“The Dark Side”
With all unboxings my intention is to help you determine if the box is worth your money. I go through each product included in the box first and assign a rating at the end. Each item is rated out of 3: usefulness, quality, and do I personally enjoy it? Often I will give bonus points for extra items/exceptional covers/exceptional pins … etc.
This box was stuffed with items – truly, it was hard to open the lid!
The theme for this month was “The Dark Side” and the items included definitely fit that theme! (Although I’d argue almost any OwlCrate month would fit a Dark Side theme…)
A closer look you ask?
Right this way!
First we have a pair of Six of Crows socks from Out of Print! Six of Crows is one of my favourite duologies, Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite authors and Out of Print is a super-awesome bookish company …. so it’s all win-win-win.
Also included is a pop socket for your phone created by Hey Atlas Creative based on V. E. Schwab’s Vicious.
OwlCrate included a heavy canvas pin flag (illustrated by Michelle Gray) so we can finally display all the lovely enamel pins they started including with the monthly boxes this year. This pin flag has an excellent weight to it and is able to hold a lot of enamel pins without sagging or ripping. Nor are there large holes left when a pin is removed … I loathe this with other cheaper flags.
The enamel pin (pictured on the canvas flag) was designed by Hey Atlas Creative.
Throne of Glass series notebook by Stella Bookish Art. I’m always game to receive notebooks and while I haven’t read the particular book in the Throne series this is based on – it is pretty, I like Sarah J Maas books and who doesn’t need paper?
Lightweight Scarf inspired by Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. Illustrated by Bookmark’d Tattoos, this soft scarf displays insignia from all Grishaverse novels: including Alina’s sun, the darklings moon, thorns (from Language of Thorns cover), antler amplifiers, the sea serpent from Siege & Storm … just a lovely bunch of awesome. All on a really gorgeous purple/dark purple lightweight chiffon. OwlCrate doesn’t do a lot of lighter colours so this was a real treat!
Here are all the paper goodies – Monthly postcard, monthly magazine, and next month’s theme card: Epic Adventures!
Also included this month was an excerpt from the upcoming novel, Finale, by Stephanie Garber … hopefully you are one of the lucky ones who will be getting the specialty Finale box! (I read this excerpt right away … I’m so excited to read Finale)!
And lastly ….
The book!
April’s book pick is Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan. This OwlCrate exclusive edition is a gorgeous red and black that, in my opinion, outshines the original cover. The book comes signed and with an author letter.
Overall Rating: A
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Socks: 3/3 — Can always use a good pair of socks. I love the fandom. Love the company.
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Scarf: 2/3 — Love the fandom and it is great quality. While I appreciate they included a lighter weight scarf, I don’t tend to wear a lot of scarves. Especially in spring.
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Pin Banner: 3/3 — Surprisingly good quality and strong fabric. Nice to display pins.
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Notebook: 3/3 — Pretty. Good quality. Useful.
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Pop Socket: 1/3 — Not a fandom I love, a little cheap feeling and slightly uncomfortable. I didn’t trust it on my phone as I worried it would leave residue.
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Bonus Point: Finale Excerpt
A pretty decent box overall. Some items were a miss for me this month but I do feel I got my money’s worth. I truly appreciate that OwlCrate consistently delivers on this.
Note on Rating: I rate each item out of 3 possible points: 1 for quality, 1 for usefulness, and 1 for if I personally liked the item/fandom. I then assign an overall letter rating for the whole box.