art, fandom, and finding the courage to be yourself. Features illustrations by the author throughout. Perfect for readers of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, this is the second novel by the acclaimed author of Made You Up.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.

This book is amazing! I also love that there were Monstrous Sea illustrations throughout the book – I would totally buy that comic if it was real!

This was such a quick read for me, too. I finished it in under 24 hours – I could not put it down. If you love introverted characters, this book is for you!

And as a reader and watcher of books/tv shows featuring a teenage cast, I often find myself agreeing with the parents. But in this book, I was 100% on Eliza’s side. I couldn’t believe her parents didn’t realize what they had done!

This book also came with a signed bookplate sticker and a letter from the author:

And the cover is an exclusive variant:

I think this is the first time Owl Crate did an exclusive cover variant for subscribers – so cool!

Owl Crate also included this exclusive book-inspired art print for subscribers.

This piece includes the two most popular quotes from Monstrous Sea.

Now, bookish goodies time!

Ooly Pen – Value $2

This pen fits the comic theme well, and it has 6 different ink options:

Pens like this were my jam in elementary school!

Dio Candle Company Wonder Woman Candle – Value $4.50

I’m used to writing “travel size,” or “deluxe size,” but “adorable size” is my new favorite!

This scent is sweet and fruity – it is inspired by Wonder Woman’s tropical home. (My husband Eric and I can’t wait to see this movie!)

Funko POP in Deadpool – Value $10

(Subscribers will receive 1 of 7 comic POPS)

Eric is an avid POP collector, so this guy is going straight to his ever growing POP wall. (See it in this POP in a Box review).

OwlCrate Zipper Pull – Value $2?

This exclusive zipper pull measures about 1 inch across and would be perfect for adding a little flair to a backpack!

Kafe Premium Coffee Candy – Value $2

I love that these candies are made with all organic ingredients, but the coffee flavor just wasn’t for me. (I’m a tea drinker, and just can’t change my ways no matter how much sugar is involved.)

AFAR by Leila Del Duca and Kit Seaton – Sample Chapter

Book Summary from Amazon:

Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astrally project to other worlds, unintentionally possessing the bodies of people light years away. Inotu, her inquisitive brother with a pension for trouble, finds himself on the run after he’s caught eavesdropping on an illegal business deal between small town business tycoons and their cyborg bodyguard. When Boetema accidentally gets someone hurt while in another girl’s body, the siblings are forced to work together to solve the problems they’ve created on their planet and others.

AFAR is a coming-of age fantasy tale about two siblings. Boetema can astrally project, and her brother, Inotu, is forced to grow up when their reckless parents leave to work as salt shepherds. Boetema is tasked with figuring out why she dreams she’s in other people’s bodies, and in doing so, makes matters worse on a planet hundreds of light years away. Inotu struggles to become a confident and supportive brother while they’ve been left alone by their parents. Poor, sleep-deprived, and on the run from a cyborg, the siblings work together to overcome their own personal obstacles, making their way across the desert to the thriving metropolis, Yopan.

And lastly, each OwlCrate box now comes with an exclusive pin to match the theme!

We get a hint for the upcoming box, too:

Verdict: The value for this box is getting harder to calculate since there are so many exclusives – even the book cover this time! I’m so happy with the box this month. I think OwlCrate did a fantastic job at curating this box and picking such a great book! This is one of the most thoughtful subscriptions out there, in my opinion!

What do you think of the May OwlCrate box? Did you like the book?