OwlCrate started as an idea conceived by book lovers for book lovers. Korrina Ede and Robert Madden wanted to offer a unique book box subscription to share their love for literature, primarily Young Adult books. They decided to offer 150 monthly subscriptions to launch the business, and OwlCrate was born in February 2015. The first box was fantasy themed. They hoped it would resonate with a wide range of people. The partners wanted something everyone could relate to, and they had a lot of fun putting together the contents of the boxes. People reacted instantly. It was so successful they had to open up an extra 100 spots just to fill the demand. “We were so lucky to have such an amazing publicist to work with,” Korrina says, “The publicist really believed in our idea and was so helpful in getting unique promotional items for us to include.” We’re actually giving away their June box, so enter to win at the end of this review.

 

Though they make it look easy, it’s a ton of work and prep to get the boxes out every month.It all starts with planning. They only offer books that are released within 45 of the shipping date for the boxes. So, you can count on something new to read right away or add to your “to-be-read” pile (doesn’t everyone have one of those 5 books high?). Selecting a book is a careful process. They try to find a book that people are excited for and something that they can build a great theme around. Can you imagine standing at the new release table and having to choose just ONE book? It’d be like “Is it the red or blue wire?!” but every month. Luckily, they seem to have better self-control than I do. After a title and theme are chosen, then it is time to look for swag. Did I mention that you don’t just get a new book to read? You also get a few cool little surprises as well. Korrina personally chooses unique “book-ish” items to include in each box. It’s like a freaking present in your mailbox every month!

 

But we don’t just love them for all the awesome things they offer and the cute little notepad they picked this month (link below!). We love them because they put their blood, sweat, and tears into every box and it shows. They are still working out of their home, using their living room as ground zero for box building and stuffing, which they do all by and hand with the help of a few good friends. Their hard work is paying off. They ship OwlCrates across the globe! Australia, Norway, South Korea, just to name a few countries. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a subscription spot you have the option of 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months (and who are we kidding the obvious choice is 6 months).

 

All this popularity hasn’t gotten to their heads, though. Korrina says, “We have been blown away by the interest in our boxes, and now we are working towards being able to find a way to offer more spots.” Yes, please! Quality is still everything for them which is why so much time goes into choosing the most interesting new releases, coolest gifts, and delivering them all right to your front door. Also? I may be a little in love with their manifesto:

“1) No one is too old to read YA.
2) We will not be ashamed of our TBR piles.
3) It’s okay to fall in love with fictional characters.
4) The book is always better than the movie (but the movies are fun too!).
5) Books have the ability to change our world.”

I wholeheartedly agree. Keep ‘em coming, guys.

OwlCrate May 2015 Box Review

 

The Box Review:

Korinna was kind enough to send me the May box for review. First of all, it’s like a miracle because trying to get your hands on one of these thing is like looking for the last golden ticket. You know they exist but you can never get one because they sell out so quickly you don’t even know what happened. Second, it was a box of happy. Actually, the theme was Parallel Worlds but you get the picture. Price: Each box is $29.99 (plus tax). If you subscribe to OwlCrate, you will have the option to choose between a 1 month, 3 month, 6 month subscription. To get an idea of value (which will vary by month but is never less than $30) I totaled my first box’s retail value at over $50, and it included a signed book and bookmark.

The Book:

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley The book they chose was Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley. It’s about a girl names Aza who is battling a lung disease that makes life almost unlivable. While taking an array of different medications to keep her alive, she sees a ship in the sky. She seems to be the only one who can. Her parents think it is a side-effect of one of the dozens of drugs, and her best friend, although he believes her, just can’t see it. One day, she loses the battle with her illness, but that is not where her story ends. She wakes up to the world of the flying ships, to Magonia. In this new world she can breathe for the first time in her life. Aza learns the new ways of this foreign world but will have to make a choice between her new life and her old.

The Swag:

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty It melts, molds, and stretches in your hands. It also changes color from the warmth! Use it to relieve stress when punching is not acceptable. “Stars” Notebook from Obvious State It’s pocket sized so you can bring it anywhere. Now, you’ll be ready when genius strikes. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland tattoo by SmashTat It’s temporary so you won’t have to commit to only one of the millions of books you love. But it looks pretty awesome while it lasts!

Enter to Win the June Box from OwlCrate!

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