Breaking news from the month of November—I managed not to see ANY spoilers for November’s OwlCrate before mine arrived!!!
As a result, I was completely surprised by all the contents of the OwlCrate, including the particular item that was right on top and caught me totally off guard—in the best way.
If you’re wondering what was in there—and what I thought of everything—scroll down to check out all the beautiful (as always) things included in November’s Castle, Courts, & Kingdoms themed crate.
Expecto Patronum Beanie (Created Exclusively by OwlCrate)
I mean…
This was the item that was right on top and since I had no idea this was going to be in the box—it wasn’t even one of the sneak peek items that OwlCrate dropped hints about this time—I literally squealed with excitement. First of all, despite the fact that I live in one of the hottest states in the country, I love wintery accessories, especially beanies. What can I say, I guess it’s the hipster in me.
This hat is so adorable and cozy and warm, and just looks perfect for winter with a mock Fair Isle print that has been adapted to feature the trademark lightning bolt logo so closely associated with the boy wizard. I literally can’t wait for it to get cold so I can wear this. I’ll just tell you now, this was definitely my favorite item in the box!
Elven Bread Soap (Lembas Bread) from Fizzy Fairy Apothecary
How cute!!! They included a soap created by Fizzy Fairy Apothecary in order to look like the leaf-wrapped lembas bread made famous by the Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The detail on this is incredible and it looks just like it really could be bread wrapped in leaves. This leaf detail is so simply adorable.
But as tempting as it might be, don’t try to unwrap this waybread and eat it—it actually is soap, and good smelling soap at that. It’s a bit of a fruity scent, but mostly very fresh and clean smelling! But I can’t lie, y’all—I don’t know if I will ever be able to bring myself to use it and mess it up! It’s just so cute!
A Court of Mist & Fury Inspired Notebook by Stella’s Bookish Art
Okay, y’all know your girl is a sucker for a notebook—any notebook. Any notebook, any stationery item, any paper, anywhere. So including a notebook in a subscription box is a surefire way to win me over. And this one featuring a quote from a A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas is really, really pretty, featuring some of my favorite colors and a beautiful design. Seriously, I’m in love with the shades of purple. And though I recently discovered that apparently the ACOTAR series is just not for me, this is a really nice quote. I’ve already started using the notebook to jot down ideas and lists!
Game of Thrones Inspired Lip Balm by Geek Fire Labs
This lip balm by Geek Fire Labs called “Winter is Here” smells sooo good. It’s an exclusive creation and is tastes/smells like blackberry and mint. I’m a sucker for anything minty so the flavor is absolutely perfect. Plus, lip balm is a great inclusion for anytime of year, but definitely for the winter months! So appropriate.
Grishaverse Brooch by Juniper and Ivy Designs
This wooden brooch is inspired by the Grisha from Leigh Bardugo’s books. I’ve only ever read Six of Crows so I don’t know too much about this particular universe, but the brooches are designed to represent different orders of Grisha. OwlCrate sent out three different designs, and this design is the Durasts design. The Durasts are apparently part of the Materialki, and their skill is manipulating glass, steel, wood, or stone.
The coolest thing about this brooch is that while it looks like a traditional brooch, there is no pin or anything that will put a hole in your clothing or outerwear. It’s actually held on with a very strong magnet, which I think is a unique and innovative idea to help prevent damage!
Before we talk about the book included in November’s crate, here’s a shot of the OwlCrate materials included this month:
The artwork for this month is really pretty and prominently features some of my favorite colors: black and purple. The dark colors are beautiful and the castle and character featured in the foreground really bring the theme to life. OwlCrate never fails to impress with the artwork they include on their cards and pins. The spoiler card this month is beautiful as well, as it is made to look like some medieval-appropriate parchment with a scrawling script and even an image of a purple wax seal! I always love their attention to detail.
And finally, the book included in this month’s box!
The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano
The Glass Spare is a YA fantasy novel featuring the main character of Wilhelmina “Wil” Heidle, a princess who discovers one night that she is cursed with the dangerous power to turn those she touches into gemstone in a very King Midas type fashion. Wil embarks on what promises to be an epic journey to understand this power and find a way to break the curse, and the novel looks like it will be full of drama and possibly fantasy world political intrigue, as well, which is always a good time.
Bookish Extras
And of course, OwlCrate never disappoints with the little bookish extras included with the book, which, as always, include a signed bookplate and a letter from the author, and this time also includes a little sheet of gemstone temporary tattoos. This is so adorable and I have to give them props for adding in such adorable little touches the past few months, like the wildflower seeds included with Wild Beauty in October or the “I Chose This” pin included with The Hearts We Sold in August. They’re thinking outside the box (or perhaps the crate) and I really appreciate that.
Next Month’s Theme
Next month’s theme is Seize the Day, and looks like it will be a wintry and wonderful box from the sneak peek card included! The book included in December’s box is a contemporary, which I think will be a great change of pace…plus, I love contemporaries! I am hoping it is something super cozy and cute! Can’t wait to find out.
Did you get the November OwlCrate? If so, what was your favorite item? What do you think of the book included? Let me know in the comments! You know I’d love to talk. <3