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. Save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: A new YA book and 3-5 book-related goodies. Recommended for ages 14+.
Ships to: The US for $7.99, Canada for $9.99, and worldwide for $19.99
OwlCrate YA "Full Moon Magic" April 2020 Review
Boxes were running a bit behind this month, but the OwlCrate team sent out the following update in mid-April to notify subscribers:
"Our packing team has been working extremely hard building all of the April boxes for our members. They've had to reduce the number of people working at a given time, and are adhering to social distance safety regulations due to COVID-19. Because of this, it is taking a bit longer than normal to pack the boxes, and shipping will be a bit delayed. We are now estimating that we'll be able to ship April boxes around April 25th-30th. Please note that this is an estimate and it may change slightly (potentially later but hopefully sooner!). Please follow us on Instagram or Facebook for future updates regarding April shipping.
We appreciate your patience and understanding, and we promise that the April box will be worth the wait! We can't wait for you to receive them!"
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Each box comes with a card detailing the theme and the items included. This month’s theme is “Full Moon Magic."
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We received this booklet featuring an interview with the author, a word search, and an interview with an artist. They also included some information about their monthly photo challenge and a link to a "mischief and moonlight" playlist!
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Bone Crier's Moon by Marie Lu - Retail Value $17.99 (found here for $12.79)
Our book this month is an exclusive edition which is signed by the author. It features a unique cover and sprayed gold edges. So pretty!
From Amazon:
Bone Criers are the last descendants of an ancient famille charged with using the magic they draw from animal bones to shepherd the dead into the afterlife—lest they drain the light from the living.
Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become their matriarch, but first she must complete her rite of passage: to kill the boy she’s destined to love.
Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Now his vengeance must wait, as Ailesse’s ritual has begun and their fates are entwined—in life and in death.
This book sounded a bit intense to me after reading the premise from the book jacket. I really wasn't sure if I would be into this story since their collecting of bones feels a bit gruesome to me, but this book is so well written and the action starts right away as Ailesse is trying to collect her last grace bone from a dangerous tiger shark so that she can complete her rite of passage and become a Ferrier of the dead. After we meet Ailesse and her best friend Sabine, who would do anything for one another, we then get to know the other side, Bastien and his friends Jules and Marcel, all of whom seek to exact their revenge on the Bone Criers for killing their fathers. Bastien has a plan to kill Ailesse on the night she seeks her "amoure" to complete the ritual, but when he turns out to be the one the gods have chosen, his life is tied to hers and there is a change of plans since killing her would mean that he dies as well. I'm not that far into the book yet, but it is so easy to read thanks to the excitement and the beautiful prose of this author! There is a lot going on and I am enjoying it so far, despite the unique and unsettling theme of death throughout this story.
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We received a letter from the author who explains that our book is a reimagining of "Les Dames Blanches" which is French folklore. I love the personal touch these letters provide!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Notebook
I really love when they include notebooks! They are so useful and the designs are always so beautiful! This one might be my favorite that we have received so far! The black and white is so simple, but the detailed design and fantastic Oscar Wilde quote, "With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?" really give this notebook some character. I would love this design from Kim Becker Design on a T-shirt or something more permanent!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Moon Phase Banner
This canvas bag with another quote from Oscar Wilde is a little work of art in itself, but inside is a fun bamboo moon phase banner designed by OwlCrate team member @paperbackbones! I love the simplicity of this little banner, although I am not sure what I want to do with it just yet! The twine isn't too long, so that limits it a bit, but I'm sure it will look great strung up once I find a home for it.
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Moon Bracelet
How pretty is this copper crescent moon bracelet? I love the simple cuff style, which also makes it adjustable. This was designed by Team OwlCrate, and it was inspired by our beautiful November book, Winterwood.
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It's lightweight and comfortable to wear, too!
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Jigsaw Puzzle
This unique jigsaw puzzle should provide some entertainment with its 300 pieces! This puzzle was designed by @Atalienart in honor of Professor Lupin, aka Moony, and I think the artwork is beautiful! I also love that it came in this nice box with a printout of what the puzzle should look like on the bottom.
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Tote Bag
Another gorgeous design! This black tote bag features moon phases in a bright white with a beautiful quote from Shatter Me. It was designed by Unlucky Design and it is just so nicely done! The bag itself is nice and roomy and it opens up to stand flat making it perfect for stacking some books in for on-the-go! The material is thin and lightweight, but it feels sturdy.
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OwlCrate Exclusive! Monthly Enamel Pin
Each month you'll receive an enamel pin to go along with your book. This beautiful design comes from White Wide Woods.
Verdict: What a wonderful box this was with such a fun and beautiful theme! OwlCrate did such a great job with the curation of this Full Moon Magic theme and I think the artists this month really outdid themselves! Everything was so tastefully done and simple in the best way. My favorite items are the tote and the notebook, but I also really love the bracelet and the moon phase banner. I think a lot of people will appreciate the puzzle during this time when boredom might be striking, too! This box costs $37.98 ($29.99 + $7.99 shipping) and with our book retailing for $17.99 that gives the rest of our exclusive goodies a retail value of about $20, which seems well worth it for such beautiful works of art!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but and the June box has already sold out! You can join the waitlist 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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