#Owlcrate November 2020

[emilyccannings]

November 2020 Owlcrate Unboxing

November 2020 Owlcrate Unboxing All the amazing items I received in my November 2020 Owlcrate box!

Who created all the fabulous items in the box: Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley PostonDust Jacket Art created by Cathrin PeterslundAmong the Beasts and Briars inspired Enamel Pin created by Morgane Brret ShopLord of the Rings inspired Botanical Postcards created by Rheannon OrmondWild Beauty inspired Dandelion Pendant Necklace created by Studio KyraPlanner Stickers created by PipsticksA…

[taylor-reads-books]

“Briars, brambles, bones, and blossom, I smell a girl who can’t be forgotten.” -Ashley Poston, Among the Beasts & Briars ••————–————–————–————–•• Among the Beasts and Briars was one of my favorite reads last year! I love @_ashposton’s writing and this book did not disappoint! A new kind of fairytale where the damsel is also the hero 😍 I got so excited when I figured out @owlcrate was including it in their November box, and I absolutely LOVE this exclusive cover! (Psst Owlcrate still has some copies available on their website if you missed out!) ••————–————–————–————–•• The gorgeous art on the dust jacket is by @cathrinpeterslund and the monthly pin was designed by @morganebrretshop and is one of my favorites pins of 2020 ••————–————–————–————–•• January’s theme is From Olympus with Love and it sounds AMAZING! Don’t forget to sign up for the waitlist and use my code: TAYLOR to save 10% 💜 ••————–————–————–————–•• #Owlcrate #amongthebeastsandbriars #ashleyposton #beautifulbooks #booksbooksbooks #cozybooks #cozybookstagram #winterbookstagram #yalit #yabooks #becauseofreading #bookmerch #pinstagram #pinsofinstagram #bookish #booklove #bibliophile #yafantasy https://www.instagram.com/p/CJl8NE5gDNl/?igshid=b37pdmrv9u8

[caffeinated-bibliophile]

My immediate reaction to finding out it is the planner we'll be getting in the November OwlCrate, not a throw blanket

I'm crossing my fingers and kinda praying this means it will be an actual improvement over the current planner. Sorry not sorry, but I've been complaining about the one from the 2020 box for 11 months and I will not stop because it's terrible (ymmv, of course, because it's all about what you want/need from a planner).

[thriftygeekdiva]

Growing Wild // November Owlcrate Unboxing // 2020

Oh man I want the necklace and book from this box.

[raeiolene]

9 November 2020 / One of the corners of my home. . . . . . #fms_acornerofmyhome #iowa #november #novemberphotochallenge #photoaday #fmsphotoaday #fmspad #iowa #photochallenge #books #bookshelf #owlcrate https://www.instagram.com/p/CICn-k1DGAH/?igshid=zbp10pp69c5j

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

I’m still working at getting some of my previously planned October posts written up and posted in the time slot they were originally scheduled. My to-do list was just piling up on me, and the extra stress was just making everything feel worse. But those posts are coming very soon. I’m definitely in a writing mood right now. Blame NaNoWriMo.

Reading: I finished 26 books this month. Wow, okay, so that’s a lot. Cool. Umm…that takes me up to 191 books read for the year. I will definitely be passing the 200 book mark before the end of the year. My reading for October was definitely helped by a surfeit of manga volumes read, especially because of reading exclusively manga for Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon. Still, there is absolutely nothing wrong with reading manga, and I had an enjoyable time.

Blogging: Okay, I slumped on this goal. I did not have a post up every day, and even when I catch up on my backlog of posts, I think I will still have two or three days that won’t have a post. But you know what, that’s okay. I honestly can’t believe that I went that long posting every day without really missing any. Of course I can definitely say that missing out on a week’s worth of posts did really hurt my traffic stats. October was only about 2/3 of the views of the rest of the months of 2019. But it’s okay, because my overall views for this October were still higher than last October, so it’s still upward momentum.

Writing: Another month of Weekend Writer is in the books, and November marks National Novel Writing Month, so I fully expect this goal to have some activity over the next month. You know, aside from all the writing I do for the blog. Oh, and now the writing I’m doing for my work’s daily newsletter. I’m kind of sad that my training will end at the end of November.

Conventions: The Ohio Renaissance Festival isn’t exactly a convention, but we did go to that one last time for this year, and we had a food and drink day. I have the whole thing documented on my Instagram, so you can check out all the lovely food and drink photos there. Convention season for Damian and I is pretty much over for 2019, but we are starting to browse at potential options for 2020. Of course, we are absolutely returning to Cincinnati Comic Expo in Sept 2020. We also plan to do at least one day of Gen Con (and hopefully the Critical Role Live Show there as well) in August 2020. Other than that we are looking at a couple other possibilities. Of course the big event for 2020 isn’t a convention, but it is our honeymoon to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in October 2020, so stay tuned for more details on all of those events.

Next up is wrap up time. As always, if I have a review posted, then I will include the link back to that post in case you missed it and/or would like to check it out.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin — 4.5 stars

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young — 4.5 stars

Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake — 5 stars

Teleworld by Rachel E Kelly and narrated by Cherami Leigh, Todd Haberkorn, Brittney Karbowski, and David Wald — 5 stars (I have a review up for the paperback version here)

Frankly in Love by David Yoon — 4.5 stars

Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity by Felicia Day — 5 stars

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler and Frank Miller — 3.5 stars

My Hero Academia, Vol 21 by Kohei Horikoshi — 4 stars

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Vol 6 by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court — 4 stars

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab — 4 stars

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay — 5 stars

The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell — 4.5 stars

Waterworld, Volume 3: Xavier by Rachel E Kelly — 5 stars

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh — 4.5 stars

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith — 5 stars

Fairy Tail, Vol 7 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars

The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Vol 3 by Kore Yamazaki — 4.5 stars

Magus of the Library, Vol 2 by Mitsu Izumi — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 12 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 13 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 14 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 15 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 16 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 17 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey — 4.5 stars

No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty — 5 stars (Note: this is the Revised and Expanded Edition)

The next big section for this post is the book haul and OwlCrate unboxing portion. And yes, this is another big haul month. But because of saving up for our honeymoon and for saving up for other future plans, I have come to the decision that I need to go on a book buying restriction, and I have set a few guidelines and rules for my new restriction. The big part is that I’m allowing myself to buy 5 books each month. Note that this does not include the books that I get in my monthly OwlCrate. This also does not include the books I’m allowed to buy if I sell some of my old books first. So if I take a haul to Half Price Books and sell them, then I am allowed to use that money for books. This restriction also does not count what I can buy with the use of gift cards given to me for holidays and such. The other big caveat is that if I sign up to work overtime hours at work, I can use the overtime earnings for whatever fun activities I decide on, even if that’s books. It just means I have to put in extra effort to earn those books.

Okay, it’s haul time.

The OwlCrate this month was great, because there were TWO exclusive hardcover books included, which made me very excited. I’m also looking forward to next month’s book, because it will have sprayed edges. Not, the dragon statue in this photo is one of my bookshelf decorations, and not part of the box’s contents.

Finally, this is where I would normally go into details about my TBR plans for the upcoming month. But November is going to be an exception. I want my main focus to be writing. I’m really ahead on my reading goal for the year, so I don’t have to sit down and try to read 20 books in a month or anything. So I want to focus on NaNoWriMo. I may still pick up some manga volumes, some Middle Grade books, or some contemporary romance, but those will be decided based on my mood at that time. I usually take a book with me to work so I can read it on my breaks, so I’ll still be doing some reading.

Did you have a good reading month in October? Any fun plans for November? Let me know in the comments and I’ll be back soon with more bookish content.

October Wrap-Up and November Plans Hey all, Dani here. I'm still working at getting some of my previously planned October posts written up and posted in the time slot they were originally scheduled.

[lostinpagesblog]

Hello, everyone! I thought today would be a fun day to talk about the upcoming fall 2020 book releases I’m most excited for. Release dates and being excited for books in general has really taken the backseat in my brain, so I’m trying to get excited about them again. For me, fall releases mean anything coming out in September through December, so let’s get to the books!

*P.S. Click on the book covers to go straight to the Goodreads page and add all of these titles to your TBRs!*

One by One by Ruth Ware – September 8th

I thoroughly enjoyed Ware’s last novel, Lock and Key, so I have high hopes for this one. It’s a survival mystery of sorts that takes place at a snowed in mountain chalet. Count me in!

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini – September 15th

I was never a giant Eragon fan like most people my age were. I remember reading the first one, and for some reason I never really continued with the series. Looking at my track record for series, I’m not surprised. This one seems quite different though, it’s sci-fi rather than fantasy. I struggle sometimes getting through sci-fi books, and this one is a CHUNK. It clocks in at around 880 pages, so wish me luck.

Horrid by Katrina Leno – September 15th

This. Cover. Oh. My. God. I truly love this cover, and if you think I added this book to this list purely because of it, you’d be correct. I specifically got the September Owlcrate box just to have an exclusive edition of this – well I got it for the book and also the spooky themed items. Give me anything with a little bit of creepy, and I’m hella down.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik – September 29th

I’m adding another Naomi Novik book to my endless TBR. Who’s actually surprised? Literally no one. Have I read a single Novik book? Nope. I’m an idiot. This cover though, *chef’s kiss*. I’m intrigued to see her take on a magical school. We need a breath of fresh air when it comes to magical schools…I’m looking at you, J.K. Rowling, ugh.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab – October 6th

I don’t think you guys realize how incredibly excited I am to get my hands on a physical copy of this masterpiece. I was lucky enough to get an e-ARC of this glorious story, and let me tell you, the hype is real. I remember years ago hearing Schwab talk about the premise of this book at a signing I attended, and I fell in love. Every bit of excitement for this book is warranted, and I want every edition I can potentially afford. I have the Barnes & Noble exclusive, the Forbidden Planet exclusive, the Waterstones exclusive, AND the Owlcrate exclusive box all preordered. Will I have numerous copies of the same book? You bet your ass I will. Her writing is spectacular, and if you haven’t preordered a copy already, do yourself a favor.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black – November 24th

I know absolutely nothing about this book, but I instantly preordered the Barnes & Noble edition the second the link was live. I love this universe, and I’m excited to see where Holly Black takes us with this little extra bit. I still need to finish the series and read Queen of Nothing though. I know, fake fan.

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir – December 1st

I’ve waited for what seems like a century for the conclusion of this series. I’m so incredibly scared for my little babies and what Sabaa Tahir has in store for them in this finale. Please be kind to them, Sabaa. I’m expecting death, but that doesn’t make me any more prepared for it emotionally.

And that’s all, folks. Tell me your most anticipated release in the comments below! I’m sure I’ve missed some good ones, so recommend away.

Until next time,

What are some of your most anticipated Fall 2020 releases? Hello, everyone! I thought today would be a fun day to talk about the upcoming fall 2020 book releases I'm most excited for.

[parttimeavenger]

Bookish Spotlights: Review of OwlCrate's November Monthly book box

Bookish Spotlights: Review of OwlCrate’s November Monthly book box

Review of OwlCrate’s November Monthly book box

This is a monthly book box that OwlCrate does, it is not an exclusive book box.

What was in the box?

– New 2020 bookish planner

– Enamel pin to match book of the month

– Wood ornament

– Quote card

– Metal bookmark

– Cruel Prince mini blanket

– Planner stickers

– Special edition copy of Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (white cover, signed page, blue…

[emilyccannings]

This month’s Owlcrate theme is Through the Enchanted Forest which means something magical is afoot. The magical book this month is Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw which looks beautiful and sounds wonderfully dark. My favourite item is the reading planner it is super detailed and filled with lots of space to write notes and reviews. My least favourite item there actually was nothing I didn’t like in this box. I love this box filled with beautiful things that I will always use.

Here is the book if you want to check it out and the Owlcrate website below:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43822698-winterwood?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kvlNIuAFft&rank=1

https://www.owlcrate.com/

  Theme Art designed by Owlcrate

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw and Letter

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Reading Planner designed by Blue Star Press

Throw Blanket from The Cruel Prince designed by Bookmark’d Tattoos

Wooden Ornament designed by Juniper and Ivy Designs

Enamel Pin designed by Four Seasons Fox

Planner Stickers designed by Pipsticks

Metal Tassel Bookmark designed by Her Paper World

  As always keep geeking!

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© 2020 Emily Claire Cannings

Owlcrate November 2019 All the amazing goodies I got in my Owlcrate November 2019! This month’s Owlcrate theme is Through the Enchanted Forest which means something magical is afoot. The magical book this month is Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw which looks beautiful and sounds wonderfully dark.

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

It is the first of December. One last month to go and then we are finished with 2019. That’s crazy to think about. I have like ten more months until I get married. 2020 is going to be a pretty darn great year; I’m really looking forward to all the books I’m going to read, the adventures I’m going to go on, and of course seeing how this blog develops in the new year.

Okay, so welcome to my monthly wrap up post. Now before I jump into my wrap up of books, let’s first look at my overall goals for the year and see how I’m doing with all of those (answer: pretty good, yay).

Reading: It was a bit of a slow reading month in November, partly because of NaNoWriMo, and partly because of my training for my new job, and I guess partly because of the new Pokemon game being released. It definitely all scattered my focus a bit too much. Still, I read 7 books, which I think is still pretty darn good for the month. That takes me up to 196 books read so far in 2019. I don’t know the last time I read this many books in a year; it was definitely in my pre-Goodreads years.

Blogging: So, clearly I was not able to prep ahead a bunch of posts to hold me over in November. In fact, I actually ended up taking about half of the month off of blogging. It was just adding too much stress to my life this month and so I had to step back. Of course that ended up making me feel guilty for not even trying to post, and so I started writing up posts again. I guess that happens sometimes, but I’m going to try and get back to my usual schedule now, which will definitely happen by the beginning of the year. I’m excited to get 2020 started.

Writing: I participated in NaNoWriMo in November, and I’m sad to say that I didn’t end up reaching the goal of 50,000 words in 30 days. I did write about 10,000, which is more than I had written on the story before. But I realized that I didn’t have enough of the story somewhat plotted out. It was just a bunch of random scenes and details that had been developing in my brain the past couple years. So I need to actually draft up a loose plot and then I can really get to work on writing. I’m not going to give up. I want to tell this story, and so I’m going to do it.

Conventions: We didn’t really do any planning or thinking on conventions in this month. Obviously we do know that we’ll be at Cincinnati Comic Expo in Sept 2020, but we need to sit down and try and think of a couple other conventions to try for. And of course we do have our honeymoon to set up, which sort of feels like going to a convention since we plan to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Okay, let’s jump into the wrap-up portion of today’s post. As always, if I have a review posted I will include the link in case you want to check it out.

Black Clover, Volume 18 by Yuki Tabata — 5 stars

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern — 5 stars

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White — 4 stars

The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 9 by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, and Clayton Cowles — 4.5 stars

Horizontal Collaboration by Mademoiselle Navie and Carole Maurel — 4 stars

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren — 4 stars

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman — 3.5 stars

All right, next up is my book haul and OwlCrate unboxing section…which I’m actually also going to include a book unhaul photo. Because, true to my new restrictions on buying books, I wanted to go book browse shopping for Black Friday, so I went through my shelves and unhauled books I realized I probably wasn’t going to read, or books I didn’t feel like I was going to read again or finish reading.

Okay, so here’s the haul. I started the month off by cashing in on a B&N gift card I got from work, so I only ended up buying 3 of those books myself; the rest was covered by the card, and then I did so good until it was time for Black Friday. So yeah, I still have a pretty decent book haul this month.

Then there’s the OwlCrate unboxing. I’m actually pretty excited about this blanket; it is so soft and comfortable. I’m going to enjoy snuggling up under it to read. And I can’t wait to try another Shea Ernshaw novel. I enjoyed her last one but it was just an okay read overall. We’ll see what happens with this one. I’m really excited because of the OwlCrate exclusive cover and the sprayed pages.

And of course, here is where I should post my big ol’ book unhaul. I need to be better about being honest with myself about keeping and/or reading some of my books. I own quite a few bookcases already, and I honestly don’t think that I have space to add another one, so when my shelves get so full that I’m stacking books in odd places, it’s probably time to do a weeding and unhaul.

Finally, there’s my TBR for December. Now I sort of already talked about this in my post about my end of year plans…but I’ve added a few more books to that stack thanks to my little shopping spree. So…here’s my current TBR for December. It’s a bit of a doozy. Honestly if I made it through all of these books that would be a miracle. So I’m just going to do my best and hope that I do a decent dent in this stack. Some of these books will be read as part of Diverse December, and some will be devoured from Dec 21-31 as part of the Short-a-Thon (I play very loose with this reading challenge–you’re supposed to tackle the 10 shortest books on your TBR, but that would just likely be manga for me, so I’d read them all in one day. Plus I’m really ahead on my reading challenge, so I don’t need the boost that this reading challenge is supposed to give. I’m going with short as in quick, and since I read fairly quickly, any of these books qualify in my mind). Look, I just want to read with my bookish friends around the world.

Yep, okay, see that stack? It’s massive, right? Yeah, this is going to be a fun month of reading. I have 12 more days of work left in this year, and then I’m free until January. Actually my first day back to work is January 6th, so yeah, I’m definitely hoping to get a lot of reading done between Dec 20-Jan 5. Damian and I have already determined that we will be hermits this holiday season, so we plan on lots of movie watching, book reading, and video game playing. It’s going to be a good time.

Anyway, that’s all from me for today. I’m going to start diving into this TBR pile, so I’ll be back soon with more bookish content.

November Wrap-Up and December TBR Hey all, Dani here. It is the first of December. One last month to go and then we are finished with 2019.