Do you eat, sleep, and breathe YA literature? Then OwlCrate might just be the subscription box service you’ve been looking for.

(Warning: This post will include spoilers for OwlCrate’s March box. If you don’t want to be spoiled, avert your eyes!)

About OwlCrate

OwlCrate is a monthly subscription box for YA lovers. Every month, subscribers receive one newly-published YA novel and a handful (meaning 3-5) of fun, book-themed goodies, all revolving around a certain theme (like “Sci-Fi Love” or “Leading Ladies”).

The bookish items can be practically anything, including jewelry, pens, socks, and more! Owlcrate subscription boxes also come with exclusive items from the books’ publishers or authors, as well as a cute note that tells you more about the book itself and exactly what treats are in your box (as well as where they’re from). You can always check out some of their past boxes to see what exactly you can expect from each OwlCrate shipment.

OwlCrate offers a variety of subscription plans so that people can choose one that works best for them. Like other subscription boxes, the larger the plan you choose, the less you pay. OwlCrate offers two pre-pay plans: A six-month plan ($167.94 total) and a three-month plan ($86.98 total).

They also offer the standard month-to-month plan ($29.99/month) where you pay for your boxes on a monthly basis. While this isn’t the cheapest plan, it happens to be the only plan where you can choose to skip a month if you’re not interested in the theme (which is super handy and a pretty rare option when it comes to subscription boxes).

That’s not to say that any of the OwlCrate shipments should be missed. Each month, the OwlCrate boxes are carefully curated and put together by people who love YA and want to share their love of books with others. From the moment you open your OwlCrate box, it’s hard not to feel that sort of love.

March OwlCrate subscription box review

As a writer, I’m often the victim of writer’s block. It comes with the territory. When I heard that OwlCrate’s March subscription box theme was “Writer’s Block,” I knew it was going to be love at first sight. And I was right.

The first thing to greet me when I opened my OwlCrate was a cute postcard/welcome letter that lists all of the surprises I’d find when I dug a little further. I didn’t actually read the note until I discovered for myself what was in my box just because I didn’t want to be spoiled. But, looking at it now, I really like the way it details all of the goodies (as well as the creative minds behind them) and the way they all fit together within the theme. I have to say, though, that my favorite part about the note is the amount of cute little doodles in the margins!

Underneath the welcoming note, I found two (or, well, four) super cute wearables! The first is a package of three pins from Bookworm Boutique that are designed exclusively for OwlCrate. I love the short book-related sayings on all of them (especially the one that says “I read to live / I live to read”). These pins are a great (and fashionable) way to show off my obsession with books. I just have to decide where I want to put them!

The other wearable in this month’s OwlCrate subscription box is a pair of banned book socks from Out of Print. One sock has a list of the most commonly banned books (such as The Color Purple) while the other sock in the pair has the same list but with the titles censored. I really love the socks’ clever design! It really puts a different spin on the “writer’s block” theme. I’m also a fan of the wide band at the top of the socks. I always have trouble keeping tall socks to stay up, so the larger band at the top will definitely help with that. (After all, how can I show off their cool design if they fall down?)

The other two bookish gifts in my OwlCrate subscription box really go hand in hand. The first is a fun quill pen from Kikkerland. The pen is made of a sort of rubbery material, so it’s comfortable to hold and bends towards the top (which, if you’re like me, you’ll take advantage of by playing with the feather part of your pen while writing). This quill is more of like a gel pen than a regular pen, so it glides easily over paper (kind of like a real quill). I don’t think writer’s block could ever get to me while I have this pen because I want to use it all the time.

And what better way to use my new pen than with my new copy of 642 Tiny Things to Write About? I had a feeling that, with a theme like “Writer’s Block,” the March OwlCrate would have something like this book in it. I’ve never bought myself one of these kinds of books before, but I’ve always wanted to try one. It’s filled with short and sweet little writing prompts that are just fun enough to get the creative juices flowing.

Who knows, maybe one of these prompts could someday turn into something more than just fun scribbling to pass the time. I really like the size of 642 Tiny Things because it’s just small enough to be slipped into a purse or bag and used when I’m on the go. I just hope I don’t fill up the book with my musings and answers to the prompts too quickly!

While the bookish goodies are super fun and I couldn’t be excited to start using them, OwlCrate really saves the best for last by packing their book of the month at the bottom of the box. March’s book of the month is The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner and, even though I’ve never heard of it before, I’m really looking forward to reading it.

This novel follows the son of a fervent minister living in the Bible Belt who is just trying to figure out who he is and who he wants to be while also dealing with a life-changing event. While I don’t usually pick up novels that center on religion or religious figures, this book seems to transcend the normal tropes. I can’t wait to start reading it.

Yes, the description on the book’s inside cover caught my attention when I first pulled it out of the box, but it was the postcard note from the author (as well as a small quote poster) that was tucked in with the book that really intrigued me. The author’s note really adds a personal touch to the OwlCrate subscription box as a whole. It’s a reminder of how much love and care goes into not only creating each and every goody (The Serpent King included), but the OwlCrate boxes as a whole.

Honestly, if you love YA novels and you have an infatuation with all things literature, you really should sign up for an OwlCrate subscription box (or three) (or six). These boxes combine new and compelling YA books with fun and quirky items designed just for book enthusiasts. Because OwlCrate’s boxes are curated and put together by book lovers for book lovers, you’ll never be disappointed. OwlCrate is the YA gift that keeps on giving all year round.
 

Full disclosure: I received a free March OwlCrate subscription box in exchange for my review on the site.

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