OwlCrate is a YA book subscription box. Each month they send you a newly released YA book with some bookish goodies.
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
The Products: A new YA book and 3-5 book-related goodies.
Ships to: US for $7.99, Canada for $10.59, and International for $19.99
OwlCrate YA "Epic Adventures" Review
1 of 2
Each box comes with a card detailing the theme and the items included. This month’s theme is “Epic Adventures.”
1 of 3
OwlCrate also included a booklet featuring an interview with the author, a word search and an interview with the illustrator of one of our exclusive items. There is also some information on their photo challenge at the end.
1 of 4
We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya) by Hafsah Faizal – Retail Value $18.99 (found here for $11.39)
The book this month is an exclusive signed edition of a debut novel set in Arabia. This story features Zafira, a huntress who has to hide her identity, as women have strict roles within this society and to be a female hunter would not be allowed nor accepted. Few know who she really is, but she works hard traveling to the mysterious and dangerous Arz to bring food back for her people. Our other main character is Nasir who kills because it is his duty and he seems to be suppressing an emotional side to allow these kills to happen that his father, the sultan, has commanded. He still seems somewhat likable in the sense that you feel there is some inherent good in him that is waiting to be released. When he is sent to kill the "hunter" and crosses paths with her is when this story really picks up. It started slow for the first few pages for me as the author set the scene, but once we got into the action, I really enjoyed reading about their journey!
Book Summary from Amazon:
"People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.
Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya―but neither wants to be.
War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds―and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine."
We also received a letter from the author describing how much of herself she put into this novel.
1 of 2
Exclusive! Character Artwork
To go along with our book, we received this card that features an illustration of Nasir on one side and Zafira on the other.
Exclusive! Vinyl Sticker
This next item is inspired by Howl's Moving Castle and designed by Naomi Lord who is the illustrator featured in our magazine this month. I love the cute kawaii style of this artist!
1 of 6
Exclusive! Stardust-inspired Glass Water Bottle
The next item is this great glass water bottle inspired by Stardust and designed by KDP Letters. It reads, in beautiful lettering, "without our stories we are incomplete." I love the simplicity of this design and since I am already set on water bottles, I am trying to think of a creative way to use this since it is so nice! The lid has our cute OwlCrate owl on the top and this bottle is dishwasher safe!
1 of 3
Exclusive! A Darker Shade of Magic-Inspired Pillowcase
This pillowcase was designed by Stella Bookish Art and is inspired by Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic. I am not familiar with the book, but I really love this design! The pirate/sea theme is great - bright and colorful with so much detail and a great quote that I can appreciate without even having read the book. I actually gave this to my son and he loves having a pirate pillowcase!
1 of 3
Exclusive! A Court of Mist and Fury-Inspired Sleepmask
To ensure we get a good night of rest on our new pillowcase they also included this really beautiful sleep mask designed by Bookworm Boutique and inspired by A Court of Mist and Fury. It reads "to the stars who listen - and the dreams that are answered." I love the feel of the shiny satin and the fact that there are two different shades of purple on either side. The white stars and mountains are also so beautiful in contrast to the dark background!
1 of 5
Exclusive! Adventure Passport Wallet
I actually already have a few passport wallets (thanks to all the subscriptions I review!), but this one is really unique and I think I can easily find another use for it due to all of the great pockets and features! There is one pocket on the front, then inside there is a zippered pocket on one side while the other side has one large pocket and two smaller pockets that all get zipped up to keep everything inside nice and secure. I am thinking of filling it with some items for on-the-go activities for my kids because it is quite roomy and will hold a lot while still being a smaller size to fit in my purse or diaper bag! It features a quote from The Hobbit, "I'm going on an adventure" in beautiful print and it is designed by Kit Cronk Studio.
1 of 3
Exclusive! Monthly Enamel Pin by Icey Designs
In every box, you will receive an exclusive collectible enamel pin that is inspired by that month's book. This one is great for our Arabian setting from our novel and it was actually designed by this month's author through her design company, Icey Designs.
JUNE THEME SPOILER:
The theme for June will be "Libraries of Wonder" and that already conjures an amazing image in my mind so I can't wait to see what we receive!
Verdict: I can't believe what amazing, exclusive goodies OwlCrate includes in our box each month! It is great to receive a debut novel from a new author and so fun that our author even designed our enamel pin this month, too. I thought all of the designs were really beautiful this month and it's pretty incredible that we received so many wonderful full-size items such as the pillowcase, sleep mask, passport holder, and water bottle. I just wish I was going on an adventure since I am so prepared now! This was another thoughtful curation full of really useful items and since they were all exclusively designed, it feels like a good value for the $37.98 ($29.99 + $7.99 US shipping) cost of this box!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, subscriptions are now open for the June box.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $29.99 + $7.99 shipping, which means that each of the 7 items in the box has an average cost of $5.43.
Check out all of our Owl Crate Reviews and more of our best book subscription boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of OwlCrate?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.