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OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review – May 2015

Liz Cadman
ByLiz CadmanMay 25, 2015 | 9 comments

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 Box

OwlCrate is a relatively new 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).

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 First Look

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 Items

The Subscription Box: OwlCrate

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

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

Ships to: Worldwide!

Good to Know: Subscriptions for the June box open up Tuesday, May 26th, at 11 PM ET.

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 Info

Each box comes with a card detailing the items included. For May, the theme is Parallel Worlds.

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 Magonia

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley - Retail Value $17.99 (On Amazon for $12.78)

This book comes with a signed bookplate and exclusive bookmark. (I can't get over that gorgeous cover!)

Book summary from Amazon:

Maria Dahvana Headley's soaring YA debut is a fiercely intelligent, multilayered fantasy where Neil Gaiman's Stardust meets John Green's The Fault in Our Stars in a story about a girl caught between two worlds . . . two races . . . and two destinies.

Aza Ray Boyle is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who's always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza's hands lies fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 GeekTat

GeekTat Alice in Wonderland Temporary Tattoos - Value $7

Obvious State Notebook - Value $6

I think these are both great picks for a parallel worlds themed box. I've been a little obsessed with Obvious State's shop since I first discovered them through a Book Riot box.

OwlCrate YA Book Subscription Box Review - May 2015 Putty

Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty - Value $15

This putty is heat sensitive, so it changes color when you heat it up with your hands or throw it in the freezer. I think it will be a good desk distraction item!

Verdict: I'm pretty excited about my first OwlCrate, and I already can't wait for the June box. (The theme for June is diversity). The value of this box seems pretty great for a book box too. For $37 shipped to the US, I received about $41 worth of products (and that's with the discounted Amazon book price). Plus if you value the signed bookplate and exclusive bookmark that adds to the value.

I should also mention this book was on my wishlist, so I'm happy about that too! I decided to read A Darker Shade of Magic after seeing it was the book for a previous month, and I loved it, so I'm hoping their curation streak continues with Magonia!

What do you think of Owl Crate? What's your favorite book subscription box?

Liz Cadman
Liz Cadman
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

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9 comments

Amy D

Just saw a youtube video for a really cool new book mystery box called Duncan’s Bookshelf Grab Bag of Books. Looks like a great deal. Would love to see what you think of it before I commit though haha.

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Nichole

Thanks for your kind words about Obvious State. We were really excited to work with Owl Crate and are enjoying the unboxings and round-ups.

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Keri S.

This looks like a great subscription for the YA crowd. Unfortunately, that’s not me. I have been in love with the Powell’s subscription since my first box. The fact that each book comes with a custom made box/cover, a booklet with an interview between Powell’s and the author, and the signature of the author (not a bookplate) separates it from others. And yes, I will always admit to being a book nerd and at times, even a snob.

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Korrina

Thank you so much for the kind review, Liz! We’re so happy you enjoyed your first box! 🙂

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Rebecca

Liz, I love you and hate you at the same time. My wallet REALLY did not need to find Obvious State….I already have like $200 worth of stuff in my cart….

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Gigi

My teen daughter absolutely loved this box and is looking forward to more! She liked this one much more than the Quarterly ya box that she asked me to cancel…

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Jennifer

I can’t wait to pick this up for my daughter in another year or so! I hope they continue this subscription.

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Emily S.

I’m impressed by the unique theme and curation! I don’t read many YA novels anymore, but when I was younger I would have been so excited to get this in the mail. Obvious State sells some of my favorite notebooks and cards and it is super cool one was included in this box.

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Stephanie

The putty is on Amazon for less than $10 so the value of the box is actually around the same as the cost (unless you factor in the autograph)

http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Aarons-Putty-Sensitive-Hypercolor/dp/B001BS53O8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1432469560&sr=1-1&keywords=crazy+aaron%27s+thinking+putty+twilight

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