What’s In The Box — OwlCrate January 2020

Hello all! It is time for another round of book subscription box reveals and today we have OwlCrate’s January 2020 box, “Vengeance Will Be Mine.” I really loved this box — it was probably my favorite from them in awhile! I think everything is gorgeous and the cover redesign was really different. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

overall box

Overall, this box was great. Although the items were maybe not as novel as some other boxes of theirs, everything in the box was very usable and well-designed. I would give it another 9/10 this month!

individual items

Here we have this month’s pin and this year’s pin banner. I really love the pin banner this year, which was designed by In the Reads. My only complaint is I don’t really want to cover it up with pins! I have a soft spot in my heart for a good literary map and I think this map inspired by The Hobbit is just gorgeous. And, honestly, her whole Etsy shop is amazing, so click that link above and get you something awesome! The pin is inspired by this month’s book, and was designed by Forensics and Flowers.

Next up, we have a pair of socks from Out of Print featuring the cover art from the Collector’s Edition of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. The socks are super fun and I always think Out of Print has great quality clothing items. My one issue (again) is that they are probably a bit too small for me. I wish they would err a bit bigger — these are an Adult Small. I’ll squeeze my foot in like the stepsister in Cinderella, don’t you worry, but I still wish they were bigger!

The candle is made by A Court of Candles and apparently they sent out five different candles this month, all inspired by the maji from Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, which is pretty neat. I got The Connector, which is scented like fresh blueberries and ginger. It’s a really pretty blue color and I can’t wait to see what it smells like when it’s burning.

Next up, a pocket mirror with hidden compartment storage, inspired by the Nevernight series by Jay Kristoff and designed by the OwlCrate team. I thought this was a really interesting item, but I’m not sure what I would put in those little compartments! I can’t wait to see how people use them.

And finally, the big ticket item is this Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix inspired ceramic mug from Cara Kozik. Like all of these mugs OwlCrate has sent out, the quality and illustrations are just amazing. These ceramic mugs are probably my favorite things OwlCrate sends out and I always love getting a new one. I think they are so well-designed, great quality and a real showstopper. My Harry Potter obsessed son tried to steal it from me, but so far it has stayed in my cabinet!

the book

And then of course, we have the book! The cover design for this one is incredibly different than the mainstream release of the book and my guess is that some people won’t love it, but I really do! I love a good font-focused cover and the nod to the embroidery in the original cover is a nice treat. I can’t wait to dig into this gender-swapped Count of Monte Cristo retelling, it sounds amazing!

Scavenge the Stars (Scavenge the Stars, #1) by Tara Sim
on January 7, 2020
Pages: 336
Goodreads

When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she’s been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide.
Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. But the more entangled she becomes in this game of deception—and as her path intertwines with the son of the man she’s plotting to bring down—the more she uncovers about the truth of her past. And the more she realizes she must trust no one…
Packed with high-stakes adventure, romance, and dueling identities, this gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is the first novel in an epic YA fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo.

so what about you?

Did you like this box as much as I did? Which cover do you prefer? I can’t wait to chat with you in the comments!