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Creepy Crate is a bi-monthly subscription box for fans of true crime and horror. Every other month Creepy Crate sends a variety of wearables, books, desk accessories, games, and collectibles inspired by serial killers, horror movies, and well, anything creepy!
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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 Creepy Crate
The Subscription Box: Creepy Crate
The Cost: $39.99 every other month + free US shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: CREEPYMSA
The Products: Collectibles, wearables, desk accessories, games, and books inspired by serial killers, horror movies, and anything creepy. Boxes promise an average retail value of $90.
Ships to: The US for free, worldwide for an additional cost
Good to Know: I receive a shipping notification each time a 'Crate leaves for my house!
Creepy Crate "Summer Horrors" June/July 2020 Review
Creepy Crate is celebrating the hot months this time around! The theme for this box is "Summer Horrors," which is something I can really get behind! Some of my very favorite horror movies take place in summer: Sleepaway Camp, Cabin in the Woods, Jaws...goodness, I could discuss this all day! Let's check out these goodies, shall we?
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The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan - Retail Value $16.99
The FBI meets the paranormal in this genre-bending novel from the Academy-award winning director Guillermo del Toro! This book was so interesting because of its intersection of true crime I've already been endlessly binging (more on that in a bit), paired with the horror and speculative elements that I also love to read. As someone who loves both Criminal Minds and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, this made the story even more interesting to me, and I think the author was a good mastermind to pair these two styles. I liked that the main character was female for this story, too; so much horror focuses on male characters, and this was a nice departure from that! I also noticed that this copy of the book is an ARC, or an Advance Reader Copy, which is a copy of the book that's released ahead of the book's publication date that so that it can be read and reviewed ahead of time. Since this book was just freshly-published in June, this was a great way to include it in the June 'Crate!
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"Thinking of You" Postcard Collection
I've been sending a lot more mail lately, and I feel like a postcard is such a simple way to make someone smile. You don't have to say much, and if you find a really good postcard, it could stay on someone's fridge or dresser pretty much forever. My favorite part about this collection of four is that they're definitely well-curated. You have the more classic choices of Psycho and The Exorcist, but the postcards from Misery and Twin Peaks are off-beat additions that genre-lovers will really appreciate!
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Death's Head Moth Face Mask
If you'd told me last year that I'd find a face mask in a subscription box, and it wouldn't be the spa kind, I would have been completely baffled! That being said, I really like this Silence of the Lambs-inspired one. Moths are showing up in a lot of retailers' Halloween-themed offerings, and I'm totally here for it. I think it's a great visual motif, and the slightly goth/creepy vibe is definitely a welcome addition to my wardrobe! The mask itself is definitely nicely constructed, and it has a good breathability, but it's a little on the heavy side. It might be better used on not-so-hot days, and I think it would look awesome with a black midi skirt and a flowy, tie-necked top.
Deadly Obsessions by Joan Barthel (eBook format)
I'm not quite sure why, but I've been on a huuuge true crime kick since March! My husband and I devoured the new series of Unsolved Mysteries, finally finished Mindhunter, and I blew through the only season of Cold Case Files that I could find streaming online. I felt like these stories were chosen just for me! Just like last month, as soon as my 'Crate arrived, I received an email two days later with the instructions on how to download these! They were awesome because they were so different from the other stories I've been seeing lately; one was about Stockholm syndrome, another about an accused killer whose neighbors couldn't believe he did it, and the third was about a cop who went undercover - maybe a little too far! It's easy to see how Barthel is a Pulitzer-Prize finalist; she weaves her prose expertly throughout all three of these super-gripping tales.
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Horror Air Freshener
I have to admit, this item threw me off a little bit! I strongly doubt that Michael Myers smells good, my friends. That jumpsuit has just been through wayyyy too much! However, the design on this freshener is absolutely killer (heh, heh), with the vibrant colors and slightly '80's stylization. And guess what? It smells good! It's musky and smells of pine, maybe? You know, like the wooden floorboards of an abandoned house you're trying to hide from a murderer in.
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"Let's Play a Game" Journal
I have a confession to make - I've never seen any of the movies in the Saw franchise. I know - crazy, right? There are nine of them! While I am a big horror fan, this series verges a little too much on the torture porn side, which isn't something I tend to enjoy as much. I'd rather watch a good mystery, satisfying drama, or see real tension instead of just straight-up gore. That being said, I'm trying to catch up on a lot of horror movies that I've missed throughout the years (case in point: I finally saw 2013's The Purge last night!). Maybe this journal is a sign that I should work my way through a few more super-famous franchises before fall hits. As for this neat notebook, the cover seems to have a nice bit of water resistance to it, the paper is recycled, and it's a great size for a purse or pocket. I tend to write lots of things down these days - to-do lists, story ideas, and shopping lists, so I can't possibly have too many of these!
Verdict: Variety was the name of the game for this month's Creepy Crate! I liked how different the items were from each other, and the very different horror enterprises that were included this time around. Now, I wouldn't be me if I didn't point out the fact that the theme of "Summer Horror" didn't quite shine through. You all know how much I love a strong, well-curated theme! As I mentioned above, there are a ton of great summer horror movies; that is, movies set in summertime. I would have liked to see some items from very summery horror entities, like Jaws, or maybe some cabin or summer camp-themed items, etc. That being said, everything in the box is really useful, like the face mask and journal, and totally unique, like the horror-themed air freshener and postcards. I'm also so glad this box is helping me read more, with both the physical paperback and the eBooks every month!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive the August/September box as your first.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: CREEPYMSA
Value Breakdown: This box costs $39.99 + free shipping, which means that each of the 5 physical items in the box, plus the eBook link in my inbox, has an average cost of $6.67.
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