#november owlcrate

[bookishlyvintage]

Owlcrate prompt 4: Reading Planner & TBR

-> I just love these so much, it's my favorite item in their yearly boxes. Of course I love goodreads for tracking books read, but there's something special about hand writing your review

[wannabe-british-fangirl]

~ books read in 2023 ~

#31: The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

They say that spring never comes to the forest by Hemlock Falls.

Rating: 5/5

[francescaswords]

[greenconverses]

Recently read: I read basically nothing in November since I was doing NaNoWriMo and didn't want to be distracted, so a few of these are actually from October. Getting lazy in my recapping!

I wasn't sure I was going to like Knockout by Sarah MacLean since I found the heroine a little annoying in the previous books, but it was great! I'm still little annoyed with the 21st century inclusivity language in Sarah's most recent historicals (I think there's a way to write it and be somewhat period accurate), but it's more of a style quibble with her at this point. (★★★★)

I listened to the audiobook of Hey, Hun by Emily Lynn Paulson and easily finished it within a weekend. It's an inside look into MLMs (multi-level marketing) schemes from someone who was involved in one from the ground up and it's both endlessly fascinating and infuriating. Paulson adds necessary social context and debunking when explaining MLMs and how she fell in and stayed with it. This would've been a five-star book if not for the final third, where she admits to quiet quitting and continuing to profit even after recognizing the toxic and exploitative practices about her organization. It was highly unsatisfying way to end an otherwise great narrative tbh. (★★★★)

Interested in a YA version of Moulin Rouge but with magic? Then Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith is for you. It was a decent story, but nothing particularly remarkable. I loved the alternate version of the cover I got from OwlCrate though, so I'll probably keep it on the shelves just because it's so pretty. (★★★)

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalo is set the same universe as The Kingdom of the Wicked series which, if you remember, I hated for being too goddamn horny and ridiculous all the time. However! Throne of the Fallen fixed a lot of my issues with the original series, mainly by actually being an adult romantasy smutfest and not a YA book disguised as one. I liked the first half of it a lot, but in the end, like a lot of romantasy books, it suffered from being overstuffed and just too long. Will this universe continue to serve as my guilty pleasure junk food books? Absolutely. (★★★.75)

[zannolin]

SOFT ASKS

1 6 21 and 22

What song makes you feel better?

answered here!

6. What’s your favorite candle scent?

walmart has this one called warm fall leaves that i'm Obsessed with fully. also my scorpio races candle from owlcrate, which is november cakes (vanilla, orange, honey basically) scented.

21. Tea, Coffee, or hot cocoa?

yes. like i cannot survive without all of them. for my health.

22. Name of your favorite playlist?

i don't really regularly use playlists the way most people do. i rawdog it (shuffle my entire music library on whatever device i'm on) and don't actually use spotify much. i have one on my itunes that is exclusively made for purposes of putting music onto my ipod nano since i can't put my entire music library on there, which is titled "zanna's greatest hits" that started as all the music from my childhood i'm nostalgic for (mostly like classic rock and 90s christian contemporary which is unFortunately kinda good) but then just ended up being whatever the heck i want to listen to. technically that's the one i use the most. but if i had to pick a favorite off my spotify it'd be this one:

my life's work, if you will.

soft asks!

[someonelookingpraediti]

OwlCrate Unboxing

The Raven Boys Limited Edition

The last limited edition box OwlCrate released was "The Scorpio Races" back in November 2021, and it was so good, I couldn't wait for their next one! And despite normally doing two or three a year, they haven't done another one until now!

This one celebrates the 10th anniversary of "The Raven Boys" by Maggie Stiefvater. I love, love, love this series, so I ordered this box quite literally the second it was available! It was more expensive than the normal boxes, but it was super full, and definitely worth it.

The book, as expected, is "The Raven Boys". The redesigned cover really doesn't fit with the tone of the book, in my opinion. It looks kind of kid-gothic, which the book just... isn't. But it's just gorgeous, so I'm going to forgive the incongruity. I really can't wait to have the whole set, it's going to look perfect on my bookshelf! The interior art on the dust jacket features portraits of the boys, drawn by the author - but they are nowhere near the way I pictured them. In fact, I'm not even sure which boy is which! It's got foiling on the hardcase, which is very average. But the artwork endpapers are absolutely spectacular. The front one shows Blue's bedroom at Fox Way, and the back features Gansey's "bedroom" at Monmouth.

The first (of eight!!!) items is a 300 Fox Way keyring. It's very fancy for a keyring, and it went straight on to my house keys! The main keyring has a little spinning charm in the middle, with a crystal ball on one side, and the ley line symbol on the other, and there are two other charms attached - the Page of Cups tarot card, and a silver mirror.

The next item is a wood wick candle. The label says "Lynch & Sons". It smells absolutely incredible, it's addictive! At first I was a little bemused, because I thought it didn't smell anything like Ronan should, despite it (or maybe because of it) being very nice. But actually, it smells exactly the way I imagine Niall would smell! A+ scent construction!

Next is an OwlCrate classic - loose leaf tea. This is based on the blends Maura sells from Fox Way. I'm gutted, because it's got mint in, which I'm allergic to, but the tin is super cute, and it smells so, so good! I'm reluctant to even give it away, despite not being able to drink it, because the tin is so nice and it smells so yummy!

Next up is a tote bag. This is one of the items that is duplicated from the January subscription box. And I can't decide which I love more, so I'm going to have to swap between them! This one features the Aglionby Academy school crest, and what is probably the most honest yet brutal school motto ever. The bag has an interior pocket, zipper closure, and both long and short straps, so it's a quality item and so useful!

And we have a wooden bookmark. I love that OwlCrate usually do wooden, rather than card bookmarks - they feel much better value for money! This one has little bits and bobs from the series on one side - Gansey's journal, Blue's tarot card, Noah's skull - and on the other side it says "Fate is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast", which is the perfect choice for a quote, it's so iconic. The design is somehow both very simple, and incredibly detailed, which feels very apt. (Side note: this is designed by @llstarcasterll who is one of my favourite AFTG artists, and who designed some gorgeous dust jackets I'm desperate to get my hands on)

Then we have a ceramic travel mug. This is the other item that is duplicated from the January box. The other one had a woodland theme, and my sister claimed it straight away, but this one is forest themed. Specifically Cabeswater forest! It's blue, which works for the colour scheme of the books, the box, and weirdly, even the forest. I absolutely love this item! I don't use travel mugs often, but when I do in future, it will be this one! I love the Cabeswater logo the artist has designed for the front, and I love the dreamy quality of the artwork.

Next is the item that I imagine everyone was waiting for - Gansey's journal! It's got a leather-effect cover, stamped with the ley line symbol on the front, with a cord wrap closure that ends in a little "Excelsior" charm. And it's ring-bound, so the pages are refillable, which is so, so pleasing to me! Now I don't have to be worried about using it on a daily basis, because I can just add more pages when I run out! And even better - the back cover is embossed! It says "If found, please return to: Richard Campbell Gansey III, 1136 Monmouth Manufacturing, Henrietta, Virginia", which is the cutest thing in the entire world, although might be a bit unfortunate if you ever actually lost it!

The last item is a set of three art prints, designed to look like travel posters. Each one features a different location from the series. Normally, I absolutely hate getting art prints in a box, I'd rather choose my own art for my walls. But these are really nice, and I love that they come as a set. I also like that they feature locations, rather than characters. I'd love to frame these and add them to my wall, but unfortunately my bedroom is orange and white, and they just won't go. One day, I'll have my own place, rather than having to flat share, and on that distant day, these will go on my living room wall with the other blue and green Cabeswater prints I have!

This is such a great box, and I'm really, really hoping that when they release the other books, they also do full boxes for them - although it was super expensive, it was absolutely worth the money. I loved every single item. Although OwlCrate's book-only limited editions aren't all that, the full boxes are always phenomenal. I wish they did more of them!

They also included a "book club discussion guide" card, with a list of questions. It's not something I'd personally use, but I really appreciate it being in the box, and I think this would be a brilliant tool for book clubs and group reads.

And I'm going to use this opportunity to pimp my own product - my Gansey themed fragrance! It's super minty and comes in a Camaro-orange bottle!

I'll leave you with the back of Gansey's journal! So cute!!

[caffeinated-bibliophile]

Ok so I made it to like mid or late November realized I'd read about 120 books, and that triggered my competitive (with myself) side lmao.

My previous (unintentional!) record was 133 (as an adult), and I think that was when I was still doing Fairytale Fridays.

I've now read 129 (not counting DNFs) and am currently reading book 130, which I think I'll finish today.

My goal is to read 134 by the end of the year. This should be doable because that's only 5 more books (including my current) and I actually have several more that I'm hoping to/need to get to this month. (Not because it's the end of the year and I'm trying to read more more more, just because I happened to have a bunch of holds all come through within the last week lol.)

But next year, my big reading goal I think will be to (almost entirely) stop paying attention to the book world. I'm already nearly out of the loop, having slowly extricated myself over the last 2ish (3?) years from the barbed wire mess I was tangled in. (My final, painful severing was deciding to end my owlcrate subscription after this month.)

Basically, I'm trying to go back to not really knowing ALL (or at least many) of the big releases everyone is hyped about, only really keeping tabs on fave authors and browsing my fave genres, and just kinda choosing books to read randomly based on my mood in the moment.

That includes going back to reading multiple books at once because I've realized that making myself read only one at a time has led to me just not reading at all if I'm not in the mood for my current book when I have time to read. Reading multiple means there's almost always something I feel like continuing. Like, yes, that means it might take me longer to get through each book, but it also helps keep me from viewing reading as a chore or something, because I have options beyond continuing my current read or DNF-ing to start something new.

[abookwormsnook]

Is it too soon to start getting excited about my November re read I’d the Scorpio races ? I have been doing this reread for about 3 yes now and every year my heart grows more homesick for thisby. And I have @bookloverinblue to thank for making me read this book. It is so worth it and more. 🍁🍂🎃✨🕯✨🎃🍂🍁 What about you guys? What is a book you love to revisit from time to time? 🍁🍂🎃✨🕯✨🎃🍂🍁 This is the beautiful @owlcrate edition of the book. I have to say it look absolutely stunning in the blue as it did the red cover. 🍁🍂🎃✨🕯✨🎃🍂🍁 #thescorpioraces #bookstagram #books #bookrecommendations #bookish #bookishlove #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammer #booksbooksandmorebooks #bookstagramreadsoctober #rereading https://www.instagram.com/p/CjZVuc_LCwI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[taylor-reads-books]

“It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.” —Maggie Stiefvater, The Scorpio Races •——————————————————————————————• It’s Scorpio Races day! I’m listening to the audiobook and gosh I just love these narrators so much! 🥰 If you haven’t read this book yet, this is the perfect time! This edition was in the 10th anniversary @owlcrate box, which are still available on their website. One of my favorite special edition boxes! •——————————————————————————————• #thescorpioraces #maggiestiefvater #owlcrate #beautifulbooks #booksbooksbooks #reader #yalit #yabooks #youngadultfiction #reading #readingforpleasure #readerlife #bookishlife #bookish #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #coverlove #booklover https://www.instagram.com/p/CkbQvULrgl-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn

Series: Mistlands #1Author: Katherine QuinnPublisher: Entangled: TeenReleased: November 28, 2023Received: Own (OwlCrate)Find it on Goodreads | OwlCrate | More OwlCrate Reviews Summary: Kiara Frey is not the most popular girl in her village. She’s been seen as something…other for far too long. Her ability to fight just made her stand out further. But that ability has kept her brother safe all…

[bookboxaddict]

Alchemy of Us

So I DID actually get the FairyLoot November box. It arrived recently, and… it was a bit of a mixed bag.

The first item I saw when I unboxed it was a set of hanging pouches. This was actually a SUPER nice item — I’ve been eyeing OwlCrate’s organizer for a very long time. I desperately need more things to maximize my room’s storage space. And I did like the alchemical designs on it, though it feels… like the designer maybe didn’t understand East Asian culture; the spoiler card said it was inspired by the featured book, but I didn’t fully get that vibe from it. The art style just feels… off, and a lot of the alchemical depictions seem very western. Where are the five elements? Their relationships to one another in a pentagram?

That said, I’m really glad I got this item. I hung it up immediately and have been putting things into it. Admittedly right now it’s just a temporary placeholder location for some of my odds and ends; I can’t utilize it efficiently until I categorize all my tlotchkes and figure out locations for each category. Which WILL happen! …Someday!!

The next item was a lanyard and card carrier. It’s inspired by Vampire Academy, and it feels a little… young? I was actually happy when I heard there’d be a VA fandom item; I haven’t read the book yet, but I got the ebook on a discount, and the first couple of chapters are interesting so far. And vampire things tend to have gothic aesthetics with red and black, which are colors I look good in, so accessories in those shades would likely match what I wear. But I can’t see myself wearing this lanyard around my neck…

Then again, I recently got a phone case that doesn’t have room for ID cards or anything, and I don’t like carrying a bag around (too femme), but I don’t want to just stick a credit card in my pocket, either. So maybe I’ll use the case. It still feels a little… tacky, though. It’s not made from the best quality material, either, though I suppose I shouldn’t expect it to be, at this price. I’m also not sure what it has to do with alchemy, although maybe I’ll have to finish the book to find out.

Another disappointing item was the hidden book, except… this was less disappointing than I’d thought it would be. When I heard November would have a hidden book, I considered if I wanted to skip it instead of October (the theme reveal was early this year), but I really wanted the featured book of the month. I already have too many books, though; the last thing I need is a fake book taking up space a real book could be occupying. But! This one is actually super lightweight, and could fit on the precarious top of one of my flimsier shelves, where I’ve put a bunch of non-book items. And since it’s hollow, I can store tlotchkes in it. So maybe it’ll be useful after all. It’s designed like an alchemy textbook, which I appreciate, since it’s in keeping with the theme.

The last item was a Sarah J Maas calendar. I have a strange relationship with Sarah J Maas, where her stuff occupies the same niche as Taco Bell for me — yes, I know it’s terrible; yes, I see all the flaws and ways in which it’s not at proper Mexican cuisine. Yes, it’s garbage. But sometimes I want garbage. It’s hard to explain. Anyway, her stuff is just the right kind of bad for me to enjoy when I want to read something bad. I don’t know how I’ll feel about the calendar, but if it has nice art, then I’ll probably appreciate it.

Finally, the book! This single-handedly made me glad I’d gotten the box, regardless of how I feel about the items!!! I’d been so excited for it when I heard the announcement, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

This month’s book was The Scarlet Alchemist, an Eastern fantasy set during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. The author is clearly writing from a place of knowledge and cultural immersion, though I do have a bone to pick about referring to Chinese languages as ‘dialects’. They are LANGUAGES. Anyway, the cover is beautiful, I love the gold foiling on the hard case, and the EDGES!!! They’re painted with an image from the cover! It’s BEAUTIFUL. A+ customizations. I picked it up and thought I’d maybe read the first page, but accidentally devoured the first seven chapters immediately and had to commit to cutting myself off after chapter ten. It was SO good. And very nostalgic, of the China that I’d never been in and that never actually existed, but that I always thought I’d come from. I also really love that there’s so much more eastern fantasy in YA these days; it’s about time! The genre had been so white for a very long time. It is bittersweet, though; every time I see a new one I’m reminded that I could be adding to the ranks of Eastern fantasy novels, and instead I’m… writing things that anyone could write.

This month also had two nice tarot cards, but there was nothing that said who the characters were. It’s very annoying — surely the cards are more valuable as collector’s items if the fandoms are known?

Overall, I’m a little disappointed in the other items (especially since there are only four! The five-item boxes feel richer…), but VERY glad for the pouches and the book. This was maybe a solid 3.5/5 box.

[bookishlyvintage]

A list of everything I read in November

[sfsucw]

Call For Submissions: Monsters in Masquerade!

We are thrilled and chilled that you want to submit your story to OwlCrate’s first-ever published anthology!

The theme and title will be Monsters in Masquerade. Please submit your fantasy / horror stories in full, and don’t forget to include a romantic element of some kind in your story! We are looking for stories that are upper YA to adult. Spice is encouraged but not required. Your word count should fall between 6k to 8k words. 

This submission period will only be open for one week, so get your stories in between November 24th – December 1st by 11:59pm est. 

We cannot wait to read your story and we are keen to lift up emerging voices!

For more info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSJqnw7j5LdkcIEY1krVhssafGS2XHBzRGckEqYOK7fvT2gw/viewform

[francescaswords]

In which I made the November Cakes and I'm so pleased with myself I'm telling the internet

In which I made the November Cakes and I’m so pleased with myself I’m telling the internet

Hello! Do you remember how, a few weeks ago, I spoke about my hopeful plans for November and they included baking an extremely tricky, sticky batch of November Cakes? WELL I DID IT AND IT TURND OUT OKAY I was so surprised and also so in doubt I’ll make them again that I took a photo: Ignore the pools of glaze. You’re meant to roll the dough into a cinnamon swirl shape that the glaze pools in,…

[enter-the-phantom]

First review of 2023 is The Luminaries by Susan Dennard!

[betterbooksandthings]

The Invisible life of Addie Larue (OwlCrate Box)