November Subscription Box Reviews

Today I'm unboxing and reviewing both the Owlcrate and Whimsify boxes from November. 

The November Owlcrate Theme was:

 Castles, Courts and Kingdoms

I was pretty excited about this theme and it didn't disappoint.

The first thing I saw when I opened the box was this Harry Potter hat. There may have been an audible gasp. I love this item - it's nice and thick and goes with the black scarf I already have. Because I'm picky about that kind of thing.

Also in this pic is the Grisha-inspired brooch (though I keep wanting to call it a badge because of the shape) from Juniper and Ivy Designs. There were three different designs and mine is Heartrenders.

I love getting notebooks and notepads in these boxes because I know I will actually use them. And this one is so pretty. The notebook design by Stella Bookish Art features a quote from A Court of Mist and Fury.

One of the other items I know I'll use are lip balms. I love the one from Geekfire Labs that came in the Caraval box earlier this year. They also made this one inspired by Game of Thrones. It smells like blackberry and mint.

The elven bread soap from Fizzy Fairy Apothecary is so pretty. I love the bright green color! (The one you can order from her shop has a slightly different color and scent.)

The book this month is The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano. I haven't heard that much buzz about this book, but it has such a cool premise. The heroine has the power to turn people into gems. It came with a signed bookplate, gem tattoos and has an exclusive cover.

The Whimsify theme was

 Secrets and Spies

I love the concept but a lot of the box just didn't work for me.

This month's candle is from Novel Heartbeat. It's called Steal Your Soul and was inspired by This Savage Song. The box insert doesn't say what the fragrance is but I'm getting sandalwood or amber plus a floral note. Mine has a big dent in the lid - you can see it in the picture - which is a little bit frustrating but at least it still closes.

The superhero stickers from Studio Adorkable are super cute. They made the Stranger Things bookmark from last month's box too. It bugs me a little bit to see vendors repeated so soon, but the cuteness mostly makes up for it.

This print designed by Whimsify features a quote from Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson. I like the quote but I'm kind of meh about the design.

I feel the same way about the A Court of Thorns and Roses bookmark actually. Though I might be more excited if I were a fan of the series. It's designed by Dreamy and Co, which is another vendor that has been in the box before (twice, I think.)

Like I said, I'm a fan of lip balms. This one's strawberry. It comes from Literary Apothecary Shop and was inspired by Pretty Little Liars - I love the A on the label.

And here's the item that really disappointed me: the Flame in the Mist pouch features a design by Evie Bookish, who I love. But instead of being printed on the bag, it's a vinyl transfer. It looks like you can peel it right off because the edges are lifted off the bag. When I first unpacked it I thought it was a separate item, like a sticker sitting on top of the pouch. The fact that the design has a white background and the pouch is kind of a gray-cream just makes it more obvious. If this were done with printed canvas it would have been gorgeous.

I am pretty excited about this book though. It's Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne and the heroine is a healer. It came with a signed bookplate as well. This is another title I haven't heard much about. One of the things I've enjoyed about getting subscription boxes this year is discovering new books. Now I just have to find time to read them all!

I'm seriously thinking about cutting down to one box next year, but which one should I choose? One of these or should I try something new? What's your favorite book box?