It’s OwlCrate unboxing time! Ugh, I just love OwlCrate so much. It’s. Like. Christmas.
Except this month Christmas had spoilers.
Because I accidentally saw them on Instagram.
I saw a picture on my feed of an OwlCrate unboxing like, two days after crates started shipping, and I tried to look away, but things had already caught my eye, and I did a double-take, and then a triple-take, and then finally I just couldn’t tear my eyes away because everything looked so goooooood and I’m a terrible person who shakes the presents under the tree and tries to guess what they are!
So, I already knew many of the things that were going to be in the August OwlCrate, but I still totally geeked out over opening every single item. It’s just different seeing a picture of the items and unwrapping them for your very own and fawning over how awesome they are (because, oh, they are awesome).
This month’s theme was Something Wicked This Way Comes, which is just so perfect for me. Spooky is practically my aesthetic; it’s in my blood. I can’t get it out. So when I heard the theme, I knew I’d love the items in the box.
Without further ado, read on to see everything that came in the crate this month!
OwlCrate Specific Materials
So first up we have, of course, the OwlCrate info card explaining all the items inside the box, and adorned with this seriously GORGEOUS artwork! Honestly, I’m so in love with this art. This is going on my wall somewhere in my office. I’m that obsessed with it. It also comes with the monthly OwlCrate pin with a smaller version of the artwork featured on the card.
Poe-ka Dot Socks from Out of Print
Oh. My. God. These are so cute, I died. I died and then came back to life so that I could wear these socks.
Two things:
1. I looooove Edgar Allan Poe. Love him. He’s like the granddaddy of spooky. His work has no rival. And apparently, he was a pretty weird guy IRL, too, which as far as I’m concerned is awesome.
and
2. I love socks. I don’t know why. I don’t. They’re just cute. #socksunday is my jam, because cute socks are amazing. It’s like, we have to put something on our feet anyway, so why not make our feet-covering-articles super cute?!
So needless to say, this item combined the fact that I adore Poe with the fact that I love socks, and I love them so. Much. I’d say they’re my favorite thing from this crate, but I have three favorite things from this crate. The socks are one of them.
Dark Arts Roast Coffee from Happenstance Coffee
You know what I love more than socks and Edgar Allan Poe? Coffee.
You know what pairs perfectly with literally any book? Coffee.
And you know what OwlCrate included in the August box? That’s right. Coffee.
And not just any coffee! No, it’s Harry Potter inspired coffee, y’all. It’s the Dark Arts Roast.
It’s actually a medium roast, though, not a dark roast (which I love, but I loooove dark roast coffees even more), and it is the first time OwlCrate has ever included coffee in one of their boxes. Not gonna lie…I’d be fine with it if they continued to do so.
And if you haven’t already guessed, this is my second favorite thing from this month’s box.
Click here to visit Happenstance Coffee’s site and shop all their unique, themed brews!
Six of Crows Inspired Bookmark from Treehouse of Books
This bookmark, inspired by Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and created by Treehouse of Books, is dual-sided and I can’t decide which artwork I like more! On one hand, these snow covered tree tops are beautiful:
But on the other hand (or rather, the other side), those feathers:
This Savage Song Inspired Sticker from Evie Bookish
So this is a really cute sticker created by Evie Bookish and inspired by This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab. I may be in the major minority here, but I actually haven’t read these books! Am I the only one left who hasn’t? Should I read them? Let me know!
Fountain Pen from Ooly
I’m obsessed with pens. Can’t get enough of them. Pens, notebooks, journals—any kind of stationery item, really. To be honest, OwlCrate could have sent me a Bic Crystal and I would’ve been excited because it’s a pen. But as it turns out, I’m full on over the moon, because they didn’t just send a pen they sent an epic amazing fountain pen from Ooly that is so gorgeous, so comfortable, and writes so nicely.
I know I sound like a crazy person right now—and okay, I kind of am—but if you are a writer or stationery obsessed like me, you know what I mean. Some pens just feel so good when you write with them. They just have that nice flow. This is one of those pens.
And it came with two ink refills, so I don’t have to cry when this runs out purchase more super soon!
Sleepy Hollow & Other Stories by Washington Irving from Rock Paper Books
That’s right, as if OwlCrate wasn’t already awesome, this month’s box came with two books! In addition to the YA pick of the month, it also came with this beautiful edition of Sleepy Hollow & Other Stories by Washington Irving from Rock Paper Books, a company that takes classics and reimagines the covers with modern art. I love this spooky artwork, and “Sleepy Hollow” is one of my favorite stories. And can I just say…this book also smells amazing. You book sniffers out there…you’d really like this one.
The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones
The book for this month’s crate was The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones, and it fit really well with the theme of Something Wicked This Way Comes. It had demons, supernatural dealings, shady contracts, hearts being removed from chests…it was perfect.
The Hearts We Sold is about a young woman, Dee, who trades her heart to a demon in order to get money to be able to pay for the boarding school that feels more like home to her than her own home. In the process, the demon ropes her and the rest of the “heartless” in her city into the task of destroying mysterious “voids” that appear around the city and are a portal for otherworldly beings trying to get into the human world and destroy it.
But, this book is more than just a supernatural fantasy romp. While it has supernatural elements woven in, it’s also about Dee’s struggles with her family, her friendships, and her feelings for James, a young artist who is one of the other members of her heartless troop.
I already read this (devoured it almost immediately), and I have a full spoiler-free review going up this Friday!
And, as always, it came with a signed book plate and a really touching personal letter from the author. And as an added bonus, this book came with this really cute pin bearing the words “I Chose This” on a background of red yarn, which, after reading the book, makes perfect sense and is even more cute.
Faves & Next Month
So, as I mentioned, I have three favorite items from this box, and that’s not including the book. The book is probably my number one favorite thing, and my other favorites are the Poe socks, the coffee, and OMG that amazing pen from Ooly!
The box, as always, includes a sneak peek at the September box and the theme is…
Mythical creatures!!! Aah, it’s going to be so cute and exciting!
And according to the hints being dropped by OwlCrate, it’s going to include a book sleeve from Book Beau! I’ve never had a book sleeve before so I’m pretty excited for that, and to see the OwlCrate exclusive design.
What did everyone else think of this month’s crate? What was your favorite thing? Let me know in the comments! You know I’d love to talk. <3